Some crazy things about me

Well, Sara posted a list of 100 things about her on Myspace a couple years back. I followed suite and did it as well.

She just posted an updated/shorter list on her blog. Guess that means I should post a Jan. 2, 2009 version as well?

1. I tend to find things to complain about related to work too easily, but I am super thankful I have a good job.
2. I’m envious that my Life, Laurie really loves her new job.
3. I started using Uni-ball vision pens over the last year or so – I love them!
4. I’ve been carrying the same purple and green one in my pocket for a couple months.
5. I hate when you find a great pen and it turns up missing.
6. I love a great cup of coffee.
7. I have a french press at my desk so I can make a great cup whenever I choose.
8. I used the last of my Columbian coffee here at work this morning.
9. I loathe buying things based on a brand name or because they’re the “cool thing” to have.
10. Despite #9, I’ve only owned Chevy trucks and don’t plan to buy anything else.
11. I will buy a “brand name” if I think the cost:value ratio is right (hense #10).
12. A pack of Starbursts in our vending machine at work now costs $1! (see #1).
13. I used to sell candy and Little Debbies at school, usually with at least a 100% markup.
14. I may need to start a new side-job at work :-).
15. I’ve been designing websites for nearly 15 years now — self taught.
16. I think I’ve actually been paid to build 4 or 5 of them.
17. Looking back on my old designs, they suck.
18. I’m not thrilled with the current design/layout on my blog.
19. Starting the something beautiful podcasts likely tops the list of my favorite things in 2008.
20. Writing a novel is within the top 5.
21. I’d do a daily podcast/radio show if someone would pay me or I could find a couple more hours in the day.
22. I wonder if I can find someone to sponsor me, just living life and doing the things I love.
23. I’d be willing to sellout and wear a “brand name shirt” from 8-5 everyday if someone wanted to sponsor me to the tune of $40-$50k a year.
24. I have almost as much fun putting together an hour of “indie” music for the podcast as I do chatting with very cool folks like @kevinhendricks, @truckerfrank, @frankviola, @knightopia, @tallskinnykiwi and the 20 or so others I got to chat with in 2008.
25. My favorite part of editing a weekly podcast is adding Laurie’s closing statement at the end of each podcast.
26. The older I get, the worse my allergies seem to get – especially at night.
27. I think we’ve found a combination of meds that seem to really work – but I hate using nasal sprays.
28. Laurie says she can tell a big difference at night between when I use the new meds and when I don’t.
29. I used to sleep with music on almost every night.
30. Now I fall asleep to the sound of a fan.
31. I wish I was a better wood-worker.
32. My greatest achievement in wood-working thus far is a shelf I built for the garage.
33. It took me a year to finish building/staining a keep sake box for Laurie.
34. It was a wedding gift. I think she got it around our one year anniversary. :-(.
35. I don’t remember being very popular while I was growing up, but somehow I have over 400 friends on Facebook. What’s that about?
36. I would love to have kids.
37. The idea of having kids still terrifies me when I start thinking about it too much.
38. Love playing with them and enjoying them when they’re behaving. Not a big fan when they start acting up.
39. I’d secretly be thrilled if we had a baby by next Christmas.
40. Some days I feel like a walking contradiction.
41. I’ve been riding the DART bus to work for more than a year now.
42. It’s probably one thing I do that I get asked the most questions about.
43. I’m amused that riding public transportation is still so foreign to Texans.
44. Many people think the bus and rail are full of lowlifes that should be avoided no matter how much money it might save you.
45. Even though we can park for free at our new office building – I’d still rather ride the bus most days.
46. I often give Laurie a hard time about her wanting to buy nice things for me and/or our house, like a dining room table, or painting the walls.
47. Secretly I’m glad she’s doing it all and I love all that she’s done so far.
48. Laurie always gives awesome gifts.
49. I hope to one day do the “Hotter Than Hell” bike race in Wichita Falls.
50. I’d like to go skydiving and bungee jumping at some point.

Microsoft Zune freezes — joins others world wide

My Zune
My Zune

So this afternoon, I got in my truck and turned on my 30 GB Zune, just like normal and the device froze on boot-up.

I figured it was a random fluke but later after letting it charge for a while, the same issue occurred. The device simply froze on boot-up.

A quick Google search showed me that apparently everyone around the world is having this same issue.

Microsoft has gathered that the issue is related to the way the internal clock handles leap-years (feels like Y2K all over again).

From Microsoft support ::

My Zune 30 is frozen on the boot screen, now what do I do?

You will need to reboot your device after noon GMT on Jan 1, 2009.

Please unplug your Zune (no AC or USB cables).

Because your Zune is frozen your device battery will begin draining, this is good.

The battery will eventually be fully depleted and the screen will go black.

After noon GMT on January 1 (that’s 7 a.m. Eastern or 4 a.m. Pacific time) connect your AC power or USB cable such that the battery can begin charging again.

Once the Zune has enough battery to boot it should do so normally and you can go back to enjoying your Zune!

So, I’ll go without my Zune till sometime tomorrow and hope that fixes it all.

Of course, the mention of the issue on Twitter brings all the tweets from my friends to go out and buy an iPod.

But I’m also pleased to say it brought about comments from a Microsoft Techie as well ::

microsoft_cares @jdblundell We tried our best to repair the issue, but due to the nature of the problem even if a patch was released, no one could use it

So, while I started to write a post that bashed Microsoft for the malfunction and lack of an available patch, I’ll hope that their solution is a fix tomorrow and I’ll applaud Microsoft for taking notice and reaching out to their customers. Thanks!

read more ::
1, 2, 3, 4, 5

The Blogger Bake Off

This looks cool.

bakeoff

from the website ::

Quite simply; bake bread, give dough. You can sign up for the campaign, make a donation, upload your bread recipes and document your culinary adventures in the media centre to spread the word. Bloggers can go even further by downloading our widget and tagging five other bloggers to do the same.

I haven’t extensively looked the site over yet, but I like the idea thus far. May have to bust out a bread recipe or two tomorrow.

How to get involved ::

  • Join our campaign.
  • Submit your bread baking recipe.
  • Make a donation to Breadline Africa.
  • Vote for your favourite recipe.
  • Bake a loaf of bread and blog about it.
  • Bake many loaves of bread and host a bake sale.

Anyone else checked the site out yet?

something beautiful advent christmas extravaganza

You’ve mailed all your Christmas cards, you’re wrapping the last of the gifts and you’re tired of all the Christmas re-runs on TV?

Well have no fear, the something beautiful podcast advent christmas extravaganza is here!

The podcast went live mid-day today (half a day early) and already it’s had 44 downloads! It may be a record setter. We also posted a special “bonus” episode for material that didn’t quite fit with the rest of the extravaganza (23 downloads of that episode already – totaling 67 downloads in one day – I KNOW that’s a record).

Anyways, head on over to the something beautiful podcast and download the Christmas joy. And have yourself a Merry little Advent and Christmas.

More Virgin Mary, less Virgin Islands

I’ll file this under the “Guilty as Charged” file.

The Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest, says he objects to Christmas cards featuring family photos.

Look, I love family photos during the holidays. Plus, I actually read those annual holiday letters, all of which start with “What a busy year it’s been!” Seeing photos of my friends and their families and even enjoying a few sunny beach scenes when it’s cold and dark outside is a highlight of December.

But I enjoy the photos more when they’re inside the card, not the card itself. Because more and more, even devout Christians have been replacing Jesus, Mary and Joseph with themselves.

Can I plead my case that we saved a lot more money by making our own cards and having them printed as pictures, rather than buying a Christmas card and including a family photo?

“Doesn’t it strike you as weird to set aside the Holy Family in favor of your family? Does a photo of Cabo San Lucas trump the story told by the original San Lucas? Is Christmas really about you?”

Ouch! It makes me really rethink how I’m celebrating Christmas this year — as I stuff a few more Christmas photos into envelopes.

Listen to the full commentary.

A case of the Mondays

Wow. It’s only 9:04?!

So this morning I woke up tired, but nothing unusual. I got dressed and prepped for work and then sat down at Laurie’s computer to check email and twitter and such.

Got several good emails this morning and finally decided to head to work (a little later than I should have).

As I headed towards the door I realized I had left my new good coat – and gloves in Laurie’s car last night. Of course she had them now with her on her way to work.

It was cold on my walk to and from the bus today — but I survived.

Then I got to work and poured a mug of coffee and realized it had a horrible soapy taste to it. Apparently the coffee pot wasn’t rinsed well.

I dumped my coffee poured out my mug and made a mug of coffee in my own french press. Mmmm nothing quite like it.

Two sips in and I get a couple text messages. As I reach for my phone I knocked over my coffee mug! 3rd time this year (at least). Coffee everywhere! Luckily I keep my desk fairly clean so not too much damage. I even managed to keep it off my pants this time!

So I grab paper towels and go to cleaning everything up. But then as I pick up my laptop to wipe it off, two large drops off coffee fall off the sides. One landing on either leg. Now I have to sizable coffee stains on my dockers. And it’s only 9:04!

Geeze. Can it get any worse?! Well yes. But it hasn’t yet. So I’ll go make my third mug of coffee and make sure I buy a new coffee mug with a lid before tomorrow morning.

And I’ll keep reminding myself that the moon is round.

But it’s sure been a case of the Monday’s today! 🙂

For more than just me…

Trucker Franks saga ::
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12