Michael's Shower

Lost Opps

The OBX house could sleep 22. There were about 40! I counted on average 30 people every time we got together for a meal. It wasn't always the same 30.

I'm sure there were people popping in who was not staying at our place... There is usually a mob that goes to the place. I think it was a lot more populated (by us) years ago when I first went. That was before the Colonial bishops spoke out against the activity.

Anyway, I missed out on going to Kitty Hawk museum and the Lost Roanoke Colony, but I did go through Currituck Beach Lighthouse. It was a blast.

OBX After Action Report 1

I got spoiled over the weekend. It was a very nice air conditioned house. Sometimes it was a bit too cold, but I am dieing here. The AC at the house I live at never was great, but at work? Come on! Turn in on already.

My research done before the trip paid off somewhat. I never took the time to review any while in the "field", but it came in handy more than once. Now, I looked back over some of it... I could have used that information. The wireless Internet was flaky...

Apparently there were a bunch of boards that were stashed in the house we stayed at. The weather was nice all weekend, except for the overcast Monday morning. After the discovery, the boards were take to the pool. I was dressed and sitting on the edge with one of the boards under my feet. Next thing I know, I was in the pool... Once out everyone helped my dry out my pockets.... my phone never came back online.

Dang wireless crap

Just got home from an awesome weekend.... making quick post while the wireless connection works... phone officially dead.... need sleep....

Ready to go...

We are leaving in a couple hours... I want to go now!!!

Holland Video

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's last conference talk called Broken Things to Mend reminded me of this video We Believe in Christ 1995 Missionary Open House.

I think one of Holland's theme he constantly returns to is "Come, follow me." I tried to find another talk, but there are so many good ones.

I got this video in Louisiana. I lent tit to someone and she moved before returning it. I was hoping to find it on DVD or something. I'll have to check the library...

Mission: OBX2

I secured a ride. Gearing up: washing clothes, packing light... I am almost ready to go. Too bad it is only Wednesday.

We first were going to stay at Sea-lestial. A somewhat appropriate name for a Mormon "mob"event such as this?But we are staying at the Creasent Moon.

I forget what house I was in the first time I was there. I think there were two houses... maybe there is a blog entry on it. No, I think i started this blog two months after I went. I do have pictures tthough.

Well that is odd

On what I thought was a somewhat unrelated subject, I was reading from this ACM magazine when I came across the name Charles Babbage. The article was on hardware hacking.

There was a store in the University Mall back home called Babbages. I always thought it was a pretty lame store. I just never got into playing computer games.

Of course, Wikipedia had an entry which states: "The former chain retail computer and video-games store "Babbage's" was named after him". The Google search resulted with talks that Babbage's was purchased by Barnes & Noble.

MI3 code

I saw the Di Vinci code too this weekend. I saw Mission Impossible 3 the previous week. Between the two movies, I'd watch MI3 again and I strongly dislike Cruise.

I thought the Di Vinci movie was strange. I knew what it was about before hand, but still was turned off. I guess I got sucked into the hype.

Besides the lame CSI like investigation scene (the flash light and the magic appearance of clues), all the sub titles really got to me. I go to a movie to watch it, not to read it. If I wanted to read the book, I would have!

I turned off the movie Tora! Tora! Tora! for the same reason. I tried to watch this WWII movie years ago and got tired of trying to read the movie.

I started to make up my own story... the one French guy wanted to get his watch back... who knows what they really said... I stopped reading the movie.

"My father gave me that watch. And his father before him."

"You are obsessed with finding this watch."

"I know, I lost it in Paris..."

And so on, great tale. Not sure it was what Dan Brown intended, but I honestly can't say I've liked his other books all that much.

I often thought about the phrase "Always learning and never coming to the truth." People can study and argue over supposed events of the past and still get nowhere.

I guess my only hope is that people start to question what they really believe and come to a higher level of understanding.

More on Fort W

My entry on the weekend events was pretty short. I was busy with a bunch of things... and did not really take the time to write much of anything.

The fort tours were interesting and fun. I thought it would rain, but it was clear. The was an air show I could have gone to, but I was glad to do the tour.

The tour guide was from New Orleans. Just relocated and did not know much of the history, but she told us enough. She seemed more familiar with the birds and other wildlife in the area. We saw a bald eagle which was very neat.

We went to some hot dog stand and got shakes... It kind of reminded me of going to Granny's out in Heber, Utah.

Servers and friends

It seems like every time I depend or need to rely on my "friend's" server it goes down. I have migrated most of my important email to a more reliable account.

I am relying on the server for replies to information requests about this forthcoming trip to OBX. Well, I offered to help organize a directory. So, I am not too worried. I can also get info from the Yahoo! groups web site.

My "friend" never responds to my email or phone calls anymore. Well, for the last two years now. Great friendship? Well, as long as he doesn't kill my account, he doesn't have to reciprocate?

Just when I thought I had lucked out with my OBX plans, I get a hiccup... I lucked out because it seemed like I had to plan very little and was benefiting by someone else's leg work... well, I guess she got over burdened and I need to secure a ride... Oh well, as long as I get there and back.

Fort W

Yesterday I went to Fort Ward to watch a Civil War cannon demonstration. Then we headed to Fort Washington. It was an interesting visit. For some reason I kept sneezing....

Summer's a foot

There seems to be a lot to do anymore. I am constantly updating my calendar. Lots of movies to see... Going to OBX next weekend... Fort Washington tom morrow. Air Show/picnic Sunday?

I just found the Bud Lucky post! I remember watching this cartoon.

Closed a bunch of comments... lousy bots.

Lots to do... must be summer!

Worthy of the hire

As I hinted to in this terrible post, I often wonder how many people either go in to work or come home after a long, grueling day, thinking that they saved the world for another day. I know I don't. I'm about as important to the cosmos as a bump on a log.

I do my job and I do it to the best of my ability (most of the time), but I feel there are better things to do at times. Things that last longer and have greater affect on peoples lives.

Tonight I am going north. I have my new leather temple bag -- that I had to buy for myself by the way -- and have been growing ever so anxious to get up there.

Doogal

I knew the movie was going to be a silly kids one, but the entry made it sound worth watching. I mean they wen through all the trouble to dub the soundtrack more than once. Why? Did they break even on the film?

In the North American version of the film, the majority of original British voices have been replaced by celebrities more familiar to the American public

Yeah, I really need to get a life. CGI animated cartoons are fun... but there are better things to do than watch them all. Especially at my age!

Online classes

Schneier on Security: Online Student Exams

I had an online class once. I dug into the reveal source/codes or View Source as the menu option states and found that the answers where embedded in a java script code. Once I learned that, I first grabbed that file and then marked all my answers... not that the questions where all that hard anyway.

I aced that class.

Post summary

I ran this formula in Excel: =A1/(364.25*3) where A1 was 1629, the number of posts I have made. It averages out to about 1.5 posts per day.

It is just an estimate of the amount of stuff I have made public. I read some entries the other day. Some of them are just silly. What was I thinking?

Oh well, could be worse?

Memory upgrade

A couple years ago, I went to someone's house. The name of the owner of the house sounded familiar. When I got to the place I was greeted by someone who I swear I never met.

It was quite awkward. Finally, she gave up trying to get me to remember that we briefly met a month earlier.

I learned from that moment that it is better to play along. I can find out later who the person was. Well, at least I try to make it less awkward for the other person. I need some kind of memory upgrade.

Monticello and UVA

I finally made it down to Charlottesville, VA. The attempt to get a bunch of people to go failed but we had fun. We purposely bothered some young ladies for directions....

Monticello was very neat. We figured they take in a killing on tourism. There were lots of people there, but not too crowded. Our tour guide was hot! After the tour, I asked Josh what he thought. "Did we see any of the house? I was too busy watching the guide."

We then walked around the Universtiy of Virginia campus and grabbed lunch at some street blocked off just for predisterian traffic. It was a very awesome place; the weather was prefect.

Why use Google Calendar?

I got an evite the other day. They are pretty neat, however it does not put an entry in my Google Calender. I show up at this party only to find out that it is next week.

It was such a great week too. I love that monitor and I did not even bother looking for a date because I thought I had a party to go.

I did have lunch with some friends,,, that was all good.

Colored Eyes

I knew someone with two different colored eyes. She was also a red head -- which means nothing, I just often thought she was mad at me. When I got to know her better, she was a very awesome person. I even asked her about her eyes.

She liked that one eye had some kind of freckle on the iris which made it have a brown color. I think her other eye was blue.

I have not seen or talked to her for years. I miss those times in the Center Ward. Oh well, need make good memories so I can look back on the days here on the East Coast. I'm thinking of moving to Chicago in a few years. We'll see what happens.

Magic Street Light

My first paying job was at WordPerfect, right out of high school. No I did not do computer stuff, I was a janitor. It was pretty fun for the three months I was there.

One night my sister was giving my a ride home. We stopped at an intersection. There were no cars coming. No stop sign. Nothing.

"What are we waiting for?" I politely asked.

"For the light to turn green."

"Oh, OK."

I waited for her to realize there was not light. It was a pretty funny experience. It wasn't that late. I got off usually around 10:30.

Blue screen saver

I was told I was too practical. I guess I know I am and I know I have suppressed certain responses to observe human nature. I supose to some it would make me somewhat desensitized. Just another item to my long list "What is wrong with me?"

Anyway, a long time ago my coworkers were trying to get a reaction out of me. As I got in to the office, I barely suspected anything was going on. People were more mobile that afternoon. I found out why when I hit the reboot button on my computer.

Someone had put some screen saver on my machine that resembled a "Blue screen of death". I did not gasp, or say a word. I just figured something weird happened and I was going to fix it with one push of a button.

This was not the first time I denied someone the pleasure of playing a joke on me.

Samsung 21" wide flat panel

I went and got me a Samsung 21" wide flat panel for my computer at work. I got tired of getting shot at, the screen is bigger, takes up less room, looks cool, PIP for my DVD...

I misplaced the S-video and other cords... so I'll have to bring in my laptop or DVD player later. :)

Plug for modesty

I would take a modest lady anytime. In my last post I used the term "rather immodest". It is nice to see who is out there, but the really immodest girls are pretty repulsive. It is like the plague. Where have they been?

There was one rather immodest lady I took notice of at the Indian festival. When I saw her tattoo, I was done looking. I doubt I'd even talk to her anyway.

I like going to Church to see the modestly dressed women. An "immodest" one sticks out like a sore thumb. Not pleasant.

Disney's lost chance at love?

OK, it was mine. But it was at my recent trip to Disneyland.

I admit I like going to crowded places on a warm day. Not so much for the noise -- which actually makes it hard to hear so I often don't talk to the people I am with. I like looking around at the scenery. OK, the cute [but rather immodest] girls.

This particular day, I noticed her in line with an older sister perhaps. The older sister had a 4 year old kid. Anyway, she probably caught me checking her out. I noticed she would watch me too every time we passed in the ever winding line.

After the ride I thought to myself I had lost yet another chance. Oh well, how old was she anyway?

On the very next ride -- which happened to be Tower of terror. Right before we got on the ride, I noticed she was there too. In fact, I stood right next to her as we lined up to get on the elevator. I could have said something.

Again, after the ride, I went to gather up my nieces and push one of them in their little stroller. They were waiting in the gift shop; I had all but forget about the girl from the ride. Then when I had my niece all strapped in, I noticed this older sister walking straight towards me. The younger one, whom I took interest in, was right behind as if it was almost planned.

What would I say? I am with my family... This all the vain imagination of an old man.

I walked away.

On the Disney Cruise, I'll have no excuses. I will be with my family (Well, just my parents because all the other bums opted out.), but we are all staying on the same ship! So, if this vain imagination kicks in, dang it, I'm going to go out on a limb next time.

Indians on the loose

Just kidding. I went to the flag ceremony at this local American Indian Festival. I was waiting for a call to go to Fort Washington. Like the previous night, I got canceled on but could not get to the Fort on my own.

I should have tried harder to talk to this one young lady. (I have too many stories like this.) It seemed she was with her family... We kept looking at each other... I missed another opportunity?

Anyway, after nursing a bloody nose - no, her father did not punch me - I went to a friend who lived close by and got cleaned up before setting on my journey. I had a couple of options each one about as lame as the next. I was not going to go to this Church meeting. Both women who "rejected" me expected to see me there. No doubt I probably should have gone, but I'm a punk I guess.

Frustrated plans

No this entry is not about finding a date. I lucked out this week. I emailed a good friend to see is she could go to this HS play.... she can! I did not want to have to wrestle with asking 50 people... again.

Anyway, I think I finally nestled into a spot at Outer Banks. With all the ward leaders saying not to go (last year) it has been pretty secretive. I dare say it has been kind of cliquish too. All the annual die hard OBX goers, have their little groups... no room for outsiders.

I was going to go to Monticello Saturday. (Pronounced with a "cha" as in "chello" sound. Monticello ("cello" sound.) is a city in Utah.) Some pretty lady asked if I could go next week instead. I change my plans only to find out she has to work next Saturday anyway. The weather report looks OK for this Saturday!

Indian in the Cupboard

I vaguely remember this story, but I remember the book. I ran across it on my search on Frank Oz. I watched Litle Shop of Horrors recently. It totally makes sense that he directed it. It kind of feels like the Muppet's.

I noticed he directed the Indian in the Cupboard and had to add it to my Netflix queue.

Cool.

Trouble with voting

Maybe it is just me and I don't know all the issues, but I think people vote for things they think sound the best for them or what a friend tells them to think is best. If there is one thing I learned from the Dam Project, you can not please everyone. So, what is the real purpose of running for election? The job, the prestige? The chance to push your agenda while ignoring those whom you step on?

Yesterday I helped out at the precinct for a couple hours. I was just there to hand out sample ballots. Why did I do this? I was asked to and had nothing really better to do. Had the other party asked me (and I should add been a roommate) would I have listened to them? Probably.

I got a little education on some property tax issue in my current place of residence. Of course I heard the side that wanted to lower it. I wasn't all that shocked to see some old lady refuse to listen to lower it (probably because she did not know the candidates running to lower it, she honestly thought she was doing the right thing, and she was probably a widow with a huge pocket book.)

I rent in a very wealthy neighborhood. I can see those voting to keep the high property tax or even raising it. Do they really think they are making the community better? The new TC Williams high school is getting a gigantic parking garage!

Or do they just want to snub out the people who are not as affluent? Birds of a father flock together?

It's all about who has the loudest voice and who can rally the most people. It is not about principles or even the common good. Once in office, the next election will base it's objections on what they feel you did wrong. There is no right answer, just who gets there first.

New things and stuff

"Your roommates keep leaving." someone said to me in regards to two upcoming marriages.

Jokingly I responded. "I have that effect on people."

I went to the driving range yesterday. I haven't done that in years. I just wanted to see if I could even hit the ball. I never was the best golfer, but my one roommate was impressed. "Where did you learn to golf?" he asked.

"Well growing up with Lee Trevino and Jack Nicklaus, I think I picked up a few things."

My Dad and my older brother were always in competition when it came to golfing. I always felt I was holding up their game, that and once the ball goes out far enough I can't see it...

I still need to get a new phone, but I recently found a stylus -- which I never had. I bought the Treo used... Cool, I'll keep the piece for a while.