Thoughts of Mark

2011-10-13T19:02:00.001-06:00

Well, that's good.

My good friend Steve has volunteered to help with my other blog. Well, one of the other blogs.

Now if I can find someone to do my Spanish homework for me.

2011-10-09T19:12:00.000-06:00

Good morning!

I am looking for a co-author or contributor to my blog on the notable residents of the Salt Lake City Cemetery. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, please drop me a line.

2011-03-26T16:22:00.001-06:00

Ides of Madness

I have a strange habit of tacking whatever project I am tackling on my wall. March brings us this:

My March is filled with brackets. I'm mocking up a new family tree poster (with new nephews and corrected dates - turns out I didn't have an ancestor end up in the US Virgin Islands) to print. I'm also religiously following my March Madness bracket. As you can see, it is going a bit better than last year, but I've still got a few more games to have it all come crashing down.

I'm also in the process of scanning photos from my grandfather's photo albums for a smugmug website. I lost my Grandpa Hatch a few months ago. Rather than see the family photos get divided up, stuck in shoeboxes and lost for decades, I'm preserving the albums online before we make actual prints disappear in someone's attic. I've always had a fondness for the Grandfolks, so this seems like a good way to honor them. I'd hope they would approve.

Last note, I've lost about 5 pounds, but I haven't been trying as hard as I should have been.

2010-12-31T18:20:00.001-07:00

Happy New Years!

I am a firm believer that the new years resolutions need to be made on one's birthday. It's a new year for you.

But aside from that, I'm resolving to drop some pounds. I want weigh 180 in 180 days. It's doable. It does mean that I need to lay off the sodas, which has always been a challenge. I like the caffeine, the sugar and the way they taste. Hooked? Assuredly. Can I quit for 180 days? Likely.

The trouble is when I quit cold turkey, I frequently fail and then I am binge-ing until I start over. So this time it will be quitting, but a smarter, controlled quit. Wish me luck with this!

I've also got some educational goals, but I'm superstitious, so I'm not talking about it as I don't want to jinx myself.

2010-12-22T23:04:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas, everyone!

2010-12-11T00:02:00.001-07:00

Flashback to October 2006. I invented the Thingamajig candy bar.

Hershey's has just ripped me off. I found a Thingamajig in the local Sev.

Seriously? What up with that.

2010-12-07T23:41:00.001-07:00

Speaking of Amos, here is an introduction of the man.

2010-12-07T23:16:00.004-07:00

Seeking Wealtha

This is Wealtha Bradford Hatch. She is my 4th great grandmother. She was born in November 1804 and died in 1841, a day before her 37th birthday. She is also the 3rd great granddaughter of Plymouth Colony Governor William Bradford. She was about 5'7", slender, and had brown hair and blue eyes.

She married Ira Stearns Hatch and the first of my Hatch ancestors to be converted to Mormonism. After moving to Illinois with her family. After living there with her family for a short time, she got cholera and died.

Fast forward to 1981. Amos C. Hatch (my great-grandfather) aka, "Famous Amos" and "The Potter of Parowan", travels to Blandinsville, Illinois to research where Wealtha is buried. His research began with a letter to Orrin Hatch, the US Senator from Utah to see if Senator Hatch had any information in his possession or if he knew of any family members who had researched the Hatch lands in the Illinois area. Grandpa Amos's research uncovers where the Hatch family lived in Illinois and he visited the area, taking pictures and making meticulous notes on maps.

He discovers a story of a skeleton that was found when a road crew was working on widening or surfacing a road in that area back in the 1920's or 30's. They moved the skeleton across the road from where they found it and re-buried it in a field. Grandpa Amos went to where the locals remembered the event was supposed to have taken place.

Amos passed away before he was able to continue his research. His son, Oleen acquired his research notes and they were stored with his photo albums and other family heirlooms. After Oleen published the family history in what the family calls "The Red Book", the collection goes in a box and back into storage.

Forward to 1999. Another Hatch relative gets a copy of the letter Amos wrote to Orrin and begins the quest for Wealtha anew, traveling to the area and talking to the same family Amos spoke to. However, the research stopped short when he was unable to find the photographs Amos had taken while there in 1981.

Forward to 2009. I was visiting Oleen's daughter to find more information about my family history and to go through the box of pictures in Oleen's collection. As I was leaving, she hands me an envelope to take with me and do some homework with. Inside were some letters from a family in Illinois and some Polaroids of fields in their area. I didn't know what to do with it at the time, so I put them in a safe place as a curiosity and didn't think much more about it.

Forward to 2010. I am doing some researches on Wealtha's life and the rest of my ancestors story to make a small booklet for my Mom for a Christmas gift (don't tell her!). An internet search located the 1999 notes of the other Hatch relative. As I read, I became concerned that my 4th great grandmother might be buried in some field in an umarked makeshift grave. The relative desired to bring Wealtha to Utah and have her re-interned in the Bountiful Cemetery with her husband and the rest of her family.

As I read, it dawned on me that I just might have the key to the whole thing. I dug out the envelope and took a look at the pictures, letters and map with fresh eyes. I about know the acre where she might be.

I am in contact with this relative and an emailing scans of the pictures to him. With these pictures and his own research experience, we just might find a final home Wealtha. I'll keep this blog posted if anything develops.

2010-11-22T23:52:00.001-07:00

Christmas Cards

So I was looking over my past years posts (or lack thereof) and I see I didn't post my cards from last year. I'd better fix that.

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Card version A

2004

Card version B

2003

Note that the 2007 card was made in 2008 and was never publicly distributed.

2010-11-22T22:44:00.000-07:00

Christmas Card Blues

As frequent readers know, I have started the tradition of shooting and mailing out Christmas Cards even though the family is currently small.

And every year I regret it.

Don't get me wrong, I always love the end result, but the logistics of putting it together are a thorn in my side. This year's first idea was scrapped due to equipment failure, but I've got a back-up idea that should be worth all the trouble that it will take to put it together.

Keep your fingers crossed.

2010-01-07T12:43:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post while I take my lunch break.

The settings of the new format are baffling me, so I'll be changing it again soon.

In the mean time, check out one of my other projects,

http://mywurdsmith.blogspot.com/

It is one of those annoying word-a-day blogs, but with my own twist. Not all of the featured words are real. So be on your toes.

2009-10-31T22:26:00.002-06:00

I think I am getting more zen in my old age.
We were discussing the old addage that happiness is like chasing a butterfly
Then I thought, Just be the butterfly!

2009-10-24T00:04:00.005-06:00

Elvis Costello wrote his satirical party anthem "Pump It Up" in 1977. The Escape Club wrote "Wild Wild West" in 1988. I'm not saying which, but it seems one song might be a bit more than strongly influenced by the other.

Pump It West from Mark Johnson on Vimeo.

I can't get the video to embed in the blogger java, so just click on the link to see the it.

2009-09-10T00:32:00.007-06:00

I am working on starting up a new YouTube profile featuring all of our (my friends and I) Big Show videos. An maybe, just maybe, if there is interest, some of us may start filming new skits and the like.

Here is one of my favorites that my pal Abe and I filmed back in '04 or so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMbZ4ukFb5M

And if you don't know what the Big Show was... man, where you been?

2009-08-28T19:22:00.001-06:00

Man, I used to love blogging. I wonder if I just ran out of things to say. Or whether I just got too busy. I'm betting it is the latter.

Well, it is friday night (7:30) and I am still at work. Not really a fun friday night, but being employed is awesome.

2009-08-14T17:48:00.003-06:00

It's been a weird week. I've had this song stuck on play in my head all day.
DJ Steve Porter - "Press Hop" featuring A. Iverson featuring Mora, Green, Namath, Gundy & T O

2009-06-16T23:08:00.002-06:00

It's Not Easy Going Green

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_12597475?IADID

So I am upset with Lt. Governor Herbert again. The Guv-to-be recently spoke out at the recent Western Governor's Association meeting against climate change and environmental responsibility. Don't get me wrong, I am not a hemp-wearing tree-hugger. And those Toyota Prius commercials with the children dressed up as flowers and grasslands and clouds make me infuriated. But there need to be a some common ground here.

The biggest issue I have with the new green movement is the fact that they are making the movement their own. It is taking care of the environment mixed with a hip, young lifestyle. The right wing naturally takes issue with the naive, dirty hippies as being druggies or nature-worshipers.

These are extremes, but the extremes what get the public attention. Naturally, everyone quickly takes their sides on the environment. This is where it all goes wrong.

Care of the environment is a moral obligation, not a political peculiarity. I don't care if Lt. Governor Herbert or anyone else believes or doesn't believe in global warming or man-made environmental change. Real or fiction shouldn't be the point. This is side-stepping the issue of treating the planet responsibly.

The Gov should follow the example of his predessor, Territorial Governor Brigham Young. He taught, "Let me love the world as He (God) loves it, to make it beautiful, and to glorify the name of my Father in heaven. It does not matter whether I or anybody else owns it, if we only work to beautify it and make it glorious, it is all right".

2009-05-29T11:30:00.007-06:00

Twits and Tweets

I'm slammed at work, but I need a quickie minute to vent.

Argh! I hate being slammed at work! Man, these students get on my nerves sometimes.

OK, rant over.

Speaking of expressing myself, you can now follow me on the twitter. Just search for markjohnson1138 so you can follow all of my mundane goings on.

Oh, one last thing. I was digging through old newspapers looking for obituaries of dead relatives when I discovered that this twitter business isn't all that new.

The more things change...

Well, back to work. Lunch is over and this mountain of paperwork isn't going to do itself.

2009-05-17T22:02:00.002-06:00

Utah Govenor Jon Huntsman, Jr. is leaving Utah and is heading for appointment to Ambassador to China. This is a great boon for my home state of Utah and could mean a great bit of new business and cultural exchange for China and Utah. I work with Chinese nationals for my job, so I know firsthand the important of good cultural relationships.

Now only if we can get Utah's Lt. Govenor Gary Herbert shipped of to Iceland, I'll be a happy man.

2009-04-10T22:41:00.006-06:00

In Memory of Nick Adenhart

You all are no doubt familiar with the death of Anaheim Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart. He was killed by a drunk driver while driving with his friends. 2 others in the car he was riding in were also killed. I never got the chance to see Nick play in the big leagues, but I did see him pitch here in Salt Lake when he was pitching for the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees. The last time I saw him play was last summer. I went with my nephew Cyrus and had a great time. Adenhart even lead the Bees to victory.

God speed, Nick Adenhart

2009-02-22T12:16:00.001-07:00

You might find this interesting.

2009-02-20T14:04:00.003-07:00

The A-Rod situation is about to hit the fan. And I am so mad, I am not going to bore you with it.

Other than that, things are decent in my world. Work and school are keeping me rather busy. My cemetery blog has stalled a little bit, as I have been putting my efforts into doing my own geneology. And I need to take more pictures, which is tough as the cemeteries I am researching and photographing are still slogged with snow. I'll see if tomorrow looks any clearer.

2009-02-11T16:46:00.004-07:00

Baseball*

The whole brouhaha with A-Rod and steroids has me a bit bugged. Bonds, McGuire, Sosa... and on and on.

I used to love baseball, but since the players union and the Commissioner's office have established a culture of looking the other way when it comes to steroids, I am hesitant to get in to it again this year.

Since Barry Bonds home run record is often listed by many with an asterisk, maybe people should start referring to the league as Major League Baseball*.

Oh, yeah. Go Angels!

2008-12-08T21:50:00.003-07:00

Maybe it is the English major in me, but I am getting bugged with all the made-up words that are out there. On the radio, they have been singing jingles involving something called a 'stay-cation'. Apparently, this is a vacation where one doesn't go anywhere. A local TV station had a contest where the winner was able to win a car by staying in it longer than his competitors. They called it 'Carvivor'.

I hate to break it to them, but those aren't real words. Making up your own words in private conversation is one thing, but to shell out money for TV and radio time to use made-up words only displays your illiteracy.

And would people just stop referring to any type of scandal as ___gate. Watergate was the hotel members of the Democratic National Committee were staying during the scandal that forced Nixon to resign. Labeling anything else with the 'gate' suffix is moronic. Papergate? Please. Worst off was the Scandalgate, which means absolutely nothing. Redicilous.

2008-12-08T21:45:00.002-07:00

Working on getting more work done on the other blog. It is a nice distraction as opposed to being depressed.

Also note that I plan on doing other profiles outside of the SLC cemetery if I get the mood. I drove to Paris, Idaho yesterday and other places in Idaho and Utah to get some more pictures of headstones. Beautiful drive, but my cameras batteries died just as I got the last shot in Paris. Frustrating, because it wasn't a great shot, but it will do for now. And since it is dumping snow outside, my next trip to Idaho might have to wait until spring. I still need to get to Spring City as well.

2008-11-05T16:37:00.003-07:00

FYI...

I am starting a new blog profiling some of my favorite people who are dead and buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Ever since I have moved near it, I have been fascinated by it. So why not take all my researches and put them to good use.

http://slccemeterynotables.blogspot.com/

There isn't much there now, but I have well over one hundred folkes I am planning on profiling.

2008-10-23T23:07:00.003-06:00

Yeah, this is why I like autumn.

2008-10-22T01:53:00.003-06:00

So as I wrapped up my Kmart employment, I picked up a digital camera there for about 70% off. Clearance + Employee discount = awesome. I am planning on using the camera for my new blog, but the dang thing doesn't work unless I replace the batteries daily. It could become an expensive blog. Geh!

2008-10-17T00:37:00.003-06:00

Hebrew National

So for dinner tonight, I thought instead of the usual pasta, I need a few old fashioned hot dogs. I got to the store and picked up a pack of Hebrew National kosher dogs. Holy crap! They were delicious.

But..

for some reason, there are seven of them in the pack. Seven. As a wannabee stand-up comedian, I know there there is nothing funny about the ratio of hot dogs in a package (usually 10) to buns (usually 8 per pack). But seven? Seriously?

And because I respect you all as an audience, I will also never make up a joke about "Fun-Sized" candy bars. Just not funny.

2008-10-13T15:55:00.004-06:00

And I will hang my head low...

Today would have been the first anniversary of my marriage had it lasted that long. I was thinking for a long time about what I wanted to report about it all. I have come to the conclusion that it really isn't anyone's damn business. If you want the straight story, talk to me in person. I am not going to put it online for the world to see.

It hasn't been easy these last few months, but I am getting better. I understand what I have done wrong, what I could have done better and what things I had no power over. I am sad things ended up they way they did, but I don't regret the decisions we made. We had to stop hurting each other.

I have been berating myself all morning. I listened to The Decemberists "The Crane Wife" and Sheryl Crow's "Perfect Lie" to put into words some of the things I feel I have done wrong. And now I am done.

Homer Simpson once advised Marge, saying, "Marge, you can't blame yourself forever. Blame yourself once and get on with things". So I acknowledge that I have done some if not many things wrong, but I am done blaming myself. I am getting on with things.

2008-08-12T13:36:00.001-06:00

I am having a bit of a struggle on what to write about my recent divorce. Do I even say anything at all? Of course I do. I just don't know what yet.

Soon..

2008-05-13T23:06:00.002-06:00

I need a quick break from the manuscripts I am reading, so I thought I'd share a comic from my archives.

2007-11-08T17:20:00.000-07:00

Bible Stories
There are 34 books of the bible in this story. Can you find them? This is a most remarkable puzzle.
It was found by a gentleman who was singing songs like “Hey Jude” on a flight from his Suez ranch to Honolulu, keeping him occupied for hours. He enjoyed it so much, that he passed it on to some friends. One friend from Illinois worked on this while fishing on his john boat. Another friend studied while playing his banjo. Elaine Taylor, a columnist friend, who was intrigued by it she mentioned it in her weekly newspaper column. Another friend judges the job of solving puzzles found this puzzle so involving, she brews a cup of tea to help her nerves. There will be some names that are really easy to spot. That’s a fact. Some people however will find themselves in a jam, especially since the book names are not easily capitalized. Truthfully, from answers we get, we are forced to admit it usually takes a minister or a scholar to see some of them at the worst. Research has shown that something in our genes is responsible for the difficulty we have in seeing the books in this paragraph. During a recent fund raising event, which featured this puzzle, the Alpha Delta Phi lemonade booth set a new record. The local paper, The Chronicle, surveyed over 200 patrons who reported that this puzzle was one of the most difficult they had ever seen. As Formica hardwood laminate salesman Daniel Humana humbly puts it, “The books are right there in plain view hidden from sight.” Those able to find all of them will hear great lamentations from those who have to be shown. One revelation that may help is that books like Timothy and Samuel may occur without their numbers. Also, keep in mind, that punctuation and spaces in the middle are normal. A chipper attitude would help you compete really well against those who claim to know the answers. Remember, there is no need for a mad exodus; there really are 34 books of the Bible lurking somewhere in this story waiting to be found.

I found this on my pal Karen's blog. Of course, I modified it to include a bit more than the original 30. Would you expect any less from me? If you need a hint, go here.

2007-11-07T15:53:00.000-07:00

Word of the Day: Bloated

Why, cheese fries, why? We used to be so close, but now...
Why all the hate?

2007-05-29T23:29:00.000-06:00

In one of those yin-yang things, my brother and sister-in-law (Matt and Stephanie respectively) just had their second child. A feisty little boy named Miles. To make the situation fun, Miles wanted out early (a month early more precisely) while his dad is out at Air Force training until September. So things might be fun for those guys for a while. I'll help out where I can.

So congratulations to Matt, Stephanie, Zoe and Miles. I love all those kids.

2007-05-20T13:58:00.001-06:00

So my pal Adywan is putting together a new "Special Edition" of the Star Wars Trilogy. He is doing a ton of work to fix the things that George and ILM either botched or didn't fix in the first place. Check it out!

2007-05-17T01:15:00.000-06:00

Hey, guess who's back in school? Well, yeah. That's right. It's me. But I'm pretty jazzed about it all the same. Speaking of the Jazz, I'm getting pretty pumped to see 'em play San Antonio in a few weeks. Um... Sorry. This isn't a real post. I'll do better soon.

-Mark

2007-05-09T12:20:00.000-06:00

Boomshine

I've been playing a fun little game on my lunch breaks called Boomshine. You have to plan a small explosion in the middle of a pastel bubble minefield and plan it so it starts a chain reaction to pop more. Its pretty cool.

Play Games at AddictingGames

2007-05-03T17:25:00.000-06:00

Scary Mary

How long has it been since I posted a video on here? A week? Well, that's WAY too long. Check out this trailer for an old supernatural thriller!

2007-05-01T20:02:00.000-06:00

Survive the joke and get a free lunch!

Well, let's try something different. I had this stoopid joke about Egyptian stuffs, so I thought instead of just telling it, I'd offer a free lunch to the first person who can read it. Just tell me the name of my girlfriend in the joke.

2007-04-30T22:18:00.000-06:00

I'm done with all my FHE activities. Time for Heroes. Man, I love that show.

2007-04-30T02:08:00.000-06:00

As I was looking at graphics for my earlier Hypocrite post, I was surprised how popular the eclipse motif is lately. Check it out!

And while we are on the subject, check out this cool pic of a solar eclipse:

2007-04-27T16:51:00.000-06:00

Thought of the day:
Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought. -Basho, 17th century Japanese poet

2007-04-27T00:27:00.000-06:00

Old Money.

We all know that there are two kinds of millionaires, those of 'old money' and those who are 'new money'. And then there is me. I have old money. I was getting fuel at the gas station and as part of my change, I get this thing:

For some reason, this 1935 dollar bill had worked its way back into circulation and was waiting for me at the local Circle K. Then it got me wondering about all the stuff it would have seen. Was it used to by gasoline for some body's old Oldsmobile back in the 30's? Was it stashed away during a shortage of WWII? Did somebody find it in the attic in the 80's? Maybe it was a bookmark? It could have been any number of a thousand places.

I wonder if people are like this goofy, ragged bill? They may not look like much or look like they are worth much, but once you know their stories and histories, they become priceless.

Or maybe they are sometimes named Bill.

*Is it legal to scan old bills? If so, I'll take it down.

2007-04-25T13:53:00.000-06:00

Okay, stop me if you've heard this one...

So this outspoken Atheist is hiking through the forest, admiring all the beauty that Mother Nature had evolved all around him. As he was hiking, he happened between a mother grizzly bear and her cubs. The protective mother instantly stood and roared at the hiker. Not wanting to shuffle off this mortal coil to wherever atheists go, the man took off running down the trail with the bear in hot pursuit. Realizing that he wasn't likely to evolve into something that ran faster, the atheist decided to hedge his bets and began to pray. Soon the bear had him knocked to the ground and had reared up on his hind legs, ready to deliver the lethal strike.
Suddenly, everything was frozen in place and the man found himself in God's presence. The atheist quickly asked God for deliverance from his problem.
"Well, this is certainly a convenient time for you to be a believer", was God's reply.
"I guess you are right," the atheist thought, "And I'm not really sure I believe in you any way."
God responded, "Since we are talking, are you sure that there isn't anything I can do for you? The bear is still there..."
The man thought about it for a minute and realized what he believed to be a rather clever solution.
"Perhaps then you could make the bear a Christian? I've known a lot of Christians and they have always talked about mercy and all that other religious junk."
God scratched his chin through his beard.
"All of my creations believe in me, but sure, I'll make the bear a devout Christian."
The brightness of God's presence began to fade and the man found himself again at the feet of the bear. The bear looked down at the man and helped him to his feet. The man breathed a sigh of relief. The bear looked lovingly at the man and pulled him in for a warm embrace. Holding the man, the bear spoke in a tender voice.
"Dear Lord, please bless this meal which my family is about to eat..."

2007-04-23T09:53:00.001-06:00

Bus Stop Runner

Well, since life has been kicking me in the hinder lately (everything from arguing with friends to girl trouble to having my clutch burn out on my car over the weekend to missing my bus twice this morning) I thought I'd seek a little comfort in musical mash-ups. So I found this sweet one called "Bus Stop Runner" by the talented Mark Vidler, aka Go Home Productions. djbrewski mixed the vid. GHP blended the tracks. Check it out.

EDIT: It seems they add new videos frequently, so you might have to scroll around to find what you are looking for. While you are doing that, check out Paperback Believer, Sweet Times of Mine, Feel All Apologies, Boulevard of Broken Songs and Crazy Logic. Man, I could watch those all day.

2007-04-22T21:05:00.000-06:00

Goodness Will Follow

Is this the price of failing?
Trading the sailing heart
for the taste of saline.

You say I can do better
One with virtue from the start
That someday I'll get her.

But I don't want to be good,
I just want you.
Goodness will follow.

.

2007-04-10T23:56:00.001-06:00

Sometimes I feel like a huge hypocrite. And that mostly comes out of me getting all preachy. Because invariably, I end up being guilty of the sins I'm preaching against. This is why I prefer to shut up about such moral items, but sometimes I can't help myself.

I used to carry a small sign in my scripture case that read "hypocrite". Back in the day when I taught a lot of lessons in the Sunday School, I'd be talking up the importance of keeping the Sabbath holy or always giving thanks for your meals, I'd pull out the sign and wear it around my neck before continuing. Granted, it was mostly a joke, but it also felt good to realize I was a mortal and as human as everyone else. After a while, others would borrow the sign if they were making comments on things they were struggling to improve themselves.

This brings us to this year. One of my favorite moral vices to rail against has been TV addiction. And I suddenly get hooked on the show 'Heroes'. I've also taken a stand against video games as addictive and time consuming, and here I am totally addicted to 'Guitar Hero'.

So I'm wondering what the lesson that needs to be learned here. The easy lesson is to keep my mouth shut; but I don't believe that is the right answer. Moderation, I think, is the right one. My big reason for video game avoidance is I've known folks who spend all their time in the basement playing Halo 2 or World of Warcraft. It becomes a false god to them. I've even seen a few couples break up over it because the guy got stupid and didn't realize what he had until she left. Since I can't figure out the whole girlfriend thing yet, this might not be a problem. Still it is about priorities.

TV is a little different. While there is certainly the addiction possibilities, I think the biggest reason I avoid it is the exposure to all the murder, violence and sex. There are some things I just don't want to put in my head. They stay there for a long time when I ought to be thinking of better things. Besides, like most of us, I've already got more than I need on my memory. If I want to dig up some trash, I know I already have plenty archived. Who needs to feeding the garbage bin when you don't have to even be around it in the first place? So maybe I'll stick with the current season of Heroes and see how it goes.

2007-04-06T14:24:00.000-06:00

Achy Breaky Muscles

So I'm recovering from a nite of country swing dancing. And I think I did pretty good for a dumpy white guy. Now that I think about it, that describes all the guys there.

Scary thing is, I realized how much I feel like George McFly* when I'm mixing it up. Mostly that was because of just awkward dancing style. But then I realized it was I am just content to dance in the corner instead of subjecting the ladies to my horrible swing moves.

You're George McFly!

Take the Which Person from Back to the Future Are You? Quiz
Also try my other quizzes.

But like George, I'm getting better. I actually was able to practice some moves with a beautiful young lady. Which was appropriate I suppose, because she had asked me to go in the first place.

*Wow, that review of me is a bit harsh. Loser? Not always. And maybe I'll get to do the rest of those things too.

2007-03-30T09:27:00.001-06:00

I've been spending all month trying to figure out why 'Onion domes' as they are called are the exact same shape as outside calipers. Masonic ingenuity, perhaps?

2007-03-29T16:37:00.000-06:00

Bad Puns

Are there are any bad puns? Likely. But I never mind them. And I never nevermind them. So here are some of my favorites:

An igloo is an icicle built for two.

Tequila is the gulp of Mexico.

Acupuncture: a jab well done.

What's the definition of a will? (It's a dead giveaway)

I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.

Police were called to a daycare where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.

When fish are in schools they sometimes take debate.

A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.

The archeologist's career was in ruins.

We'll never run out of math teachers because they always multiply.

When the smog lifts in Los Angeles, UCLA.

The professor discovered that her theory of earthquakes was on shaky ground.

Mental floss will prevent truth decay as part of your moral hygiene.

The dead batteries were given out free of charge.

If you take a laptop computer for a run you could jog your memory.

Bad customer service will take the wind out of your sales.

A dentist and a manicurist fought tooth and nail.

We removed the insulating asbestos we could.

Atheism is none of the above.

A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two tired.

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

Holy cow or divine bovine?

A backward poet writes inverse.

With her marriage she got a new name and a dress.

Show me a piano falling down a mine shaft and I'll show you A flat miner.

When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.

An alarm clock is designed to scare the daylights into you.

A plea bargain is using a proposition to end a sentence with.

Alimony is the high cost of leaving.

The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine was fully recovered.

You are stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.

He broke into song because he couldn't find the key.

A calendar's days are numbered.

If there is one thing you can count on, it's your fingers.

On the other hand, you have more fingers.

A lot of money is tainted: 'Taint yours, and 'taint mine.

Punch, hit, kick, gouge. Where I come from, those are fighting words.

The chicken that crossed the road was poultry on motion.

The chicken that only got half way there laid it on the line.

A boiled egg is hard to beat.

A plateau is a high form of flattery.

Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.

One day the sultan paid a visit to his harem's tent and let out a terrified sheik.

When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.

When she saw her first strands of grey hair, she thought she'd dye.

Do you remember the name of the famous hunchback? Does Quasimodo ring a bell?

2007-03-25T02:01:00.001-06:00

"Saint Anthony of Padua's Sermon to the Fishes"
by Michael Nibley

When Anthony preaches
He goes to the beaches
Converting the fish, who can't make it to church.
They swarm up to listen
A-drip and a-glisten,
The trout and the minnow, the pike and the perch.

"Treat all as your brother;
Don't murder each other,
For all of God's creatures are children alike."
What a marvelous spirit!
The minnows all cheer it;
They whisper and glare at the murderous pike.

"The root of all evil,
Great tool of the devil,
Is love of possessions; you'd best do without."
What a marvelous spirit!
The pike love to hear it;
They cast a stern eye on the miserly trout.

"Work hard! Those who idle
Will bear harsh requital;
Who shirks at his labor gets left in the lurch."
What a marvelous spirit!
The trout just revere it;
They nudge one another and mutter, "Those perch!"

"Eschew fornications
And lawless relations,
For sex unrestrained leads to sorrow and tears."
What a mervelous spirit!
The perch love to hear it;
They glance at the minnows with snickers and sneers.

The saint ends his preaching;
The fish love such teaching!
They watch as his figure recedes from the shore.
Then greed, lust and slaughter
Resume in the water,
And all is exactly the same as before.

2007-03-16T15:19:00.000-06:00

So it turns out that in Japan, roosters are always crowing "ko-ke-kok-ko-o".
Feel like talking turkey with a turkey in Turkey? Say "glu glu"!
And who could forget the gentle "croa croa" of the frogs in France.

Now, I've never heard a dog bark anything that sounds like "bow-wow". But thanks to this animal sound guide, you don't have to settle for the stale old otomotopia's you are used to.
Click here!

2007-03-15T10:54:00.000-06:00

Self-deprecation

In my seemingly futile attempt at self improvement, I've come to realize that I've got to stop putting my self down, even if I think it is under the guise of a good joke.

My old self used to write stuff like this:

Bullets for Breakfast

Sugar coated goodness
with a bitter aftertaste.
Big, heaping, self-depreciating
spoonfuls are shoveled down
to fill an empty soul.
An important part of
my unbalanced psyche,
these tasty jabs
give me the energy I need
to sludge through yet
another mediocre day.

Can I just say I am sick of being that guy? So the new goal is to find the fine line where I know I'm awesome but I don't always have to tell everybody about it. Wish me luck!

2007-03-12T01:31:00.000-06:00

"Television has brought murder into the home. Where it belongs."
-Alfred Hitchcock

I've been mulling over a blog entry on TV and hypocrisy, and with today's 9 Chickweed Lane, it seems like the perfect place to start.

I'm in the middle of making a graphic for this, so I'll post the rest later...

2007-03-09T01:15:00.000-07:00

This week has been rough. I had a tough dentist visit a few days ago, I've been struggling with a few other personal things I'm not going to bore you with, and then today happened. I finally heard back on that paper I had sent off for publication. Rejected. I wouldn't have minded if I was rejected a few months after it was submitted, but now it has been almost 15. That's way too long to wait for a 'no'. This was really bothering me earlier, but some friends made me feel better about me (thanks ya'll) so I'm thinking I'll make lemonade out of the situation. This is the perfect opportunity to polish up the paper and submit it locally.

2007-03-06T09:17:00.000-07:00

Steel Horse Wind Rider

Most of ya'll know that me and pals such as Abe, Ryan, Taylor, Nate and Jeff used to host Big Shows for our friends where we would make short films, perform skits, stand up comedy or play some songs with the bands we were in. So to revisit some of those glory days, I thought I'd post some of our greatest "hits" on the YouTube. Enjoy!

2007-03-05T00:58:00.000-07:00

Mark's Detective Story

Some time ago, I typed up a noir detective story (you might call it a defective story after reading it) to work out a few jokes and puns I was working on or had stolen from other folks. I'm thinking about making it into a short film for youtube or something. Anyway, here is the latest revision. Sorry about the bad jokes. Let me know what you think.

2007-03-04T11:45:00.000-07:00

What is the Randomizer?

Not unlike the matrix, it just endless flow of random data that spills out of my noggin. So let me turn on the spout for a minute to release the pressure...

Spuds wastebasket chocolate hangnail flyswatter Timothy bicycle fence signature push open waffle neck space-heater tripod margin uncle pointed glob stitches ornamental tweezers residue tomohawk furry cracked Alberta flat crease razor nano Endust rhapsody primary elvish syrup Manhattan tired weapon circular aphid frostbite wingman socks feelers orzo dodge bulbous solid aged mistle-toe.

That ought to do it.

2007-02-28T00:01:00.001-07:00

It is the privilege of this blog to mark the 23rd anniversary of one of the most defining moments in my life. Dave Letterman's encounter with the wall of Velcro. Enjoy!

NB: It is strangly interesting to see the public reaction to that new-fangled Velcro in 1984.

2007-02-27T17:49:00.000-07:00

2007-02-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

This Space for Lent

Well, sports-fans, it's Lent again. Last year, I gave up a chunk of bitterness and it has stuck for the most part. Granted, I might have developed a bit of hope where there was none, but that's a different story.

Anyhoo...

So this lent, I'm giving up the caffine. All of it. The Mountain Dew for breakfast, the Dr. Pepper for lunch, the other Dew for dinner. The chocolate, the tylenol, the whole shooting match. At least I think the chocolate. Mostly, it is 40 days without the soda. Usually, I'm on Mountain Dew, but for the next 40 days (and possibly longer) it's

So far so good, although I felt like I was under water for most of the day. Ick. I'm gonna get another glass of OJ and hit the sack.

Remember, its good to give stuff up for a while.

2007-02-15T16:05:00.000-07:00

So this week is Random Acts of Kindness week. Now they tell me. Its not that I'm not generally helpful anyways.. but it is good to have an excuse to encourage others.
Click here for the 411.

On a semi-related note, I'm starting to think about what I want to give up this year for lent. It starts on Ash Wednesday. If you have any suggestions, let me know.

2007-02-13T11:53:00.000-07:00

That Darn Cat

So Toonces was replaced by Sophie. Just when I thought I'd be able to breathe easier at my parents house. Rotten dander!* If she ever comes out of hiding, maybe I could get a picture to post.

*I believe Rotten Dander was the name of the last punk band I was in.

2007-02-04T13:15:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, I sponsor contests for my pals for fun. This time around, I challenged them to make a Star Wars movie trailer. My pal Jambe made this winning entry. I'll post the others in my Star Wars blog this week,

2007-01-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

Contronym Quiz

Yesterday in Church, the word 'garnish' was used quite frequently in talks and lessons. It was from the new Young Men and Young Women's theme of "Let Virtue Garnish Your Thoughts Unceasingly". Kind of wordy, but an important concept all the same. In an attempt to make the theme a bit more interesting, I tried to convey to the kids that the word 'garnish' was cool because it is a contronym. Contronyms (also called autoantonyms) are words that have two definitions that are the opposite of each other. Garnish means both to enhance (e.g., food) or to curtail (e.g., wages). My friend Garrett pointed me to the word 'hardly' which means both to do something with great effort or to do something with little effort.

So class, your assignment is to take the list of words below and figure out the two meanings. You can go to Rinkworks.com if you need a little help.

apology
bolt
custom
dust
enjoin
fast
give out
handicap
left
off
put out
quite
rent
screen
transparent
variety
weather

For a bit of history on the contronym, see this Wiki article.

2007-01-25T23:38:00.001-07:00

This was interesting...

2007-01-18T01:02:00.001-07:00

Your Preppy Name Is...

Weston Atherton Cabot the Sixth
But most people know you as Tip

What's Your Preppy Name?

2007-01-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

I've been mulling over possible New Year's Resolutions for the past week or so and I don't think I'm in the mood to follow through with any. I have a few items in mind that I will do, but they are kind of personal, so I'm sure you will forgive me if I don't post 'em here. The big problem I am having with the resolutions is that I was looking over last years resolutions and I don't think I hardly made a dent in anything I was going to do. I think I lost maybe 10 lbs. I worked on everything else, but nada. Granted some items were out of my hands (like get published or get engaged, because this requires the free-will of others), but generally I got close but not close enough. I don't know if I'm in the mood to give everybody false expectations of what I want and then not follow through. If I'm gonna be a loser, why advertise it? You will have to figure that out on your own.

2007-01-13T16:10:00.000-07:00

In Memoriam: Toonces the Cat

Toonces, whom many of you have known and adored (or at least put up with) was euthanised yesterday due to a serious medical condition. Now, I'm not what you would call a 'pet person', but he was a part of the family for the better part of eight years, so he grew on ya. Besides, my sis really loved him, I guess it spilled over to the rest of us. God speed, old friend.

2007-01-02T09:08:00.000-07:00

RESOLUTIONS REVISITED - coming soon.

(Sorry it is taking so long. I've had the flu for the past few days and it really has me off line for all intents and purposes. All I can muster is to sit around in a stupor. 1/8/07)

Meanwhile...

It's Nerfman!

2007-01-02T00:14:00.000-07:00

Another entry in my Alternative Universe Candy selection.

Note that I didn't make this one, but I wish I did.

2006-12-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

New Quiz

Actually, it's just a glimpse to the many songs that have been stuck in my head this last week. Can you match the lyrics to the song?

I used to think as birds take wing, They sing through life so why can't we?

understand the New York Times' effect on man.

O no, what's this?
A spider web, and I'm caught in the middle

say goodbye to Ross and his dependencies

like Olympus above the Serengeti

Never gonna let it up
Ticking like a time bomb
Blowing up the fuse box

A brave man once requested me to answer questions that are key is it to be or not to be and I replied 'oh why ask me?'

If I could only find a nickel I would pay myself off tonight
'Cause nobody knows when the good times have passed out cold

Ue o muite arukoo
Namida ga kobore nai yoo ni

You give away everything now that you've hid
You, you want to be only to never get lonely

2006-12-24T03:10:00.000-07:00

It seems fitting to have my 100th blog entry feature this years Christmas card from the whole family.

If you didn't get one yet, drop me a line and I'll send it on the line with the family newsletter.

And as always, click here to view old cards from the vast corridors of time.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everybody!

2006-12-22T11:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a funny bit about the music scenes original "one-hit-wonder". That's comedian Rob Paravonian behind the guitar.

2006-12-21T00:27:00.000-07:00

Here's another Christmas picture. Me and Go-Bot, circa, 1985.
and it is worth noting that I still have the same haircut. True story.

2006-12-18T16:42:00.000-07:00

This is my brain after a stupid weekend. Mostly good. but stupid.

Real posting tomorrow.

2006-12-13T12:29:00.000-07:00

Favorites of Christmas past

A Christmas update: I'm actually looking forward to the holiday. Thanks to Mr. Kreugers Christmas (the awesome film starring James Stewart) and sitting in the dark looking at the christmas tree here at SluggoCentral while sipping some nog and listening to the obligatory Mannheim Steamroller album. Somehow I forgot that one of the best parts of Christmas is that it is just fun.

It is also a unique time to dip into the memory-thing and remember fun Christmas times from long ago. Here's a peek back to December 25th, 1979.

Note my brother Doug in the background with his Fisherprice Alpha Shuttle.

2006-12-12T00:39:00.000-07:00

I just got back from delivering my Christmas cards. At least the first round of them. Expect yours soon.

2006-12-06T11:22:00.000-07:00

Bah, Humbug!

This Christmas, I'm trying something different. I'm actually trying not to be such a Scrooge about the whole holiday business. I used to look at the holiday with a lot of cynicism and general disgust, usually fed up with the whole lot of commercialism and other heresies that went under the guise of "the holiday spirit". And of course, I had one of those ''holier-than-thou" attitudes to back it up. So I ended up no better off than those I was complaining about. Who wants that.

This time around, I'm hanging up the "Bah! Humbug" t-shirt, hanging a stocking by the fireplace (with care, mind you) and listening to a nice selection of Christmas music on my computer. If you have any tips to make this a bit easier, drop me a line.

2006-12-05T23:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Cakes. I hope things are better.

2006-12-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

The mustache report:

As I expected, the 'stash' didn't survive longer than a week and a half. As you all know, one of the many traits I share with my main man Chuck Norris is that we are both dyed-in-the-wool blondies. Serious toe-heads. As such, the required facial hair we need for our tough guy appearance is difficult to maintain. I'm pretty sure my main man Chuck Norris enhances his beard and stash with a bit of Just For Men. I tried it, but I only looked like my face was dirty. So I shaved it off. I wonder how long it will take me to forget that I don't look good in a mustache and try again? Likely before 2010.

2006-11-30T14:55:00.000-07:00

The November Review...

I've been busier than I thought this month. But I don't feel like I have much to show for it. I guess that because I have been been working at big projects in small steps. Among the highlights are:

purchased a domain name bought some video editing software had a bunch of blind dates helped a friend remove a dead mouse from her apartment got an early start on my Christmas shopping got ripped off on my purchase of envelopes for my Christmas card played a bunch of board games with friends was captian of the work bowling team that took 4th place out of 15 teams also went bowling on thanksgiving and didn't do terribly well didn't sleep enough watched E.T. started a screenplay for a short film i plan to post on youtube next year ate my weight in turkey leftovers read four books and three manuscripts and didn't get any writing done on my own projects laughed really hard at this comic strip:

Yeah. That's about it. At least all I can remember.

UPDATE.

Here's the mouse I had to dispose of. Poor little guy.

2006-11-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

This week's On Notice List.

Yeah, it's like I'm not even trying anymore.
I've got actual original content coming this week. Really.

2006-11-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

It's finally over.

I got to say a hate these big holiday weekends. I'm fond of all the holiday celebrations and activities just fine, it's just all the time off I had. All I did was stay up WAY too late and watch Star Trek movies until my eyeballs fell out. All that free time is not good for me. So, if I'm able to get up tomorrow, I'll be at work and back into that comfortable rut.

And I've started to grow a mustache. We'll see how long that lasts before it drives me crazy and I shave it off.

2006-11-17T12:19:00.000-07:00

That's right! You are all on notice. I'm watching you.
Got someone you want to put on notice? Click here!

2006-11-14T14:11:00.000-07:00

SPACE CASE

So Pluto is no longer a planet. Almost two months ago, the International Astronomical Union voted to define what constitutes a planet, booting Pluto in the process. At first I was a little incensed, as are many of my friends. After thinking about it, I think I have changed my mind. Not that I am necessarily in favor of the change, but it doesn't really bother me anymore.

My usual thought process invariably is steeped in relativity. And this case for or against Pluto is no exception. To hear most people talk, they would almost seem to imply the small orb as having actually changed because it is no longer a planet. Of course, Pluto sails on its merry way, oblivious to the "re-districting" that we are imagining down here. It seems interesting to me that all the hub-bub about the change seems to deal with very little with the actual planet itself.

Fueling the outcry against the change is a lot of strong emotion and sentimentality towards this little rock. Most of the outcry comes from Americans, and this is easy to understand as we will always root for the underdog. Of course, we have had nine planets for years and years (well, not that many years. Pluto was only discovered in 1930) and many prefer the status quo. Nine planets were the what they grew up with. Why toss out a part of their childhood? Emotions are an important part the human experience, but I have a tough time following the argument that is only grounded in emotion. Especially when it tries to work its way into the scientific discussion.

On the other hand, science is not the necessarily better alternative either. Remember that the debate is not actually about the planet, but rather about how we choose to define the planet. Astronomers are looking at size, shape, proximity and orbit when they are trying to build their definitions. While this seems fair and objective, remember too that these men and women are basing their criteria for the definition of what the planet is based on their best judgments. This means of course, that they are choosing the criteria based on what seems and feels right. There are no right and wrong answers about what makes a planet, astronomers are just choosing one criteria over another. Whether you want to accept their definitions are up to you, I suppose.

Personally, I don't mind the change. I look forward to the opportunity to tell my kids that I grew up in a solar system that had nine planets. Like I'm some kind of alien. Pluto can be king of the dwarf planets, the largest of other big rocks like Ceres, Sedna, Eris, Orcus, and Quaoar, to name a few. And who knows what changes will be made. Another big old rock could be found and the astronomers will have to rethink the whole mess again. Maybe that's the lesson we should pick up from this. Things are changing all the time. What is solid fact one day is out-dated knowledge the next. Remember that Moses lived in a solar system with six planets.

For more news on the brouhaha, click here.

Oh, a post-script:
Hey IAU, the next time you folks want to change the nature of the cosmos, maybe you could come up with a better name for Uranus. That's got to go.

2006-11-07T09:34:00.000-07:00

Well, hello there. It looks like it is time for another dip into the randomizer.

Coffee squid recycle peasant malleable sanity vacuum toadstool cheetah hatter beans excitable alimony fried Sally timer gallop tape exit strategy ampersand zither tactile rhombus highway overflow palsy exacting pharmacy insomnia heat wallet pins readership nunnery spot grain moat divide tank petunia algorithm information fruition sample meek turnbuckle imposter

That ought to do it.

2006-11-05T15:09:00.000-07:00

reactable

Remember the theremin? It is that cool musical "instrument" that was used in the soundtrack of old '50 horror movies. You would play it by placing your hand into an electro-magnetic field and the theremin would respond with a high-pitched whine. Move your hand and change the sound. The only problem is it only made one type of sound.

So jump ahead 50 years of so to, oh maybe today? and face up to the future. This is where the Reactable enters the picture. Like the theremin of ye olde tyme, the Reactable generates sound based on location of parts. Only the parts are digitally encoded blocks that are moved around on an illumenisent table. Turn and move the blocks to modify sound. Add additional blocks to modulate the sound or add beats. I have been into the home made 'chip' sounds lately, especially the Norwegian Binaerpilot. It is going to be fun to see what new artists are able to do with this new technology.

For more info on the reactable, as well as some cool pictures click here.

Or if you just want to keep up with regular theremin news, then by all means click here.

Or read up on my favorite musicians,Dr. Samuel Hoffman

2006-11-03T10:01:00.000-07:00

NaNoWriMo

Well, this month is National Writing Month. It seems like the perfect time for me to buckle down and finish that first draft of my stinkin' novel. The only problem is that one of the projects I was working on just was rejected by a publisher. Sure, I've gotten plenty of these, but it has really deflated me. I'll get my wind back shortly, I expect and I'll hopefully be pounding the keyboard soon.

Anyway, for more more information on NaNoMriMo, Click here

2006-10-31T11:25:00.000-07:00

October wrap-up.

Remember the month of general confusion? Yup, that was October for ya. From dating to halloween. Yup, giant mess. So to re-cap:

1. Halloween. To dress up or not to dress up?
Sure I said no, but some friends lined me up on a date for a Halloween party, so I dressed up as a classic 1980's style nerd (yeah, not a big stretch, I know). It was fun.

2. The Christmas Card.
Since the clowns at Wal-mart lost my film, I had to do a new photoshoot. Which I did last sunday. My good friend Jessie was nice enough to help me out. I'll post the card a bit closer to X-mas, but here is a shot that was rejected. Notice that I am smiling in it.

3. Dating.
I had the talk with the beautiful woman that I love, but she is still sure that it was not meant to be. So back to square one.

I also had a fiasco with some tickets to the Utah Jazz that my brother gave me. Since I only got the tickets the day before, all the girls I asked to go already had plans. Then a friend of mine got a date for me (which made me angry, but I got over it) but I wasn't able to get a hold of her in time, so I gave the tickets to my folks. Who gave them back to me and my kid sister. So we saw the game, but not before I got turned down a bunch of times by a lot of girls. So note to self: Ask with plenty of time to spare.

4. My writing.
I've heard that back on that paper I had submitted to the Journal for the Study of the Old Testament. They still hadn't heard back from their reviewer yet, so it is back to waiting as usual.

5. My DVD.
I started the DVD. It is tricky to figure out the software but I started it.

6. General auto repair.
I fixed the passenger side mirror on my car and replaced the center console. So, yeah. I got that done.

7. My website.
I was able to review my content and secure a domain name. So, that's progress as well.

November should be just as productive and hopefully less confusing.

2006-10-30T15:15:00.000-07:00

Oral Fixation

So I'm back from a 5 and a half hour turn at the dentist. Trust me, it's as every bit as fun as it sounds. About a 3.0 on the Schmidt pain index. It felt like this:

On the plus side, I've got a bit of hydrocodone helping me on the ride. And I get to stay home from work today. Maybe a big price to pay for a day off, but I'm making the most of it. I'll be back tomorrow with the month-end report. Now excuse me, the room is spinning and I need to get back to the couch and the curse of the Sudoku.

2006-10-26T10:28:00.000-06:00

The Schmidt Sting Pain Index

There is often a very fine line between performing a valuable service to your fellow human beings and just having too much time on your hands. Combine this with a good sense of humor and a bit of masochism, and you have The Schmidt Sting Pain Index. Thanks to Mr. Schmit, we know that a sting from a pepsis wasp is a full 4.0 on the scale; "Blinding, fierce, shockingly electric. A running hair drier has been dropped into your bubble bath (if you get stung by one you might as well lie down and scream)." Check it out here.

This makes me think twice about screwing around with Africanized bees.

2006-10-23T17:03:00.000-06:00

It is the duty of every dutiful blogger to post a link to an online personality test. So here ya go.

Click here, yo!

I'm an Idealist. 100% We are a rare breed that makes the world a better place. I mean, who would pessimists have to complain about if it wasn't for us?

On a different note, I'm starting album reviews on my music blog. The first official review is of the new "Weird Al" album. Read it here. I think the album reviews are going to be a regular feature over there, mostly as something to do to keep up the writing skills. I'll post notice of new reviews here.

2006-10-17T17:00:00.000-06:00

Cyborg Name

So a pal of mine on the LDSLinkUp (or 'slink-up' as they like to call it. har-de-har-har) sends me this link on how to determine your Cyborg name. And to make the dork factor complete, you can get your Cyborg name printed on a fancy t-shirt.

Nothing says "I'm special!" like a shirt with your name on it. Now I got to run, the short-bus is leaving soon and I don't want to miss it.

Post script:
What kind of cyborg names are these anyway? They don't include the number 3000 anywhere in the name.

2006-10-14T18:26:00.000-06:00

Ah, crap. So WalMart has lost my negatives. A whole Saturday down the tubes. It was a pain in the hinder to do once, now I gotta think whether I want to be doing this again. I really, really liked the idea that we shot, but now...

I need more time to think about this one. Maybe a different idea could work just as well. Besides, the last two cards turned out adequately, but only because the original photo shoots I had for them didn't look good at all, so what you ended up with was the Plan B.

On a different note, I spent yesterday fasting for Ramadan. The Muslim Student Association was sponsoring the fast and for every non-Muslim that signed up, they had a sponsor that donated cans of food to the Utah Food Bank. I'm always up for helping out there. And I was able to make a few Muslim friends. Nice guys.

2006-10-12T11:16:00.000-06:00

Mid-Month Update

So I go to pick up my pics for this year's Christmas Card and they are not done. 2 days late. Next year I am going digital. It is just becoming such a pain in the rumpus to get film developed. Especially for some rinky-dink card.

And an auto repair update. Last week I was successful in replacing the passenger side mirror on my car. It is the perfect way to remember all those old cuss-words one used to say. The hardest part was dismantling the door and putting it back on. And who could forget that little plastic fastener that I had to pry off and it ended up hitting me in the face. Ah, good times. But it looks like new now, so that makes it worth it, I suppose. The duct tape was kind of trashy.

2006-10-09T23:17:00.000-06:00

Ever wonder what the Rebel Alliance would have done if they had to rely on Microsoft products? It might have looked a bit like this:

Click here

2006-10-08T00:58:00.000-06:00

It's another look into alternate universe candy:

2006-10-02T12:42:00.000-06:00

Hey, it's October. This means a month of general confusion. You can sense it in the air.

Among the confusing items this month:

1. Halloween. To dress up or not to dress up?
Most likely not. Dressing up on Halloween is fine for little kids, married folks, dating folks or couples in general, but for a 34 year old dude to get costumed up? Creepy. And what would I be doing once I was all dressed up? Trick-or-treat? Don't count on it. Crash somebody's Halloween party? Not likely. Does this make me the an old bah-humbug? You bet. And this brings me to item number...

2. The Christmas Card. I am all lined up to have this year's card photo taken this Saturday. At scenic BYU. I'm not telling anymore because I don't want to spoil the surprise, but I do think that this will be a classic. One that truly says 'desperate cry for help'. And I'm going big this year, with a planned distribution of about 50 or 60. If you want in on the mailing list, drop me a line.

3. Dating. After a fun but rather platonic evening/night with someone I am very drawn to, I am thinking about moving on. Not that I am looking for a lot of 'action', but when I move in, she moves away. Granted, I don't ever talk relationships with her, but her body language is speaking loudly. Or it could be I am just a doofus who wouldn't know his way out of a paper bag with both ends open.

4. My writing. I've had a research paper submitted to the Journal for the Study of the Old Testament for almost a year. They told me the approval/rejection time is about 6 months. And it will be 12 by the end of the month. So I'm thinking about bagging it and submitting it somewhere less prestigious, but local.
I've also got another deadline of January next year to have a draft of my novel finished and submitted. So this probably means a lot of long evenings at the compy. Belch.

5. My DVD. To fill a gap in the Star Wars fan-made DVD market, I'm putting together a comprehensive disc of trailers and TV spots for all 6 films. I officially started on the first with a test burn to familiarize myself with the hardware. So far so good. I hope to have it done by the end of the month. At least version 1.0.

6. General auto repair.

7. My website. I keep talking about putting back up my site about my favorite band but I never get around to doing it. Maybe this month. Of course, I'd need to buy the server space, get my domain name re-assigned, re-load the content. Ahh...

Well, we'll see if all goes well.