2/28/2002 at 4:59pm
thursdayso tyler tells me there is a great deal on this wine at trader joe's. $1.99 per bottle. wow...and he said it was rather good for that price. would normally be about a $6.00 wine. i made a trip down there yesterday and all i see is a chalk board sign that read san martin (or something) merlot, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay (blech), $1.99 while supplies last. well, i missed the supplies last. there in front of the sign was an empty space. nothing, no boxes, no pieces of paper, nothing. damn it! i missed this! i would have liked to try this wine. they have a tasty cab from chili for only $2.99. but you can't beat seven oaks cabernet or benito dusi ranch zinfandel.
crazy few days of computer fixing. viruses, hard drive crashes, printer errors...full week. makes me tired.
watched Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back last night on dvd. not as funny as i expected. i like most of kevin smith's movies except this one and dogma. i enjooyed the outtakes on the second disc better than the movie! too bad they were left out of the movie. there were a ton. it has about 1 hours worth of of deleted scenes. isn't that crazy!? that would have made a 3 hour movie. insane.
very rough article directed at the linux os as a desktop machine. david coursey always writes and talks like he has all the answers, he enjoys telling people how wrong they are. windows will always be around, linux has it's place on the desktop just like other oses. he is somewhat right on how linux users are often high and mighty just like macintosh users. windows users just don't know any better... :) who-hah! actually, while i am at it, all those people who still say that in order to do graphics you need a mac, get over yourself, leave the house once in awhile.
currently reading invisible monsters which was a gift from jen. i know i have other books to finish [glamorama, ehem] but this only has 297 pages. so it should be a quick read. plus it is the guy who wrote fight club and everyone raves about his writing. so i want to see for myself. so far the first pages indicate that the storyteller is a female or drag queen and to top that off she/he is a mute. containing the all to familiar high profile, materialistic, self-absorbed, characters who hate the world. the book takes the reader to certain points in time during the story using the word "jump". jump to this date, now jump to this point, now you are back. interesting to say the least. after this i need to get back to reading anne rice.
speaking of which, should i go see queen of the damnend? doesn't look good at all...bummer.
2/26/2002 at 7:04pm
tuesdayhot today.
my keyboard is still jacked. looks like i will be buying a new one. this one i am using is horrible i keep hitting the insert key and the print screen buttons...lame. it has a small footprint but it's just crap.
i finished the shipping news last night. very good book. it took a few chapters to adjust to her style of writing. but overall an amusing, fun, interesting book.
more reading in store...i really enjoy this reading thing. wonder what took me so long? maybe work is too slow? yikes...
did some computer work for a client. they had a virus. i hate that virus, it is always hard to get rid of. it always pops up again after i think i killed it. this one actually killed his network card drivers. headache.
thinking about renting vampire hunter d - bloodlust tonight. i have heard great reviews, but it never came here to san luis so this will be the first viewing for me.
2/25/2002 at 1:09pm
mondaywhat a monday. for the first time in my computing career, i spilt liquid on my keyboard. this morning it was the last of the palermo blend. knocked the coffee cup with my right hand while i was on the phone. i was so pissed. couldn't believe i did it. didn't think i hit it that hard either. just a tap and the coffee plunged down onto the 10-key portion of my keyboard. that completely sucked. i cut the call short. the coffee flowed over the keys sinking below the tops of each key. continued to run over the rest of the desk. soaking my post-it note stack, business cards, bank card and a the handspring pda cradle. what a mess. cleaned it up with a dish cloth. i was mostly upset because that was the last of the palermo blend. i now have no more. [note to self: order more palermo blend].
i wiped up all the coffee and held my keyboard on its side allowing the coffee to drain out. the key board seemed to work fine after that, everything lit up, the keys worked fine. about an hour later is when the problems trickled in. i began typing english sentences hitting the appropriate keys yet the text that displayed on the screen was archaic. here is a sample:
dide't thik there wa aythig to fuk up/ i keybvoard.l.l.l.l o i hae to bvuy a ew keybvoard.
nice! so i removed the keyboard from the computer and my desk. ran distilled water over all the keys. completely soaking it. this is supposed to remove all the solubles and minerals that will interfere with the electronics within the keyboard. distilled water will clean it all out. hopefully it will work. it is drying right now. i am currently typing on a keyboard i bought awhile back for $3.99. let me tell you it is worth $2.99.
look at the time. i have to run some errands.
what beautiful weather today.
2/21/2002 at 12:09pm
thursday
looks like slo now has its forth starbucks. i guess we have been hit once again. it does actually even out. because the first one is on foothill which is by cal poly. the second one was opened in 95 in the downtown center. about a 5 mile distance. not bad. helped people downtown grab this abundant elixir. the 6 other coffee shops downtown were just perfect for that but corporate is here to stay.
the local mom and pop coffee shops are very cool. nice quaint little shops with good coffee, good people, nice surroundings soft chairs, plush couches, a handful of games and cards to pass the time with. helps one to wind down from the constant game called life.
the third starbucks in town opened up right around the corner from my house. just inside the only vons supermarket in town. inside? this is crazy, can't believe it, in a supermarket. were single moms drop off their dry cleaning while perusing the isles for that nights supper and single men probing the isles for the single women. this creeps me out. who wants to drink coffee and cha inside a supermarket...this is for people who want it fast and then bolt. outside of vons on the corner is a coffee/ice cream shop. this starbucks probably wont make to much of a dent in their market share. this little shop has ice cream and cakes, not to mention atmosphere that doesn’t consist of the catch of the day and mildewing cheeses.
the newest starbucks just has opened right next to the new blockbuster [which moved from its old location]. this is on the other side of town. right off hwy 101. relative to other towns, the spacing of san luis’s starbucks is just right. besides most people in town only know of two.
i love the local coffee shops, although they really need to get better coffee. some are too burnt, bitter, sour or watery.
my thing with starbucks [never mind the fact i want to invest in this company] is that they are like a mcdonalds. for people on the go. like my above comment, people want to get their coffee and bolt. drink and bolt. starbucks is perfect for that - too many employees that will be more than happy to help you. their employee roster is probably outrageous. plus the coffee is consistent and you can find it in any town. like mcdonalds anywhere you go starbucks tastes like starbucks. consistency is good no matter how horrible the product. starbucks - crap coffee great investment.
the type of people that frequent starbucks are mostly new coffee people who like the strawberry frappy, whippy, choco drink, take one sip and say 'wow, can't taste the coffee this is my favorite.'. come on drink coffee for what it is! the black death! try and order those drinks in your local non-starbucks coffee shop. the hired help will scoff at your trendy hairstyle and gap v-neck sweater. starbucks invented these drinks to lure in those who hated coffee. they made a drink that had an acquired taste into the mainstream drug of choice.
how many people did i offend today?
2/20/2002 at 2:53pm
wednesdayi finally got around to posting the photographs i have taken with that little eyemodule camera for my handspring pda. it takes horrible pictures - blurry and very grainy at times. but i still think it is very neat!
the link is under the photos section or you can check them out from here.
thought i would share an except from the shipping news. this is the main characters aunt who hated her brother. she is now living with her nephew and his two daughters in an old family home that they are renovating:
'the box holding the brother's ashes was on the floor in the corner."all right," she said, and seized it. carried it down and through and out. a bright day. the sea glazed, ornamented with gulls. her shadow streamed away from her. she went into the new outhouse and tipped the ashes down the hole. hoisted her skirts and sat down. the urine splattered. the thought that she, that his own son and grandchildren, would daily void their bodily wastes on his remains a thing that only she would know.' - the shipping news by annie proulx, pg. 100
this book is the winner of the 1994 pulitzer prize for fiction....high class!
also, seems like tonight at 8:02pm the time/date format is going to be a palindrome. At that time tonight the date and time will read: 20:02/20.02/2002 so it reads 200220022002 and then backward it reads 200220022002.
they say it wont happen again for another 111 years, then after that never again! let the fake nostradamus pronouncements begin!
a trip...i need coffee.
2/19/2002 at 10:46am
tuesdayi received a phone call this morning from the teacher of the class i was speaking at today. said he was sick and not going to go to school. i laughed, then apologized for laughing. i couldn't help it. for a split second i thought the rolls were reversed. the teacher calling the student explaining they were sick and would not make it to class. so we postponed until next tuesday.
i couldn't sleep last night anyway, so it is probably good i am not speaking today. i went to bed a bit earlier too. but i kept waking up, tossing and turning. got up this morning at 6:13am. did some work, answered the phones, got ready and was about to leave to check the po box and deposit some much needed money into the property account. the teacher called at 8:30 telling me to reschedule.
side -> i am under some stress.
i still left to go to the po box, then to bank #1 and then over to bank #2. not too many people were out and about this morning. there are usually people sweeping the front sidewalks of their stores, students bicycling to school, homeless lying about, employees rushing to work. very few of that today.
2/18/2002 at 12:53pm
mondayso again, we are on a day where many people i know have the day off from work. if you have read my journal before, you know i never have a day off. downfall of self employment. one thing i can say is that the time spent answering the phones are cut in half. on these type of holidays, companies don't call as much. but, tomorrow it will be like a monday.
speaking of tomorrow, i am talking at the local college here in town about starting your own business. this is for the entrepreneurship course that i took many, many years ago. the teacher always has me return each semester to speak to his class, this might be the 8th time, not sure.. it is really interesting. i always have new stuff to talk about. each year the students become more interactive asking more questions. that makes me feel like i don't bore them. i try and keep it fun, cracking jokes and explaining the ups and downs of working for yourself and being the main contact for your clients. really never able to avoid customers or blaming others for problems. you always take the fall.
it is sunny today, but i haven't been out yet. working on a shopping cart for a golf video set. i am done with it...for now.
i stumbled upon a cool link. reminds me of the sub-plot from amelie. The Photo Booth Chronicles.
tasty!
2/17/2002 at 2:50pm
sunday
sunny day yesterday then it started to rain out of nowhere. arrived at the sushi party just as it started to pour down.
the sushi was great and so was the booze. quite a few people attended. i was rolling up a lot of sushi, some things i have made before and other rolls i was experimenting with. a lot of people seemed to like the smoked albacore roll. which obviously wasn't raw, but it was a hit. also, not too many people were into giving sushi rolling a try. myself, i really enjoy it. everyone just mostly ate, talked and drank. i'll post some photos.
i woke up sore and tired. sore probably from not doing much physical activity anymore or just sleeping in one position all night.
the sun is out now and it is a beautiful day.
2/15/2002 at 7:54am
fridayfun night.
looking forward to a fun filled weekend. movies, going out on the town, shopping, try not to work.
i have yet to see a beautiful mind that will probably be the movie of choice this weekend.
speaking of the weekend, i guess it is a three day weekend for most people? as always, not for me. just means i wont have any money in the po box on monday, kinda like yesterday, damn!
2/14/2002 at 6:17pm
thursdayso today is the day. the day for those in love. why is this a holiday? i know all the women will be up in arms, especially jen! i am not saying a hate this day, i really enjoy it. i bought jen a nice little gift that i was saving for her birthday next month but i can't resist!
i am just trying to think about all the people who do not have a significant other. how do they feel on this day? sad, depressed, pissed off? seriously. also, it is the day for all the dead-beat boyfriends to finally buy their sweethearts flowers or chocolate or whatever. but, then tomorrow things are back to their hate/love relationship. it is just odd to me to see a day set aside for lovers. just like christams, it has become commercial.
for some history the story goes...
so, who was saint valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? today, the catholic church recognizes at least three different saints named valentine or valentinus, all of whom were martyred. one legend contends that valentine was a priest who served during the third century in rome. when emperor claudius ii decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. when valentine's actions were discovered, claudius ordered that he be put to death. other stories suggest that valentine may have been killed for attempting to help christians escape harsh roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
according to one legend, valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. while in prison, it is believed that valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'from your valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. although the truth behind the valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. it's no surprise that by the middle ages, valentine was one of the most popular saints in england and france.
are you still reading this? wow....your must be bored.
so, now that i have said that. i am off to make jen dinner. i hope everyone else is having a great day just because it is thursday! if you have a special someone, great! if not go party!
2/12/2002 at 6:59pm
tuesdaysomething came to my mind today. here is the story...
i wanted one of my programmers to expedite a project we are working on. this was fine but he requested payment upfront. so i made a deal that he would start on it and i would deposit money into his account today. i was about to do an online transfer from my bank to his, but it turns out that is not wiring money directly. i'll elaborate. i make the payment, my bank issues a check to my programmers bank, which they then deposit. this is all done via postal mail...last time i checked this is the 21st century, wtf? so i physically made a trip to the bank. i never do that. i love atm machines...they give me money when i ask and they take my money when i want them to. they don't talk to me...in and out...perfect...
so back to my point, or rather my story. i was at the b of a waiting in a line of 8 people. old, young, women, men. then i was suddenly in the front of this line. at the helm, leading the team...ahem...[get a hold of yourself man]...however then it slowed, the people that were currently being helped probably wanted to close their accounts; withdrawal funds from a two signature account without the second signature; wanted their paycheck cashed in brand new crisp 1 dollar bills; simply asked for 500 rolls of pennies; demanded gold coins instead of american currency...something like that, it had to be. 5 minutes passed, the same people were being helped, but my team grew larger. it was us together waiting. i started to hate this. are all these people looking at me, do i belong here, what's wrong with this, should i say something, why am i itching, who's in control!...'stop it!' [did i just say that?] i didn't like being in the front of the line. it wasn't the waiting, that was tolerable. just the fact that i was out there, for all to see. the senior team members as well as the new recruits looked to me. but for what? where they just physically looking because there was nothing else to do? their eyes wandering...looking away as i turned slightly to take a head count. i am delighted i wore pants today.
'may i help who's next?'...ah alas...the words...
i left my team precisely 1 minute 20 seconds later. they will be missed.
2/11/2002 at 3:14pm
mondaya new week already? so fast...i can't say that enough!
found a link about online journals and blogging in this article. dvorak is a pud...he needs to be slapped at least twice per day. his article basically blasted the majority of blogs out there [which there are way too many for me to ever find]. the blogs i do visit are the best ones i have found and read often. other comments he made were just way off. i don't think, nor do i pretend to be, a 'wannabe writer'. he also says that most web bloggers hope to gain popularity and some sort of status. again, i don't fall into that. having a web blog is not an ego boost for me. i enjoy writing little snippets from my life and daily 'goings on'. who cares if no one reads my journal, don't get me wrong i love the fact that you do!. i just enjoy it and i can look back on my past via this journal. it is online because i am more comfortable in front of a computer screen than pen and paper. if people visit my site that is a bonus and i appreciate it. and if you enjoy my photos, or comment on the site, or leave me some thoughts, that is way cool!
the shipping news is taking me a bit longer to read consistently. her style of writing is a small hill i need to roll over. it is a very short, non-subject-centered sentence structure with many commas. it seems like a strange literary way of writing. probably why she won the pulitzer prize. after reading two anne rice books back to back, maybe i started reading this too soon.
2/10/2002 at 5:03pm
sundaylazy sunday...
2/07/2002 at 4:45pm
thursdayi finished reading the tale of the body thief by anne rice. it is the 4th book in the vampire chronicles. she is the one who wrote the book interview with the vampire on which the movie of the same name is based. i have read all 4 books [there are currently 7 total]. i would have to say this is my second favorite from the set. the vampire lestat is still my favorite. i was really absorbed into the book actually caught myself disagreeing with the character and saying aloud 'no, don't do it'....
i have been reading a lot lately. in comparison, to give you an idea of how much i read, i started the the vampire chronicles in late 1995...and i just finished the 4th book...yikes...they aren't huge books either. average 450 pages. so it took me 7 years to read these 4 books?! lame...granted, that is not all i have been reading. i have a number of fiction books with bookmarks still in the first 100 pages never finishing them. last year at this time i was eating up american psycho, but i mostly read technical books. not fun reading.
reading non-technical books is really a relief. i still buy those, i have to really. in fact i just bought a great book for linux users red hat admin handbook, see not fun reading, but it is a great reference book. has helped me out a lot. next in line is completing glamorama and then cracking open the shipping news [a gift from michelle my secret santa. quite a contrast in reading.
in summary, i really enjoy reading now! i find a sense of satisfaction after completing a book. i think i am taking more timeouts from work to enjoy life a little more.
2/06/2002 at 11:28am
wednesdayi have lot of new work that will hopefully happen soon. but it takes some time for the clients to get the ball rolling. so all this new work may not happen right away. the web stuff always takes some time unless it is a facelift of an existing site or a corporation that wants a web presence [they always want it done yesterday]. small companies want to talk it over with the staff, review the templates i have made, etc.
oh well...
so, who wants a funny story? or at least it was a little embarrassing to me. i met a new client yesterday that wanted me to transfer data from his desktop to his laptop. easy enough. once i completed the work i wanted him to review the files to make sure all the info he was transferred. he was busy in another room talking with someone. so to pass the time i began looking around his office. my eyes fell upon a rather large stack of photographs. they were standard 35mm 4x6 prints. stacked on the edge of the desk in a slight jumbled fashion. standing to the side of the stack i grabbed a few with my right hand. i lifted them up a few inches from the stack allowing them to return to the stack as i reviewed them one by one. they were photos of golfing adventures, groupings of people laughing, making silly faces, photos of the sky, the landscape, a thumb. i decided to grab a few more...this time toward the middle. with this cumbersome amount of photos in only one hand, i heard some footsteps coming down the hall so i placed the photos back onto the stack. however, and i am really not sure how this happened but, a group of photos jumped from the stack and toppled from the desk to the floor below scattering about my feet. i freaked, heart punding. i scurried to the floor and snatched up every single photo, taking care not to bend them, but not so careful as to place then right side up. i quickly assembled them in no discernable order and positioned them back on the top of the stack on the desk.
'i just wanted you to go over the laptop and make sure i transferred all the files you needed'...whew...am i sweating?
2/03/2002 at 5:41pm
sundaybeautiful sunday.
i am almost done with reading the tale of the body thief. 90 pages left.
'yard-work sunday'
2/02/2002 at 12:17pm
saturdayfor my birthday jen invited some friends out for sushi. she asked her aunt to drive us to the restaurant in her 65 bentley. very plush ride. we arrived in style...i had a great time and i think everyone else did as well. i just posted the pictures from the event. i was surprised to see some of my friends there. great food and beer. the whole restaurant staff even sung [chanted] their rendition of happy birthday...i think. sushi dinners are always entertaining!
kim and jim are hosting a sushi night at their sandwich shop. not the type of place you would expect to have sushi, but it is a private party after hours. everyone brings a little something and we all roll our own sushi dinners. real fun!
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