Chronicles of a Mighty Pirate

Christmas/Birthday List

2007-12-13T21:20:40Z

People seemed to appreciate this the last time I did it, so once again here's a list of stuff I'd like for Christmas and my Birthday.

Just like last time, I won't look at the replies. That way you can claim gifts (by posting that you're buying something), and avoid getting the same thing as someone else, but I'll still be surprised.

Books:
The Final Empire, (AKA Mistborn), by Brandon Sanderson
The Well of Ascension, by Brandon Sanderson
Honored Enemy, by Raymond Feist
Into a Dark Realm, by Raymond Feist

Movies: (All Widescreen)
Transformers
Spider Man 3

Games:
The Orange Box (PC)
God of War 2 (PS2)
Street Fighter Alpha Anthology (PS2)

Clothes:
Gift certificate to REI or Performance Cycle (for biking gloves and/or rain poncho thing)

Other:
Bike light set (front headlight, rear flasher)
350 Watt PC Power Supply (mine's making noise, and it worries me)

Looked Like Fun

2007-04-26T04:03:49Z

Car

2007-04-24T22:08:14Z

So my car has been declared a total loss. It drives from place to place, but the back is all mashed up and there's significant damage to the frame.

So now I'm in the market for a new vehicle. If you know anyone selling anything small, cheap, and reliable, let me know.

Also, I'll be trying to sell what's left of my car. As I said, it still runs alright, no leaks or crazy noises. The windows are intact, and there was virtually no damage to the front (and hence the enigne). It's just kind of smashed in the back, and aparently the frame may be unsound. If you know any of those car-fixer-upper-people, that might want it, let me know.

Back-Blog

2007-04-22T04:03:25Z

So I haven't posted anything in a while, and a bunch of stuff has happened.

-----------------------

My dad had a heart attack.

I didn't actually hear about this, myself, until he was out of surgery. Apparently my dad was working, and began getting some initial symptoms of a heart attack. From the sound of things, it wasn't actually severe enough that it was easily identifiable, but my dad, being cautious decided to call 911 just in case. Better to overreact a bit and maybe look foolish than to lose some of the capacity of your heart.

So he was taken to the hospital, examined and diagnosed, and he had been in the beginning stages of a heart attack. He had a fair amount of plaque built up in his arteries. They decided to do a quadruple bypass.

For those of you who don't quite know what that is (as I myself didn't a few weeks ago), a quadruple bypass is a pretty big procedure. First you saw the sternum in half vertically, and pry the ribcage open to gain access to the chest cavity. Then you take veins and arteries from other parts of the body, and use them to route blood around the blockages. The original clogged arteries are left in place, but the blood is given an alternate route.

Well, he's now on the mend. I've been out to visit a couple times now. The recovery is a slow process, and it seems hard for him to be so inactive, and dependent on other people. I know it would be difficult for me. The doctors assure him, though, that after he's recovered he will actually be even healthier than he was before the attack. Because he caught it so early, there was no lasting damage to the heart, so all he'll be left with is better pathways for circulation. That's darn good news, considering.

-----------------------

I got laid off.

I started working at Sonicare in late September of '04. The position was only supposed to last for a few months--'til the end of the year. At the end of the year, though, they didn't have anyone replace me, and so I stayed on longer. Three or four more times throughout my employment I was either going to be laid off, or hired on full time, but it never happened. I wrote procedure manuals for how to do my job, and they quickly became outdated as procedures were updated, and no replacement was hired.

Well, Philips decided that as of January of this year there weren't going to be any more part-timers in the company. So as soon as April rolled around, I was out of there. =) Replaced by a full-timer.

It was a good job while it lasted. Good pay, flexible hours, and I liked pretty much everyone I worked with. It wasn't in my field, but it was great part time work for a student.

-----------------------

I got a new job.

So a week after I was laid off, I was re-employed. I'm now working as a construction administration assistant for an architectural firm in Bellevue. Basically, I'm still doing a lot of paperwork and filing, but it's in my field now.

Not a lot to report beyond that. I've only been working there for a week, but it seems like a good place to work so far. My only complaint up to this point is that I'm not really being trained, just learning my job by osmosis. Still, they're taking it slow so far and giving me the chance to understand what I'm doing before giving me more to do. I think it'll work out.

-----------------------

I got rear-ended.

So today Kai and I went to visit my dad out in Poulsbo. On the way back to the ferry, we were stopped at a light. The guy in the van behind us got distracted by some construction machinery and didn't notice that traffic in front of him was stopping. He smashed into my car and busted up the back pretty badly. The window didn't break, fortunately, but my rear bumper is now bent inward like a V. Everything in the car got shook up, and random things broke. My stereo popped halfway out and my fusebox cover came off--crazy stuff like that.

Kai and I are a bit bruised, but not seriously hurt. The guy that hit us doesn't have insurance, but I do have underinsured motorist coverage, so my car will get fixed, and then my insurance company will go after the guy for the money. It works out. Still, it does kind of leave me taking the buss to work on monday.

I do like the heroin...

2007-02-24T02:05:15Z

Isaac Mendez

You scored 33 Idealism, 54 Nonconformity, 62 Nerdiness

I need painting supplies.
Congratulations, you're Isaac Mendez! You're a talented, creative, artistic soul with a few demons you've been working to overcome. You are really passionate person and you are not afraid to express yourself or your emotions.

Your best quality: Creativity and artistic talent.
Your worst quality: A possibly addictive or indulgent personality

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 99% on Idealism
You scored higher than 99% on Nonconformity
You scored higher than 99% on Nerdiness

Link: The Heroes Personality Test written by freedomdegrees on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Take THAT, Grad School

2007-02-10T23:06:13Z

Hey, everyone. At the beginning of this month I applied to the UW College of Civil engineering, Masters of Science in Engineering program with focus in Structural Engineering and Mechanics. Damn that's a mouthfull.

Anyway, they just sent me an acceptance letter. I'll be starting in Fall.

The Best Carrot Cake Ever

2006-12-29T19:19:26Z

Oh, something I forgot to mention.

I went over to my Dad's on Christmas eve. We did the whole gift exchange thing, had christmas dinner, and also a little celebration for my birthday. Because it was my birthday celebration, I got to choose dessert and had requested carrot cake. My step-mom, Janet, baked what can only be described as "The Best Carrot Cake Ever."

I got the recipe. You should make it and eat it.

-----------
Carrot Cake
-----------
Beat Together:
3 Eggs
1-1/2 Cups Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Oil
1/4 Cup Orange Juice
1/2 Tsp Vanilla

Add:
1-1/2 Cups Flower
1-1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1-1/2 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Salt
Grated Rind of an Orange
1-1/2 Cups Grated Carots (About 3 Large Carrots)
1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts
3/4 Cup Raisins
8-1/2 oz Can of Crushed Pineapple
1/4 Cup Grated Coconut (optional)

Mix all and bake in 9 x 13 pan at 300 degrees for 50 minutes. Check to see if done. Cool well before frosting.

---------------------
Cream Cheese Frosting
---------------------

1 Stick Margarine, 1/4 lb, Room Temperature
8 oz Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
1 lb Box of Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
2 tsp Milk

Mix Well. Use additional powdered sugar to adjust consistency if necessary.

GRE Results

2006-12-29T05:54:32Z

So for the last week or so, on top of the holiday madness, and being sick, I was also studying to take the GRE. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the GRE it's kind of like the SAT for college graduates. Someone's scores on the GRE can play a big part in whether or not they get into grad school.

Anyway, I took it today. I was pretty nervous about it. I felt as though I hadn't taken enough time to prepare. I don't know if I was more prepared than I thought or if I just got lucky, but turns out I did pretty darn well.

Verbal: 680
Quantitative: 740

The averages for the program I'm trying to get into are 492 and 722 respectively (engineers can't write).

Sorry for the bragging, I'm just darn happy.

3pwood @ 2006-12-11T21:29:00

2006-12-12T04:29:07Z

Don't you just love it when you're spending so much time doing math and physics, and stressing out about it, that you can't really think about much else. And you can't really get any rest because when you try to sleep all you dream about are indistinct equations that need to be solved, but that keep shifting and changing to remain ever-unsolvable.

I friggin' love that.

Finals are awesome.

3pwood @ 2006-11-30T18:57:00

2006-12-01T01:57:08Z

Christmas/Birthday List

2006-11-26T06:40:39Z

So while we were doing all that thanksgiving stuff, I was getting hassled pretty constantly to come up with a list of stuff I want for Christmas and my birthday.

The idea I had is that I could post the list here, and then promise not to look at any of the comments. That way everyone knows what I want, and they can communicate with each other so as not to double up on stuff, or whatever.

Clothes:
--------

Levi Silvertab Carpenter Jeans, 32x32, Darkish, 2 pairs
Sweaters, Size Large, Whatever You Think Looks Good
Socks, Soft, White or Grey
Fingerless Gloves

Games and Systems:
------------------

PC:
Neverwinter Nights 2
Half Life 2, Episode 1, DVD Version

Xbox:
Capcom Clasics Collection Vol 2
Sonic Mega COllection, Plus
Splinter Cell: Double Agent

PS2:
Disgaea 2
Street Fighter Alpha Anthology

GBA:
Justice League Heroes: The Flash

DS:
DS-Lite, Black, (System)
Castlevania, Dawn of Sorrow
New Super Mario Brothers

DVDs:
-----

Deadwood, Season 1
Firefly, Season 1
24, Season 4
Seven
Serenity

Books:
------

Legends of the Riftwar, Raymond Feist
Sons of the Oak, David Farland
Shaman's Crossing, Robin Hobb

Misc:
-----

Gift Certificates to Best Buy, or Barnes and Noble
Anything else you think I'd like

Thanksgiving

2006-11-26T06:30:35Z

I typed out a thing about my thanksgiving and found that it wasn't actually all that interesting, so only read it if you really want to.

So a couple days ago it was thanksgiving. Kai and I had a busy day. We started by heading up to my mom's house for breakfast at about 10am. There we met up with Anne and Ashley, my sisters, and with Aiden, Anne's husband.

After the gorging (muffins, potatoes fried with onions and butter, two egg bakes, sausage, fruit juice, home-made cider and two different kinds of cranberry bread), we all headed over to the nursing home to visit our grandparents. My grandpa isn't doing so well, lately (the nursing home is a very recent development), and we thought it would be a nice surprise. Grandpa wasn't very awake for most of it, but it was still good to see him, and I could tell that grandma really appreciated the visit. She's obviously having a very difficult time right now.

Next stop was my dad's new house in Poulsbo, so we headed over to the Edmonds ferry to find a 2-hour wait. Given the alternative, most of us decided to walk on and call my dad for a pick-up on the other side. Aiden's disabled status came in handy, giving us a nice parking spot.

About an hour later we arrived at my dad's, and a couple hours after that we had a very nice dinner. There was turkey, honey-baked ham, stuffing, rolls, seasoned mashed potatoes, gravy, and pumpkin pie and blackberry crisp for dessert.

After dinner, we sat and chatted for a while, then got a ride back to the ferry. Back on this side of the water, Anne and Aiden gave us a ride back to my car, and we eventually made it home and collapsed.

3pwood @ 2006-10-11T09:16:00

2006-10-11T16:30:10Z

How White and Nerdy Are You?

I really expected a higher percentage.

Here's the song on YouTube, in case you haven't seen it:

3pwood @ 2006-10-10T21:36:00

2006-10-11T05:06:43Z

Okay, so I'm currently taking 10 credits at school and working about 6-7 hours a day. That basically has me occupied from when I get up in the morning at 7 to when I get home twelve hours later. On top of that, there's homework...not whole ton of it so far, but enough to be a concern. Something like 8 hours a week.

And now the gaming industry has taken it upon themselves to take the remainder of my free time. I doubt any of you follow game releases quite as closely as I do, but have you seen the lineup for later this month?

God Hand, Oct 10
Bully, Oct 17
Sam and Max Episode 1: Culture Shock, Oct 17
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, Oct 24
Splinter Cell: Double Agent, Oct 24
Final Fantasy XII, Oct 31
Neverwinter Nights 2, Oct 31

Now, I want all of these, but I really only NEED to buy Dark Messiah, Final Fantasy and Neverwinter Nights. That's still two games too many.

I'll see if I can't make a non-gaming-related post next time.

You should play these. They're free.

2006-09-12T06:03:12Z

Okay, so I haven't posted much to livejournal lately. Rather than try to catch you up on the stuff that's been happening in my life (most of it isn't terribly exciting anyway) I'm going to forget all that in-between stuff, and suggest a couple free game downloads. They're classics.

1. Star Control 2 (The free version is called The UrQuan Masters)

This game is awesome. The basic idea is that you fly around space, exploring, gathering resources, and trying to make allies against an oppressive race of alien overlords. You get to roam around the galaxy stripping planets bare of their mineral wealth in order to improve your small fleet. Fighting is sort of like a two player version of asteroids without the asteroids, only much cooler. Every ship is unique.

The real strength of this game, though is in the dialogue. Generally your objectives are accomplished not by blowing people out of the sky (though that does occasionally become necessary) but by talking to the various races. Every race and character has it's own unique and interesting personality, and lots of the dialogue is just hillarious.

Download the Installer then run it. I suggest getting the speech pack, when given the option.

And if you need any game info, here's a good place

2. X-Com: UFO Defense

X-Com is a turn-based squad-based strategy game. It's set in a near-future earth where aliens are invading. You, as head of the international UFO Defense organization have to build bases to monitor and protect against alien activity. You set up little bases, staff them, and give them sensors and planes and stuff so that you can shoot down any nearby UFOs. Then the real fun begins.

Once you've shot down a UFO, or responded to a UFO landing, you have to go down with a squad and mop up the aliens. This is done through a turn-based strategic battle between yourself and the aliens. Your guys all go through a sort of RPG progression, and get better at stuff if they live long enough. You'll recover alien technology, research it back at your base, and learn to make newer and more awesome stuff. By the end of the game you'll be flying around in power armor taking over people's minds and destroying entire buildings with hideous guided missles.

It's kind of hard to describe, but damn is it awesome.

Download it. then extract it until you see a file called xcom1fix.exe. Run that, and you're good to go.

You can get the manual here, but don't download it at the same time as the game. The source site has a rule against simultaneous downloads, and you'll be banned.

On the Future

2005-09-21T01:29:50Z

I still don't know what the hell I want to do with my life.

Mostly I'm talking about finding a career. I need a job that I would enjoy, that I'm qualified for, that will pay well, and that will give me a reasonable amount of stability.

For the past year or so, I thought I'd take a shot in the games industry. I thought that, having tooled around with various publicly released level editors, and having a background in architecture, I could break into the industry as a level designer. I've been saving money for almost a year now for the time when I could quit to work on my portfolio and job hunt full time for months. However, in this past year, researching the industry, I become more and more convinced that it will not provide much in the way of money or stability. There are just too many people who want to do the same thing that I do because they're fans of games in general. The market is flooded.

Recently I've been considering going back to school. Not that I have the money to do that, but theoretically, I think I'd like to try to get a bachelors degree in structural engineering. It's a close enough field to architecture that they actually offer it as a double major. Maybe that means I've already taken care of some of the requirements. Not that I've done any solid research into the classes I'd need to take, but one can hope.

I did check a few career websites and structural engineers make more than architects in general. And with less schooling, less stress and less overtime. I also just like that sort of work more. It's more black and white...less subjective. And from the classes I've already taken, I know I'm good at it.

On Work

2005-09-21T00:51:19Z

So, it occurs to me that I'm way behind on my posting...and that I'm going to be working late tonight. I'll see if I can fit in a few posts on how different aspects of my life are going, and also cruise around other people's posts and see what I can contribute, if anything.

First one is on work.

So, no more job for me at the end of the year. Apparently upper management has decided that my position isn't strictly necessary. They don't know what will be done to replace the work I do...and at the risk of sounding self-important, I think I'll be pretty hard to replace. The only thing I could think to do would be heaping my workload on Laura McGrath, the girl who has basically the same job for a different department. She'd get overwhelmed pretty quickly though.

It's nice to have the notice anyway. I have three and a half months to look for a new job. I doubt I'll find one with such good pay and such a flexible schedule, but maybe I can find something a little closer to home than Snoqualmie and/or a bit more in my field of expertise than inventory management. We'll see.

As is Required...

2005-08-23T03:53:56Z

I posted my name in devinam's, so now I'm obligated. Seems like a fun thing, anyway.

1) Reply with your name and I'll respond with something random about you.
2) I'll tell you what song/movie reminds me of you.
3) I'll pick a flavor/color of jello to wrestle with you in.
4) I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me.
5) I'll tell you my first memory of you.
6) I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7) I'll ask you something that I've always wondered about you.
8) If I do this for you, you must post this on your journal.

Late to the Party

2005-08-22T20:05:02Z

It's been done, sure, but...

1. Go here.
2. Pass it on.

1.~How did you meet felipemcguire? Through two, totally separate, mutual friends
2.~What would you do if you had never met felipemcguire? Mostly the same stuff I do now, except I wouldn't get to talk to him at the occasional interstate party.
3.~What do you honestly think of felipemcguire? Wow, you must think I'm fixated on Felipe, huh? Well, he is a pretty great guy.
4.~Would or did felipemcguire and felipemcguire go out? Oh, two of him, now? That's even better.
5.~Have you ever liked felipemcguire? Wait, you mean LIKED HIM, liked him? Well I do fly to Chicago just to watch him sleep from time to time. But that's normal, right?
6.~If lemurkitten died tomorrow, what is one thing that you would need him/her to know? I'm glad she's been a part of my life, and I wish she could have continued to be. Everything is just more enjoyable when she's around.
7.~Would dendacien and felipemcguire make a good couple? Grrrrr. He's mine.
8.~Describe devinam in 3 words: Smart, friendly, hostess
9.~Do you think felipemcguire is hot? Well, I don't steal his underwear for no reason.
10.~Would felipemcguire and felipemcguire make a lovely couple? Oooh, it's like my dreams come to life.
11.~What do you think of when you see felipemcguire? Mansex
12.~Tell me something humiliating about felipemcguire: He let me have mansex with him.
13.~Do you know any of simpleton_prime's family members? His immediate family
14.~What's simpleton_prime's favorite color? Safety Orange
15.~On a scale of 1-10 how cute is felipemcguire? 15
16.~What would you do if shiva_diva just professed their undying love for you? Be flattered but uncomfortable
17.~What language does felipemcguire speak? Love. The language of love.
18.~Who is felipemcguire going out with? Luriddreamscape *clenches fist and sneers*
19.~Is luriddreamscape a boy or a girl? Girl. Hmpf!
20.~Would felipemcguire and shiva_diva make a good couple? He's mine, I tell you!
21.~Who do you think felipemcguire would be great with from this list? Me, and me alone!
22.~When was the last time you talked to felipemcguire? Last night outside his window, but he didn't hear me.
23.~What is felipemcguire's favorite band? *checks creepy scrapbook*
24.~Does dendacien have any siblings? Nope
25.~Would you ever date simpleton_prime? ...Sure, let's continue the trend
26.~Would you ever date devinam? Nah, that's crossing some sort of line.
27.~Is felipemcguire single? Soon.
28.~What is felipemcguire's last name? Cliber
29.~What is felipemcguire's middle name? ... ... Mansex?
30~What is felipemcguire's fantasy? See above
31.~Where does luriddreamscape live? Chicago
32.~Would you make out with felipemcguire? Would I?!?
33.~Are felipemcguire and simpleton_prime best friends? There was the best man thing, but...no...Felipe and I are best friends...whether or not he realizes that yet.
34.~Does devinam like felipemcguire? I don't think they've ever met actually, but if she does, tough luck.
35.~How did you meet felipemcguire? Ah, I never get tired of telling this story.
36.~Is felipemcguire older than you? Love transcends all gaps in age and culture.
37.~Is felipemcguire the sexiest person alive? I can only cum on his picture.

There were an inordinate number of questions about felipemcguire in the first run, so I kind of played along with the random generator. Hopefully I didn't cross too many lines there. I figure with this crowd, I'm probably safe.

Anyway, I took it again, for a slightly more serious set of answers.

1. Go here.
2. Pass it on.

1.~How did you meet simpleton_prime? On a ski school bus in early high school. It's a long boring ride, and a good game of wiener dog guido helps to pass the time.
2.~What would you do if you had never met shiva_diva? Console simpleton_prime
3.~What do you honestly think of dendacien? I think a lot of things about her. Sometimes I think about what a great girl she is, and sometimes I think about tricorn hats.
4.~Would or did dendacien and lemurkitten go out? I don't think so, no.
5.~Have you ever liked simpleton_prime? No, I hate that guy.
6.~If simpleton_prime died tomorrow, what is one thing that you would need him/her to know? That there's no afterlife, and that I'm an ass.
7.~Would shiva_diva and dendacien make a good couple? They'd probably get along reasonably well, but I doubt we'll ever know.
8.~Describe simpleton_prime in 3 words: Creative, Loud, Loyal
9.~Do you think dendacien is hot? Vel hell yes, ve're barbequeing, aren't ve not?
10.~Would simpleton_prime and dendacien make a lovely couple? Probably would, but I kind of hope we never find out.
11.~What do you think of when you see devinam? Alcohol. The two always seem to go together, and so have become connected in my mind.
12.~Tell me something humiliating about shiva_diva: She can't run. At all.
13.~Do you know any of dendacien's family members? Nope
14.~What's dendacien's favorite color? Purple
15.~On a scale of 1-10 how cute is lemurkitten? Round about 7-8.
16.~What would you do if luriddreamscape just professed their undying love for you? Ask her what her last name is.
17.~What language does simpleton_prime speak? Sign language. At least enough to threaten the deaf.
18.~Who is dendacien going out with? *raises hand*
19.~Is dendacien a boy or a girl? Girl
20.~Would dendacien and lemurkitten make a good couple? *raises eyebrow* I'm seeing a pattern here.
21.~Who do you think dendacien would be great with from this list? Crap, I'm not answering questions about myself.
22.~When was the last time you talked to shiva_diva? Last night.
23.~What is simpleton_prime's favorite band? XTC
24.~Does shiva_diva have any siblings? Not to my knowledge.
25.~Would you ever date dendacien? Actually, I already am.
26.~Would you ever date dendacien? Still not convinced? It's true, and it's awesome.
27.~Is dendacien single? No. I was serious, before.
28.~What is dendacien's last name? Ford
29.~What is simpleton_prime's middle name? Drake
30~What is simpleton_prime's fantasy? I'm sure it involves tricorn hats.
31.~Where does luriddreamscape live? Chicago
32.~Would you make out with shiva_diva? No, but only for moral reasons.
33.~Are felipemcguire and dendacien best friends? Secretly, yes.
34.~Does dendacien like dendacien? Hopefully, yes. =)
35.~How did you meet simpleton_prime? On a rusty tin boat making the crossing from Madagascar. He was the captain, and I was his first mate.
36.~Is simpleton_prime older than you? Yup.
37.~Is felipemcguire the sexiest person alive? Yes. *sob*

3pwood @ 2005-08-15T18:00:00

2005-08-16T02:17:09Z

So, I did a bunch of stuff this weekend.

Honestly, this is a pretty long post, and you may not care about the day to day things I do. Feel free to go play Katamari Damacy or something...

Most of my Saturday was spent car shopping. Poking around classifieds online and dropping in at used car lots in Lynnwood and Bellevue. Most of it was solo, but Jason came out to Bellevue to accompany me for the tail end. The experience gave me a new understanding of why people occasionally think of salesmen as the scum of the earth. I would walk into a dealership, tell them that I had $6k to spend, and was looking for a fuel-efficient, reliable used car. Then I'd ask what they had that fit into those parameters, and they'd try to sign me up for some sort of financing agreement on a $15k car.

I don't want to be making car payments. Not ever, if I can help it. There's something worrisome about being in debt that I'd like to avoid.

After much searching, Jason and I went to check out a car from an online ad that had caught my attention about a week and a half earlier. This ad: Car. In case that disappears now that the car is sold, it's a '97 Honda Civic DX Hatchback, Dark Blue, 110,000 miles, $6000. After a test drive, a quick inspection, and a perusal of the car's maintenance documents, I decided to go ahead and pick it up.

I bought the car contingent on it passing a third party inspection, so I'm going to be taking it into a local shop tomorrow morning to see if it's a keeper. I think it will be. Despite a few minor malfunctions, it seems to run fairly well. My only real gripe so far is the lack of air conditioning. I guess I'll have to learn to like having the windows down in the summer.

Saturday evening was spent returning the Explorer I had been borrowing from my mom, and playing Knights of the Old Republic II. I'm severely behind in my gaming, mostly due to work and dendacien.

Speaking of dendacien, on Sunday she and I were invited to go disc golfing in west seattle with Ian, Mike, and lemurkitten. It was my first attempt at the sport, and I found it surprisingly entertaining, despite the sunburn. For those of you who have never experienced disc golf, it's basically throwing special frisbees from a tee, through golf-course-esque terrain, and into a "net." The net is really just a metal basket with chains hanging above it. The idea is that if you throw your disc into the chains, it will stop and fall into the basket. It usually works, too.

The best part is that the whole thing is free. The course is totally open. It's not pristine, like a golf course, but it's maintained on a public park sort of level. I hear it's even possible to scour the bushes for lost discs, so equipment can be free too.

After the game, I don't believe I ever heard a final score, but I'm pretty certain I was thrashed. Mike and Ian were particularly impressive disc-ers, pulling all sorts of upside-down throws and such. I believe lemurkitten beat me, and I beat dendacien. My girlfriend seems to lack natural talent when it comes to throwing frisbees into hanging chains, but I think I'll keep seeing her anyway. Believe me, though, it's a close thing. Just kidding, hon. =)

We actually had to cut disc golf a bit short in order to make it over to capitol hill and watch Shakespeare's Tempest. It was a good show, but what I remember most is the blistering heat. Damn it was hot yesterday. Many thanks to Mike and devinam for providing the food, drink and umbrellas that I didn't have the foresight to bring.

After a quick stop by Lynnwood to feed simpleton_prime and shiva_diva's cats, dendacien and I went back to lemurkitten's house. We made stir fry...I got to meet evilandi for the first time...we all played Betrayal at the House on Haunted Hill...and things were good.

It's a Goat-Car!!!

2005-08-05T01:10:20Z

Okay, so here's a logic problem that has been the source of a few semi-heated arguments. I like it because the answer is somehow counter-intuitive. Also, I understand it now, so I get to act like I'm smart.

-You're on a gameshow
-The host shows you three doors and explains that behind one of the doors is a car, and behind the other two are goats.
-He then asks you to pick one of the doors at random.
-After you've made your selection, a second door is opened to reveal a goat.
-Now you are asked if you would like to change your answer, and pick the third door.

The question is, should you switch doors at this point, stick to your original answer, or does it matter?

Answer:

Actually, you should always switch your answer, when given the option.

The best explanation I can come up with is this:

* On the initial pick, you had a 2/3 chance of picking a goat
- There were two goats and one car.
- The other goat being revealed does not change what is behind your door...and it's probably a goat.

* If you got a goat on your first pick, and you switch, you will get a car
- The other goat was revealed, so the car is going to be the only remaining option.

* Therefore your chances of getting the car are 2/3 if you switch and 1/3 if you stay

I worry about my friends

2005-08-02T03:12:44Z

They seem to be having a shitty time of it recently.

Steve (simpleton_prime is overworked by school and GMing, and overstressed by not having any income. He's also got a psychological problem called creeping shame that all too often keeps him from getting sleep when he does have the time. He's currently depressed about the state of his birthday, and I'm not quite sure what to do about that. The main problem is that most of his friends in this area are going to be occupied for most of the day, and so a real party or get together isn't possible. It's hard to call a gathering of five people a party. I guess the only thing I can do is spend the day with him, try to cheer him up, and find him a particularly nifty present.

Jason is always a little off. He's depressed about being alone. He drinks too much, eats poorly, and doesn't get enough sleep. I don't know what advice I can give him in trying to find a relationship. Lord knows I don't have a clue how to go about such things.

He doesn't really have a lot of time, either. He works too much. Still, he seems to be on the road to a pretty lucrative career, so it could all pay off in the end. The thing that worries me is the frequency with which his job title, income, and responsibilities seem to be changing. It's hard to view anything that unstable as a sound investment. Still, he is extremely good at his job, and I don't think the company would want to lose him. As added backup his boss is my step-dad...hooray for nepotism.

Adrienne (lemurkitten), I just found out by way of her Livejournal, broke up with her boyfriend, Greg, the other day. Though I don't know Adrienne as well as I'd like, she's been an acquaintance for so many years that I've developed a certain friendly affection for her. So even though I don't feel qualified to give comfort, I can still worry.

I'm also somewhat frightened by the fact that I was hanging out with Greg, Adrienne and Kai, eating overpriced Italian food and playing board games, mere hours before their breakup. Just one night before disaster they were joking and playing, with no visible signs of turbulence. Would I have seen it coming?

Also, I kind of liked Greg, power-gamer though he was. Nice guy...funny. Probably won't see as much of him now...

---

Just for fun, I did a bit of friend hopping...

futzyj, who I believe I recognize from a wedding or two, is apparently having problems with a wedding and her long-term boyfriend.

devinam recently dyed her feet and knees orange. Semi-on-purpose too.

luriddreamscape actually knows a man who's never eaten a muffin. There are few things more depressing than that.

felipemcguire is having good luck with his apartment, and life in general. Unfortunately, his name is spelled with a "K" and pronounced with an "N" which means he can never be truly happy.

dendacien is apparently being refused service by petty sandwich-peddlers.

evilandi, who I have yet to meet but have heard a lot about, is bored, irritated with stupidity, and has Blizzard trying to milk more money out of him than they probably already do with WOW. On a side note I miss my Troll Priest.

Girlfriend?

2005-08-01T22:21:00Z

It's been a damn long time since I've done anything even remotely like dating. There have been a few awkward encounters here and there, but it's been about 8 years since I've really been seeing anyone.

All things considered, my new relationship with Kai (dendacien) is going surprisingly well. It's kind of strange that things are going as smoothly as they are, actually. I mean, I don't really know what the crap I'm doing. I couldn't ride a bicycle well on my first try--why should dating be any easier?

Somehow, though, it's been a very pleasant and mostly stress-free experience. I've been growing more and more relaxed about the whole thing as I come to realize that we just get along well. I don't have to worry about everything I say or do, and stress myself out to the point that I'm no longer fun to be around. I can just relax, do what I want to do, be receptive to what she wants to do, and enjoy her company. It's very casual, and I love that.

So what now?

2005-07-29T19:40:57Z

So now I tell you about stuff that's going on in my life, right? I suppose I'll have to assume that anyone reading this has at least a basic knowledge of who I am, so I won't recount my entire childhood to get you caught up. I'll just jump right in, and hopefully anything you don't know you can pick up from context.

So, recent events...

I wrecked my car a few weeks back. There was a car stopped in the far right lane of I-90 east, and by the time I saw it through the rain it was too late to go from 70mph down to 0. So I skidded right into it.

A couple things occurred to me both during and after the accident that made me feel like an idiot. First, only after I had already slid 60 or so feet towards the other vehicle did I try to turn, and by then I didn't have enough room left. It was like in a movie where someone has a car or a train or a boulder barreling down on them and they run directly away from it, rather than just go off to the side. I mean, you're not going to outrun the train, just get off the goddamn tracks. Once it became obvious that I couldn't stop in time, I should have turned. Instead I just sort of sat there for half a second, stunned at the realization that I was about to be in a car wreck.

The second thing that made me feel stupid is that the idiot light for my anti-lock brakes has been flickering on and off for about a month. I knew I should get it checked out, but I didn't feel like it was strictly necessary. My brakes still worked and I was busy. Then my brakes locked up in the rain and my car got totaled as a result. I really should have found the time to get that looked at.

So, yeah, my car was totaled in the accident. I was unhurt, but my engine got pretty mashed up. The car was towed to a nearby lot and held there at a rate of $31/day. I had to call an auto wrecker and have him come pick it up. He took his sweet time too, so by the time my car got taken out of the lot, the $350 I got for the wreck was about $100 short of the accumulated towing and holding fees.

One thing I was impressed with after the wreck was how automated everything seemed. I had never been in a major auto accident before, much less one that I had been the cause of, so I had no idea what my responsibilities were beyond calling 911. Apparently, though, that was all it took. Other motorists stopped, and helped clear the vehicles from the road. The police and paramedics talked to everyone, took statements, and explained things to us. Someone--the police, I suppose--called tow trucks to take the vehicles away. The only thing I really had to do was call my insurance company and the auto wrecker.

So now I'm borrowing a car from my mom to get to work. I have enough money saved up for a pretty decent used car, but I had had other plans for that cash. I had hoped to live on my savings for a while, working on my portfolio and job hunting. I wanted about $6k for that, and another $3k for my IRA. I was just getting to the point where I was pretty sure I would be doing well even if I left my job, and then bam.

Fortunately, my dad offered to split the cost of a car with me. He also suggested that I ask my mom and Mike to go in thirds. Now, understand, I haven't been out on my own for very long. I was supported through school by my parents. Since graduation, I have been working, and taking a certain pride in the fact that I could, apparently, make it on my own after all. Still, since the last 9 months or so have been spent saving money for the planned career hunt, I decided that I should just swallow my pride and take whatever help I can get from my parents (who make gobs more money than I do, anyway). We'll see how that works out.

More Later...

Color Scheme!

2005-07-26T01:26:12Z

I'm just trying to get a color scheme worked out, and figure out what I can and can't do here. Pay no attention if you happen to have stumbled onto my journal in it's infancy.

So, what will this thing let me do...

Auto Link?
http://www.google.com/

Pretty Link? (Nifty...no underline by default. Don't need textdecoration:none)
Google!!!

Pic?

Someone?
simpleton_prime

Font Changes?
Yessir...

Table?

V	iolencer
L	aywaste
A	association of
C	entral
E	urope

Pic with a Link?

Stalin?

Table of Stalins, Where Every Stalin Links to a Different Page About Stalin?
Heh...who am I kidding? I'm too lazy to do that.

That's enough fooling around.