Insignifica

Halloween Planning, Honeyfugler, Exercise, Video Card, Hello

Hello friends!

Picture of the day!

Yosemite. This could also be a "last known picture of the fugitives" shot.

I finally got around to installing a new video card in my desktop computer this weekend. I like all the display options, but unfortunately my window transitions are slower than before, and my ps/2 mouse was freeze up for seconds at a time, then stopped working all together. Something's amiss. Hopefully it's fixable, otherwise it's back to the old ones for me. First, though, we'll see how Ubuntu likes it.

Ran/walked 1.6 miles today. Feelin' pretty good.

Your funny word of the day is "honeyfugler".

It's the last day of September - October's really snuck up on me. But now that I'm done wtih the AAI convention, some web projects, and some other things at home, it's time to get on the Halloween planning in earnest. Gotta make this one awesome.

Lots Going On, Smarch, Generous Atheists, AAI Convention, Monday

Good day, and happy Monday!

Picture of the day!

A sign at Chumash Casino.

Had a fun weekend at the Atheist Alliance International Convention - saw lots of friends, made a ton of new connections, and advertised Orange County Atheists very, very well.

Speaking of the folks in OC Atheists, what a generous bunch of people. Thanks to everyone who's helped out with the convention!

Wacky stuff this morning - rain, thunderstorms around, cool breezes but warm air. I just watched, from work, a column of rain move from south to north, toward my house. Lousy Smarch weather.

Lots going on this week, stay tuned for updates. Have a fantastic day!

Enjoy, Easel, Silverman, Kings of Leon, Printing, Busy, Hello

Hello friends!

Picture of the day!

Another one of Katie at the farmer's market. Makes my camera phone look like a real camera.

I'm coming to you from home today, as I'm too busy at work to post anything. got to go up to westside LA for a meeting most of the day, and I've got a couple deadlines before that even happens. So for you, I'm typing instead of running in that heat. You're welcome.

I've become intimately involved with various printing services in the last few weeks, having had vinyl banners, foamcore signs and color copies for this weekend's convention. Lemme tell ya - they're making some good money in the printing industry.

Not sure why, but I'm really hating Kings of Leon. There's like an undercurrent of annoying in every song.

If you like Jews, and swearing, and Obama, you'll enjoy this video.

I still need that easel for a 18"x24" sign - your help is appreciated.

That's today's post. Enjoy!

Boring, Convention Displays, Funky Schedule, Wednesday

Hello and happy Wednesday!

Picture of the day!

A product chalkboard at the local Trader Joe's. The week or so that these were up featured a bunch of 70s and 80s television personalities. Quite strange. There are more in my Camera Phone set at Flickr.

Got an early start today, so The Girlfriend can go be a responsible homeowner and represent us at the HOA meeting (and I can watch the kid). The rest of this week has funky scheduling too (meeting in LA tomorrow, convention on Friday and Saturday). I really should sleep a little more.

I found some of the display items I needed at Office Depot yesterday - clipboards and a business card holder all made in the US of A. They also had a table-top easel made in Portugal, but I didn't buy it - if you've got one I can borrow (I need something that'll hold a 18" x 24" foam-core poster), it'd be much appreciated. Tabletop or stand alone are both fine (and I'll be in the LA area tomorrow, so if you live up there and have one, don't think I'd make you drive it down to me. Because I wouldn't. I'm cool, you know. Cool.)

Busy day, so that's all I've got. Comments have dropped off this week - most likely because I'm boring. What's happening?

Let's Do Lunch, 92708, China Products, Cheesecake, Running, Heroes, Tuesday

Good day, and happy Tuesday!

Picture of the day!

Katie and me on the merry-go-round at the Spectrum. This time, she didn't cry.

Heroes was awesome last night. I won't give any spoilers, but there was a lot of action, some interesting deaths, some more interesting returns from death, and lots of background explanation. A very, very cool episode.

Woke up late again today (I haven't looked forward to the Fall time change so much in a long time), but I did get a good lap around the complex before I had to get ready for work. Actually ran half of it, too. I'm feeling very good today.

I still have some cheesecake here, if you're interested.

I'm very excited about my atheist convention this weekend (this is my first), but annoyed that ALL the "display" products I need for my table (business card holders, plastic page displays, easels, clipboards, etc.) are all made in China. There have go to be SOME made locally. If you've got any I can borrow, that'd be much appreciated.

This is the dumbest, and at the same time coolest, thing I've heard today. As a long time resident of the 92708, I never once thought "some day, it'll be September 27, 2008, an it'll match our zip code!"

I've only had a few people take me up on my "Let's Do Lunch" offer. Seriously, if you're around here (Santa Ana), let's go get lunch. My treat. Inquire within.

What's Up, Heroes, Diet, Cheesecake, Tired, Autumn

Happy Monday, and happy Autumn, friends!

Picture of the day!

Considering the poor lighting, the distance from the tree and the fact this was taken with my phone, I like this picture. It's a group of several dozen parrots in a tree near work.

Tired - stayed up too late, as usual, this weekend, and Katie's decided that one bed simply isn't enough to sleep in, so she either moves several times during the night (to our bed, the downstairs couch, etc). Still, it's mostly my fault for staying up til 2am, but I'll blame the baby.

I made my first "real" cheesecake yesterday - hand-pressed graham cracker crust, all organic dairy ingredients, and 4530 calories (making each 1/12 cake slice about 378 calories - not horrible). Unfortunately, I don't have a spring form pan (all the ones we shopped for were made in China or Indonesia, so we didn't get them), so removal from my cake pan caused some damage. Still, it's light, fluffy, and going to fatten up my coworkers after I have another slice today.

Even with a weekend of cheesecake and tasty pasta, my weight loss efforts seem to be working - I had a 207.8 morning on Saturday - the lowest I can remember being in ages. Still got work to do, though.

Yay! "Heroes" finally comes back to TV today. Because of last year's strike, it's been almost 10 months since a new episode ("Powerless", the season two finale, aired December 3, 2007).

What's up?

Vegas Donut Run, Guardian Angels, 208.8, Late Morning, TLAPD

Avast, maties, it's Talk Like A Pirate Day, and Friday! Shiver me timbers!

Picture of the day!

My pirate family.

The child and I didn't wake up until 8:40 this morning - a good 20 minutes after Katie's supposed to be a daycare, and I'm hopefully home. A little rushing and a breakfast to go, and I'm set, though.

Now, even though I woke up too late to work out and had a hell of a breakfast, I will share that I weighed in at 208.8 this morning - easily my lowest recorded weight in years. This could really work!

KCAL9 here in the LA area yesterday had a story about "guardian angels", including polls, interviews with disaster survivors, and rotating shots of a blue sky and clouds to evoke the idea of heaven - apparently a follow to the Metrolink crash and some survivors saying their angels saved them and kept them safe. I can take celebrity news, and features, and silly pieces, but that really offended me, both specifically as a journalist and generally as a person. Not to mention the selfishness and callousness of people saying "I survived, but I guess those other 25 people have shitty angels!" What the fuck is wrong with you guys?

So - what are you doing some upcoming Saturday? Oh, you have no plans? Come to Vegas with us - we're getting donuts. Ronald's Donuts in Las Vegas apparently has a very large, very delicious vegan selection. The plan is to head out there around 7 or 8am, drive through, get our donuts and share road stories. Then we'll do vegasy things for a couple hours, and head home. It'll be a caravan, so you can carpool or bring your own. Who's in?

New, Dying Roomba, Incentives, Wacky Rain, Tabling, Cameraphone, Thursday

Hello and happy Thursday!

Picture of the day!

My odometer, yesterday.

I took that picture with my camera phone, and I'm realizing that given good light conditions (or, for some reason, car display lights at night), it can take a pretty decent picture. I finally got around to uploading a bunch of camera phone images I've taken in the last few months. I'll highlight some in the next few days.

I'm tabling my first convention next weekend, and I'm fearful that my table/area is going to be bare and empty. Somehow, though, a bowl of candy will make everything better. I should probably also consider content, however...

It rained this morning for a good 20 minutes. Wacky subtropical moisture!

I got my 1.4 miles in this morning, finally (Katie's been sleeping in, hampering my efforts to get her up and out by 8am). I've also been keeping close track of what I've been eating - it seems competition and wagering really are a good incentive for me.

Roomba's dying - his battery no longer fully charges (I get maybe 30 minutes out of him at a time), he's super gunked up (to the point of having to take him apart -- all the way -- to get him clean) and his speaker died several months ago. I'm hoping surgery will fix him - I'd really prefer not to have to buy another.

That's Thursday. What's new?

What's Happening, Palin Email, FBI Tapping, No Respect, LAV, End of the 20's, Marek's Birthday

Hello friends! Happy Birthday to Marek today!

Picture of the day!

Marek, Halloween 2006.

With Marek hitting 30 today, Gary's the last of my core group of high school friends still in his 20s. That's kinda weird to think about.

From the Liberal Atheist Vegetarian blog today: Yorba Linda and Fountain Valley Via Con Dios.

Feeling pretty good today. Katie's learned that she can get out of her bed in the middle of the night, so she's been wandering over to mine around 3:30am, sleeping in the middle, and pushing me off to the side. No respect, I tell ya.

Shia Labeouf was on Leno last night stumping for his new film when he told a story about the FBI "recording one in five" phone calls, and the film's technical expert being able to play one back for him. He seemed entirely serious and in awe. Are we bring pranked? Was he? I don't doubt that this is technically possible, but it still raises my bullshit flag. Thoughts?

In another piece of awesomeness, Anonymous has apparently hacked Sarah Palin's personal Yahoo email account (which she used for government business - a big no-no) - full story here. The related Fark thread is here. While I'm not a huge 4Chan fan, I do like what Anonymous is doing, and the concept in general.

What's happening with you, friends?

What's Up, Nintoaster, Empty Inbox, Bored With Lunch, Derailed Routine, City Council, Toosday

Toosday!

Picture of the day!

Katie at Cinco de Mayo 2007. I chose this picture before I realized that today is Mexican Independence Day. Viva!

I get to go to a city council meeting tonight to report on "In God We Trust" stuff. I was told to "bring a snack", as they're long meetings. Great.

Having a chest cold for two weeks has derailed my morning exercise routine, so I'm gonna really need to step it up once I'm back in the swing of things. I have until mid-November to lose another 16 pounds - tough, but doable in a healthy manner.

On a similar subject, I'm kinda bored with my meals lately. They're not bad - they all taste good. I'm just tired of the same things. That said, I don't know what I'd change to make them better. Hopefully the change of seasons will inspire some new options.

I use my email inbox as a to-do list: since I prefer the inbox empty, and I don't typically archive stuff until I do the relevant action in the email, it's an incentive to get it cleared out. Right now, it's empty - I didn't exactly do everything, but I did take action on everything, so that's something. Now, time to fill it back up. Say hello!

Nintoaster. Awesome.

Got lots to do, gonna get on it. What's up?

Lots To Do, Palin, Banking Industry, Baby Stuff, Weekend, Monday

Happy Monday!

Picture of the day!

Katie leading the way in Point Lobos, oddly enough taken on Halloween day last year.

Good weekend - Saw family on Saturday, then went out with Marek and Jenn for Marek's birthday yesterday. His birthday's actually Wednesday, but that's a crappy time to try to get together. Also made homemade pizza and oatmeal raisin cookies yesterday - good stuff. It's possible the baking season has officially begun.

Buy our baby stuff! Check it out here.

Man, the state of the banking industry makes journalism look downright safe right now.

Most of the time when I have a political disagreement, it's very friendly - we talk politics, we exchange a few barbs and a few laughs, and that's that. But I'm starting to notice that when the topic is Sarah Palin, her "supporters" get very snappy and mean, like they're trying way too hard to defend her on the ticket, and have to result to personal attacks. I'm also very tired of the "executive experience" argument. It's nice to have, of course, but it's really not as important as national experience - dealing with congress, serving on national committees, interacting with the other branches. The fact that Republicans are actually highlighting her city council experience is laughable.

Lots to do today - gotta get it going. What's up?

No Plans, Halloween Construction, Yorba Linda IGWT, Hay, Relapse, Friday

Friday! It's Friday, right?

Picture of the day!

The main village at the Grand Canyon's south rim, from one of the hiking trails. Click through for a lot of neat detail.

Minor cold relapse this morning, I have minor stuffiness and the weird psuedo-lightheadedness again. Hopefully fantastic drugs will solve my problems.

Mariah brought a bale of hay with her to take pictures of my daughter yesterday, and it's still at my house. So, if you're interested in some hay, let me know...

From the LAV: Yorba Linda to discuss ‘In God We Trust’ Tuesday. Might have to make a visit to the city...

Halloween is quickly approaching, and I have some construction to start. I estimate that a good 80% of my necessary decorating budget will be spent at Home Depot...

No plans this weekend. What's going on?

What's Up, 9/11 Joke, Weather, Two Bits, McConaughey, Better, 2,200

Happy Thursday! This is my 2,200nd post on Insignifica.

Picture of the day!

Rocks. Yosemite.

Back at work. Feeling better, actually - still sniffly and a little congested, but otherwise have more energy and feel less weak. Let's hope this trend continues.

Is anyone else as totally creeped out by Matthew McConaughey as I am? I dunno what it is, but dude is just weird and scary.

Two bits - I shaved and got a haircut today.

It's foggy and cool here - but the fog will burn off into a sunny-but-not-hot afternoon. It's like early June weather, in September. I like it.

Now, a joke for you:

Knock, Knock?

Who's there?

9/11.

9/11 who?

You said you'd never forget!

That's all. What's up?

What's up? OC Atheists, Fall, Sick, Wednesday

Oh hello! Happy Wednesday!

Picture of the day!

Katie is going critical.

Late post today because I'm home sick. Summer chest cold - seriously? If my twitter list is any indication, though, it's going around.

I noticed for the first time last night, leaving work, that the sun had already set and it was nice and cool. Hello fall! Welcome back.

OC Atheists meets tonight! More info available here.

That's all I'm typing today. So there. What's up?

That's Today, Karen's Baby, Weird Angels Game, Sick, Phone Interneting, Tuesday

Happy Tuesday!

Picture of the day!

Katie and Nathan playing together, from Emily's birthday this weekend.

A weird aside about that party - there were more people texting then at any gathering I've ever been with this group, and many others were using their phones to check sports scores, read email, etc. Phones are finally catching up and becoming internet portals, of a sort. I'm looking forward to the next few years and easier access (it's all still kinda clunky).

I think I have a cold, but I'm well enough to work. Mostly I'm kinda gunky and tired - not too much in terms of sneezing or anything. It feels like allergies, but it's lasting longer than those ever do. Maybe it's the back to school crowd and my daughter's daycare...or maybe I just get colds a lot.

Weird Angels game yesterday - The Halos won, 12-1 against the Yankees, but the game featured a 6th inning with 6 Angel runs, a brawl, 3 Yankee pitchers, and the Yankee pitching coach passing out. The single half-inning took more than 30 minutes. Wacky.

My friend Karen (who few of you know) had her baby today (at 12:01 AM - awesome), making 3 births in my circle of friends in a week. That's pretty sweet.

That's today for ya. What's happening?

Vegas Donut Run, Cold Symptoms, LAV, Superfun Weekend, Monday

Happy Monday!

Picture of the day!

Ken and Chris at game night.

Superfun weekend - went out to dinner on Saturday, then poker for Emily's birthday yesterday (I lost when my 10s ran into pocket jacks), and lots of the old regulars showed up. I also got stuck with a bunch of extra Cinnabon mini rolls. Darn.

Lots of readers (and comments) in the last couple weeks at the Liberal Atheist Vegetarian blog, even on older posts. I wonder if Google loves me more lately.

I still have some cold symptoms, but I think that could have as much to do with going to a house of cats yesterday and not getting enough sleep in general on my weekends than with any illness. Hopefully a week of regular schedules will improve my health.

I want to take a Saturday sometime soon to do a road trip to Vegas to get vegan donuts. Who's in?

What's New, OCA Aside, Real Organization, LAV, Lasagna, Community Organizers, Birthday

Good day, and happy birthday Emily!

Picture of the day!

Up-the-nose shot, taken 3 years ago today at our Labor Day party.

The more I think about it, the more pissed off I am at the dismissive, insulting tone the Republicans used at their convention toward "Community Organizers" like Barack Obama. They mocked the name and his service to Chicago, and in doing that, showed a nasty disconnect between elitist Republicans and the rest of us. In case you don't think it's a big deal, just about all major civil rights have come about due to the work of "Community Organizers" (like Martin Luther King Jr., Susan B. Anthony, Gandhi, etc.), so to dismiss them outright is to show that you really, really have no idea what the people want and need.

I made lasagna last night for today - did all the prep except baking it. Tonight, that means no cooking work (other than popping the bad boy in the oven), and very little cleanup. That makes me extremely happy.

Since getting on the Liberal Atheist Vegetarian beat at the paper, I've been getting all sorts of mail from publicists, marketing folks and public relations officials trying to sell me on something to write about. Most of kinda off topic, but since "vegetarian" is "food" and "atheist" is "religion" (in the grand hierarchy of things), I've been getting all sorts of requests to try out new steak restaurants and interview Christian bands. I'm entertained.

Got 1,000 new "Freedom From Religion" stickers to hand out at the AAI Convention later this month. We'll likely also have t-shirts, and I'm having a large reusable banner printed next week. It's almost like Orange County Atheists a real organization!

A funny OCA aside: I checked yesterday to see if I could buy "orangecountyatheists.com" (as our group's main site is ocatheists.com, but to my dismay, it'd already been purchased. I checked the WHOIS info to find that I had bought it, over a year ago, but never bothered to point it anywhere. Whoops. Now it points to our regular site.

That's what's happening with me. What's new with you?

Spammy, Two LAV Posts, Burning Man Pics, I Have A Kid, Babies, Thursday

Happy Thursday!

Picture of the day!

Plants in my backyard.

As I mentioned might happen yesterday, we had two babies born in my wide circle - Roxanne and Ben welcomed Samuel Aaron in the morning, and Jen and Eric welcomed Andrew James about 12 hours later. All babies, mothers and fathers appear to be doing well. Congrats all!

On that subject, I realized again yesterday that I no longer have a baby, but a little kid that runs around, plays complex games, can figure out puzzles, and can communicate. That's pretty cool.

While I'm not the Burning Man type, Tori's got some amazing pictures and stories from Black Rock Desert last week. If it wasn't for the camping, heat, dust storms and long travel time, I might consider it.

Two posts on the Liberal Atheist Vegetarian blog yesterday - Baaaaaaad news in Huntington and Watching Sarah Palin, so you don’t have to.

It's been a spammy few days on my blogs. If you notice some that I miss, let me know and I'll delete it. What's up with you?

That's All, Better, $17,000, Tired, Inducement, Birthday

Hello everyone! Happy Birthday Jamie!

Picture of the day!

Jamie, snapping a picture.

There could be a couple more birthdays today, as it seems to be inducement time in babyland.

I'm tired. Ever have a morning where you've gotten enough sleep, but feel like you're still just out of bed for the first few hours? Yeah, that's what I've got today. I'm hoping to slap myself awake with some sort of mild stimulant, perhaps one suspended in a solution of carbonated water and flavoring. If not that, then from the extract of a widely cultivated bean.

I used the majority of my $17,000 check to pay off debt. This is both awesome and sad at the same time. But now all the rest of my debt is of the low interest variety, so that's nice.

I think I'm better from my cold, at least mostly. What a pain in the ass it's been, though. Alas, it's hard to dodge colds at work and with a baby in daycare.

That's all we've got today. What's up?

What's Happening, LAV, Ubuntu, Myspace, Recovering, September

Good day, and Happy September and Happy Birthday Cynthia!

Picture of the day!

Baby and Castro Daddy. Don't bother clicking, the larger sizes are fuzzy, like my face.

While I was mostly recovered Friday, I relapsed a bit with my cold this weekend, especially yesterday. I'm pretty good today, but still suffering from a lack of good sleep. That's mostly my fault, but still. 30 shouldn't be "old"! I want my weekends.

I think I'm gonna quit myspace. First the Amber Alerts, then today a note that said "The Department of Homeland Security has asked MySpace to help distribute information about Hurricane Gustav. Try these links:", and linked to several government web sites. That creeps me out.

Anyone else out there using Ubuntu? I'm a newbie and have questions.

I'm behind on LAV posting, but I got one up this morning - News You May Have Missed.

What's happening with you, friends?