Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?

The secret life of my new phone.

2008-12-04T13:38:51Z

Back at the end of October I got a shiny new PDA phone, an HTC Touch.

While trying to find fun and interesting things to do with it I downloaded a mobile LJ app to use should the urge to blog hit me if I'm out on the road. Little did I know, that my phone has been secretly photoblogging here ever since ...

So if any of you have wondered why random pictures keep popping up on my blog without comment, there you go. Who knows how long it would have gone on with me noticing if Dragonbane hadn't commented on the pic from last night.

12/3/08

2008-12-03T21:10:25Z

There was an entire stack of these on display in the Walmart next to where I work.

Lifestyle changes

2008-09-24T04:02:08Z

I haven't posted in a while and I thought I'd do a bit of an update.

We'll head back to the end of May, where I got a big surprise. Sort of out of the blue, I got a promotion to store manager and had to move from near Memphis to Greenwood, MS. More responsibility and a bigger paycheck.

Also, after 4 years of living in the boonies with nothing but extremely bad dialup and sketchy tv reception on some rabbit ears I'm now enjoying all that cable has to offer and a 10 Mbps connection to the 'net.

My life feels like it is finally beginning to stabilize.

More recently I've had a really major change to my day to day routine resulting from the second transmission failure in my car in less than a year.

I came to the decision that I wasn't going to spend another cent towards getting the car repaired. It's just not worth it. Instead I bought a bike and now pump pedals twice a day six days a week.

In addition to the daily exercise, I've been forced to alter my diet. Being on a bike limits what I buy and how I transport my groceries. Plus the only place to eat within a reasonable distance is Subway.

I plan to post cycling and other health related information here as a record. Wish me luck.

A weird night in IRC

2008-02-12T05:31:31Z

So, this conversation actually took place on Saturday night ...

[2008-02-10 00:01:55] <KateHW> I'm from Biloxi
[2008-02-10 00:02:25] * Alareth grew up in Gulfport
[2008-02-10 00:02:57] <KateHW> I GREW UP IN GULFPORT
[2008-02-10 00:03:06] <KateHW> shouting
[2008-02-10 00:04:12] <Alareth> Orange Grove when we first moved there then Bayou View
[2008-02-10 00:04:25] <KateHW> I'm a Bayou View kid
[2008-02-10 00:04:47] <KateHW> I've never met anyone on the internet who knew what Bayou View was
[2008-02-10 00:04:56] <KateHW> This is interesting
[2008-02-10 00:05:39] <KateHW> I grew up on Harrison (a block away from where Butch's Quickstop was) and moved to Bayou Circle when I was 16.
[2008-02-10 00:06:33] <Alareth> Ok, I lived on Harrison Ave ...
[2008-02-10 00:06:39] <Alareth> WTF
[2008-02-10 00:06:43] <KateHW> no
[2008-02-10 00:06:45] <KateHW> wtf
[2008-02-10 00:06:56] <KateHW> hooooly **** which house
[2008-02-10 00:07:54] <Alareth> Corner house. Two story. Was green but the owners afterwards painted it white. (It was actually 3 slit levels)
[2008-02-10 00:08:04] <Alareth> split
[2008-02-10 00:08:09] <KateHW> corner of Harrison and what
[2008-02-10 00:08:33] <KateHW> if you say corner of harrison and 47th I will shoot you
[2008-02-10 00:08:53] <Alareth> Three bedrooms on the top floor, one with a small "secret" closet?
[2008-02-10 00:09:04] <KateHW> OH MY GOD
[2008-02-10 00:09:05] <Alareth> Oh, and a basement
[2008-02-10 00:09:09] <KateHW> OH MY GOD WHAT YEAR
[2008-02-10 00:09:15] <KateHW> OH MY GOD WE HAVE THE SAME HOUSE
[2008-02-10 00:09:23] <KateHW> no, ****
[2008-02-10 00:09:25] <KateHW> oh my god
[2008-02-10 00:09:48] <KateHW> 4515 Harrison Avenue
[2008-02-10 00:10:06] <Alareth> I flooded that basement once
[2008-02-10 00:10:06] <KateHW> ok, what year did you move
[2008-02-10 00:10:14] <Alareth> '82
[2008-02-10 00:10:18] <KateHW> oh ****
[2008-02-10 00:10:47] <KateHW> this is the weirdest thing I've ever had happen to me
[2008-02-10 00:11:14] <KateHW> I had the room with the weird closet first and then the corner bedroom
[2008-02-10 00:11:28] <Alareth> You had my room then.
[2008-02-10 00:11:39] <Alareth> My house!
[2008-02-10 00:11:40] <KateHW> ok, this sounds all made up
[2008-02-10 00:11:45] <KateHW> MYYYY HOUSE
[2008-02-10 00:11:57] <Alareth> I was there first!
[2008-02-10 00:12:03] <KateHW> I was there longer

I mean ... What the hell? The odds are astounding.

For ongoing discussion of the coincidence, you can see this thread (Forum registration required to view): http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?p=3426277

Oh, the joy of a new video card

2007-10-11T01:14:31Z

I bit the bullet and snagged a new video card at newegg for a whopping $86 and it arrived yesterday.

All my games are new again :)

Edit: The lefthand tag on the image should read 9600SE, not 9800SE

Jayne v. Google

2007-09-25T05:31:47Z

Behold the plight of Dylan Stephen Jayne. Young Mr. Jayne recently discovered something shocking, his Social Security Number when turned upside down actually spells out Google in a secret code.

Quite obviously, this is a blatant and gross violation of Mr. Jayne's personal privacy by the internet search engine that didn't exist until nearly 2 decades following the assigning of his SSN by the SS Administration at his birth. Now his life is in grave danger from international terrorists.

There is only one rational response to the situation, file a 5 billion dollar lawsuit against the founders of Google in US Federal Court. In his poorly handwritten case filing, he spins a tale of unrelated stints in the juvinille justice system, jail terms from resisting arrest and public drunkeness, Google is under investigation for crimes against humanity, and we learn that he owns a snowboard worth $200.

The stupid, it BURNS!

LotRO Part II

2007-04-10T00:57:12Z

I've gotten a workaround for my crashing issues and finally been able to play the game. The is a "High Res" client included with the DVD installation that allows for some really nice graphics and my trubles were caused by it. I disabled it by renaming the related .dat file and now have no problems logging in or playing, it's just not as pretty as it could be.

I've been having some fun running the quests and so far it's pretty standard fantasy MMO fare. Players of other Turbine games should find themselves comfortable.

I'm playing on Windfola as Alareth, Milbo or Doleswen.

One Game to Rule Them All

2007-04-07T06:15:44Z

Ok, maybe not rule them.

So I pre-ordered Lord of the Rings Online for no particular reason. I saw the boxes in Best Buy and did it on impulse.

Most fantasy themed MMO's haven't been able to hold my interest for long though I've never understood why since I'm a fan of fantasy. I've fantasy gamed for a very long time, I've got D&D character sheets dating back 24 years to prove it. Just something about it in an MMO and .. Meh.

Maybe this one will break the cycle? Who knows. As of yet I haven't been able to login and create a character due to some technical issues (Crashy, crashy at startup :( )

If anyone else is playing let me know.

The Protector

2007-01-25T23:31:58Z

So I keep hearing what an awesome martial arts flick "The Protector" is. The movie trailers looked good. I finally track down a copy at my local Blockbuster.

It's a movie about elephants. ELEPHANTS.

Tony Jaa beats the crap out of half the people in the Southern Hemisphere because of 2 freaking elephants. WTF?

Mind you, the fights are quite kick ass. But it ranks as one of the stupidest plots I have ever run across.

I need a vacation

2007-01-24T13:32:38Z

A week off is probably the only way I'll have time to watch all the anime I just bought.

All 11 volumes of Patlabor(TV) Much mecha awsomeness and all for only about $55. Yay me.

Calling all Browncoats

2006-12-08T02:30:51Z

Would you believe,a Firefly MMO?

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,72263-0.html?tw=rss.technology

Yay! Kitty fun!

2006-09-28T07:07:12Z

Collective IQ Drop

2006-05-26T01:53:12Z

Why? Why must I be on the receiving end of unending stupidity today?

I walk into Subway and I'm surrounded by signs that say "Try our new Garlic and Mozzarella bread" so I order a chicken parmesan on garlic and mozzarela.

The girl give me a blank stare. I repeat my order. She says, "Monterrey Cheddar?"

"No, Garlic and Mozzarella. Like the sign next to your head."

"Oh, we don't have that. I can put some garlic spread on your bread."

She then puts the garlic butter spread on the bread. Does she toast it? No. She put the chicken right on top and says "What kind of cheese would you like?"

"I don't know, maybe ... Mozzarella?"

"Would you like your sandwich heated?"

"How long have you worked here?"....

Soooooo ... I finally get to work and since it's RadioShack I expect stupid questions. Some days they manage to top themselves.

"I bought this expandable phone system here yesterday and I can't get the extra handset I bought to pair with the main unit."

"Ok, lets see if I can't figure out the source of the problem. Where is the handset?"

"Oh, I left that at home but I have everything else here."

"..."

There's more, but I just can't bear to continue.

I am now dumber just from hearing it

2006-05-25T06:49:23Z

Ok, I've just witnessed an infomercial for an exercise program with what has to be the dumbest name in the history of exercise programs.

Yoga Booty Ballet

Terragen Update

2006-05-16T08:47:08Z

I've completed my first "public" render with Terragen. I'm calling it Sunset. You can find it here.

Artistic Inclinations

2006-05-16T07:24:32Z

So it's the middle of the night and I have insomnia (again)

This always seems to be when I decide to start something new, in this case it's fiddling with some software called Terragen.

For the uninitiated, Terragen is used to render photorealistic landscape images. I've seen some gorgeous stuff produced by the software. I'm taking the time to actually learn it since I'm awake and all...

I'll stick some renders up on my Deviantart page over the next couple of days. Once I master it I'll have to figure out how to combine it with some of my fractals.

Network Neutrality

2006-05-03T14:00:25Z

What is Network Neutrality? What does it have to do with you?

Network Neutrality is what makes the internet work. It means that everyone has the same voice and is equally accessable on the internet whether you are Microsoft or Bob the Blogger.

The major internet providers such as AT&T, Comcast and Verizon don't want that.

They are currently paying alot of money to convince Congress to take Network Neutrality away from you. In their vision of the internet the speed at which people can access the content of your website is directly proportional to the amount of money you pay them.

For that matter, if you don't pay them or you publicly disagree with their policies, they will simply deny access to your website completely.

This is a very dangerous state of affairs and I for one cannot just stand by and watch as an element of my freedom of speech is handed over to corporate concerns that would place a pricetag on any thoughts and ideas I wish to share with the rest of the web.

Please go to http://www.savetheinternet.com and read the full details. Use the information and contact your congressional representatives to let them know that this cannot be allowed to happen.

*EDIT*

Some excellent reading on the subject http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-green/mike-mccurry-hurting-t_b_20216.html

Loss and confusion in the wake of disaster.

2005-09-03T13:17:12Z

My childhood is gone.

Scoured clean from the face of this world by the winds and water of Katrina.

I grew up in Gulfport, MS. I see the news footage and there is nothing left that marks the people and places of my youth.

I feel ... empty. A complete loss with how to cope. There is so much I want to say right now but the words aren't there.

..............................

Mmmmmmmm ..... Religion

2005-08-25T17:09:59Z

I'll be the first to tell you I'm not very religious, but who am I to argue against a religion that has a Heaven with a stripper factory and a beer volcano?

Just because everyone else is doing it ... What? Your jumping off a bridge? Cool! Wait for me!

2005-08-25T16:44:08Z

Modern, Cool Nerd
69 % Nerd, 91% Geek, 34% Dork

For The Record:
A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being
smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or
subject, often an obscure or difficult one.
A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social
expectations/interactions.
You scored better than half in Nerd and Geek, earning you the title of:
Modern, Cool Nerd.
Nerds didn't use to be cool, but in the 90's that all changed. It used
to be that, if you were a computer expert, you had to wear plaid or a
pocket protector or suspenders or something that announced to the world
that you couldn't quite fit in. Not anymore. Now, the intelligent and
geeky have eeked out for themselves a modicrum of respect at the very
least, and "geek is chic." The Modern, Cool Nerd is intelligent,
knowledgable and always the person to call in a crisis (needing
computer advice/an arcane bit of trivia knowledge). They are the one
you want as your lifeline in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (or the one
up there, winning the million bucks)!
Congratulations!

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 63% on nerdiness
You scored higher than 98% on geekosity
You scored higher than 50% on dork points

Link: The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test written by donathos on Ok Cupid

Serenity Stuff

2005-08-24T00:06:48Z

Hey dvixen, tell me if you've seen these:

Exclusive Mal

Jayne

Jayne is "Smokin"

This only confirms it...

2005-08-21T07:16:38Z

What Type of Villain are You?

mutedfaith.com.

And another year goes by...

2005-08-18T05:01:10Z

Happy birthday dvixen, here's to having many more.

For those with an interest

2005-08-17T23:26:27Z

City of Villains beta invites are in inboxes NOW. Have you checked your e-mail recently?

I can neither confirm nor deny reciept of such invites.

How do I know I'm a geek?

2005-08-10T08:13:56Z

I know I'm a geek because I've been doing webcoding stuff and never noticed that it's 3 am...