Society for Aesthetic Deletions

Wil posted this link, which is just hella cool. The guy pegs exactly why I visit Wil's site every day, why he's in my Favorites bar on IE, and why I have him linked from the side of this blog.

Being Wil Wheaton is just funky cool.

Kate asked me yesterday to take a picture of her with the digital camera we have at work. So I took a few, we found one we liked, and I (using OSX and iPhoto) downloaded it and mailed it to her.

She tells me this morning that the photo will be published in a national magazine (it was the only one big enough -- we took it at 1600x1200). With my name as the credited photographer. Cool, I think. What magazine, I ask.

The Advocate, she replies.

I'm going to be an internationally published photographer! Whoo-hoo! Name in the credits and EVERYTHING.

Well, she asked them to put my name in, all spelled correctly and everything.

We'll just have to see if it pans out. Oh, and the article in the mag is going to be about this.

The new laptop is here!

I did get the Toshiba, and am learning the ins and outs of Windows XP. I made a bunch of the standard changes, like making sure I see all files and folders, file extensions, etc.

I'm still getting used to the keyboard layout. And the "I" key. It keeps doubling up...hit it once, and I have two i's on the screen. Not all the time, which is annoying in and of itself. I may just get an external keyboard at the next computer show. And maybe a wireless trackball. Or wired, really doesn't matter. But not a mouse. Trackball. Oh yeah.

I've also decided to start the move to Movabletype. I am going to do a new install, since I've decided that I want a new location for the MT directories. I floated the idea of a blog for my family (I am the 6th of 7 children) to keep/stay in touch to my sister Janet, and she said it sounded good. Especially as my nieces and nephews (9 of those) would be most likely to do updates. chuckle

So, instead of having them have to drill down to find the directory (and be more likely to forget it), I'd move it up a directory or two.

Got the Eudora all moved over to the laptop, too. Now I just have to figure out how to figure out how to uninstall the Lotus SmartSuite that was already on the laptop, and then figure out what version of Office I want to install. Oh frabjous day!

Anne and I finally got together for a Chow Yun Chat last night. We sat and talked and and played with Will, and ate Chinese food. Tim is a driver for Dominos part-time now, and with the Pats in the SuperBowl, all drivers were on.

Go Pats!

Then, while we debated about what to do after Will went to bed, I browsed the video and DVD collection. And realized that while they had The Frighteners on video letterboxed, they hadn't opened it yet. Anne and Tim saw Lord of the Rings - Fellowship of the Ring while on vacation in Florida, but they had not seen one of Peter Jackson's earlier films! So though I'd seen part of it recently on cable, we put it in.

Anne really enjoyed it, and I got to watch it all the way from beginning to end for the first time since I'd first seen it. It's really a fun, cool flick.

And as to the name? I forget exactly where it began -- Anne and I went to see a movie together at some point, I don't know if it was a Chow Yun-Fat movie or not, but the display where you buy the tickets had his name listed as "Chow Yun Chat." We found it really amusing, and adopted it as our name for our girl-get-togethers.

Lou thinks these look awful, by the way.

I'm Hyundai Santa Fe GLS!

Your buyers would like to buy a more upscale SUV, but are limited by a lack of formal education or any identifiable job skills. The other SUVs laugh at you.

Click here to find out which test you are!

Or, how you know you've become addicted to blogging.

Lou and I are driving to work this morning. We've had a ding on the passenger side of the van's windshield for about two years now. I even called the insurance company about getting it fixed before, but never got around to doing it. I even have insurance to cover the fix.

I noticed first on our way to New Hampshire that the ding isn't a ding anymore, but a crack. About an inch or so long.

Wow, I comment to Lou. We really need to get that fixed.

Pan to this morning, driving to work. We have just enough ice crystals on the windshield that it's a little hard to see, but there's nothing there worth scraping off. So Lou puts the fans on high, pours the heat (eventually) on the windshield, and we set off to work.

Windshield gets clear. I turn the fan down to the lowest setting, move the bar to be windshield and feet.

A few minutes later, the crack leaps from both ends, becoming about three inches long. Whoa, I comment to Lou, thinking in my head, I am going to have to make a blog entry about this! He asks me what, and then sees for himself.

We watch in horror as the crack spreads across the window at a rapid pace, until it is at least two and a half feet, maybe even three, in length, crossing all the way over in front of Lou.

My side only grew about two inches. Neither end has hit the edge of the windshield yet, but I watch the progress, looking at the little bits of dirt and salt and marking the progress by if it has hit those bits yet. My side has settled down after the initial spurt and a small amount of growth. Lou's side grew more slowly, but appears to have settled as well after about 10 minutes, it has advanced only a small amount, but it has advanced.

Of course, a big part of me is going ... I can't believe my first thought was about blogging the crack in the windshield. I am an addict.

Paula told me that I should take a camera and my Palm IIIc with me to Vegas and take pictures and make comments for a blog vacation report for when I return (no, I'm not taking the laptop with me). I thought about it, but thought I'd probably not actually do it.

Now I'm thinking I'll do it whether I plan for it or not. I just can't stop.

Oh, and I've got an appointment to have the windshield replaced on Thursday. Whoo-eee!

After wrangling with exporting my old Blogger blog and finally getting it right, I've made the switch to Movabletype for all my blogs.

Though it was supposed to strip the HTML titles from my entries, it didn't. It did put them in the title area, it just didn't take them out of the main body. But it did make me go through and edit each entry, getting rid of the ability to comment on my older entries. I just didn't want to have to try and find old comments on my old stuff, sorry folks.

I will be working on the style sheet next, along with a title graphic. Hopefully have something up by the end of next week.

I'm beginning to think that I need to call this version 2 or something. Hmm...Have to Consider That.

So, comments are available on the individual archive pages. I don't like pop-up windows much, which is why I got rid of them from the main page. So feel free to tell me what you think!

This is courtesy of ***Dave, and very cool. I just wish I'd seen more than the first two episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Anne told me that today. She said to me in ICQ today that she has to read my blog every day, and then reads 90% of the links from my side blog, too.

I told her that I can understand that. Part of my morning routine now is checking out all those blog links.

I added two of Meera Barry's links to the sidebar today. She'd linked to me a while back from her Amber blog, and I'd just never gotten around to adding her. But I was reading her MT Fierce blog today, and had to comment on this. And in commenting, realized I needed to add that link in.

Of course, with Anne telling me that she checks my blog every day made me realize that I hadn't entered anything today.

I'm still trying to get BlogScript to work with MT. But I see that he has a new version up (today, after I spend all day yesterday trying to get it to work), and Ben from MT has volunteered to give me the new xmlrpc.cgi for MT 2.0. I'll have to see if the new one fixes what I had problems with on the old.

Of course, it probably won't fix the title problem, since it's just copy and paste text. I really need to learn XML. I'm sure I could make it work if I knew that.

It's been happening a lot to me lately. The stars must be aligned in the right order or some such.

In my weekly D&D game, the group just went into a desert area. (I still need to write up the game summary for that; maybe tomorrow night) An NPC met them there, and he told them that there was an oasis nearby, where they could rest.

So I start humming that mid-70's song, "Midnight at the Oasis." It gets stuck in my head, though I really don't recall all the words, just the opening line. I do recall the tune. This past Saturday, on the way to get my new laptop, the song is still in my head, and I sing the first few lines. Lou looks at me like I have grown a second head - I'm quite used to that look, actually. So I ask him what is it this time. He wants to know what I'm singing. I rattle off the lines and the tunes a bit more, but I'm still getting that look.

He's never heard the song. What?? This song was all over the radio as I was growing up, I think. He may be two years younger than me, but come on!

Of course, I should point out that I think my dad had different musical tastes. We had an album, called "Good Vibrations" - one of those you'd buy on TV I think. It had "Dead Skunk (in the Middle of the Road)" amongst others on it. Now my dad also loved Spike Jones and his City Slickers, and big band music.

Anyway, to get back to the synchronicity...today I am helping my boss Kate set up OSX on her computer. She's having problems getting Eudora for X to work with Brown's Kerberos settings. She has to go into a meeting, so I volunteer to finish the setup while she's meeting.

She has a stack of CDs next to her computer. Kate has a lot of CDs, we share some musical tastes, but not all. This stack is different in that it is psychedelic, it has a collection of music from the 70s on it. Five or so CDs. I start looking at the backs of the CDs, and start remembering all the songs from my youth.

Of course, as you know if you've read this far, the last CD contains "Midnight at the Oasis" as sung by Maria Muldaur. I borrow the CD, intending to rip the track so Lou can hear it, and of course he'll recognize it once it's sung by someone with better musical talent (well, not that much better) than me.

Friday Five

Decided to join the bandwagon. I think it's pretty fun. These are pretty racy because of Valentine's Day coming up.

1. What's the most romantic thing you've ever done for someone else?

Oh jeebus, I'm not the romantic one. That's Lou. I suppose it would have to be the proposal. I was the one who proposed, to him, on Thanksgiving morning, 1996. I had it all prepared ahead of time, including getting his ring size (got that by taking his hand in bed one night, and putting a thin wire keyring bent to about the right size on his ring finger. Bent it some more until I got the right size, and he asked me what I was doing. Just playing, I said. He believed me and went back to reading or watching TV), and the ring. We were at our friends' house, and they didn't know what I was planning either.

Thankgiving morning, we woke up, but I stopped him from leaving. Reached into my bag, pulled out the box. Handed it to him. He wondered what was up, but opened the box. I asked him if he'd marry me. He got all teary, I got all teary, and he said yes. Lots of kissing later, we both got up and got dressed, and we told everyone, over breakfast, I believe. I don't think he could wait anymore.

It'll be five years on February 22.

2. [pardon the cosmo question] What are your erogenous zones?

My hands. My chest. My neck and ears.

3. How old were you the first time you had sex? Care to expound?

I just remembered recently my aborted first-attempt to have sex. The guy was terribly drunk, I was drunk, and nothing happened. But I never told him that. I think to this day he still thinks we had sex.

But the first time, I was ... 20? Maybe 21, but I don't think so. He was my first real serious boyfriend, and he lived in Miami, Guatemala, and other places way down south. He came up home to visit, had a hotel room in Providence. I drove him back to the hotel, called my mother to tell her I wouldn't be coming home (she was NOT happy, and I was too chickenshit to tell her in person before we left), and we did the deed.

Much later I found out he wasn't as old as he said he was. He was younger than me, I just didn't know HOW much younger.

But he's still a friend, and may read this blog entry someday. So I'll be quiet now.

4. What's the most unusual place you've ever had sex?

Depends on how you define "had sex." (heh) We fooled around off the path at Walden Wood on fine October day, but it wasn't actual sex. It's hard to do unusual when we're both tall and Lou's large. Though we do need to break in the van one of these days.

5. Do you have plans for Valentine's Day or is it just another Thursday?

No plans as of yet. Lou's got a game, unless he decides not to go or cancels. We aren't big Valentine's Day people, with our anniversary being a week later. We purposely did NOT get married on Valentine's Day, in fact.

So maybe a dinner. Definitely a card or two. But nothing overboard.

Survivor 4.

As some of you know, I sent in a tape for Survivor 3, but was not chosen. Hell, I wasn't even notified that they got my application and tape, other than the FedEx receipt. I missed getting in my application for this new one - totally missed deadline, didn't even see it at all. But after hearing that they are having NO food or fire given to them at all, I'm not that upset. Though spending the winter in the Marquesas sounds like fun.

I also missed out getting on Survivor 5, wherever that is. The deadline is today. I even had a (better) vague idea for my tape. But I never did it. I decided that they'd never accept me for health reasons.

I'm as blind as a bat without my glasses. I can literally see only three inches from my face clearly. And then there is my old C1 Esterase Inhibitor Deficiency, which is not bothering me currently. I think they want fully healthy people.

At least that's what I keep telling myself. I'll have to start making popblog entries for S5 when it begins at the end of this month. I didn't win at the office on 4, but I did have Kim picked, and she was 2nd place. Go me!

I don't often blog on the weekends. Too busy doing other stuff, not as much neat things going on. Weekdays are busier blog days.

I do have an entry I want to work on, but it's going to take some thought and effort, and at 10:30 on a Sunday night, I'm just too beat to begin it.

And next week there will be no new entries. But I will write notes in my Palm, and upload bits when I come back. Probably not all on the same day, but over the following week or so.

I also added this neat referral script on the top right, as you can see. So I can tell where people are coming from when they come here, and so can you!

Isn't this just the cutest thing?

You can make your own, too! Just go here.

The Oscar nominations are out.

A year ago today, I was in New York City. The Financial District, to be exact. I had gone to our New York City office, to help them with some upgrades and do some installs. I found a bed & breakfast right around the corner from the office, on Nassau Street (our office is on John Street). This B&B was really a back room with a wonderful bathroom attached, off of someone's apartment. Hell, with rents like they are, I'd imagine every little bit helps.

I had arrived by train the day before, taken the subway in the right direction totally by accident, and wheeled myself and my luggage to the office. I called the B&B folk, went and checked in, got my keys and such, then went back to the office and worked for the rest of the day.

I asked for advice on food at night - it's the Financial District, not much is open after the businesses, and Wall Street, closes. But I was told to go in the direction of the water, there was a bunch of shops down there, and probably some place to eat (I know, they weren't too helpful). I wandered down at dinner time when I was hungry, found a neat restaurant, had dinner and dessert (expense accounts, wheee!), and then wandered back. No one had even suggested visiting the World Trade Center - the Twin Towers were a few blocks in the other direction, probably not even as far as the water. I know now that there were stores and restaurants in there, places I could have eaten, and might very well have, had I known.

The next morning, I woke up and turned on the TV in my little room. I delayed going into work because they were announcing the Oscar nominees. I was really cheering for Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, amongst others. Watched the announcements, then checked out, headed to work, and later in the day, headed home.

I saw the Towers only at a distance when I was in the city. And then eight months later - nearly to the day - they were gone.

I had a dream last night that woke me up. We were late getting to Lou's parents on Saturday, for the trip. Like, REALLY late. Like our flight leaves at 5:10 or something, and we were supposed to be at their house at 1:00, and it was almost 7:00 at night, and I knew we were late but thought we would still make it. Even though we hadn't hardly packed.

It woke me up. I think I need to start packing now, getting prepared, so I won't be all nervous.

I'm not usually nervous about trips. Lou and I fly at least once a year, to GenCon, and usually take long and short trips throughout the year. I never get nervous like this, never have dreams like this.

Maybe it's because we had absolutely nothing to do with the planning. We're just supposed to show up, and Lou's parents have taken care of everything. Yeah, that's probably it.

But I am going to start making a list today and tonight, of things I want to bring. So I can go through it Saturday morning and make sure I have everything.

This is just too funny for words. Read the whole thing. Go on. You know you want to.

Courtesy of the Daily Illuminator

My husband doesn't think of himself as extremely romantic. When I asked him a few of the questions from last week's Friday Five, he could not come up with one romantic thing that he had done. Maybe it was just being put on the spot. But he is a very romantic man. He's the one who remembers what we did on our first date, what we were wearing then, the one who remembers our anniversaries (and no, I do remember our wedding anniversary too, he just remembers other important dates).

We also have this tradition of not giving each other a Valentine's Day present. We do cards, but that's it. So earlier this week, when I find out that he did more than a card for this Valentine's Day, he caves in and gives me this, as a "Tuesday" present.

So now I have to get him something! I found a cute baby Gund Snuffles in white, and gave it to him yesterday as a "Happy Wednesday" present. And the cards were today.

He got one on his pillow this morning, after he got out of bed first. I had put them at my bedside last night for just such an occasion. And I found one on my pillow when I got back from my bathroom ablutions.

And then I found one on top of my lunch today when I unzipped my lunch bag. So romantic, see?

I wonder if I'll have one when I get home tonight. Lou's getting his other card then, the more suggestive one. (heh heh heh)

I started a maneuver. Decided to comment on one of Wil's posts about how his stepkids are taking on his mannerisms, and everyone is quoting Eddie Izzard back at me.

Maybe it's just cause the latest posts haven't been able to be commented upon. Or it's just the synchronicity of me again, finding Izzard-lovers everywhere.

Cassie did it again. This is also another favorite bit:

Repeat to self: ìAloof, unavailable elf princess. Aloof, unavailable elf princess.î

Ooh, ooh! Almost forgot the Friday Five!

1. What was the first thing you ever cooked?
I have no clue. Does warming up soup count? Probably not ... oh, does baking count? I baked cookies. Other than that, I'd have to go with Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.

2. What's your signature dish?
It's becoming spinach and artichoke dip. I get asked to make it for many family gatherings, and given the recipe to friends. I'd prefer it to be something else, but hey, it's quick, easy, and good. Though not good for you.

3. Ever had a cooking disaster? (tasted like crap, didn't work, etc.) Describe.
Always. I like to try new recipes, and then get really pissed when things don't come out right. My husband hates it when I get so mad at myself, but I'm trying to make something perfect, dammit, leave me alone! But I'm more of a baker than a chef, so all of the crap is dessert-related, and therefore not as much of a disaster as it COULD be.

4. If skill and money were no object, what would make for your dream meal?
Ooooh! Prime rib with popovers, twice-baked potatoes, crisp steamed green beans with garlic. Oh, and start with a nice fresh salad with bleu cheese dressing. And an appetizer of fried calamari Rhode Island style (garlic butter and hot peppers). Have a nice glass of Merlot or Shiraz with the prime rib. Then hot tea (some variant of black, not herbal) and cheesecake with a fresh fruit topping - no canned crap. Strawberries or raspberries or blueberries.

Damn, good thing it's time for lunch!

5. What are you doing this weekend?
Leaving on a jet plane to Vegas on Saturday. Getting in late enough that I have no idea what we're doing on Sunday, other than trying to sleep in.

Staying Alive, the personal identity game. My results?

"856 out of 9670 people chose the same path through the scenarios as you. To date, 6281 people have followed a path through these scenarios which is consistent with at least one of the three theories of personal identity specified above, compared to 3389 people who have not."

Courtesy of ***Dave.

Well, I am back from Vegas. Took me a full day to recover, and I'm still not 100% yet.

I was given $300 for gambling money ($200 from Lou's parents, $100 from Lou's aunt and uncle). I was being very careful with my money. I kept $200 aside, and only used $100 to gamble with. And though I'll be posting a more detailed description of what I did each day, I came back with enough (counting a little bit that Lou managed to keep) for us to buy a PS2. So we went out yesterday afternoon, after a late breakfast/lunch, and bought one. Also bought an extra controller, though it looks like the old Dual Shocks we'd bought for our original PS would have worked. And two games - FFX and Twisted Metal Black.

Had to search FOREVER to find memory cards, though. Looked all over North Dartmouth, but had no luck. Then gave up and came home, and while I hooked everything up, Lou began to call around. Finally found two at an Electronics Boutique in North Attleboro, at the Emerald Square Mall. So we packed up and headed out again, bought the cards and headed home.

Lou wants to hit Foxwoods now, at some point. He really liked playing Blackjack, and managed to win at it. I was better at slots, believe it or not, though I enjoyed Blackjack too.

More later, I just needed an entry in here!

I Am A: Neutral Good Elf Ranger Bard

Alignment:
Neutral Good characters believe in the power of good above all else. They will work to make the world a better place, and will do whatever is necessary to bring that about, whether it goes for or against whatever is considered 'normal'.

Race:
Elves are the eldest of all races, although they are generally a bit smaller than humans. They are generally well-cultured, artistic, easy-going, and because of their long lives, unconcerned with day-to-day activities that other races frequently conccern themselves with. Elves are, effectively, immortal, although they can be killed. After a thousand years or so, they simply pass on to the next plane of existance.

Primary Class:
Rangers are the defenders of nature and the elements. They are in tune with the Earth, and work to keep it safe and healthy.

Secondary Class:
Bards are the entertainers. They sing, dance, and play instruments to make other people happy, and, frequently, make money. They also tend to dabble in magic a bit.

Find out What D&D Character Are You?.

1. Hey, baby, what's your sign? Do you think it fits you pretty well?

Sagittarius, and yes, it fits me all too well. Though this description is a bit off-the-mark, even for me.

2. What's the worst birthday gift you've ever received?

I have no clue. With my birthday near Christmas, but early enough to still get birthday and Christmas presents, I tend to make out pretty well.

3. What's the best birthday gift you've ever received?

No clue, again. My brain is just not functioning in the area of presents. But it was probably something from my husband.

4. What's the best way you've celebrated your birthday thus far?

My husband cooked me roast beef and au gratin potatoes a few years ago. Things he doesn't like, but made for me because he knows they're my favorites. That's all I can think of right now.

5. What are your plans for this weekend?

Recovering from Vegas and buying a PlayStation 2, all of which were done successfully!

How does one "play" at catching up? It's much more "work" than play. Though I suppose it really depends on what you're trying to catch-up on.

First day at work was yesterday. You'll note the lack of blog entry. It was a busy day, starting with a morning-long meeting for everyone at work. I went late to the first half, and skipped the second. I had too much email to catch up on, and while talking about the ESEA, since it allows me to have my job, is a good thing, I had too much work to catch up on to spend all that time in a talking heads meeting.

And I got to role-play last night! Pat's game, wherein I'm playing a monk. I realized on the way back from Vegas that Lou and I had talked about doing some role-playing (no, not THAT kind! get your frelling mind out of the gutter...) while we were out there, but it never even crossed our minds. Well, it didn't cross mine.

I'm eager for ATF this week. I'm having a lot of fun revealing little bits of Tallis' background, and trying to rein myself in from doing it all at once. It's bad when a GM gets too excited about an NPC. I do NOT want him to be the star, or even a central point. But I think he's just so COOL. Then again, it's been a while since I've had a really angsty character, so this is my outlet. And I trust my players to whap me on the head if I go overboard.

Saturday, February 16, 2002

The beginning of the trip went well. No delays in flights, and we arrived in plenty of time to go through all the extra security.

It's been a long time since I have flown at night. Flying into Chicago Midway was one of the most beautiful experiences I've had in a long time. I don't know what it was, but I felt like I was in the middle of Tron or The Matrix. The amber glow of the lights, all in pretty rows. The black of Lake Michigan was stark against the lights of the city.

A kid in the seat in front of me, about 8 or 9, asked his dad if that was water below us. I couldn't tell myself, and told him that. There was a large black area, south of the lake. A light here and there lit up a small part; I couldn't tell if it was something on a lake offshoot or a river, or a forest with a house or building within it.

We turned on approach, and I was struck again by the beauty of the city's lights. Everything all in straight, neat rows. I mentioned it to Lou, and it was then that I remembered we were in the flat midwest, where straight rows of corn could grow for miles. So rows of straight lights are no doubt more common than in the northeast. Also, the cities are usually more planned than New England's are.

The woman in the seat behind me echoed the boy in front, asking her husband if that was water below. This area was different; she thought that was a bridge below us, but I think it was just a highway, driving off through the forest. Or maybe it was fields, it was just so hard to see in the dark.

I wished I'd had higher speed film in my camera; the 200 speed I had in already would not be able to take a good shot, even if the reflection didn't spoil it. Well, maybe it could be a mirror project photo. Since we will be returning here late on the way back, I vow to pick up some high speed film in Vegas. Even though the approach might be different, I may still have a chance for a shot.

I turned away from the window after another minute of being entranced, and the moment was broken.

Landing in Las Vegas, we were right at the end of the strip. I didn't relize McCarran airport was so close to downtown. I also realized specifically what the lights of the city reminded me of -- a circuit board.

In our minds, when we landed, it was 3:00 a.m., though local time it was just before midnight. It took a while to get our rental car and then to the hotel, whereupon I crashed, and did not awake until 7:30 a.m. local time. We saw the strip all lit up, but it didn't make that much of an impression on my tired eyes.

I'll be adding a post a day for my Las Vegas trip. So today you should see Day 2 show up some time. I'll also be adding the links into the sidebar for easy perusing of the whole thing without other entries bothering you when I get a bit further along (probably when the first one scrolls off the front page).

We had network problems at the end of the day yesterday at work, and they continued into this morning, though they had appeared fixed. Turns out it looks like our switch has gone, and we need to get a new one. Boh-mair. Fortunately we have a spare - one we used for testing when we were switching how we were connected to Brown - and that has been put into place and is doing fine for now. But we need a new one; we can't keep this one forever.

At least it wasn't last Monday, when all our techheads (me, my boss Kate, and my big boss Martin) were all on vacation. That would have just been shitty.

Sunday, February 17, 2002

The view from our hotel shows the mountains, which explains the what was blocking the view of the city as we were landing. It was dark enough that I couldn't tell if it was clouds or something else. It didn't move, so I didn't think it was clouds, but one could never tell.

Our room looks out onto the Monte Carlo and other attractions, so I took one picture of that, then a few of the mountains in the distance. I want to head out into the countryside around the city, see the natural setting, not just the strip.

We had brunch at the MGM Grand, with their Grand Buffet. Recall that I've never been to Vegas before -- but, DAMN, you have to go through a lot of slot machines to get to the food! The food was excellent, by the way, I'd recommend the Sunday Champagne Brunch to anyone visiting Vegas. Note to visitors: Go with someone in a wheelchair. You get special treatment in seating, like skipping the big long wait line. Lou's aunt Anne has MS, and uses a wheelchair to get around, so we waited a short while to get to the cash registers, then got to go right in. Then Lou and I stayed to gamble a bit with Anne and John (our rides to the Grand), lost $50 but had fun.

Back to the hotel for a nap for me. Lou talked about a swim, but decided to wait. We're going to see Beauty and the Beast at the IMAX at the Luxor - I headed down with Lou and Bobby to get tickets (nice long walk) and we spent some time at the slots in the Luxor. I won twice, but then gambled it all away (only $10 this time) on slots.

We're eating after the movie - a 7:00 show, so dinner will be very late. I hope my stomach can take this.

The movie was good, even though it was very up-close. I prefer a large IMAX theater, and one where you can choose your seat. We had fast food for dinner, which did not sit well in my stomach, and then went to the King Tut museum, which was pretty neat. I bought a small Egyptian cat statue (made in China) for my sister who is watching and feeding our cats for us, and a little Luxor pyramid keychain, that when you push the bottom of it, the crystal on the top lights up. Then it was back to the hotel and SLEEP!

Okay, it's been published!!

Online, you can only see the photo and no credit.

But if you peruse the March 5, 2002 issue of The Advocate (on newsstands now!), turn to page 16. Look at the bottom right, outside the box of the article.

There's my name. Photo credit for that photo of my boss, Kate Monteiro, in her "other life" as president of the Rhode Island Alliance for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights. (okay, the website's nothing great to look at, but hey, they spend their time out there working hard, not designing web pages)

So now I just have to parlay this into another job...a well-paying (snarf!) one.

Lou went to see the doctor yesterday. Since late in our trip to Vegas, the upper part of his right arm was hurting him. It only really hurt when he moved it, or if someone touched or hit him there. But Bengay and Mineral Ice didn't help, and Advil only kept the pain at bay a short time. So he decided to go to the doctor finally, and went yesterday.

She took blood (Lou didn't pass out nor hit her - he has a fear of needles), touched his arm a lot asking "Does this hurt?" (and again, Lou managed not to hit her when she found a painful spot), took X-Rays, and scheduled him for a CT scan, at 10:00 tonight.

There is a bump on his bone. It could be nothing to worry about, or it could be some complicated medical term that means he has a bone infection.

Let's all cross our fingers.

UPDATE 6:45 p.m.: Lou's appointment is NEXT Thursday. He wants me to go with him. He says he's had CT scans done before, and it wipes him out, so he wants me to bring him home.

Firehouse.Com News - 2/26/02 - Creator of Ice Sculpture Warming Hearts and Learning About Pain of 9/11

The image was passed around work today, so I did a web search to find out more. Caught the above link, which has images large enough to be used as desktop wallpaper.

What talent - and very moving.

Monday, February 18, 2002

Another late morning breakfast, this time at Paris. The weather was better; it had rained on us yesterday as we were walking back from getting the Beauty and the Beast tickets. It's still a little windy, but the rest of the week is supposed to keep getting warmer.

Breakfast was excellent, though I only had two pieces of French toast. We had enough other stuff that it didn't matter. Our waiter was very funny...he was refilling coffee and asked John if he was regular. Well, that just sent the table into peals of laughter, while he stood there, smiling but trying to have a brave face.

Then we hit the slots again, before we head out to Red Rock Canyon. I wandered around a bit, watched some blackjack tables, and everyone else wandered off. I found them at some slots when I was just getting ready to call one of their cellphones. Lou was at the video poker; I wandered until I found some quarter slots, this one had the possibility of winning a Cobra sportscar, that was above the slots. I put in $10, and ended up cashing out at $11, so I was pleased. Wandered back to Lou, where he was up, but started losing again. He cashed out, but kept playing. He needs to watch his hands though; he held the wrong cards at one point. But he ended up getting five of a kind, and cashed out $21 up. So we're doing well for the day, if not for the week.

Now, Red Rock Canyon here we come!

Red Rock Canyon was breathtaking. I took tons of pictures, didn't see any wild burros (Kori did), and was, somewhere along that route, the farthest west I've ever been. Up until this trip, the farthest west I'd been was the Kansas side of Kansas City, for my brother's wedding. I still haven't hit the California coast, but I'm sure that will come some day.

The drive out was beautiful; Lou and I went with Anne and John. But it was enough of a distance that there wasn't really enough time to nap between getting back and Blue Man Group, alas.

Blue Man Group was an excellent show. I now see why Sarah warned me not to wear dangly earrings. We're going to meet with Sarah and Chris Wednesday night at the Star Trek Experience for dinner.

As time was short, we did dinner after the BMG show. That was a minor fiasco, but we did the buffet at the Luxor, which was pretty good, even at 9:30-10:00 at night. Then we hit the slots. I wasn't in the mood to play much, being really tired. But after watching Lou play some video poker, I wandered off and found my machine - Take Your Pick. I played this the other day and won, but then lost it all. I had bet about $7 on the 007 slots, trying to win a car again. So all I had left were $20s and higher, but I decided to go for it. I did pretty well, never really got down that low, and got some pretty good multipliers for the bonus "Take Your Pick" option. Was up to almost 200 credits ($50), but then kept losing. I decided to stop when I hit 160 if I didn't get another "Take Your Pick," and I did. So I doubled what I put in, and that makes me up about $15 for the day, which is the first time I'd been up. I now have two cups of quarters in my dresser drawer.

Have iPod, Will Secretly Bootleg

Amazing. Never even thought of it, but it's brilliant. I don't have an iPod, but I do have a 20GB FireWire drive at work I use for system configurations. I'd never take it into a store to do this -- I'd get caught for sure, as it doesn't remotely look like an MP3 player -- and it would just be a bad idea anyway.

But damn...who came up with this idea?

Courtesy of Metafilter