February 27, 2007
Update On My Life...
Other than that, not much to report: Still plugging away at work. Went to volleyball over the weekend, which was a lot of fun. I may end up on a BBC documentary that was filming at an exhibit I went to with some of the guys from the group. Reading Woodward's "State of Denial" and getting more and more depressed. I have some work from my writing group in New York to read and comment on. And this week, I've got a GURPS game coming and and then tickets to go see Equus on Friday.
We Export Boston Drivers?
One of the hardest things about living in another country is the homesickness. It comes at odd moments: a light blue jacket, a glimpse of someone with glasses, or a flash of blonde hair will remind you of someone or a trip to the grocery store will make you miss your favorite junk food. You know it's bad, when you hate cats and you actually look forward to seeing the black outdoor cat on our way home, because it reminds you of someone else's.
Sometimes however, the familiarity makes you feel at home where you are. For me, that happened over the weekend. I was crossing the street and some jackass turned without blinkers (or, to give them the benefit of the doubt, the signal wasn't visible from the front of the car) and almost ran me down. This was followed by the same waving gesture that you see in Boston. It's half-apology, half-shooing you off their road and it's all selfish belief that they own the road, because they're driving on it.
Sometimes however, the familiarity makes you feel at home where you are. For me, that happened over the weekend. I was crossing the street and some jackass turned without blinkers (or, to give them the benefit of the doubt, the signal wasn't visible from the front of the car) and almost ran me down. This was followed by the same waving gesture that you see in Boston. It's half-apology, half-shooing you off their road and it's all selfish belief that they own the road, because they're driving on it.
February 18, 2007
Spam Fritters
Okay, I'll admit that I will try silly food just to see how bad it might be.At the grocery store this morning, I spotted Spam Fritters in the semi-fresh processed food aisle. They looked awful, but I had to try them. Much in the same way that people try cheese straws and the like, I guess.
I heated up the Spam Fritters (different link) for dinner. I didn't expect much and the pool of grease that had bubbled out of them hadn't helped.
And unfortunately, they tasted pretty much like you expected. The batter was the same sort of fairly tasteless batter used by generic processed fish patties. The spam inside was, well, Spam (tm). I think the only way that Spam has ever tasted good, was when it was fried so that it had the tang of the grill (or the frying pan) on it.
Next, I tried it with a little bit of brown wholegrain mustard. That fritter didn't taste half bad, once it had a tang of mustard to give it a bit of bite and more importantly some sort of flavor.
All in all, I don't think I'll be running out and getting these again, unless I'm having someone over that I don't particularly like.
February 15, 2007
Hot Fuzz
"Hot Fuzz" is absolutely hilarious. Definitely worth full price in a first-run theater.
Parody films are tough. They're usually done one of two ways: the "Epic Movie" route, where the film is a tenuous connection of gags thrown at the screen in the hope that enough jokes would work; the other route, seen in this film is to understand the genre well enough to keep to the tropes, yet still inventive enough to subvert them. Of the later, I felt that "Scream" did a similar job, though that film for all of it's humor, was primarily a horror film, even as it skewered the genre.
This film was clearly a comedy with just enough of a nod to the action movies to check off the various genres involved: the cop movie, the mismatched buddy film, the fish out of water film, and a bit of a mystery.
A brief plot synopsis for anyone interested: Simon Peeg is Nick Angel, London's Metropolitan Police's top cop. Within the first few minutes, he's reassigned to Sandford, an English country village. Once there, he becomes intrigued by a series of curious events that may prove to be foul play. He's partnered with the Chief's oafish son, Danny Butterworth, played by Nick Frost.
February 12, 2007
Culinary Chaos
I tried to make something different for dinner tonight. I shredded a potato, an onion, some mushrooms, a big clove of garlic and diced up a handful of plum tomatoes. I sauteed them up, before mixing them all together with a couple of eggs, some shredded cheese, along with salt and pepper. (The plan was to make some of a veggie meat loaf.)
All of this was tossed into a heated oven and baked.
The good news is that it tasted fantastic. (Sort of a potato heavy frittata taste, though that wasn't really a surprise as with all my favorite ingredients mixed together.) The bad news is that it ended up looking like an omelete left on the stove far too long — slightly burnt. The inside of the loaf wasn't the fluffy egg and veg mix I was hoping for; it was more broken down. Savory and tasty, but not quite what I was expecting.
More food experimentation in the future.
All of this was tossed into a heated oven and baked.
The good news is that it tasted fantastic. (Sort of a potato heavy frittata taste, though that wasn't really a surprise as with all my favorite ingredients mixed together.) The bad news is that it ended up looking like an omelete left on the stove far too long — slightly burnt. The inside of the loaf wasn't the fluffy egg and veg mix I was hoping for; it was more broken down. Savory and tasty, but not quite what I was expecting.
More food experimentation in the future.
February 7, 2007
What the Hell?!
For the past three days, there have been letter and parcel bombs in an around London. The companies being targeted all seem to be connected to traffic companies: Monday, the office of Capita, the company that managed the congestion charges; Tuesday, the office of the accountants for the Speed Check Services; and now today, Wednesday, the main Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency office in South Wales.
Clearly this is some nut with a grudge, but still...
Here's a link to the BBC's coverage.
Clearly this is some nut with a grudge, but still...
Here's a link to the BBC's coverage.
February 5, 2007
Weekends Are Made For Friends
Busy Friday and Saturday. I ran around like a wild man getting ready for having some friends over for an afternoon of boardgames and dinner on Saturday. It was silly stuff mostly, getting a little food processor and a larger mixing bowl for the kitchen, as well as the makings for my friend, Katyia's guacamole. (Who knew that they call cilantro, coriander here.)
Then I had to clean the apartment, run to the library and the post office (not necessarily in that order), before everyone showed up.
We played the Order of the Stick game, showing once again that I tend to try games based on web comics that I like, no matter how they rarely live up to the comic.
(So far, the only successful game based on a web comic is the Girl Genius game, but I keep hoping to add more to that list.)
This is a fun game, the players play characters from the Order of the Stick (OOTS), as they dungeon dive in pursuit of the Big Bad, Xykon. It's fairly standard: find rooms, beat monsters and pick up loot, skills (or schticks) as you go. The players get to play what monsters the other players will have to face, as well as zapping them with 'Screw You' cards that make them less capable.
All in all, it's simple to pick up, playable and fun. The downside is that it is a very long game. We played the short game and that still took almost six hours. Now granted, that was three players playing for the first time. I'm willing to admit that after the first hour or so, game play got much faster. But it did tend to go on a little long.
Then I had to clean the apartment, run to the library and the post office (not necessarily in that order), before everyone showed up.
We played the Order of the Stick game, showing once again that I tend to try games based on web comics that I like, no matter how they rarely live up to the comic.(So far, the only successful game based on a web comic is the Girl Genius game, but I keep hoping to add more to that list.)
This is a fun game, the players play characters from the Order of the Stick (OOTS), as they dungeon dive in pursuit of the Big Bad, Xykon. It's fairly standard: find rooms, beat monsters and pick up loot, skills (or schticks) as you go. The players get to play what monsters the other players will have to face, as well as zapping them with 'Screw You' cards that make them less capable.
All in all, it's simple to pick up, playable and fun. The downside is that it is a very long game. We played the short game and that still took almost six hours. Now granted, that was three players playing for the first time. I'm willing to admit that after the first hour or so, game play got much faster. But it did tend to go on a little long.
January 30, 2007
eclecticism: March of the Sinister Ducks
eclecticism: March of the Sinister Ducks
Oops, I realized that I never put this up last year. Here it is for the people that asked for it.
Oops, I realized that I never put this up last year. Here it is for the people that asked for it.
Idiot in Motion
Now, if you've done better on your SATs than the average rutabaga, then, you'll probably see the problem earlier than I did.
I've had problems with carpal tunnel in the past, though luckily not bad enough to need surgery. Just bad enough that sometimes I have to wear a brace and sleep with a different brace.
On Sunday, I played volleyball. And served the ball, as I had been taught in High School—which is to hit it with force, underhanded on the heel of my hand. We practiced for three hours or so, so I served the ball repeatedly.
Monday, surprise surprise, my wrist felt like someone had hammered a spike into it. The sad part was that it took me nine, ten hours to put the cause and effect together. I figured it out just before bed and dug my night brace out before going to bed and followed that with some ibuprofen. I don't know if it was one or the other or both, but in the morning, I could probably even have juggled without needing an EMT on standby.
More stupidity is surely to follow...
I've had problems with carpal tunnel in the past, though luckily not bad enough to need surgery. Just bad enough that sometimes I have to wear a brace and sleep with a different brace.
On Sunday, I played volleyball. And served the ball, as I had been taught in High School—which is to hit it with force, underhanded on the heel of my hand. We practiced for three hours or so, so I served the ball repeatedly.
Monday, surprise surprise, my wrist felt like someone had hammered a spike into it. The sad part was that it took me nine, ten hours to put the cause and effect together. I figured it out just before bed and dug my night brace out before going to bed and followed that with some ibuprofen. I don't know if it was one or the other or both, but in the morning, I could probably even have juggled without needing an EMT on standby.
More stupidity is surely to follow...
January 26, 2007
Me and My Big Mouth...
Just got a phone call from someone from Paris. He introduced himself, I said bon jour and he launched into a rapid stream of French. When he took a breath, I had to admit that I only knew bon jour.
Once he stopped laughing, I was able to get the message for a co-worker in English.
Once he stopped laughing, I was able to get the message for a co-worker in English.
Caffeine Monkey on My Back
The insomnia's been driving me nuts, so I wanted to go caffeine-free today. The good news is that I didn't have a caffeine headache this, but with only four hours of sleep last night, I really need the damned caffeine.
I finally broke down and had a Diet Coke with lunch. Here's hoping that the weekend detox will help me. I'm hoping that the only monkeys on my back will be the kids jumping up and down on the Uncle Jungle Gym. (I think I got that from my friend, Al, but I don't see the text on his blog. Must have been an email or something.)
*Yawn*
I finally broke down and had a Diet Coke with lunch. Here's hoping that the weekend detox will help me. I'm hoping that the only monkeys on my back will be the kids jumping up and down on the Uncle Jungle Gym. (I think I got that from my friend, Al, but I don't see the text on his blog. Must have been an email or something.)
*Yawn*
January 25, 2007
Dresden on iTunes
Okay, I can get access to US TV for $19.95 for a season pass to various TV shows. For that, I get my TV shows in easy to digest half a gig iTunes format. That'll take about a half hour to download and almost forty-five minutes to watch. The picture will be tiny (though it can be expanded until the picture looks more than a little off) and the sound (at least in the one iTunes episode that I've watched) will be a little sketchy.
I'm not sure if I want to do that again. I think I may be happier whining about missing a show I want to watch and catching it on DVD next year.
That said, I liked The Dresden Files. Much like the TV show, Bones, it varies in many major areas from the books that the series is based upon. That said, I think I like it and I think it could stand on it's own well. The main character was easy to look at and the character has a similar mix of hard-boiled and caring to the character of the same name that Butcher has written.
They removed some of the things that I loved about the character in the conversion to the small screen: difficulties with technology, the beloved VW, and the sort of wizard's cave of an apartment. Hell, they even changed Bob, the skull. But I can see why some of these changes had been made and I'm certainly willing to see where they go with this.
I'm not sure if I want to do that again. I think I may be happier whining about missing a show I want to watch and catching it on DVD next year.
That said, I liked The Dresden Files. Much like the TV show, Bones, it varies in many major areas from the books that the series is based upon. That said, I think I like it and I think it could stand on it's own well. The main character was easy to look at and the character has a similar mix of hard-boiled and caring to the character of the same name that Butcher has written.
They removed some of the things that I loved about the character in the conversion to the small screen: difficulties with technology, the beloved VW, and the sort of wizard's cave of an apartment. Hell, they even changed Bob, the skull. But I can see why some of these changes had been made and I'm certainly willing to see where they go with this.
January 24, 2007
Fun With Bush
I'm listening to the NPR coverage of President Bush's State of the Union address last night: it's much more fun to listen to at double speed. He's no where near as annoying when he sounds more like Alvin from Alvin and the Chipmunks.
And it won't take anywhere near as long to listen to the damned thing with all the applause breaks.
And it won't take anywhere near as long to listen to the damned thing with all the applause breaks.
Snow!
I woke up this morning to a crisp tinge in the air. Glancing out the window on the way to the bathroom, I spotted a surprising whiteness. Confused, I leaned against the window and blinked at the darkness. There was snow on the ground. Not much, but enough to pull a flimsy blanket over garden and cars.
I tried to take pictures on the way to work with my camera phone, but the drizzle in the air and the long shadows managed to defeat the meager light of my phone's flash. You'll have to make do with my description.
At quarter after six, the snow was still mostly pristine, only a single pair of prints marred my path for a block or so until bikes, commuters and luggage crushed the snow to slush. It wasn't much snow by New England standards, but by Old England it was enough for drivers to slow to single digits and for the tube to ground to a halt.
Ah, winter.
Update: Added a picture and a link to a BBC story about it.
January 22, 2007
RadioTimes linking to Randi
RadioTimes is basically the UK equivalent of TVGuide. I was checking to see what would be on tonight and found links to interesting sights online. One of the three or so links for today was for James Randi's exposing of Uri Geller and Peter Popoff.
I just love how this stuff actually gets a higher profile over here than in the States and wish the States would catch up.
(They also had a link to Stephen Colbert at the Washington Correspondents Dinner last year.)
Made my morning.
I just love how this stuff actually gets a higher profile over here than in the States and wish the States would catch up.
(They also had a link to Stephen Colbert at the Washington Correspondents Dinner last year.)
Made my morning.
January 20, 2007
Other New Glasses
What do you think?
And over my shoulder, if you look closely, you can see my Ryan monkey. (My nephew and I both got them.)
January 15, 2007
New Glasses
These are my new glasses, which unfortunately, can't do anything for the vacant and vaguely confused look on my face.
Next Saturday, my other pair of new glasses comes in so you can see me in that, as well.
Update: Changed the picture, because it looks like it was compressed a bit and I suddenly look much more angular.
January 12, 2007
More Monkey News!
The TSA has put out information about how to deal with monkey helpers:
TSA: Service Animals
But I think the Daily Kos sarcasm is far more important here:
Daily Kos: Cheers and Jeers: Rum and Coke FRIDAY!
TSA: Service Animals
But I think the Daily Kos sarcasm is far more important here:
Daily Kos: Cheers and Jeers: Rum and Coke FRIDAY!
Monkey Helpers
· The monkey handler should carry the monkey through the WTMD while the monkey remains on a leash.
· When the handler and monkey go through the WTMD and the WTMD alarms, both the handler and the monkey must undergo additional screening.
· Since monkeys may likely draw attention, the handler will be escorted to the physical inspection area where a table is available for the monkey to sit on. Only the handler will touch or interact with the monkey.
· TSOs have been trained to not touch the monkey during the screening process.
· TSOs will conduct a visual inspection on the monkey and will coach the handler on how to hold the monkey during the visual inspection.
· The inspection process may require that the handler take off the monkey’s diaper as part of the visual inspection.
It's also important to check the monkey's shoes for explosives and make sure they're not on the DHS "No Fly" list. And if your monkey misbehaves, well...be creative.
January 11, 2007
Dresden Files
Yet another reason, why I wish I was home with my ReplayTV:
The Dresden Files on the SciFi Channel.
I am so going to be bugging my friends regularly to find out how this is turning out. :) Expect my calls.
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