Insignifica

1484 - baby and news!

Happy Tuesday!

Lots of news out there - Alito sworn in as Justice, Coretta Scott King dies, Oscar nominations, a new Federal Reserve chief, and the State of the Union address tonight.

The most important news of all, however, is that it looks like we're having a baby girl! Keep in mind they're never sure until it's actually born, but the ultrasound tech seemed to think it was likely. Pictures to come!

In other news, the baby looks healthy and everything seems to be on schedule. It's funny how the whole "we only want the baby to be healthy" sounds like a cop-out when you're not a parent, but it's the absolute truth.

Today's picture of the day features Ken:

What's new with you?

atheist award and jesus

I'm particularly fond of this image from my webcam:

That's my Award from American Atheists, next to my Jesus action figure.

anniversary, maggiano's, socks, flickr

It's Monday!

On Friday, I was thinking to myself "Wow! I don't have to be back at work for 63 hours after I get off work today". But as usually the case, those 63 hours pass very, very quickly.

As Chris noted, I've got 1,234 pictures in my Flickr account. That'll go up as I take more, of course, but in an effort to make insignifica more visually appealing, and because these pictures are awesome, I'm gonna try to remember to have a picture of the day. Here's today - Marek at my 2005 birthday party. Enjoy!

I'm wearing old socks today, and the right one has lost all its elastic, and it's all loose. I might have to change when I get home. At least I'm throwing away the ones with holes nowadays. I feel like a hobo.

Oh, yeah! Today's my eight year anniversary! My lil' bastard's mamma and I got together this date in 1998. That's more than a quarter of my life. Wow!

Maggiano's was delicious, as usual. It helped usher in a fantastic "no worrying about calories" weekend. Not that I have hard and fast rules about a diet, but I do tend to avoid foods and meals that aren't good for me. I gotta get in shape for Vegas!

Speaking of such things, I can't believe it's almost February. This year's already going fast, and it's just going to get faster.

1481 - birthdays!

Happy Birthday to Joe and Marie!

1480 - cockeyed.com, maggiano's, projects

It's Friday!

After so much posting excitement and comments yesterday, I may be at a loss for content today. I will note that I've got a link to my Flickr sets in the menu on the left in the "Links" section. I added some older Halloween and birthday sets. Enjoy!

RSS readers might notice the titles (they show up on archive pages, too with the perm links), and that I've started numbering them. That's the current entry number, and I'm approaching 1500. At my current rate, I'll hit it just before leaving for Vegas, in mid-February.

Delicious Maggiano's tomorrow...yum. It's been a year or so since we've been there. Always a good time.

I talk about it on occasion, but I love Rob Cockerham's site at www.cockeyed.com. It's full of geeky science and observational goodness. He does the web projects I always want to do, but never get around to. Maybe Saturday (before ultra geeky D&D), I should put something together.

He's also my main inspiration for having larger than life Halloween costumes - check out some of his here.

Only nine months until Halloween...

1479 - Flickr, desks, email, birthday, better

Here we are, Thursday already. Seems to be a pretty quick week.

Starting last night, I started wandering around the house, picking things up, straightening things out, and getting things done. I could tell my illness was over. Except for a little raw throat in the mornings (which goes away after breakfast), I'm better - I'd put it at 93%. I'm hoping for 96% tomorrow.

Happy birthday to Misty! She's the first of my friends in my age bracket/class year every year with a birthday, and hers means it's 80 days to mine. Time to start planning Birthday Mikestravaganza XXVIII.

Today's project for you: Send an email to someone you haven't talked to in at least several months. Just say hello. Why? Well, wouldn't you like an email like that?

In case you missed it in the comments, check out Chris' Office (linked to my post titled "what's on your desk". He says it's messy...I've seen worse. Much worse.

Update! Tori's done the same thing on her site. Check it out!

Oh, and Flickr! I finally got around to signing up for a pro account, meaning unlimited storage. This gives me a fantastic way to link/host/share pictures, and a great excuse for taking more (which is always on my list of Things To Do). Just last night I uploaded 600+ pictures (they make it easy), and used only 2% of my monthly upload limit. This'll be a great place to host all the pictures we take at parties, plus inspire me to take more to share. Check out my sets at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikebdoss/sets/.

Rock on!

weird photo

An AP photo, found at Yahoo today:

Supporters of the ruling Fatah movement wave party flags after polling stations closed for the Palestinian elections in Gaza city Wednesday Jan. 25, 2006. The ruling Fatah Party took 46.4 percent of the vote in Palestinian parliamentary elections on Wednesday, with the Islamic militant Hamas winning 39.5 percent, according to an exit poll by Bir Zeit University. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

How do you get a photo like that? Was the car traveling backward in a long exposure?

What's on your desk?

Ages ago, I wrote a piece about the stuff on my desk, and now that I'm in a new space at work with a good amount of space for toys and nonsense, I'm considering bringing some in - until now the only real personal effects here have been a picture of myself and my baby's mamma, my box of kleenex, and my mints. I've just never bothered to bring in much more.

So, what's on your desk? Do you keep a stash of toys/pictures/stuff at work? Or is it just work stuff?

Pic of my baby's mamma

You asked for it!

Here's my baby's mamma, right about 20 weeks. She's kinda emphasizing a bit for the camera, and this is post-meal. A loose shirt and pre-meal, and she can still pass as not pregnant =)

Vegas, sick, what's missing?

My Vegas trip, which was very exciting as I was recruiting new travelers and booking hotels, has become a waiting game - I've still got over a month to go before Vegas excitement. To pass the time, I've been brushing up on less well known table games, like Caribbean Stud Poker and 3-Card Poker. While I don't think I'll actually win playing them, it's fun to see how they work. I also highly recommend the Mensa Guide to Gambling - it's a math geek's look at the games, how to play them, along with some good history and insight.

Day 9 - feeling better! I'd put myself around 85%. I'm not up to going to the gym or walking up 3 flights of stairs to my office yet, and my head is a bit stuffy, but I have energy and don't feel too bad. Joe tells me "two weeks", Adam's heading into week three, and Chris Stankevitz is on day 16. My cough hasn't been as bad as theirs from what I've heard, however, so I may recover more quickly.

What do my regular readers miss? Have I stopped doing something you used to enjoy? Feedback always welcome!

Monday, meeting, award, wind

My, it's a bit windy out there!

Any time October through February, we get Santa Ana Winds here in Santa Ana (and beyond), but today's are the strongest I've seen in a while 50mph gusts downtown, almost 70mph in the canyons (as a comparison, a storm needs only to have sustained winds of 74mph to be considered a hurricane). At least it makes the sky nice and clear.

I was still sick this weekend, and today's day 8 of the cold. Head is stuffy and sinuses aren't happy, but overall I feel better today. A couple days to clear the crud, and I'll be back around 95%.

In delicious food news, Mmm... Maggiano's on Saturday. All you can eat cheese...

I got my actual "Pioneer Atheist" award on Saturday from American Atheists. It's pretty hardcore - it's a clear blue piece of plexiglass with my name and the award name and the atheists symbol etched into it. Pretty awesome meeting, too...20 people, including the Washington lobbyist, Lori Lipman Brown. I think the whole group feels very motivated. Check out the website for more info on Orange County Atheists.

How's the end of your January shaping up?

(no real topic to speak of)

I hate not having a topic!

Well, it is Friday. That's good. And it was a three-day week...good except for the two days off were due to illness. It's payday, that's fantastic. Tomorrow is our monthly Orange County Atheists meeting, and that'll be great, as long as the restaurant doesn't refuse to serve our party of 20...

The cold is about the same today - not bad enough for me to stay home, but I still don't feel particularly good. I've heard it's a slow recovery, and I'm on my way. Still, damn the man.

Go give Joz teh silly. Yes, "teh".

What's exciting for you this weekend?

recovering, city meeting

Another day at work (though I'm at lunch at the moment). Still sick, but recovering. Today's symptom isn't the congestion I predicted, rather lightheadedness! It's always fun to think you're going to faint if you get up too quickly. Alas, I sit at a desk all day, so I'll likely survive.

I had a very productive meeting with a city official in Santa Ana regarding the city's city council invocations. I'll meet with them again next week or the week after, and we'll start getting down to work. It really feels good to be involved. I've always thought if everyone just did their own little thing, everything that needs to get done will.

How does Thursday find you?

back to work, atheists, vegas, colors

Day three - back at work! Feeling better, though no where near 100%. I'm easily winded and still a little achy, but the sore throat is gone. Last night's symptoms featured sinus pressure, but it's mostly gone today. I'm still awaiting stuffed-up nose, maybe that'll come tonight. It's good to be back at work - it sucks being home when you're not really up to doing any of the things you need to do there.

This month's Orange County Atheists meeting will be held on Saturday, January 21 at 7:00 PM at the Carrows Restaurant at 915 S. Harbor Blvd in Anaheim. If you consider yourself an atheist, an agnostic, a freethinker, a humanist, or are just curious, check out this month's event. We always welcome new members, will give you a name tag, and want to hear what you have to say! More info is available at the Orange County Atheists website.

We've got 7 confirmed for Vegas, and 4-6 more likely. This is going to be a great trip! More info here.

QOTD: What's your favorite non-standard color?

day two, taxes, checks

Day two of the illness. the symptoms, for me, are starting around 10-11pm every evening - last night began the sore throat, which kept me up a lot of the night. It was really bad this morning, but it's now manageable with some good tea this morning. My chest still hurts, and I'm a bit achy. My nose is so far clear, but I fully expect that to be a symptom when my body decides to get rid of the cold.

Otherwise, I'm feeling entirely useless here - I need to learn to relax and enjoy my time off, even if I'm recovering too. I did find my box of checks, and I'm down to my last book. of course, I ordered them in 1996, so I think I got some life out of them. I don't write many, but it'd be nice to have a set that has an address I've lived at in the last 5 years.

Am I the only person who really looks forward to tax time every year? Is that mainly because I always get a refund?

What's new in your neck of the woods, gentle reader?

bah! The illness!

Damn the man! I finally caught some sort of cold. I'm staying home today to try to get better. It's something in my chest today, and while I'm not totally run down, I can tell I will be if I'm not careful. Hopefully it's short-lived.

Heh, whoops.

You know, I keep track of things like 1,000th entries and 2,500th comments, but I totally forget that January 10th was my 5 year anniversary with this blog (though it was hosted at blogger and michris.com before insignifica.org). So happy late anniversary to me!

accident, desks, friday

Happy Friday the 13th! And it's almost a full moon out there. Good times tonight!

I've finally switched desks, and have some more room to move around. It's weird looking at my old space, and not seeing my stuff, though. I'd been sitting there for three years.

Thank goodness for plastic bumpers: Coming down the offramp the Newport Blvd. yesterday at lunch, I noticed the guy in my lane was stopped but wanted to switch lanes. I gave him plenty of room, but that didn't stop him from going into reverse and plowing into me, backwards. We got out, took a couple pictures, he apologized, and we pulled off to a nearby parking lot. He offered to pay for everything, was very sorry about the whole thing, and freely offered up his drivers license, insurance, and home phone. The extent of the damage to my car?

Bent license plate.

This is the second time I've been backed into while stopped, and both times my car's bumpers have shown no damage. Hard to go wrong there.

In other news, I just found out a friend of mine from high school passed the bar last month. Congrats, Misty!

After almost two weeks of clear skies, we're finally getting a bit of rain this weekend. Shouldn't be much, just enough to make people forget how to drive.

Any big plans? What's exciting this weekend for you?

Jesus Dress Up

Current number one Google hit for "Jesus": Campus Crusade for Christ International.

Current number two Google hit for "Jesus": Jesus Dress Up.

If you'd like to help move it up in google rankings, add the following code to your website:

<A HREF="http://www.jesusdressup.com/" target="_blank">Jesus</A> Dress Up

Thanks for your support.

Thursday, tummy, posting

Happy Thursday! The week is drawing to a close, and it's very nearly Friday. Good times!

The girlfriend has said "oh, probably not" as far as putting tummy pictures on the site. She might let you see them if she knows you, though.

If you haven't noticed, I've been really trying to post every day - I think it makes the site better, it absolutely improves my ranking results on Google, my regular readers appreciate it, and it creates more regular readers. I tend to keep things a little less personal than I used to (ever since I returned from lunch one day to find all my coworkers reading the site), but lots still gets out here. What do you like reading? What do you wish I did more of? Or less of?

invocations, birthdays, vegas, QOTD.

Happy Wednesday!

Quick week passing by here - that's always nice. I was supposed to have a meeting with Santa Ana city officials today, but it got cancelled. Orange County Atheists is beginning a program to increase exposure of (with the goal of eventually eliminating) invocations at city council meetings. My meeting with Santa Ana is the first step, and it'll probably be rescheduled for next week.

Happy birthday to my brother David today!

Vegas: I've included the Vegas trip in the "Upcoming Events" box to the left. Feel free to comment there with an RSVP about coming with us, questions, etc. I'll likely be leaving around 8am on Saturday the 25th, if anyone going is interested in a convoy (and meeting at Bun Boy for lunch around 11). I'm hoping more people can go - we've got a few, but I want more =)

Question of the day: What's your favorite food that is no longer available, or just doesn't exist anymore? Examples may include instances where the company that made it went out of business, or the restaurant closed, or it became illegal to eat.

why Pray still looking for comments

As a reminder, my entry entitled "Why Pray?" is still open for comments, even though it's scrolled off the main page. Join the discussion!

Tax laws

Wow. Just...wow. Borrowed from James, check out http://www.irs.gov/publications/p17/ch12.html:

Bribes. If you receive a bribe, include it in your income.

Illegal income. Illegal income, such as money from dealing illegal drugs, must be included in your income on Form 1040, line 21, or on Schedule C or Schedule C-EZ (Form 1040) if from your self-employment activity.

Stolen property. If you steal property, you must report its fair market value in your income in the year you steal it unless in the same year, you return it to its rightful owner.

Found property. If you find and keep property that does not belong to you that has been lost or abandoned (treasure-trove), it is taxable to you at its fair market value in the first year it is your undisputed possession.

lucky joz, tummy

Wow, it's early Tuesday, and already I've talked to a bunch of friends. some days are just good like that.

Congrats to Joz, who was lucky comment poster 2,500! She suggested I get her something from her Amazon gift list as a prize (specifically something that started with "S" and ended with "egway"), but we'll see what happens. The last 500 comments have come more quickly than the 500 before them. Note that this count is with all spam removed, otherwise we would have celebrated comment number 10,000 sometime last year.

There's been a request for tummy pictures of the girlfriend. They certainly exist (though I haven't been as regular with the camera as I should be), but we'll see what she'll allow me to post. Until then, here's a picture of Mr. Belvedere, Christopher Hewett.

What wonders does Tuesday hold for you?

happy

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

Never seems that hard, does it?

Monday spent working, birthday wishes

This is the first Monday I've been at work since the 19th of December. Hopefully this week doesn't seem too long. I've got lots going on - a couple meetings, a party, a doctor's appointment - so that should help pass the five-day work week.

Happy birthday to Bethie today!

If you're joining us in Vegas in February, you should know I'm staying at the Las Vegas Hilton - you can stay anywhere you want, of course, but if you'd like to be local, that's where I'll be headquartered.

Orange County Atheists is having a large meeting this month, on Saturday, January 21st at 7pm in Fullerton. Check out the site for more details.

We're almost to comment number 2,500 - the poster gets a prize! Who will it be? You?

Oh yeah

Dancin' 'round the room, 'cause my Vegas trip is booked...

Vegas excitement!

Oh, been talking about Vegas, and I'm getting excited. Booking rooms tonight - for those going, I've settled on the dates I'd mentioned earlier:

February 25 - 28

Not sure where I'll be staying the 25th, but I'll be at the Hilton on the 26th and 27th, and driving home on the 28th. We've got 6 people who are fairly sure they can make it, interest for a dozen or so more, and I've put the invitation to a large number beyond that.

So, you wanna go to Vegas?

The plan again, for those who've missed it, is for a large group to all go to Vegas, doing their own thing, and we'll meet up for dinner, gambling, sight-seeing, drinks, or just to hang out. There's enough to do in Vegas so that you don't have to hang out with me the whole time, and there's something different for everyone, even if you don't gamble/like clubs/like nudie bars.

Well, not so much with the nudie bars. But you get the idea.

Vegas, baby.

Vegas.

on fanboyism

It's 11:50PM, and it's finally cooled down outside. As is typical in Southern California in the winter, it was 80 degrees today, and warm most of the evening. Not hot at all, but it could have been uncomfortable if it'd wanted to be.

It's weird listening to traffic in the winter, mostly because my windows are typically closed, so the 55 freeway, 1000 or so feet east of here, provides a nice background hum for computing, geeking, reading, whatever it is I'm doing.

Tonight, it was reading. The internets were boring, the chat channels quiet, and half a memory of a New Year goal to "spend less time doing nothing on the computer - do something, or something else entirely" played around in my head. I picked up Wil Wheaton's "Dancing Barefoot" - I had read the stories on his site in one form, but these were expanded, edited, flushed out, etc. I highly recommend it.

He talks repeatedly about being a geek, of course, and his fanboyism, which is amazingly reassuring to me. I like to think I'm not a fanboy, that I'm above it, and that I'm My Own Person and Don't Need Outside Influences of Celebrity.

Of course, this isn't true.

Two people enjoy most of my fanboyism, the aforementioned Wil Wheaton, and Neil Gaiman. Both are amazing writers, and both write in a way that gets into my head. I try not to be scary toward them - I don't need to be That Guy, but I get a special little feeling inside when I get to interact with either. These interactions have shown me that they're both totally normal human beings (which I know, but is awesome to be reminded of) and great at dealing with the fans.

I've had a similar amount of interaction with the two of them - I've met Neil three times at book signings, and have several pictures of myself with him (some better than others). Wil I've only ever met once, after a stage show he was cohosting, but I've played poker with him online (0wned him so bad, he gave me the book I was reading tonight), and emailed a few times. He probably was told once or twice that he introduced me to Joz by accident, and my friendship with her is entirely his doing.

This was going to go somewhere, and be a short piece of following your dreams, but it's kinda petered out. That's fine, it's still writing, which is another New Year Goal. But I don't get time enough to thank the people who are totally human but have helped shape a little corner of my life. Thanks guys.

P.S. Wil, I'm so totally interested in a rematch. Don't think I'm a scary fanboy.

Vegas, weather, Thursday, Holidays

I love, and will miss, the holiday season.

To be fair, I don't just love the holiday season because of the joy and giving and goodwill...that's all nice, but I love the days off. And because Christmas and New Years were on Sundays, I got two three-day weekends in a row, and the days before and after each holiday to do my own thing. That was fantastic.

Now, some time to wait. Next holiday: Memorial Day. 5 1/2 months from now. I'll be a few weeks away from being a father at that point. I guess that's what vacation days are for.

February 25-28 is looking more likely for Vegas. All the hotels have better rates those days (even for the weekend), and no one seems to be sold out. If it's a traditionally non-busy time, there might also be some packages available for even better rates. Now, a question: If I can get a block of rooms at the Hilton (my preferred hotel, and the only one where my history gives me some sway in getting good room rates), would people be interested? Or would everyone rather do their own thing at their own hotels? I'd have to know sooner than later.

As is the pattern in Southern California, it's windy and almost 80F today, after a weekend of rain (as you saw when you watched the Rose Parade). It's absolutely beautiful outside.

I hope your Thursday is going as well, or better than, mine.

Weather, Vegas, Pictures

Happy Wednesday, and happy birthday to my Mom! We're going out on Sunday for her birthday. Should be good times.

I've only owned digital cameras for most of the last 5 years, and I almost never print any - I'd rather look at them on my monitor. But we're looking to put some framed 8x10 and 5x7 prints up in our house - do any of my readers have suggestions for good places to take digital photos to get them printed to size? Costco jumps to my mind first. Any others?

Vegas plans are coming together - I'm very glad there's interest. The only part that sucks is that by picking a weekend, some people won't be able to make it. But if I wait for people to weigh in, we'll never get this off the ground. Feb. 25-28 is not set in stone, but is looking likely.

In Southern California weather news, it's gonna be clear and 75F tomorrow. Rockin'.

Stankevitz.com

Can you answer Chris Stankevitz's questions?

News of the day: Why pray?

News of the day: Bush Says Nation Praying for Miners

I understand having a concern for these men, and hoping they get out alive. I certainly hope this - the idea of dying in a mine explosion, or from asphyxiation, is certainly disturbing. I also realize off the cuff comments will include talk of "miracles" and prayer. But really, Christians - is this even biblical? If you believe in a God who's both all knowing and has a plan for you and the universe, don't you also believe that everything that happens is part of His plan? And if it is part of His plan (both the event and the outcome), why would you pray for what you want (which is likely the safe rescue of the miners) instead of what God wants?

I more fully explore this topic in my short essay "The presumption of prayer". I can understand (to some extent) the idea of prayer as communication with your divine creator, but not in terms of requests. Do you think you know better than God? Do you think God doesn't know what you need in your life? Do you hope somehow to change God's mind on the issue?

Why do you pray for things or outcomes?

Vegas update, goals, birthdays

Happy Tuesday! It's gonna feel like Monday all day, as it's my first day back at work, and my girlfriend is off. But that's fine - it'll make Friday seem like it's come a day early.

I've tentatively chosen February 25, 26, 27 and 28 to be in Vegas - I might wait until the 26th (Sunday) because of lower hotel rates, but we'll see what kind of deal I can get. These dates are not set in stone, but the following weekends are expensive (I'm assuming some big conference/convention), and I don't want to wait too late into March or April. Leave notes/thoughts/comments.

Tomorrow's my mom's birthday. Happy early birthday, Mom!

I'm not big on New Years resolutions, but I have no problems with setting some goals. In conjunction with saving for Vegas, I'm going to see about going out to eat much less the next two months, and instead work on trying new recipes and entertaining at home. It's something I like to do anyway, and if it puts a couple more bets on the table, even better.

Everybody back at work today? Keeping it real, so to speak?

none for me, thanks...

You know who's at work today?

Not me!

Welcome to the new year!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I hope 2006 is filled with joy, wonder and peace.