Shoutin' Out

Been an exciting few days at the work establishment. Gyration concerning who's getting what project. Ah well - I figure it'll all work out one way or another.

In other news, an old friend hunted me down recently (thanks to Tripp's oh-so-neglected blog; apparently his name is easier to search for than mine), and we've reestablished contact. Always great to have friendliness falling from the sky. :-D If you're reading, you know who you are!

On the writing front, things have accelerated again with the arrival of a few books on novel writing that I ordered from Amazon. Motivation, baby. Can't beat it. :-p

I also received my SpeedPass today; for those of you who might not know this bit of bourgeois tech, it's a little keychain (sent free by SpeedPass Inc. or whoever when you sign up and link it to a credit or debit card) that you wave in front of a sensor (in most cases at the gas pump), at which point the little gizmo communicates your account number (*not* your card number) and receipt yes/no preference to the pump and hey presto, you're pumping gas without having to rummage in your wallet in front of God and everybody.

SpeedPass has only the one gas-pump use in Richmond right now (and only at select Exxons, no less - but there's one not two blocks from my apartment - score!), but it's catching on fast, and soon should be accepted at McDonalds', grocery stores, auto-service shops and the like. Superfluous as it might sound (how hard is getting out a credit card, really?), it has the virtue of being simple enough to use that your average Joe Sixpack or Jane Boxwine can use it without memorizing PINs or fumbling with gas-machine card readers and a worn-down credit card stripe.

But let's not forget the matter of having to cancel your SpeedPass immediately if you lose your key ring, because requiring neither PIN nor signature is a great way to give people who find a lost SpeedPass free money. Luckily I can't remember the last time I lost my keys permanently - if I ever have, in 15 years of driving. Knock wood. :-D

Anything else going on? Oh yes, I've discovered spaceflight games again: some oldies but goodies. StarLancer, Wing Commander: Prophecy and Freespace 2, in order of preference. Excellent action and eye candy. Just what the doctor ordered for stress.

-Rich