Life:

 

Things are gearing up for finals.  This will be my second to last series of finals before my undergraduate career comes to a close.  I've been spending more time not doing anything to prepare.  I just seem to have gotten somewhat lazy about the whole thing.  I do have two papers due soon.  I haven't even really started any serious work on them except to do some cursory research.  As one chapter (a very long chapter as it was) in my life is coming to a close, I become worrisome about the next; mainly because the pages seem to be stuck together.  But, alas, we shall see where the path takes us. 

 

Love:

 

Ha, let's not even go there.  My love life could only be described as a tragedy, well more like a tragic comedy.  I haven't been in a serious relationship in six years.  Some would call that a rather long drought.  Yet others would laugh at that and say, "That's it?"  I would like to think that the drought has been so long, was that I was busy and didn't have time.  But, that is not the case.  I have had ample time to get into a relationship.  I could even say that it was because I did not find anybody attractive (I use the word in a general sense).  Again, that is not the case.  I found numerous women attractive, I just never pursued them. 

 

Yet, I am at another crossroads.  On one route I have the opportunity at another relationship; on the other more nights of “what if?”  However, on that first route there is a fork.  On one fork is a journey of two.  The other fork, (you know what’s going to be there) a journey of one.  It’s that journey of one path that I fear.  Alas, I will have to get over that fear. 

 

Other stuff:

 

I need to get the front axles of my car replaced.  It’s going to be annoyingly costly.  But, for now that car is my main mode of transport.  My car is 11 years old with ~136K miles on it.  She has made 3 cross country trips.  I have been to seven states in that car.  She has been driven through snow storms, thunderstorms, sand storms, dense fog, and over dirt roads, gravel roads, sand.  I have slept in that car on long trips because I was too cheap to get a motel room.  She was my first car. 

 

I got her the Summer I turned 17.  When I finally got the plates for her, it was official.  I had my own little ceremony to christen her.  With a bottle of Perrier water, I called her The Black Dragon.   Why that mane you ask, why not a girl’s name?  Well, at that time in my youth I was interested in anime and in particular shows about space fleets.  My car is black so the first part is self explanatory.  Dragon, is from the call sign/user ID/CB handle that I used at the time. 

 

She’s a good car, with the right name.  I just need to treat her like a lady, and she’ll always bring me home.

 

I don't watch American Idol.  I only heard about this through a friend's blog.  Apparently last night was when they broadcast their fund raising special.  The show ended with the remaining contestants singing "Shout to the Lord."  I know this song very well, since I run the graphics for my church's service.  As I was listening to the performance, something was bugging me.  It just did not sound right.  I played it again, and I still was bothered.  The song just did not sound right.  I listened for a third time, this time focusing on the music.  I heard the key change and harmonization, but that's more of an artistic convention meant to highlight a performer's strength.  No, it was something else.  So the fourth time, I fired up the software that displays the lyrics to look at the lyrics while I listened.

And low and behold, there it was in the first line.  The thing that had been bugging me.  Somebody in their misguided intentions changed the lyrics.  They took out the most important part of the song!  They removed Jesus' name from the song.  Albeit, they replaced it with "Shepherd," but sill.  Unless you know that "Shepherd" is often a reference to God and Jesus, the impact of the song is diminished.  

I don't want to detract from the fact that this song was chosen, but I have to question the motivation behind the selection.  How did the liberal, atheistic, and Christian-hating censors of network television permit this song to air?  What is their motivation?  Was it a blatant slap in the face of Christianity?  Or was there some genuineness to the whole thing?  If so, then why censor Jesus' name from that song?  Was it because it was used in the context of a profanity?  Maybe I should be happy that a praise song about the greatness of Christ got on primetime on a major national network.  However, the fact that they diminished the meaning of it by omitting Jesus' name really bugs me.

On the other hand, I have been searching other blogs to see how others have been reacting.  I do say I am very surprised.  I was only able to find one somewhat negative reaction.  The majority have been very positive.  I had been expecting a massive deluge of anti-Christian hate and demands from the ACLU that Fox apologize for their blatant disregard for other religions by selecting a clearly religious song.  This is not the case.

I can only hope and pray that people will be impacted to seek out Christ and God more after hearing this; rather than opening up their checkbooks (which I think was the intent).  Now, if they had sung “Our God is an Awesome God.”  Then I would be impressed.  There is no way you can water that down.

 

It's official.  I have tenatively launched my other blog.  That blog is more focused on one of my passions: food.  I decided to make it a little unique by mixing in a technology spin on it.  However, I will still have restaurant reviews and recipes.  I still have to fine tune the a few things.  I need to get a little bit more comfortable with the posting interface for one thing.  And I still need to tweak the layout just a little bit more.  Which means that I need to brush up on my XML skills. 

But for now just go to:

www.gourmetranger.blogspot.com

Take a look, leave a comment, click an ad (please, so I can make money), enjoy.

This blog will still be active.  So, still stop by here to hear about my thoughts on life and the world.

I'm sure many of you read this post.  It was a featured post for a couple days now.  I took a gander at it and thought it was pretty funny.  However, it did get me thinking.  How many of you guys know how to tie a necktie or a bow-tie?  I know it's been discussed a few times about what ties guys like to wear or what color looks good, but never really how we like them tied.  After several years of Catholic school, I learned to tie the Windsor knot very well.  It's the only knot that I use.  In fact, I remember getting yelled at by my sergeant during an uniform review in ROTC.

We were all dressed in full uniform for inspection.  He comes to me and stares at me.  I'm getting a little uncomfortable standing there at parade rest with him staring me down.  Eventually he calls the other sergeant over and he looks at me.  I figure they are trying to figure out what's wrong.  They can see something isn't right, but they can't seem to see what it is.  After what seemed like a very long time (hey, you try and be scrutinized while standing perfectly still with your eyes straight ahead) they call over a senior cadet.  They ask him what is wrong with my uniform.  He looks at me, he sees what's wrong, but he's being hesitant (he doesn't want to be blue falcon nor does he want to say that nothing is wrong).  I raise my eyebrows at him to get him to say it.  The senior cadet points out that my necktie is wrong.  The sergeant asks me if I knew how to tie a necktie.  I was always a little bit of a smartass, so I answered that I obviously did since I am wearing one right now.  I can see the red coming into his face, and I am getting a little scared.  He points to the senior cadet's necktie and asks if I knew how to tie my necktie like that.  Now for a bit of an aside here, the military and public safety dress uniforms require that neckties be tied in the four-in-hand knot.  The only other time I saw that knot was on kindergartners in Catholic school.  Being more of a smartass, I said, "Oh, you mean the kindergaten knot?"  It is a very unique experience to get yelled at within three inches of your face.  I have to this date not heard that steady, that long, or that varried string of profanity.   

Well, that part of my life is in the past, so I am back to wearing the Windsor knot.  I have been trying to get the Pratt knot down, but I still need to look at the directions.  I would like to master the bow tie and wear one, one of these days.  On the rare occasions that I see other people in ties it's always interesting to see how the neckties are tied.  If you read the other guy's post, he makes some interesting generalizations.  Some of which I found very funny and somewhat accurate.  According to his rubric I would be an ass, but I guess that is true some of the time (maybe all the time).  Enough about me though.  I want to know how the rest of you like to tie your neckties.  Are you the guy who is still stuck in grade school with the four-in-hand?  Or are you the guy who wants to look sophisticated with the half-Windsor?  Or are you the guy who is couth with Windsor knot?  or maybe you are one of those guys that wants to be different with a uniqe knot like the Pratt?  Or are you the guy that aspires to nerd/geekdom or are just cool enough to wear the bow-tie? 

Today is April Fool's day.  I'm not a big fan of practical jokes or fool hardy behavior unless it has a great deal of creativity and sophistication (examples: reprogramming the Jumbotron at the Rose Bowl in 1984, the patrol car on top of the MIT dome, among others).  I was part of a prank in high school that involved extensive planning and some amount of finesse (my part).  I won't go into the details of what happened since this is public record.  But, I digress...

I do get a little annoyed with people saying obnoxious and somewhat faux-pas comments and following them up with a "April Fool's."  Now, there are some people who's humor is a little obnoxious all the time I have no problem with that.  I'm usually able to pick up on those kinds of comments because I make those kinds of comments myself.  So, what's my point you ask?  Well, my point is please if you are going to play a joke please have some amount of planning and creativity.  Also if you are going to say something, make sure it's on the level of what you normally would say. 

Now, for another episode of Steve and his chance encounters with random females.  I was walking to class from the parking lot at school to go to class, when I saw a car trying to Parallel Park.  I was expecting to see a female behind the wheel, and sure enough this young blond girl was behind the wheel struggling to back in.  I paused to look for a few seconds and started to walk off with a smirk on my face.  As, I walk away I hear somebody call, "Excuse me?"  Before I even turned around I knew who it would be.  I turned around and sure enough the driver of the car was waving me over.  What did I do?  Well, as many of you know, I'm a sucker for pretty faces. 

I walk over and here is a synopsis of what was said:

Me:  Yes?

Pretty Girl:  Can you park my car for me?  I can never seem to get it right.

Me:  You know there are some spots open in the far lot.

Pretty Girl:  But this one is closer, and I’m late to class.  I’m even more late because I can’t seem to park my car.

(I inwardly grind my teeth at the use of poor grammar.  I am)

(I am a little suspicious since this is April fool’s Day.  I have a choice of three responses, jack ass, gentleman, or half-jack ass half-gentleman.  What response do you think I choose?)

Me:  Is this a April Fool’s joke?

Pretty Girl:  No!  It’s not!  Please, are you going to help me or not?

(She gives me this real pathetic look.  You know the batting of the eyes, pouting lips, the works.  I’m sure she could have cried on command.  How can I say no to that?)

Me: Okay, I’ll help you out.

Pretty Girl:  Thank you so much!

Me.:  Not a problem.

(So I get in her car, a Honda Civic, for those that are wondering, and park it.)

 

Now here’s the part that most of you, I assume, are waiting for.  I hand the keys to her and turn to leave, when she asks me where I am headed.  I tell her Wooten (one of the buildings on campus).  It’s the same place she is heading and asks if I want to walk with her.  I give a non-committal shrug, and wave in the direction of the building.  We begin walking,

 

Me:  I thought you said you were late to class?

Pretty Girl:  I just said that to get you to help me.

Me:  I see.

Pretty Girl:  I hope you don’t mind.

Me:  Can’t do anything about it now.

Pretty Girl: You’re very practical.

Me:  I try to be.

 

At this point we exchange the basics; name, school status, and major.  Her name is Ashley (I didn’t ask for a specific spelling), she’s a sophomore (strike 1?) history major.  And now here’s the tragedy/comedy aspect (most of you will understand this reference). 

 

(We get to the door of the building.)

Me: Which level are you on?

Pretty Girl:  Level?  (Strike 1?)

Me:  Floor.

Pretty Girl:  Oh, first floor.

Me:  I’m on level two.  I’ll be heading up now.  It was a pleasure meeting you.

Pretty Girl:  You’re not going to ask me for my number?  (Strike 2?)

Me:  Why?

Pretty Girl:  Never mind.  Nice meeting you.  (Strike 3!)

 

(At this point, we go our separate ways.)

 

I’m sure there are a percentage of you that are laughing your asses off at this, and another percent that is shaking your heads in disbelief.  Recall these incidents: running girl, sleeping girl, and girls in car.

 

I’m not too disappointed.  I have other things more pressing to deal with at the present time.

 

I came across this article on FARK.  Now before anybody gets all huffy on me, I only looked at the article because I thought there would be some math.  Alas, no there weren't any equations.  I was a little disapointed.  I wanted to see what kind of math was involved in the coding.  I suppose they wanted to protect the game engine copyright, and not release the math used for the coding.  But, at least give us some insight as to the physics principles involved.  I'm more interested in that than the final product.

Opening Day hasn't come yet.  It was the "Opening Series" a marketing ploy by MLB to have some games played in Japan (which probbably watches as much if not more baseball than we do).  The real Opening Day is March 30, with the Braves playing the Nationals in Washington.  I am looking forward to this season.  Especially after my fantasy draft (which reminds me I still need to pay).  This year we went with an auction style draft.  A little different and a little more stressful.  I missed the first half of the draft due t browser issues, but I did make it for most of the second half.  I loged out towards the end because I was almost out of money and had all my positions filled.  Now to do some creative trading and FA pick ups.  I think this is going to be one of the more balanced years. 

On a similar note I saw this:

Baseball is popular enough in Korea (and there are enough Korean players playing for Korean-Americans to care) that the MLB site can now be seen in Korean.  I remember when it was only available in Spanish, and then thanks to Nomo, Japanese.  This is really cool.

I need to get out to more games this season.  Only downside is I live Dallas.  That's another thing I miss about California, good sports teams.  More later.

I came across this article.  I found a lot of truth in it.  I admit it, I can't "read" women unless they are sitting at a table with chips and cards (and even then it's hit and miss).  The thing is I hate subtlety.  I like direct communication.  However, I have to admit that I am guilty of using subtle communications (mainly unconsciously). 

On that note, I think about all my interactions and I wonder what kinds of signals were sent and received.  The habit that I have whenever I interact with the other gender is to evaluate everything I am about to say.  In the middle of conversations I go through a mental algorithm of possible responses based on what they have said to me.  In this algorithm I also project possible responses they will have to my responses.  I know this sounds a little nerdy and downright strange, but that's just the way I am. 

Now, after reading this; some of my female readers will most likely unsubscribe.  However, those that know me personally please don't hold this against me.  Furthermore, please be more direct with me; it takes a lot of draining brain power to run those algorithms. 

Easter break is over.  My only solice is that Opening Day is less than a day away.

Yes, you did read that right.   Today is the first day of autumn.  No, I am not on any illicit narcotics.  Now, if you figure out how the above is possible, I'll come up with an appropriate reward.

On an entirely different note, I saw this.  Now, being a partial gimp I like this idea.  If I ever get a Xbox 360, I may consider hitting this guy up for a custom controller.