Bike Ride and Safe Blogging

Today I went on my Saturday morning bike ride. I have been taking a weekly ride regularly since I got back into biking a few months ago. My rides are not long, between 6 and 10 miles, but they sure beat spending 20 minutes on a stair-stepper in the gym. It was about this time last year that I stopped ridding my bike, partly due to the destructive fire here in Scripps Ranch. The fire burned next to all the roads that I ride on, and since there was smoke and ash in the air for months after the fire was out, I stopped riding or even spending any time outdoors. I was happy today to see that more houses are being rebuilt. Soon there will be no visible indication that a fire ravaged the area at all.

Why do people insist on adding some plug-in to their blog that forces you to install an application in order to view their page? I will never install anything unless it is an application that I really trust, like QuickTime, which I already have installed. If you refuse to install the program, then a message box pops-up saying "You must install to view page" and then you cannot close your browser or go to another blog. I advise all you bloggers out there NOT to install any plug-ins. What you should do if this happens is press "cntl-alt-delete", select "Task Manager" if you are running Windows XP, select the the Internet Explorer line and click "End Task". This process might vary depending on your operating system. Doing this will help ensure that your computer does not get a virus or any spyware installed. And you all know how I feel about spyware!

Strange Bedfellows

I recently rediscovered this strange photo and thought it was time I explain to the world how it came to be. I got the Bart mask at a San Diego Comic-Con a few years ago. The teddy bear belonged to my mom. The cardboard cut-out of Ricker was grabbed from a Jack-in-the-Box during a daring daylight heist. Somehow all three ended up in my guest bedroom. During one of my Superbowl parties, a guest arranged them under the covers as you see here (and funny she thought she was). So I took this photo, closed the door, and left them alone for the night.

Women Need to Try This

Inspired by the web site Spamusement that I posted about below, I gave my best effort to draw a cartoon based on an actual subject line from a spam e-mail that I received. As I expected, it is not easy to think of something funny to draw, not to mention that I can't draw people, especially women. I drew this picture using Microsoft Paint, and didn't try really hard to make it realistic. I need to thank Sarah Michelle Gellar for providing the inspirational photo I used as an example. My crude drawing is not unlike the one that Giles drew on the episode Hush, except there he made Buffy look fat. I went with the skinny body, big hands look. Once again, this picture was not drawn by a 5 year old. With time I believe I will improve.

Rodney Dangerfield

We new it was going to happen soon. Rodney Dangerfield has died, and I am saddened. Looking back on all the roles that he played, the one I remember him most for is when he voiced the character of Burns' son Larry on The Simpsons. That was almost a comeback role for him at the time. It is amazing how effective The Simpsons are when it comes to making an actor that might not be well known by a younger audience suddenly popular and cool again. Other personalities that benefited by appearing on The Simpsons are Tito Puente and Tom Jones. Lets all have a beer for Mr. Dangerfield and give him that respect he truly deserves.

Spamusement

I found this very funny web site listed on another blog. Click on each link in the site, the cartoons are hilarious. Well, they were for a computer geek like me. Note, I could be sending this link out to all my friends in a spam-like fashion, but instead I'm making you come to me, thus eliminating one more useless e-mail.

Spamusement

Hot Or Not

Yes, I have submitted my photo to the famous web site "Hot or Not". So far the results don't look good. If they don't improve, I'll submit a different, better picture. Click here to rate me, and please, be nice. I was rating pictures of women between the ages of 33 and 40, and most of the pictures did not do the women any justice. I gave lots of 3's and 4's, and was surprised that their average vote was 6 and 7! I guess I'm just too picky. The photo I used was the same one I use for my blog. I hope the Simpsons action figures in the background didn't hurt my image.

Company Going Away Dinner

Last night I went to a going away dinner for our local center director/vice president. I like to attend as many company lunches/dinners as I can. It gives me an opportunity to meet fellow employees and talk to people who I rarely see, since I don't work at the company office. I kind of regretted signing up for this event, since I figured that there would be nothing but old, upper-level managers at this event. That part was true. However, I met our new center director, and several other managers saw me there, so that made me look good. There were enough people there that I knew that I didn't feel completely out of place, even though I was the youngest person there, even at 37 years of age. There were about 40 people at this dinner, and I expected more since it was for a vice president. This turned out to be a plus, since everyone was given the cordless mircophone to give the guest of honor, Steve, a going away message. The man next to me had the best comment. He said, "If I had known I was going to speak I'd wouldn't have shown up." Such honesty! The man before me said, "I have learned that it is best to keep your speech funny and short, and since I am not funny, I'm done." It took almost a half hour for everyone to deliver their messages to Steve. After all was said and done, I said my good-by to him and snuck out around 9:30.

Brooms and More

So I now have the audio that you have all been waiting for. Let us here it for TMBG!

First Presidential Debate on Beer

What? This is what happens when you watch a presidential debate while drinking various "beers of the world" that you bought from Costco. First, they (Costco) have some new beers this year. I'm trying a beer called La Bolduc from Canada. Opinion: nothing special. Now a few words on the debate, which is not over yet. Kerry is making Bush look really bad. Will this change my vote? No. What is my vote? You will not find out by reading any of my blog posts. What is interesting, is that I am reading other blogs using the "next blog" link, and find that one of every ten blogs is about politics and the upcoming election. I found more than one blog that had quotes from the ongoing live debate. What were they doing, blogging while watching the debate? Wait, that is what I am doing. Luckily, the Padre game is on soon.

I Am Not Your Broom

As I walked past my broom today I realized that it is just a stub of its former self. How did this happen? My broom used to have long, straight bristles ready to sweep the dirt away. Over the years the bristles slowly wore down, leaving a sad looking stick that can no longer perform its intended task in life. Am I not like my broom in some existential way? Perhaps I should restore my verve before I replace my broom. What would my broom say about this? "Do what you like, because I am not your broom."

Charmed Guest Stars

The television show Charmed on the WB is off to a strong start this season with appearances by two Sci-Fi veterans: John de Lance from Star Trek and Charisma Carpenter from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. John de Lance went from being an omnipotent being on Star Trek to a powerful elder, and Charisma Carpenter went from being an evil Master on Buffy to a demonic seer. Hmmm, I see a pattern here. Both actors played their part, although short, convincingly. As you might have guessed, I don't care about that other recurring guest star, whos name I cannot mention.

Aztecs Win

The SDSU Aztecs won tonight against Nevada (who are they?). Better yet, we all got two free fish tacos from Rubios because the Aztecs scored more than 25 points. (One taco per ticket - we found four extra tickets on the ground.) Their next home game is on October 16th, and since I'm the only one who is going, I have three extra tickets to the game. Plus I can get anyone into the SDSU Athletic Foundation tailgate party before the game where there will be plenty of beer and hotdogs.

Key West Trip

I am back from my trip to Key West. I left for home earlier than planned for two reasons. The first was to beat the rush of people fleeing hurricane Jeanne, and the second was to get home in time for the Festival of Beers. I did avoid the hurricane, however, I'm too tired to go downtown drinking tonight. I have been awake since 3 AM West Coast time and have spent the last 12 hours in airports and on airplanes. Because I changed my flights at the last minute, I had to fly home through Dallas. There were no delays, but the only food they served was a small bag of pretzels. Talk about cheap! Good thing I had a turkey sandwich in Dallas.

My time in Key West went by quickly. I actually got tons of sleep due to my work schedule being shifted to the afternoon and evenings. I got my fill of local food including an excellent pecan crusted Mahi-Mahi dinner and a Willie Burger, which is a hamburger in a croissant with cheese. Tomorrow it is off to root on the Aztecs at the Q.

DSL vs. Cable

I just got through installing SBC Yahoo DSL for a friend. SBC was going to charge $150 for the installation, which is a ripoff. However, it took me over two hours of my time to install a network card, get the DSL service working, activate the account and configure the e-mail. The end result is that I dislike DSL even more now than I did before. To install a cable modem, all you have to do is connect the coaxial cable to your modem and the modem to your computer. Then run any browser, like Internet Explorer, and you are connected to the internet. SBC Yahoo requires you to install software, run a special browser that requires a login, and the default page is cluttered with extra icons, links and other junk. Plus, you cannot change your home page. I would strongly recommend to anyone who asks me about DSL or cable that they should get a cable modem if available in their area.

Final LASIK Post-Op

Greetings, fellow LASIK under-goers. I had my final LASIK post-op exam yesterday. It has been 10 months since my surgery. My optometrist said my eyes healed perfectly and have stabilized as expected. I do have a slight prescription, but nothing that would require me to ware glasses until I need reading glasses in 10 years or so. Since I started this blog after I had my surgery, I should mention that I had my surgery performed by Dr. Schanzlin at the Laser Eye Center in La Jolla, CA. I had the Custom LASIK procedure, which was a little more expensive, but typically has better results. I would suggested that anyone wearing glasses should look into having LASIK if they are a candidate.

Johnny Ramone

The rockers of the 70s are dying off too quick. Johnny Ramone of The Ramones is now the third member of The Ramones to die, leaving only one original member. He was only 55. Somehow the rock pioneers of the 60s like some members of The Beatles and the Rolling Stones are living longer than many of the innovative rockers of the 70s such as The Ramones, Frank Zappa and Robert Palmer. It's sad to see artists that I think are still young die, and it also makes me feel old because the 70s was a long time ago. I guess these entertainers lived hard and paid the price. I might live until I'm 90 but I will never experience the adventurous life led by madmen like Keith Moon of The Who.

Tropical Storm Jeanne and Ranting

Here comes the next storm to delay my trip to Key West once again. I have never spent so much time tracking hurricanes. I should be working for NOAA. On the up side, if my trip next week is postponed, then I can attend the SD Festival of Beer.

Start of Rant:

On an unrelated topic, what is the deal with San Diego radio stations? Every other city in the US, even Salt Lake City, has better radio stations than we do. San Diego radio plays what I call "safe rock". Music that is not too extreme and not too soft. Why can't we have a radio station like K-Rock in New York? K-Rock plays the kind of music we used to hear from 91X, back when they were "on the cutting edge of rock" (now they are on the trailing edge of rock) combined with the pure rock of the now internet only KNAC from Los Angeles. I know what the problem is: Clear Channel Communications. However, as much as I dislike their monopoly on radio in the US, I don't believe that Clear Channel, the FCC and President Bush are out to get Howard Stern. Howard needs to take some kind of anti-paranoid pill and get back to talking about strippers, porn stars and more strippers.

End of rant.

Ivan ruined my trip

No thanks to hurricane Ivan, I will not be traveling to Key West on Monday. My trip was postponed for one week, and even that trip might be delayed if there is substantial damage on the island. If I go as planned, I will miss the 10th annual San Diego Festival of Beer. True, I can drink all the beer I want when in Key West, but it is more fun to sample a variety of beers in the festive Downtown atmosphere with fellow beer drinkers than it is to hang-out with co-workers on a tropical island. Not that I don't enjoy going to dinner with them, but I end up looking like an alcoholic after I finish my 4th pint of Guinness at Finnegan's Wake. Well, now it is time to escape this sauna I call a house and search for a cooler place to relax.

Buffy and I

To see something bizarre, click on this photo.

Sky Show and Aztecs

Last night was the KGB Sky Show at the 'Q'. Since the Padres moved to Petco, and having a big fireworks show downtown is not possible, they decided to have the Sky Show after the home opener for the SDSU Aztecs football game. Since I get season tickets every year anyway, I was happy to hear this. The game was rather boring. The Aztecs beat Idaho St. 38 to 21, which is good, but the game took over four hours, which was bad. After the game, Marshall Faulk pushed the button that started the big show. I believe that this was the loudest Sky Show ever. The fireworks and other explosions were so loud that the music was drowned-out. Between the acts, they showed specially produced clips staring the characters of Space Ghost and Zorak from the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim which I didn't find very funny, but I never watch those programs. We left quickly after the show and exited the parking lot with no wait, despite the fact that there were 57,000 people at the stadium - a new record for an Aztec football game (Note: SDSU students now get in for free).