Yesteryear

Happy New Years Eve!

Have a wonderful and safe night!
Hugs, squishes and kisses.
See y'all in 2003!
H&M.

Almost

Almost the New Year.
Happy Almost everyone!

.

The Mayfly Project: "Born. Eat. Shag. Die."
sum up your year in 20 words or less.

Turned thirty. Graduated. Found work. Contacted out.
Moved. Lost. Found. Grew. Learned. Laughed.
Was Inspired. Dreamed. Loved Throughout.



Something else I would like to try this year: 101 Things To Do In 1001 Days

A big thank you to Jennifer and Steve for the links.

[Hugin's Turn]
...ahem...
Tried to remember the important things in life, to appreciate them as much as they deserve. Because they are precious.

Birthday Wish

Yes, Hong Kong Movies are so much fun. I want this!!!

Happy Holidays To All And To All A Good Night!

No matter your walk of life, your background or which holiday you choose to celebrate we wish you all a wonderful holiday season. May your holiday be filled with good cheer, laughter and joy. May it be filled with warmth, love and all things magnificent! Our warmest wishes to you all.

Two Towers - Lord of the Changes

So, we watched the Two Towers. Yes, their were changes, and yes, I was expecting them. Did I mind? Mildly. Did I still like the movie, absolutely.

The thing is to take it in stride. After my upset with the changes in the first movie, I still thought it was well done and did what it wanted to do.
The second movie is just that, the second part. It isn't a sequel, or a prequel, or anything other than a continuation of the first, and has to be viewed as such.

I've re-read the series many many many times, and because of that I knew that Peter Jackson would have to change the way in which the Two Towers is presented. The book is too divisive in presentation to be well suited to a movie. The first section being about one part of the now broken fellowship, and the second part being about Frodo and Sam. It can't work, so I expected the change, and was well pleased with the editing between segments. Granted, if you haven't read the book it might get a bit confusing, change to one group here, flashback here, dream there... But I have read the book and I enjoyed it.

My sole two gripes are the following, one a spoiler and one not.

First, the non-spoiler. Too much re-use of the same theme; that which was played for Rohan. It is used in three different songs on the soundtrack and that is too many. Yes, it is beautiful, and unfortunately overdone. I can see what was attempted, to use that melody to tie together several key points in the movie, but it is too strong and overwhelms instead of subtly intoning. Now I'm exaggerating here, but that's how it felt.

Second, the spoiler....

The Fell Riders should NOT have been shown yet. It takes away all of the power behind their introduction in the third book, the sheer power and terror associated with them. Hint at them, sure, but DO NOT SHOW them. We've seen them now, when one strikes we lose the sense of surprise and shock of seeing one in all its hideousness, in all the horror of its evil. Instead of being surprised to finally see one of the beasts that have shrieked from the sky but not been seen, instead of that sense of build-up we are just being shown another beast that will do its thing. "Oh yes, here is one of those..." I am greatly disappointed with that. It is the equivalent to having seen Vader doing his Xmas shopping before being introduced to his menacing figure in the first movie...

[End Spoiler]

But in the overall experience was good. Sure the end of the book was cut off in the movie, probably placed in the third instead (the third movie is going to have to be pretty busy as more than just a bit of the end was cut off... the whole part with "She" was taken out...) It is still gorgeous, it is still fun, it is still a good movie and it looks to be a good series and "translation" from the books.

And I was happy that the friendship between Gimli and Legolas is kept in. To me it is a small but very important part of the books; overcoming racism.

WANTED

Money.

Have happiness and health, would like wealth to go along with that.
This in turn will provide freedom and further happiness as an added bonus.

If seen, please contact urgently as the desire to be united with money is intense.
Thank you for your support.

Don't Bolt your Books!

Got a new book Friday as part of an early Xmas excuse to get a new book, I got one for Munin and Munin got one for me.
I bolted mine. No other way to put it. I devoured it, reading way to quickly that I found myself skipping sections of paragraphs...
Couldn't stop myself, tried to slow down, but like a falling object I just kept on at that terminal velocity, unchecked, unstopped.

Finished, but of course now I need to read it again at a more pedestrian speed in order to catch all the nuances and atmosphere that had previously rushed past my ears, whistling past.

Morale of the story, chew your books more carefully, or be prepared like a literary cow to rechew.

Mind you, I'll enjoy it the next time around, and the time after that too, so no worries.

[Munin ~ whereas, I am still chewing through mine ;)]

Neverwhere

Wonderful things you can sometimes find on Slashdot, I noticed this site that deals with abandoned/disused stations in the London Underground. Too cool. Seems to be a really well done site, makes me want to go wandering even more than ever in London. One day, sooner than later I hope.

Wide-eyed like the one time British Colonial I am.

Movie Night on the bough.

Hugin: feel like watching a movie?
Munin: sure, that would be fun!

10 minutes pass; Munin's [that's me] is still blogging away.
Hugin: you ready yet?
Munin: almost...you?
Hugin: just about.

Hugin continues to play Starfleet Command III, Munin continues typing.
20 minutes pass.
Munin: So you wanna go watch movie?
Hugin: sure...
Munin: mmm'K just give me one more second.

Hugin proceeds to end game, starts looking for stuff online.
The second has now become 300 seconds
Munin: All done.
Hugin: gimme just a sec.

Some days we are just a little too addicted to our 'puters.

Paradise Lost

Apologies to Milton, I just wanted to steal the title.

I was more concerned with the concept of temptation.
Being that this is the Xmas season there will be toys/goodies/...things, which will tempt us.
I recently was tempted and have been resisting with great gusto; until yesterday when it all went pfft and I left a store non-empty-handed.
And I was considering temptation from a purchasing stand point. It is possible to avoid temptation, simply by refraining from entering into situations we know are fraught with danger. For example, don't go to this website, or this one, and certainly don't go here!
But of course this isn't really winning out against temptation, it is taking the possibility of temptation and locking that up in the refrigerator's crisper... or somewhere else that nobody ever looks/goes.
To resist temptation, while still being tempted, that is another thing altogether.
I was tempted and yet still reading reviews/forums etc before I succumbed and picked up the latest Star Trek game. And no, I'm not that great of a Star Trek fan. I loved B5 though.
So, I'm not too sure, seeing as I succumbed, that temptation can be beaten. Perhaps being tempted is already halfway to losing the battle.
Tricky question.
Can we truly resist what it is we truly want?

That Book Thang

Looking at the rate at which the books being read changes, and I was thinking maybe it would be good to have an archived list. Of course then I would know exactly how many time I have re-read a certain book in the last x amount of time, and that might not be good...

Although it would be interesting.

Continental Squirrel

Couldn't think of a better title for this.
I was just struck with the oddity of something I saw on my way to work this morning.
It isn't often you see a squirrel running around with half a loaf of french bread...
About the only way it might have been better would be if it was a croissant and some coffee, mmm, how continental.

2 Cents

Saw James Bond... not in person, in film; was fun, enjoyed it. In a different way from the Bourne Identity, and again different from XXX and once more different from the Transporter, but enjoyed it. Nothing struck me as un-Bond, except perhaps seeing a bit too much blue/green screen. Still, a very nice 20th escapade for Bond. Too bad the original Q couldn't have been there, but it was good to have the reference to him by John Cleese, a la new Q.

In the other cent we have the Diary of Adrian Mole. I wanted to re-read it and Munin picked it up; she commented earlier this evening that it was just like reading a blog. How counter-techno. Shouldn't the reverse be true? But it was still worthy of mentioning.

Hands Down

I know of people who memorize arcade game moves and can throw them out without batting an eye, know the time between moves in fps and can use that to their advantage, but I've never heard of any strategy applied to this game!

LOTR: FOTR Extended Version

I had the good fortune to stumble onto this comic, truly that is what I am talking about.

A moment of adoring oooohing for the greatness of it all.

Oooooooooh, and a gratuitous aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh.

Much Belated Happy Birthday.

Somehow in the middle of everything we managed to forget a birthday. So without further ado, a stupendous Happy Birthday goes out to Quisguillous. Happy Birthday dear friend. It's a week late but the wishes are the same; happiness, love, health and all things wonderful. Now git outtah 'ere and give 'er some love.

Cold Feet/Wet Feet

No, nothing so interesting as to consist of commitment issues or the like; simply my perspective on the recent snowfall - a la yesterday and today. Yes, my take on it is that of cold feet, followed by wet feet. Yesterday it was due to helping a friend move. Today it was from trudging through snow to work, from work to another building which hadn't been plowed. Then marking out the confines that would need plowing...

Cold feet. Just thinking of taking a walk in warm warm water... mmm.

Hollywood Related

A couple of things to mention.

Picked up the Expanded Super Extra Additional Fellowship of the Ring. All I can say is that it is better than the theatrical release. What it adds most of all is byplay; between the members of the Fellowship where it is most important. After all, the story is about inner strength and the bonds between friends. The most important in my opinion being those between Sam and Frodo, and that of Legolas and Gimli. There is much more of course, but those two are great in the books. The dedication, devotion and love that Sam has for Frodo and what their friendship endures during the journey. But more important is the friendship between Legolas and Gimli, between Elf and Dwarf; races that in most stories do not get along. Races that in Tolkien have an animosity and distrust between them. And here are two that become fast friends, sharing their worlds with each other and opening one another's eyes. One of my favourite parts in the books is the gift giving of Galadrial and Gimli, which is not covered at all in the theatrical version. The loss of which I thought made Lorien the worst part of the movie when it could have been one of the most beautiful. The Extended version goes some way to fixing that and leaves in most of what was in the book, modifying it somewhat to my mild dismay in the case of Sam, but otherwise being much more true to the books. I am very happy to have this version and won't bother with getting the theatrical release.

Next, saw Harry Potter today. It reminded me in some ways of watching the first, still very true to the books for the most part, and giving me the feeling of reading the book again. Kenneth Brannagh was great as Gilderoy Lockheart. And I must say that Richard Harris did another wonderful job as Dumbledore, it will be all the more difficult to watch the next movie because of his absence.

As Previously Mentioned

Pretty geeky, playing an ascii game called TOME - Troubles of Middle Earth which fits right in with the previous blog entry.
The wonderful thing about playing the game is finding the special artifacts, such as the Phial of Galadrial... it's like Diablo only better because they are items that I have read about again and again and fit in with all those past imaginings and daydreams.
So just playing a little bit more of the game before watching the second half of Fellowship when my character stumbles across a broken sword... hmm, I think... what the heck, why not? So I pick it up. A few minutes later I have Narsil and I am happy as a clam... a middle earth clam that is. A few moments later, *TADA* and I have Anduril in my posession! Move over Aragorn that's my sword now!

Happy happy joy joy!

My Precious!

It is mine!

Accumulation

Tis the season, and I am not talking about the weather.
So, let's see what is on the list that exists at the top of my head, the tip of my tongue and the 2nd most spots of my heart.

Hmm.

Books:
Paths of the Dead - Finally! December 1st, the continuing dry humour adventures of Khaavren and company.
Issola - Same author, same universe, different main character, been waiting for this one for a while. All I can say is curse the publishing companies that have started issuing hardcover releases followed by trade paperback and leaving my favourite (and least expensive) paperback copies for last!!!
Book of Three - I miss this book from when I was younger.
By Way of Deception - A book written by a one-time member of the Mossad.
The Decisive Battles of the Western World and Their Influence Upon History, Volume 1: From the Earliest Times to the Battle of Lepanto - I had this one, but there was a printing error in it, haven't seen it since, but I don't want it in hardcover!
Achtung-Panzer: The Development of Tank Warfare - Been curious about this one for a while. As he, Patton and Rommel were really the first ones to use the tank in the way advocated earlier by JFC Fuller.
Infantry Attacks - On the same lines as the above book, except written by Rommel earlier about the infantry.

That's all that occur to me, although I would like Memories of Ice when it finally comes out in paperback.

Aside from that it's waiting for Lord of the Rings special super-duper extra pumped up totally full of stuff version that comes out Tuesday. I can already feel the case of the flu that is coming on in expectation of that day... I've heard of 24hr flu, maybe 48hr but FOTR flu?

I've also been considering one of these or the corded version at the very least, in an effort to eliminate the more obvious amounts of Microsoft products on my desk... I have a Logitech keyboard already... and if Linux could run all my games...

In the computer related area...

I am still wanting to get a new system.
Upgrade my older processor to a newer sexier faster one.
Get a motherboard that can handle RAID and slap a few 60gb drives down on it.
Of course then I'd want a rocket for a video card, and I think that would do me, except for the cd burner operating at 48x as opposed to my curren 8x.

Then there are those favourite speakers of mine the Klipsch 5.1, but they are totally out of my range. So they get followed by the equally out of my range Logitech Z-680 speakers, damn nice; gross actually all things considered. But so cool to have THX certified speakers... but I guess I could make do with their younger cousins the Z-560, which have gotten rave reviews for as long as they have been around.

And because I really do want something that will be nice for the neighbours as well, I should get a pair of these headphones. Work great with playing half-life too!

Games:

Would like to try Starfleet Command 3. I liked the other ones... what can I say, it is my sole indiscretion when it comes to Star Trek... ok ok wouldn't mind watching Nemesis either... but first comes Harry Potter, then Bond and then the Two Towers. Well Nemesis is somewhere there...

Pick up line or just good idea

Ok, good reason to live in Australia right now... :D

So... want to shower together? It's for the good of everyone!

All the news...

Found a site called the Daily Rotation that offers headlines from various tech related sites, now I can just pop on there and get my geek fix in one espresso sized swoop.

Anyone know any other equivalents? I started using Google News for the same effect.

Yes, I may be soliciting for more cool geeky websites :)

Random Thoughts

Just a few things that ran through my head while on the subway and having breakfast...

I prefer orange hi-lighters, don't like blue.
[Munin~ whereas I prefer purple hi-lighters, don't like pink]

Civilization is mass transit, culture is offering your seat.

Damn the torpedoes!

So, trying to get Redhat Linux installed at work and configured to connect to the windows domain...

Did I mention my lack of Linux know-how?

Heh, well... at least I'm not alone in this, should be interesting.

[Munin coughs = Must Blog]

Could be bad if that keeps up... at least it isn't Munin Sneezes = Must Blog. There wouldn't be any room for Munin posts!!!

Alright, alright... I was just playing Tome... Not like it is addictive or anything, I'd rate it somewhere between coffee and ... good coffee. Yup, sometimes it isn't the greatest thing, but you still come back for more; much like an all you can eat buffet or something... [sip of coffee]

It's kind of funny I am playing this since evidently Nethack is still going strong. That was one of the originals of this format of gaming, the precursor I assume to Moria, and more updated versions such as Diablo II. Yup, I am playing the equivalent of a DOS game on my computer... a program which would run very well on a phone these days!

Other than that, trying to make a picture look intersting etc in Photoshop, not as easy as it sounds for one of my amateurish abilities in that program... hmm, must look around for interesting stuff online that talks about things that can be done with the program.

Well, back to it.

Apple a Day

They have said that an apple a day will keep the doctor away; perhaps I may draw this out to the situation I find myself in... a blog a day will keep the Munin happy. Yes, perhaps that will do the trick. Or perhaps, a blog a day will keep the Munin healthy.

It has been a while since I have blogged. Call it a combination of factors that have resulted in this; work, games, ennui (not really the last, the word just sprung to mind and I had to give it life), be they as they may the result is crystal clear - Munin is now feeling sick.

Post hoc ergo prompter hoc.
Therefore I blog, so that Munin may be healthy.

Call me a...

5-toed sloth...
I just can't get the gumption to post.
Don't know what it is. Maybe I just haven't seen anything to post about and don't want to rave on and on.
I had written down a couple of cute things to just mention in passing, sort of fortune cookie length blog stuff, but I believe I deleted that "New Text Document.txt" file thinking it was another one. So instead of finding pithy things to post I instead found a list of things to clean up for the housewarming that happened a few weeks back.

BTW: Thanks to everyone who came and those who couldn't but wanted to come.

No more labeling/black permanent marker/lack of label/etc

Finally, a technology aimed at the true computer user.
I'm not talking about someone who can walk you through the method for putting your word document in verdana 16pt with numbered pages on both sides and bullets while blindfolded and using only the keyboard. I'm not talking about the person who by smell alone can tell you what type of heat paste is between your cpu and heatsink. And I'm not referring to the person who can lick the cat5 cable and tell you which mp3 you are currently downloading.

I'm talking about the people who are so in touch with their media that they never label anything.
And this is for them... aka me.

A Word from Munin:

Plea to the Net Powers that Be.

Can I have my Internet access back, please, pretty please? Yes, yes, I know that I am more productive without it, but you see I have this addiction that needs feeding and I just can't go on any longer without a fix. Just a little sampling. [flutters eyelashes] Just a quick jaunt over to a few of my favourite peeks, perhaps a post or two and some email. I promise that I'll be good. I won't stay on for too very long. I won't succumb to any quizzes or memes and when I am done you'll see that I'll be significantly more productive and yes that hungry deranged look should be gone from my eyes.

Anticipation aka Fear

So, we are indeed without internet.
We need to get an ADSL modem as well before we will be back up and running. I've had people recommend trying EBay, but that just sits wrong with me for some reason, perhaps a lack of accountability. So, probably it will be a trip to Microbytes... someplace I have never gone to get anything. But my usual sources don't carry them.

I am somewhat worried what the complete lack of internet access will do to Munin... I have access at work, she doesn't even have that benefit.
I'll have to remember to make sure that during our walks I steer her clear of internet cafes. It wouldn't do to have her salivating on their windows...

Anyways, if I go missing we all know to chalk it up to my being an MIA. Munin's Internet Access victim.

I'll try to blog more later, when my headache clears up.

Getting Laid ... to Rest

Saw this on Neil Gaiman's journal...
As he comments, it isn't as good as if they had hired actual women instead of using an editor to place them in the pictures, but, what are they thinking?!

Die in one of our coffins and you'll get some?
Some strange reference to having a `woody'?
Making being laid to rest more explicit?

Perhaps they are catering to the view of the afterlife containing houris galore...

Yadda

Well, same goes here. I'm pretty much not able to think of anything interesting to say. So I guess I will sum up.

Had a visit from family member, which was very nice. [munin ~ very muchly so!!]
Went to a wedding, a very beautiful day that was. [munin ~ at a loss for words, the wedding was just incredibly amazing]
Apartment still not fixed up, what's done is nice... still.
Sitting on floors hurts after a while.
Cats shouldn't eat string. [munin ~ gods NO!!!]
French fries are really good with mayonnaise and gravy.

Respect

Today puts me in the mind to think about `respect'.
Respect for those who lost their lives a year ago.
Respect for those who lost loved ones a year ago.
Respect for the effort of all those involved in helping those struck by the attack last year.
Respect for people who have lost their lives since.
Respect for people I sit across from on the subway.
Respect for people I walk past on the escalator.

Respect isn't just for the dead, the grieving or your SO's parents.

Respect is what is lacking so much today and that causes so much grief.

Respect for people, sexes, beliefs, thoughts, words.
I'm not trying to confuse respect with agreement.
Not an easy thing respect, especially hard to respect those who have no respect for others.

Well, one letter at a time...

Mis-Fortune Cookie

I always thought that Fortune Cookies always gave good fortunes.

You know, lucky in love/business/cards/etc...

It isn't so.
Here's the one I just got tonight: You would make a good lawyer.

That's just not right...

Water

What is it about baths, showers, etc that provide forums for thought? I mean Socrates had it, I have it...

Thinking some rather heavy thoughts; thoughts about the existance of God, mercy, evolution, existance...
Considering the egocentric perspective inherent in denying the existance of a God because a baby dies. When this occurs all the time in nature by the thousands all the time. As sea turtle young are consumed in the egg, after they hatch, before they even reach the sea... what makes us different? Our capacity to think? Hardly unique I'm afraid. Our capacity for compassion? Again, hardly something someone would consider unique in Man for anyone who has seen the animal mother of a her dead or sick infant...

So why should we assume because some God doesn't reach out a benevolent hand to save each and every one of us that there is no God?
It isn't as if we are the end all of the universe and creation. Without us, the universe may have lost something unique; there is no other race of humanity sprung from this earth. But the universe will go on.

We will be the only ones to lose out on what we might become, what we might evolve into. That is unless we stunt our own evolution, by twisting our environment to suit ourselves. By making it so we never have to change and adapt, because we compel the universe to change to suit us. And in doing so, we kill our own growth, our own future, our own potential. For what kind of evolution takes place in an environment without the need to change? None. Only stagnation exists in such an environment. And death.

In the absence of gravity, our muscles weaken, our bones become more brittle; things we do not need as much diminish.
In the absence of evolution, our race will diminish.

I'm not talking about evolution as in the survival of the fittest, but as in the overcoming of challenges. And overcoming a challenge does not mean taming, twisting, conquering something and bending it to our own will. A person who climbs a mountain, does not `defeat' the mountain.

As it is now, humanity is seeking to demolish the mountain, to put roads on the mountain, to control the mountain. But not to accept the inherent existance of the mountain and live with it.

Humanity needs to climb in order to grow.

Remember when...

Did you ever, on cold cold days, blow out long bursts of breath that fogged out in a gout of warmth and pretend you were a frost dragon? Or a steam dragon? Well, of course I did. And the further out and longer it lasted, well of course that meant the bigger more powerful dragon I was. It was good to practice.

Well, I am now a mage. Equal of Merlin perhaps, able to bring fog and haze and steam enough to blind the unwary... or at least to fill up a bathroom so it is hard to see anything because of all the steam... yes yes... I need more practice.

Abandon all eyesight ye who enter here.

Swimming with the Fishies

2 fish in the morning. 1 fish at night. 1 fish has not become twice as big as in the morning.
No body, no evidence of foul play.

Just one innocent looking fish that refuses to talk even while under the harsh interrogation of the fluorescents...

I think the missing fish might be swimming with the fishies...

er...

Swimming with the people?

Blogging my Indignation

I have just been mildly repremanded by Munin for my eating ways, or lack thereof. I have been told that I have a habit of eating poorly, not eating very often, etc... I have been told that Munin eats better than I do, because of snacking more continuously.

Which is true, generally I will get by with dinner and snacks. When I am being good I would have two meals and snacks. I generally only have breakfast on the weekend... around 2pm... or whenever I am feeling snacky; breakfast is a great meal.

So sitting here, drinking my coffee and being generally reprimanded for not having any breakfast aspirations beyond Capt Crunch and thinking it is nice to have a three day weekend, I am truly a bad bad person.

Munin, finally gets fed up, and being somewhat on the ragged end of paychecks right now figures out what to have for breakfast/food while staying in and heads off.
I remain sitting here, considering my plight and what to do, and wondering what is so wrong with eating `just' breakfast cereal... which I was told was not a `real' breakfast...

A few moments later she comes back and sits down to enjoy a `real' breakfast... Ben and Jerry's coffee ice cream... with a teaspoon.

"It's breakfast, milk and coffee" -Munin

Truly, my breakfast is cheesed.
[coughhypocritecough]

Still, do love the minx.

Munin ~ "Defend Yourself," he says. Well you see. [long pause] umm.... The truth of the matter is [even longer pause] Yes. Well, you see I had had handfuls of dry Captain Crunch this morning while waiting for Hugin to rise from blissful slumber and could not swallow the idea, if you will, of having any more cereal and thought what could be better then milk. Ice cream has milk and other products that are good for you, like well eggs, yes that's it and umm... [vainly attempts to find other good things about having ice cream for breakfast, fails miserably] I never said that there was anything wrong with having 'Captain Crunch' I like my Captain Crunch for breaky honestly I do, i was just feeling the need for someting a little meatier for breakfast, which explains the ice cream.[sigh] Umm, this isn't going very well. Suffice it to say, that I am not the best when it comes to eating properly, either.

Ha! Minx indeed!?! You Rogue!

Hugin ~ Vindicated!

Gecko-man?

Well, spiderman sounds better, but I think I'd rather have these climbing mechanisms of a gecko than a spider.

Of course I'd hate to be doing that Toad thing from Xmen and swinging around by my tongue, so spiderman has that one beat.
And I don't know about the suaveness or sophistication or heck, existence even, of a gecko-sense!

:)

Ow

So, the move went well, more thank you's to everyone who helped; it was wonderful of you all.
But I must say, I am a little sore still... or maybe just stiff muscles.
Doesn't help that the place can be very cold at night, to the point that in the middle of summer I'd probably be wanting to walk around in a sweater. Can probably turn the bathroom floor into a ice rink/cold storage pantry.

But it is nice and spacious. The entry vestebule is as large as the room that we used to use as an office and the bedroom is twice as large as our old one.
It's very hard to hear someone from a room away... so much for holding conversations from one side of the apartment to the other; would need a lot of string and empty cans for that. Although it does seem that if the window to the kitchen is open you could yell to the office window pretty easily, of course you'd be yelling so everyone else could hear where the sugar is kept also...

Munin ~ A very, very BIG THANK YOU to all that helped us move. Without you we'd still be lugging boxes to and fro. Your help was immensely, and muchly appreciated. [mwah~ blows kisses to all that were involved] Now, if y'all excuse me I am going to slather tiger balm on me aching muscles.

BTW, where do we keep the sugar love?

[Hugin: Sugar? Sugar?! We don't need no stinking sugar!... Actually, I have no idea. Um... shoebox? Light fixture? Um... my computer case?]

It is good

It is a good place.
We shall keep it.
Although it will be nicer once everything is done of course.
But it is pretty wonderful indeed to have a place that is just for us to roost. Hugin and Munin with their very own bough on Yggdrasil.

Pre-move Post

So the new place still isn't finished the renovations... kitchen isn't done, no fridge or stove installed, light fixture not installed. None of the light fixtures are installed in any of the rooms yet, bathroom needs to have the tiles rinsed on the walls and bathtub rinsed. Windows need to be secured, electrical outlets need to be updated and capped.

So it will be interesting living there while this is completed. Have to live around a renovations schedule, try to make sure stuff isn't in the way or getting schmutz all over them. Can't really unpack kitchen because it is still being fixed up... not to mention what use are pots, pans, dishes, cups when there is no stove or fridge...

But that's the way it has to be. Pain in the ass and all, but when it's done, it will be all fine and dandy :)

Free Will

I have once again been reminded of the argument that seeing/reading something portraying violence/sex will promote violent/sexual actions of a negative kind. That reading a violent book will make a person more inclined to commit a violent act.

I hate this argument as it denies any personal thought to the actions and places complete blame on the media rather than the individual.

By this reasoning the world should have a lot more Ginsu Knives sitting around in kitchens, and everyone should smell like a perfume factory, etc, etc...
What I am getting at is that advertising is a media which tries to convince us of something, that we want item X, and sure it is successful sometimes. But we have a conscious decision to follow that advertising to its conclusion and go out and pick up that thing we `need' or pick up the phone and order that `turnip twaddler' (apologies to Berke Breathed) or not to follow that advertisement.

In the same way, we have a conscious choice as to whether or not to emulate other media that is put before us. Do we want to join the army because we watched Navy SEALS, or GI Jane depending upon your preferences...?

Do we want to become a musketeer because we read the book (or waited for the movie, but the one with the great lines):
Porthos: Champagne?
Athos: We're in the middle of a chase, Porthos.
Porthos: You're right - something red.
(I love that quote).

Do we want to do serious damage to ourselves because we happened to glance through a copy of the Kama Sutra? .... ok, bad example.

Are computers bad because some people use them to create malicious virii?
Are magnifying glasses bad because some people use them to burn ants?

I remember the big controversy that arose from role-playing games, specifically D&D (which I happen to loathe because I find it too narrow in terms of character creation and atmosphere) which promoted witchcraft and satanism. Or even Harry Potter which promotes witchcraft... all I found they promoted was my imagination and enjoyment of a creative environment. In fact they expanded my horizons because RPGs involved history and that got me reading more of various historical periods.

My point is that everything we experience influences us, but it doesn't take control. To cut out those influences is to eliminate freedom of experience, freedom of choice, freedom of will.

All when the problem is not with the experience, but with the way the experience has been internalized.

"The media is the message" -Marshall McLuhan
Maybe some of us just don't understand the messages correctly.
Is that the fault of the media?

Old Joke

Going through older email today, was reminded of this joke:

Q: How many Christians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Three, but they are really one.

Heh... and here's one for a friend who is studying to be a vet:

Q: How many veterinarians does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Three. One to change the bulb and two more to complain that an MD makes
ten times as much for the same procedure!!

Thank you PVP

Just a random picture of a Panda Attack from PVP.

Sadness

I just read that an aquaintance, through past work and then the kind of casual run ins you have when living in a large city, went missing last month in Whistler and not having been found is presumed dead.

I can't say I know too much about him, I worked with him for a while and he was a very nice guy. He was open, friendly, and a very up person on all occasions that I encountered him.

Walking down the streets I would occasionally think about having met him `in this area' a while back and wonder, as with many past acquaintances, what he was doing and what he was up to.

As whenever this kind of thing happens, it is a tragedy.
I can say no more, other than that the world is a beautiful place, but it can be cruel.
And some places in this city will serve as further reminder of that now.

Had To

I never liked D&D, but I saw the test and had to try it...

I Am A: Chaotic Good Elf Ranger Druid


Alignment:
Chaotic Good characters are independent types with a strong belief in the value of goodness. They have little use for governments and other forces of order, and will generally do their own things, without heed to such groups.


Race:
Elves are the eldest of all races, although they are generally a bit smaller than humans. They are generally well-cultured, artistic, easy-going, and because of their long lives, unconcerned with day-to-day activities that other races frequently concern themselves with. Elves are, effectively, immortal, although they can be killed. After a thousand years or so, they simply pass on to the next plane of existance.


Primary Class:
Rangers are the defenders of nature and the elements. They are in tune with the Earth, and work to keep it safe and healthy.


Secondary Class:
Druids are a special variety of Cleric who serves the Earth, and can call upon the power in the earth to accomplish their goals. They tend to be somewhat fanatical about defending natural settings.

Find out What D&D Character Are You?

Munin: Silliness, what silliness![warm teasing smile] Well if I must, I must. So here goes:

I Am A: Neutral Good Elf Ranger Druid


Alignment:
Neutral Good characters believe in the power of good above all else. They will work to make the world a better place, and will do whatever is necessary to bring that about, whether it goes for or against whatever is considered 'normal'.


Race:
Elves are the eldest of all races, although they are generally a bit smaller than humans. They are generally well-cultured, artistic, easy-going, and because of their long lives, unconcerned with day-to-day activities that other races frequently concern themselves with. Elves are, effectively, immortal, although they can be killed. After a thousand years or so, they simply pass on to the next plane of existance.


Primary Class:
Rangers are the defenders of nature and the elements. They are in tune with the Earth, and work to keep it safe and healthy.


Secondary Class:
Druids are a special variety of Cleric who serves the Earth, and can call upon the power in the earth to accomplish their goals. They tend to be somewhat fanatical about defending natural settings.


Deity:
Mielikki is the Neutral Good goddess of the forest and autumn. She is also known as the Lady of the Forest, and is the Patron of Rangers. Her followers are devoted to nature, and believe in the positive and outreaching elements of it. They use light armor, and a variety of weapons suitable for hunting, which they are quite skilled at. Mielikki's symbol is a unicorn head.


Find out What D&D Character Are You?

Computer

So, I am constantly thinking about a new computer; watching as new components come out making my system more and more and more outdated than it already was when I bought it.

Watching as my video card gets progressively more gray hair.
My cdrw just doesn't turn as fast as these newer generation cdrws.

Heck, the only thing that can really cut the mustard on my system is the floppy... you know, that thing on the front with the slot... yeah... umm, you put floppy disks in it... no no, not micro-cds... um... never mind... sigh.

Anyways, I keep delaying getting a new one because as soon as you do, poof, it's out of date too.
I see the new 48x cd writer, the 200Gb hard drives, the nice 22" monitors...
I drool over the thought of deafening myself with THX certified 5 piece speaker sets.
And video cards powerful enough to not just display at greater than 1024x768 resolution, but to enable software (games) to display at speed in 1600x1200 resolution... re: drooling.

And then I remember, soon to come out are the next generation video cards from the major companies. And new processors, new hard drives with bigger and faster whatsits... I get dejected.

That's when I saw this!
It fills me with joy and happiness.
Enjoy.

Geekhood

Thanks to being seen on Fox's site. I present my geek level and a complaint that it is so low. I think I should get bonus marks for complaining and posting about it...

You are 50% geek

Take the Polygeek Quiz at Thudfactor.com

Munin ~ Not wanting to be out geeked by Hugin [blows kisses in Hugin's general direction], I just had to follow suite,

You are 53% geek

Bottom Dweller

Thought I'd try a humourous title for this post.

Found a place that has an Eames armchair and ottoman.
Those who watched Frasier may recognize this as the chair that sat unused in Frasier's apartment, near to the balcony.

It's a wonderful chair, and today I sat in it. And it was wonderful, subtle comfortableness. Just so pleasing, my back was floating on cloud 9.
Yes, yum.

I want 2.

Another Day Another Special Day

Happy Birthday Sis.
May your years be grand and happy making and bring you all the best.
Wish I was there to say it in person.

Sign

There is a sign on the door next to where I live. It says, `pas de colporteur' and whenever I see this I cannot help but think that I should not sing "Let's Do It, Let's Fall In Love" while on the porch.

Maybe I'll just hum a little.

Just One Thing

I must say that as annoying as it can be for someone to talk about something they do not know, there is a possible contender for the throne. People who repeat the one thing they do know about something.

They interject this piece of information while you are trying to find something else out. You acknowledge what they say and try to continue. When a break comes in the flow of information, say about 10 seconds later, they repeat the bit of information. Slightly less enthusiastically you again acknowledge what they say as being true, and continue to confer with another person. After restraining themself and finding the intervening conversation rather confusing, say about 20 seconds later... yes, they interject with their one piece of information again.

"... yes. Thank you..."

Hmm

If it rains in the forest and nobody is there does anybody get wet?

...
Three cheers for a break in the weather.

Pathetic Looking Thing

A laser mouse on it's back is a terrible thing to see.
Wobbling back and forth, the little red laser trying to detect a surface, any surface...
Unable to right itself.

It's just nature's way.
We musn't interfere.

... where's that damn windows key?

Oh nuts to it [Turns mouse over]
There... as nature intended.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday dear Awe-C-Boy.
Wishing you a wonderful stupendous Happy Birthday!

He is turning 28 today [he being in Oz land, it is currently August 1] and is thus no longer three years younger then I! [tee hee] So how does it feel dear lad? Feeling any older [poke] Hmm, nope you still feel like 27 year old. We'll have to give it a couple of days.
Go give the boy some love.

Thank You All

For your best wishes to Munin.
They made Munin very very happy.

For that, I thank you all very very much.

[Munin ~ thank you all so very kindly.]

Jeeves Addendum

Of course there is a corresponding misery to be had along with the elation of finding the seasons on DVD; the misery of not being able to gather them all up in my arms and walk out of the store with them...

Tragedy really.

Bordering on mythic in proportions...

Up there with the fall of Troy, the collapse of the Roman Empire... and over use of blue eyeshadow.

The Day! !

Today's the day!
Happy Birthday Munin.
Many many happy returns and a long life in which each and every day brings you happiness.

Mentioned!

Jeez, or should I say Jeeves?!
Either way, I forgot to mention in my excitement and joy that I have found Jeeves and Wooster on DVD!
Yes, for those of you familiar with it, I have seen seasons 1, 2 and 3 on DVD, oh it is glorious glorious and ever glorious!

For those of you who do not know of Jeeves and Wooster, but enjoy English humour...
Where have you been?! What have you been watching?! And here is a good but short summation as to what it is about.
And here's the description from Barnes and Noble.

Very good sir.

1 Day! "

"One Dayyyyy, over the hilllll... way up high!"
Well, not really and nowhere close to being over any hills or dales or small overpasses either!

But it is now only ONE DAY from MUNIN 3.0
ONE DAY until the best gets even better.
ONE DAY until real maturity sets in! Or maybe just arthritis... something like that ;)
ONE DAY until Munin gets to open prezzies... shhhhh...

3 Days

Holy Smokers! That's soon!

Munin 3.0 is soon to be upon us. So let us all take a moment to reflect on what Munin 2.9 has meant to us... Hmm. Ah. Mmm.

Thank you for your kind consideration.

Do be aware that the transition period during which the beta version of 3.0 is active could be difficult, we thank you for your understanding.

4 Days ...

... and counting to Munin 3.0!

Featuring Improved Wisdom.
Increased Senility.
Greater chances of drooling.

Yes, all available in one great package!

Funnier Matters

I had a strange dream, and it spawned the following thought combination: Steve Irwin & Mover.

Yes, a new television show in which The Crocodile Hunter tangles with various moving situations.

"Crikey! This old stove is grumpy!"
"I've got to watch my step, one cut from these kitchen utensils and I could bleed out and die!"

"Steve has been moving sofas since he was a kid, you should never try to move a sofa the way he does."

I'm just not well.

Condemnation

So, I glanced at a headline today and saw "World Condemns Israeli Attack". Yet, it struck me that whenever there is a suicide bomber attack the paper tends to be straight foward in it's statement of "Another suicide bombing" or the like.

Now it seems to me that the world should be condemning suicide bombings, especially after 9/11, how can anyone look so passively at this form of terrorism? I just don't understand it. Yes, some of the consequences to Israeli attacks are horrible, innocent casualties always are, but I think the major difference here is that suicide bombers virtually always target innocents, whereas the Israeli forces tend to have specific military targets in mind with civilians getting caught in the crossfire. Even if you question the veracity of this statement, when was the last time a suicide bomber attempted to target a valid military target?

When America was attacked by a suicide bomber, America went to war. When Israel is attacked by a suicide bomber, the world condemns any Israeli retaliation.

To give an analogy to the way I see things. If the United States suffered repeated suicide bombings that emerged from a group of people situated inside the USA, they would go in and take out whoever was causing the problem. Period. Yes, there would be news coverage. Would anyone say that the United States should back down? Would the USA listen if anyone did say that?

The victims of the Oklahoma bombing were pretty clear on their feelings towards the bomber. It seems pretty clear how the USA feels about 9/11.

There are differences between these events and the situation in Israel that's true.
But the victims are still innocent people.
And the hostility of the world to any reaction by Israel is hypocritical at best in my opinion.

I just don't understand the hypocrisy.

5 Days

And counting...
That's right, just 5 days until... Munin 3.0!

Note: Decimal place may not be included in actual model.

[Munin - EEEEEEEP! Five days? It can't be five days!!! As for the 3.0 I refuse to acknowledge any number above 2.9, though some days that number is more like 1.6.]

Happy

I am happy to see that Steven Brust's continuation to Phoenix Guards and Five Hundred Years After is finally coming about.
It's to be a trilogy, within a trilogy. The first book, Paths of the Dead is due out in hardcover before the end of the year! YAY!

In less happy news, I still have not found any indication that Issola, the latest book in the Vlad Taltos series is coming to paperback. Nothing. And it came out in hardcover last year... what's going on with that? It's driving me batty. I felt it took long enough for Dragon to make it to paperback, but this seems to be taking forever!

Ishmael

I finished reading it last week actually, but haven't been sure what I should write about it.
In intent it is a good book. In writing it is captivating.
Some of it deals with things we all know. Harming the planet, abusing nature, destroying planet earth.
And that's a good message.
Some of what I found more interesting was later on as the narrative delves into the history behind why we find ourselves in this situation.
That was the good stuff.

I'm curious to read more, worried that the author could slip into repetitiveness based on the theme, but still interested.
I would recommend that people read it, because of the message is one that should be thought about, and mulled over and considered and spread.

It's Ours!

You can't have it... you can look... well, once we get pictures, but until then...
It's Ours!!!

Bureaucrats

I was just told again that I should work 9am - 6pm... the job I do basically starts at around noon to 2pm depending upon the load.
I used to come in later, based on this workload and the fact that I don't take time off for lunch.
So instead I was told to come in earlier, and take a lunch. Whoopee... what an idiotic thing to do.
Ostensibly it is `just in case' someone needs to ask me something... but realistically that happens next to rarely on the border of sometimes but not often.

So I've been coming in at 9:30am, and it hasn't come up. But once again I'm being asked to come in at 9am so I can do the 8hr day with 1hr for lunch.
I hate that time schedule, I always have.
The work gets done, it gets done quickly, but that isn't what counts, what counts is that a clock synchs with my name on it.

Sometimes business really doesn't make sense. It imposes these things for no other reason than that is the way it is done.

I feel like watching Office Space again...
Sure, it isn't a big deal, it's not the shirt off my back, although with what I'm being paid it might as well be...
But that's not the point.
I'm talking about small mindedness, a lack of understanding about productivity. This is the kind of mentality that sees people as being productive every 40hrs of the week, just because they have a lunch hour and work steady hours. That's such garbage. People work at varying levels and in different ways.

Right now, the way I'm working is doing great, stuff is being done as it should be, quickly and effectively.
But I guess I am just missing the point.

Hurrah!

Yay, Munin just told me that we are signing the lease on our new place this Thursday! This is great!
Sure, it's a little pricey, but it's roomy for the two of us (plus cat and aquarium); but it is also going to be wonderfully renovated for when we move in.

Having lived in some albeit nice places in the past, most have had older white cupboards that have existed as is since I was born no doubt... and moving in has always involved more scrubbing in areas with more life than exists in some refrigerators! Well, I exaggerate, they have been ok, just a little old and used.

No more of that!
Nice nice new place!

Munin ~ though our potential landlord has now set a date and time with us to sign the lease, I am still a nervous worry wart.I think I will stop worrying about if we got the place or not when we actually sign the thing.

If they found life.

I've been reading Ishmael, thanks to an earlier suggested reading. It's pretty straight forward so far, but well written and captivating (excuse the pun for those who have read it).

And I saw a comment on Slashdot about life on other planets. I was just struck by the thought of us finding micro-organisms somewhere off planet. What would we do with them? Well, we'd bring them back to Earth of course, to study etc.

The similarity to this concept with the European introduction of disease to North America struck me, and I wondered if it wasn't just a wonderful mechanism of Mother Nature's for keeping a species within natural limits. A sort of trump card for a species that seeks to expand beyond its own boundaries before coming to terms with itself.

Ridiculous perhaps, but as has been pointed out before, we search for extra-terrestrial life, but what will we do when we find it? There are probably government 3-ring binders devoted to the subject, kept locked up in some safe somewhere to be exhumed when required...

Humanity gives me the picture of a self-proclaimed omnipotent being that considers itself all knowing but is not omniscient; flailing powers beyond its own understanding with consequences beyond its imagination.

Whoops

I forgot to take the cellphone with me this morning, Munin isn't going to be happy not being able to reach me...
Sorry! I meant to grab it, really I did...

I could pretend to have a conversation with Munin...
H: Yellow? (That's how I answer a phone)
M: Hello!
H: Hello!
M: How are you?
H: Ok, and you?
M: Stressed!
H: Don't be stressed!
M: Can't help it.
H: Well, ok, hug!
M: Thank you.
H: What do you want to do for dinner? Ha! I asked first.
M: Don't know. What do you want to do?
H: Don't know either...
M: How's your day?
H: Ok, yours?
M: Busy.
H: Mmm. Well, think about what to do for dinner, I'll talk to you later.
M: Ok.
H: Buh-bye.
M: Love you bye.
H: Love you!
- click -

There... a simple example of a phone conversation, not as exact as it could be, but not bad, touching on some key elements... I left out the part about the monkeys taking over the world and our secret refuge, but other than that...

In Deference

Well, because Munin is cut off, I shall post this little thing that I found wonderful.
I must preface this with my enjoyment of simple pleasures and try not to consider the consequences for those who believe that comment about small minds...

I was just looking at Neil Gaiman's site redesign and enjoying the appearance of his desk, it is just wonderful to see it and see him working there in such a comfortable environment. An environment which I am familiar with by comparison to my own computer work area... What is it about desks, tables, night stands, and other horizontally open areas that draw piles of whatever have you? And are they more conducive to whatever it is that you do with those spaces?

I think the only place where it really would be a drawback is the kitchen, nothing more annoying than trying to work in the kitchen with no counter space available.

Should mention.

I really should mention the strange sky that covered the city on Sunday. It was freaky.
It reminded me of nothing less than a rendering problem on a video game because of the combination unreality (aka strangeness) and strangeness (aka unreality)...

There, I mentioned it... boy was it wierd.

Best

Best of Days Munin, on the first day of your new job.
You're wonderful as always.

That's a Wrap

Well, after years of being wrapped around my head at various frequencies and angles aside from the norm, my glasses finally decided they were too stressed to continue a normal existance.
So saying, they took the path of least resistance and snapped at the arm screw.
It is rather difficult to wear them with tape holding that as they tend to slowly expand at an ever increasing angle at that location, which leads the glasses to slowly change angle on my head and give me a mild headache. This requires me to fix them so they last for another couple minutes.

Argh!

Heat

Heat leads to sweat, sweat leads to stickiness, stickiness leads to grumpiness, grumpiness leads to the dark side.

Lack

Sorry for the lack of posts... not sure why that is, maybe it's the nice weather after Munin's dad's visit that has just carried our lack of posting along in an inertial way.
Things go on, went out with some friends to see the Bourne Identity. Some nice actions sequences, some humourous little one liners that I related to Bond and Run Lola Run.
Enjoyable little movie.

Now I'm just waiting for MIB2, LOTR, and... hmm... Harry Potter, although that's been rather hush hush. Oh yes, Triple X! That looks like very good cheesy action.
Well, that's enough from me for now.
Cheers!

It Will All Be fine

It Will All

Be fine dear Munin.

For Munin and Munin's Little

This news.

Cheers.

Jolly Ole England.

Jolly Ole

England.

In Regards

I found my link to the older article on the NYT for the house I posted about earlier. I don't know if it will be accepted or not, and of course the NYT has their sign-up thing for viewing articles...
Oh well, here, it is.

Absence

Hope everyone will excuse the laxity of posting, but Munin is very busy spending quality time with her Da.
It's very nice to do so.
Had a quite enjoyable time walking around and finally sitting ourselves down and having some Scotch.
Tasted a little of this and that.
I believe the list was:
Glenmorangie Sherry Cask
Glenlivet 18
Glengoyne 17
Glenmorangie 18
Glenfarclas 21
A fine experience with wonderful conversation, if a little hard to be understood due to the overly loud music...

I do find that to be the most annoying thing. Loud music to the point that you have to yell and set your nose about an inch from someone's ear to be heard in a vague way.
Why do they do that?! I certainly don't find it an enjoyable aspect of the experience. A little background music is nice, enjoyable, relaxing...

But with that little rant aside, three cheers for everything and continued looking forward to more such enjoyable escapades. Pip pip, pip pip, pip pip.

Homes

Something about open spaces and wood in homes that is really beautiful.
I'm talking really high ceilings, and wood so beautiful that it makes you weep inside with it.

I saw an article on a home a while back in the NYT that dealt with a home that had a metal exterior. The exterior was allowed to rust and now appears much like wood. It's the Island House found here. Also here a several other places that while perhaps a bit uncomfortable looking outside, are inside just wonderful uses of form and materials.

I want one... two. Definitely a few.

Hello

I'm filling in for Munin, so that means I should start with a spot of posting.
Tada!

Thank you, thank you. You're all very kind.

Let me first pass on my congrats to my dear Munin for her graduation tonight, well done -superbighug-
I'm proud of her hard work and perseverence in the face of strong procrastination instincts.

Secondly... TOGA TOGA... oh, sorry, slipped way back into the silver screen. Sometimes painful, sometimes enjoyable, but definitely an experience.

Thirdly, welcome to Munin's Da. It's a pleasure to finally get to meet him, although I think it would have been more fun to do so in England. However, the grass is always greener and all that.

Finally, a word from our sponsor.

"You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means." - Inigo

H.F.D.

To be precise, Happy Father's Day.
I'd send a bottle of Green Chartreuse, but that's already been upped by my other sibling's prior efforts in that direction.
Hmm, there's a nice scotch bar up here to visit...

Well, however, whenever, whatever, happy dad's day, dad.

Started

I started writing a quick little comment in response to the one left by KD regarding Linux, and found myself writing a novel. So I decided to post it in full.

Mmm, Linux.
I keep meaning to jump MS Ship and do that great Linux thing. I've tried it before (had problems getting my DSL to work) before abandoning it.

But I am consistently tempted by Linux. I would like to try Red Hat or Mandrake again.

My reservations are the following:

a) I am a comfortable dos user, when something goes wrong, I know where I am in dos. In Linux, the structure of the Unix background messes me up. I feel lost, and that makes me uncomfortable, and I don't like that feeling. Although I know if I have to, I can learn it without problem. It's just been a long time indoctrinated in dos.

b) I like gaming, and it used to be at least that gaming in Linux was a difficult proposition. What with DirectX requirements, etc.

c) While I like the concept of rebuilding the kernel, I seem to remember that a great deal of tweaking Linux to make it work with non-Linux stuff, etc, required too much of it. Reminding me very much of a pyramid, in that if you want to change something about it, you have to rebuild it from the inside out. It just seemed a little too intensive for what I would want to do.

And yet still I am tempted. Why? Because MS is often rather dumb. And the direction they are taking with their OS and licensing is further proof of it. When they are in a situation in which they need more support from users, due to the potential consequences of the anti-trust situation, they are alienating companies and individuals with their pain in the butt licensing. That kind of thinking is just top notch idiocy. Plus the holes and problems and errors that they have with their software and the time it takes to fix is plain scary.

So it comes down to working with something that breaks occasionally but that I can usually fix or using an OS which I would prefer to use, but don't know how to use most of it (I remember looking at the vast array of stuff that came with Mandrake 6 and being totally lost as to what 70% of it did!) and when it breaks being totally flummoxed!

So far dealing with the comfort zone is working. But I know there will come a point when it won't make sense to continue in that way. I am already using Windows 2000 Pro as opposed to looking at XP, and the way things are going I doubt I will switch to whatever their next incarnation closer to looking like a MacOS...

But what it means is that at some point I will switch. I prefer open source conceptually. It is a very ideal way of working, and should be supported so that it will remain successful and so more companies will have to take it into consideration when they produce software.

Change will happen. I just wonder how my Microsoft Intellimouse will react to being used in Linux...

Another Reason

And as always Microsoft continues to provide reason after reason for why people really shouldn't use their stuff...
And why open source is so much more impressive.

"Microsoft's time to patch a remote hole where the attacker can gain complete access to your computer: two months. Open Source's time to patch a much less serious bug where the attacker can merely crash your computer: three days." - Seen on Slashdot

A Little Game

Let's all play a little game, it's called name that date.

06/07/2002

Quick now, which is it the 6th of July or the 7th of June?
I've always detested this kind of thing.

Sure, if you write down, July 6/2002. No problems.
Of course if you actually then find out it is June 7/2002, that could be annoying.

So I have to ask, why, other than in keeping with the more verbose dating system, would you put the month followed by the day and then the year?
Doesn't it make more sense to do an ascending timescale? Day then month and then year. Seems right to me...

Does that make me a freak?
Or just an abuser of dates...

From the Past

Oh my! I used to play a game called Shmoo (or something like that) which simply involved lobbing mud splats in a text environment at a Shmoo who was doing the same to you. Direction, force, etc. Home in and fire. It was fun.

Then came Scorched Earth. A great great game. That had storms of multiplayer fun written all over it. Different munitions, wind, variable options for the sides of the screen, it had it all.

Now it seems there is the next step in having it all: Moonbase Commander.

I wonder if it will be my friend...

MozBlog
Well, it would seem that I can now post using the built in add-on to Mozilla...
all that mindless energy previously wasted having to find, click and enter
silly password information over and over again when I had a thought - gone!
POOF! Now I just need to open the little writing area, and away she blogs!

Munin will be happy with this... envious, but happy.Just need to find out
why it won't publicize...

Not Perfect

Well, it isn't perfect yet. But I am temporarily content and more to the point, posting about 1000x more frequently than normal. So that might be something worth blogging about.

Hmm

Giving Mozilla a try now that it is 1.0
Noticing a few odd things, but don't have much time to play around and see what is causing them... Have to get that java stuff, maybe that will make the difference.

As can be seen from the usage of the word `stuff', I get very `technical' when I am busy...

Personality = Crazy

Alright, now I'm just going personality test crazy... Hmm, odd none of these say I am obsessive...

a) MASTERMIND
(Submissive Introvert Abstract Thinker )

b) I took a color test here... didn't much care for it. So I won't bother with the results.

c) Another longer Jung test said I am INTJ... I can handle some of that.

I'm me, that's all there is to it.

A Classic

One of my favourite older movies is 12 Angry Men. Sure, I love a lot of Hepburn (Philadelphia Story), Bogart (Casablanca), Stewart (Harvey), Grant (To Catch a Thief) movies, but another movie I remember only a little bit, but enjoyed was the Hustler. I didn't realize it was an acclaimed movie with Oscar nominations and wins... but I really enjoyed watching it, so much that I made a point of watching the Colour of Money. You may notice that there is no hyperlink to that film, because I didn't like it.

Anyways, felt I had to mention the movie since it just came out on DVD.

Now if only they came out with a wicked Snooker movie! They could put a snooker table in a cage and then...

An old favourite

I was reminded of this site for no other reason than watching Spiderman and seeing the bookcover for his enjoyable book.

Which also reminds me, anyone have any thoughts, experiences with Oakley sunglasses?

I LIVE!!! [cough cough wheeze]

- Hugin's Computer

Try it = fun

www.kartoo.com

Happy Day Munin.

Happy Day Munin.
Happy Times, Happy Ways.
And many more to come.

[[Munin: To you beloved I wish the same, to many more happy days, years and moments to come]]

I suppose

Seeing this makes me think of the old dig about finishing your vegetables before you get dessert, or having to clean your room or no t.v...

Well, see for yourself.

Bell Sympatico

Well, they have done something now to once again get the ADSL community upset with them, not an unusual occurance I must say. But now they are imposing a bandwidth cap of 5Gb up or down and are charging for anything over. In such a day and age that seems to be moving backwards. In the era of the internet for a broadband service it seems to be like giving a baby candy and slapping the baby whenever they take too many licks.

I think this is the one that breaks the camel's back though. I found some of the other things they did to be annoying, but not destructive, this time it is. Time to look elsewhere, sure the other companies have to use the Bell system in order to provide their DSL, but it doesn't mean they will be quite as foolish about how they do it.

There are few situations I have seen personally that seem intentionally designed to drive a client base away, this is one of them.

Just In

I was just reading Neil Gaiman's journal and he mentioned seeing Spider-man (YAY!) and then having previously seen a double bill at the drive-in of Men in Black and the Fifth Element. Now I don't know of a drive-in that's playing those, so the next best thing will have to be my grabbing those movies off the shelf near the tv and enjoying the cheese!

MIB2 looks like it will be just as wonderfully cheesy as the first one. And I hope the DVD extras end up being as good also.
As for the Fifth Element, that movie was just such a blast to watch!

Forget Brie and Gouda, or Ementhal and the rest, because, yes, my favourite make of cheese comes from Hollywood.

Days Late

Better late than never, !!YAY!! for Emily Procter's character that was first seen on last week's C.S.I.

No Cubicles Thanks!

After reading this:

The average office desk harbors 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat, according to a new University of Arizona study.

I do believe I shall be moving my workspace into the bathroom.
Perhaps the Fonz wasn't so crazy when he had his `office' in the men's room...

Munin

Good work.
I am proud of you.
Especially for only procrastinating somewhat :) As is right and proper.
After all, if it wasn't for procrastination, things would never get done ;)

Box Office

So after seeing the $114Million weekend opening that Spiderman had, Munin and I were discussing whether records were kept which accounted for inflation etc. So this link contains something like that, although not updated for opening weekends yet it seems...

Here

If I had a penny for every dollar Microsoft has available in liquid assets...

Well, you do the math. According to CNN:

At the end of last year, according to the company's most recent filings, its cash (and short-term investments that can be converted to cash in less than a year) totaled a whopping $38.2 billion. The Microsoft juggernaut continues to generate another $1 billion a month, putting the total cash today well above $40 billion.

This is a mind-bogglingly large pile of dough. No other nonfinancial firm has more liquid money at its disposal, and only a handful of banks do. It's more cash than Ford, ExxonMobil and Wal-Mart have combined, and nearly four times as much as Intel, the tech company with the next largest cash balance. It is enough to buy the entire airline industry -- twice. Or all the gold in Fort Knox, four times over. It is enough to buy 23 space shuttles or every major professional baseball, basketball, football and hockey team in America.

Hmm, the mind boggles.
Hmm, I like boggle!

Lack of Posting? Ha!

So, I'll start with this. Munin says I don't post a lot, and admittedly when we started if you did a search for Hugin on Google, I was in 6th. I have since moved up to the illustrious and very lucky number 5! So there!!!! I am a posting machine! I am the poster child for posting. If there was a stamp for people who post under the name of Hugin, the back of my head would be licked!

In other news, and I suppose I really should have been listening to it while I posted, I started listening to music from the official soundtrack for a playstation game. Strange? Maybe, but heck, no stranger than the fact that there is an OST for it! Good game though, some nice music - it's Chrono Cross in case anyone is curious. Hmm, maybe I should start streaming music off the website... nah, too much bandwidth. But it's something to look at if anyone is interested, one of my faves is used in the intro sequence to the game and is entitled Time's Scar. I'd post a link to the intro, but never found one I liked that didn't take forever and a half to download. So... best of luck and hope you enjoy should you seek to find and hear.

Hooplah

There's a lot of hooplah about ergonomics when it comes to the work environment and computers, but what about in the home? What about where the toilet roll dispenser is placed? It's always in a ridiculous place compared to where it is needed, that you have to be an olympic class gymnast or circus class contortionist to get to it. That can't be good for the average individual.

So of course you don't use it, and that's when cats that jump onto counter-tops and are also clumsy have this wonderful habit of playing basketball with the articles available... Toilet roll, toilet... be one. [splash]

Even without coffee.

Snuggling in the morning and watching a cooking show with Munin. Very very most wonderful.

Especially knowing coffee can be had later ;)

Wiped Right Out

Do a few things during the course of the day that you've never done before and it'll wipe you right out.
Before anyone gets the wrong idea about what I'm talking about, I was referring to computer related activities.
Had a chance to play around and set some things up that I hadn't before, easy, enjoyable, satisfying... hmm, maybe I am talking about something in euphamisms...
And conked out at around 8pm!
Crazy, maybe I'm just old.

Heck, at that rate if I joined the army and did a few impossible things before breakfast, I'd be passed out an hour later!

Back to the mundane; I get to spend more time awake with Munin that way.

Livebearing fish should be taught about responsibility and parenthood. Sure I suppose there is something to be said for having your baby fish and eating them too, but... 4 more baby fish! The adults are having fun and then eating the evidence, I saw one chasing a teeny little baby around - my first thought was that it was chasing food, but then I reconsidered when the food deked...

So, proper sex education for livebearing fish and proper parenthood techniques that don't involve eating offspring. That's the plan. Evidently it is a little slow in catchin