What’s this? A Fitness Blog – Lap 001
I caved, I'm going to join the masses and do a little fitness blog thing. I already have a blog about myself and my interests so instead of managing yet another blog - I'm just going to load it on here. Here's the "program," it's quite simple:
- Run
- Play Tennis
- Push-Ups
- Sit-Ups/Crunches/etc.
- ???
- Die at 46 anyway
July Status Update
It's been a minute since I've checked in here. I decided to discontinue the FFXI blog. I don't have a good reason but it's dead now. So if I haven't been blogging about FFXI what have I been up to?
Cooking Tips: How You Already Started the New Year Wrong
It's always great to have nothing to do at work. It turns up great articles like this from the Times.
"OUT Dried parsley and basil. They’re worthless."
That really hit me as a I have a fairly large bottle of both items. In addition, I'm guilty of a number of these crimes including: bottled lemon juice and boxed bread crumbs.
I'm always looking for ways to speed up my cooking because I end up creating a ton of clean-up as it is right now and considering the level of my skills, it's not always worth it. Last night's salad fell victim to an abundance of juice (from the shredded baby carrots and diced cucumber), shredded cheese that didn't really work out, and the recently realized crime of bottled salad dressing.
The only good move I did make was to hold off on purchasing balsamic vinegar. Now I know, to go with expensive vinegar or sherry vinegar.
One day, I'm going to stop this half-assed cooking business and get proper tools. If working on my car has taught me anything it's that when you need something, go ahead and pay for it because if you skimp you're just going to have to make a second trip and waste time and money.
My plan: To cook every meal, every day unless I'm out to a restaurant. I believe, if I do this properly, I will end up saving a lot of money and eating heathier. With any luck, I'll enjoy the food more as well.
DIY Web Design: Because the Pros Aren’t Really
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| From n4AEGIS |
If you have any bit of tech-savvy, start your own web design group. Why? Because apparently people that suck at it are good enough to land over 10 contracts and afford to advertise on Facebook which is remarkable considering the quality of their work. I just feel like ranting a little because it's depressing the quality of work people get paid for. Having already been shafted by some random Indian group, I feel that was expected -- outsourcing sucks. However, to find out a Chicago-based operation throws out just as crappy work targeted to the same small business owners I'm no longer upset with foreign outfits. It's the local chop-shops that set the bar of entry so low.
Where's the lesson in all of this: 1) It's very easy to get paid for doing work, even if that work sucks. There is no reason to be unemployed. 2) Do your research -- know the company and the product their offering. There's too much available for information to be paying for crap work these days. 3) If a professional job costs too much, do it yourself. If it doesn't turn out quite as well as a hack job at least you didn't pay for it and learned something in the process.
Oh and for the record: Hodoorgan Web Design inspired the rant. That's right, I'm calling out names. They suck ass. They're probably nice people though. Shame they don't show any sign of talent.
Faulty Technology: Monitors
So I finally broke down and did some web development today. The good side: I'm being productive. The bad side: I realized my shiny 22" monitor is brighter at the bottom than at the top of the screen. I don't know if it was always like this or the numerous transports to and from school had something to do with it. Yes, I always repackage my monitor before travel but who knows what could happen with the fragile technology of today.
How do I notice now and not before? Well when you're watching movies and tv in HD, you gawk at the crispness and then keep watching the show. When you're doing any sort of graphic design you're maximizing your desktop space and in my case, comparing the graphic prototype to the HTML creation.
At first, I thought that the color I selected was not HTML web-safe and consequently displayed in two different shades. That happens. However, I dragged the the windows around and low and behold, they are not two different shades.
This problem isn't super uncommon. In fact, I would bet that a lot more people have this issue and they just never notice. I've had this monitor for almost a year and just finally noticed. You have to really be paying attention and know that the two colors should be the same. Black doesn't really work because it's widespread knowledge that monitors don't always spread a uniform black.
What now? Nothing, I continue finishing this site design and I live with the fact that my top and bottom will always mismatch. At least now I have reasonable incentive for a new 24" or better yet a quality 30" behemoth.
World of (Un)Kindness
So, not suprisingly -- it's creepy to offer someone a seat in your car while you wait at the bus stop in the cold.
Why is it that random acts of kindness are creepy? Stupid question - a lot of not so kind people run throughout this world using a mask of kindness to do "bad" things.
I occasionally find myself wanting to do randomly nice things - like offer people rides up the hill or help people carry bags/books but I know that it would actually be perceived as weird. Now, I already know I should stop being weird. This is all a side-rant based on what brought me to write this piece.
A bit more than a month ago, I unwittingly took (for me) an extreme act of kindness. Working at the library, I let a random stranger borrow quite a few books on my account due to her inactive membership. Without taking down any information, I wished her well and thought nothing of it.
Reconsidering my actions, I realized that I'd be charged if she had been a horrible person. The total amount would be in the neighborhood of $500 dollars. I did have to renew the books once, but in the end - the books were returned. My kindness has been satisfactorally justified. Or maybe, I was just lucky she didn't play me for a fool. Either way, I am relieved and impressed.
Here's hoping we're two steps closer to a friendlier world.
NOTE: Sappyness aside, I was a 'tard for letting random stranger #83 borrow on my account. Don't be like me. Seriously...I feel so lucky.
The Force Is Weak In This One
I've realized during the past month or so, I've been failing as an economic analyst. I didn't expect the bailout to get passed. I was super wrong. I also, didn't expect gas prices to keep falling past $2.00/gal and I found out today I was wrong again. I think it's safe to say I won't become a real analyst anytime soon. Or maybe I'm reading the information correctly but I'm not taking in enough information. Either way, my forecasts are turning out to be reliably wrong. At least, I'm reliable...that's a good thing right? Even if I'm wrong? See, now you know that if I predict something chances are it'll go exactly opposite of where I'm projecting. My current bet, that you should snatch Circuit City and GM stock while they're at ridiculous lows. Lets see how that turns out.
All About News: Blog Update
In other news: I haven't quit the blog but I may be posting a lot more random topic items. I have new projects to work on (graduating being one of them) that I don't have time for planned posts on specific and timely subjects.
Speaking of other projects: those in the know have heard of my AutoCast project. Basically an Internet webcast on the subject of performance cars and motorsports involving them. Well, after a long time of planning and postponing the first webcast has been done!
I have the file -- and to be honest it came out kinda crappy. My mic didn't pick up so well and that is the last time I try to record using Audigy and the Stereo Mix channel. I either need some hardware to feed the channels in to or I need to purchase some software. All of us could use better mics as well (though that most-likely won't happen because we're not at that level yet.
Anyway, the first session has been recorded and I plan on releasing it more-or-less unedited (I need to boost the volume) and calling it Session #00 until we can do a structed session where the voices come out much more balanced.
EDIT: Also, important tidbit, I have been playing Fallout 3 and I will post my conclusions after actually playing the game.
Stocks Plummet by Over 9000! Wait, no…only 700…
I understand why, it's front page news. But really, this shouldn't be that big of a deal. First time in twenty years (I actually remembered that earlier today, I'm really becoming a suit). The bailout, IMO, was a good idea. Even the 'no' votes probably thought it was a good idea. However, the bill came way too fast. Granted, it sort of had too but even still it's was rough and old people don't like rough. It actually upset me that senators were worried about political suicide when considering the welfare of the American citizens and the economy.
So the bill failed. I don't expect it to get passed now after such a big loss today. Mr. Smith has to be sitting pretty in his grave right now. Lassiez faire economics at its best. My post-undergraduate life just got all sorts of crappy now. With banks not hiring, consulting and research are the only fields really left to a finance-minded person like myself. Honestly, I've always considered those jobs to be fake jobs -- huge wastes of money. Consulting and research is great and needed but not to the extent of ridiculous 100-200 grand salaries.
This is all a sign, stop traveling the path of a suit and return to your game development fantasies.
Automotive Failure
A little rant for today: I hate when people buy shiny new cars but don't use them. Common is example is the screaming fast Corvette, Mustang GT, or [insert-expensive-fast-car] that is cruising in the fast lane at a whopping 55 mph on the freeway. Yes, your car is hot now would you please get the fuck out of my way so I can drive. Why did you even buy that car if you don't want to go fast? There are lower-trims available. Are you an idiot for wasting all that disposable income or are you just afraid of letting the engine run if your not on a track with your helmet on?
I'm not saying every car should be going 90 mph or faster if it can. I'm just saying that if you buy a car with a purpose, Use it for that purpose. Don't mod your civic with a 3" exhaust if your going to put around at 30 mph and annoy me with the sound of your muffler.
The same logic applies to people who refuse to ever do anything with their car in order to preserve it. Show cars are of course excluded but not resting a bag of groceries on the roof so you can open the door is just silly. "OMG, it's new so I don't want to scratch the paint." Paint will be scratched, tires will wear out, your pretty car will eventually die. Enjoy it while it's alive and well.
NOTE: I should be back to real posts shortly...