Where's My Xbox?

It was accepted at the post office on Wednesday. It should take 4-11 days. I'm impatient. I hope it gets here soon.

Have I mentioned that I'm impatient.

*taps foot vigorously*


ETA: It has arrived! Yay!

*jumps up and down*

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Welcome to the 20th Century: Halo on the Way

I finally did it. I broke down and bought an Xbox. No, not an Xbox 360. Just an Xbox. With a green "X" right on top.

I love video games. The reason I haven't bought a system is that they are expensive, and I couldn't justify it. Why get a console system when computers are better. Now that I have a 32" Vizio, though, I have a reason to have one. If I wanted to spend a lot of cash on a system, I would buy another desktop rather than a 360. And since I love Halo, I had to get an Xbox.

Yay for eBay! I found a system and many games for about $100. It should be here in about a week or so. I will have plenty of fun lined up for my copious free time. All I need now is copious free time. This could be a problem.

My schedule is full from week to week, but I will have to make room for my new toy. Halo, here I come!

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FAIL...again?

I think my cat needs lessons on how to be a cat. Last Sunday, she's tearing into the bookshelf in the living room at 11am (while I'm trying to sleep between night shifts). The entire bottom shelf cleaned off and spread out onto the floor.

Okay, I think, "maybe she's after a bug." I move the bookshelf out a little. Lo and behold, I see a mouse tail.

Aha!

I put Annabelle on the left side of the bookshelf to keep watch. I grab a towel to start to press it into the right side (it's in a corner on this side). Annabelle comes over to the right side where the action is. I pick her up and put her back on the left side with "You watch for the mouse over here." I proceed to make sure the towel is snugly in place to hamper escape (not that it would necessarily work, but maybe it would slow the mouse down a bit). Annabelle appears again on the right side. I pick her up and put her back on the left side, hoping the mouse had not made a break for it. I then finished cleaning off the 3' bookshelf.

It was time. I lifted the bookshelf, Annabelle jumped in and snagged it. A bunch of quarters dropped on my foot. They stung. Annabelle wandered into the kitchen. She dropped the mouse. It tried to flee, but she grabbed it again. She dropped it again. This time, it successfully made it under the fridge. After that, who knows where it went.

Mousing 101 second try = FAIL!

I really wonder if she knows what she's supposed to do once she catches it.

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Being Sick Sucks

I think it's a flu bug. It has been building for a few days. Finally, last night it caught up to me. I had to bail on work. Today, I've been laying around watching TV. It may sound like fun, this laying around, but I feel like shit. On the bright side, I don't go back to work until Thursday. That gives me a few days to recover. Unfortunately, it means that my time off is lost to getting better.

Oh well.

I think I'll lay back down now.

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New Goal: Pool Shark

I've decided that I need to learn pool. Well, not just learn pool, really. I want to become a shark.

Those who know me know that I usually don't just learn something new. I want to be good at it...really good. That applies to pool as well. Last week I came into the office on a day off and practiced shooting on the pool table for about 6 hours. Yes, I was sore the next day. But, in a game I shot a masse around one ball, into another, which in turn tapped my real target and knocked it to the edge. Unfortunately, it didn't go in, but I was quite happy with "almost." It's a great game.

Eventually, I'd like to be able to do the tricks in this video, though I think that may be a loooong time away.

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Application to the Evil League of Evil

I just picked up Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.  One of the extras is a set of video applications for the Evil League of Evil (ELE).  My favorite is the one by The Reverend.  I think this should be my application.

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Radar Detectors in Illinois

I've always believed that radar detectors are illegal in Illinois. The article "Illinois Car Insurance: Radar Detector Law & Legalities" says otherwise.

Under federal law, the use of radar and lidar detectors is illegal in all commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds (see http://www.ncsl.org/programs/transportation/radar.htm). For all other purposes, radar and lidar detectors are legal in Illinois.

Whoda thunk it? That settles it. I'm getting one so I can make it to the parents faster.http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=10594074&postID=4719299981442534941#

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Weekend #2

Last week, I started my new weekend hours at work. On Saturdays, I now go in at 7pm and get out at 6:30am Sunday morning. I go home, play with the cat, go to bed and get hopefully 8 hours of sleep, get up, and get back in the office at 6pm for another over-nighter.

Last week went relatively well. I didn't get a lot of sleep before the Saturday-Sunday shift, so I was tired. When I got home, Annabell went ape-shit. She was way too excited to see me. I spent some time with here, but after a while it was bedtime. She disagreed. I don't think I've ever seen her go berserk like that. She ran all around the apartment, clawed on nearly everything cloth to get my attention, and even jumped on the bed and ran in a circle. It's generally good to feel loved, but not so much when I'm trying to go to bed so I can get up for work. Eventually, she calmed down.

Early afternoon the Sunday lawn mowing started. I'm pretty sure I heard 2 lawn mowers and a weed whacker going at once. That really wasn't too bad though. I was able to get back to sleep relatively quickly.

Overall, I enjoy working nights. It's so quiet and peaceful. When I worked nights in the past, I was alone. Now, I have a workmate. It's nice having someone else there.

I got more sleep last night and I'm more prepared for tonight. It may take a couple of weeks for my body to fall into a rhythm. I hope Annabell adjusts as easily as I will.

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It Was Just a Little Thing

Last night I went to Mary’s Place and listened to a cool Reggae/Ska band. I almost didn’t go in. I’m not one for going into a bar when I don’t know anyone inside. But as I got ready to leave, my friend Nukem arrived. I changed my mind and went in. It was a great time. I’m glad his arrival prompted me to stay.

The coolest thing, though, happened today. Nukem gave me a call to make sure I made it home safely. I’m not used to that. Normally, in my little world, it’s me looking out after others. It was really nice to be on the receiving end. In the grand scheme of things, this really was just a little thing. I thanked my friend, but I don’t think he’s figured out what that little gesture meant to me. It really made my day.

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The End of EVE

Yeah, I know, I just posted an entry. This one is different. It's about one of my pasttimes.

I enjoyed playing EVE Online for quite some time. But now, I think it's time to draw it to a close. I just have too much to do. It's also getting a bit boring. I don't think I'll pick up on another MMO for a long time, if ever. I've come to believe that I'm more inclined toward games that have an end. Yes, it's fun to "advance." And it's more fun to finish and start over.

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I Double Dog Down Dare You

The TV rocks! No longer do I have to get up every 2 minutes to jiggle the wire, in hopes of getting a picture or making the squealing noise go away. Now, I turn it on and leave it alone. What a concept!

I can now start working out with my Yoga & Pilates DVD. I had already started with the basic situps, pushups, and weights. I won't stop with that. The basic working out gives me a different feel from yoga-pilates. I can't say I like one more than the other. Either way, I get that kinda fun, tender muscle feel. (*poke* *ow*, *poke* *ow*)

Since the weather has become warmer, I'm also trying to spend time outside in the sun. Mainly, I grab a book and blanket and sit in the backyard. Whenever my friend/landlord, Nukem, comes over to work on things, I see if there's anything I can do to help. Just standing in the sun is boring. Reading in the sun is better. But actually doing somethin in the sun is the best.

Recently, I've needed such things as the sun and exercise (especially the sun) to help me get out of this depressed funk. Yeah, depressed. It has been a long time since I've been in a relationship, and I'm feeling quite lonely. I haven't dated in what feels like ages. I need to get out there where everybody else is. Until that happens, I'll keep working on the buffitude.

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Presbytery of San Francisco says Princeton Theological Seminary = FAIL!

I hadn't heard Adam Walker-Cleaveland's story until yesterday while reading Tony Jones' Beliefnet blog. The short version is that he has jumped through all the hoops required for ordination into the PC(USA). Part of that is the completion of an M.Div., which he got at Princeton Theological Seminary, a Presbyterian seminary. He transferred his membership from his old presbytery to the Presbytery of San Francisco. Additional time in process was expected for them to have a chance to get to know him.

But surprise! The Presbytery of San Francisco has decided that Adam Walker-Cleveland needs to take another 7 courses to fulfill their expectations! In other words, they have effectively declared the education that candidates receive at Princeton Theological Seminary to be insufficient. I don't know whether they would admit to that last statement, but that's what it comes down to: he met Princeton's requirements for an M.Div. degree, and the Committee on Preparation for Ministry said it was not enough for them.

Hard to believe.

Either there's something else going on or the Committee on Prep for SF is dominated by stupidity.

Yet, this is exactly the kind of thing that reminds me of one of my convictions: the current ordination process in the PC(USA) turns the corporate discernment process into a joke.

(Edited to change pic and add Tony Jone's reference.)

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Life is Strange

The unexpected abounds. I've had a series of ups and downs that have happened so fast that it really is like being on a roller coaster. Some of them, I think it's best not to relay. Others, I can.

For the last two years or so, I've been working on saving so that I would be ready in case of a minor disaster. Finally, thanks to the income tax refund, I got there. I even had enough left over to decide to splurge on myself. For my upcoming 4oth birthday, I wanted to get myself something big. After all, we're talking about the big four-oh.

I picked up a 32" Vizio (refurb)! I decided it best to have it shipped to work rather than home. I don't live in the "best" of neighborhoods, and I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't take long for such a package to disapper of fmy porch.

Then, I get an e-mail saying that I forgot to pay. Arrg! What? Apparently, PayPal accounts need to be verified. I did this, but it took a couple of days.

Between the time that I "bought" the TV and "paid" for it, my check engine light came on. It stayed on for a few days (the book said to rund it a few driving cycles and see if it goes off), and then started sounding and acting funny.

Time to get it checked out. I dropped my care off at B&C Transmission. Thankfully, a friend (whom I'll call Nukem, because he has a habit of making my armies glow in Empire Earth) was able to give me a ride back from the transmission shop.

Now, I'm landlocked. Before releasing my car, I stocked up on groceries, so I don't have to worry about that. My cat has absolutely loved the fact that I'm not going anywhere. And I'm (yet again) realizing the blessing of being employed by a company that allows me to work from home when necessary.

I found out today how much it will cost to have my transmission rebuilt. Ouch! But, I guess if this has to happen, now is a good time. After all, this is exactly what I was saving up for. I've got it covered, but it's going to mean tightening the belt for a while. It puts me back 2 years, but it's doable.

I also received today a note from the TV merchant. It says they've sent it out...to my home address! Oh no! It's supposed to go to work. Why here? I don't know. Maybe it has to do with confusion related to the late payment (remember, I had to verify my account). Now my TV is going to appear on my doorstep where I did not want it to end up. This is not good.

Or is it?

I'm landlocked remember. That means I'll be here. Hooray! I won't have my TV shipped to work (where I can't get to it). I can hook it up as soon as it arrives.

And that's just a peek at all the wierdness that has been going on. At times it has been joyful, at others downright frustrating. Yet, I'm strangely at peace with it all. Maybe I can say that because I'm covered. But I like to think that maybe there's a bit of divine help in there, nudging things, keeping me unsettled yet safe. Who knows.

Maybe it's all a matter of perepective. But for me right now, amidst all the turmoil, life is great!

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Bat & Wolf

My friend is a star! Richard created the story for Bat & Wolf, a comic about two old friends of an unusual sort: one vampire and one werewolf. And these aren't the uber-sexy kind other-worldly creatures either, unless you have a major thing for a comb-over. They're misfits. And their existence is about to get a lot more interesting than they expected.

Check it out. It's a lot of fun.

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EVE Synopsis on Destructoid

I've been playing EVE Online for a while now. It's an MMO set in space. What I love about is is its realism. When your ship gets popped, you don't just get to respawn. You have to go buy another. That means spending hard-earned ISK getting back to where you were before the combat. There are consequences. If you don't want to play the price of replacing your ship when you lose in PVP, don't play the the PVP game.

What I loath about the game is its realism. If I get my ship popped, I will have to replace it. I don't want to have to spend all that time re-earning the ISK to get back to where I started.

(Surely, you see how this is going.)

Seriously, it's a great game.

While searching EVE Online for information about the character races, I noticed a link to this stellar synopsis of the game: EVE: The Unforgiving - A Basic Understanding of CCP's Masterpiece. Anyone looking for an MMO should read that article and consider EVE.

And if you do decide to join, let me know so I can give you a referral.

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Facelift

I started this blog in 2005. Four years of the same look probably cries out for a redesign.

I've been learning a little about user-experience-oriented web design, and thought I'd try a more crisp look. The banner is still a bit large, but I'm good with that. I don't think the white background is too hard on the eyes, since the entire page isn't a blinding white. Instead of a black page background, I went with a dark gray to tone down the white a bit (less contrast). The dark gray, blue, white, and black color scheme seems to work.

I'm happy with it. (Though that doesn't mean I won't tweak the hell out of it.)

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B&N Fail

Really?  They didn't! 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  

Oh, and I think at work I may request my own office.

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Cool Site: The Art of Nonconformity

Chris Guillebeau (no, I'm not quite sure how to pronounce it) is a new name to me. I happened to stumble upon it through an article on Seth Goddin's blog. I clicked the link, and ... wow!

This is a great site. I mean, come on, how can I (of all people) not get the excited-fuzzies from seeing a PDF entitled "A Brief Guide to World Domination"?

So far, Guillebeau's site is impressive. Ultimately, his message is to find a way to follow your passion and milk the most out of life. Don't let the world dictate to you how you will live. Your destiny is just that: yours. It's time to take it back with your own hands.

Or something like that.

I haven't spent a whole lot of time on it, though that will surely change. Not surprisingly, the "nonconformist" writings appeal to me most. He has a great article on "The Anarchist Professor." Someone needs to tell the stories of those who do things "differently." They help us go claim a new perspective on on standards that we simply take for granted.

The Art of Nonconformity inspires me. Perhaps some day I, too, shall have such a cool site.

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Baptism Liturgy

It's Easter. Traditionally, this has been a day for baptisms. As Christ is risen, so too are we risen with him. It's a significant day in the life of the church and in the lives of many individuals who symbolically express/experience their participation in the Divine Reality.

I've recently been reading Nancy Chandler Pittman's Christian Wicca: The Trinitarian Tradition. She offers a wonderful portion of a baptismal liturgy.

From Sinner to Saint, From Darkness into the Light
You are baptized into the Waters of Life
To be submerged once again into the Mother of All the Living
To Rise and Be Reborn to this World
To Walk in the Newness of Life
You are baptized in the name of
The Father, the Mother, and the Blessed Son, Jesus Christ
Through The Divine, all things are possible
Arise to be a living Testament for Their Namesakes. (p.63)

As I came across this passage this morning, its beauty struck me. Indeed, it takes me back to the day of my own baptism.

It's a good day!

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PTO

I'm taking some paid time off Wednesday and Thursday. It's going to be nice to wind down with a 4-day weekend. It's amazing how quickly the time fills up. It's Tuesday, and already I have a million things that I want to fit in.

~Work on RPG
~Play EVE
~Read a friend's story
~Read some theological texts
~Read about emerging systems
~Sketch
~Play with Annabelle
~Try to finish watching Millenium
~Cook corned beef and cabbage
~Visit friends
~Post a blog or 2 on ECF-Net
~Clean the appartment
~Do laundry
~Slowly go through my Revenge of the Sith art book.

It's almost exhausging looking at the list. I may need to go back into work to catch a break.

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