post #300, swim update

I just noticed that this will be post number 300 for this particular blog - which is kinda cool in a fairly geeky way.

I headed over to the natatorium for my swim this morning - had a bit of an adventure.

First up, I had to scan my ID card myself at the desk. Then, because it was my first time there, I had to have my picture taken with a web cam and then sign a electronic reader stating that I'd read the policies. Very strangely hi-tech. And kinda dumb cause I'd just scanned in my ID card that has my picture on it.

So, I got directions down the hall to the locker rooms. I find an unoccupied locket and get changed, then go to put in my nickel as it indicated on the website for locker rental. Ah, oops - it's not a nickel. It's $.50! For what amounted to a 25 minute rental. I had some extra change with me, but that's not the point. Anyway, I quick rinse down and on into the pool area.

I asked the lifeguard which lane I could use for swimming, since it appeared they were doing some kind of work on one side of the pool. I also asked how the lanes were set up so I could figure a distance. She vaguely pointed to the far side of the pool and ignored the rest. I would think that given there were only two people in the pool to be watched, she would have appreciated a little conversation, but she was too busy being bored.

So, I swam my 9 laps, which, I think, equals about a 1/4 mile. I had to stop ever so often and the last lap was a little weak, but I finished. Since the 9th lap put me at the far end of the pool, I got out and walked my tired and sorry ass back around the pool to the locker room.

I took a quick shower, got dressed, and headed to the student union for lunch. I was tired, but I thought I was doing okay. But, while I stood there waiting for the server to dish up my fried rice and hand me my pre-packaged sushi - I suddenly got very tired. Like, almost falling over, tired. I paid for my food and found a somewhat quiet spot to sit and recover before I headed back to the office. I had some juice and I think that helped.

So, I'm back in the office and still alive, though I could really use a nap.

later...

bamboo, Castlevania, oatmeal, swim, weekend

Well, the bamboo plant is still alive - which was a bit of a surprise to me. I'm down to one stalk - if it buys the farm, then I'm switching to artificial plants only.

Got a new game in the Castlevania series - pretty cool. The only downside was when I used a magic item to teleport back to a safe area - but had neglected to set a return point. So, I had to go through three areas again just to get caught up.

I'm having some oatmeal this morning while I work - or rather, while I blog and look like I'm working. I'm planning on going swimming in a bit and I'll need the energy.

And I've decided to try and do a bit of swimming at lunchtime through the week. We'll see how it goes and if I enjoy it at all. I need to get more exercise and I'm hoping this is a form that's actually fun.

Getting caught up on the past week. I spent the thanksgiving time with my folks and helped a little with yardwork and the like. Mom put up her 5 christmas trees, I finished making my ornaments for my one 8 inch tree, and we ate fried turkey - which wasn't too bad but could have used some kind of marinade.

On Saturday, we went to the airport to pick up my sister and brother-in-law - just back from their honeymoon. I made up a very small sign with their names on it, then stood in plain view as a bit of a joke. They took about 500 pictures and a few hours of video - so, I'm waiting on the powerpoint.

After that, I headed out to visit a friend in W. Va who was doing some dog sitting. I helped with the dog walking late one evening and decided that, with the warm weather and the dark, quiet secluded woods, that a bit of streaking was in order. Hey, the dog was doing it too, so I figured, why not? It was a little chilly, but still fun.

I took Monday off to stretch the holiday a bit and came back to work yesterday for a day long meeting. It was... well, let's just say I was glad I took plenty of folding paper.

This afternoon is a trip to the comic book store and then to the BMV to get a new driver's license and update my plates/registration. Yep, I'm a wild man.

So, that's about it for now - time to get back to actually working instead of just pretending.

later...

bamboo, student loans, cold, light, work

Last night I tried to save my (un)lucky bamboo plant. My sister had gotten it for me for Christmas last year(?) - maybe two years ago. In any case, the three stalks has done pretty well for a while, then one sickened and died. So, I had pulled that one out during a transplant procedure that brought the two healthy stalks to a new container. But, then one of the healthy ones eventually died and I decided to make one last attempt before giving up and resorting to plastic plants.

I began the surgery late last evening and removed the dead stalk from the tangles of roots and rocks. I rinsed out the container, rinsed the rocks, then carefully put the remaining stalk back in. I wondered about the tap water, so I got out a bottle of water. But it was from the fridge and I worried that it might be too cold. So, I poured the water into a sauce pan and gently heated it to room temp, then poured it in. Some careful rock re-arrangement and I put it back in front of the window. We'll see how it goes.


Also last evening, I wrote a check for the final payment on my student loans. It was the last item in my payment book, but a quick check on-line showed there was an extra charge of $2.07 - which I added on before filling out the check. It's a relief to be done with those, though it won't really kick in until I get the "nothing is screwed up, you're done" letter.

I've been cold for the past few days. Which shouldn't be that odd since - hey, it's winter - but even while drinking hot tea or eating hot soup, I'm still slightly chilly. Normally that sort of temperature variance doesn't bother me, but it has been for a bit now. Strange...

I updated my site with a couple of new photos of a modified origami project.

Light

A little glass-paint and it's like a whole new model.

Work: well, the next set of applications came in for our full time position. None of the candidates really jumped out at us, but we'll see how it goes in the interviews. The student assistant I've been trying to hire hasn't gotten back to me - so, we're still pretty much where we've been for a while.

And on that note - time for me to get back to work...

wedding (not mine), back to work - no student assistant

My sister's wedding was last weekend and it was good - but a lot of work. I went down and stayed with my folks from Tuesday evening on to help out and stayed for the duration.

Tuesday was pretty quiet, but on Wednesday we really got to work. A good chunk of the afternoon was spent putting the hot air balloons that I had made together. Then Mom and I helped set up the tables and got a ton of stuff done. We were in the zone. But, we also discovered that we didn't have enough boxes for candy - and we were out of tuel (sp?). So, on Thursday we made more boxes and got more tuel - then headed to the chuch to finish up.

We got home in time for Mom to go to her body wrap - and Dad and I were going to pick up our tuxes. Unfortuntatly, there were at differnt locations and we didn't have time to get to the store where mine was located. For a store called "after hours" - they aren't open very late.

Or very early, as we discovered the next morning when we got there at 9 and found they were still closed until 10 am. So, we went to Barnes and Noble.

The rest of the day was pretty quiet until the rehersal dinner. Things went pretty smoothly there and we all got our assignments.

On Saturday, the day of the wedding, we had some relatives come into town early and had a light breakfast for them. Then it was off to the church.

We got there early and got into our respective penguin suits. I also realized that I'd never worn cufflinks before - and thought they were pretty cool, though they didn't shoot darts like James Bond's would have.

My sister looked really amazing in her dress - but she was also looking really nervous as she walked down the aisle. She settled down a bit during the actual wedding and looked a bit more happy/relaxed.

I thought the minister laid it on a little think and I don't know that I would have gone along with the vows, but it was a really beautiful ceremony and I got a little weepy - which was to be expected. Mom held up pretty well - we expected she would be a gusher.

Then it was time for the endless photos until my teeth started to hurt and then dinner. Which was pretty good and filling. Then the slideshow - which pretty much ripped me up. All these photos of my sister and I as we were growing up - then it transitioned to photos of her and her new husband. My "partner in crime" had grown somewhere along the way and things weren't going to be the same again. I was having a rough go of that - but got a little better as time went on and I was able to issue my threat to her new husband. I won't go into details, but it involves a ninja sword.

There wasn't much dancing and the reception wrapped up pretty quickly. Mom and I helped with some of the clean-up, then took a bunch of stuff back to the couple's place.

Then back to the folk's place for more visiting and then some time in the hot tub.

Mom and Dad picked up the new couple at their hotel and got them to the airport for the honeymoon. I stayed with my folks for the rest of the day before heading back north.

It was a good time, beutiful, happy, and sad all at once.

Then, on Monday, back to work. I got a call from the student assitant I wanted to hire - only to discover that he isn't actually a student this semester - but he will be in the spring. Ummm...that's a problem. So, I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do - except stay really busy.

So, on that note - time to get back to work...

blood donation, voting

Yesterday, after work, I went to give blood. Started off pretty standard, read the paperwork and sit quietly. When I was called up to give the history, I realized quickly that the technical was a trainer. His trainer had to keep logging in and reminding him of things. Still, not bad. When it came to the fingerstick to check the iron, things went a little south. The actual stick was fine, but when he squeezed my finger a small spray of blood shot out and hit his gloves. It didn't hurt, but we were both a little taken aback. I was headed towards some kind of apology, but realized that it really wasn't my fault.

He finished up that test and then wrapped up the rest of them - sending me on my way to the collection area.

The needle didn't hurt much going in, but partway through it started to slow down and the tech (not a trainee) had to adjust the needle. That hurt a little, but it did speed up the process. The rest went fine.

Later that evening, the site bled a bit when I took off the gauze, but a band-aid took care of that.

I was up early this morning to do my civic duty and cast my ballot in the election. I was third in line, expected to be in and out of there pretty quickly. What I didn't factor in was that the process was new and the site was short on staff. Things went okay with the scantron sheet - but when I tried to load it into the scanner - it was rejected. I had already let go of the sheet when the lady at the table insisted that I tear off the "stub". Which I would have been happy to do had there been even one sign indicating that I was supposed to do that. The first page of the ballot got spit back out, giving me a chance to tear off the stub. That page got accepted when I tried again and so did the next one - but the instructions were a little vague on if buttons were then meant to be pressed.

So, I think my vote got counted this morning - but I don't say that with the utmost confidence. It's almost too bad that no one challenged my right to vote - I was sort of looking forward to a fist-fight after the whole "tear off the stub" fiasco.

Lots to do today - include hiring a student assistant - so, time to get back to work...

busy and tiring weekend

I went to visit my family this past weekend for my Mom's birthday. Friday was pretty quiet, we ate pizza and watched a movie, but on Saturday we were up at the crack of 7:30 to help my sister and fiance with her move. Mattress, box springs, microwave, tv, etc. Pretty much all made out of solid lead - and with a steep set of stairs. Then unloading, but no stairs at that location.

The evening was spent at a benefit concert, then a birthday celebration for mom. She like the sweater. On Sunday, after they got back from church, we finished the move and clean up. Dad and I had some issues with the couch, we ended up taking it back up the stairs, rotating it, and then bringing it back down - at which point it went out the door as though it had been coated with butter.

Since my sister didn't want the couch and loveseat anymore, Dad asked a passing kid if he knew anyone that would like them. The kid said he would ask and in a few minutes his dad had come by with a truck and picked them up. Which saved us the trouble of moving them any further and also put them to good use.

A quick dinner and then on the road home. I'll be heading back later in the week to help with the final prep for the wedding and the wedding itself.

Work has been pretty quiet here today, but I'd best get back to it.

later...

church signs, doughnut game, costume debris

On the drive into work I go past two differnet churches, who seem to be in competition with putting clever messages on their signs. Today, one of the churches reads:

"Gambling is stealing by mutal consent"

Which I agree with and it's fairly clever.

The other reads:

"Winter is coming and so is the Lord, are you prepared?"

Now, that just strikes me as weird. Why would you match those two things up? For me, getting ready for winter means getting my heavy coat into a higher rotation in my closet and putting plastic on my ex-roommate's mother's windows. Sort of preventative measures.

I had an image of the Lord going door to door at some point and saying,

"Great. Another one with plastic on their windows. Well, I'm not getting in there, that's for sure. Too bad. Hope the plastic helps keep them warm - they're going to need to get used to a hot climate when they burn in hell,"

And then he goes to Starbucks for a moca - since winter, and the Lord, are coming.

Weird.

In other news, some of my friends had a block party over the summer and I was invited to attend and participate. One of the games was a doughtnut eating contest.

Photos here

Third row - that's me in the red shirt.

Notes: my method of attack was a somewhat zen-like - "Let the doughtnut come to me," - which worked really well. I also tried to use my sense of smell, but the rag around my eyes had been used for cleaning and smelled like windex. In the forth photo, my friend Mike is messing with me by bumping the side of my head with another doughtnut.

There's some debate on the winner of this contest. I was pretty sure I was leading the way during round one - but the local firehouse was invited and those guys are used to navigating in the dark. I think they ended up winning that contest, but the photos alone are prize enough.

Since Halloween is officially over, I've been debating on what, if anything, I need to save from my costume. I think this year it's just going to be trashed. I may try to get some photos of the inner workings of the head and maybe the joints, since I was pleased with how those turned out.

I'm already starting to plan for next year and unforturnatly, the front runner idea is bigger and more complicated than this one. Doom, doom doomie, doom DOOM!

That's about it for now - back to work...