I just had a conversation on AIM that was totally the perfect example of irony. I've never talked to nor heard of this guy before. I thought I'd share.
(8:29:30 AM) tekservejimd: hi paul...you were speaking with the wrong jim
(8:42:38 AM) Paul Brill: And I believe you're speaking with the wrong Paul then
(8:43:02 AM) Paul Brill: Because I don't know who you are
(8:43:30 AM) tekservejimd: are you Paul from Locate IT?
(8:43:36 AM) Paul Brill: Negative
(8:43:48 AM) tekservejimd: Paul from Viadex?
(8:43:53 AM) Paul Brill: Negative
(8:44:07 AM) tekservejimd: Paul from where?
(8:44:18 AM) Paul Brill: You want to know who I work for?
(8:44:35 AM) tekservejimd: Paul from Tekerve UK?
(8:44:47 AM) Paul Brill: I live in Utah
(8:45:13 AM) Paul Brill: You know, in the USA
(8:45:35 AM) tekservejimd: did you IM jim amato?
(8:45:40 AM) Paul Brill: No sir
(8:45:51 AM) Paul Brill: That's why I'm telling you you're talking to the wrong Paul
(8:46:04 AM) Paul Brill: ... which is ironic since you said I was talking to the wrong Jim
(8:46:09 AM) tekservejimd: ok...sorry about that
(8:46:26 AM) Paul Brill: I love irony
(8:46:34 AM) Paul Brill: Thank you for the cool story
(8:46:44 AM) tekservejimd: np
That was awesome.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Saturday, August 29, 2009
P90X Complete! - Pictures
Some of you may know that for the last three months I have been doing P90X. Today was my last day, and I have my 0-30-60-90 day pictures right here for you.
A couple quick stats from the last 90 days...
Weight: 192 pounds to 176 pounds
Body fat: 24% to 16%
Farmer's tan: Yep, still there
I'm definitely not "done" getting into shape. I'd like to drop another 12-14 pounds of body fat and gain some more muscle, but that'll come in time. Anyway... more updates to come soon. Here are my pictures in the meantime.
A couple quick stats from the last 90 days...
Weight: 192 pounds to 176 pounds
Body fat: 24% to 16%
Farmer's tan: Yep, still there
I'm definitely not "done" getting into shape. I'd like to drop another 12-14 pounds of body fat and gain some more muscle, but that'll come in time. Anyway... more updates to come soon. Here are my pictures in the meantime.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Another Salt Lake City Bicycle Mishap
Lately there have been so many news reports about car-to-bicycle accidents in the Salt Lake area. And then on top of that, some of them include hit-and-runs--three or four that I can think of right now--but even one is too many. At least some people take responsibility for their actions and stop. Well, I don't live right in Salt Lake (I live and work in Sandy, a suburb), but let's chalk up yet another stupid driver.
Usually I ride a scooter to work. It's a big ride that can easily keep up with traffic. But right now my back tire is out of commission, and while I'm working on getting that taken care of, I've been bicycling to work. Generally the road I take to work (9400 S on the west side of I-15) is rather calm. It has a middle turn lane, so it does make it easy for people to pass cyclists if they need to. In fact, this morning there were four cars that passed me in a row, and they all went almost all the way into the middle lane as they passed. Talk about courtesy... so thank you if you're the type that will kindly share the road. The fifth car that passed me wasn't so nice. A woman by the name of Katherine Strode barely sideswiped me, causing my left handle and my left pinky finger to knock off the right rear-view mirror of her green Chrysler sedan. I wasn't hurt and didn't even get knocked over, but what made me mad is that I saw her tap her brakes after that but then decide to keep going.
After I was waving my arms for a bit while pedaling as quickly as I could so I wouldn't lose her, she finally came to her senses and decided to stop. She would have had to stop anyway because there was a line at the stop sign coming up. Anyway, I caught up to her and gave her a piece of my mind and told her how many people have been just like her this year with all the bicycle accidents... and that she needs to pay attention to what she's doing and give cyclists some room. I told her it could have been much worse and that she's lucky I wasn't thrown off of my bike. Her responses throughout my rant were all along the lines of, "I know," and "I'm so sorry!" Of course since I wasn't hurt, I really didn't care what she had to say; I just wanted her to hear my frustration towards her. Obviously she didn't actually know like she said she did or else she would have been paying attention and being a good driver.
I did mention that my finger did get hit as part of this little mishap. I could move it perfectly, but I told the girl that I wanted her information so if it starts bothering me, I'd get in contact with her. I doubt that will happen, but at least it'll scare her a bit for a few days. I also ended up getting her license plate number just for fun... never know, right? One interesting thing with this whole situation is that she lost her right mirror. I told her, "You no longer have a mirror on the right side, but that's your problem." One would think, "Well, that's what she gets for doing what she did," and that I "won" in this particular car/bike battle. But unfortunately with no mirror, this lady can't pay as much attention as she could before... and who knows if she's going to replace it? Great... now she'll have yet another blind spot.
Well... my bike wasn't even scratched, and I wasn't hurt (my finger knows something happened to it this morning, but it's not bad at all), so the only real purpose of this blog entry is to tell people to WATCH OUT. Pay attention to the road and people on the road. You have a responsibility while driving, and if you can't handle something big like a car, ride a bike instead (ironic, I know)! Give cyclists three feet when passing, and although I was wearing a bright shirt this morning, some don't do that, and it's still your responsibility to watch for anything on and off the road. We shouldn't HAVE to feel unsafe while getting a little bit of exercise just because you care more about your phone and your music than others' safety while you drive. Thank you.
Usually I ride a scooter to work. It's a big ride that can easily keep up with traffic. But right now my back tire is out of commission, and while I'm working on getting that taken care of, I've been bicycling to work. Generally the road I take to work (9400 S on the west side of I-15) is rather calm. It has a middle turn lane, so it does make it easy for people to pass cyclists if they need to. In fact, this morning there were four cars that passed me in a row, and they all went almost all the way into the middle lane as they passed. Talk about courtesy... so thank you if you're the type that will kindly share the road. The fifth car that passed me wasn't so nice. A woman by the name of Katherine Strode barely sideswiped me, causing my left handle and my left pinky finger to knock off the right rear-view mirror of her green Chrysler sedan. I wasn't hurt and didn't even get knocked over, but what made me mad is that I saw her tap her brakes after that but then decide to keep going.
After I was waving my arms for a bit while pedaling as quickly as I could so I wouldn't lose her, she finally came to her senses and decided to stop. She would have had to stop anyway because there was a line at the stop sign coming up. Anyway, I caught up to her and gave her a piece of my mind and told her how many people have been just like her this year with all the bicycle accidents... and that she needs to pay attention to what she's doing and give cyclists some room. I told her it could have been much worse and that she's lucky I wasn't thrown off of my bike. Her responses throughout my rant were all along the lines of, "I know," and "I'm so sorry!" Of course since I wasn't hurt, I really didn't care what she had to say; I just wanted her to hear my frustration towards her. Obviously she didn't actually know like she said she did or else she would have been paying attention and being a good driver.
I did mention that my finger did get hit as part of this little mishap. I could move it perfectly, but I told the girl that I wanted her information so if it starts bothering me, I'd get in contact with her. I doubt that will happen, but at least it'll scare her a bit for a few days. I also ended up getting her license plate number just for fun... never know, right? One interesting thing with this whole situation is that she lost her right mirror. I told her, "You no longer have a mirror on the right side, but that's your problem." One would think, "Well, that's what she gets for doing what she did," and that I "won" in this particular car/bike battle. But unfortunately with no mirror, this lady can't pay as much attention as she could before... and who knows if she's going to replace it? Great... now she'll have yet another blind spot.
Well... my bike wasn't even scratched, and I wasn't hurt (my finger knows something happened to it this morning, but it's not bad at all), so the only real purpose of this blog entry is to tell people to WATCH OUT. Pay attention to the road and people on the road. You have a responsibility while driving, and if you can't handle something big like a car, ride a bike instead (ironic, I know)! Give cyclists three feet when passing, and although I was wearing a bright shirt this morning, some don't do that, and it's still your responsibility to watch for anything on and off the road. We shouldn't HAVE to feel unsafe while getting a little bit of exercise just because you care more about your phone and your music than others' safety while you drive. Thank you.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Almost Fooled by KFC
For the last little while, I've been saying/thinking, "I'm not going to eat at KFC anymore. The food is just too greasy, and I always feel like a fat pig when I'm done eating there." It's quite true. The chicken is way too greasy, and no one should be taking in that much fat in one meal. But of course this is the USA, so people do it. I must admit that KFC's macaroni and cheese is the best there is anywhere though.
So, we've established two things... KFC has great macaroni along with chicken that will lower your lifespan way too much.
Well, lately, more and more places have been giving healthier alternatives to the greasy foods... like McDonald's with apples, yogurt, etc. KFC caught on to this and hopped on the bandwagon by introducing Kentucky Grilled Chicken. My guess is it's a bit less greasy than the fried stuff (call me crazy). Along with that, they set aside two days for people to go online and get coupons for a free meal including two pieces of grilled chicken, two sides (MACARONI!... x2!), and a biscuit. The coupon could then be used for the next two weeks or so. Of course I printed off a coupon... it wasn't the greasy stuff I knew, so I thought I would give it a shot. And really... how hard is it to print a coupon?
So, last night my friends and I went to KFC to get free meals. It was about 6:00 in the evening, and as we arrived, we saw a note on the door saying they had given away too much free chicken for the day. It's not that they were out; we could SEE grilled chicken available. They just didn't want to give away any more for free. They offered the option to get a raincheck by mailing in our coupons with another form you gotta fill out, and then they'll send you ANOTHER coupon back in the mail... this time including a free drink too. Oh boy, what a bargain! But yeah... meanwhile, we were debating for a bit on whether or not we should just get something from KFC anyway since we were already there.
But we didn't. We went to Cafe Rio instead. But you know, I realized on the way to Cafe Rio that this was probably KFC's plan all along. After all, how many people are really going to take the time to send their raincheck form in the mail? That takes work, and that's not the American way. And of course their goal was to get people to the store and decide, "Oh well, we're here... let's buy something anyway." Well I'm smarter than that, and I refuse to give in to their little scheme. I didn't buy anything there (not even macaroni), and I will be sending my raincheck form to them because they don't expect nearly as many people to actually do it. Yeah, that's right... I'm going to stick it to them.
You can't fool me, KFC. I can see through you. I will not fall into your little trap. You're nothing but a big joke to me. And yeah... your fried chicken is still horrible.
So, we've established two things... KFC has great macaroni along with chicken that will lower your lifespan way too much.
Well, lately, more and more places have been giving healthier alternatives to the greasy foods... like McDonald's with apples, yogurt, etc. KFC caught on to this and hopped on the bandwagon by introducing Kentucky Grilled Chicken. My guess is it's a bit less greasy than the fried stuff (call me crazy). Along with that, they set aside two days for people to go online and get coupons for a free meal including two pieces of grilled chicken, two sides (MACARONI!... x2!), and a biscuit. The coupon could then be used for the next two weeks or so. Of course I printed off a coupon... it wasn't the greasy stuff I knew, so I thought I would give it a shot. And really... how hard is it to print a coupon?
So, last night my friends and I went to KFC to get free meals. It was about 6:00 in the evening, and as we arrived, we saw a note on the door saying they had given away too much free chicken for the day. It's not that they were out; we could SEE grilled chicken available. They just didn't want to give away any more for free. They offered the option to get a raincheck by mailing in our coupons with another form you gotta fill out, and then they'll send you ANOTHER coupon back in the mail... this time including a free drink too. Oh boy, what a bargain! But yeah... meanwhile, we were debating for a bit on whether or not we should just get something from KFC anyway since we were already there.
But we didn't. We went to Cafe Rio instead. But you know, I realized on the way to Cafe Rio that this was probably KFC's plan all along. After all, how many people are really going to take the time to send their raincheck form in the mail? That takes work, and that's not the American way. And of course their goal was to get people to the store and decide, "Oh well, we're here... let's buy something anyway." Well I'm smarter than that, and I refuse to give in to their little scheme. I didn't buy anything there (not even macaroni), and I will be sending my raincheck form to them because they don't expect nearly as many people to actually do it. Yeah, that's right... I'm going to stick it to them.
You can't fool me, KFC. I can see through you. I will not fall into your little trap. You're nothing but a big joke to me. And yeah... your fried chicken is still horrible.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
The ASUS Eee keyboard sucks
Abot to or tree monts ago I bogt an ASUS Eee. I togt it as awwesome hen I got it, but it had a minor keyboard problem. Sometimes te keys wwwwoul register twice wwhen I knkeww I only hit thhem once. After a wwhhile, some of the kkeys wwol stop responing altogeter. It was ridiculous. So noww the kkeys eiter register multiple times hen I hit them, on't respon at all, or tey migt jst decie to orkk. It's orrible. Never buy an Eee. Tey juust aren't goodd... waaaaay too chap! I say you spen a little more an get a $600 Dell... even they're better than tis piece of crap. Ba purcase.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
It's official
I'm going to start my blog again. That's right. You can look forward to more random posts about... well... about nothing in particular. But random stuff is what makes life interesting. So, stay tuned for the updates!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Monday, June 9, 2008
I'm bored.
The title says it all.
Should I destroy my blog? There's nothing to write about, really.
I think yes.
Should I destroy my blog? There's nothing to write about, really.
I think yes.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Last Names
The other day I was having an unusual conversation, and I had a question about history... well, you'd think the question would have resolved itself within the conversation, but we were never able to come up with an answer. It's going to take some research to really figure it out. But what I'm wondering is... at what point did we start using last names? I've never read in the Bible or the Book of Mormon about anybody named "Noah Smith" or "Nephi Jones" or anything like that. Now don't try to tell me it was Jesus because I know that Christ was not actually his last name... Jesus was the Christ. I'm just wondering how we can trace it back to figure out when somebody decided they should tack on another name to their given name. I mean I'm aware that names like Johnson and Anderson came from sons of John and probably Andrew, but what about the other last names... like BRILL?! It would be pretty funny to go back and look at names to find Bob Smith, son of Fred Smith, son of Edward Smith, son of Robert Smith, son of... Frank. Hmm, just something to think about...
And wait, where the heck did middle names come from?! I guess at some point somebody couldn't decide which name they liked better, so they gave their kid both names.
And wait, where the heck did middle names come from?! I guess at some point somebody couldn't decide which name they liked better, so they gave their kid both names.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Extremely boring people
[This post has been edited since the original posting date.]
Have you ever heard somebody with such a boring monotone voice that it really makes you wonder how exciting their life actually is? I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but I recently had that experience...
Somebody (identity will remain left unsaid) was talking, and it just sounded so dull to me that first I started to think he probably spends his time in the evenings working on upside down jigsaw puzzles. Then I thought he probably likes to discuss the molecular structure of various lettuce types on a regular basis. You never know; maybe this person is an extreme motocross rider in his spare time, but I somehow seriously doubt his hobbies are anything even close to that.
I'm wondering though, what are some other extremely boring activities one could do with their time?... other than the upside down puzzles and the structure of lettuce discussions, of course. I want to hear your thoughts!
Side note: I've also recently heard another one of my pet peeves: somebody saying "JSP page"... ugh...
Have you ever heard somebody with such a boring monotone voice that it really makes you wonder how exciting their life actually is? I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but I recently had that experience...
Somebody (identity will remain left unsaid) was talking, and it just sounded so dull to me that first I started to think he probably spends his time in the evenings working on upside down jigsaw puzzles. Then I thought he probably likes to discuss the molecular structure of various lettuce types on a regular basis. You never know; maybe this person is an extreme motocross rider in his spare time, but I somehow seriously doubt his hobbies are anything even close to that.
I'm wondering though, what are some other extremely boring activities one could do with their time?... other than the upside down puzzles and the structure of lettuce discussions, of course. I want to hear your thoughts!
Side note: I've also recently heard another one of my pet peeves: somebody saying "JSP page"... ugh...
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Fulfilling My Sister's Request
Breakfast: 16 oz 1% milk with two scoops of chocolate peanut butter swirl Spiru-Tein
Snack: Strawberry yogurt ZonePerfect nutrition bar
Lunch*: Four slices of pineapple pizza from Little Caesars, one slice of pepperoni pizza from Little Caesars, basic salad with a small amount of ranch, two oatmeal raisin cookies, one chocolate chip cookie
Snack: Chocolate mint ZonePerfect nutrition bar
Dinner: 16 oz 1% milk with two scoops of chocolate peanut butter swirl Spiru-Tein
... plus 112 ounces of water throughout the day so far
*Thursday is Institute day, and we always get plenty of free food, so I tend to overdo it.
I hope you can all benefit from knowing my food intake for the day. I will be sure to keep you updated throughout the weekend.
Snack: Strawberry yogurt ZonePerfect nutrition bar
Lunch*: Four slices of pineapple pizza from Little Caesars, one slice of pepperoni pizza from Little Caesars, basic salad with a small amount of ranch, two oatmeal raisin cookies, one chocolate chip cookie
Snack: Chocolate mint ZonePerfect nutrition bar
Dinner: 16 oz 1% milk with two scoops of chocolate peanut butter swirl Spiru-Tein
... plus 112 ounces of water throughout the day so far
*Thursday is Institute day, and we always get plenty of free food, so I tend to overdo it.
I hope you can all benefit from knowing my food intake for the day. I will be sure to keep you updated throughout the weekend.
Today's breakfast
Today for breakfast I had 16 ounces of 1% milk with two scoops of chocolate peanut butter swirl Spiru-Tein. I mixed them together in the blender and then drank the mixture.
It was good.
It was good.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Today's Afternoon Activity
I got my hair chopped off this afternoon between classes. It's pretty short now.
And best of all... no artificial coloring anymore! :)
And best of all... no artificial coloring anymore! :)
Juice
In this universe of discourse which I'm about to describe, we've got four fruits...
We have grape juice and prune juice, right? One is from a "regular" fruit, and one is from a dried fruit of a different variety. My question is... where are the other juices?! I want to know why we have grape juice and prune juice, but we don't have plum juice and raisin juice. For all I know, maybe we do have those juices, but they're certainly not mainstream. What's up with that?
Another thing... as far as prune juice goes... so many people think prune juice seems so nasty, but I've never actually tried it. I'm sure it's really good for you, though. But there's just one thing... it seems like it's only old people who drink it. So another question comes to mind. How old do you have to be in order to drink prune juice and not be considered weird for drinking it? If a 25-year-old was to drink prune juice every morning with his 4:30 a.m. breakfast, that would just be weird, but if an 80-year-old was to do the same, that would be expected. At what point was the line crossed?
- A plum
- A prune, which is essentially a dried plum
- A grape
- A raisin, which is essentially a dried grape
We have grape juice and prune juice, right? One is from a "regular" fruit, and one is from a dried fruit of a different variety. My question is... where are the other juices?! I want to know why we have grape juice and prune juice, but we don't have plum juice and raisin juice. For all I know, maybe we do have those juices, but they're certainly not mainstream. What's up with that?
Another thing... as far as prune juice goes... so many people think prune juice seems so nasty, but I've never actually tried it. I'm sure it's really good for you, though. But there's just one thing... it seems like it's only old people who drink it. So another question comes to mind. How old do you have to be in order to drink prune juice and not be considered weird for drinking it? If a 25-year-old was to drink prune juice every morning with his 4:30 a.m. breakfast, that would just be weird, but if an 80-year-old was to do the same, that would be expected. At what point was the line crossed?
Caring vs. Not Caring
Okay... you start a conversation with somebody... and that person doesn't care about what you have to say.
So, that person decides to express their apathy toward the topic at hand, so they tell you, "I could care less about that." That's pretty dumb. Why do they say they could care less about it if they don't care at all? They're implying that they care some amount, which is not at all what they intended to say.
People... it's, "I couldn't care less!"
So, that person decides to express their apathy toward the topic at hand, so they tell you, "I could care less about that." That's pretty dumb. Why do they say they could care less about it if they don't care at all? They're implying that they care some amount, which is not at all what they intended to say.
People... it's, "I couldn't care less!"
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Deceitful Salt Lake City weather
Yesterday was pretty warm here in good ol' Salt Lake... it actually got up to 77 degrees, which is 12 above the average. The thing about yesterday, though... it looked all gloomy outside and just had a cold feeling... up until the point I actually stepped out the door.
Now for today, at 12:00, I look outside and think it's still nice and warm (or at least a decent temperature). So I go on to weather.com to figure out exactly what it's like out there, and sure enough, it's 49 degrees. That's crappy.
What are you trying to do to us, Salt Lake City? You look cold when you're warm, and you look warm when you're chilly. I don't know what you're trying to do to us here and what game you're trying to play, but I don't like it. So come on, just quit it, you jerk.
Now for today, at 12:00, I look outside and think it's still nice and warm (or at least a decent temperature). So I go on to weather.com to figure out exactly what it's like out there, and sure enough, it's 49 degrees. That's crappy.
What are you trying to do to us, Salt Lake City? You look cold when you're warm, and you look warm when you're chilly. I don't know what you're trying to do to us here and what game you're trying to play, but I don't like it. So come on, just quit it, you jerk.
Clipless Pedals
Last night I got home and wanted to get my bike all ready to ride and stuff. My new bike is a lot like the old bike I had, but as I mentioned yesterday, I did upgrade the pedals to something a bit nicer. Of course the new pedals required some special shoes to go with them... shoes that lock onto the pedals instead of just fitting into an external toe clip or something.
Well, I had never used clipless pedals before, so it was a little interesting when I tried them last night. The shoes locked on to the pedals pretty well, but when I was getting pretty close to stopping, I couldn't get them to detach. I came to a complete stop, and my left shoe was completely connected to the pedal, so my only option until I was able to figure it out was to take off the shoe and leave it connected.
Well, I figured out that you just slide your heel out, and it'll unlock pretty easily. But then I thought about how funny it would have been if both shoes were connected and I had to stop... not knowing how to unlock the shoes. My shoes would be connected, and since I would be stopped, there would be nothing to keep my balance up, so I would just fall over with my feet still on the pedals. What a sight that would be to see. Good thing that didn't happen. :)
Well, I had never used clipless pedals before, so it was a little interesting when I tried them last night. The shoes locked on to the pedals pretty well, but when I was getting pretty close to stopping, I couldn't get them to detach. I came to a complete stop, and my left shoe was completely connected to the pedal, so my only option until I was able to figure it out was to take off the shoe and leave it connected.
Well, I figured out that you just slide your heel out, and it'll unlock pretty easily. But then I thought about how funny it would have been if both shoes were connected and I had to stop... not knowing how to unlock the shoes. My shoes would be connected, and since I would be stopped, there would be nothing to keep my balance up, so I would just fall over with my feet still on the pedals. What a sight that would be to see. Good thing that didn't happen. :)
Laser Pointin' Fun!
So, yesterday I was sitting in class, and my teacher was looking around for a laser pointer so she could point to stuff on the screen. Sadly enough, she couldn't find one, so she just had to point with her fingers. As she had her back to the class, I took my laser pointer and put in on the screen. Her reaction was pretty awesome... "Who has that?!" You kinda had to be there to get the whole effect, but she was looking around the class for anybody who had a laser pointer. She wasn't mad--just surprised or something. Luckily I managed to keep it hidden, so she had no idea it was me.
Well, today I have two laser pointers with me. I've come prepared. ;)
Well, today I have two laser pointers with me. I've come prepared. ;)
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Bicycle!
Well, it's about time... I finally got my new bike. I actually bought it yesterday, but I didn't have a way to get it home. I figured I'd let them change out my pedals for the 50/50 clip/platform pedals until I could pick up the bike anyway. Anyway, today my friend Jake took me out to the bike shop in Taylorsville, and we got it back to my house.
I've been anxious to get this bike for so long... ever since my last bike was stolen from my utility closet at my old apartment (ugh). It's nice to live in a higher class area now.
Here's a picture of what my bike looks like... color and all...
So, those of you in Salt Lake... let me know when you want to ride! I'll be going every day during lunch, at least. Then weekends I'll be doing some longer trips, possibly to the canyons or around some other hilly parts of the valley. There are quite a few routes I want to take, so I'll probably be going all the time until it gets too cold in the fall. Yay for physical activity!
I've been anxious to get this bike for so long... ever since my last bike was stolen from my utility closet at my old apartment (ugh). It's nice to live in a higher class area now.
Here's a picture of what my bike looks like... color and all...
So, those of you in Salt Lake... let me know when you want to ride! I'll be going every day during lunch, at least. Then weekends I'll be doing some longer trips, possibly to the canyons or around some other hilly parts of the valley. There are quite a few routes I want to take, so I'll probably be going all the time until it gets too cold in the fall. Yay for physical activity!
Monday, April 28, 2008
IP Relay
My good buddy Kevin and I were having one of our obscure conversations (not a rare occurrence) this evening, and somehow we got on the topic of IP Relay.
For those who don't know, IP Relay is a free service provided for deaf people. The deaf person goes online and chats with a person who will then call the deaf person's friend. This person relays messages back and forth between the two parties. It's a pretty cool service, really.
One thing that I really don't like about this thing, though, is how many people like to use this for prank calls--I recently read that over half of the calls are pranks. That's crazy. But you know, kids will be kids... and so will 24 year olds, I'm sure.
As Kevin and I were talking about this, he told he actually got a call at work from IP Relay because one of the people he works with is deaf. Somehow I got the idea of how funny (although lame) it would be if somebody called them and gave them their own phone number to call... so the user would be talking to himself.
Well, I personally have never received one of these calls, and I was curious what it would be like. No, I didn't want to make a prank call... I didn't really even want to waste somebody's time... but my curiosity had to be satisfied. I got onto IP Relay and started typing in the number. Soon enough I got a phone call from Ohio, and I answered. They asked me if I had ever received one of these calls before, and since I knew how it worked I said yes. Well let me tell you... it was difficult to have a conversation with myself. After only a couple of lines back and forth, I got so flustered. The part on the phone was annoying, but the typing part was pretty simple.
But really... having a conversation with myself? That was so weird. It makes me wonder, though... are there actually people bored/lonely enough who actually DO have conversations with themselves over IP Relay? That would be sad. :( If you're one of those people, just know that you don't have to do that anymore. I'll be your friend instead. :P
For those who don't know, IP Relay is a free service provided for deaf people. The deaf person goes online and chats with a person who will then call the deaf person's friend. This person relays messages back and forth between the two parties. It's a pretty cool service, really.
One thing that I really don't like about this thing, though, is how many people like to use this for prank calls--I recently read that over half of the calls are pranks. That's crazy. But you know, kids will be kids... and so will 24 year olds, I'm sure.
As Kevin and I were talking about this, he told he actually got a call at work from IP Relay because one of the people he works with is deaf. Somehow I got the idea of how funny (although lame) it would be if somebody called them and gave them their own phone number to call... so the user would be talking to himself.
Well, I personally have never received one of these calls, and I was curious what it would be like. No, I didn't want to make a prank call... I didn't really even want to waste somebody's time... but my curiosity had to be satisfied. I got onto IP Relay and started typing in the number. Soon enough I got a phone call from Ohio, and I answered. They asked me if I had ever received one of these calls before, and since I knew how it worked I said yes. Well let me tell you... it was difficult to have a conversation with myself. After only a couple of lines back and forth, I got so flustered. The part on the phone was annoying, but the typing part was pretty simple.
But really... having a conversation with myself? That was so weird. It makes me wonder, though... are there actually people bored/lonely enough who actually DO have conversations with themselves over IP Relay? That would be sad. :( If you're one of those people, just know that you don't have to do that anymore. I'll be your friend instead. :P
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Bluetooth MP3 player and bluetooth headphones
Probably the best purchases I've made recently... the Insignia Pilot and Insignia Bluetooth Wireless Behind-the-Head Headphones. It's cool to have my MP3 player next to me and my headphones on but have nothing connecting the two. Something tells me, though, that I'll be listening to headphones a lot more often now. These will be especially nice when I get my bike.
Yay for the Best Buy proprietary brand!
Yay for the Best Buy proprietary brand!
Simple Plan
There's just something about it... I just can't get enough of Simple Plan's music. Now before you decide not to read this entry just because you think the music you like is so much cooler than "emo" stuff, I just ask that you open your mind a bit.
So what if Pierre Bouvier has whiny-sounding vocals? And of course it's also important to look past some of their "complainy" songs (Worst Day Ever, God Must Hate Me). Once you do that and really listen to the content of some of their music... well, that's when it might start to make sense.
There are two particular songs by Simple Plan that are so filled with emotion, so meaningful, and just so powerful... Crazy and No Love. The first one is from the album Still Not Getting Any from four years ago, and the other is from this year's self-titled album (which is highly recommended, by the way).
Let's start with Crazy...
This song has to be one of the best descriptions of the world today. The song starts out, "Tell me what's wrong with society..." and goes on listing all the things people think are important rather than love for yourself, love for your family, and love for those less fortunate. The song has the typical whiny vocal sound, but I guess in this case it's okay because I think the trends of the world are actually worth whining about... at least he's got his head on straight and is raising the awareness of others somehow. Kudos.
Then No Love...
From the new album, this song is actually directed toward what seems to be some abusive relationship. He starts by saying, "Staring out into the world across the street, you hate the way your life turned out to be," which I think many people can relate to. That's the beauty of this sort of music... sure, it's whiny, but at least it helps people to know that they don't have to feel alone with so many of their issues in life. Then a portion of the chorus, "There's only hate, there's only tears, there's only pain, there is no love here," although quite basic on the surface, has so much emotion in the recording of the song. The song actually gives me such a "hit home" feeling to know that there are so many people out there who feel so terrible with their life situation, whatever it may be, yet they haven't made any changes just because of their fear of what might happen. No, I'm not in the relationship situation Pierre described in the song, but another thing the song does is make me want to be in one that is the exact opposite. In time...
There's a whole lot of good music out there... whether it has awesome drums, sweet guitar, a good horn section, amazing vocal skills, or whatever, there's a lot worth listening to. My favorite "good music", though, has so much more to do with the lyrical content, meaning, and the emotion put into the music than anything else.
So what if Pierre Bouvier has whiny-sounding vocals? And of course it's also important to look past some of their "complainy" songs (Worst Day Ever, God Must Hate Me). Once you do that and really listen to the content of some of their music... well, that's when it might start to make sense.
There are two particular songs by Simple Plan that are so filled with emotion, so meaningful, and just so powerful... Crazy and No Love. The first one is from the album Still Not Getting Any from four years ago, and the other is from this year's self-titled album (which is highly recommended, by the way).
Let's start with Crazy...
This song has to be one of the best descriptions of the world today. The song starts out, "Tell me what's wrong with society..." and goes on listing all the things people think are important rather than love for yourself, love for your family, and love for those less fortunate. The song has the typical whiny vocal sound, but I guess in this case it's okay because I think the trends of the world are actually worth whining about... at least he's got his head on straight and is raising the awareness of others somehow. Kudos.
Then No Love...
From the new album, this song is actually directed toward what seems to be some abusive relationship. He starts by saying, "Staring out into the world across the street, you hate the way your life turned out to be," which I think many people can relate to. That's the beauty of this sort of music... sure, it's whiny, but at least it helps people to know that they don't have to feel alone with so many of their issues in life. Then a portion of the chorus, "There's only hate, there's only tears, there's only pain, there is no love here," although quite basic on the surface, has so much emotion in the recording of the song. The song actually gives me such a "hit home" feeling to know that there are so many people out there who feel so terrible with their life situation, whatever it may be, yet they haven't made any changes just because of their fear of what might happen. No, I'm not in the relationship situation Pierre described in the song, but another thing the song does is make me want to be in one that is the exact opposite. In time...
There's a whole lot of good music out there... whether it has awesome drums, sweet guitar, a good horn section, amazing vocal skills, or whatever, there's a lot worth listening to. My favorite "good music", though, has so much more to do with the lyrical content, meaning, and the emotion put into the music than anything else.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Carlos Boozer with an unintentional pun
I just watched the Jazz beat the Rockets in game 4 of the series (now 3-1, woohoo!), and after the game they were doing a quick interview with Carlos Boozer.
One thing that Boozer said in the interview while talking about the upcoming game 5 was, "It's gonna be a blast out there in Houston..."
For some reason the word "blast" really stuck out to me. After all... they're playing the Rockets. Hmm.
So, I'm wondering what else Boozer could have unintentionally said if they were playing some other team.
Pacers: We'll play a nice steady game out there in Indiana...
Raptors: Our team is going to soar out there in Toronto...
Heat: We're gonna fire it up in Miami...
Any other examples you can think of? Don't feel like you need to be limited to just NBA. Be creative!
One thing that Boozer said in the interview while talking about the upcoming game 5 was, "It's gonna be a blast out there in Houston..."
For some reason the word "blast" really stuck out to me. After all... they're playing the Rockets. Hmm.
So, I'm wondering what else Boozer could have unintentionally said if they were playing some other team.
Pacers: We'll play a nice steady game out there in Indiana...
Raptors: Our team is going to soar out there in Toronto...
Heat: We're gonna fire it up in Miami...
Any other examples you can think of? Don't feel like you need to be limited to just NBA. Be creative!
Woot for the Economic Stimulus Rebate
Very soon many people in the country will see an extra $300, $600, or $1200 to their name thanks to a sweet tax rebate to help kick start this country's economy. This isn't money you're supposed to put into a savings account. This isn't money you're supposed to gamble away. This isn't money you're supposed to keep in your wallet so it looks like you're rich. This is FREE MONEY that's given to you so that you SPEND. WOOT.
So what am I going to do with my economic stimulus rebate? I at least need a bike and a couple pairs of shoes (cycling shoes and everyday shoes), so this is totally going toward that stuff. These are things I've had on my list for quite some time, so it's exciting. Man... they're giving me money I didn't even ask for, so I'm definitely happy.
If you don't know anything about this rebate and would like some information, or to see if you qualify, click here.
So, if you're getting the rebate, what are your plans for it?
So what am I going to do with my economic stimulus rebate? I at least need a bike and a couple pairs of shoes (cycling shoes and everyday shoes), so this is totally going toward that stuff. These are things I've had on my list for quite some time, so it's exciting. Man... they're giving me money I didn't even ask for, so I'm definitely happy.
If you don't know anything about this rebate and would like some information, or to see if you qualify, click here.
So, if you're getting the rebate, what are your plans for it?
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