24 dec 2002 The Big Day

Happy birthdaversary. I am 22. The website is not.

23 dec 2002 I'm Not Even Busy

Wow. I suppose it's due time for an update. I really don't have any excuse for not typing as long as I have, unless you count being preoccupied by video games. I got Abe Unleashed for his birthday. It's interesting. We installed it yesterday, at least on his computer. It doesn't seem to want to work on mine, which I guess doesn't surprise me at all considering my computer's history with The Sims. Anyway, I played it. This morning for some reason I spent an hour playing Tetris Deluxe on Abe's translucent purple (why..?) Game Boy Color. I think there is something wrong with the speaker on it so I connected it to my computer speakers. That is a sad, sad statement right there. Why is Tetris music so good? Anyway, tomorrow's my birthday, and the website's. This here is version 3.0ish. Version 2.0 was born on my birthday of last year. Isn't that exciting? December is a fun month. I am so tired now. Merry Holidays.

14 dec 2002 From Exotic Minnesota

Who's typing this in the Apple Store? I am!

10 dec 2002 Five Things

thing 1: I really like McChicken sandwiches (no lettuce). I think that's partially because there's chicken there, but it's also just great to say, "McChicken." It's the American food. It's the peoples' food. Yessir.

thing 2: I'm not sure what to think of those bell-ringers who pop up this time of year. They seem like they're doing a good thing, but it also seems like the majority of them hate it. Which makes you wonder; because you would think if they wanted money from you, they'd be nice to you, or possibly civil? I know that not all of them are like that, but some.

thing 3: Why do Wal-Mart and McDonalds both think it so necessary to cater to the every whim of the elderly? Wal-Mart has endless rows of handicapped spaces in every parking lot (yes, I know that not every handicapped person is elderly and not every elderly person is handicapped, but it certainly seems like it), forcing those who aren't lucky enough to be blessed with the blue tag to walk miles to get to their store. McDonalds has actually re-introduced segregation in their separate seating sections (at least at the one in Point) for the elderly. This could be advantageous in that it keeps them out of my sight, but then they're still sitting everywhere else too. Perhaps the entire place should be segregated, between: high school punks, college students with water as a beverage, miscellaneous loud-talking people, people who sit by themselves and take the whole newspaper, and finally, the elderly.

thing 4: I worry a little about losing two people who are/were very close friends of mine. Both are about my age. One goes to school with me...or, I should say, goes to the same school as I do, while the other still lives in the same town as our high school. I went to high school with both of these people (and elementary school with one of them), but it just seems like we've grown apart and it's just been impossible to bring them back. I'm not saying that I'm unhappy with the friends I have, it's just that it feels as though I'm losing them, and I'm pretty frustrated in that all my efforts to reconnect have been shot down.

thing 5: I can't remember what thing 5 was. I had it in my head on the walk over, but it vanished not long after arriving. I could state some miscellaneous thoughts. My knee hurts. I'm not sick anymore, really. I wonder what's up with Strong Bad this week? I wonder if anyone's actually reading this besides me? We watched Along Came a Spider, Goldmember, and Enough over the weekend, and those were all good. I wish someone would email me. I'm tired now.

1 dec 2002 23 Days & Counting

So, it's (finally) December, and in spite of the cold weather, I love this month...not only is it the month of Christmas meaning I can add to my inventory of electronics, but it's also Abe's birthday (12/18) and mine as well (12/24). I've kind of been holding out on doing this until at least until after Thanksgiving, but without further ado, here is my Christmas list: (whooo!)

30 nov 2002 I Was Supposed To Be At Work Right Now...

...but, I am sick. I started to get sick on Tuesday, when I was nearly frozen wherever I went. Then Tuesday night I found a commercial for the Mitsubishi Outlander that has a horsie in it. Then I went to bed, and dreamt that I was thousands of little robots unified to become a person but the robots wouldn't all unify and let me go to sleep. Needless to say, I don't exactly sleep well that night. So then Wednesday came and I had to go to Point, despite the fact that I was sick, because I had to physically drop something off there...so as you know, I brought home my books as well. So I went to work Wednesday afternoon despite the fact that I then possesed the requisite "cold voice" and I had Thanksgiving Thursday and that was good, by the way, and then I went to work yesterday too. Sometime yesterday morning, the "cold voice" gave way to the "I'm loosing my voice" voice, which is sort of a combination between and old lady who's smoked way too many cigarettes and a boy reaching puberty. So I weathered that out as much as I could, until I finally gave up and left an hour early yesterday. Of course, I could at least talk yesterday...today, I'm lucky if I can make an entire sentence that's audible. I guess yesterday was also the biggest shopping day of the year. I'm not sure it made a huge difference at my job, it was all pretty standard fare. I didn't buy anything yesterday--scratch that; I bought DayQuil--but I do have a fraction of Christmas shopping done, thankfully. It will be interesting to see what I come up with this year. I'm tired...no, I'm not. I have a habit of saying I'm tired even when I'm not, and I really am just not wanting to be somewhere anymore. So I think I'll go now, and perhaps write a speech. Whoo.

27 nov 2002 Blah, Blah & Blah

You know, if there's ever anything you want to see just let me know.

27 nov 2002 Books, Books & Books

Well, I finally had a chance to bring home the books I bought last week:

3D Studio MAX R3 Bible
A Problem Solving Approach to Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers
About Teaching Mathematics
Aktuelle Themen: An Intermediate Reader for Expanding Skills and Perspectives
Architectural Lighting Design
Die Deutschen: Vergangenheit und Gegenwart
Guiding Children's Learning of Mathematics
Interior Design and Decoration
Mathematics for Teachers: Problem Solving and Other Basic Skills
Media and Culture
Psychology
Psychology: An Introduction
Quantative Methods for Historians
Teaching in a Pluralistic Society: Concepts, Models, Strategies

Seriously; that's all I could carry.

25 nov 2002 This Probably Relates Somehow to the Weekend

So I've already mentioned that we checked out 007 Saturday night, but we also went to see Fiddler on the Roof at Marathon, and it was really, seriously, genuinely very good. The music was great and one of the really nice things about that particular theater is that it's smaller, so they can do without microphones altogether. But now, anyway, I cannot get the music out of my head. I've downloaded some choice songs, but I may need to purchase the album (the London cast, please) in the near future. Thanksgiving is also coming up. I don't quite know how to feel about that. I'll be spending the day at my parents'. I'm not exactly looking forward to work Friday; I predict that it may be rather busy, considering that it's the supposed "biggest shopping day of the year." I guess I don't mind work all that much, but it's still work. I guess I can only be thankful that I get paid for it. Okay...well, I just bought the CD I was talking about.

23 nov 2002 Double Oh Seven

So we just recently got back from seeing Die Another Day. I won't give anything away except for the fact that it is, quite possibly, the best Bond movie ever. Seriously. I loved it; go see it; it's worth it. That is all.

23 nov 2002 Second Place: Sebring

I daresay, I think my car is the best-looking in the parking lot at the moment. I'm not sure that that's really saying a whole lot though, considering the contenders: -an old Plymouth minivan (blue) -an '89-ish Bonneville (black) -a '96-ish Lumina (blue) -an old Buick Century (maroon) -a '97-ish Chrsyler Sebring coupe (silver) Well, it's at least the best-looking import.

21 nov 2002 One More Thing...

...pressing the "delete" key on this Mac to delete my email in Outlook makes me feel empowered.

21 nov 2002 Books R Gr8

So, get this: our University bookstore, in an attempt to unload some of their inventory of used books, is currently holding an "all you can carry for $10" sale. So, needless to say, I took advantage of that. I have so many books now that I don't even know what they all are. There are some Math Ed ones in there for Abe, and some architectural/interior design ones, and some Psych ones that I may give as Christmas presents. Oh yeah, and some obscure German ones. Then I also got some other ones that I can't even remember; at least one of them had the word "Quantum" in the title. So, despite the fact that my arms are now sore-r (?) than they've ever been, today has been a good day. OOOOOOh... and the new BMW movie should be out today too. Yay!

19 nov 2002 I Like Metroid

Unfortunately, due to my current lack of a GameCube or Game Boy Advance, I've not been able to try Prime or Fusion as of yet. They came out yesterday, and I was so excited despite the fact that I didn't have any reason to buy them.

In honor of this, though, I spent half the weekend playing Super Metroid, which rocks out in its own special way. To be quite honest, I pretty much love every aspect of that game. I've yet to come across another title that is quite as creative, with the exception of the Final Fantasy series, but I can actually finish Super Metroid. The original Metroid is a different story. It's freakin' hard, supporting the theory that many games have become easier as systems become better. Note the Sonic and Mario franchises; I can get way farther in their newer versions than I could in the originals. I think the invention of "save points," is, at least by me, very appreciated. Here's a random thought; I wonder if I should start playing Oddworld again. I sorta quit that game at some point and I don't know why. Boy, I'm hungry. Can you tell? Anyway, I suppose that's as good an excuse as any to depart. Adios.

PS: Oh yeah, I found this and this. My birthday's coming up soon.

13 nov 2002 Betterment

Are you a frustrated car shopper? Try this!

12 nov 2002 Here We Go (It's Practically Mutiny)

Well, remember that whole GameCube dilemma? The one where I whined and whined about the inability to choose between the systems? Well, the decision has been officially made. I hereby announce by new allegiance to the Nintendo GameCube. Why, you may ask? Sonic Mega Collection is why. How can I resist? So I naturally emailed Nintendo to find out whether they have any plans to offer the Mario bundle with the black 'Cube, ever. That would be excellent. Another thing that has made the decision easier is the fact that the PS3 will more than likely be, once again, backwards compatible. So I'll hold out on that, and get my Sonic fix now. Mmmmm.

20 nov 2002 Miscellany, Which May or May Not Be A Word

-Of all things, I've now decided to download some old Danger Mouse cartoons. I'm not sure if that's great or kind of sad. But you know, it's Mighty Mouse, and he's a good guy. Mouse. -Today was the closing day for Joseph. It was kind of sad, not so much that it was over, but that I wasn't acknowledged afterward in the cast/crew meeting despite the fact that the rest of the production staff was. Sure, the director has thanked me multiple times, but I guess I just wanted a round of applause like everyone else got, because I've never gotten it, whereas Abe, being the fine sound-person that he is, practically gets standing ovations. No bitterness at all. -I found out after getting home that one of my headlights burnt out. I replaced it in what has to be record time. And by that I mean the amount of time that elapsed between me discovering that it was burnt out and a new one being installed. I was worried about putting it in because Abe had mentioned something awhile ago about it being a pain in the ass, but it was pretty easy, despite the darkness. -I really should be working on my philosophy midterm. -I'm sure there was more than this, but I can't remember. -Oh yes! This is probably the most important thing you'll ever see on this site: go to BMWfilms.com. Right now. And watch all of them, because it's important and they are good.

7 nov 2002 Sex, Dogs & Rock Climbing

I am exhausted. I wasn't exhausted an hour ago, but rock climbing tends to do that to you. It makes you aware of every muscle in your hands and arms. It doesn't make you sore, except in the fingers a bit, it just makes you feel solid, in a manner of speaking. It's a strange feeling, because your hands and fingers fix themselves in a single position after you're finished, and it takes a tremendous amount of effort to move them. Typing, surprisingly, is not so bad, but I'm grateful that I don't have a class immediately after that requires note-taking. I am grateful, also, that I even made it to the computer lab, as I was thinking the entire walk over here that I just wanted to lie down some more. But I can't, and that's why I'm here. I think I have some sort of aversion to sleeping in public. Go figure.

A week later, I'm writing also of my Halloween experiences. It was a fun, albeit somewhat disappointing day. I was kind of surprised to find that nearly nobody at school dressed up. And since I have a sort of bandwagon instinct, I left the horse in the car. I also found that my rock climbing class was cancelled, even though I was already there for it, which means, due to my other class being cancelled, I wouldn't have had to be at school until 14:00, instead of the usual 9:00. It is sad. However, I gladly wore my costume to work later on, which is always fun, and time always passes really quickly when you're wearing a horse suit at work. Unfortunately, and rather surprisingly, I did not win the costume contest (again) which is really surprising, when you consider the winner was Spongebob, which basically amounted to a large cardboard box and a badly-drawn face. Foiled yet again by undersea life; that seems to be the way it goes. Anyway, we then decided to go out for dinner afterwords, and I became a dog for the remainder of the evening. Abe wore his tuxedo that he may or may not have mentioned, I'm not sure; he's very proud of it and wears it almost daily now. Well, not really. But anyway, he was some sort of tuxedo'd guy, a secret agent perhaps, but with tails. He had two compared to my one. Our friend George (it's an alias, don't be fooled), didn't have any tails at all, because she was, of course, a whore. Not one of your cheap contemperary whores, though; she was a 19th-century whore. Oddly enough, I didn't feel out of place at all in my dog-ness, despite the lack of costumes in the restaurant we went to. It was a fun night, and it didn't involve any sort of sex whatsoever.

Speaking of which, I wonder why the library has a bathroom with a condom dispenser? It just strikes me as odd that you'd be studying in the computer lab, but then you'd suddenly need to go get some, but you're responsible enough to stop in the bathroom first and pick up some sort of wang-hat? Just wondering, is all, and I really wanted to use the phrase "wang-hat."

2 nov 2002 Honda

Over the past few days, I've been realizing more and more how extremely satisfied I am with my car. Let's take a look at the facts, shall we? It's a 1992 Honda Accord LX station wagon, in Opal Green Metallic over Sand cloth interior. I believe it listed for slightly under $20K new, I bought it for $2700 from Abe when he bought his Volvo. Since then, I've probably spent another $1000 on maintainance and repairs (distributor, electrical relay, exhaust, oil changes, light bulbs, wiper blades), still well under the blue book for this car. The transmission's a 4-speed automatic, with a 125 horsepower naturally aspirated inline 4 cylinder engine, which displaces either 2.3 or 2.4 litres. Or maybe 2.2; it's been awhile since I checked. This drives the front wheels. I just got the oil changed at 123,000 miles last Friday. The car has power windows and locks, remote keyless entry was added later on (by Abe) as well as a remote starter, which is nonfunctional at the moment. It has the original factory speakers but the factory cassette deck has been upgraded to a Sony Xplod CD player, rated at 52 watts peak x 4. It has a luggage capacity of 34.5 cubic feet with the back seats up, probably twice that with them down, and can easily hold a full-sized mountain bike, but is not quite long enough for a six-foot person to lie comfortably in with the rear hatch shut. Speaking of which, the hatch ajar light now remains on despite the hatch being shut and locked. The right passenger window rattles horribly when not rolled up quite right; the left one needs major assistance to even meet the seals after being rolled up. There are various cracks, scratches, and dents on the inside and outside of the car, but nothing major. One of the center caps for the wheels is missing, so the other three spend their time in the wheelwell. On that subject, there is a full-sized spare tire. There are only three settings for the intermittant wipers in the front, and only one setting for the rear wiper, but there are spray washers for both. There is no roof rack, nor is there a sunroof or ABS, but there is a cargo cover that can be moved around in multiple configurations, something that is very neat but really just gets in the way (it is thankfully removable). There are headrests for all 4 main passenger seats, and all are adjustable and removable. The back seat bottoms fold forward, after which the seatbacks fold down, making for a nearly flat load floor. Yesterday, Abe, Abe's dad, and I removed the badging and dealer icon from the trunk of the car, leaving only the Honda emblem. There is a handle on the trunk to open it without the key, and there is also a lock on the trunk, inside, that locks all the doors. Since coming into my ownership in June of 2001, I've jump-started 6 cars. Most recently Abe's, 20 minutes ago. The car has never had a problem that delayed me for more than 15 minutes, and never caused me to be late to anywhere that I needed to be. This is the fourth car I've owned and the first one that I will be sad to give up, most likely for a new VW or Audi when the time comes. I will sincerely miss it, sentiments that were (and are still, she said it was her favorite car) felt by Abe's mom and Abe after it came into my ownership. This car is the best I've ever owned. It's reliable, fast, nimble, practical, and great-looking. And that's that. It's not for sale, unless you'd like to trade for an allroad. Maybe.

1 nov 2002 Well, It's Cold...

...and that means it must be November.

26 oct 2002 Clamor & Ruckus, pt II

Wow. It's almost exactly 12 hours later. Anyway, the rest of yesterday was fun too. I think. I know that we went to look at shoes, and while we were there, I heard this song on the radio. Of course, it was a song I liked, and of course, I didn't know who sang it, so, of course, they neglected to mention the title of it. Well, thankfully, after about an hour of searching last night, I was able to find it. It turned out to be The Middle by Jimmy Eat World. Thank the lord, it was driving me nuts, alright, alright, alright. Anyway, I played Sega GT way too long today. I think I have a love/hate relationship with that game; that is, I love it when I win and I can't stand it when I don't. But it is performing as expected; it's no GT, but it's good nonetheless. We went to Rocky Rococco's yesterday, which I think may be Abe's most favorite restaurant in the world. And conveniently, it has also just opened in our town. This is good, because I have escaped the obligation of bringing him pizza from the one in Point. Now he can get his home. I mention Rocky Rococco's because it reminds me that we had a conversation in which, basically, Abe stated that he does not believe "nefarious" is a real word. I tried to convince him that it was, but he didn't believe me either. Hmmm. I was also thinking that a really great bumper sticker would be: I'm with stupid! and in smaller letters below: Bush-Cheney. This came about because I saw this great Audi A6 Avant except for the fact that it had a big ugly BUSH-CHENEY sticker on it. I can't stand Bush, so that made me sad. It's even worse than the "LIVE ANIMALS" sticker that Abe's brother put on his Audiwagon. Which brings me back to Sega GT. I was ecstatic to find that they had included the Audi A6 2.7T in the game. Seriously, I nearly wet myself I was so excited. So I naturally bought one, and was amazed at how fast it actually was. So then I naturally modified it, meaning I now have an 800+ horsepower A6 in my garage. That is a strange thought. Next, I'd like to see an offroad racing game (you heard me) including both an Allroad and a Volvo Cross Country. I guess, (according to their site, at least), that it's actually called the XC70 now, which is a surprising burst of continuity, considering the company we're dealing with.

26 oct 2002 Clamor & Ruckus, pt I

So, it's been a couple of days. The Joseph project, as I now like to refer to it, is coming along nicely. I had my review yesterday also; my transfer review, that is. What this basically amounts to is, me taking about 30-40 pieces of artwork for the review committee to critique, from basic and advanced drawing, to 2-D and 3-D design. This is not a required procedure, and it is actually meant to precede the real Sophomore Review, which is the decision point as to whether you are in the BFA program or not. So this is recommended because they can tell you what your strong and weak points are, and what may need to be improved for the actual final review, which you can only do once. Now here's the kicker: if you pass this review, then you automatically pass the final review and are immediately in the program. So I was thinking about this as I was waiting with Abe (he didn't have school yesterday so he went down to Point with me), and another person, because they were an hour behind schedule. And Sophomore Reviews are also taking place on this same day, and every person we saw leaving their reviews had failed. This is bad, because if you fail it, like I said before, you can only do it once, and you then cannot get your BFA, meaning you cannot major in Graphic Design. So this other person and myself are somewhat nervous, because they failed a guy who is graduating in 8 weeks. And a nun. A blind nun. With cancer. Yes. And that school of orphans. So anyway, seriously, that's pretty scary. So it *finally* comes to me, and I've hung all my work up, and I'm kind of worried. And I'm standing in there with the committee, and we're talking and I'm showing them stuff, and then I get sent away (as everyone does) so they can talk amongst themselves. So I really just stopped thinking about it as I left the room, because nothing bad can really happen; they can only criticize my work, but I can't fail. And so I'm talking to the other person and to Abe, and they call me back in (it didn't seem to take them long at all). I go in, and the first words out of their mouths are: "You passed." And there was this massive wave of relief and it was all I could to to keep from shouting in joy. So I'm in the BFA program now. I'm happy, Abe is happy, my parents are happy, Abe's parents are happy. And those orphans are, too.

23 oct 2002 Ummm

Well you know, I'm just sitting around here, playing on the internet, and this box pops up (as they often do). This is one of those ones with the multiple choice ones, you know? And the question is, "what is Spiderman's alter ego?" And the answers are like, Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, Peter Parker, and Sir Walter Rewick, or something like that. And I'm looking at them, and thinking, well, I really like that last one. I know it's wrong, but maybe I'll pick it and see what happens. So I did. And a "congratulations!" box pops up on the screen. And I'm all like, what? That wasn't right! So I got rid of it, but I was thinking, maybe that's a test to see whether you'd be stupid enough to accept their offer? Perhaps had I chosen Peter, a box would've popped up that said, "Oh, we're sorry, but, um, well bye!" This brings me to another issue: gas pumps. I was filling my car this morning, and I always do pay at the pump because I'm afraid to actually go into a gas station. So before I started filling it, I did the little debit card thing, and then it asked me whether I wanted a car wash. I of course pushed "no," because it is very cold. But what I actually said out loud was, "What are you, stupid?" and that made me laugh, because then I was thinking about how great it would be to actually have a button that says that on the pump. And then there was another time that I was filling up the car, and it said, "please take receipt." And it was already printing it, but I pushed "no" because I didn't want a receipt. Of course, it kept printing it, but I thought it would've been interesting had it just said "fine then!" and then crumpled the receipt up and thrown it on the ground. Now that probably sounds really stupid, but wouldn't it be great to see these gas pumps getting all smart-ass with everyone? It would brighten my day, I know it.

22 oct 2002 Boy Oh Boy

Woohoo! RS6!

22 oct 2002 As Usual

Well, I'm at school. Unlike yesterday, because somebody decided it'd be fun to have a freakin' blizzard. Seriously, we got probably 6-8 inches of snow, which is absolutely ridiculous, considering that it's only October. I decided against commuting yesterday, as I am just not mentally prepared for snow. I hate snow, so I could've waited, oh, you know, until maybe the end of December. Everyone talks about how lovely a white Christmas is. They're lying. I want a green Christmas. No, make that a shorts Christmas--75 and sunny. That'd be fine. Anyway, that's probably the only bad thing, but it caused me to miss classes yesterday. On the plus side, I did get some work done for other things, which you'll most likely see in the future. I'm tired now, also, from climbing this morning, as much fun as it was. I wonder how much climbing walls cost...anyone know? More exciting news is the Mario Sunshine bundle for the GC, despite the fact that it's only in indigo, but even more surprising was that an X Box with two games is the same price as an X Box with zero. Is Microsoft having sales difficulties? It's hard to tell, and I'm not the one to ask, but if you are desparate enough to include two games with your system, without raising the price at all, that might be some indication. This doesn't make my decision any easier. Anyway, despite the abundance of things happening that are much more important than video games, I still write about video games. My priorities certainly are in order, yes?

17 oct 2002 ...

considering that i'm a sucker for driving games, it should then come as no surprise that i ordered a copy of sega GT, for dreamcast (of course). now i just have to wait and wait for it to arrive. thhhbbbbpt.

17 oct 2002 Neglected

i wore the fantaposites today, i think because i've felt sorry for them. every day i'd get up and put on some pants, and then pick out a pair of shoes that wasn't them. i think they cried some of the time, because the shoes i put on must have seemed fairly mediocre from their point of view. but they are all happy and thanking me now for wearing them. interestingly, these are comfortable, but in a much different way than other shoes. the tupus are great shoes, very nice, light, relaxed, but the fantaposites seem to exhibit a very assertive comfort, as though they're saying, "your feet are going to be comfortable, and they're going to like it, damnit." seriously. i also rock-climbed again today, you know, since i have a class called rock climbing, you'd think that we'd be climbing rocks. it was good, i finally made it to the top on one of the overhang climbs our group had been working at for about 2 weeks. it felt really good except that i cannot feel my arms. it's a shame. no, not really. it's this incredible feeling of awareness, that you actually have these muscles there and you've used them. we also started watching a movie on tuesday, in a little class i like to call stress management. i was really looking forward to it, because he was all like, "this is a comedy, were going to look at humor and how it affects stress. now, this movie is going to be from the 80's, because i like the moves from the 80's better, because i think they had a better humor about them." and so naturally, i'm thinking, all right, it's gonna be ferris bueller's day off, or something like that. but it wasn't. nope, it was, of all things, patch adams. now, it's an okay movie, but i don't think (and correct me if i'm wrong (please! nobody ever emails me!)) that's an 80's movie, and that's kind of what i was hoping for. so i guess patch is patch, and i have to deal with it. it occurs to me that last phrase didn't really make any sense, meaning that now might be a good time for me to stop writing.

16 oct 2002 If I Were Streetwise, I'd Call Them Kicks

the tupus exhibit a pleasant ticking sound as the heel hits the floor

16 oct 2002 Shoes

abe needed a new shirt, so naturally, i ordered one for him, as we sell them where i work. we went to pick it up last night, but it hadn't come in yet, so of course, i bought another pair of shoes, because, of course, i do not have enough of those. you already know, of course, that i am shoe obsessed, and so it would only be natural. it was all justified, of course. they were cheap, and i'd been looking at this particular model since its release in may-ish. i also tried on pair of shox, and by god, they are the most comfortable shoes i've ever had on my feet. they are truly amazing, and because of this i may look into some of those in the future. but anyway, we are going back to look for abe's shirt again tonight, and i've made a vow not to spend any more money on shoes. tonight. although there's an awfully nice pair at american eagle.

15 oct 2002 Oh So Busy

so i have been busy, i think, or something similar to that. i have started work on a resume/portfolio page for myself, since it seems to be the norm for graphic design majors at this school. not that i mind, it keeps me busy not screwing around with this page. thanks to abe, i've also been doing some design for local theatre organizations, most recently one of the high schools in the area. he's also going to find out about the central wisconsin children's theatre site, as it is rather out of date, information-wise. i also, of course, have school work to do, but that's inconsequential. not too much else, but enough to keep me happy and busy.

9 oct 2002 Today is the Ninth

well, aside from buying some cereal, i didn't really do anything i talked about on monday. the color laser printer didn't work in the lab that we're using for our art project, so i wasn't able to print those off until yesterday. fortunately, after hours of struggle with the spray adhesive, all of my images are beautifully arranged on their respective boards. as far as the speech, damn. i wanted to go monday, but unfortunately, the instructor decided that a) he was doing reverse alphabetical order, and b) we were not allowed to read off of our paper; we could only have a note card. i basically said screw it to the whole idea of having any sort of paper for this speech after that, but unfortunately that caused my 3:15 speech to become 2 minutes longer. i guess i'll just have to wing it and hope for the best. we can't go over 3:30, but there should be a signal somewhere in the room to let me know when the 3-minute point is so i can wind down. yeeha. i also finished the aforementioned super runabout, at least in the technical sense of completing the last level of each section, but not in the finished finished thought of finding all the emblems. the game has emblems. i love emblems, jeez.

7 oct 2002 It Certainly Is

well, i think this week will be good when it's done. i have a big art thing due and that has me a bit worried; i know it will all turn out but i think it is requisite that i worry about these things. i also have a speech to give, today, perhaps i'll post it, since it is mildly entertaining. i'm not so nervous about that, but i'll be glad when that's done. i have the philosophy reading that i, of course, neglected all weekend, as well. i've also recently decided that i don't like toast anymore. i liked it for awhile, but eating it every morning for two months kind of gets to you. so i need to hunt down some different breakfast food. i also picked up super runabout for the dreamcast. thus far i think i'm satisfied with it. there are definitely some little frustrations (sluggish response at times, being but one), but overall i think it was worth the money for something to do. and it has a scooter in it, much to abe's delight. anyway, i should get ready for the big S of cool. yeah, that was nice.

4 oct 2002 Is This Good or Dumb?

for all you history buffs (i really hate that word) out there, a page has been made documenting previous iterations of the site. i'm not sure if i'm embarassed or proud to be showing these, but i guess the good part is that a lot can happen in 2 years.

3 oct 2002 The Most Best Things Ever, Really

i mentioned dynomite the other day, but it was brought more recently to my attention the large quantity of other super games popcap has available. it seems there should be one to suit whatever type of person you may be, so i just thought i'd bring it to your attention, since they're all free. how awesome is that? seriously.

1 oct 2002 Illin'

ah yes, i certainly love illustrator. without it, there'd be no pictures for the front page, nor would we have our little icons, and abe wouldn't have had his scooter to share with you, nor would i have my new moto desktop. yee hah. so yes, as you may have guessed, illustrator is a beloved program in our househould. ranked immediately behind that (at least for me) is dynomite. now that game rocks.

28 sep 2002 Exactly That

yes, just in time for halloween, or something, it's a robot thing. how exciting is that? seriously, on a scale of 1 to super, how thrilled are you? that's what i thought. anyway, i'm tired. the weather is somewhat depressing at the current moment. on the bright side, i've brought home some more drawings from work, and i may actually scan them at some point if we ever get a scanner. or a gamecube, not that it would help with the pictures or anything, but it would certainly, um, up my productivity. no, that's not even true. i just like mario.

25 sep 2002 Murphy's Law? No, it's a conspiracy

why is it that as soon as i have money, something rather important breaks? other than that, life is absolutely terrific. i'm pretty sure i have a speech today, probably. i guess we'll find out soon enough. abe was nice enough to let me take his car, which i really appreciate. and it has "sport mode." whee!

19 sep 2002 We Could Learn a Lesson Here

now this is marketing.

17 sep 2002 Dog-Sitting Excitement

so this past weekend we went to my parents' house to watch our dog. she is a good dog, and pretty obedient. she's three, if you're wondering. anyway, my parents have gone to colorado and california without me to visit my sisters, and they saw Jay Leno and tomorrow they're going to Vegas. so really, we were watching the dog, and we went into town because we were bored, and we looked at mopeds and abe has decided once again that he needs one. in addition to all this excitment, we watched bandits again, which apparently doesn't have a webpage.

16 sep 2002 Just Getting Orientated

i am seriously irked by the word "heighth." honestly, people should have more sense than that.

11 sep 2002 On Today

well, it's the big 911. what does one do? i guess i'm just sick of it. in a related note, though, ideas for the site's redevelopment are rather interesting. at least the aforementioned one is. i find myself hoping that something decent and not stupid is done, but then, it's all a subjective matter. i really don't have much else to say, but i felt obligated to say something, negative as it is.

9 sep 2002 Chalk Graffiti Rocks

i am sitting and waiting for my art class to start, so i thought i'd provide a miscellaneous rambling. i don't remember what that rambling was though. we just finished our COMM lecture, which i must say was probably the most exciting thing i've ever witnessed. of course, it is the most important class in the world. and i get to go to it for another hour at 1500. how great is that?

6 sep 2002 I Should Be Writing These Things Down

well, yeah. so i've finished a week of school. i have two speeches to give on monday, and i also have to research the Green Bay Packer stadium for an art project. doesn't that sound fun? i think it will be better than it sounds. i'm seeing people that i know at school, both from my other UW school as well as my high school, and that's pretty neat. it was strange going back to work after starting school, because i've switched from days to primarily nights, and so there are a lot of people i don't know. our computer system was shut down last weekend for a complete overhaul, and has been up and down sporadically since then, meaning work has been fluctuating between uneventful and hectic. i also find myself somewhat aggravated, because i think of things to write here, and then forget them before i actually get the chance to do so. not too much else is happening, but then i always say that, either because it's true or because i'm too lazy to write anything else. i'm not sure which is which tonight. currently abe's desk lamp is on and it's got a really nice glow (it is aimed at the ceiling to provide more light for both of us). seriously, that's all i know.

4 sep 2002 Procrastination Season Again

well, i'm sitting here in the computer lab at point and thinking, "i really should read my philosophy." but then i was thinking, "maybe i should start on my art project." but then i realized, "screw those, i'm gonna play on the internet." so here i am. it's interesting being at a real college and not just a cheesy 2-year campus. i'm liking it in some ways, not so much in others. i have some class issues to work out, but i'm sure everything will get sorted out in the end. i was also thinking that perhaps i should mention edmunds.com because it has some interesting things. one of which, right now, relates to the up and coming honda element, an interesting vehicle. i'm sure there's more i could say about it but i think "interesting" is the word that best describes the whole thing. we rode in the eurovan last night which may or may not have been good; i'm really not able to comment on it because my feelings about everything were overshadowed by the migraine i had. we also checked out the volvo, and i think it's a neat car, there are a couple things that would have to be done that would make me love it. i have to admit that it should be nicer to drive than the current volvo because of the (yes!) turbo.

3 sep 2002 (Making It Official)

just so everyone is clear, i'm leaving for school now. seriously.

2 sep 2002 Nobody Told Me We'd Changed Months

well, i suppose i have school tomorrow. that is strange. i've got this strangely detached feeling, like this isn't actually happening. i guess we'll see if it actually happens. i also think that my sims interest has peaked, one of mine is now a mad scientist, while another is a celebrity activist. both exciting careers that they'll find very fulfilling. hmmm, not much else to say. oin the subject of the eurovan, it's kind of exciting, since they're pretty neat vehicles. on the subject of the volvo...well, i'll not mention anything yet. i'm kind of uninspired right now, since i'd like firstly to get to bed so i actually wake up tomorrow. i'm not looking forward to a 45-minute drive to and from school every day. but i will live, as other people have lived and are living and then when i'm all done there will be even more living going on. yay, and such.

30 aug 2002 A Use For Photoshop (Finally!)

so i've been playing the sims lately; have i mentioned that. but i've managed to up my obsession level even more by making cute little outfits for them, isn't that sad? just in case you're wondering, the little *'s denote that they're straight outta our closets. anyway, so there's that. abe also came with me to get my books today, which was great because he went to that same school so i'm quite a bit more oriented than i was. i think i am actually ready for school to start. i know i said before that i'll be fine once i'm into it, and i think that still holds true. oh, and get this, we went to an estate sale today, and got the greatest deals in the world. i got this great 50's chair for half off the regular price of $5. of course it needs to be reupholstered but it's solid and really cool looking even in its current state. so updates will follow on that, and maybe pictures. hopefully abe will also be motivated to share his treasures as well.

30 aug 2002 Ewww, hunger

we ended up going to sleep kind of late last night. i remember being extremely hungry. i didn't eat anything, though, because i was too tired to get up and do so. but anyway, i slept until 11:00 today, and then got up and sat here for a bit, and i wasn't hungry anymore. i thought that was strange because i am usually hungrier when i wake up than when i go to sleep. but anyway, i didn't eat until maybe 12:30, despite the fact that i had been practically starving the night before. also, i decided to read timeline again, because it's a great book. it is kind of fun to read the same book again after not reading it for a year or so, because you pick things up you missed the first time, and it's not any less surprising to read, generally. a lot like watching a movie again. yeah, reading is fun. i'm trying to thing of something witty and wise to say, but there just isn't anything.

26 aug 2002 Looking for Trouble in All the Wrong Places

abe is funny when he tries to act threatening. generally he mentions the phrase above, which really doesn't make any sense. i mean, if i was looking for trouble, wouldn't i know where to look? if i'm looking for it in the wrong places, then i suppose i'm not going to find it any time soon, although that's what he's implying. i think.

26 aug 2002 What Else Can Go Wrong?

so my classes resume next week. i'm nervous, you know, new school and all. i'm not sure what to expect; i suppose i'll just get into a routine and all will be well. as abe mentioned, there were more computer problems. mine stopped internetting until today, so i was without that all weekend, which wasn't too bad because i was gone. i'm wondering how long this phase of net access will last, since it seems to come and go. anyway, minneapolis was good, we saw Les Miz, and also went to the zoo and also to Room & Board, which is a great but way too pricey (right now) store.

22 aug 2002 Sorry...

as abe mentioned, we had router issues, so we picked up a new router which seems to be solving the problem. for me at least. anyway, that would explain the lack of updates. although you may have noticed that i didn't update yesterday either. there's a simple reason for that also. i was sick. not flu sick, but migraine sick. i hate migraines (well duh). my head throbs and i'm nautious and it's just not a pretty sight. so i have to apologize to anyone who tried to talk to me because i (stupidly) left all my IM programs open when i went to sleep in the other room, instead of supplying some sort of away message. that's really all. i had some really great thing to write about yesterday morning but i've forgotten it, since i didn't have web access yesterday morning to post it immediately and my memory has never been all that great to start with. so maybe it'll come back to me.

17 aug 2002 Wah!

i really wanted a ps2 when they came out. i continued to want one for a long time after that, for two main reasons, final fantasy x and gran turismo 3. after awhile, gta3 was also added to that list. i never really even considered the 'cube or the xbox. now, though, it's hard not to. i'm becoming ever more interested in the gamecube. it seems to continue doing what nintendo does so well. the games are the epitome of wholesomeness. but they look good while doing it. and jeez, not only does it have mario, but they have rights to sonic as well. and metroid prime, and starfox...well, not really starfox. but they have lots of games that are just fun, not serious at all. and using the gba as an input device, wow. that is cool. the xbox, well, i think that's still number three. it has a couple things going for it, one of the big ones being crazy taxi 3. it's kind of sad to have sega split its big titles between systems, but also a wise move, i suppose, because they don't just have to rely on the success of one platform. it makes me miss the dreamcast. the box also has the hard drive, and the dvd-capability, but i still don't think that's enough to warrant me spending money on it. and then there's still the ps2. i love the playstation. i like my psx and i can only imagine the improvements of the ps2. it's backwards compatible, for pete's sake, how great is that? and dvd's, and a built-in optical out. how can you go wrong? and there's the racing game to beat all, gt3. i love that too, and final fantasy. and as i said before, i'm very intrigued by grand theft auto 3 also. it's gonna be a tough decision. not one i'll be making very soon, by any means, but it'll be tough when i have to make it.

17 aug 2002 Butt-ons ^

as you may've noticed, the menu buttons up above have been revised.

15 aug 2002 A Little Thing I like to Call Video Games

as i was sitting at work the other day, i was suddenly overcome with the urge to play spyro the dragon. i don't know why, but i've been playing now (again) for three days. i guess it's a good game, by no means advanced by today's standards, but good for its time, i suppose. and fun. and easy. i think that's why i like it. i'm not sure how i feel about the sequels. i played one but it didn't seem to enjoyable. i was thinking about picking one up because of their relative cheapness, but i just don't know. in other news, i'm now typing with one hand and it sucks.

13 aug 2002 Pain & Suffering

yesterday morning, i was brushing my teeth after eating my standard breakfast of oatmeal. it was one of those times, though, where not all of the oatmeal had been swallowed--there were still little bits in my mouth. so i'm brushing my teeth and feeling these little bits and having this terrible dilemma as to whether i should swallow them (and the toothpaste) or spit them out into the sink as i normally would. i ended up spitting them in the sink, but it felt like such a waste and i felt guilty about it for probably 5 whole minutes before forgetting the entire thing. anyway, i had intended to post that yesterday morning, but it slipped my mind, as so many things do.

13 aug 2002 What the Heck is Going On?

it would seem as though disney and squaresoft have collaborated on a video game for the ps2. i was not sure what to think about this, for while i'm quite a fan of the latter, i've a some what contrary opinion about former. after seeing the trailer, i still have mixed feelings about the whole idea, but it seems worth a try. i have faith that square was able to inject enough of their "squareness" into the game to make it worth playing. it just is bizarre though. but then, having disney characters in any rpg is somewhat bizarre. square and disney. kingdom hearts. huh.

13 aug 2002 Vaguely Noteable

so, i thought maybe an archive of all the links mentioned in our newsposts would be somewhat useful.

12 aug 2002 My Favorite Things, pt I

so, i'll say flat-out, i'm a sucker for titanium. it doesn't matter what the product is, if it's titanium, i'm enthralled by it. it could be the computer, a bike, or even some irrelevant football equipment. it doesn't matter, if it's titanium, i suddenly have some newfound respect for whatever it may be. of course, it's also expensive, which must be another reason for me liking it. i think magnesium follows in a close second (wonder why?), and then aluminum.

11 aug 2002 (More) Big Money-Making Excitement Here

as you know, abe's a teacher. two blocks away from his (elementary!) school is a bar. this bar is freqented by teachers from that school (and, most likely, teachers from nearby middle and high schools also. not all teachers, of course, but enough to be noteworthy. so onto the idea. we're gonna open a bar and (here's the good part) it'll be called the Teachers Lounge. is that not the most ingenious thing ever? we then were thinking that it might actually be a strip club. but then we were wondering where you'd find strippers for such an establishment, and decided teachers would be prime candidates, bringing a whole new meaning to the name. yep, the Teachers Lounge, established 20th, 2002.

20 aug 2002 On A Lighter Note

...i thought i'd mention that we spent today, last night, and the evening before watching movies. i'd rate them, on a 1(pitiful) to 5(stupendous) scale: lilo & stitch, 4; return to horror high, 2.5; the money pit, 3.5; vatel, 3.5; mission:impossible 2, 4.5. that's all i have to say about that. as you may have guessed, some of the movies were picked out by other people.

10 aug 2002 Gratification

everyone has things that they do or have done to them that they find particularly pleasing. i am not talking about sex. one of those things, for me, is recieving compliments on things that i've put a lot of work into (not implying anything). i think hearing the word "wow," after somebody sees what i've done is spectacular. another one of those things is being able to do something, no matter how stupid or trivial it is, and knowing that not everyone has that ability. i was telling abe that it's a neat feeling just being able to be flying through the air on a bike. obviously it doesn't last long, but it's fun. i don't know why i'm saying this or why i didn't spend more time trying to structure it in a coherent form, but it was just on my mind. i guess one of my goals in life (sad as it may be) is to know that people are impressed with me to some extent, sincerely, really, genuinely impressed.

8 aug 2002 On the Topic of Feet...

you didn't know this, but i have some sort of shoe infatuation. honestly, i could just sit and look at shoes all day and i'd be entertained. i have a pair of nike fantaposites that i've spent more time staring at than wearing. i also find that i'm absolutely fascinated with shoes from reaction, steve madden, and diesel, despite the fact that they're all fairly low-profile and all look the same. i think that's why i work where i do, because i can know all sorts of things about all sorts of shoes. you can just imagine how pleased i was to find this website, which (surprise!) is all about shoes. if you like looking at shoes but not buying them, this is probably someplace you should see.

7 aug 2002 Free Food

i got to eat snacks at work today because a supervisor is leaving to work somewhere else. my direct supervisor, to be more specific. i am kind of excited, wondering what kind of person will take his place. hopefully we get someone good, since he was pretty good himself. anyway, about the snacks. free anything is great when you're at work, unless it's free work. i think they assume that it raises morale, i don't know. we had a cookout about a week or so ago, and we also give away turkeys to employees at thanksgiving, and have a big christmas shindig. i think our annual employee activities/morale budget is about $150,000 or so, isn't that amazing? that's really all i can say.

31 jul 2002 Pepsi Blue

i had the opportunity to try pepsi blue today. my initial reaction was, "thank god i didn't actually spend money on this crap. this made me sad, because since sunday, when i saw the full-page newspaper ad picturing the giant blue bottle, i was kind of looking forward to trying it. i think i have bad luck with sodas this way. i was really expecting it to be good and it completely let me down. i have to say the same for vanilla coke. there, again, was i expecting this really great hybrid of (duh) coke and vanilla, but there just wasn't enough of a difference between that and regular coke to make me feel like i got my money's worth. sure, i got 40 ounces of beverage for a dollar, but that's not the point. the point is, it wasn't very good. there's also mountain dew amp, an energy drink that i tried one time, because the can looked cool, and it was free. i wanted so much for it to be good because i was so impressed with the packaging. i was less than impressed with the taste, however. i have found, though, that cherry, despite my hatred for the real-life fruit and any food cherry-flavored, is an ideal additive to soda. cherry coke, cherry pepsi, and most recently, mountain dew code red, are all winners in my book, despite that stupid crap about code red being "as real as the streets." i guess soda follows that all-important life lesson about high expectations leading to failure, or something like that. what i mean is, when you expect something to be good and it isn't, there's disappointment, but when you don't expect it to be good, you're pleasantly surprised when it is.

30 jul 2002 The Futility of It All

i've really been noticing lately the complete lack of logic that a lot of people possess. abe credits it to my impatience, but i think there is some validity to the whole issue. we'll begin with my day after work yesterday, as that's when i was really starting to notice this trend. we went to pay my cell phone bill. yes, the parking lot for the building is not as good as it could be, but do people really have to stop in the middle of it and completely block the driveway? abe says that it's because he was in a pickup so it was required, but i still credit it to lack of courtesy. that word will come up again, so be prepared. once we manage to get inside, i find that they have (as usual) a bunch of people waiting for help. this is not a small local operation by any means. it covers quite a bit of wisconsin and minnesota, and is quite popular with a lot of people in the area (hence the long line). you would think that, with the amount of money they make off people who're suckered into cell phones in the first place, they can actually have one or two more people working. apparently, they figure we don't have a choice (which is true, unfortunately), so they can do whatever they want. so i waited for awhile, trying to figure out why they wouldn't have one person who just handles billing so people there to actually give them money could do it. it seems like everytime i've gone there with an actual interest in buying something or a legitimate question, i have to wait behind someone who needs everything explained to them, either in person or over the phone. so anyway, after finally getting out of there, i decided that maybe it'd be fun to put gas in my car. since this is not usually a very time-consuming activity, i was kind of almost looking forward to taking care of it. however, all the pumps were taken. i waited behind one person who'd finished putting gas in her car, hoping that she'd move it before she went inside to pay, since, obviously, that would be the nice thing to do. apparently she didn't think so. i think the concept of courtesy was completely foreign to her, or maybe she just thought i was admiring her car. so i move, because a man comes out of the building and gets in his car. i think i spent a couple minutes behind him, thinking maybe he was actually done and ready to leave and not taking a nap or something. that was not true, so i moved behind another car, which actually left. of course, when i got to the pump, it happened to be the only one on which the "pay at the pump" function was out of order. so i ended up using the original pump i was waiting at, because that stupid lady finally came out and was actually able to start her car and leave the gas station (amazingly) without hitting anything. although it would've been entertaining if she had. this whole rant continues when i go to work, because the people i have to talk to are most likely some of the least "with it" of them all. seriously, if you don't know what your zip code is, you probably shouldn't be allowed to dial a phone. i don't even understand how you managed to find the phone to dial it, or that you were even able to dial the correct number. and if you're reading this, take this to heart because there are more people like me out there, and chances are they get just as irritated as i do when they have to put up with you all day.

29 jul 2002 Tornadoes Are Scary

last night, we had a tornado warning that lasted until about 11:00. i didn't much like it, not only because i had to (gasp!) turn off my computer, but because i just get so paranoid about stuff like that. what if our apartment building got hit. what if we lost all our stuff? what would i do. the problem with anything like this is, once i know that the people i care about are safe, i get extremely material. i was worried about losing everything on the computer, and loosing all my cd's that i love so dearly. and the dreamcast. i felt worried about that, then felt guilty for worrying about loosing what some people will never even have. but the paranoia itself is nothing new. i've always felt that way. i hate to drive across bridges with my car windows open, for fear something will fly out (oh no! i've lost my pen!). i am wary of boats for the same reason. i don't honestly think i could ever handle myself on a cruise. and if i do lose something, i just can't stop thinking about it. one time i was at a park with my parents and i was playing with a matchbox car (the "Mister Rodgers car," I called it, for some reason) and it fell into one of those retaining walls that are made with the concrete blocks... you know, they have the holes in the top that line up with one another all the way to the bottom. anyway, i dropped the car down the hole, and i was so upset. i thought about it for months on end, getting a little sick to my stomach each time. more than recently, i left my keys on our coffee table before going out with abe and some people, and forgot they were there. halfway through the evening i realized that i didn't have my keys and was worried sick i had left them someplace. so i don't know, i just hate losing stuff. really hate it. and tornadoes, and fires, and floods and everything of that nature, those are the worst, because you lose everything. even after i went to bed, i had a dream that the tornado did hit our building, but not our apartment, just the one across the hall from us. the roof was ripped off and everything, and all i could think about was how glad i was that all our stuff was safe. it was pretty pathetic, really, but i think a lot of people are like that, and that makes me feel a little better.

28 jul 2002 Cellular Phone or Lucky Charm?

scientists have discovered that the influence for the strangly shaped navigation buttons on the Nokia 3360 cellular phone is, in fact, a horseshoe. at the time of the phone's inception, it is believed that the designers had been intaking mass quantities of Lucky Charms brand breakfast cereal. this groundbreaking disovery was made yesterday morning, and a striking coincidence, considering the phone's owner. it is also speculated that Nokia neglected to produce a solid green faceplate of any kind, with the reasoning that the phone would just be "too lucky." while there is a "green kaleidescope" theme available, they are safe in the assumption that no one will buy it simply because it's not very attractive. in other news, it is official that absolutely nobody is interested in the Star Wars-themed faceplates for the 3300-series, nor are they amused by the "u make it u" tagline that also accompanies the phones.

27 jul 2002 Undershirts & Me

i wake up this morning and put on a t-shirt. then i sit here, typing the previous article and eating my outmeal, then it's almost time for work. for some reason, i take off the t-shirt and put on a white shirt first. i don't know why i do, and i don't know why i just don't want to wear one shirt anymore. it certainly would make sense, considering the bombardment of humidity that we're currently recieving, but no, i have to put on an undershirt before i can really start the day. i know i never had to do this in high school, and i just started in my freshman year of college. i think i like the added heaviness of an extra shirt. i also think that i like being able to coordinate my shirt colors, and for some odd reason i think that looks better. it's a good thing i draw the line at two shirts, otherwise i'd be in trouble. yessiree.

27 jul 2002

so, i'm making oatmeal (the instant kind) (seriously!) this morning. on the box it says, "put in microwave in uncovered bowl." i think perhaps it should add, "if you want to clean your microwave afterwards, because it's gonna spit crap all over." after cleaning it up and managing to get some on the floor and cleaning that up, it's sitting in front of me, uneaten... i think it's too hot. the toast is fine, but honestly, i'm pretty sure i've had toast for breakfast every day for the past month or two. i'm also currently mastering the art of "typing with food on your desk," meaning the left arm is normally placed, but the right arm is up in the air, above the oatmeal, getting very warm. it's fun. in other (very) notable news, i finally got a chance to have a good long conversation with Rascal yesterday, and let me just say that he is a swell guy. i'd bake him a cake but it wouldn't be very good, so i drew him a picture instead. That's really about all, and you can see more about the picture on his site, so i recommend you go there. after you're done here. i have to eat my oatmeal.

25 jul 2002

in a fit of creativity, or something, i've finally figured out a name for my horse. originally (and rather uncreatively, and never officially), his name was Esroh Ydna (try to figure that one out). in some sort of variation of that, i've decided to call him Ezra, because that is actually a name. so Ezra it is.

23 jul 2002

this is funny, but only if your status bar is in view on the bottom of your browser. otherwise you'll probably find it pretty stupid.

16 jul 2002

well, it's happened. we've decided to no longer enlist the services of the dreaded Verizon. it all started back when we switched from DSL (using Verizon's phone line, of course) to cable. we've been considering completely abandoning landlines altogether. and since abe's decided he needs a new phone since he got a new plan, and i needed a phone for school (i'll be commuting) we decided to try not having any standard phones. it should be rather interesting. on a sad note, the Siemens phones will be out of commission, a fact i regret because i do so love them. while the 3360 that i ended up with was not my first choice (i am in love with the 3390, a phone not available anywhere in this area) i think it will prove to be good over time, not to mention that i got a pretty great deal on it at Best Buy.

9 jul 2002

so this is good.

8 jul 2002

screw the Dreamcast. i think this may be the greatest game ever made.

6 jul 2002

hi! how was your fourth? mine was decent. we visited abe's brother's new house-under-construction, and we cleaned some of the plants off of his beach (the house is on a lake, of course). after burning ourselves thoroughly, we cooked out in his yard and then went to see fireworks. for some reason, i'm just not a big fan of fireworks. also, take into account that i was tired and had to work the next morning, so i slept in the car instead of watching. not much else is happening. dogs are barking again. dogs are great, but these dogs are annoying. i also seem to have gone on a bit of a buying spree lately for the Dreamcast. within the last two weeks, not only did i buy Shenmue, but 3 vmu's, 2 controllers, and Space Channel 5, Jet Grind Radio, and Chu Chu Rocket (the latter being my favorite). all were really good prices. anyway, that's about it for now.

2 jul 2002

well, we've returned from the big C of O. i enjoyed it muchly. i could list all the stuff we did, but i think i will most likely just list the stuff i enjoyed. firstly, i got to see my sister Nina, finally, and the beautiful house that she shares with her husband Dave. he's a carpenter, so they've really done a lot of work on it, and it's coming along very nicely. while abe and i were with them, after going to dinner at Johnny Corino's (a place remarkably similar in exterior appearance to the Olive Garden, but much more casual) we visited a little suburb on the edge of Longmont called Prospect. it was quite the amazing place, and probably one of the most impressive things i've ever seen. imagine a suburb where the houses are actually different. every color you could imagine was found there, with unthinkable combinations like orange and yellow. and the most surprising thing was that it all worked beautifully. i could definitely see myself living there someday, despite the fact that the single-family homes start in the low $300's. Anyway, aside from going to prospect (twice--briefly on Tuesday with my sister, abe, and dave, and for a longer visit Friday with abe and his parents), we also drove out to Vail, and meandered about in Vail Village. it was pretty nice, since the majority of roads are closed to cars, and left for buses, bikes, or pedestrians. it reminded me of Europe, particularly Austria, if i remember right. we also visited Breckenridge, another nice little town, even though i have to admit to being burnt out at that point. the highlight of that city was seeing one of my very favorite bikes, the Trek Y 5-0. it was for sale, and quite a deal. unfortunately, i missed out on the job that i applied for, otherwise i would own yet another bike. last Monday was abe's brother's birthday, so we went to St. Mary's glacier and hiked about (it is one of his favorite things to do). on the way up, we came across a guy with two dogs, both of which had wolf in them. we howled with one, which was pretty great. she had incredible copper-colored eyes. of course, we also spent a day checking out Denva. i wasn't really in the mood so i called it quits after 1/2 day, and spent the rest of the time playing Shenmue, which i bought for 12.99 along with a red VMU for the Dreamcast. ah yes, the drive. under some circumstances, the 14-hour trip might have been punishing. however, given the fact that we took a brand new Saab 9-3, and had a power inverter so we could play the Dreamcast in the car, it was more like a reward. i think that that was my favorite road trip ever. well, i think i'll stop going on about Colorado, since you've probably read all you wanted, but i'll leave you with this: where are we going to get enough squirrels to make a kite? (10 points if you can tell me where i got that).

30 may 2002

well, not much is new. i had the job interview a week ago, and i've heard that the last one is tomorrow, so i should hear something monday. hopefully it is something positive. speaking of the trail-riding last week, i managed to break my chain (although i wasn't aware of it), and was just able to get a new one yesterday, after which we went trail-riding again. the bike carrier is very nice, and after looking at some Yakimas this past weekend in the twin cities, i would have to say abe definitely made the right choice, not only because his car is Swedish as is the Thule brand, but because Thule's stuff seems to be smarter (especially their fork-mounts, such as the VeloVise and V2). also, my new favorite public bathroom ever would have to be that of the Cheesecake Factory in Southdale Mall. That is all.

19 may 2002

ok, i went to Whitewater yesterday for somebody's graduation; the ceremony itself was a little boring (and long, about 1300 people graduated), but we hung out with that person afterwards and it was fun. her graduation dinner was at mCdonald's. not so much else is going on, abe is swearing at his computer because the cd drivers didn't work, i am swearing at the modem because the internet didn't work. but anyway, it should all be fine (i had the same driver problem about a monthe ago; it is a strange coincidence). so that should be maybe all. i don't know anything else.

16 may 2002

well hey. i don't know what has kept me from writing the last couple of days, but I AM DONE WITH SCHOOL! it is exciting. also exciting is sony's price drop on the PS2. read about it here and here. someday we may even buy one. probably as weather starts to get cold again, though, because summer holds so many other activities that don't involve electronics. anyway, yeah...

8 may 2002

as if i wasn't already doing enough, i've started playing around with a new design for the page. let me know what you think; i will leave it there so you can see the progress. not much else is going on. i got the steerer tube cut on my bike and the stem lowered; it provides a slightly more aggressive riding angle. anyway, that's all for now.

7 may 2002

hi; i would write more, but there's a dog whining for me in the other room...so, goodnight!

6 may 2002

well, my weekend is over now. i had a great time in door county; we were there w/ abe's parents, his aunt and uncle, his great aunt, two cousins, a second cousin, and another aunt. we sight sawed and gift shopped (i bought nothing; gift shops = nausea for me) but had a great time. we went to the point (that thing that sticks off of the Eastern side of WI) and all kinds of stuff. we swam in the pool at the hotel too. the only downside was that i got sick from breakfast sunday and basically spent the rest of yesterday and most of this morning feeling ill. however, i was well enough to go and pick up abe's bike for him (spring maintainence), and ended up bringing home a bike of my own! no word on the job yet, but i am keeping myself occupied nonetheless. we also got our cable modem today, and it is not noticibly different from the DSL, but it is less expensive and thusfar has been more reliable. i don't honestly know what else is going on, but it's all great anyway. also, happy Cinco de Mayo. a day late.

1 may 2002

anyway, more about that cd. you see, i got a program with the computer called SonicStage. i hate it. it's complicated, it relies on playlists, and it's a pain in the ass to do anything with. not to mention that every attempt i've made at doing anything with it has been futile. so today, after giving up in frustration with SonicStage (which i will hopefully never have to use again), i tried just moving the songs to my g: drive, which actually worked. the program was nice enough to automatically open Windows Media Player and burn a nice audio cd that i could play in my car. also, here is a horse that i really like.

1 may 2002

i just burnt a cd: 1. Fiona Apple - Fast as You Can 2. Ben Folds Five - The Last Polka 3. Ben Folds Five - Best Imitation of Myself 4. Blu Cantrell - Hit 'Em Upstyle 5. The Chieftains/ Van Morrison - I'll Tell Me Ma 6. Patsy Cline - Walkin' After Midnight 7. Nikka Costa - Like a Feather 8. The Dandy Warhols - Cool as Kim Deal 9. Eminem - Without Me 10. Marvin Gaye & Tanni Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough 11. Gorillaz & D12 - 911 12. Jungle Brothers - VIP 13. Patty Loveless - Blame it on Your Lyin' Cheatin' Heart 14. No Doubt - Hella Good 15. No Doubt - Hey Baby 16. Savage Garden - Break Me Shake Me 17. Schoolly D - Aqua Teen Hunger Force 18. Boyd Tinsley & Bella Fleck - Dueling Banjos 19. Robbie Williams - Supreme. more on this groundbreaking event later.

1 may 2002

wow, it's May. it looks like the year is just flying by, in't it? i've been informed that i will indeed be graduating, meaning i will be a real person with some sort of degree. and while i did register at Point already, i'm also trying to find a job, so i may or may not attend right away. also, i am still thinking about a new bike, and a (real) job would definitely help. in other news, abe's brother came to visit from CO, because he and his fiancee are looking for a house in the area. we and they think that they've found one now, so here's hoping that that works out. it's pretty neat, and will be done by the beginning of July (it's currently under construction if you haven't already guessed), which is when they plan to move. anyway. i found a great website that sells parts for my car. i was thinking a new passenger's side door handle would be good, as well as a center cap for one of my wheels, since i currently have three. not that i really like how they look, but they would keep the lugs protected from weather, and isn't that what life is about?

16 apr 2002

well, we've (and by "we" i, of course, mean "abe") started on the floor; the underboards are down (they are pegboard with out the peg holes. i am looking forward to seeing it finished, if not because it will look nicer, than because of the fact that the microwave will be back in its normal habitat, instead of in the living room. i could take a picture, but i am so lazy. also, it is dark right now (it is only 18:06 CST), because there will probably storming soon. in other (crappy) news, i've found out that i may or may not be graduating this semester, as i had originally planned. that would certainly put a damper on a lot of things, and while i hold some of the blame, more can be attributed to my friendly advisor. in a related note, i am going to my new school tomorrow to register for classes. also, while this may not be mentioned on the website anywhere else, i am a pretty avid biker. although last summer i didn't do much because i currently own a crappy bike. but on my mind now is a new one. i don't know when, but it will be mine. i'm thinking that now i'm hungry. let me know what you're thinking.

16 apr 2002

first off, let me state that i think abe is such a liar, since he said he'd never trade for anything less than the aforementioned EXT or Escalade or what have you. also, he is a person who has a fit if the back seat of a car doesn't have any headrests. seriously; every time we'd see a jeep cherokee, he'd complain about there not being headrests for the back passengers, even if it was just in passing. sure, headrests are great, but abe has had people ride in the back of his car maybe five times in the year he's owned it. i don't think that headrests should necessarily be at the top of his list. as for my car? yeah, i have headrests, and they're all adjustable. in other news, i just saw the commercial for the Passat with the new W-8 engine...that is soooo cool. and brilliant. i look forward to seeing what engine gets used in the next generation S4. Before you dismiss the idea of an 8-cylinder engine in a car the size of or smaller than an Accord, remember that Mercedes did it with their C43 AMG, and that engine was bigger. also on veedub's site is the new GTI 337 edition, which is pretty awesome, if i do say so, and i do say so. so check that out. i mean, check it out...

14 apr 2002

every time we see a hyundai xg300/350 when driving, abe says, "there's that car i like...what's it called, the x58elxeett2r?" also, for the record, he would never buy a GMC of any sort.

14 apr 2002

it seems as though carmakers are running out of names. there are so many that are similar to eachother...you've got your trucks and suv's; outback, outlander, freelander, landcruiser, land rover, range rover, ranger, forester, mountaineer, navigator, explorer, expedition, excursion, etc. i guess those are pretty descriptive, but if you've noticed, we have a whole task force in the above sentence. then you've got the manufacturers whose names are vaguely foreign sounding (sorento, murano, rio cinco). while you may wonder what the problem there is; take note that the above models are neither ferrari, nor are they lamborghini or even another european brand. the murano is a new nissan (sport utility vehicle!) and the other two are kias. yeah, they're korean. then, of course, you have the manufacturers that were at a loss for a good name, so they just end up with a conglomeration of characters. i'm not talking about bmw, mercedes, audi, saab, volvo, or lexus. they've been doing that pretty much forever, and each has a formula for it. but you have the other companies, such as cadillac, who've decided names are no longer suitable for their cars, and give them some letters (CTS, DTS, STS) instead. for awhile now, they've had both... i guess the letters are winning. i've actually seen some of their cars that have an etc designation (eldorado coupe). i mean, ETC? what were they thinking? cadillac's newest car, a two-seat roadster, is called the XLR. now, this is not something most people will catch, but XLR is a type of audio cable. it's commonly known as microphone cable, so it's not really special audio cable. it is actually pretty average audio cable, despite the fact that it is a foundation of all audio cable. that may be pretty special, but i doubt that that's what cadillac was thinking when they named the XLR. and even if that was what they were thinking, how many people really care? but what else can one expect from cadillac? i mean, they did use ETC on a car. and there's acura, a company that has finally managed to drop the pesky integra name so they could replace it with some letters. if i liked acura, i might take the trouble to remember what letters go with what car, but right now, i'd be hard pressed to tell you what a TL looks like, or an RL. for all i know, those might not even be real cars. also, notice the tendency of any automaker who has this love of letters to put an X in the name of any off-road vehicle (volvo XC, lexus RX and GX, cadillac EXT, acura MDX, infiniti QX4, and bmw even uses an X to denote awd). for some reason, they must think that X conveys the feeling of off-roadworthiness. saab recently unveiled the 9-x and 9-3x concepts, volvo intruduced it's XC90 suv, and acura had a concept all-terrainer called the RD-X, so i guess the trend still stands. beyond these, you have the cars with names that don't appear to mean anything. there are some that've been around for awhile; the camry, corolla, jetta, passat, maxima, miata--and some of those cars are really great. but we have new cars coming out with even more nonsensical names--spectra, prius, aztek, leganza--and you just have to wonder, why? there wasn't a word in the language that could aptly describe the essence of this car, so they had to make one up. that reminds me of an SNL episode. the word was scrumtrilescent, by the way. there are also the cars that just get some randomly picked word, such as the accord and civic, or the accent, or the mirage. i can't say these words aptly describe these cars. i'm not even sure what accord is supposed to refer to... that's not to say picking a word out of the dictionary doesn't work for some cars. i mean, look at the viper. that is a very appropriate name for that car, and just think of all the colorful language that spawned from that in reviews of the car. and there are the cool names, like thunderbird and mustang. the problem with these is, the manufacturer has to work very hard on keeping the image of the car coordinated with the name. i would have to say that ford has done a relatively good job of this. compare that with GM. an overwhelming number of their cars have recieved names from past models. however, in cases such as the malibu and impala, they've been applied to a car completely opposite the car it was the first time around. the old malibu, while it is not on my top ten list, was cool because it was one of the biggest cars around. compare that to the present day econobox malibu, with little or no distinguishing features. but i digress. this wasn't a rampage against GM, it was about naming cars. speaking of which, i think i will stop calling mine an accord and begin calling it ()**_{OJI#LNV*PI:LDAS:I*884932. that is, if cadillac isn't already using that name.

13 apr 2002

sooooooo..... anyone know their rocks? i sorta have a test coming up tuesday and, frankly, i don't know granite from, well, something else.

9 apr 2002

yep.

6 apr 2002

as of about ten minutes ago, a piece of song popped into my head, and i spent that ten minutes trying to figure out what the hell that song was. it ended up being "Disconnect the Dots," as performed by Smash Mouth on their album Fush Yu Mang, maybe worth a download; it's catchy. i also purchased a copy of Dave Mirra's Freestyle BMX for Dreamcast, as it was but $9.99 at Best Buy and i needed a fix of a Tony Hawk-like game. let me just say that this is like Tony Hawk on a bike.

5 apr 2002

so, we watched this movie called Bandits, and it was really good. definitely worth renting. we also got some tile samples today, a lovely green color. maybe there will be pictures of the floor when we do something with it. maybe. not much other than that. also, if you actually read this news, can you please let me know? thanks mucho.

2 apr 2002

well, happy april. if you are seeing this that obviously means that all the links work and that's definitely a good thing. more later, probably.

29 mar 2002

here are some things:

as abe mentioned, we are off to the big IKEA store tomorrow, so logically i was searching for a catalog at home tonight. because of the table issue mentioned, my copy is at abe's parents' house. he should have a copy, but he claimed he didn't. i looked and looked, and where did i find one? yep, in a pile of papers and catalogs by abe's desk. he then decided that those couldn't be his. i proceeded to read of the contents of the pile: photos from his school; two Under Gear catalogs; a Crutchfield; International Male; and an envelope from the local Festival of the Arts, for which he is entertainment coordinator. not to mention that most of these had his name on them.-anyone have input as to who makes a good scanner?
there is a dog barking outside right now. it is annoying. now, i don't hate dogs, but when one is barking consistantly at 11:59 PM CST, it can be a little annoying.
saw Panic Room today...very good, i was impressed and i recommend it. Jodie Foster was excellent.
that is all, i think. happy holiday, whatever it may be, and hope your March was good.

27 mar 2002

never at a loss for things to buy, we've picked up some Siemens telephones. they're really nice, and such. abe's been playing with them more than i have, so he'll probably ramble about them. other than that, not much is new; i'm not going to put up any pictures of the computer because everything on it you've seen already, and that's just silly. also, we made a table that has not collapsed yet.

24 mar 2002

yay! my computer arrived; everything works! it is wonderful and big and fast and i love it! except the keyboard, and the mouse, and the speakers; they're all crap. i continue to use my Microsoft mouse, and abe and i both bought IBM keyboards. the speakers will probably never be used.

19 mar 2002

you shanked my jenga ship!!

18 mar 2002

well, i just ordered one (1) sony VAIO rx650... whee!

17 mar 2002

well, we just ordered two (2) viewsonic g90fb monitors... yay!

17 mar 2002

the quest for a new monitor...

originally intended on a sony G220 as part of a package deal, but
sony changed it to the A240 when they brought out the 2002 models, so
thought about it and decided on the viewsonic A90F, cause it's big, but
then saw the E90F, which is less expensive and seemingly the same, then
tried to figure out what the hell the difference was, and then
found the E90FB, which is black, and
now i just have to find a place to buy it.

15 mar 2002

as it stands right now; i am but $176.45 away from my new VAIO! wheeeee!

13 mar 2002

well, i've abandoned Dvorak. now hold on; before you label me a quitter, take into account that i use a QWERTY keyboard at my job and trying to learn Dvorak right now was slowing me way down; i had a hard time separating the two. also take into account that i'm a college student; i have papers to write, and typing them with Dvorak would take probably 4x longer (at least) than with QWERTY. so, while i may take it up again later, Dvorak has become but a memory for me.

PS i got an A- on my test.

12 mar 2002

am i the only one who *really* hates the pizza hut p'zone guy? i mean, come on! could he be more annoying? also, we seem to have acquired some crabs--4 fiddlers, to be exact. they're adorable :)

9 mar 2002

well, ya like it? i thought an archive might be a good thing to have. no, i have none of the posts prior to these, and yes, i'm typing this on Dvorak.

7 mar 2002

hooray; i had a geology test today. it was ok. anyway, not much is still going on, but i did get a chance to talk to RascalPup on AOL last night. seems like a good guy from the little that we chatted; check out his website. i guess, now that abe has revealed the automobile he'd like to own one day, i feel obliged to share my decision. it's just too bad that i'm not sure. i really liked the Audi S4 Avant, but that's not around right now because the A4 just got redone. as mentioned before, i really like the MR-2 spyder as well. i think it's still called the MR-2, but maybe it's just 'MR.' i've also gotten a haircut--i should clarify: i cut my hair--, not like it matters because nobody knows what my hair looked like before anyway; all of the pictures on the site are pretty much of what it looks like now. in addition to all of this, i've developed an affinity for the song 'waterloo,' by abba. in fact, i hear it in my head right now. as far as the SIMs, i still play, but not as much because a) i'm not home and b) my computer can't quite handle it. once i get my VAIO that will probably change.

ps: jess (remember her?) moved to canada for five months for school. everyone at work misses you, jess, if you're reading this. also, another friend, brian, has a band, and i may be able to convince him to let me work on a website, so that link will be posted here if there ever is one. that is all.

24 dec 2002 The Big Day

23 dec 2002 I'm Not Even Busy

14 dec 2002 From Exotic Minnesota

10 dec 2002 Five Things

1 dec 2002 23 Days & Counting

30 nov 2002 I Was Supposed To Be At Work Right Now...

27 nov 2002 Blah, Blah & Blah

27 nov 2002 Books, Books & Books

25 nov 2002 This Probably Relates Somehow to the Weekend

23 nov 2002 Double Oh Seven

23 nov 2002 Second Place: Sebring

21 nov 2002 One More Thing...

21 nov 2002 Books R Gr8

19 nov 2002 I Like Metroid

13 nov 2002 Betterment

12 nov 2002 Here We Go (It's Practically Mutiny)

20 nov 2002 Miscellany, Which May or May Not Be A Word

7 nov 2002 Sex, Dogs & Rock Climbing

2 nov 2002 Honda

1 nov 2002 Well, It's Cold...

26 oct 2002 Clamor & Ruckus, pt II

26 oct 2002 Clamor & Ruckus, pt I

23 oct 2002 Ummm

22 oct 2002 Boy Oh Boy

22 oct 2002 As Usual

17 oct 2002 ...

17 oct 2002 Neglected

16 oct 2002 If I Were Streetwise, I'd Call Them Kicks

16 oct 2002 Shoes

15 oct 2002 Oh So Busy

9 oct 2002 Today is the Ninth

7 oct 2002 It Certainly Is

4 oct 2002 Is This Good or Dumb?

3 oct 2002 The Most Best Things Ever, Really

1 oct 2002 Illin'

28 sep 2002 Exactly That

25 sep 2002 Murphy's Law? No, it's a conspiracy

19 sep 2002 We Could Learn a Lesson Here

17 sep 2002 Dog-Sitting Excitement

16 sep 2002 Just Getting Orientated

11 sep 2002 On Today

9 sep 2002 Chalk Graffiti Rocks

6 sep 2002 I Should Be Writing These Things Down

4 sep 2002 Procrastination Season Again

3 sep 2002 (Making It Official)

2 sep 2002 Nobody Told Me We'd Changed Months

30 aug 2002 A Use For Photoshop (Finally!)

30 aug 2002 Ewww, hunger

26 aug 2002 Looking for Trouble in All the Wrong Places

26 aug 2002 What Else Can Go Wrong?

22 aug 2002 Sorry...

17 aug 2002 Wah!

17 aug 2002 Butt-ons ^

15 aug 2002 A Little Thing I like to Call Video Games

13 aug 2002 Pain & Suffering

13 aug 2002 What the Heck is Going On?

13 aug 2002 Vaguely Noteable

12 aug 2002 My Favorite Things, pt I

11 aug 2002 (More) Big Money-Making Excitement Here

20 aug 2002 On A Lighter Note

10 aug 2002 Gratification

8 aug 2002 On the Topic of Feet...

7 aug 2002 Free Food

31 jul 2002 Pepsi Blue

30 jul 2002 The Futility of It All

29 jul 2002 Tornadoes Are Scary

28 jul 2002 Cellular Phone or Lucky Charm?

27 jul 2002 Undershirts & Me

27 jul 2002

25 jul 2002

23 jul 2002

16 jul 2002

9 jul 2002

8 jul 2002

6 jul 2002

2 jul 2002

13 jun 2002

13 jun 2002

13 jun 2002

30 may 2002