Well, we all know now that December 21 has passed by, and our world is still very much here. We've enjoyed a Merry Christmas, and a new year is just hours away.
It is a blessing to have another beginning, another chance to do good things in life. In that spirit, the old subtitle of this blog that portended EOTW is now permanently replaced with the current edition.
The bad news is that there is still much volatility in the world, and we don't need to look very far to see the signs. The tragedy at Sandy Hook is one example. I'm sure there are plenty of folks who quietly believe the world as we know it may be better off gone in the long run. And, just because we have completed one b'ak'tun and started another does not mean that existential threats vanish.
I want, for a little while, anyway, to treat this calendar transition the way the Maya might: as a period of celebration. I leave this blog now and prepare to launch the next one. Perhaps 2013 will provide more time for me to reflect and write, and perhaps not. I hope that 2013 continues to give me the opportunity to try simple, new things, the way I did nearly every day of 2012. I am grateful that I have this opportunity at all!
Oh, and there will be a few more updates to come as I finish up some of the unfinished business of this busy year.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Alas, poor Hostess (sigh)
Is there any greater sign of EOTW than the demise of Hostess? We had clues of the end earlier in the year, but they didn't prepare us for the actual hurt. Nor did they make me act fast enough. By the time I went shopping a few days after the closing announcement, the only Hostess product on the supermarket shelves was mini blueberry muffins. And I was glad to have them.
Not to worry, I will not be denied my Twinkies. I bid on and won a lot of 50 of the delightful cakes on eBay. Look, clearly I'm not the only one with this plan!
Enough Twinkie talk. I have a turkey to brine.
Not to worry, I will not be denied my Twinkies. I bid on and won a lot of 50 of the delightful cakes on eBay. Look, clearly I'm not the only one with this plan!
Enough Twinkie talk. I have a turkey to brine.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
House of cards
In previous posts, I have brought up a few concepts of the destruction of civilization, such as space phenomena or epidemics.
Now it's time to get serious.
I happen to subscribe to the view that the greatest existential threat to civilized life as we know it in these United States is fiscal. That is to say, our national debt in excess of $16 trillion is analogous to a person being morbidly obese. It is simply a catastrophe waiting to happen. Perhaps December is when the government defaults, and EOTW gets underway...
But can't you and I help this situation?
So far this year donors have gifted 7.7 million dollars toward payment of the national debt, and today I gave a dollar through Pay.gov.
But let's get serious again. The U.S. National Debt is accruing about $10,000 per second at the pace of the this debt clock. That's $1 million dollars in 100 seconds, or $7.7 million dollars in 13 minutes.
In case you don't get what I am trying to say, let me be blunt. Your money gifted to the Treasury for debt reduction is wasted money. Don't throw your money on a debt that has an upward trajectory of $10,000 per second. Clearly, something much bigger needs to happen to slow and eventually reverse that trajectory.
The hard truth is that our federal taxes have no where to go but up, probably significantly up. And "our" taxes means all of us, not just the richest, and not just the dummies who voluntarily give gifts to the Treasury though the internet. Tax increases are how the government is going to eventually collect your payment toward the debt. It won't be very long now; my guess is within 2 decades.
My advice to anyone out there who cares: here is what you should do while you are waiting for your tax burden to increase.
On that last point, I am quite pleased to announce that I have accomplished the elimination of my credit card balance, per the terms of my original debt mission. I promised that when this mission was complete I would reveal the numbers behind the mission, so here they are.
$19,800 debt / 11 months = $1,800 per month.
$1,800 is more than my monthly mortgage payment. That I paid more than double my mortgage each month should say something about the tight finances I dealt with this year. It is good to be finished with this.
Now it's time to get serious.
I happen to subscribe to the view that the greatest existential threat to civilized life as we know it in these United States is fiscal. That is to say, our national debt in excess of $16 trillion is analogous to a person being morbidly obese. It is simply a catastrophe waiting to happen. Perhaps December is when the government defaults, and EOTW gets underway...
But can't you and I help this situation?
So far this year donors have gifted 7.7 million dollars toward payment of the national debt, and today I gave a dollar through Pay.gov.
But let's get serious again. The U.S. National Debt is accruing about $10,000 per second at the pace of the this debt clock. That's $1 million dollars in 100 seconds, or $7.7 million dollars in 13 minutes.
In case you don't get what I am trying to say, let me be blunt. Your money gifted to the Treasury for debt reduction is wasted money. Don't throw your money on a debt that has an upward trajectory of $10,000 per second. Clearly, something much bigger needs to happen to slow and eventually reverse that trajectory.
The hard truth is that our federal taxes have no where to go but up, probably significantly up. And "our" taxes means all of us, not just the richest, and not just the dummies who voluntarily give gifts to the Treasury though the internet. Tax increases are how the government is going to eventually collect your payment toward the debt. It won't be very long now; my guess is within 2 decades.
My advice to anyone out there who cares: here is what you should do while you are waiting for your tax burden to increase.
- Watch films such as I.O.U.S.A.
- Read books such as Endgame
- Become a voice for federal fiscal responsibility
- Most importantly: pay off your own personal debts
On that last point, I am quite pleased to announce that I have accomplished the elimination of my credit card balance, per the terms of my original debt mission. I promised that when this mission was complete I would reveal the numbers behind the mission, so here they are.
$19,800 debt / 11 months = $1,800 per month.
$1,800 is more than my monthly mortgage payment. That I paid more than double my mortgage each month should say something about the tight finances I dealt with this year. It is good to be finished with this.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Mission Updates
So how have I been doing on my Bucket Missions? Pretty mediocre.
I am currently watching season 2 of Star Trek Voyager, and am over 65% complete in the video mission but I'll have to admit defeat. Even to reach the end of Voyager before December 21 would be a major undertaking at this stage, but that modified goal is what I will now attempt to finish.
Moving on to my health missions, I did not schedule a 5K run in which I could receive an official time under 30 minutes. But here's the rub: I did run my first ever half marathon at the end of September and although my finish time was underwhelming, according to my NikePlus recorded data of that run, at some point during the run I covered a 5K leg in about 27.5 minutes! Now, I believe the calibration of the sensors are somewhat off and the 27.5 measured a distance a little smaller than 5K, but I believe that the corrected time would still be south of 30 minutes. On a technicality, I completed this mission, but only on a technicality.
On the other hand, the BMI goal was a complete bust. In fact, in training for the half marathon, I actually gained weight. Generally, my love of food made this goal very challenging from the outset. And with Thanksgiving approaching, the prospects of getting this going in the right direction again are not good at all.
The food mission is also dismal. I only visited 4 of 20 restaurants on the list and chances are not very good to get to another one before EOTW. Most of the restaurants are simply too far, and I would have needed to plan some special multi-day travel to visit them, so I never expected to complete this mission. I did think I'd go well north of 4, though! I take a little solace in the fact that I am sure that I paid a first visit at least 16 restaurants in my local area that were not on the list. Some of the memorable ones include: Ted's Montana Grill, Sichuan Gourmet, Mayuri and Tropical Cafe.
My debt mission gives me a result to breathe much easier about. I have indeed made 10 of 11 payments on what I would describe as a substantial credit card debt and I am in line to finish that goal before December 21. Unfortunately, I will not be completely credit debt free at the end, because I did am now carrying a smaller balance on a different card that is part of a plan to refinance my mortgage within the next few weeks.
In order to assist my original credit card mission, I had hoped to sell off $2,500 worth of possessions. I am considerably short of that goal at present, and hence I've needed to dip into my savings to finish the credit card mission. This is not ideal, but I guess I am not going to need those savings for much longer :-)
I wouldn't describe my spending habits this year as overly frugal, but I did accomplish my monthly expense goal of reducing my expense budget by at least $400 per month. I was at $300 per month by the end of March, so this goal was well on track.
I am currently watching season 2 of Star Trek Voyager, and am over 65% complete in the video mission but I'll have to admit defeat. Even to reach the end of Voyager before December 21 would be a major undertaking at this stage, but that modified goal is what I will now attempt to finish.
Moving on to my health missions, I did not schedule a 5K run in which I could receive an official time under 30 minutes. But here's the rub: I did run my first ever half marathon at the end of September and although my finish time was underwhelming, according to my NikePlus recorded data of that run, at some point during the run I covered a 5K leg in about 27.5 minutes! Now, I believe the calibration of the sensors are somewhat off and the 27.5 measured a distance a little smaller than 5K, but I believe that the corrected time would still be south of 30 minutes. On a technicality, I completed this mission, but only on a technicality.
On the other hand, the BMI goal was a complete bust. In fact, in training for the half marathon, I actually gained weight. Generally, my love of food made this goal very challenging from the outset. And with Thanksgiving approaching, the prospects of getting this going in the right direction again are not good at all.
The food mission is also dismal. I only visited 4 of 20 restaurants on the list and chances are not very good to get to another one before EOTW. Most of the restaurants are simply too far, and I would have needed to plan some special multi-day travel to visit them, so I never expected to complete this mission. I did think I'd go well north of 4, though! I take a little solace in the fact that I am sure that I paid a first visit at least 16 restaurants in my local area that were not on the list. Some of the memorable ones include: Ted's Montana Grill, Sichuan Gourmet, Mayuri and Tropical Cafe.
My debt mission gives me a result to breathe much easier about. I have indeed made 10 of 11 payments on what I would describe as a substantial credit card debt and I am in line to finish that goal before December 21. Unfortunately, I will not be completely credit debt free at the end, because I did am now carrying a smaller balance on a different card that is part of a plan to refinance my mortgage within the next few weeks.
In order to assist my original credit card mission, I had hoped to sell off $2,500 worth of possessions. I am considerably short of that goal at present, and hence I've needed to dip into my savings to finish the credit card mission. This is not ideal, but I guess I am not going to need those savings for much longer :-)
I wouldn't describe my spending habits this year as overly frugal, but I did accomplish my monthly expense goal of reducing my expense budget by at least $400 per month. I was at $300 per month by the end of March, so this goal was well on track.
Fall weekend
After another long hiatus, I return to this blog on a perfect fall weekend -- clear skies and temperatures in the 60s. One could never imagine that we are about 40 days from EOTW! Fall has always been my favorite season in New England, and, outside of Hurricane Sandy, this year has been fabulous.
11/10
A fabulous day for a 4.5 mile walk on the local rail trail -- I've mainly walked, not run, since my half marathon of September 30. Today I walked to the Marlborough/Hudson town line, enjoying the unique aroma of the fall leaves along the trail, and the crunch underfoot.
Not very far away though, in New York and New Jersey, there are many who are still enduring the devastation brought on by Hurricane Sandy. My town got off comparatively lightly this time. Hurricane Irene from last year had greater impact.
My company has been active in donating to the disaster relief effort and I made sure today to donate to the Red Cross and use my company's online matching funds tool.
11/11
Browncoat veterans rejoice! On this Veterans Day the Science cable network is hosting a reunion of cast and crew of Firefly called "Browncoats Unite." The show is preceded by an airing of the entire short-lived series, which I already own on blu-ray, so I will skip out on the marathon.
It's fitting that Firefly gets a nod in my blog. Were it not for my Star Trek mission, there are many other programs I would have spent time with this year, and I'm sure Firefly would have been high on the list for a repeat viewing. Walking Dead would also have been a major contender, and a thematically relevant one to boot!
On a serious note, special appreciation to US veterans and active duty military personnel -- your efforts do help preserve the peace and freedom we enjoy at home!
11/10
A fabulous day for a 4.5 mile walk on the local rail trail -- I've mainly walked, not run, since my half marathon of September 30. Today I walked to the Marlborough/Hudson town line, enjoying the unique aroma of the fall leaves along the trail, and the crunch underfoot.
Not very far away though, in New York and New Jersey, there are many who are still enduring the devastation brought on by Hurricane Sandy. My town got off comparatively lightly this time. Hurricane Irene from last year had greater impact.
My company has been active in donating to the disaster relief effort and I made sure today to donate to the Red Cross and use my company's online matching funds tool.
11/11
Browncoat veterans rejoice! On this Veterans Day the Science cable network is hosting a reunion of cast and crew of Firefly called "Browncoats Unite." The show is preceded by an airing of the entire short-lived series, which I already own on blu-ray, so I will skip out on the marathon.
It's fitting that Firefly gets a nod in my blog. Were it not for my Star Trek mission, there are many other programs I would have spent time with this year, and I'm sure Firefly would have been high on the list for a repeat viewing. Walking Dead would also have been a major contender, and a thematically relevant one to boot!
On a serious note, special appreciation to US veterans and active duty military personnel -- your efforts do help preserve the peace and freedom we enjoy at home!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Thank God It's Friday the 13th
7/13
I was happy to have a chance to try the Jack Daniels burger at TGIF's one final time -- I love that glaze. And I didn't even need to inquire about what Friday the 13th is like at a TGIF's, since the bar staff was buzzing about it. I asked my bartender what time the crazies start coming in and he said, "I don't know, but I get off at nine o'clock and I'm not sticking around to find out."
That evening, I started my horror movie mini-marathon: Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow followed by cult classic Children of the Corn. Although this is the last Friday the 13th ever, we still have the build up to the last Halloween for more spooky fun to come...
I was happy to have a chance to try the Jack Daniels burger at TGIF's one final time -- I love that glaze. And I didn't even need to inquire about what Friday the 13th is like at a TGIF's, since the bar staff was buzzing about it. I asked my bartender what time the crazies start coming in and he said, "I don't know, but I get off at nine o'clock and I'm not sticking around to find out."
That evening, I started my horror movie mini-marathon: Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow followed by cult classic Children of the Corn. Although this is the last Friday the 13th ever, we still have the build up to the last Halloween for more spooky fun to come...
Burger Digest
7/5 Today I tried Wendy's "W" cheeseburger -- pretty good simple cheeseburger fare. I wanted to try their new signature sides, but I didn't see them on the menu in the partiucular store I went to.
7/6 My colleagues and I went to the headquarters for lunch today. It was a great day for that since half the company is on vacation this week. No lines in the cafeteria. I ate the standard Angus cheeseburger.
Movie night tonight: 2010 Repo Men. Now, even your replacement body parts aren't safe!
7/7 Even Papa Gino's makes burgers. I had the American Classic -- not bad at all, although they put mayo on it. I feel like mayo is a more recent addition to burger condiments, at least in my neck of the woods. I like mayo on burgers, I guess, but it gets me thinking back to how profusely Bruce Willis complained about it in The Whole Nine Yards.
7/8 To welcome my sister-in-law to the States, I threw some meats on the grill: kielbasa, ham steak, and Bubba Angus burgers. I ended up eating my burger plain with one slice of cheddar cheese and it was really good!
7/9 Yesterday's burger reminded me of Five Guys, so naturally that's where I had to go today. Sadly, they messed up my order: they left off the bacon and jalapeno. The resulting burger was still yummy, but I wonder if they're losing their touch.
In work news, I finally had the chance to install and play with Eclipse Juno a little.
7/10 It was a great day to be in Boston and to ride along with my sister-in-law on the duck boat tour. Before that though we decided to eat lunch in the Prudential Center's food court. That's where I tried what is easily the worst burger that I've had this month so far. The name of the counter was called Flamers, and I do not recommend it.
7/11 I'd been thinking about how to insert a chili burger into my challenge schedule. I'm pretty sure I've never had one though I've had chili dogs many times. It seems wishes have a way of working themselves out eventually. At the 42 cafeteria today their special entrée was hand formed burgers with a variety of toppings including chili, so you know when I had for lunch!
7/12 It was a beautiful day so I walked up the street to the Marathon restaurant for lunch with a few colleagues. They've just introduced their new menu but thankfully their burger recipe hasn't changed. Still the same great toasted buttery bun. Their french fries were a disappointment and due to a timing snafu, they came after the burger.
Caught the first 6 episode season of a Britcom called "Inbetweeners" tonight on Netflix. I love the short seasons of British television; so easy to absorb.
7/14 The Carolina BBQ burger from Burger King. I should mention about now that my stomach is really feeling interesting. Yeah, this is the first time I'm really thinking about the prospect of not completing this challenge -- we'll see in a few more days.
A Family 4th
I had entertained the notion of going somewhere interesting and special for the final Fourth of July this year, but when you get right down to it, isn't a great to spend America's birthday with your family?
7/3
At lunch today some colleagues and I tried out Ted's Montana Grill, where they specialize in both beef and buffalo. I think we all tried buffalo burgers and they really live up to the expectations. Don't ask me if I ever plan to spend $16 on a burger again, though.
Naturally, our lunchtime conversation centered around buffalo and one guy brought up the Simpsons episode where they take a trip across the country chasing and killing all the buffalo along the way. So I thought for sure that I needed to find that episode on Netflix tonight, only problem is that the Simpsons are not on Netflix. I must be going crazy because I thought for certain the Simpsons were available, but it must have been a case of confusing it with another animated series...
Anyway, it turns out in the middle of the afternoon I made the decision to take Marcie that evening to see the fireworks program at the Old Sturbridge Village with her cousin and aunt and grandmother. Well worth it!
7/4
The Fourth of July started off with some rain showers, but turned into a great day. Marcie and I headed back to the grandparents' house for a little grilling and water games. I supplied onion soup marinated burgers with baby Swiss cheese, a combo I really like...
That evening, I embarked upon an editorial project involving a family member, and that's probably all I'm allowed to say about it in this blog! I'm pretty late getting started on the project, and I hope to have it wrapped up before this month's end.
7/3
At lunch today some colleagues and I tried out Ted's Montana Grill, where they specialize in both beef and buffalo. I think we all tried buffalo burgers and they really live up to the expectations. Don't ask me if I ever plan to spend $16 on a burger again, though.
Naturally, our lunchtime conversation centered around buffalo and one guy brought up the Simpsons episode where they take a trip across the country chasing and killing all the buffalo along the way. So I thought for sure that I needed to find that episode on Netflix tonight, only problem is that the Simpsons are not on Netflix. I must be going crazy because I thought for certain the Simpsons were available, but it must have been a case of confusing it with another animated series...
Anyway, it turns out in the middle of the afternoon I made the decision to take Marcie that evening to see the fireworks program at the Old Sturbridge Village with her cousin and aunt and grandmother. Well worth it!
7/4
The Fourth of July started off with some rain showers, but turned into a great day. Marcie and I headed back to the grandparents' house for a little grilling and water games. I supplied onion soup marinated burgers with baby Swiss cheese, a combo I really like...
That evening, I embarked upon an editorial project involving a family member, and that's probably all I'm allowed to say about it in this blog! I'm pretty late getting started on the project, and I hope to have it wrapped up before this month's end.
Monday, July 2, 2012
My Blog, Since 2012
Audience survey question of the day: at what point is it acceptable to use the word "Since" with your company or product? For example, the Goldenberg's Peanut Chews were marked "Since 1917," a pretty great accomplishment having a viable product for nearly 100 years. When I see the word "Since" used in this manner I smile and think back to my time in Korea, where some shops would label their signs with a year 1 or 2 years prior. As in "Since 1995" in 1996. Remembering how quickly businesses would turn over in the trendy spots in Seoul, I suppose there is something to said for making it for one year.
Burger Challenge Update: Ate the Kain Steakhouse burger at Bugaboo Creek in Milford. My first time to Bugaboo Creek since a colleague and I discovered the North Shore Mall branch was closed. It's getting harder to find them in Massachusetts...
Love on the Holodeck
7/1
The 3rd season TNG episode "Booby Trap" doesn't stand out particularly from the others, but I thought I'd remark on LaForge's subplot. In the beginning, we see our charming Chief Engineer striking out with a lovely colleague within a beachside simulation on the holodeck. Not being popular with the girls -- well that's something most any nerd can confirm. Later in the episode, when the Enterprise is snared in a radiation booby trap and it is up to Geordi to figure out how to configure the engines to escape, he enlists the help of a holographic representation of one of the early designers of warp engines, who just so happens to be an attractive woman named Dr. Leah Brahms. And, given her area of expertise, a much more suitable match for LaForge than his earlier date. Too bad that she isn't real, because it leads to this exchange at the story's end...
LaForge: Maybe we can do it again some time.
Brahms: I'm with you every day, Geordi. Every time you look at this engine, you're looking at me. Every time you touch it, it's me.
Then they kiss. At this moment, I felt my gorge rise and began to rethink the episode title "Booby Trap."
Putting aside the humor, the notion of virtual reality is certainly intriguing, and given another few years that we do not have, we would likely see some big breakthroughs in the technology that would perhaps make VR a mainstream commodity. And when that happens, will humans use the technology to fill the gaps in our basic emotional needs, or will we abuse the technology and become sullen addicts, unable to function in the real world outside the holodeck? Star Trek depicts the former, at least aboard the Enterprise. I suppose being a crew member aboard a vessel that explores our galaxy is stimulating work in its own right!
Burger Challenge Update: Started simple with the McDonald's Daily Double. Not bad; like a Big Mac minus the special sauce and sesame seeds and plus tomato. It was small enough that I had enough room for a Dunkin Donuts Roast Beef Bakery Sandwich. Does not qualify for the burger challenge, but I did not want to miss this before it left the stores. Great blend of meat, cheese and horseradish on warm bakery bread.
A Joyous Occasion
6/29
My cousin tied the knot with his lovely bride at the Second Congregational Church of Palmer. Reception followed on the picturesque grounds of Salem Cross Inn with sumptuous prime rib... great to have a chance to see this place one more time before our time is up!
6/30
I finish up the first half of 2012 with a viewing of the animated film 9, which is set in a post-apocalyptic world without surviving humans. That is another wrinkle in this whole EOTW business; perhaps it just means the end of the world for humans, while the rest of the Earth will go on without us. Yes, a distinct possiblilty.
Recommended additional viewing: Life after People, a series which doesn't discuss how humans disappear, rather what happens to all of our creations in the wake of our sudden and total disappearance.
I begin the second half of the year with a food challenge worthy of grill season... I must eat one burger each day for the month of July. As much as possible, try burgers from different establishments or different styles. Yeah, not a challenge worthy of "Man vs. Food", but I can assure you that this is something I have never attempted before, nor would I try it again.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Goodbye Earth Day
Ah yes, what difference a missing comma makes, for the title should read, "Goodbye, Earth Day." Actually, December 21 is "Goodbye Earth Day." :-)
OK, that was lame.
I thought about doing something earthy today, but the rain came in for the first time in weeks, and truth be told, Mother Nature is doing the best thing for the dry earth around my house. My help is not needed today. I'll do something crunchy later, I promise.
Instead, I got a good start on "Running Week." Next Saturday is my 4.5 mile race, and I plan to get immersed! I started my next reading project, Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall. Two chapters in and I already know it's going to be tough to put down!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 22, 243 days remaining
Angel One (Riker takes a Kirk turn with Mistress Beata)
11001001 (The Binars are interesting, but Minuet is captivating)
Too Short A Season (The curious case of Admiral Jameson)
OK, that was lame.
I thought about doing something earthy today, but the rain came in for the first time in weeks, and truth be told, Mother Nature is doing the best thing for the dry earth around my house. My help is not needed today. I'll do something crunchy later, I promise.
Instead, I got a good start on "Running Week." Next Saturday is my 4.5 mile race, and I plan to get immersed! I started my next reading project, Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall. Two chapters in and I already know it's going to be tough to put down!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 22, 243 days remaining
Angel One (Riker takes a Kirk turn with Mistress Beata)
11001001 (The Binars are interesting, but Minuet is captivating)
Too Short A Season (The curious case of Admiral Jameson)
Video Mission Update: 118 / 728 hours = 16.2%
Field day
(April 21)
Today was the day where everything lined up for some outside work! Warm, sunny weekend day, before the much needed rain comes tomorrow. I tuned up the lawnmower and purchased some gas for its first trip around the backyard this season. (The second time the lawn was mowed, though. It's been so dry that sadly the lawn is patchy and limp.)
In the evening, it was time to fire up the grill for the first time of the year! Aside from the teriyaki chicken I tried grilling some mango wedges and served it all up with some long grain rice. (OK, that last one I prepared with the help of Uncle Ben.) A memorable meal!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 21, 244 days remaining
Justice (I wonder how many fans wish Wes were executed?)
The Battle (Picard encounters his old ship, and some induced memories)
Hide and Q (Q tempts Riker)
Haven (A wedding party fitting of Melancholia)
The Big Goodbye (Dixon Hill -- classic holodeck)
Datalore (Data's "evil" twin)
Today was the day where everything lined up for some outside work! Warm, sunny weekend day, before the much needed rain comes tomorrow. I tuned up the lawnmower and purchased some gas for its first trip around the backyard this season. (The second time the lawn was mowed, though. It's been so dry that sadly the lawn is patchy and limp.)
In the evening, it was time to fire up the grill for the first time of the year! Aside from the teriyaki chicken I tried grilling some mango wedges and served it all up with some long grain rice. (OK, that last one I prepared with the help of Uncle Ben.) A memorable meal!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 21, 244 days remaining
Justice (I wonder how many fans wish Wes were executed?)
The Battle (Picard encounters his old ship, and some induced memories)
Hide and Q (Q tempts Riker)
Haven (A wedding party fitting of Melancholia)
The Big Goodbye (Dixon Hill -- classic holodeck)
Datalore (Data's "evil" twin)
Video Mission Update: 115 / 728 hours = 15.8%
Melancholia
(April 20)
In the realm of planetary demises, impact with a large object from space is always high on the list. Do you remember the year when the movie talk was Deep Impact vs. Armageddon?
Today I watched Melancholia, another entry in this series, but definitely an art film as opposed to a scientific presentation; a drama as opposed to an action blockbuster; a Wagneresque opera of a film (and you'll understand my blatant reference right from the first few seconds, if you recognize the score). The visual imagery was lush and appealing while the human characters were intentionally flawed. If I need to condense the message of the film down to one statement it might be this: melancholic people have a better grip on EOTW than we "normal" folks.
Now, I do not have a sustained interest for the opus of Lars von Trier, or for Mr. von Trier himself, but I consider my life richer for having watched Melancholia once before the end. While I don't echo Justine's worldview that humanity deserves to meet its end (or that we are alone in the universe), I do recognize how the Justines of the world might come to that conclusion.
Per the scientific backdrop of the film, the rogue planet Melancholia has approached Earth on a trajectory that kept it hidden behind the Sun until that last days or weeks, and hence was not detected early. Based on a bonus material interview on the DVD, in reality, such a space object would be detected later than an object that was not obscured by the Sun, but we on Earth would still have years of notice, not weeks. (Actually, the amount of time passage in the film is not clear to me, or I do not recall it being overt. It's pretty short.)
I'm not completely discounting a space object collision as the cause of our EOTW, though. Let's check our data twice!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 20, 245 days remaining
Where No One Has Gone Before (Journey to the intersection of space, time and mind.)
Lonely Among Us (Indubitably, Data Holmes!)
In the realm of planetary demises, impact with a large object from space is always high on the list. Do you remember the year when the movie talk was Deep Impact vs. Armageddon?
Today I watched Melancholia, another entry in this series, but definitely an art film as opposed to a scientific presentation; a drama as opposed to an action blockbuster; a Wagneresque opera of a film (and you'll understand my blatant reference right from the first few seconds, if you recognize the score). The visual imagery was lush and appealing while the human characters were intentionally flawed. If I need to condense the message of the film down to one statement it might be this: melancholic people have a better grip on EOTW than we "normal" folks.
Now, I do not have a sustained interest for the opus of Lars von Trier, or for Mr. von Trier himself, but I consider my life richer for having watched Melancholia once before the end. While I don't echo Justine's worldview that humanity deserves to meet its end (or that we are alone in the universe), I do recognize how the Justines of the world might come to that conclusion.
Per the scientific backdrop of the film, the rogue planet Melancholia has approached Earth on a trajectory that kept it hidden behind the Sun until that last days or weeks, and hence was not detected early. Based on a bonus material interview on the DVD, in reality, such a space object would be detected later than an object that was not obscured by the Sun, but we on Earth would still have years of notice, not weeks. (Actually, the amount of time passage in the film is not clear to me, or I do not recall it being overt. It's pretty short.)
I'm not completely discounting a space object collision as the cause of our EOTW, though. Let's check our data twice!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 20, 245 days remaining
Where No One Has Gone Before (Journey to the intersection of space, time and mind.)
Lonely Among Us (Indubitably, Data Holmes!)
Video Mission Update: 109 / 728 hours = 15.0%
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Best Run Ever*
(April 19)
Taking a prompt from my morning telephone conversation with Tom Donovan, this evening I went out and ran a full 5 miles non-stop. My pacing is probably on order of 12 minute miles, 1 hour in total, but I am not certain because once again I goofed up with my measuring (iPod nano using Nike+) and do not have an accurate recording. It figures. Here I have my longest continuous run, and I'm griping afterwards about how I won't be able to transmit the data to my Nike account and have the distance accrue towards my set goals in that program. :-)
You'll just have to take my word for it, but if it makes you feel any better, I'll mark my accomplishment with an asterisk.
A couple of notable things from today's run: first, I did it without music, and I found the ability to just think about other things whiled away the time. I thought of a nice solution to a coding problem from work in the first half of the run! Second, in understanding the topology of the rail trail on which I run, the 2.5 miles out is generally on a decline, which means the 2.5 miles back is generally incline -- a tougher workout. There is one half mile stretch of steep decline (between 1.0 and 1.5 miles) which becomes steep incline on the return (between 3.5 and 4.0 miles). This incline is what I've come to call my "Heartbreak Hill." And yes, this was the first 5-miler that I did not stop running -- not even for Heartbreak Hill.
I really felt the burn in my calves after this run. This is exactly why I can only run every third day; I need the recuperation in between!
Before signing off on this post, I'd like to take a moment to thank my parents for tying the knot on this date some years ago... an event that is quite directly responsible for the existence of this crappy blog! Enjoy! :-)
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 19, 246 days remaining
Taking a prompt from my morning telephone conversation with Tom Donovan, this evening I went out and ran a full 5 miles non-stop. My pacing is probably on order of 12 minute miles, 1 hour in total, but I am not certain because once again I goofed up with my measuring (iPod nano using Nike+) and do not have an accurate recording. It figures. Here I have my longest continuous run, and I'm griping afterwards about how I won't be able to transmit the data to my Nike account and have the distance accrue towards my set goals in that program. :-)
You'll just have to take my word for it, but if it makes you feel any better, I'll mark my accomplishment with an asterisk.
A couple of notable things from today's run: first, I did it without music, and I found the ability to just think about other things whiled away the time. I thought of a nice solution to a coding problem from work in the first half of the run! Second, in understanding the topology of the rail trail on which I run, the 2.5 miles out is generally on a decline, which means the 2.5 miles back is generally incline -- a tougher workout. There is one half mile stretch of steep decline (between 1.0 and 1.5 miles) which becomes steep incline on the return (between 3.5 and 4.0 miles). This incline is what I've come to call my "Heartbreak Hill." And yes, this was the first 5-miler that I did not stop running -- not even for Heartbreak Hill.
I really felt the burn in my calves after this run. This is exactly why I can only run every third day; I need the recuperation in between!
Before signing off on this post, I'd like to take a moment to thank my parents for tying the knot on this date some years ago... an event that is quite directly responsible for the existence of this crappy blog! Enjoy! :-)
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 19, 246 days remaining
Made a credit card payment!
Debt Mission Update: 4 / 11 payments = 36%
A Whale of a Tale
(April 18)
At my first outdoor lunch of the season with my colleagues, the topic turned to the consumption of whale in Japan. I've known for a long time that Japan figures large in the whaling industry, but I never really gave much thought to how they consumed whale meat, so I researched Japan's whale consumption a bit when I got home.
Here's a really interesting summary. What really got my attention was how whale meat accounted for nearly half of all the consumed animal protein in post-WWII Japan, midst a food shortage.
Here's a really interesting summary. What really got my attention was how whale meat accounted for nearly half of all the consumed animal protein in post-WWII Japan, midst a food shortage.
Here's a story about making whale burgers in Hokkaido. The picture looks a lot like a delicious hamburger -- I'd definitely try one of those! I need someone to send be to Japan for a "research" mission. Yeah, that's right.
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 18, 247 days remaining
Code of Honor (Tasha fights to the death)
The Last Outpost (Enter the Ferengi!)
Code of Honor (Tasha fights to the death)
The Last Outpost (Enter the Ferengi!)
Video Mission Update: 107 / 728 hours = 14.7%
Fare Thee Well, Discovery
(April 17)
I caught the live televised final "take-off" of Space Shuttle Discovery, piggybacking on a larger aircraft. It is a fitting year for the Space Shuttle to be retired, and today is a fitting day to begin Star Trek: The Next Generation, as we await the next generation of space exploration from NASA. (They'd better act quickly, though.)
In the episode "Encounter at Farpoint," we have the privilege of encountering the the new Enterprise crew for the first time. We're also treated to lots of fun stuff, such as Q, the holodeck, a couple of space jellyfish, Wes irritating Captain Picard, and a hilarious cameo by Bones McCoy.
In more down-to-earth news, it looks like the business woes of Twinkies are deepening. I made sure to pick up a box of chocolate-filled Twinkies during my shopping trip. Stock up before it's too late!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 17, 248 days remaining
Encounter at Farpoint (Let the new voyages begin!)
The Naked Now (TNG's twist in The Naked Time)
I caught the live televised final "take-off" of Space Shuttle Discovery, piggybacking on a larger aircraft. It is a fitting year for the Space Shuttle to be retired, and today is a fitting day to begin Star Trek: The Next Generation, as we await the next generation of space exploration from NASA. (They'd better act quickly, though.)
In the episode "Encounter at Farpoint," we have the privilege of encountering the the new Enterprise crew for the first time. We're also treated to lots of fun stuff, such as Q, the holodeck, a couple of space jellyfish, Wes irritating Captain Picard, and a hilarious cameo by Bones McCoy.
In more down-to-earth news, it looks like the business woes of Twinkies are deepening. I made sure to pick up a box of chocolate-filled Twinkies during my shopping trip. Stock up before it's too late!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 17, 248 days remaining
Encounter at Farpoint (Let the new voyages begin!)
The Naked Now (TNG's twist in The Naked Time)
Video Mission Update: 105 / 728 hours = 14.4%
The Final Boston Marathon
(April 16)
Runners sweated it out in the near-90 degree weather today for the very last Boston Marathon. Which makes it official that I will never run in one of those!
I did have a scheduled run today, but could only muster up a couple of miles. The heat was a factor, but I'm sure the 10 hour drive the day before didn't help things. A woman and I took turns passing each other on the rail trail. I would pass her when she stopped to do a set of push-ups every quarter mile or so; I like that workout strategy -- I think she's getting in shape for the apocalypse!
Question of the day: what do you do when you can't choose between trying the Honeydew Donuts Monte Cristo Sandwich, or Dunkin Donuts Artisan Bagels? You try both, of course! The world's not getting any younger, my friends.
Runners sweated it out in the near-90 degree weather today for the very last Boston Marathon. Which makes it official that I will never run in one of those!
I did have a scheduled run today, but could only muster up a couple of miles. The heat was a factor, but I'm sure the 10 hour drive the day before didn't help things. A woman and I took turns passing each other on the rail trail. I would pass her when she stopped to do a set of push-ups every quarter mile or so; I like that workout strategy -- I think she's getting in shape for the apocalypse!
Question of the day: what do you do when you can't choose between trying the Honeydew Donuts Monte Cristo Sandwich, or Dunkin Donuts Artisan Bagels? You try both, of course! The world's not getting any younger, my friends.
Friday, March 23, 2012
H-Mart
(March 11)
For anyone who has experienced the thrills of shopping in large Korean groceries (basement levels of department stores), H-Mart should feel very familiar. And when a branch opened in Burlington a few years back, it drew instant crowds and has caused the demise of some small Mom and Pop grocery businesses in the region. H-Mart can't be beat for its selection, yet, and that's what it's all about.
Every time we go to H-Mart, I need to come away with some fun product I haven't tried before, and today's choice was the Japanese "Couque D'asses." The cookies are much tastier than the name might suggest, and I direct you to this most excellent anal-ysis.
One thing I did notice right away was that the package described the cookies as "langue de chat," or cat's tongues, so I was compelled to find out what those were. Traditionally, they are oval shaped biscuits, pretty much like one half of a Pepperidge Farms Milano, without the chocolate. And yes, Couque D'asses are not far from Milanos.
(March 12)
Angelica and I had a rare shared ramen meal today, which consisted of another find from yesterday's shopping trip: Shin Ramyun Black. Touted to be a "premium" ramen, our take on it is that we like the original Shin Ramyun better. I think Shin Ramyun Black has a richer and smoother flavor with less heat, and this may in fact appeal to a wider audience; but for those who were raised on original Shin Ramyun, this new stuff is probably not a winner.
For anyone who has experienced the thrills of shopping in large Korean groceries (basement levels of department stores), H-Mart should feel very familiar. And when a branch opened in Burlington a few years back, it drew instant crowds and has caused the demise of some small Mom and Pop grocery businesses in the region. H-Mart can't be beat for its selection, yet, and that's what it's all about.
Every time we go to H-Mart, I need to come away with some fun product I haven't tried before, and today's choice was the Japanese "Couque D'asses." The cookies are much tastier than the name might suggest, and I direct you to this most excellent anal-ysis.
One thing I did notice right away was that the package described the cookies as "langue de chat," or cat's tongues, so I was compelled to find out what those were. Traditionally, they are oval shaped biscuits, pretty much like one half of a Pepperidge Farms Milano, without the chocolate. And yes, Couque D'asses are not far from Milanos.
(March 12)
Angelica and I had a rare shared ramen meal today, which consisted of another find from yesterday's shopping trip: Shin Ramyun Black. Touted to be a "premium" ramen, our take on it is that we like the original Shin Ramyun better. I think Shin Ramyun Black has a richer and smoother flavor with less heat, and this may in fact appeal to a wider audience; but for those who were raised on original Shin Ramyun, this new stuff is probably not a winner.
Simulation at the O.K. Corral
(March 10)
What are the odds that this existence as we know it is one complex simulation? On December 21, will our Earthbound simulation come down for "scheduled maintenance" and "upgrade"?
A lot of my favorite sci-fi deals with this premise. Of course, there is the quintessential Matrix trilogy, but there are abundant other offerings to explore. I'd recommend books such as Neuromancer and Snow Crash, films such as Tron and The Thirteenth Floor, and in the television category, any episodes of Star Trek: TNG that center on the holodeck are fun to watch. Later this year, I should get to watch some of those episodes again, but at the pace I am going right now, I don't know...
Well, this is a great segue into the Star Trek episode "Spectre of the Gun." Kirk and his gang of boys end up "imprisoned" in what turns out later to be a simulation of Tombstone, Arizona on October 26, 1881. The Enterprise guys are baffled that they cannot convince the townsfolk (or the Earps) that they are in fact not the outlaw Clanton gang, and quickly realize that this is the day that several of the gang are meant to be killed in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. It's Spock who eventually realizes the illusion of the reality around them, and, in a very Matrix-like turn, that the bullets can only harm them in their minds.
This episode, as its title suggests fairly well, makes a statement about the legacy of our gun-centric culture. As Kirk points out near the end, for mankind to have reached the stars, they needed to give up the uninhibited impulse to kill each other. Quite in line with the Roddenberry image of a future in which Star Trek can happen!
A final note: seeing this episode reminded me to watch a TV program I recently DVRed: Top 10 Shootouts from the Discovery Channel. Sure enough, O.K. Corral made the list. I really enjoyed how the two experts demonstrated how in many of the gunfights it was the particular choice of gun that made the ultimate difference in the outcome. At O.K. Corral, it was Doc Holliday's short double-barrel shotgun at close range that sealed the victory for the lawmen.
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Mar. 10, 286 days remaining
Is There in Truth No Beauty? (A Medusan: a chest of psychedelic lights.)
Spectre of the Gun (The Earps were the bad guys.)
What are the odds that this existence as we know it is one complex simulation? On December 21, will our Earthbound simulation come down for "scheduled maintenance" and "upgrade"?
A lot of my favorite sci-fi deals with this premise. Of course, there is the quintessential Matrix trilogy, but there are abundant other offerings to explore. I'd recommend books such as Neuromancer and Snow Crash, films such as Tron and The Thirteenth Floor, and in the television category, any episodes of Star Trek: TNG that center on the holodeck are fun to watch. Later this year, I should get to watch some of those episodes again, but at the pace I am going right now, I don't know...
Well, this is a great segue into the Star Trek episode "Spectre of the Gun." Kirk and his gang of boys end up "imprisoned" in what turns out later to be a simulation of Tombstone, Arizona on October 26, 1881. The Enterprise guys are baffled that they cannot convince the townsfolk (or the Earps) that they are in fact not the outlaw Clanton gang, and quickly realize that this is the day that several of the gang are meant to be killed in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. It's Spock who eventually realizes the illusion of the reality around them, and, in a very Matrix-like turn, that the bullets can only harm them in their minds.
This episode, as its title suggests fairly well, makes a statement about the legacy of our gun-centric culture. As Kirk points out near the end, for mankind to have reached the stars, they needed to give up the uninhibited impulse to kill each other. Quite in line with the Roddenberry image of a future in which Star Trek can happen!
A final note: seeing this episode reminded me to watch a TV program I recently DVRed: Top 10 Shootouts from the Discovery Channel. Sure enough, O.K. Corral made the list. I really enjoyed how the two experts demonstrated how in many of the gunfights it was the particular choice of gun that made the ultimate difference in the outcome. At O.K. Corral, it was Doc Holliday's short double-barrel shotgun at close range that sealed the victory for the lawmen.
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Mar. 10, 286 days remaining
Is There in Truth No Beauty? (A Medusan: a chest of psychedelic lights.)
Spectre of the Gun (The Earps were the bad guys.)
Day of the Dove (Klingons are looking darker in this episode.)
Video Mission Update: 63 / 728 hours = 8.7%
Of Wings and Men
(March 9)
To celebrate a week of production software deployment requests, I decided to try out some man fare from Hudson Roast Beef and Wing. Ordered three types of wings: Zesty Orange, Thai Sweet, and Hot Buffalo. Very decent chicken; though the sauces didn't jump out at me. The orange tasted sweet, but not enough like orange. The Hot Buffalo was not as hot as I can tolerate, so next time I should certainly go with the Super Hot Buffalo!
One reviewer on the Yelp page for this restaurant talked about problems requesting apparently an order of mild buffalo wings with "no spice" and then being surprised that they apparently were not made to their definition of "no spice." Let me explain something fundamental about Buffalo wings, my friends. They are designed, by definition, to register somewhere well north of zero on the Scoville scale. They are made with a sauce that comes from chili peppers. The spiciness can range from mild, which should merely tickle the palate, all the way to atomic levels that some establishments will make you sign a waiver before you are served. Check out this sauce heat scale!
If you are really looking for "no spice", choose one of the many other non-Buffalo sauces that Hudson Roast Beef and Wing offers. Another bit of timely advice, you probably also want to stay away from the sauce called "Saigon Sizzle."
Wings are very high on the list of foods that I'll miss when the world is gone. So, what's my personal favorite wing sauce? In my vast lifetime wings experience, I'd have to go with sriracha, with some honey and lime. Here's a great recipe. Enjoy!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Mar. 9, 287 days remaining
And the Children Shall Lead (Brats on the Enterprise.)
To celebrate a week of production software deployment requests, I decided to try out some man fare from Hudson Roast Beef and Wing. Ordered three types of wings: Zesty Orange, Thai Sweet, and Hot Buffalo. Very decent chicken; though the sauces didn't jump out at me. The orange tasted sweet, but not enough like orange. The Hot Buffalo was not as hot as I can tolerate, so next time I should certainly go with the Super Hot Buffalo!
One reviewer on the Yelp page for this restaurant talked about problems requesting apparently an order of mild buffalo wings with "no spice" and then being surprised that they apparently were not made to their definition of "no spice." Let me explain something fundamental about Buffalo wings, my friends. They are designed, by definition, to register somewhere well north of zero on the Scoville scale. They are made with a sauce that comes from chili peppers. The spiciness can range from mild, which should merely tickle the palate, all the way to atomic levels that some establishments will make you sign a waiver before you are served. Check out this sauce heat scale!
If you are really looking for "no spice", choose one of the many other non-Buffalo sauces that Hudson Roast Beef and Wing offers. Another bit of timely advice, you probably also want to stay away from the sauce called "Saigon Sizzle."
Wings are very high on the list of foods that I'll miss when the world is gone. So, what's my personal favorite wing sauce? In my vast lifetime wings experience, I'd have to go with sriracha, with some honey and lime. Here's a great recipe. Enjoy!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Mar. 9, 287 days remaining
And the Children Shall Lead (Brats on the Enterprise.)
Video Mission Update: 60 / 728 hours = 8.2%
Solar Storm
(March 8)
When I learned of today's solar storm, I just knew what today's blog topic would have to be. So I spent a few hours studying up on solar activity. The Earth is always being pelted by particles from the Sun; the so-called "solar wind." Our atmosphere is able to protect us from this normal activity, and even from the increase in radiation due to the occasional solar flare or coronal mass ejection.
So which outcome do you believe, the version shown in the film Knowing? Or this public service announcement by NASA?
In my book, a massive solar storm bringing about EOTW cannot be excluded! And in that case, sorry folks, your SPF 1,000,000 lotion will be ineffective.
When I learned of today's solar storm, I just knew what today's blog topic would have to be. So I spent a few hours studying up on solar activity. The Earth is always being pelted by particles from the Sun; the so-called "solar wind." Our atmosphere is able to protect us from this normal activity, and even from the increase in radiation due to the occasional solar flare or coronal mass ejection.
So which outcome do you believe, the version shown in the film Knowing? Or this public service announcement by NASA?
In my book, a massive solar storm bringing about EOTW cannot be excluded! And in that case, sorry folks, your SPF 1,000,000 lotion will be ineffective.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Doomsday Bunkers
(March 7)
The Discovery Channel premiered Doomsday Bunkers today, sort of a companion show to Doomsday Preppers, which we visited earlier in the year. Bunkers is pretty interesting stuff, because it features some engineering aspects, and if the first episode is any indicator, there will be lots of explosions, compressed air guns, robotic arms wielding guns, and generally good information on what to look for in your home away from home, so to speak.
I simply do not have the cash for a bunker. Which means I'm pretty much doomed on doomsday.
(March 6)
Is this cheating? But it's Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon! Come on!
The Discovery Channel premiered Doomsday Bunkers today, sort of a companion show to Doomsday Preppers, which we visited earlier in the year. Bunkers is pretty interesting stuff, because it features some engineering aspects, and if the first episode is any indicator, there will be lots of explosions, compressed air guns, robotic arms wielding guns, and generally good information on what to look for in your home away from home, so to speak.
I simply do not have the cash for a bunker. Which means I'm pretty much doomed on doomsday.
(March 6)
Is this cheating? But it's Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon! Come on!
Brazilian Pizza
(March 4)
When I first moved to Marlborough more than 10 years ago, I quickly noticed the choice of languages on ATMs and in supermarket checkout lines was English and Portuguese -- a large Brazilian community in the area. But I never really took advantage of Brazilian eateries in town until last year, when we sampled a buffet called "Beef Grill", that unfortunately has since closed. I found out from the owner that evening that the economic downturn had forced about 40% of the Brazilian community to go back home for work.
Fortunately, there are still a number of restaurants that serve Brazilian fare, and we'll just have to see how many of them I get to in 2012! Today, I got to try Brazilian style pizza from Superior Pie on Main Street. Their super-deluxe pizza includes ham, linguica, and other pork products, so I had to skip that one, but I went with a pie where ham was the only meat and replaced that with ground beef. Other toppings: sliced hard-boiled egg, green olive, artichoke, corn, oregano, and others. A very different pizza experience for me -- and very tasty. I enjoyed it with a side of yucca fries.
When I first moved to Marlborough more than 10 years ago, I quickly noticed the choice of languages on ATMs and in supermarket checkout lines was English and Portuguese -- a large Brazilian community in the area. But I never really took advantage of Brazilian eateries in town until last year, when we sampled a buffet called "Beef Grill", that unfortunately has since closed. I found out from the owner that evening that the economic downturn had forced about 40% of the Brazilian community to go back home for work.
Fortunately, there are still a number of restaurants that serve Brazilian fare, and we'll just have to see how many of them I get to in 2012! Today, I got to try Brazilian style pizza from Superior Pie on Main Street. Their super-deluxe pizza includes ham, linguica, and other pork products, so I had to skip that one, but I went with a pie where ham was the only meat and replaced that with ground beef. Other toppings: sliced hard-boiled egg, green olive, artichoke, corn, oregano, and others. A very different pizza experience for me -- and very tasty. I enjoyed it with a side of yucca fries.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
(March 3)
It's probably sad to admit this, but from time to time I catch myself wishing for a sum of money to wipe the slate clean. I sometimes purchase a Mega Millions or PowerBall lottery ticket, but truthfully, I'm not looking for that level of winnings. Just one million dollars will cover things nicely :-)
And, as I watched my recording of Slumdog Millionaire this morning, it was very easy to root for the protagonist to make it all the way to the top. That's a fantastic piece of cinema, by the way. Final answer.
Your kind donation of:
So, what are you waiting for? Donate today via PayPal to tom.c.mckinney.business AT gmail.com!
It's probably sad to admit this, but from time to time I catch myself wishing for a sum of money to wipe the slate clean. I sometimes purchase a Mega Millions or PowerBall lottery ticket, but truthfully, I'm not looking for that level of winnings. Just one million dollars will cover things nicely :-)
And, as I watched my recording of Slumdog Millionaire this morning, it was very easy to root for the protagonist to make it all the way to the top. That's a fantastic piece of cinema, by the way. Final answer.
Your kind donation of:
- $8 -- allows me to continue my Star Trek marathon through Netflix for another month.
- $100 -- will earn you sponsorship of one blog entry.
- $1,000,000 -- will allow me to pay off all my worldly debts and quit my job to focus on this blog until EOTW. Heaven knows this blog is in dire need of some focus :-)
So, what are you waiting for? Donate today via PayPal to tom.c.mckinney.business AT gmail.com!
Snow Day
(March 1)
This is how the winter will go on the books, with a storm in late October and the next big one in early March! It was a welcome storm for Marcie; heavy enough to close school and sticky enough for snowballs. All three of us got a little shovelling in, yup, Marcie included. She was in a very helpful mood!
Aside from that fun, it was a work day, and I worked from home, helping a colleague to get his software ready for production deployment, as I had gone through myself the previous day. I discovered an interesting rule about working from home on a snow day -- everyone else is too. This had the neat effect of making the company VPN bandwidth very, very slow. Copying files from my machine to the corporate network drive was a tedious chore that often ended in failure. In the afternoon, I gave up and drove to the office just to copy a few files around inside the network.
To summarize, I developed my first law of corporate thermodynamics. On snowy days,
where T represents time. Actual values for today, in minutes: 20 + 2 < 45.
This is how the winter will go on the books, with a storm in late October and the next big one in early March! It was a welcome storm for Marcie; heavy enough to close school and sticky enough for snowballs. All three of us got a little shovelling in, yup, Marcie included. She was in a very helpful mood!
Aside from that fun, it was a work day, and I worked from home, helping a colleague to get his software ready for production deployment, as I had gone through myself the previous day. I discovered an interesting rule about working from home on a snow day -- everyone else is too. This had the neat effect of making the company VPN bandwidth very, very slow. Copying files from my machine to the corporate network drive was a tedious chore that often ended in failure. In the afternoon, I gave up and drove to the office just to copy a few files around inside the network.
To summarize, I developed my first law of corporate thermodynamics. On snowy days,
Tcommute + Tcopy inside network < Tcopy over VPN
where T represents time. Actual values for today, in minutes: 20 + 2 < 45.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Leap Day Release
(February 29)
While most of you were hopefully doing something unique and fulfilling on your gift day of the year, I was at work. It was a special day of work, though, as I got the green light to do my first software production release since I joined this company. Now, as software engineers will tell you, often we develop the software but do not deploy it -- that is to say we do not install it in the production environments. In some cases though, we get to wear two hats and do the development AND the installation. Today is one of those cases; it won't always work out this way.
It's a cool thing to be able to deploy your own software, but there was the inevitable surprise in the form of user access to the production servers. I needed to rethink my production scripts on the fly -- later I'm going to have to redo the whole installation. Oh well.
The analogy I came up with is that I've been training for the big race in a car with an automatic transmission, and when the big race day finally comes and I'm shown the race car, it turns out that I'd better figure out how to drive a manual pretty darn quick :-)
(March 5)
Following the initial release on Leap Day, I found myself involved in a flurry of weekend troubleshooting, although my role was pretty much "on demand deployer." Not too exciting, but you gotta do what you gotta do!
Monday morning, the team held a well-earned celebration including this cake. The company is called Konditor Meister, and if you poke around their web site, you will see some amazing stuff. The cake was exceptional -- really.
While most of you were hopefully doing something unique and fulfilling on your gift day of the year, I was at work. It was a special day of work, though, as I got the green light to do my first software production release since I joined this company. Now, as software engineers will tell you, often we develop the software but do not deploy it -- that is to say we do not install it in the production environments. In some cases though, we get to wear two hats and do the development AND the installation. Today is one of those cases; it won't always work out this way.
It's a cool thing to be able to deploy your own software, but there was the inevitable surprise in the form of user access to the production servers. I needed to rethink my production scripts on the fly -- later I'm going to have to redo the whole installation. Oh well.
The analogy I came up with is that I've been training for the big race in a car with an automatic transmission, and when the big race day finally comes and I'm shown the race car, it turns out that I'd better figure out how to drive a manual pretty darn quick :-)
(March 5)
Following the initial release on Leap Day, I found myself involved in a flurry of weekend troubleshooting, although my role was pretty much "on demand deployer." Not too exciting, but you gotta do what you gotta do!
Monday morning, the team held a well-earned celebration including this cake. The company is called Konditor Meister, and if you poke around their web site, you will see some amazing stuff. The cake was exceptional -- really.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Technical Difficulties, Please Stand By
(February 27)
I visited the FIOS store in Framingham to return my basement set top box. One box will suffice; we don't use the second box enough to justify the $10/month rental fee.
(February 28)
I am finally giving the Fast Lane program a try. I don't use toll roads that often, but the days of fishing for change are behind me. Let's all give me a hearty welcome to the 21st century! Seriously, though, it's great that the program extends south to Washington, D.C. and west to Chicago. Planning to head to D.C. in April, as a matter of fact.
(March 2)
I finally got around to ordering TurboTax for the year, but I won't be doing my taxes until the end of March or so. Much more interestingly, I also ordered Dragon Naturally Speaking. The intent is to reduce some typing in these blog entries :-)
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 27, 298 days remaining
FIOS bill reduced.
Monthly Expense Mission Update: $291 / $400 per month = 73%
I visited the FIOS store in Framingham to return my basement set top box. One box will suffice; we don't use the second box enough to justify the $10/month rental fee.
(February 28)
I am finally giving the Fast Lane program a try. I don't use toll roads that often, but the days of fishing for change are behind me. Let's all give me a hearty welcome to the 21st century! Seriously, though, it's great that the program extends south to Washington, D.C. and west to Chicago. Planning to head to D.C. in April, as a matter of fact.
(March 2)
I finally got around to ordering TurboTax for the year, but I won't be doing my taxes until the end of March or so. Much more interestingly, I also ordered Dragon Naturally Speaking. The intent is to reduce some typing in these blog entries :-)
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 27, 298 days remaining
FIOS bill reduced.
Monthly Expense Mission Update: $291 / $400 per month = 73%
Nostradamus
(February 26)
Any day that starts with banana-cinnamon pancakes and finishes with Woo Jung restaurant in Ayer is already a very good day to have in the books.
I had another task today, however, and that was to learn a bit about one of the most famous prognosticators in Western history: Michel de Nostradame. So I watched a recorded episode of Mystery Files devoted to him and learned a few interesting tidbits.
Teach me more about Nostradamus, the man, the legend, in the comments section!
Any day that starts with banana-cinnamon pancakes and finishes with Woo Jung restaurant in Ayer is already a very good day to have in the books.
I had another task today, however, and that was to learn a bit about one of the most famous prognosticators in Western history: Michel de Nostradame. So I watched a recorded episode of Mystery Files devoted to him and learned a few interesting tidbits.
- A significant number of entries in his famous tome, "The Prophecies," were copied from earlier works! In our modern culture of academic integrity, surely there would have been repercussions on Nostradamus's credibility.
- The evidence shows that Nostradamus made some pretty basic charting errors in some of his prepared astrological horoscopes. Planets placed in the wrong constellations, etc. He received a certain amount of criticism from his professional contemporaries.
- Nostradamus predicted the world will end in 3797. Wow, was he way off!
Teach me more about Nostradamus, the man, the legend, in the comments section!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Berries
(February 25)
I wistfully stared in the open refrigerator, but it was to no avail. The berries were gone.
I usually rotate through a container of strawberries, blueberries, or my personal faves: red raspberries. They mainly go with yogurt, and sometimes in other concoctions. But today, I am out of luck... no, wait, there's Ben and Jerry's Frozen Greek Yogurt, Raspberry with Chocolate Chunks in the freezer! Tangy yogurt flavor, with a hint of raspberry, and large chocolate pieces. It's pretty darn good.
On the subject of berries, I think I'll announce my first ever Tom's 2012 Bucket List Contest!
Tom's 2012 Bucket List Contest #1
Rules: Submit your EOTW/PA-inspired short story. The story must in some way incorporate berries into the plot. An example synopsis might be:
Submit to: tom.c.mckinney AT gmail.com
Prizes: Cool Tom's 2012 Bucket List swag to the top 3 submissions, as judged by me! :-)
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 25, 300 days remaining
Spock's Brain (Bones remote controls Spock's brainless body.)
The Enterprise Incident (Scotty wishes that cloaking device used USB.)
The Paradise Syndrome (Kirk finally gets married, but...)
I wistfully stared in the open refrigerator, but it was to no avail. The berries were gone.
I usually rotate through a container of strawberries, blueberries, or my personal faves: red raspberries. They mainly go with yogurt, and sometimes in other concoctions. But today, I am out of luck... no, wait, there's Ben and Jerry's Frozen Greek Yogurt, Raspberry with Chocolate Chunks in the freezer! Tangy yogurt flavor, with a hint of raspberry, and large chocolate pieces. It's pretty darn good.
On the subject of berries, I think I'll announce my first ever Tom's 2012 Bucket List Contest!
Tom's 2012 Bucket List Contest #1
Rules: Submit your EOTW/PA-inspired short story. The story must in some way incorporate berries into the plot. An example synopsis might be:
With the end of Planet Earth impending, humans send a capsule containing various natural and artificial products into space. The intelligent species of a distant Earth-like planet recovers the capsule much later, and inspecting the contents, they discover various seeds. Unfortunately, one of the seed types proves to be highly invasive to their floral ecosystem, and while the small round blue fruits are pleasing to the visual organs, they are very toxic to the fauna. The End.Deadline: December 1, 2012
Submit to: tom.c.mckinney AT gmail.com
Prizes: Cool Tom's 2012 Bucket List swag to the top 3 submissions, as judged by me! :-)
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 25, 300 days remaining
Spock's Brain (Bones remote controls Spock's brainless body.)
The Enterprise Incident (Scotty wishes that cloaking device used USB.)
The Paradise Syndrome (Kirk finally gets married, but...)
Video Mission Update: 59 / 728 hours = 8.1%
Hot Lunch Date
(February 24)
Bet this title got your attention. Maybe this will show up on search engines and increase readership from the 8 or so unique visitors that I know of. I expect to double that number to 16 by EOTW.
Not so fast, my friends! This is really just a post to let everyone know that we got a chance to try Stevie's Eatery in Marlborough. They provide the hot lunches at Marcie's school and sent some promotions back home to the parents. (Now, if Marcie had her way she'd eat Kraft Mac and Cheese for lunch every day, and she nearly gets her way.) I definitely wanted to sample the place that provides school lunch, and I went with the mystery meat patty. Just kidding, I went with the steak and cheese, which was very tasty. Also, the chili tasted like chili, but it had an unusually uniform texture -- no lumpiness from beans or tomatoes or pieces of meat. Mystery chili, perhaps.
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 24, 301 days remaining
Canceled my iPhone 3GS plan now that I'm on a company phone!
Monthly Expense Mission Update: $281 / $400 per month = 70%
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 24, 301 days remaining
Canceled my iPhone 3GS plan now that I'm on a company phone!
Monthly Expense Mission Update: $281 / $400 per month = 70%
The Google House Rules
(February 23)
I've sold my digital soul to Google several times over. Gmail, Google Voice, this blog (Blogger), and as of tonight, I've entered all my contacts into Google Contacts to sync them with my new iPhone. That's right, if you're reading this and you suspect that I have your number, your data is with Google now. And that's just the way this planet works now, so get over it. Ten more Googlicious months to go.
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 23, 302 days remaining
By Any Other Name (A spacecraftjacking by the Andromedans. Ahhh... Kelinda.)
The Omega Glory (The Red Menace, Prime Directive-style)
The Ultimate Computer (Blacula vs. Kirk)
Bread and Circuses (Gladiators)
Assignment: Earth (Seven, Gary Seven. This would have been a fun spinoff.)
Video Mission Update: 56 / 728 hours = 7.7%
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Giving It Up
(February 21 and 22)
This year I decided to give something up for Lent. I've never attempted this seriously before, but being that there are more Catholics than non-Catholics in my extended family why not partake in Lent FTVLT?
I gave some thought of how extreme I wanted to go with this, for example, what about giving up meat? That would mean no boiled dinner for St. Patrick's Day, and so that was right out. The all-beer fast sounds interesting, but I'm going to have to pass. Lisa Barone probably wants me to give up my blog. Not gonna happen! So, I settled on a compromise, and decided to forego pork for Lent. And, before you criticize my selection, consider all the foods I'll be missing out on:
and... most of all... come on folks, if you were paying attention to the link above...
Yup, just like J. Wilson and Jim Gaffigan, I'll definitely be craving me some bacon in a big way. So, the day before Ash Wednesday I pigged out on bacon ;-) I happened to have a pack and a half in the refrigerator and probably went through about one pack. I didn't just eat it plain either; I wanted to test the notion of whether bacon makes everything taste better. Do bacon-wrapped Chicken McNuggets taste better? You betcha. Bacon with peanut butter and banana in a wrap? Naturally!
So, this Lent will really be a challenge: Thursday's menu at the company cafeteria includes BBQ Pork Ribs and Pulled Pork sandwiches, as well as Cajun Gumbo with Andouille... I have to watch those ingredients carefully!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 22, 303 days remaining
The Immunity Syndrome (Space amoeba!)
A Private Little War (Mugato: white ape thing.)
Return to Tomorrow (A possessed, evil Spock was memorable.)
Patterns of Force (The Nazi regime rises again. On another planet.)
This year I decided to give something up for Lent. I've never attempted this seriously before, but being that there are more Catholics than non-Catholics in my extended family why not partake in Lent FTVLT?
I gave some thought of how extreme I wanted to go with this, for example, what about giving up meat? That would mean no boiled dinner for St. Patrick's Day, and so that was right out. The all-beer fast sounds interesting, but I'm going to have to pass. Lisa Barone probably wants me to give up my blog. Not gonna happen! So, I settled on a compromise, and decided to forego pork for Lent. And, before you criticize my selection, consider all the foods I'll be missing out on:
- Sal's pepperoni pizza
- Pork fried rice
- Ham and Swiss on rye
- Sam-gyeop-sal
- Sausage McGriddles
- Baby back ribs
- Penne with spicy Italian sausage
- Pork Chops with applesauce
- Pulled pork
and... most of all... come on folks, if you were paying attention to the link above...
Yup, just like J. Wilson and Jim Gaffigan, I'll definitely be craving me some bacon in a big way. So, the day before Ash Wednesday I pigged out on bacon ;-) I happened to have a pack and a half in the refrigerator and probably went through about one pack. I didn't just eat it plain either; I wanted to test the notion of whether bacon makes everything taste better. Do bacon-wrapped Chicken McNuggets taste better? You betcha. Bacon with peanut butter and banana in a wrap? Naturally!
So, this Lent will really be a challenge: Thursday's menu at the company cafeteria includes BBQ Pork Ribs and Pulled Pork sandwiches, as well as Cajun Gumbo with Andouille... I have to watch those ingredients carefully!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 22, 303 days remaining
The Immunity Syndrome (Space amoeba!)
A Private Little War (Mugato: white ape thing.)
Return to Tomorrow (A possessed, evil Spock was memorable.)
Patterns of Force (The Nazi regime rises again. On another planet.)
Video Mission Update: 51 / 728 hours = 7.0%
Blue 42
(February 20)
I'd like to thank the late Douglas Adams for providing meaning to the age I have turned this day; the age I will be at EOTW. 42. To celebrate, Angelica, Marcie and I hit the streets of Boston and took in Blue Man Group.
The show was an incredible rush and highly recommended. The musical/dance portions are the real draw, of course, but on the lighter side they have a Twinkies "feast" sketch that goes something like this.
I'd like to thank the late Douglas Adams for providing meaning to the age I have turned this day; the age I will be at EOTW. 42. To celebrate, Angelica, Marcie and I hit the streets of Boston and took in Blue Man Group.
The show was an incredible rush and highly recommended. The musical/dance portions are the real draw, of course, but on the lighter side they have a Twinkies "feast" sketch that goes something like this.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Food Forever
(February 19)
I worked out a birthday trip to Red Robin in Wilbraham. They claim to be the "Best Gourmet Burger" makers, and who am I to disagree? :-) Joining me were the same crew from the Golden Corral adventure: Marcie and my parents. I enjoyed my "Burning Hot Love" burger with its layers of spiciness from the bun to the patty. (My system is still enjoying it the next day.) Also, I would definitely recommend the onion ring tower with its tasty dipping sauces. Good American fun.
(February 18)
To celebrate the 49th day of the year, Marcie and I tackled the daunting task of identifying all 49 flavors of Jelly Belly beans from the large container we received last Christmas. Actually, most of the beans can be determined by color alone, but a few of the oranges and reds were not so easy to tell apart without tasting some. Well, er -- a lot :-)
(February 16)
Kudos to the Chipotle iPhone app, which allowed me to place an order and skip the line at the store. Love those burritos. I also really like this bit of A/V magic Chipotle commissioned last year.
(February 15)
Girl Scout cookies are here! I had a bit of a scare in that I thought Lemonades were not available, but it seems they were on one seller's list and not another's. So, we have our Lemonades and Thin Mints for TLY, but I also wanted to try a new one: Thank U Berry Munch. Crunchy. Berries. Mmmm.
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 19, 306 days remaining
Sold two Blu-ray discs on Amazon Marketplace last week!
Sales Mission Update: 23.43 / $2500 = 0.9%
I worked out a birthday trip to Red Robin in Wilbraham. They claim to be the "Best Gourmet Burger" makers, and who am I to disagree? :-) Joining me were the same crew from the Golden Corral adventure: Marcie and my parents. I enjoyed my "Burning Hot Love" burger with its layers of spiciness from the bun to the patty. (My system is still enjoying it the next day.) Also, I would definitely recommend the onion ring tower with its tasty dipping sauces. Good American fun.
(February 18)
To celebrate the 49th day of the year, Marcie and I tackled the daunting task of identifying all 49 flavors of Jelly Belly beans from the large container we received last Christmas. Actually, most of the beans can be determined by color alone, but a few of the oranges and reds were not so easy to tell apart without tasting some. Well, er -- a lot :-)
(February 16)
Kudos to the Chipotle iPhone app, which allowed me to place an order and skip the line at the store. Love those burritos. I also really like this bit of A/V magic Chipotle commissioned last year.
(February 15)
Girl Scout cookies are here! I had a bit of a scare in that I thought Lemonades were not available, but it seems they were on one seller's list and not another's. So, we have our Lemonades and Thin Mints for TLY, but I also wanted to try a new one: Thank U Berry Munch. Crunchy. Berries. Mmmm.
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 19, 306 days remaining
Obsession (SBD cloud)
Wolf in the Fold (Scotty dunnit?)
The Trouble with Tribbles (Does anyone NOT know this episode?)
The Gamesters of Triskelion (Gladiator, Kirk-style)
A Piece of the Action (Kirk and Spock are 'The Feds')
Wolf in the Fold (Scotty dunnit?)
The Trouble with Tribbles (Does anyone NOT know this episode?)
The Gamesters of Triskelion (Gladiator, Kirk-style)
A Piece of the Action (Kirk and Spock are 'The Feds')
Video Mission Update: 47 / 728 hours = 6.5%
Sold two Blu-ray discs on Amazon Marketplace last week!
Sales Mission Update: 23.43 / $2500 = 0.9%
Red Robin
Food Mission Update: 2 / 20 restaurants = 10%
Da Boom
(February 17)
I'm not a follower of the animated series The Family Guy, but I do confess to own their parody trilogy of Star Wars! I discovered they had an apocalypse parody episode, "Da Boom," and watched it through Netflix. That was fun; I'll have to track down apocalypse episodes in other TV series...
I will simply direct you to the Wikipedia entry for a full summary, but suffice it to say it was a great episode. A nuclear holocaust occurs at Y2K (remember when we were all hysterical about that date?) The Griffin family find themselves quickly without food, thanks to Peter, and set off in search of a legendary Twinkies factory. (Local flavor: the factory is in Natick.)
The episode also featured the very first appearance of Ernie the giant chicken as well as a surprise live-action ending sequence. Stewie gets mutated and Randy Newman makes an annoying appearance. Don't miss this one!
I'm not a follower of the animated series The Family Guy, but I do confess to own their parody trilogy of Star Wars! I discovered they had an apocalypse parody episode, "Da Boom," and watched it through Netflix. That was fun; I'll have to track down apocalypse episodes in other TV series...
I will simply direct you to the Wikipedia entry for a full summary, but suffice it to say it was a great episode. A nuclear holocaust occurs at Y2K (remember when we were all hysterical about that date?) The Griffin family find themselves quickly without food, thanks to Peter, and set off in search of a legendary Twinkies factory. (Local flavor: the factory is in Natick.)
The episode also featured the very first appearance of Ernie the giant chicken as well as a surprise live-action ending sequence. Stewie gets mutated and Randy Newman makes an annoying appearance. Don't miss this one!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Valentine's Despair
(February 14)
In this year of the tragic ending I want to make sure my legions of devoted readers are aware of this most delightfully twisted take on life, labor and love: Despair, Inc. This site has provided my colleagues and me with a lot of laughs over the years.
This year I finally ordered some Despair swag: a desktop calendar and a tin of "BitterSweets," featuring 37 reasons that you might be dumped. Why settle for ordinary Valentine's candy?
Oh yeah, the very best thing about Despair is what they have to say about blogging! Yup, and according to the BitterSweets, blogging is a dumpable offense. Sort of shows you where my life is at ;-)
Keep on countin' 'em down!
In this year of the tragic ending I want to make sure my legions of devoted readers are aware of this most delightfully twisted take on life, labor and love: Despair, Inc. This site has provided my colleagues and me with a lot of laughs over the years.
This year I finally ordered some Despair swag: a desktop calendar and a tin of "BitterSweets," featuring 37 reasons that you might be dumped. Why settle for ordinary Valentine's candy?
Oh yeah, the very best thing about Despair is what they have to say about blogging! Yup, and according to the BitterSweets, blogging is a dumpable offense. Sort of shows you where my life is at ;-)
Keep on countin' 'em down!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Politics and Money
(February 11)
At some point this evening while driving around, I learned from the radio of Whitney Houston's passing and also discovered a Michael Smerconish talk show. The discourse on the program interested me and later on I found articles online that suggest that he is very much like me politically: a right-leaning independent.
(February 12)
In the personal finance arena, I have received a cell phone from my company, and now I am in the process of turning my older phone into a reseller for cash. After a bit of research, I'm going with this company, Totem.
(February 13)
I began my next book, Endgame, which describes a global debt "supercycle" that is coming into the last act, the endgame, with not pretty consequences for many nations. Basically, our choices at this point are between very bad and disastrous. This sort of book scares me more than any Stephen King novel ever did. While we're on the subject, a must-see film is I.O.U.S.A.
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 11, 314 days remaining
Made a credit card payment!
At some point this evening while driving around, I learned from the radio of Whitney Houston's passing and also discovered a Michael Smerconish talk show. The discourse on the program interested me and later on I found articles online that suggest that he is very much like me politically: a right-leaning independent.
(February 12)
In the personal finance arena, I have received a cell phone from my company, and now I am in the process of turning my older phone into a reseller for cash. After a bit of research, I'm going with this company, Totem.
(February 13)
I began my next book, Endgame, which describes a global debt "supercycle" that is coming into the last act, the endgame, with not pretty consequences for many nations. Basically, our choices at this point are between very bad and disastrous. This sort of book scares me more than any Stephen King novel ever did. While we're on the subject, a must-see film is I.O.U.S.A.
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 11, 314 days remaining
Video Mission Update: 42 / 728 hours = 5.8%
Made a credit card payment!
Debt Mission Update: 2 / 11 payments = 18%
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Androids
(February 10)
I sit down to reflect on the clear, warm weather we're having and decide to break out a bottle of Sam Adams Alpine Spring beer. Let's stick a fork in this (non)winter!
I feel a bit reassured that robots and androids will not be the cause of EOTW; at least not androids of human making. There just isn't time to invent them, unless some Japanese company has been holding out on us all and has a giant, secret warehouse of ready-to-ship androids.
Don't get me wrong, I love stories and movies about robots -- they're right up near the top of my list. And I would support the development of androids -- ethical androids, of course. We humans get closer to completing this quest each year. It's too bad we are simply out of time.
This leads to our next classic Trek episode, "I, Mudd." Harry Mudd returns from Season 1, and this time he is the "ruler" of a planet occupied by thousands of androids who originate from the Andromeda Galaxy and are keen on studying human beings and to serving them -- although the androids' notion of "service" includes keeping the humans confined to the planet. This is tough on Harry, since on the one hand he especially enjoys the female models (technically 'gynoids,' but when's the last time you heard that word?), he also yearns for his freedom and tries to trap Kirk and gang into taking his place.
This episode was clearly comic in nature and I found myself hooked and LOL. Perhaps one of the most hilarious (and bizarre) segments of any episode so far is in the last portion of this one: the Enterprise crew really get to step out of their characters and act out nonsensical sketches in front of their robot captors in a coordinated effort to disrupt their logic circuits. Kirk has an uncanny ability to set logic traps for artificial thinkers; a ploy he has used numerous times to date.
Oh, before I forget, I watched the pilot episode of NBC's The Firm yesterday, where I spotted Cylon "Number Six" (Tricia Helfer) in a new role. Here's an interesting question: is a cyborg a type of android? Does it make a difference if the cyborg is predominantly machine, like The Terminator, which can function even if it sheds its organic exterior, or predominantly organic, like I, Robot's Del Spooner?
And, was Deckard a replicant?
I, Mudd (500 Stellas...)
Metamorphosis (When an energy being loves a man...)
Journey to Babel (Aliens of all colors assemble!)
I sit down to reflect on the clear, warm weather we're having and decide to break out a bottle of Sam Adams Alpine Spring beer. Let's stick a fork in this (non)winter!
I feel a bit reassured that robots and androids will not be the cause of EOTW; at least not androids of human making. There just isn't time to invent them, unless some Japanese company has been holding out on us all and has a giant, secret warehouse of ready-to-ship androids.
Don't get me wrong, I love stories and movies about robots -- they're right up near the top of my list. And I would support the development of androids -- ethical androids, of course. We humans get closer to completing this quest each year. It's too bad we are simply out of time.
This leads to our next classic Trek episode, "I, Mudd." Harry Mudd returns from Season 1, and this time he is the "ruler" of a planet occupied by thousands of androids who originate from the Andromeda Galaxy and are keen on studying human beings and to serving them -- although the androids' notion of "service" includes keeping the humans confined to the planet. This is tough on Harry, since on the one hand he especially enjoys the female models (technically 'gynoids,' but when's the last time you heard that word?), he also yearns for his freedom and tries to trap Kirk and gang into taking his place.
This episode was clearly comic in nature and I found myself hooked and LOL. Perhaps one of the most hilarious (and bizarre) segments of any episode so far is in the last portion of this one: the Enterprise crew really get to step out of their characters and act out nonsensical sketches in front of their robot captors in a coordinated effort to disrupt their logic circuits. Kirk has an uncanny ability to set logic traps for artificial thinkers; a ploy he has used numerous times to date.
Oh, before I forget, I watched the pilot episode of NBC's The Firm yesterday, where I spotted Cylon "Number Six" (Tricia Helfer) in a new role. Here's an interesting question: is a cyborg a type of android? Does it make a difference if the cyborg is predominantly machine, like The Terminator, which can function even if it sheds its organic exterior, or predominantly organic, like I, Robot's Del Spooner?
And, was Deckard a replicant?
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 10, 315 days remaining
I, Mudd (500 Stellas...)
Metamorphosis (When an energy being loves a man...)
Journey to Babel (Aliens of all colors assemble!)
Video Mission Update: 40 / 728 hours = 5.5%
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Surviving Doomsday
Last night I had a chance to watch a few hours of National Geographic Channel's Doomsday Preppers, and I have just one thing to say: stop spreading misinformation that EOTW will be survivable! :-)
Actually, many of the survivalist skills depicted on that program are simply good skills to learn, apocalypse or no apocalypse, so in reality I say: more power to 'em.
As for me, on December 21, I'll probably drive somewhere with a nice view of the "fireworks," so to speak, and recline back with a Twinkie in one hand and a beer in the other. I'll watch the sky burning through my panoramic sunroof, set to a little R.E.M. Oh yeah, the beer will be cooled down by this $10 beverage cooler/warmer that I opened up today.
Speaking of Twinkies, it's fun to see how they are emblematic of non-perishable foods to have on hand post-apocalypse. So says my Doomsday calendar on February 9 (I peeked), and so says Chevy:
P.S. Sudden restaurant closing. One branch of this place was just down the road from me. They say that bankruptcy is the reason, but I think there's a doomsday conspiracy afoot...
Catspaw (Every series has to have a Halloween episode.)
Actually, many of the survivalist skills depicted on that program are simply good skills to learn, apocalypse or no apocalypse, so in reality I say: more power to 'em.
As for me, on December 21, I'll probably drive somewhere with a nice view of the "fireworks," so to speak, and recline back with a Twinkie in one hand and a beer in the other. I'll watch the sky burning through my panoramic sunroof, set to a little R.E.M. Oh yeah, the beer will be cooled down by this $10 beverage cooler/warmer that I opened up today.
Speaking of Twinkies, it's fun to see how they are emblematic of non-perishable foods to have on hand post-apocalypse. So says my Doomsday calendar on February 9 (I peeked), and so says Chevy:
P.S. Sudden restaurant closing. One branch of this place was just down the road from me. They say that bankruptcy is the reason, but I think there's a doomsday conspiracy afoot...
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 8, 317 days remaining
Catspaw (Every series has to have a Halloween episode.)
Video Mission Update: 37 / 728 hours = 5.1%
Monday, February 6, 2012
Happy Waitangi Day!
This is an interesting sounding name and it is a national holiday from New Zealand. To celebrate, I cooked up some New Zealand lamb rib chops and tried my hand at their "national dessert": a meringue cake called pavlova. I like instructional recipes like this one, where we learn the science behind the cooking. (Which is why I was always a fan of Alton Brown's Good Eats.) I can say for sure that my technique on baking pavlova needs much improvement, though the end result still tasted very nice.
Remember to celebrate these holidays FTVTL with a little extra zest. Oh yeah, just a reminder, we already celebrated the very last Christmas, in 2011. Not trying to be a killjoy...
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Super Bowl Sunday
At long last! Sometimes it feels like two weeks take forever. Today is going to be a day about football, and a BBQ feast from Firefly's in Marlborough. As I am writing this well before the big game, I do not know the outcome, and so that cannot be reflected in this entry :-)
Needless to say, it's fantastic when your team makes it to the Super Bowl, and we here in New England have been blessed these past 11 seasons to have a team that has reached the championship in 5 of them. So, whatever the result of today's contest, it's been one hell of a ride, and it never gets old.
It's a great time to reflect on how the Patriots and Tom Brady got to where they are today. Let's go back to the 2001 season and ask a few hypothetical questions.
What if Tom Brady, with 1:30 left and no timeouts in Super Bowl XXXVI, was instructed to take a knee and go to overtime? Do the Rams, who were building momentum in the 4th quarter, win the game?
What if the Tuck Rule was not applied in the AFC Championship Game in the famous win in the snow against the Oakland Raiders?
Here's a real thought to ponder: What if Drew Bledsoe had not been injured that season? One guy's take.
Winning football requires a lot of skill, to be certain, but also some fortuitous bounces of the ball. The element of chance. That is why in a game where most analysts are picking the Giants, I am not worried about the Pats chances to win. Go Pats!!!
Needless to say, it's fantastic when your team makes it to the Super Bowl, and we here in New England have been blessed these past 11 seasons to have a team that has reached the championship in 5 of them. So, whatever the result of today's contest, it's been one hell of a ride, and it never gets old.
It's a great time to reflect on how the Patriots and Tom Brady got to where they are today. Let's go back to the 2001 season and ask a few hypothetical questions.
What if Tom Brady, with 1:30 left and no timeouts in Super Bowl XXXVI, was instructed to take a knee and go to overtime? Do the Rams, who were building momentum in the 4th quarter, win the game?
What if the Tuck Rule was not applied in the AFC Championship Game in the famous win in the snow against the Oakland Raiders?
Here's a real thought to ponder: What if Drew Bledsoe had not been injured that season? One guy's take.
Winning football requires a lot of skill, to be certain, but also some fortuitous bounces of the ball. The element of chance. That is why in a game where most analysts are picking the Giants, I am not worried about the Pats chances to win. Go Pats!!!
Contagion
(February 4)
There are many forms of destruction that may account for the EOTW, and over the course of the year, I'll take potshots at them all. At least the ones I can think of! (Use the comments to offer your own suggestions on how we meet our collective demise!)
Let's start with infectious disease. Now, I'm probably more familiar with this fictional list than the mechanics of real epidemics. I've read some solid books featuring epidemics: The Stand, White Plague, The Andromeda Strain; and I've watched some scary movies: Outbreak, and today, Contagion. Contagion did a pretty decent job depicting the challenges that would face our government, our medical establishment, and society itself in the face of a fast-moving epidemic. We get a glimpse of how a random virus might transmit animal-to-human, and in this global community how easy it is to lose containment of an epidemic. We learn about the term, 'R-nought', which describes the number of additional persons one infected individual will likely infect in turn. The higher this number, the more virulent the strain and the more difficult to contain the epidemic.
Human history is marked with significant outbreaks of lethal diseases, such as the Black Death of the Middle Ages, or the H1N1 influenza epidemic of 1918-1920 that killed conservatively 3% of the world's population. Yet, in the final analysis, and based upon my extremely limited knowledge of this subject, it seems to me that epidemics are all about percentages. Yes, we could have a major outbreak, perhaps even this year, and such an outbreak would devastate many families and probably drastically change many entire communities forever; however, the percentages game favors our survival from one of these events in the long run.
In short, I'm not buying a pandemic as the final cause of EOTW. Don't sleep any better, though, there are plenty of other catastrophes to discover!
I sign off with this fabulous quote from Contagion: "Blogging is not writing; it's graffiti with punctuation."
Mirror, Mirror (Parallel universe with pirate version of Enterprise!)
The Apple (Yup, they're going to find out what kids are soon enough.)
The Doomsday Machine (Planet destroyer ... hey, this could be EOTW!)
There are many forms of destruction that may account for the EOTW, and over the course of the year, I'll take potshots at them all. At least the ones I can think of! (Use the comments to offer your own suggestions on how we meet our collective demise!)
Let's start with infectious disease. Now, I'm probably more familiar with this fictional list than the mechanics of real epidemics. I've read some solid books featuring epidemics: The Stand, White Plague, The Andromeda Strain; and I've watched some scary movies: Outbreak, and today, Contagion. Contagion did a pretty decent job depicting the challenges that would face our government, our medical establishment, and society itself in the face of a fast-moving epidemic. We get a glimpse of how a random virus might transmit animal-to-human, and in this global community how easy it is to lose containment of an epidemic. We learn about the term, 'R-nought', which describes the number of additional persons one infected individual will likely infect in turn. The higher this number, the more virulent the strain and the more difficult to contain the epidemic.
Human history is marked with significant outbreaks of lethal diseases, such as the Black Death of the Middle Ages, or the H1N1 influenza epidemic of 1918-1920 that killed conservatively 3% of the world's population. Yet, in the final analysis, and based upon my extremely limited knowledge of this subject, it seems to me that epidemics are all about percentages. Yes, we could have a major outbreak, perhaps even this year, and such an outbreak would devastate many families and probably drastically change many entire communities forever; however, the percentages game favors our survival from one of these events in the long run.
In short, I'm not buying a pandemic as the final cause of EOTW. Don't sleep any better, though, there are plenty of other catastrophes to discover!
I sign off with this fabulous quote from Contagion: "Blogging is not writing; it's graffiti with punctuation."
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Feb. 4, 321 days remaining
Mirror, Mirror (Parallel universe with pirate version of Enterprise!)
The Apple (Yup, they're going to find out what kids are soon enough.)
The Doomsday Machine (Planet destroyer ... hey, this could be EOTW!)
Video Mission Update: 36 / 728 hours = 4.9%
Immortal Chaplains
(February 3)
Once again, I turned to Wikipedia to get some inspiration for today's posting by typing 'February 3' into the search box. It really is very cool the results that come back for any given day, and this time one entry caught my eye in particular: the Four Chaplains.
There are many topics and persons in U.S. history (and even around the world) that I am familiar with by name, but do not know the substance of the story behind the name, and the Four Chaplains are an example. How do I know about them? Through my childhood hobby of philately. Through postage stamps, we discover vignettes of people and events that are formative to the countries that issue those stamps. Here's the stamp that I remembered and led me to read about the Four Chaplains today.
But, back to the main topic. The story of the Four Chaplains is one of those timeless tales of human courage and sacrifice, and I feel rewarded knowing the true story behind the postage stamp. And there's also the joy of discovering a thread that ties back into your own life: one of the four had attended Yale Divinity School, which I visited on several occasions as an undergraduate to sing with the Yale Glee Club.
I gave a small donation to The Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation.
Before closing on this post, I want to ask you a Deliberately Difficult Question (DDQ): If you were presented with a single ticket to escape doomsday, would you give that ticket away? To whom might you give the ticket?
Once again, I turned to Wikipedia to get some inspiration for today's posting by typing 'February 3' into the search box. It really is very cool the results that come back for any given day, and this time one entry caught my eye in particular: the Four Chaplains.
There are many topics and persons in U.S. history (and even around the world) that I am familiar with by name, but do not know the substance of the story behind the name, and the Four Chaplains are an example. How do I know about them? Through my childhood hobby of philately. Through postage stamps, we discover vignettes of people and events that are formative to the countries that issue those stamps. Here's the stamp that I remembered and led me to read about the Four Chaplains today.
But, back to the main topic. The story of the Four Chaplains is one of those timeless tales of human courage and sacrifice, and I feel rewarded knowing the true story behind the postage stamp. And there's also the joy of discovering a thread that ties back into your own life: one of the four had attended Yale Divinity School, which I visited on several occasions as an undergraduate to sing with the Yale Glee Club.
I gave a small donation to The Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation.
Before closing on this post, I want to ask you a Deliberately Difficult Question (DDQ): If you were presented with a single ticket to escape doomsday, would you give that ticket away? To whom might you give the ticket?
Groundhog Day
(February 2)
Punxsutawney Phil has spoken, FTVLT, although I thought of all winters this would be the one to be declared over! So, last (recordbreaking) winter is declared an early Spring, and this year's non-winter will be long. Go figure.
I decided that today I would learn about the history of Groundhog Day, something I've never done despite visiting Punxsutawney once earlier in my life. One of the wonderful things about Wikipedia is that you can get a rich context on a subject just be clicking a few links. In this way we can find out how Imbolc, Swithun, and Candlemas all factor into the historical context of weather prognostication: just click on the links from the Groundhog Day article. Yes, sir, I've lost more than one afternoon just following an ever expanding tree of Wikipedia links.
BTW, if you've never seen Bill Murray's Groundhog Day, the summary which is also linked from the main Wikipedia article, do so before time's up. Chances are none of us will ever be caught in a time loop until we get things right, but if you were given that extra time, what thing do you think you would need to fix?
Punxsutawney Phil has spoken, FTVLT, although I thought of all winters this would be the one to be declared over! So, last (recordbreaking) winter is declared an early Spring, and this year's non-winter will be long. Go figure.
I decided that today I would learn about the history of Groundhog Day, something I've never done despite visiting Punxsutawney once earlier in my life. One of the wonderful things about Wikipedia is that you can get a rich context on a subject just be clicking a few links. In this way we can find out how Imbolc, Swithun, and Candlemas all factor into the historical context of weather prognostication: just click on the links from the Groundhog Day article. Yes, sir, I've lost more than one afternoon just following an ever expanding tree of Wikipedia links.
BTW, if you've never seen Bill Murray's Groundhog Day, the summary which is also linked from the main Wikipedia article, do so before time's up. Chances are none of us will ever be caught in a time loop until we get things right, but if you were given that extra time, what thing do you think you would need to fix?
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Backfill
(February 1)
This evening I was in the vicinity, so I stepped into Wegman's in Northborough. Crikey, what a place... one giant half is the supermarket, and the other half is like an open market with food stations: sandwiches, pizza, bakery, deli, burritos, prepared foods, etc. They even have an Asian buffet and cafe seating. Am I the only person who cringes, ever so slightly, at the all out display of consumable goods?
(January 31)
One of my cube neighbors, the kind of person who likes organizing activities, you know the kind, asked me if I wanted to buy some squares, and I asked, "Are they lemon?" "No! Superbowl squares!" So, I bought a $10 square which has different rules than the normal payout per quarter. It has a payout for the first 15 score changes, plus payouts at each half. I hope the Superbowl is a shootout! Anyway, she was selling $1 and $5 squares too, so I bought in to those. Remember, folks, we're talking about the Superbowl FTVLT, and I want to make some cash off of it. :-) Well, I'd rather have a Patriots win.
(January 30)
I had a chance to play Mario Kart Wii in the "Mirror Level" today, thanks to Marcie who is now far and away the best racer in the family :-) The mirror level is unlocked when you win the gold cup in all events in the standard three levels, and Marcie has surpassed my profile to reach this status. Mirror level means all of the courses are laid out as if viewed in a mirror, so left turns where right turns would normally be, etc. which is very fun when you are expecting a hard left turn and go smack into a wall. Heh heh.
(January 21)
Among the many, many things that my eyes were opened to in Korea was the world of spicy ramen. Here in the States I don't eat it nearly as often as I did then, and today I just had to have a fix. I tried a pack of An Sung Tang Myun. Worked for me!
(January 20)
I went fishing on Wikipedia for an idea by searching on January 20. This led me to learn about poles of inaccessibility -- points on land that are geographically the farthest from the coast. The North American pole of inaccessibility is in South Dakota, and if the EOTW is due to massive tsunamis from the oceans, I'd advise heading there.
(January 19)
I ordered some company swag from our corporate store.
(January 18)
Stopped at Julio's Liquors -- that place is impressive! I'm no connoisseur of alcohol by any stretch, but I enjoy a beer or a glass of wine every once in awhile. I decided for TLY that I would explore some Pinot Noir, again which I am not qualified to judge, but which is a worthy variety for the occasion. So, I picked up four different bottles of California Pinot Noir.
(January 17)
I created a public Google calendar titled "Tom's 2012 Bucket List," on which I'll eventually post all my 1s. And maybe plan ahead a bit.
This evening I was in the vicinity, so I stepped into Wegman's in Northborough. Crikey, what a place... one giant half is the supermarket, and the other half is like an open market with food stations: sandwiches, pizza, bakery, deli, burritos, prepared foods, etc. They even have an Asian buffet and cafe seating. Am I the only person who cringes, ever so slightly, at the all out display of consumable goods?
(January 31)
One of my cube neighbors, the kind of person who likes organizing activities, you know the kind, asked me if I wanted to buy some squares, and I asked, "Are they lemon?" "No! Superbowl squares!" So, I bought a $10 square which has different rules than the normal payout per quarter. It has a payout for the first 15 score changes, plus payouts at each half. I hope the Superbowl is a shootout! Anyway, she was selling $1 and $5 squares too, so I bought in to those. Remember, folks, we're talking about the Superbowl FTVLT, and I want to make some cash off of it. :-) Well, I'd rather have a Patriots win.
(January 30)
I had a chance to play Mario Kart Wii in the "Mirror Level" today, thanks to Marcie who is now far and away the best racer in the family :-) The mirror level is unlocked when you win the gold cup in all events in the standard three levels, and Marcie has surpassed my profile to reach this status. Mirror level means all of the courses are laid out as if viewed in a mirror, so left turns where right turns would normally be, etc. which is very fun when you are expecting a hard left turn and go smack into a wall. Heh heh.
(January 21)
Among the many, many things that my eyes were opened to in Korea was the world of spicy ramen. Here in the States I don't eat it nearly as often as I did then, and today I just had to have a fix. I tried a pack of An Sung Tang Myun. Worked for me!
(January 20)
I went fishing on Wikipedia for an idea by searching on January 20. This led me to learn about poles of inaccessibility -- points on land that are geographically the farthest from the coast. The North American pole of inaccessibility is in South Dakota, and if the EOTW is due to massive tsunamis from the oceans, I'd advise heading there.
(January 19)
I ordered some company swag from our corporate store.
(January 18)
Stopped at Julio's Liquors -- that place is impressive! I'm no connoisseur of alcohol by any stretch, but I enjoy a beer or a glass of wine every once in awhile. I decided for TLY that I would explore some Pinot Noir, again which I am not qualified to judge, but which is a worthy variety for the occasion. So, I picked up four different bottles of California Pinot Noir.
(January 17)
I created a public Google calendar titled "Tom's 2012 Bucket List," on which I'll eventually post all my 1s. And maybe plan ahead a bit.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Good Eats
Ahhh, is there anything that I'm going to miss more than all the tantalizing foods out there? There are a gazillion restaurants I have not even tried, and even at the ones I have tried there are a plentiful menu entries that remain undiscovered. (And some might argue that tonight's dinner, Applebee's Provolone-stuffed Meatballs, should have remained undiscovered.)
This whole blog could be about food, but I'll settle for making a finite Bucket Mission instead. Keep in mind that there will be plenty of mentions of other "off-list" restaurants and foods over the course of TLY, but only these will be tallied up...
Bucket Mission: Food
Synopsis
You already know that trying out food is something I look forward to, but there is much that I haven't tasted! Complete a list of 20 restaurants that I have not tried before. Write a brief account of each experience.
Now, some of these places will require a bit of travel, and some have branches in the area. Most folks should be familiar with most of the names on the list, as they are all franchises.
Metric
Simple: cross each restaurant off the list when I try it. I need to walk into the establishment and sit down to eat.
In fact, I kicked this list off on Saturday January 7, when Marcie and my parents joined me to visit Golden Corral in Springfield. My general advice is not to go there at 4PM on a Saturday, because that's when everyone seems to go. However, from a food perspective, give this place a try. They do have some standouts on the buffet line. And Marcie trying out the "Chocolate Wonderfall" was worth the trip. :-)
The City on the Edge of Forever (Edith Keeler must die...)
Operation - Annihilate! (If I could have guessed "bright light," Spock should have been able to get it :) )
Amok Time (Season 2 begins with Spock's mating ceremony)
Who Mourns for Adonais? (Lonely Greek god)
The Changeling (Nomad = V'ger Lite)
Bucket Mission: Food
Synopsis
You already know that trying out food is something I look forward to, but there is much that I haven't tasted! Complete a list of 20 restaurants that I have not tried before. Write a brief account of each experience.
Now, some of these places will require a bit of travel, and some have branches in the area. Most folks should be familiar with most of the names on the list, as they are all franchises.
- Chicken: Bojangles, Church's
- Burger: White Castle, Red Robin
- Mexican: Baja Fresh, Taco John's
- Sandwich: Jimmy John's, Jason's Deli
- Pizza: Cici's, Godfather's
- Buffet: Golden Corral, Old Country Buffet
- Seafood: Bonefish Grill, Joe's Crab Shack
- Italian: Maggiano's Little Italy, Fazoli's
- Asian: Pei Wei's, Benihana
- Ice Cream+: Culver's, Braum's
Metric
Simple: cross each restaurant off the list when I try it. I need to walk into the establishment and sit down to eat.
In fact, I kicked this list off on Saturday January 7, when Marcie and my parents joined me to visit Golden Corral in Springfield. My general advice is not to go there at 4PM on a Saturday, because that's when everyone seems to go. However, from a food perspective, give this place a try. They do have some standouts on the buffet line. And Marcie trying out the "Chocolate Wonderfall" was worth the trip. :-)
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Jan. 29, 327 days remaining
The City on the Edge of Forever (Edith Keeler must die...)
Operation - Annihilate! (If I could have guessed "bright light," Spock should have been able to get it :) )
Amok Time (Season 2 begins with Spock's mating ceremony)
Who Mourns for Adonais? (Lonely Greek god)
The Changeling (Nomad = V'ger Lite)
Video Mission Update: 33 / 728 hours = 4.5%
Food Mission Update: 1 / 20 restaurants = 5%
Food Mission Update: 1 / 20 restaurants = 5%
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