Blog

Our shiny new refrigerator arrived today. It has two tiny flaws on the front, one of which might or might not have scratched most of the way through the paint. For this, they’re refunding us $100. I love America.

The floor under the old fridge was Nasty. I think we had gone all the way to creating topsoil at some points. Wow. Note to self: Do not look under refrigerators unless you really want to clean for a while. Ick ick ick.

The dehumidifier continues to suck incredible amounts of moisture out of the air. I think that it’s busily drying out all of my slightly damn possessions right now. Go dehumidifier.

Finished up the evening last night with Aliens. Also a rockin’ movie. Very much more clear on the whole gender issue thing.

Newt: “They grow inside you. Is it like when a baby grows inside you?”
Ripley: “No, that’s different. Go to sleep now.”

And of course: “I say we take off, nuke the site from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.”

Behind a cut, because it contains a four letter word.

Just watched the new director’s cut of Alien, which remains a phenomenal movie. It came out in 1979, and as I watched, it contains most of the archetypes of sci-fi and thriller movies for the past 25 years. Plus, there are all sorts of awesome human nature and gender issue things in there.

Upon the discovery of mildew on the surface of a suitcase stored in the basement, the question of musty basement odor went from one of convenience to one of some urgency. To this end, we have purchased a dehumidifier and have started to pump water out of the air downstairs. It’s set to turn off automatically if the humidity departs below the “human comfort” zone, whatever that is.

It’s been running continually for the past two days, removing more than 2 liters of water per hour from the air.

Woot.

If an experience seems real, it is real.
If an idea feels right to you, it is right.
We are incapable of acquiring knowledge of the true nature of reality.
Science itself is irrational or mystical.
It’s just another faith system or belief system or myth, with no more justification than any other.
It doesn’t matter whether beliefs are true or not, as long as they’re meaningful to you.”

a summary of New Age beliefs, from THEODORE SCHICK JR. and LEWIS VAUGHN, How to think about weird things: Critical thinking for a new age.

“Forget for a while all of your knowledge of physics.
Remove from your mind all objections that may occur.
Never reason for sex weeks
Be very credulous; be very persevering; reject all past experience, and do not listen to reason.”

Franz Mesmer, advice for those having trouble being hypnotized.

“No one could have imagined back then that they would discard their own State Department’s 11 volumes of plans for what to do; that they would not guard the borders; that they would not guard the ammunition dumps; that they would disband the army; that they would not keep a civil service structure in place; that they would not provide the electricity and provide the jobs and the services.

“This has been incompetently handled, mismanaged every step of the way,”
John Kerry; yesterday

“The world is better off with Saddam Hussein sitting in a prison cell, and that stands in stark contrast to the statement my opponent made yesterday when he said that the world was better off with Saddam in power. I strongly disagree.”
George H.W. Bush; today

The Alaska pictures are up.

I, again, made the mistake of listening to the news radio today. The republican-fu at this point seems to be centering on the fact that Kerry is “inconsistent.” We need “consistent” leadership, they say.

rant rant rant

Did a double whammy workout today. Went to the “open” karate class at noon, and then to the “cardeo-kickboxing” session at 6pm. The karate class was really fun. It was me, the owner of the gym, and a third degree black belt. I’ve got to get out of these intro classes. The advanced stuff is much more to my liking. The cardeo was also fun. It was led by said third degree, who needs to work on her confidence if she’s going to lead classes. On the other hand, I want to be doing whatever workout she’s doing to get her arms looking like that.

At one point during the abs-of-steel section, after the other two participants had dropped out, she asked “Chris, are you even feeling this?” I said “well, it hurt a while ago, but I can’t feel that anymore. Can we stop now?” Pride is a horrible thing, but someday soon I may even be able to “rip” an ab. That may or may not make me happy. I wouldn’t know. Gotten through 29 years in this world without once “ripping” an ab.

In other news, my company is trying to push out a new version of our software by the end of the month. I may get a little busy here in a moment. Do ye situps while ye may.

Today was a day of chores and no, the pictures aren’t online yet. Doing the big-org on the train tomorrow.

We bought a new refrigerator. Ended up going with the 21.7 cubic foot one because I get irritable and nasty when I have to play tetris to get at my veggie BBQ wings. Splurged on the EnergyStar compliant model (++ $200) but did without the brushed steel finish (– $300). All told, $800 to prevent the explosions of rage that happen when my freezer pizzas settle all down in the bottom of their boxes because they’re not frozen. I tell you, I can cope with serious pain-in-the-butt for long periods of time, but tiny little things like a freezer-pizza that doesn’t work out right and KABOOM.

Why I hate Verizon

Jet lag is gonna hurt this time. We travelled from Seward, AK starting in the morning yesterday (Alaska time == Eastern Time – 6 hours) and arrived home around 9pm today. Ouch.

In other news, the trip was awesome. Wildlife, snow, backpacking, and adventure. My ankle feels, if not good as new, at least good enough to hike for many miles. Further updates when my brain starts working again.

According to the kind and generous staff at the Barrington Urgent Care Facility (and their most excellent X-Ray machine): No visible fractures but *damn* that’s some bruising.