Your Mileage May Vary

Giving Chainsaws to Two Year Olds since 2007

Background Music: Simple As it Should Be

Last Visited: oh my goodness i wrote something on my Soapbox

Random Thought: do. not. buy. plane. tickets. to. random. places. like. ohio. or. colombia. seriously. even. if. they're. on. sale. bad. 

Mood: messin' around

Ok; apparently, i'm still good, price wise, on tickets to New Orleans for Dave's bachelor party for Halloween - according to travelocity they're running about $228 round trip, which, quite frankly, is cheaper than it is for me to go home, so score. It's odd (and occasionally wonderful, really), where $250 adjacent will get you today on an airplane; i'm just saying. 

Now to plan when i'm flying, with who, and where we're staying before those ticket prices jump through the roof; because i have to be honest, New Orleans for halloween for $228 round trip sounds awesome, New Orleans for halloween for $400+? Not so much. 

Ok, time for random lists: 

- An essay from 1725 by the French philosopher Montesquieu

  - A Toy maker has created a gun that fires variable speed bullets

- Yes, willChangeValueForKey is defined in the NSKeyValueObserving Protocol

- This cat may actually have a cooler couch than me

- Why the long face? Here, Kitten will fix it

- apparently getting a 3G signal in Chicago is like playing the corner in roulette 

- My new shoes rule

- The W sure knows how to price based on the value of drunk stumbling distance

- For some reason, a dinner murder mystery at Moss Beach Distillery sounds really cool*

- This is why i'm not an accountant; i get it, but i'd have to shoot myself if i had to live it

... Wow, that was a random list; no cohesion at all. Ahh, well, it's my list, so there. And no, i'm not going to mention that thing about Christian Bale; let me keep my illusions about my heros, er, heartthrobs. 

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Because Dr. Horrible told me to

Background Noise: Mi Confesion

Last Visited:  the buildbot logs

Random Thought: somehow, nearly perfect isn't close enough  

Mood: overslept my alarm, slowly getting back into coding before my afternoon 'o meetings

So... the only "real" post i can think of writing today is moderately whiny and quite possibly depressing; so i'm not going to write it. Instead, how about a round up of my weekend? 

The Dark Knight? Awesome; though i need to see it again when i'm not so amazingly tired. The line wrapping around the theater beforehand and the ticket taker in the cheesetacular batman costume really added to the experience. I'm glad to have contributed to the $66.8M opening day tally. 

The rest of my weekend pretty much went like this: sleep, reading in bed, running, reading in bed, tapas like mexican food w/ margaritas, and more sleep. Also, Steve finally saw Wall-E and i got to join; lordy i love that movie. I don't care if Disney won't put up the cash to sponsor it for the best picture, it should get a nod anyways; especially the way this movie season is so far. Wall-E for president indeed. 

Oh, and sunday night? I had ice cream. It was awesome. 

... Kicking off today with some bizarre news, Katie Holmes turned down The Dark Knight because the film's message conflicted with her Scientology beliefs; also, according to MSNBC, Penguins are Mammals. Can I get an "oy" from the gallery? 

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Love your state, Love your beer

Background Noise: Midnight Coward, Stars

Last Visited: Steve & John's Wedding via Pete's camera Gallery

Random Thought: i don't think there is a more appropriate grooms cake for Steve than a pizza cake; how on earth didn't i think of it myself? 

Mood: needing a wednesday without meetings; so of course i'm in meetings all afternoon

I cannot stand here with a straight face and tell you that the best part of Steve and John's pre-wedding extravagani at Steve's house was the beer; because really, no one would believe me... myself included; it's not true, the beer was not the best part. But it was a fabulous cool part none the less. Why?  

Steve's Mom found Wolverine Beer! Love your state, love your beer; good slogan! (and you know? It tasted nothing like actual Wolverines. Thank goodness.)

... Sometimes it's the details i find the most enjoyable. 

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The Cost of a Chair

Background Noise: Brandy, Three Dog Night

Last Visited: inventory verification; and yummy stats 

Random Thought: i'm getting better at go karting; i wonder if the bruises inside my knees afterwards will ever stop though

Mood: i could use a few of Katrina's caffine breath mints this morning 

I've coveted this chair for a good long while now; i've been able to resist purchasing it for all that time because, well, there are just so many other things i can do for the price of that chair (for fun, let's put the average with tax at $2400): 

• 5.8 flights home (at the rate i paid for my ticket in july) 
• airfare and 6 nights in London at the rate i got in december  
• 40 nice pairs of shoes  
• 6 tickets to South Pacific  
• 30 bottles of 2003 Paraduxx Mallards  
• 240 poker buy-ins   
• 40 rounds of the gokart grand prix   
• 600 breakfasts a starbucks (including tip)  
• 40 full tanks of gas (at the rate i paid this weekend, roughly 14,000 miles of driving) 
• 2300 4x6 prints (after tax and delivery)   
• 3 prime lenses for my camera  
• 150 tank tops at the Gap  
• 85 tickets to the symphony   
• 300 drinks at the bar  
• 234 movie tickets  
• 10.4 flights to the general midwest  
• 12.6 flights to Vegas / LA / Seattle   
• a shark expedition from SF bay for 8  

... what i'm saying is that that money buys a lot. Does $2400 make for the most expensive chair ever? Certainly not. But compared to all of the other things i could do with that money... it feels quite pricey indeed. 

(Since i started writing this post i found out that not only is that chair currently on sale, the recliner variant is now offered in fabric in addition to leather at a significantly lower price; i'm trying very very very hard to forget that i know that little piece of information.)

(Oh, but it would be so nice to have a perfect reading chair....)

ps: Hail to the Victors, even in 1903, even in the snow; especially in the snow. 

Expression:  

Perhaps it's the heat; or the scotch...

Background Noise: Simone Dinnerstein's Bach Variations

Last Visited: mobile me and the Apps Store 

Random Thought: Sometimes i don't read good 

Mood: here's to a slow morning 

“I wrote my friend a letter using a highlighting pen. But he could not read it, he thought I was trying to show him certain parts of a piece of paper.”  ~Mitch Hedberg

There is something languorously delicious in the concept of writing a letter*; for me it conjures images of summer vacation on or near the water with the shade, the breeze, and time, epic, grand, sweeping amounts of disconnected time where, with the lulling, lapping sounds of the waves and aided by a warm cup of coffee or a cold glass of wine you have the luxury of abandoning the frantic and frenetic sound-bite communications of the day for the sweeping prose of a letter; unhurried in meter and meandering in measure, you finally are allowed to grasp at the beauty of language and form in order to share a moment with another. 

Oh yes, from here in my over cooled office amidst the million emails and dozen ichat windows, my facebook inbox and wall, and the various feeds of constantly flowing information, taking the time to stop and read and write to someone outside of this fast-paced, overly focused world is quite delicious. Being allowed to, or asked to, take a moment and step off the track and write to someone who won't have heard your stories before, or have read that piece of news already, it's... yes, almost like a mini summer vacation. Almost like i'm on my boat on the water with the waves with time to breathe and choose my words. 

And i can almost forget how jealous i am of those who have more of their summer to enjoy on the water, with the waves and the breeze, the heat and the rain. 

Now, granted, I have a feeling a good deal of my current fondness for the concept of a letter comes from my trip home, the friends i met there, and how much i wish i was still on vacation (i need another week, at least.) And maybe as i sink back into life here at work i'll move away from enjoying the slower pace of decided back and forth correspondence. 

But for right now? Bring on the prose; hey, who knew writing not code could be this fun? 

 

*please note by 'letter' i'm referring to form and not pens, paper, and actual mail; we all know how much of a disaster writing letters would be for me if i actually had to mail something or, heaven forbid, check my real life mailbox for a reply.  

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Happy Birthday, Anne Girl

Background Noise: Into the Woods

Last Visited: 'bucks + chocolate == a very hyper me 

Random Thought: Is Carousel sold out through next July already? Awesome! And, um, also, Al? :) i might need some help getting tickets at that rate. 

Mood: surprisingly still has brownies left to hand out

100 years ago L.M. Montgomery published Anne of Green Gables - one of my favorite series' of all time; not that i really have favorites; but if i didn't this would be on the list, near the top; and not only because Anne spells her name the right way - with an 'e', like mine. 

... i... have forgotten what i was going to write next. I blame the caffeine and the chocolate. 

Perhaps tonight after sushi i will have to put in one of my Anne dvds... i do adore a trip to Price Edward Island every now and then. 

... but until then, maybe i'll go get some water to help me come down from this cloud. 

Expression:  

The better to see you with, my dear...

Background Noise: Waves and the Both of Us

Last Visited: Busted Tees

Random Thought: Sometimes it's best to not commit until one calms down and thinks things through a bit more 

Mood: surprisingly still has brownies left to hand out

I was home for pretty much a week, which, i have to say, was wonderful. The weather was perfect - i even got a full fledged thunder and lightning storm! - the skies were crisp and blue with sunsets which nearly made me drive off the road they were so beautiful - driving; yes, lets talk about what i was driving when i was home, shall we? 

Because of the ever fluctuating car situation at home (it's a constant game of swap these days) my parents (bless them) decided that they would rent me a car for the days i had wedding things so i didn't strand anyone at home (generally a good idea). 

My Dad wanted me to drive something with good gas mileage; something different; something that maybe they'd consider purchasing for my sister or brother (so they could get their Acura MDX back, perhaps.) Enterprise was his choice for where, and as for the what, after the sales guy he talked to dissed the Dodge Neon, he chose {drumroll}... 

 

... this, erm, lovely and very, very, very yellow Chevy Aveo. Which caused a great stir any time i showed up in it and people, well, saw me. Steve C? Steve nearly ate grass he fell over laughing so hard. Mike screamed "holy god i thought it was a bumble bee!" Now, to be fair, although it does sound a teeny bit like a wind up toy when you rev the engine, it does move - i had it well above 85 at 3ish am more than one evening.  

But, hey, i was grateful to have a car to drive, regardless of what it looked like. And i'm thrilled my parents paid for it. And Elle? Dave? I think i talked the parents into at least something a *bit* bigger if they do help you get your next car(s). You're welcome. 

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Easy, Breezy, Beautiful: Color Girl

Background Noise: Bubbly, Colbie Caillat (i can hardly believe it myself)

Last Visited: Oak Park, Cupertino

Random Thought: High ceilings, lofty spaces, and master suites built for play rule; do they really need to come with a $700k+ price tag though? 

Mood: tired and it shows

 

Right before my lovely vacation home, i managed (finally) to officially change teams here at Apple: i'm now a full fledged, fully qualified, not at all on loan, member of the Color team within Final Cut Studio! 

I am seriously thrilled with the change; I've been on loan to the team a few times, and i have to say, i adore working with the SoCal boys. Working on FCE and FCP was a great ride, but sometimes you need a teeny bit of a change of scenery...

... and the view from this side of the building is certainly bright.

Expression:  

A Flutter of Activity

Background Noise: Amazing Glow

Last Visited: MI, Home

Random Thought: My various machines and devices really really really didn't want to come back from vacation; so i'm rebuilding pretty much all of them. 

Mood: good morning, starshine

Wow it's been a while since i've posted; and oh my has a lot happened! Instead of trying to cram it all into one post which i know i will fail at, and as i'm not feeling particularly witty this morning at all, i'll keep the posts short, sweet, and hopefully to the point. 

Feel free to cross your fingers, i might need the help. 

Steve and John got married! Twice! Once in a lovely and small ceremony in the Santa Clara County Courthouse Chapel/Cafeteria which Mike and I were honored to witness followed by a hilariously fun wedding dinner part 1 at the Los Gatos Brewing Company (which i'm fairly sad i don't have pictures of) with a motley crew of 10. And then the big party this weekend in Ann Arbor at the Michigan Theater (pictures to come as soon as i can twist some arms - this is what i get for not carrying my camera with me) which was touching, lovely, and really quite something. 

OT (can't help myself), a big congratulations to Chris and Liza on their beautiful baby girl Lola Mac, born on the fourth of july. May she have many years of fireworks ahead of her. Seriously guys, she's adorable.

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