Posted by: SoNSo1 | 11:58:00 PM
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Let's take a look at the drive to work to celebrate the first day of school for many of the students in MD.
Last week, if I had left my house at 7:30 AM, I would've been treated to a congestion free commute to work lasting 40 minutes for a 30 mile drive. Today, I get the school traffic that will complicate the morning and afternoon commutes. It will add another 10 to 15 minutes to the drive, and all of that within the first 10 miles of the drive.
Why do I accept it? Because I chose where I live.
Should I have moved closer to work? Should I find a new job closer to home?
Having house closer to work would make my quality of life better. Less taxing on the cars. Less money spent on gas. Less aggravation caused by the traffic. More time to sleep. More time to eat breakfast. More money in the pocket.
How is your daily commute, and would you change it for the better or worse?
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 10:29:00 AM
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Satoshi Kon's last words translated. With translator notes.
http://www.makikoitoh.com/journal/satoshi-kons-last-words
http://www.makikoitoh.com/journal/satoshi-kons-last-words
Labels: get me out of here, lotd
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 10:55:00 AM
Saturday, August 28, 2010
I haven't ridden my bikes all year.
Only twice. But those 20 miles don't count considering I used to do 600+ a year.
I had promised myself a century before I am forty. That leaves one last year. I plan to do it, but most good (read easy) century rides happen later in the fall.
Here's a few rides that may happen again next year that I should be targeting:
Back Roads Century
Seasons Change Metric Century
Shenandoah Fall Foliage Bike Festival
Between the Waters Bike Tour
Civil War Century
Save A Limb Ride
Eventually, I'll do my century at least before I die.
Only twice. But those 20 miles don't count considering I used to do 600+ a year.
I had promised myself a century before I am forty. That leaves one last year. I plan to do it, but most good (read easy) century rides happen later in the fall.
Here's a few rides that may happen again next year that I should be targeting:
Back Roads Century
Seasons Change Metric Century
Shenandoah Fall Foliage Bike Festival
Between the Waters Bike Tour
Civil War Century
Save A Limb Ride
Eventually, I'll do my century at least before I die.
Labels: "blog as notepad", cycling, get off your butt
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 12:35:00 PM
Black Rock Shooter nendoroids are all the rage. I unfortunately got two of them. How did this happen? And, more importantly, will it happen again?
My current pre-orders are coming due. All the nendoroids are coming from as far away as Japan. They've been ordered months ago perhaps as far back as March. Only now they are being released.
My Saturday mornings are spent showing up at the post office to sign for a package from my favorite nendoroid seller, Hobby Search. I'm stuck in line waiting with the rest of the sad saps for a package at the package pick up window. It would be easier if I didn't have Hobby Search deliver them vie EMS, but the much cheaper and less of a hassle PAL. Of course, using the alternative means the nendoroids will be coming on the slow boat from China.
Anyway, two Black Rock Shooters, which is two too many. I had thought to cancel the order, but thought better of it. Maybe I should've checked how many I did order because one is sufficient for my nendoroid collection.
Who wants one?
My current pre-orders are coming due. All the nendoroids are coming from as far away as Japan. They've been ordered months ago perhaps as far back as March. Only now they are being released.
My Saturday mornings are spent showing up at the post office to sign for a package from my favorite nendoroid seller, Hobby Search. I'm stuck in line waiting with the rest of the sad saps for a package at the package pick up window. It would be easier if I didn't have Hobby Search deliver them vie EMS, but the much cheaper and less of a hassle PAL. Of course, using the alternative means the nendoroids will be coming on the slow boat from China.
Anyway, two Black Rock Shooters, which is two too many. I had thought to cancel the order, but thought better of it. Maybe I should've checked how many I did order because one is sufficient for my nendoroid collection.
Who wants one?
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 12:22:00 PM
Friday, August 27, 2010
"What Jefferson was saying was, Hey! You know, we left this England place 'cause it was bogus; so if we don't get some cool rules ourselves, pronto, we'll just be bogus too! Get it?"
Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn), Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Labels: qotd
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 9:31:00 AM
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
I bring you some nice additions to the blog. Ever since I change the layout and created my own template, I've been missing a feature that previous versions of BrowserMetrics had. I've been missing the capability to go through older posts with a link to "previous 10" or to "next 10." I hated that using tags, you wouldn't be able to traverse through older posts.
I've fixed that. Check the bottom of the page. You're welcome.
It even works on the tags.
Here's a few interesting ones:
Looking good right?
I've fixed that. Check the bottom of the page. You're welcome.
It even works on the tags.
Here's a few interesting ones:
Looking good right?
Labels: meta
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 9:24:00 PM
Monday, August 23, 2010
The night the First Lady had her lackey's throw out the first ball, the Orioles staged an awesome rally to win in 13 innings. Here's the gang getting fired up for that spectacle.
Labels: baseball, Camden Yards
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 9:13:00 PM
I started this, so might as well try to get this going.
Originally, Monday Morning Musings was going to be about the music I listened to on the drive work, but, unfortunately, it should've been titled, "Monday Morning Music Musings." That was a slight oversight error on my part. I was so enthusiastic to write the first post of the series, that I just submitted it without a complete proofread. This slight error works out in my favor, because I can then write about whatever I thought about driving in to work even if it isn't music.
The second in this series, though, will still be about music, because my mind was blank on the drive in.
In iTunes, I've got a playlist folder that holds my "mix tapes." The title of the folder is "Burn List," and I usually include it in the synch routine to iPhone. Most of the playlists have been burned to a CD. Most are short so that I can burn them to CD audio and listen to them in my Jetta. The first time I had burned an MP3 disc, I learned that the head unit in the Jetta doesn't read MP3. I bought it around 2001 right around the cusp of MP3 player revolution. I had changed a tape player to this head unit, and looking back at it, the tape player would've allowed me to use the audio-in-to-tape dongle, the digital to analog converter thing you slipped into the tape deck.
There are a few longer mixes reserved for MP3 burning, but those I have yet to do. I can just use the aux-in in the Mini for these playlists, so I don't need a CD version. Kind of defeats the purpose of that folder now that I about it.
Anyway, the latest mix I made is for an MP3 CD. I like it plenty. I've been listening to it for days now while at work and had to listen to it coming into work today. Twenty-two songs. I listened to one in particular.
I've been an anime/manga fan for the last few years. Manga is the majority of my reading. Anime, while not the majority of my television watching, makes up a lot of my video watching on a computer. That's a euphemism for downloading. With anime, I can get caught up with the opening and ending songs. They have become part of my music listening habits.
I've been a big, big fan of the music coming out of the K-ON!! anime. They're rockers. Yet, this love for rocking anime tunes has to have come from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya's infamous "Live Alive" episode. If you know of anything about this anime or anime in general, you will know of this episode. It only had the most famous rocking anime song out for 2006, "God Knows" and "Lost My Music." I'm partial to "Lost My Music," and it's the one I have on my latest mix.
Currently, iTunes has me having played it 140+ times, but that doesn't take into account listening to it on a burned CD or the counts from iPhone. I listen to it in its various covers on iTunes. You could look back on the archive of this blog and find instances of these cover versions. Even these I love. Then I've looked into trying to play this on my guitar. I've got the basic chord progression down, but there's no way I can play the lead because it's too fast for my novice hands.
There's a lot of pieces to this Monday Morning (music) Musing from iTunes playlists to anime music to this song. I figure the point of this though is about this song. I love it lots ever since I've heard it back in '08.
Do you have a song you're devoted to?
Labels: mondays
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 11:25:00 AM
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Are you watching Ice Road Truckers? Why not?
Labels: she's hot
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 3:52:00 PM
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Hey, look! Fujifilm is coming out with a new FinePix 3D film. I'm loyal to Panasonic's Lumix cameras and will be getting another Lumix. The 3D technology is too raw and just a gimmic. But there is something about this camera that caught my eye. I wonder what it is. Can someone point it out for me?
Labels: Nozomi Sasaki, shill
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 1:27:00 PM
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Woohoo! Go, O's!
Just synched my iPhone to my MBP and finally downloaded the pictures all 170+ of them from the last 10 months. It's a funny photo from one of the games this year. I believe it's from the Florida game, I think we had lost that one. Go figure. Hot dogs are awesome!
Labels: Baltimore Orioles, Camden Yards, iPhone, mmm, picture
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 9:03:00 PM
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
You can always get what you need from the internet, but is it always the best, most satisfying way. I could've bought the Russian stacking dolls when I was in Russia, but I didn't, and instead, received mine via a Chinese knock-off. When you travel souvenirs or knick-knacks are great to bring back. Pictures are always great, too. The one thing you can't bring back is the food you ate. You ate it there, but you can't get the same experience here.
Eating is a wonderful way to experience a foreign country. If we could only bring back the food we ate, it would go with all the knick-knacks and pictures and stories about your trip.
Today's link is a NYTimes article detailing the devotion of some people who love to get the food from places they've visited. Obviously, this is from in country trips. I wish that we could get some food from out of country. I'd have jamon iberico to my heart's delight.
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 11:37:00 AM
Monday, August 16, 2010
Wish the winning ways would've continued. At least we have the orange throwback unis!
Labels: art, Baltimore Orioles, baseball
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 9:52:00 PM
Sadly, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World came in 5th place in the box office with approximately $10 million. It was Scott Pilgrim versus The Expendables, but turned out to be no contest. Mr. Pilgrm got his but kicked by several old action movie stars. This dismal performance shouldn't stop you from catching a very, unique movie. If you see it before it leaves your local cinema, you'll be treated to whimsical tale of love and music and video games.
Ahh, the video game. Scott Pilgrim must fight his way through the seven exes of Romona Flowers before he wins her heart. Just like a video game each is a battle. But these aren't the video games of today with their super awesome graphics, 64 fps, first person shooter, it's your Sega Genesis side scroller Double Dragon, Virtua Fighter. Low res man.
But at heart is the love story. It's sweet and tender, seemingly emo. Plus, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and her big eyes was suitably cast as the girl. Michael Cera wasn't, IMHO. He's too whiny for this part. I would've loved to have seen someone else play Scott Pilgrim. I keep seeing Futurama's Phillip J Fry as the guy. Someone who's slack but burly, a Joseph Gordon-Levitt type. I guess I'm tired of Michael Cera being the go to emo slacker dude.
This movie as I had tweeted will end up being great to watch on DVD just like Speed Racer. Whimsical.
4 of 5 stars.
Ahh, the video game. Scott Pilgrim must fight his way through the seven exes of Romona Flowers before he wins her heart. Just like a video game each is a battle. But these aren't the video games of today with their super awesome graphics, 64 fps, first person shooter, it's your Sega Genesis side scroller Double Dragon, Virtua Fighter. Low res man.
But at heart is the love story. It's sweet and tender, seemingly emo. Plus, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and her big eyes was suitably cast as the girl. Michael Cera wasn't, IMHO. He's too whiny for this part. I would've loved to have seen someone else play Scott Pilgrim. I keep seeing Futurama's Phillip J Fry as the guy. Someone who's slack but burly, a Joseph Gordon-Levitt type. I guess I'm tired of Michael Cera being the go to emo slacker dude.
This movie as I had tweeted will end up being great to watch on DVD just like Speed Racer. Whimsical.
4 of 5 stars.
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 8:28:00 PM
Let's try out a blog writing exercise!
On Mondays, I hope to write a little bit about music. Whether I've been listening to it, humming it, or playing it on my guitar, any and all thoughts had about music I'll try to write up on Monday morning. Why Monday? Because as I drive to work, the only thoughts I have besides trying to avoid thinking about the long day at work is to the music I am listening to on the drive. It only hit me this morning as I trudged off to work.
The thought that brought along this blog writing exercise is that The Grateful Dead is the whitest band ever.
Currently, in my Jetta, I've got The Dead's Live double album, Dead Set. From the album cover, it looks as if it's from a show in Madison Square Garden, NYC sometime in the 70s. I just wanted to hear some Dead tunes and this is the only CD I've got. As a live set, there is barely any bass to be heard, and there is barely any bass to this band. Not that it's missing low end, but they don't have any funk going on, or at least some of that deep booty bass funk that should rock the body. It's funny too because I think this version of The Dead was rocking the two drummer rhythm section.
As evidence to their white, I'll point out that they do a rendition of Willie Dixon's "Little Red Rooster" and while it's performed in a minor blues key, it's barely bluesy. I've heard The Doors cover and also the Stones' cover of the same song and there is some menace to their renditions, some growl. For The Dead, nada. It's pretty white. It's a white guy's cover of a black man's tune.
Is The Grateful Dead really the whitest band ever?
Labels: mondays
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 11:40:00 AM
Sunday, August 15, 2010
"Imagine a film in which all the characters are manifestations of a single consciousness, and the main way they communicate is by telling each other (and the movie audience) the story in which they, as characters, are participating -- while they are actively in that story. In other words, what if the driving consciousness of the picture belonged to... Basil Exposition!?!?"
Jim Emerson perfectly capturing the verbosity of the characters during the first hour of Christopher Nolan's Inception
Jim Emerson perfectly capturing the verbosity of the characters during the first hour of Christopher Nolan's Inception
Labels: great minds think alike, hear hear, qotd
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 10:33:00 PM
Did you know Panasonic upgraded their awesome Lumix LX3 to the newer, and probably even awesomer, LX5? Will I ever get the GF-1?
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 11:42:00 AM
For those golf crazy fools, today's link takes you to a discussion of how the game of golf is undergoing its own sabermetric change. It'll explain to you the value of the shots you're taking, which stroke is the money stroke, and why you suck as compared to the professionals.
http://www.slate.com/id/2263078/
http://www.slate.com/id/2263078/
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 9:44:00 AM
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Television needs to bring back the Saturday night creep show. These were usually found on the local, independent, UHF stations. Ours in B'more was called Ghost Host Theatre hosted by the Ghost Host. You stayed up late on the weekends and either watched Saturday Night Live or the Ghost Host. I think I preferred the Ghost Host more with its terrible creepy movies, it's B level monsters, and its very cheesy effects. I would watch it, but fall asleep an hour into the movie leaving the television on until it turned over with the Star Spangled Banner then the static. I couldn't stand leaving the television on until the static, it was creepy before Poltergeist and even more so afterwards.
Then when I grew older, my late Saturday night viewings were The Dark Side and Friday the 13th, The series. BTW, Friday the 13th, The Series has been reborn on ScyFy channel as Warehouse 13.
Then when I grew older, my late Saturday night viewings were The Dark Side and Friday the 13th, The series. BTW, Friday the 13th, The Series has been reborn on ScyFy channel as Warehouse 13.
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 11:58:00 PM
Stick shifts and safety belts
Bucket seats have all got to go
When I'm driving in my car
It makes my baby seem so far
I need you here with me
not way over in a bucket seat
"Stick shifts and Safety Belts," Cake
Bucket seats have all got to go
When I'm driving in my car
It makes my baby seem so far
I need you here with me
not way over in a bucket seat
"Stick shifts and Safety Belts," Cake
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 7:57:00 PM
After the post about looking for sneakers, I had stopped by Zappos.com to check out if they had the sizes I wanted. I did find what I needed there, but didn't buy anything. You know zappos does you well by not charging you shipping for your shoes you buy especially if you had to return them. Except now at every website I visit, Zappos.com is taunting me with the shoes. Seems they're following me everywhere I go. I guess the only way to stop this is to buy a pair.
Labels: commerce
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 12:59:00 PM
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
I really don't have much to say about the latest DVD I received in the mail from NetFlix, Fantastic Mr. Fox, but I need to. The movie is good. It is a Wes Anderson movie through and through. The triptychs, the kid, the heists, the plans: it's all Wes Anderson.
Why I decided to write a post about the movie is that Roald Dahl wrote the book was married to Patricia Neal who sadly died over the past weekend. Very coincidental if I do say so myself. She acted in The Day the Earth Stood Still and A Face In the Crowd. Watch those movies, because I liked them myself.
Why I decided to write a post about the movie is that Roald Dahl wrote the book was married to Patricia Neal who sadly died over the past weekend. Very coincidental if I do say so myself. She acted in The Day the Earth Stood Still and A Face In the Crowd. Watch those movies, because I liked them myself.
Labels: movies, Netflix Queue
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 8:11:00 PM
How can The Rolling Stones' "Exile on Main Street" be their best album if I haven't heard any of the songs on it?
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 4:05:00 PM
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
I like to use my blog as a dream diary.
This morning I had another dream. Sorry to describe it to you, but I must. It's been 13 hours so the only details I truly remember are she is sitting seizu and we are watching television. I think I tried to snuggle up with her. Details are really fuzzy.
That is all.
This morning I had another dream. Sorry to describe it to you, but I must. It's been 13 hours so the only details I truly remember are she is sitting seizu and we are watching television. I think I tried to snuggle up with her. Details are really fuzzy.
That is all.
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 7:35:00 PM
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Never could stand white sneakers. Unfortunately, white is their predominant. Yeah, it makes it hard to buy sneakers, then. I don't like white sneakers, because once you get them dirty, they become ugly.
But I can't stand black sneakers, they make your feet look tiny. Black is also sneaker's second most popular color. The set of sneakers I can buy gets smaller and smaller as I shop.
I went sneaker shopping today and bought a pair of grey Adidas. Now there's a color to like. This pair are running shoes. I looked at some casual Sperry slip-ons, but no size 9. They have 9 1/2, which were a tad too big. I would've liked to have compared the 9 to 9 1/2 just to see if they felt better. I then found the Adidas (9 1/2) that I bought, but I am completely underwhelmed with them. I still bought them as I like the brand and the color, but I kept searching for another pair.
I checked out tennis shoes. What a difference! They fit and feel better than running shoes. I've been deceiving myself all my life. Because tennis demands white, all tennis shoes are white. They don't have another color except black -- the two colors I can't stand. Yet, now I have to get a pair of white tennis shoes because they feel so much better than the running shoes that I've been buying.
My prejudice has been arrested. White it is.
But I can't stand black sneakers, they make your feet look tiny. Black is also sneaker's second most popular color. The set of sneakers I can buy gets smaller and smaller as I shop.
I went sneaker shopping today and bought a pair of grey Adidas. Now there's a color to like. This pair are running shoes. I looked at some casual Sperry slip-ons, but no size 9. They have 9 1/2, which were a tad too big. I would've liked to have compared the 9 to 9 1/2 just to see if they felt better. I then found the Adidas (9 1/2) that I bought, but I am completely underwhelmed with them. I still bought them as I like the brand and the color, but I kept searching for another pair.
I checked out tennis shoes. What a difference! They fit and feel better than running shoes. I've been deceiving myself all my life. Because tennis demands white, all tennis shoes are white. They don't have another color except black -- the two colors I can't stand. Yet, now I have to get a pair of white tennis shoes because they feel so much better than the running shoes that I've been buying.
My prejudice has been arrested. White it is.
Labels: commerce, why am i telling you this?
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 6:53:00 PM
Friday, August 06, 2010
Even though they still rocking the worst record in baseball, the Orioles manage to be .500 when I show up at the Yard. In fact, I'm also on a four game winning streak starting with that amazing win against the Marlins, then the final, sweeping game against the Nats, onto a delicious extra inning win against the Rays, and last nights bombastic nine inning awesomeness versus the Angels. Maybe things are looking up?
I had originally wanted 75 wins from this team. Now, I'm just happy for them to play some competitive baseball. No more rolling over and not making a game of it. They've got to go out and make the rest of the season fun.
This is what to watch from the team for the rest of the season. First, our young pitchers need to step up. They need to pitch into the later innings and keep the team in the game. Next, the batters have to start hitting to their potential. These guys are probably average hitters, but so far this year they've been below average. The Law of Averages is gonna kick in. Our bats just need to hang in tight. Third, defense has to be solid. They don't have to be all Brooks Robinsons, but they need to minimize stupid blunders. Finally, the bullpen has to be solid. They need to hold leads and shutdown rallies.
That all sounds easy. Let's hope we finish strong.
Labels: Baltimore Orioles, baseball
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 10:13:00 PM
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 2:05:00 AM
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Underneath the big, big sky
Me and my baby big wide eyes
Solarcaine and key lime pie
Feels good inside
Feels good inside
Me and my baby big wide eyes
Solarcaine and key lime pie
Feels good inside
Feels good inside
The Screaming Blue Messiahs, "Big, Big Sky"
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 12:48:00 PM
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
The Gromms
Originally uploaded by browsermetrics.
Southern end if VA Beach is the jetty. There's the surf. And across the inlet you have the other beach and its surf camp.
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 11:21:00 AM
Monday, August 02, 2010
Rain, rain go away!
Come again some other day!
Come again some other day!
Traditional nursery rhyme
Labels: qotd, wishing for a pony
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 10:07:00 AM
Sunday, August 01, 2010
The Only Rainy Day of the Summer...
Originally uploaded by browsermetrics.
...occurs on the one weekend we are at the beach. Thanks, kami-sama! O, I would be soaking up the sun all day if not for thus rain. :-(
Posted by: SoNSo1 | 3:20:00 PM