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Friday: December 01, 2006 - Late Night Poker Late Night Poker On Friday we played a Weekend Version of poker at tchris' place. It was big group that included Jamie, Ricky, Renee, Ian, Amy, her friend Kristin and me. Honestly, everything was going great for a couple of hours. I had enough chips to play to knock people out and all was good. Until I tried to put Amy in. Now friends, I had a full house--aces over sixes. The board after the flop was AA6 and I had AK. I slow play. Next card--another six. I check, hoping Amy will raise so I can reraise her all-in. She does! A paltry 25. She calls my reraise! Bam! She has four sixes. Who the hell, out of a table of seven, gets four sixes? Amy. That depleted almost half my stack and I played like an idiot the rest of the game trying to make up for the huge chip loss. Jamie and I gave up around midnight but I heard Renee won. Good for her. [Comments: 0]· permalink · Bookmark Late Night Poker at del.icio.us · Digg Late Night Poker · Bloglines: Late Night Poker

Saturday: December 02, 2006 - Good To Be A Gator Good To Be A Gator I admit I watched the Arkansas vs. Florida SEC Championship Game even though I worked on stuff while I watched it. I can't believe that Florida gets to play for the National Championship. I can't believe it. They lost by 10 to Auburn! Michigan lost by 3 to the only undefeated team in the country on the road! Man, I hope Ohio State beats them 200-0. Urban Meyer is...something. He's more kind than Steve Spurrier but in a very annoying way. Sure, Spurrier would call you all sorts of names but at least he was forthcoming about being a total asshole. Urban Meyer pretends to be this upstanding, classy guy when really he's just playing the Humble Game. I've heard more sincere things come out of our President's mouth. Urban is such a kiss-ass; practically begging for votes any place there was a microphone. Go Buckeyes! [Comments: 0]· permalink · Bookmark Good To Be A Gator at del.icio.us · Digg Good To Be A Gator · Bloglines: Good To Be A Gator

Sunday: December 03, 2006 - Computer Bust Computer Bust ALL HAIL. ALL HAIL ME. I am the 2006 College Pick 'Em Chamption. HAIL. pchris edged me with some excellent last-game picks in 2005 but I was not going to be denied yet again.

I hate my computer. Ricky was able to get it to stop overheating a month ago but this weekend it really took a turn for the worst. First, my beloved Brother laser printer finally gave up after about 15k pages. It had a good life but its demise couldn't really have come at a worse time. I replaced it yesterday with a HP Color laser and so far it's done an admirable job. The new one was the only one at CompUSA (no time to comparison shop) that had the duplexing feature, a requirement for printing musical scores.

My sound card was also shot so I had to replace that as well. Unfortunately after dropping about $200 on it and getting truly excellent sound, I discovered it was incompatible with my ethernet card. Sound vs. Internet. A few old-versions-of-drivers installations later everything works again. I also ended buying over $100 of paper for this new machine. I forgot what it's like to be poor. It sucks.
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Monday: December 04, 2006 - New Printer New Printer Man, this is going to be a boring entry. My new printer is pretty cool. My biggest complaint so far is that it prints so fast that if you're not printing on glossy paper the ink from previous pages transfers from one sheet to another. I had to reprint about 20 title pages last night because of tiny little smears on the bottom. It's done a great job so far of churning out lots of pages. I've already printed a little over 1200 pages and it seems to be doing ok. Also the pages come out really, really hot so I'm not sure I'd want to leave a job overnight or when I wasn't home. All in all it looks like I will be done on Friday. Excellent! [Comments: 0]· permalink · Bookmark New Printer at del.icio.us · Digg New Printer · Bloglines: New Printer

Tuesday: December 05, 2006 - HP1600 Ink HP1600 Ink I can't believe this printer is out of black ink already. It's barely printed 2500 pages. Come on. Now I see why people do their applications like six months in advance. This adds another $84 to my Grad School Expenses. I'm not sure what the total cost is but it's well into the thousands. How could it be so expensive? Well most people's computers don't totally freak out on them when they're needed most. That hurt big time. Application fees are about $600, high quality paper for five (LONG) scores is another $150, the printer was $380 (with the new ink), the sound card was $200. It's adding up fast. No Christmas presents this year. [Comments: 0]· permalink · Bookmark HP1600 Ink at del.icio.us · Digg HP1600 Ink · Bloglines: HP1600 Ink

Wednesday: December 06, 2006 - New Blog New Blog Once my applications are in the mail, which will hopefully be in hours from now, I will spend my free time working on a new blog. This new blog will be more comprehensive--photos, music, a whole new everything. It's probably a good three or four months away from being live but I think it'll be pretty darn cool when it's all done. You'll be pleased to know I rewrote the Guilt Links from scratch and on the new site they'll only take about one second to load (unlike the eleven they take now). With the space taken for all of the photos and music so far I'm already up to ~350MB so I will sadly be leaving the Urizone instead of raking up big bills for brian in the name of bandwidth consumption. The reason for the change is adding entries with my old method sucks. When I made this incarnation of the blog I did not know enough to really build what I wanted and after two years of this style it's time for a new one. When I made this blog I was still so new to PHP that the only feature I utilized was the include_once (and I guess the form handler on the Contact page that only the spammers use). Now though--look out Chompy. Prepare to toggle. [Comments: 0]· permalink · Bookmark New Blog at del.icio.us · Digg New Blog · Bloglines: New Blog

Thursday: December 07, 2006 - Mike, Listen Mike, Listen For those of you living in colder weather climates than Florida you'll be pleased to know our temperature dropped to 17F last night. I know, I know, it's not that cold but you have to understand that we Floridians endure the 99% humidity and temps in the high nineties for three months for a temperate winter. We scoff when you inform us that it's hot where you are because it's 85F with humidity in the 60%'s. So have some pity--it's darn cold here for us. [Comments: 0]· permalink · Bookmark Mike, Listen at del.icio.us · Digg Mike, Listen · Bloglines: Mike, Listen

Weekend: December 08, 2006 - I am a Zombie I am a Zombie I am a zombie. My goal was to have all of my applications out on Friday but since I had to wait for MW's letter I gave everything the once-over and set Monday to be the new goal. Oops. Finding the word "distributed" mispelled on the front page of some of the cover sheets made me want to cry. I should note this was not discovered until I was at FedEx. With each passing day I understand more fully why people never go back to finish degrees. To work 9am-6pm every day and then from 8:30pm-2:30am for a month is horrible. I can't even imagine having to do it with a wife...or kids, a dog (sometimes two) is bad enough. Add in that it's Christmas time, that we just launced a new, really cool site at work and that I'm leaving for Chicago in two weeks and it's like Howard Dean once said, "Argh!". [Comments: 0]· permalink · Bookmark I am a Zombie at del.icio.us · Digg I am a Zombie · Bloglines: I am a Zombie

Monday: December 11, 2006 - I'm Tired--So Tired I The funny thing about not getting much sleep isn't that you're that tired. It's that you're loopy. Things make sense that shouldn't. It's horrible. I forgot to prepare for my first 12/12 day so I'll have to settle for a 13/13 a day late. I'm not sure if doing a 13/13 is something blasphemous but it might be so I'll check with brian first.

I have a recurring dream for the last three nights. I'm in some airport, although I believe it's Reagan in Washington, and I'm there with this girl from my middle school. We're waiting in the airport baggage line and I tell her that I'm applying to schools and she tells me that I'm not going to get into any. BUT it's not too late to apply for Ralph Waldo Emmerson College of Western Washington. I inform her that I've never of that school and she says something like, "Haven't you heard of the University of Washington? I know it's not the formal name but that's what we all call it." She doesn't believe me when I tell here that there already is a University of Washington and people have heard of it. Stupid dreams.
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Tuesday: December 12, 2006 - Only In Dreams Only In Dreams I had the weirdest dream last night. It was not my recurring middle school dream either. I'll try to skip the really graphic parts but they're only so avoidable. I dreamt I was going home for Christmas this year and at the last minute Ricky asked to go with me. I told him no since in my dream I had a good reason but he wouldn't take no for an answer. Finally he says something like, "if you bring me with you I'll show you my secret power". Natually I asked what this secret power was. He informed me that it was the ability to make anyone talk about anything he wanted. I told him to prove it and he said he would when we got to Chicago. So jump ahead in the dream to Christmas Eve and we're at my grandparents' house in Coal City. Ricky and I are sitting on the couch on the far wall and he asks me if he wants to see the power now. I shrug but he looks right at my grandfather, who is sitting with my about-to-be-blushing grandmother, and tells them to start talking about...oh, something you would never ever want to hear about. Let's just leave it at that. [Comments: 0]· permalink · Bookmark Only In Dreams at del.icio.us · Digg Only In Dreams · Bloglines: Only In Dreams

Wednesday: December 13, 2006 - On Wisconsin On Wisconsin I love Fraiser. I never watched the show when it was it was on regular TV but now that Lifetime has syndicated it I know if I can manage to stay up until 1am I will have been able to double dose on it. Last night I put the finishing touches on the Wisconsin and Washington applications. I'd really like to go to Washington even though I don't know much about the school except that it's in Seattle. I think I would like Seattle just as much as I would hate Madison. Don't get me wrong--Madison is a beautiful town with a very good school in the heart of it but it's just like the cold version of Tallahassee. State capital, big university, nothing else to do.

My brother is in China right now meeting his lover (who he met online) and he'll return right before Christmas. A month ago my trip to the Caribbean (pictures are coming soon, I promise) was going to be the talk of the town but Steve is going to steel my glory with stories about China. I think since I live further away I should be granted Story Master and he can be relegated to saying things like "and then I saw a monkey" or "it rained a lot".
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Thursday: December 14, 2006 - If the House is Barak'ing If the House is Barak I normally don't write political entries, saving them for people who are really in the know like pchris. However, I am a total loss to explain the popularity of Barack Obama. He just got to Washington--he hasn't even been there two years. He can speak in coherent sentences, which I guess puts him ahead of our current President, but still. Don't get me wrong now--I have nothing at all against him and I'd definitely vote for him before Hillary. I just don't get it though. He's apparently a serious enough contender to have been totally slammed by total morons Maureen Dowd and Rush Limbaugh. Those two make me want Jack Kevorkian out of jail (he is) for a little physicial assisted homocide. What idiots. The only thing worse than a politian is something that makes his/her career out of talking about politics...like they were too ugly to be voted in charge of anything in high school. [Comments: 0]· permalink · Bookmark If the House is Barak'ing at del.icio.us · Digg If the House is Barak'ing · Bloglines: If the House is Barak'ing

Weekend: December 17, 2006 - Office Party Office Party This weekend Jamie and I celebrated Christmas. She was the recipient of a digital camera and I got a new tennis racket, that is going to be picked out on Monday. The dogs got small bags of gingerbread treats since the food guys and gals went a little overboard on the spending. We also went to Giorgio's for dinner and it was way better than when we went there for our office Christmas party last year. We were in and out in an hour and the food was much better than last year. I wish they'd go back to the cheeseless potato pie but I guess you can't always get what you want.

On Sunday we had our office Christmas party. The restaurant we were originally going to go to was closed so we made it a potluck affair and came in around 3pm. Jamie, per the request of some of my co-workers, made her Kitty Litter desert even though it was Christmas and not Halloween. Everyone really seemed to like it. I made nearly 20 lbs of mashed potatoes which, as I learned later, was WAY too many. I thought we'd have 17 people and I figured about 1.5 potatoes per person. Only about 12 people came so there were plenty extra...in addition to the extra 15 lbs of them I have uncooked at home. At the end of our party we sat down to our first game of Office Party Poker.

Seven of us played: Kurt, Kurt's brother Cameron, Liz/Richard (Lichard), Vince, his wife Jackie, Jamie and me. Kurt and Cameron were the first two out,then about two hours went by and Licahrd and Jackie were eliminated as well. By that point Vince and I had two pretty big stacks and Jamie was nowhere near going out. Fortunately Vince's mother in law called asking when they'd be back and he put Jamie all-in for a quick kill but she won and ended up knocking him out. Rather than force everyone to stay and watch us battle for 70,000 dinar (long story) Jamie and I packed up the chips to settle it at home. We agreed to play one hand, all or nothing with each of us getting one pre-flop fold. We ended up playing the first set of cards she dealt--Q/10 vs. K/4. I won with a pair of 4s. And that, friends, was my weekend.
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Monday: December 18, 2006 - 2007 Predictions 2007 Predictions My personal predictions are as follows. The United States will declare war on $e after $c accidentally killed $a on a vacation in $b. Sorry. I couldn't help Madlibing it a little. Seriously, I choose as follows:




Celebrity Death: Bono
We will delcare war on: China
A friend to get: Steve
FSU's Record: 7-5
Country with natural problems: India
General: I think the value of the dinar will go up significantly in the next year
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Tuesday: December 19, 2006 - Nostrachompy Nostrachompy Since all I did last night was clean out the Taurus and have nothing at all interesting to say I'll get right to what everyone wants to see--the predictions. But first, a joke:
A man brings his little dog to a bar every night. It is a good little dog and quickly becomes popular with all of the patrons. After a nearly a decade of seeing the wee pup every night one night it doesn't show up. The owner comes in the next day and tells everyone the dog has died. The bar crowd is very sad and wants to find a way to memorialize the dog so they discuss it and agree to cut off its tail and put it on display behind the bar so everyone can see it and be reminded of him.

Meanwhile, the dog is standing in front of St. Peter. "I'm sorry", Peter says. "Heaven is a place of perfection and although you've lived a good life I cannot let you in without it." The dog replies, "But I've been a model dog--perfect in every way AND I had my tail when I passed on." Peter apologizes but does not let the little dog into heaven. Peter informs him that if he wants to get into heaven he will have to go down to Earth to retrieve it.

The dog magically appears at the bar before 5am and scratches on the door in the hopes of waking up the owner. After a while the owner wakes up and comes to the door. "Oh my God, it's the ghost of our dog!" The dog informs the owner that in order for him to get into heaven he needs his tail back. The owner replies, "I'm sorry I can't retail spirits after hours".
--From my mom

Here are your predictions for 2008:
Kathy:
Famous Death: Clint Eastwood
Declare War On: Your Mom
Married: Ian and Renee
FSU's Record: 7-6
Suffering Country: India
General: That I will forget to post these at the end of next year

Jamie:
Famous Death: Nicole Richie Declare War On: No one
Married: Liz
FSU: Undefeated until loss in National Championship
Suffering Country: USA
General: We will get into our #1 schools

Elena:
Famous Death: Britney Spears
War: Iran
Married: Theory-Chris
FSU: 7-4
Suffering Country: India
General: She will get a job.

And that's all of them. It's not too late to cast your own predictions! Just fill out the form in yesterday's entry.
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Wednesday: December 20, 2006 - Goodbye 2006 Goodbye 2006 Chompy and I start Christmas break by driving to Chicago with my Dad, who comes into town tomorrow. That means this will most likely be the last entry of 2006. That said, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all. [Comments: 0]· permalink · Bookmark Goodbye 2006 at del.icio.us · Digg Goodbye 2006 · Bloglines: Goodbye 2006


Good Things Take Time... -2 days until FSU Football (2010)


Random Picture...
Begin the sky pictures. The rays were really cool and the clouds always seemed to glow.


Time Machine: 09-07-2009 · 09-07-2008 · 09-07-2007 · 09-07-2006 09-07-2009: I'll start with the good news: my death from the swine flu is no longer imminent. Now, onto the bad news.

WHERE THE HELL WAS FSU'S DEFENSE?! *I* could have been playing cornerback last night. I can easily ignore receivers as the blow past me or trip on my own two feet as a RUNNING BACK shoots past me for a catch in the end zone. Uggggggggh. On the bright side, the offense looked pretty good--at least Christian Ponder and the vaunted offensive line. The running game looked anemic when Jermaine was in there but his backup looked like a punisher. The fact our receivers c(w)ouldn't catch the ball made life rough. Fortson looked like the only guy who actually was willing to take one for the team and try to catch it, although Richard Goodman's catch on the two-point conversion ended with him getting blasted.

Anyway, where was the bloodthirsty FSU defense? Who were these cowards playing constant zone coverage? It doesn't take a PS2 NCAA Football expert very long to realize there's a time and a place for zone but if you want to win you need to MAN UP. Granted, the man coverage, when "utilized", made the secondary look absolutely stupid, with their coverage at least five yards behind the Miami receivers.

Whatever, we'll be good next year.
09-07-2008: It looks like my vice-like grip over NCAA Pick 'Em is officially over. After tweaking "the algorithm" I still finished near the bottom of the picks because I clearly overweighed the section dedicated to "do they like to get upset?". The numbers correctly picked the ECU upset of WV but unfortunately they also picked three more upsets and, knowing that no more than three teams ever get upset in a week, I released WV out of a personal affinity towards the school. I also, until the game started, thought USM was in fact Mississippi State which they are clearly not. Oops.

I went out to Virginia to watch the FSU game with Kathy & Co. The bar had a lot of FSU fans but none that were particularly into the game. It didn't help that there was over two hours in combined rain delays. FSU looked good but I think anyone would look good against Western Carolina. They're not East Carolina, that's for sure. Catamounts, for the record, are mountain lions. They are not horses despite containing the word "mount". We'll know for sure how good FSU is when vaunted Chattanooga rolls into town next week.
I took the day off blogging but only because I was thinking of you.09-07-2006: Although not as gratifying as some wins in the past, I was able to fend off tchris and jamie in a little three-way poker last night. At different points in the night we all had huge chip leads and somehow blew them. We're all big bettors so it was a lot of fun despite the low number of people.

I really need a new computer. Mine shuts off after about five minutes of use due to overheating and I still have not been able to find the right replacement fan. I'm hoping by the week after my birthday to have enough money to buy the new one from Dell, even though they won't let me get it without the video card. I talked to their retarded sales/tech guy and asked them simply if they could not charge/install a video card. They do not have dual-monitor options and I wasn't ordering any monitors so I didn't need the card. He replied that they could not and I was out of luck. I replied by asking him if the computers were really built by hand like they say in the commercials. He said yes. I then asked if they guy installing it could just "leave out" the video card (I'd be throwing it out the day I got it) and have the person hand-writing my bill leave off the cost of it. He said no. Oh well.