Well, we had our DIT Christmas Luncheon today, and as the new guy I was looking for a way to make a nice sort of "happy to be here" splash, and thankfully the Food Network came to my rescue a little while ago with the 30 Minute Meals show, namely the recipe for the Five Minute Fudge 'Wreath'.
Yes, it really was as decadent as it sounds, and I can vouch for the recipe. Down to the maraschino cherries on top. Five minutes, start to finish, and after the luncheon I'm only going home with a half pound from a two-pound recipe. Considering mine was one of six desserts among twentyish people, I'd call that a success. After all, it's rich, and it only takes a little to give someone that "OMG, I'm so fudged out" feeling. :-D
You never know when a little domesticity will pop up.
You listening, ladies? I'm an experienced chocolate wrangler now!
-Rich
PS. I really wish I'd snapped a picture with my lil' digital camera... It looked really good! Maybe I'll make another for the trip home...
Thursday, December 13, 2001
Monday, December 03, 2001
Wow. December. Where the devil did 2001 go?
Well, it's a heavily computerized, self-righting, gyroscope-stabilized, 16-miles-on-a-single-charge, 17-mph-top-speed, really expensive scooter.
But it is, in summary, a scooter. Yes, there's the possibility of it changing the world and making cars useless within cities and saving city-dwellers on gasoline costs and solving the world's energy problems... but it's a scooter. You still get wet when it rains. You still have to dodge people and park it somewhere and fit it into every city's pedestrian ordnances somewhere. And it will cost the average Joe $3,000.00 to own one at the start. Three thousand dollars.
But then again, there's the simple fact that if it had existed while I worked at Virginia Power (a four-mile commute - too long to walk in a timely fashion, but too short to drive PITA-free), I'd have bought one, if only to save the daily wear and tear on the Taurus. I also live less than four miles from all of the following (and less than two miles from most): two grocery stores, at least five gas stations, two movie theaters, two bookstores, the ABC store, Wine & Beer Warehouse, a brew pub, a BBQ restaurant, a Thai restaurant, numerous fast food joints, a car wash, my voting location, two hardware stores, three computer/electronics stores, a Wal-Mart, a Target, and several other spiffy things I'm probably failing to mention. Location, location, location, yes, but more to the point, I could really use one of these things, so long as there was some way to handle parcels, since I usually travel places in order to pick something up. "Scootering" with a forty-pound bag of dog food and two bags of groceries strikes me as no fun.
Update: just checked, and it looks like they're planning some sort of clip-on trolley allowing for 300 lbs. of cargo. Still, seems unwieldy.
Seems like a sort of kooky idea, but then again the telephone itself had a hard time finding a market.
-Rich
Debut of the SuperScooter
It seems that IT (also known as "Ginger," and now its commercial name "Segway") has been released to the world, and IT's a scooter.Well, it's a heavily computerized, self-righting, gyroscope-stabilized, 16-miles-on-a-single-charge, 17-mph-top-speed, really expensive scooter.
But it is, in summary, a scooter. Yes, there's the possibility of it changing the world and making cars useless within cities and saving city-dwellers on gasoline costs and solving the world's energy problems... but it's a scooter. You still get wet when it rains. You still have to dodge people and park it somewhere and fit it into every city's pedestrian ordnances somewhere. And it will cost the average Joe $3,000.00 to own one at the start. Three thousand dollars.
But then again, there's the simple fact that if it had existed while I worked at Virginia Power (a four-mile commute - too long to walk in a timely fashion, but too short to drive PITA-free), I'd have bought one, if only to save the daily wear and tear on the Taurus. I also live less than four miles from all of the following (and less than two miles from most): two grocery stores, at least five gas stations, two movie theaters, two bookstores, the ABC store, Wine & Beer Warehouse, a brew pub, a BBQ restaurant, a Thai restaurant, numerous fast food joints, a car wash, my voting location, two hardware stores, three computer/electronics stores, a Wal-Mart, a Target, and several other spiffy things I'm probably failing to mention. Location, location, location, yes, but more to the point, I could really use one of these things, so long as there was some way to handle parcels, since I usually travel places in order to pick something up. "Scootering" with a forty-pound bag of dog food and two bags of groceries strikes me as no fun.
Update: just checked, and it looks like they're planning some sort of clip-on trolley allowing for 300 lbs. of cargo. Still, seems unwieldy.
Seems like a sort of kooky idea, but then again the telephone itself had a hard time finding a market.
-Rich
Tuesday, November 27, 2001
Update
It's been a few days since my last update, so here's the latest (and it's not Emode test results, either!).
Life at DIT is good; lots of friendly faces, and lots of welcoming handshakes. Lots of work to do, too - it's nice to be busy again.
Life with the AirPort is nonexistent. It's worse than that; it's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead. Apple seems to take delight in their stance that the $300 piece of highly specialized electronics "has no plan for service," i.e., if it breaks the move to fix it is buying a new one. Apple is now a pioneer in the field of the disposable wireless base station. Hope the Cupertino crowd is proud of itself. >:-(
There is a range of serial numbers for which Apple will perform a free replacement, but mine doesn't fall within the range. Fortunately some disgruntled dead-AirPort owners have been working on the problem, and if you want to get creative with a soldering iron and some $10 replacement capacitors from Radio Shack a fix is available. I have a soldering iron and tools for taking on such silliness should I land a free weekend, and the thing is a doorstop now anyway (I can hardly break it any worse), so I'll probably give the fix a shot one of these days.
Further bulletins as events warrant,
-Rich
Life at DIT is good; lots of friendly faces, and lots of welcoming handshakes. Lots of work to do, too - it's nice to be busy again.
Life with the AirPort is nonexistent. It's worse than that; it's dead, Jim, dead, Jim, dead. Apple seems to take delight in their stance that the $300 piece of highly specialized electronics "has no plan for service," i.e., if it breaks the move to fix it is buying a new one. Apple is now a pioneer in the field of the disposable wireless base station. Hope the Cupertino crowd is proud of itself. >:-(
There is a range of serial numbers for which Apple will perform a free replacement, but mine doesn't fall within the range. Fortunately some disgruntled dead-AirPort owners have been working on the problem, and if you want to get creative with a soldering iron and some $10 replacement capacitors from Radio Shack a fix is available. I have a soldering iron and tools for taking on such silliness should I land a free weekend, and the thing is a doorstop now anyway (I can hardly break it any worse), so I'll probably give the fix a shot one of these days.
Further bulletins as events warrant,
-Rich
Thursday, November 15, 2001
Just so I get a post in...
My Flavor from emode.com...
Mmm ... dark chocolate! Rich and luxurious, you're the flavor of pure decadence. (In fact, we think we feel our hips getting bigger just thinking about you.) Utterly indulgent and as smooth as silk, you're impossible to deny. Some might even call you addictive — and, truth be told, for those who love you, it's usually a life-long craving. Poor saps. It's not your fault you're so irresistible. But you're happy to let people worship at your altar — as long as they're willing to wrap you up in gold foil (24-karat, mind you), you're delighted to be adored. Sumptuous and intoxicating, you're a truly tasty treat.
...Everyone taking notes? :-D
-Rich
My Flavor from emode.com...
Mmm ... dark chocolate! Rich and luxurious, you're the flavor of pure decadence. (In fact, we think we feel our hips getting bigger just thinking about you.) Utterly indulgent and as smooth as silk, you're impossible to deny. Some might even call you addictive — and, truth be told, for those who love you, it's usually a life-long craving. Poor saps. It's not your fault you're so irresistible. But you're happy to let people worship at your altar — as long as they're willing to wrap you up in gold foil (24-karat, mind you), you're delighted to be adored. Sumptuous and intoxicating, you're a truly tasty treat.
...Everyone taking notes? :-D
-Rich
Monday, November 12, 2001
Blogging Duty Calls
Jeez, I forgot to mention that my new job starts tomorrow. :-) Yep, today's my last day as a free spirit; tomorrow I once again go under the thumb of the Man.
I'll be working for the Virginia Department of Information Technology, System Development Division (DIT SDD), and thus seeing old friends again and learning new skillz. Rather than Visual Basic (which has fallen from favor due to some incompetence on the part of another agency), I'll be hip-deep in ColdFusion, and perhaps Java servlets under Linux. W00t!
Also, my AirPort has decided to fall over and is blinking its three LEDs an angry red, refusing either to see the DSL-modem-providing CAT5 cable I've got plugged into it or to acknowledge the 802.11b hailing of the iBook right next to it. Sad, tormented AirPort; to make matters more humorous, Apple support is having phone line difficulties, and as such I can't call for help until 11 AM or so. Oh well, I don't generally surf from Tangy Beep anyway. It's my writing machine, and so the removal of distracting influences from it would normally be a good thing. Except that AirPorts don't grow on trees, and I hate the idea of being stuck with a busted piece of hardware.
Hmm. What else is going on? Today's Laundry Day in preparation for tomorrow. I also got bored a few weeks ago and put together this leafy montage of Autumn by running around my apartment complex and making a nuisance of myself with my Earthlink-freebie digital camera. The thing came with some album management software that allowed the automated throwing-together of a page like this one, so I figured, what the heck. :-) I don't usually fall prey to shutterbug fits, but give me too much time on my hands and I can apparently be dangerous.
-Rich
I'll be working for the Virginia Department of Information Technology, System Development Division (DIT SDD), and thus seeing old friends again and learning new skillz. Rather than Visual Basic (which has fallen from favor due to some incompetence on the part of another agency), I'll be hip-deep in ColdFusion, and perhaps Java servlets under Linux. W00t!
Also, my AirPort has decided to fall over and is blinking its three LEDs an angry red, refusing either to see the DSL-modem-providing CAT5 cable I've got plugged into it or to acknowledge the 802.11b hailing of the iBook right next to it. Sad, tormented AirPort; to make matters more humorous, Apple support is having phone line difficulties, and as such I can't call for help until 11 AM or so. Oh well, I don't generally surf from Tangy Beep anyway. It's my writing machine, and so the removal of distracting influences from it would normally be a good thing. Except that AirPorts don't grow on trees, and I hate the idea of being stuck with a busted piece of hardware.
Hmm. What else is going on? Today's Laundry Day in preparation for tomorrow. I also got bored a few weeks ago and put together this leafy montage of Autumn by running around my apartment complex and making a nuisance of myself with my Earthlink-freebie digital camera. The thing came with some album management software that allowed the automated throwing-together of a page like this one, so I figured, what the heck. :-) I don't usually fall prey to shutterbug fits, but give me too much time on my hands and I can apparently be dangerous.
-Rich
Wednesday, November 07, 2001
Wow, I missed October
Oh well. I haven't been in much of a blogging mood, despite having troughs of free time, spending it online and/or kvetching about the fact just didn't sit with me.
Nevertheless, I do feel in the mood for some test copycatting, so here goes:
Nevertheless, I do feel in the mood for some test copycatting, so here goes:
I AM 62% GEEK. Nerd, Freak, Geek, Dweeb. Sound familiar? That's okay, cause I will be the richest person at my 15th year high-school reunion. If a "con" isn't happening that weekend. | Anyone really surprised here? :-) I'm actually surprised this result wasn't a lot higher, but the hardware in my bedroom isn't Cisco, it's Linksys and/or custom. |
I AM 13% PUNK. It's not a fashion craze, or even a cool thing to do. I should just swallow it, get Lost, and take my friends with me. | Punk? That's funny. If I had shaved anything outside my chin (or failed to shave that, even) when punk was anything emulable, I'd have been sent to military school for sanitizing. :-) |
I AM 25% GOTH. Goth by night, normal by day. Deep in my heart I know I am evil, but not on the company's time. I do need to eat. | Strictly speaking I'm too old to have a shot at being Goth in any way, though I could possibly have gone that way if it wouldn't have gotten me skinned at school or shipped off from home (see above). The test didn't ask musical preferences, though... Does the fact that I like Godsmack and Rob Zombie count? |
I am 16% Raver. Have I even been to a rave? I'll go home. Loser. I suck. Actually, I am probably just a normal person taking this test and don't know why. | RAVER? Don't you need to know people who go to parties to be one of those? ;-) |
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