dittrich

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:04:51 GMT

Heard a guy bitching at the food court today about the "Cash for Clunkers" program.

He actually said something along the lines of "If I could trade my Porsche in for a new Porsche, I'd be all for it." This was shortly after he said something along the lines of "Why would I trade my Land Rover in on a small, economy car?"

My choices were to get up & leave or turn and talk to the guy. I got up & left.

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:12:43 GMT

Kind of a lazy day. Deb's working & I didn't really have anything planned...beyond putting a little laundry away.

Went out to MOA around 1pm & decided to grab some Taco Bell (I know, I know, but I get the craving every-so-often). Wrong time of day for the food court. I ended up eating on a bench just outside the food court because there weren't any open tables.

Post-lunch, I wandered a bit. Didn't really find much & I got tired of the crowds in my way so I left. I almost went out to Microcenter, but decided I didn't really need anything so I wasn't going to get tempted and just came home instead.

I'm working my way through the last half season of Battlestar Galactica now that the DVDs are out. I'm only watching one or two episodes at a time instead of doing the whole thing in one sitting. Today's were a two-parter, so that worked out...

Tomorrow is up in the air. Deb has the day off, except for a 9am meeting that she's pretty unthrilled about.

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 04:37:07 GMT

"I wonder if grabbing his nuts was part of the sign?" - my beloved wife while watching a Twins game.

I laughed.

Productive day!

Sat, 23 May 2009 23:20:16 GMT

* Bought supplies to make beer tomorrow. Bought a German Alt kit from Northern Brewer. I haven't had Alt since I was in Germany, but I remember it fondly. It should be ready when Max, Janel, & Locke are in town.

* Got the nasty futon out of the guest room & into the garage. Now I need to figure out how to get rid of it permanently. I'm thinking about checking into a dumpster (we've got more than just the futon to get rid of). Other trash was also dealt with.

* Installed Ubuntu & Boxee on Deb's Old Laptop (and named it DOLT) and hooked it up to the TV. This makes two computers that I've got attached to it. This wasn't necessarily the original plan. I was just hooking it up temporarily to get it set up as a linux server so I can test out some stuff. However, I found a free iPhone App to control Boxee (it's a media player, it can do streaming video off the internet, unlike my DVR software. Think Hulu on your TV instead of your computer) and it worked so well, I'm thinking I might leave it hooked up. It can do the server stuff in the background anyway...

* Moved the recordings directory on the DVR to a different drive. It was on the OS drive & HD recordings were sometimes skipping a bit. I'm not sure if this is a fix or not. I'm tentatively planning on a bigger hard drive in the fall (don't need it now & I might be able to get a bigger drive for the same amount of money when I DO need the space) and I might just have to go with a faster one (which will cost more, I'm sure)

* Got a case for the old hard drive from Deb's Old Laptop. It's an odd size (11.2mm thick instead of 9.5mm) so finding a case has been a problem. Even the one I DID buy, I can't get the top on it. It came with a faux leather case, though, so I just shoved it in there. I want to use it for off-site backup (in other words, I'm going to take it to work & put it in a drawer), so I don't think it'll see so much use that heat will be a problem.

* I also got some smaller domestic type items done but I won't list them off.

I need to add some stuff to the list for tomorrow now too...

Thu, 21 May 2009 18:47:09 GMT

Happy Birthday, wifeofbudda!!!

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 03:55:21 GMT

Just figured out the mystery of why I managed to go through an entire prescription of test strips in a month (they come 100 at a time, I test twice a day...do the math). I didn't take both boxes (50 per box) out of the bag in my Inbox. Oops.

Got a refill today (co-pay was $20...cost per strip is approx $1...do more math) so I guess I'm set for a while...

Haven't done bullet points in a while...

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:12:27 GMT

When parking the car the other day, Deb & I saw a family getting out of an Excursion. We didn't know it was a single family (so many kids) until we saw the back of the vehicle. There were two regular sized Jesus fish & six smaller ones...
We saw Adventureland yesterday. It was okay, but not spectacular. I'd call it a rental or bargain matinee.
I went to Vicksburg, MS the week before last for work to discuss server consolidation. I realized that the parts of the process I would find interesting are the parts I won't get to do. This realization kinda sucked.
While on the work trip, I got to try some moonshine. From a Mason jar. That had been transported across several state lines. It tasted a LOT better than it smelled.
It's April & it snowed overnight. What the hell?!?!?!
I'm trying to think of something to do today that's fun AND compatible with getting some dishes & laundry done. Nothing is coming to mind. It's not even nice enough to clean up the backyard, which isn't fun, but is necessary.
I've got approximately 21 pounds of pennies in two Sweet Martha's Cookie buckets. I'm debating cashing them in at Rainbow for an Amazon gift card. I do have a book habit to support...
I can't find replacement blades for my razor. Target ad today has the Gillette Fusion on sale...plus a $5 gift card if you buy it & one other item (shaving cream!)...and Deb found a $2 coupon in the paper.

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:33:24 GMT

TFD Random Picture Generator

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:28:29 GMT

I have absolutely NO need for another t-shirt. But I still kind of want a Cubicle Workers Local 1337" shirt...

Damn this would be nice to have...

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:58:27 GMT

If only I had $116,000 laying around...

Derek, you'd probably like this too...

Because a bunch of my friends are parents now...

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:24:49 GMT

toothpastefordinner.com

Sick of me talking about my lack of new glasses yet? Then read on!

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:39:50 GMT

Deb talked to the VisionWorld Manager from the store near ProEx AND the District Manager who also has the Rosedale store in her district.

Seems that VisionWorld changed labs for making glasses...and then their business doubled (VisionWorld's business, I think).

This explains why my glasses are late (and I'm not the only one, apparently.). It does NOT explain the complete lack of communication coming FROM VisionWorld. That's just not good customer service...

If this had been told to me earlier, I'd be a lot more understanding about it. I am a little less pissed now, though. I know all too well that shit happens, but I also know that people are less pissed off when they have some information about WHY the shit is happening.

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:33:03 GMT

A good reason to check your child's homework

(read the explanation below the picture too.)

Still annoyed...

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 20:41:49 GMT

OK, so they told me my glasses MIGHT be late when I called them on Thursday. They claimed they'd called on Wed to tell me that. No message on the machine & Deb assured me that they hadn't talked to her. I still figured they'd call me on Saturday with an update.

Yeah, not so much.

I was told that Saturday shipments didn't come in until 3-4pm, so I waited. Finally called them while I was driving to pick Deb up (the plan was I'd pick her up then we'd go get the glasses & maybe wander Rosedale for a little bit). That's when I found out that the new glasses "hadn't passed inspection" and "would be in sometime next week."

Two weeks in an old prescription has not been a ton of fun. Adding to the fun are the large number of scratches on the lenses, part of the reason I replaced the damn things to begin with.

I'm kind of pissed off about this whole thing. I can understand "not passing inspection," I CAN'T understand why this should happen in a time frame that keeps them from fixing the problem & still getting them to me in time. When I ordered them, they told me it would be two weeks and gave me a "Promise Date" of 31 Jan. Seems like, if you call it a "Promise Date," you should maybe do your damndest to meet that deadline. Or call it something else.

The other big issue I've got is that THEY NEVER CALLED ME. They claimed they did, but I sure didn't get any sort of message or anything. Then, they didn't call me AGAIN (despite me giving them my cell number, just to be sure they had a good number) when they KNEW the damn things were going to be late.

It remains to be seen when "sometime next week" will be & whether or not I'll get a call then. My guess is Thursday & I will AGAIN have to call them, despite the big note on the paperwork telling them to call me when they come in.

In case you're wondering, this is the Vision World in Rosedale. I'm pretty sure this'll be my last time going there.

Find a mailbox near you!

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 15:49:41 GMT

Mailboxmap

Seems handy...even if it doesn't have the box closest to my house. If I knew pickup times, I'd be a nice guy & submit it to them...

Amusing Subject Line of the Day

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:16:07 GMT

"Jesus Christ is now following you on Twitter!"

I'd follow back but most of his posts are responses to other people, which is fine in moderation but not so much for the majority of a persons tweets...

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:13:29 GMT

I had a second eye exam yesterday. No poof of air this time, they did the blue/purple light test for glaucoma, which is equally freaky because they get the light really, really, really close to your eye.

Dilation ensued & many bright lights and magnifying lenses were used to look around in both eyes. It was determined that all this was "a little to-do about nothing." Dr. called it a CHIRPE, but damned if I can find it on the net anywhere. Basically, it's just a bit of dark pigmentation at the back of my eye. Similar to a freckle or a mole. It's completely normal & not an issue. It was mentioned that it was near a blood vessel, which may have been what caused the Dr. at Vision World to want me to have it checked out.

I DID learn that, while dilated, I can see things close up...if I take my glasses off. That seems a little counter-intuitive, but I can't argue results...

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 04:53:15 GMT

superpoop.com

Book & Movie geekery

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 01:27:50 GMT

So, I'm finally starting in on entering our DVDs and books into my computer. I've got a program (2, really) that can read barcodes via the built-in camera. I got about 80-85% success with the DVDs...and, maybe 25% with books. So, I've done a bit of barcode typing too. To the point where I borrowed a USB keyboard (none of my extra ones are USB & the Mac doesn't have a PS2 port) from work today so I can use the 10-key portion to type ISBNs.

I think I got all the DVDs yesterday & maybe 20% of the books today. Another annoying thing about the books is that the authors name gets entered (the program pulls data from Amazon based on the ISBN) as "First Last" not "Last, First" making alphabetizing an issue. I'll probably mass-edit things once I've got 'em all entered...

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 04:58:28 GMT

I managed to break my glasses tonight (which, by the way, I haven't even had for two years yet!). Not while I was at home, that would've been too easy. Luckily, I had a spare pair in the car...although they WERE 2 prescriptions back...

I'm now in my most recent old pair. I also managed to get an appointment for an exam (my doctor had bugged me about getting one...it's been a two years PLUS the whole diabetes thing...) tomorrow morning. Downside is that Vision World takes about a week to make glasses.

Oh, and the VisionWorld website? Yeah, thanks for having a link for frames that only lists brands & doesn't actually SHOW ME ANY FRAMES!

BTW, the old glasses are close enough in prescription that BSG in HD was quite clear. The scratches on the lenses (which is why I got new ones two years ago) detracted a little.

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 04:15:46 GMT

How weird is it that, immediately after the BSG premiere, I started up iTunes and "End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)" comes up on shuffle?

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 03:34:49 GMT

The apartment Deb & I had before we got the house was *ok* but I rarely feel any nostalgia towards it. When it gets this cold out (-13.4, according to my thermometer), I sure miss the heated, underground parking.

I DID put it in the garage again tonight. This morning, it was 5 degrees in the garage...which was an improvement over -17 outside. Car started right up (admittedly, the battery got replaced late last summer) AND I didn't have to scrape the windows.

Still not as good as HEATED parking...

Not that I don't love having a house or anything.

Geek stuff

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:27:41 GMT

My Linksys PCI card won't see my Apple wireless access point. I plugged in my old AP & it saw that one just fine.

I hate these weird hardware problems.

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

My lovely wife kicks soooo many kinds of ass...

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 06:43:52 GMT

I *THOUGHT* I was going to an unofficial ProEx Xmas party... Turns out it was Deb throwing me a surprise 40th birthday party. And many of you showed up.

I've NEVER had a surprise party before. When I walked up the stairs and saw 1) My Mom, 2) My brother-in-law, & 3) a high school friend I haven't seen in a couple of years, I was like...WTF!?!?!

All of you who came: thank you so much! It was fantastic to be surprised by you all.

And, if you couldn't make it, it's too bad you couldn't make it. It was fun.

Added bonus: there was an 80's hair cover band playing later on in the evening. All kinds of stuff that is either ON my iPod or probably should be...

I hate the morning

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:55:17 GMT

Woke up at 2am this morning thinking I smelled smoke. I'm pretty sure it was a dream because a short check of the house turned up nothing. It took me an hour to get back to sleep. Then I woke up again around 4am for a few minutes.

Needless to say, I'm dragging a bit now. A walk to Caribou for something caffeinated is definitely necessary soon.