| Life as a Rambling Hobo |
[Nov. 26th, 2007|02:53 pm] |
 So I'm living out of my car again. When did this start? I have no idea. Just one day I awoke to find that I had purchased a car that had seats that fold down to form a bed, and I kept a sleeping bag at all times in the back of the car. And, I have an overnight kit of sorts ready to go at my house, just in case. Like, grab and go.
Oh wait, I know. When I was just a boy, my parents made me learn to drive on a full-size Chevy Van - you know the kind, usually white delivery vans with no back windows. This one however had back windows, and was red. We sometimes called it the Big Red Van, or BRV. Mostly just the Van, though. Well halfway through my prime learning-to-drive years my Father installed a bed in the back of the van. Removable, yes, but a semi-permanent fixture. And yes, I do remember putting it to use in highschool ;) But this was the start of the wanderlust phase...
Last weekend was thanksgiving weekend, four days of freedom. How many of them did I spend sleeping in my own place, that I pay good money to rent out? Actually, counting it in hours is probably easier. Actually, I tend to count it in hours spent in my place but not sleeping: This weekend that count was 1. One hour. The whole four days. |
|
|
| aaaaaand Go! |
[Nov. 1st, 2007|12:34 pm] |
Another exciting week in the life of me: Meeting some new folks on Monday, dying and being brought back to life on Tuesday, being assaulted by zombies and other coworker muck on Wednesday, Thursday looks like more class and some normalcy, then Friday/Saturday/possibly Sunday holds more Canadian adventures. AND, next week looks promising as well ... at least, on the coffee front, if nothing else.
I think what was most interesting though was that as I was lying on the hospital bed trying to think somewhat cohesively, I had an extremely hard time forming any sarcastic thoughts. Mostly I was thinking, you know, I could probably call 3/4ths of the numbers in my cell phone, and they would arrive by my side within an hour if I wanted them to. The other fourth are either too far away, or for some reason have no soul. Sooo I had to have real conversation instead of random sarcastic thought because my brain would not function any other way. It was the same for other people I have seen in hospitals recently: all the thoughts were positive emotional thoughts, and sarcasm was harder than usual for them to manage. I haven't decided what to make of this yet.
Anyways just in case you're wondering I had a bad reaction to an allergy shot, and was all not able to breathe and coughing and shit for an hour or so, and after nearly passing out in my office demanded my boss drive me to the hospital. I'm fine now, thanks!
And so, Canada, yes. Either it goes really well, or really badly. Actually, last time I said that it went ... oh, I dunno, I've run out of simile's again. Sad. |
|
|
| Little lost puppy |
[Oct. 15th, 2007|08:57 pm] |
Some people think I'm hard to talk to and intimidating, but for today, I'm just a little lost puppy. I look (and was!) so terribly happy in this picture, and wish I could feel that way always. I was a bit rocky for a month, but now am happy better than average. Actually I was reading wikipedia, their article on happiness is pretty amusing. Apparently only two things improve happiness according to studies: marriage and pets.
I apologize for the short strike, but I was resolving social and technical issues involving facebooks and journals. Mostly fixed now, thanks for bearing with.
The brain has been churning on the friends issue for a while now, and the thoughts are more clear, but not clear enough to commit to paper. Perhaps in a bit.
I chased down the fedex truck that was carrying my new camera on Saturday morning, and then shortly after demanded that my Mother have breakfast with me. Mmmm, country eggs Benedict. Potato pancakes, sausage and bacon bits, eggs, and hollandaise, yum!
Soooo I've overcommitted myself socially and schooly and worky lately. Even if I've dropped a few things here or there it has been more fun than otherwise ... eh, I guess it has kept me from drinking as much. Mmm drinking ... |
|
|
| And......life goes on! |
[Aug. 19th, 2007|10:12 pm] |
Wow today was quite the adventure. Somehow after spending a thousand bucks or so I ended up with a matress (sitting on the floor) where my futon used to be, and a car with no oil in it. Long story, don't ask. Oh, and I got to hear my friend make weird burping noises from his colon as liquids flowed into a bag. What fun!
Let's see. I also ended up taking the railing off of our stairway, had some guy at a bike shop show me how to move my tire about 1 mm, I was called a jerk by some drunk chick for slamming a gate (I didn't slam it! I swear! It has a spring! It's all the spring's fault!), I got drunk with the atmo folk again (Ste, where are youuuuuu), got to drinking with my mother.
And there is yet more drama with the previous house rental. But I'm tired and don't want to go into it. Boring!
And I ran into one of my favourite boys (who is still taking a vacation from the world...!!) and his MOTHER! wow I love it. Meet the parents is so fun. I absolutely love introducing people to my parents or friends. The feedback is immediate, and oh-so-satisfyingly spot-on nearly all the time. |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Aug. 15th, 2007|10:52 am] |
The following graph succinctly summarizes my view on relationships, at least as I've been trying to describe it to people for some time now (thanks Ario!):
Unfortunately it is very one-sided; the people that fall in the 'dating potential' category for me seem not to be the same for them ;) Hence we end up with the need for an extra dimension, and we get cube-space, as has already been pointed out by other people. But really I find just those two factors are enough for any relationship: funny that. |
|
|
| Man oh man |
[Aug. 14th, 2007|09:11 am] |
 Last week was almost the perfect week. The weekend camping trip to Matt's Anacortes cabin was a fair success, although I must admit that's a lot of bodies for one cabin. We wandered around the park just off of the marina, which was lots of fun. Good views and a good hiking adventure. Leslie remembered to bring s'more material this time too, so we had good eats as well.
 Now a little jump back to friday. Had a great dinner with friends I haven't seen in a while, and delicious delicious wine. And then I kept running into more and more people throughout the night; I've now run in to all of the atmo science boys at UW I think, I ran into J&V and their hoodlums again, and finally some of Eric's MS boys, to which I invited myself along to their party. Ha! Fantastic.
I have vague ideas of a biking and a hiking trip in the next few weekends. Very exciting. I just have a damndest time convincing other people that playing in the sun is actually fun... |
|
|
| I apologize |
[Aug. 1st, 2007|10:38 am] |
Sorry, that little bit of emo was necessary. Now, back to our regularly scheduled idea stream...
----
It's all I can do to prevent myself from singing out loud in the office. I'll be walking down the street with my sansa, and if a song I know comes on, I'll just sing and dance around a bit, pretend like I'm playing maybe. I used to be embarrassed by people thinking strange things about seeing such a person walking down the street doing this, but no longer. What's the fun in not being a freak?
----
Boys! Oh boys. Last friday I had a killer gym workout, then went home and passed out for a bit to recover. Woke up around ten, and within half a minute I was on my way to Purr. Now, the combination of just-waking-up and being assaulted by 30 of my closest friends at the bar was an interesting experience. I can't remember anything anyone said, but I think I saw the guy that sits in the cube outside my office at Purr. As well as some people from California? And were those two really making out on the couch? Ew. He was so flirtatious last week, I would have slept with him if his taste in boys wasn't so terrible.
----
My new job is crazy. Well, the two people that I interact with are crazy in that very fun-lets-get-work-done sort of way. Crazy smart? My kind of people. Now, if they'd only hire me. I'm doing work for them, but they arn't paying me yet. What gives? Although this work I'd almost do for free just to put it on my resume, if I didn't have to eat and stuff. I mean, if bars weren't so expensive. I mean, if I didn't have such an expensive taste in wine.
----
Last Saturday was the I'm-feeling-depressed-lets-get-drunk day. Brought out the flask, add cheap whiskey, away we go. I think I need to splurge and buy myself a more expensive flask. At least that way I'll seem halfway classy (and anyone that thinks a flask isn't classy really has no sense of class... or isn't a drunkard). Speaking of drunkards, they are some of my favourite people.
----
This morning I was walking to work, and noticed a newspaper selling machine on the street corner just down from my house. Now, this was in a residential neighbourhood, it was quite surprising to find it there. Furthermore, there was a very-fat chik in her early 30's attempting to buy the morning paper with a bunch of quarters. She was ham-fisted, and trying to grab some quarters from the return slot, she obviously had only exact change. Oh, and she was smoking at the same time. Somehow I was strangly jealous. She must have a good life: sleeping in, reading the newspaper, eating junk food, and smoking. The little pleasures of life. If only I could give in to simple pleasures that easily: they make life worth living.
----
Good day. |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Aug. 1st, 2007|07:42 am] |
Dating is terribly depressing. Nothing seems to last, even if you want it to. Looking back, I guess I just expected to find more than I have the last few years. Am I doing something wrong? Unfortunately I don't think so, I've played with nearly every variable I could think of. But there are one or two left...
I got in to Grad School at UW. Night program for CSE. I've also moved places ... this is the first time I'm not living with friends from high school. In fact, I am the only single person from our friend clique left from High School that still lives in Seattle. Why is this?
In any case, the goal should now be fairly obvious: If at the end of Grad School there is nothing to keep me in Seattle, I'm leaving. SF or NYC seem the obvious choices, but my eyes are open. If Seattle won't continue to grow with me, then it's time to leave. Seattle how I've loved you, but you haven't loved back. |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Jul. 25th, 2007|12:15 pm] |
|
In addition to my hatred of breaking up with people over txtmsg, I would like to add: your boss asking if you're quitting over im. |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[May. 2nd, 2007|12:40 pm] |
Like, I broke my shit. Now that that is out of the way....
The chick across the hall needs to stop listening to mika, he's so last month. He's remixed his own stuff, and was on annie mac last week. |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Apr. 23rd, 2007|06:21 pm] |
Dave going real fast
'cept they made us beginners wear ugly blue shirts...oh well.
I also went camping, and did the usual beach-camping things: |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Apr. 16th, 2007|11:14 am] |
Dearest world,
It is strange that I've gotten more interviews through my drinking buddies than I have through all other sources combined? Like as in, if I'm in need of a job, I should just go drinking?
Also, I failed a phone screen last week. Failed a phone screen! I've never done that before. I even studied...but the wrong things it would seem.
I took the GRE's a while back and got rediculous scores...90+ percentile reading/arithmatiking. Just so's you know nerdy computer types can get good scores in engrish as well.
Even more evidence to prove that the hiring process is fundamentally broken. Is this a problem technology can't fix, or does someone just need to make a better monster.com? |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Mar. 11th, 2007|11:11 am] |
I've been going Bauhaus every Sunday morning for a while now to just read a book and drink some tea. Barring the fact that I was an hour late due to daylight savings time today, this morning was no different. A little rainy on the ride over perhaps, but that's nothing new.
The line was a bit longer than usual, perhaps because of the later hour. Just placing his order was a guy looking to be about in his 20's, with faded jeans, messenger bag, overly-done hair. He seemed a bit unrefined at first glance, I'm not quite sure what gave me that impression. At first I was a bit annoyed, he had neglected to remember that one has to pay for their coffee after the order it, and was very busy digging around in his messenger bag for his wallet.
So I said to him,
"Yea, I know, I have a hard time remembering to pay sometimes too",
In that oh-so-sarcastic voice that goes on in my head. Ok, so I didn't really say that, but man.
Eventually I get my cinnamon donut and english breakfast tea, and stare outside for a bit wishing it wasn't raining. I like to sit in front of the window by my bike, I get a bit nervous in that spot, as I can totally imagine a car knocking it over, as it sticks out an inch or two farther than the other parked cars. Not that I would be able to do anything about it if it did happen.
So up comes an SUV, and stops a bit too close for comfort to my bike; it caught my attention. Suddenly, the guy from the coffee line jumps in the car. More interesting was that it appeared his mother was driving the car.
Suddenly, all sorts of scenarios go through my head:
Was his mom that cool that she would let him stay out all night on capitol hill, then pick him up in the morning?
Was she in town running errands, and lets him walk around capitol hill?
She didn't look angry, this wasn't an I'm-stuck-and-need-a-ride ride. God knows a gay teen with any sort of ambition (read: sexual drive) has had enough of those, although hopefully only from his car-owning friends.
Obviously I had misjudged his age, and the not-so-refined clothing look fit the picture perfectly.
Perhaps he was shopping?
Or was 'staying at a friends house' for the evening, and his mom was just picking him up?
Now I wish I had been nicer to him. |
|
|
| Curtousy of defmacro via reddit via planetlisp: |
[Jan. 30th, 2007|04:11 pm] |
Comparing CL to a Ducati is just too perfect.
"When you drive a car", he said, "there is a disconnect between your thoughts and the machine. You sense it, but you're never really conscious of it until you get a bike. You want the car to accelerate, you add some gas, and then you have to wait for a split second before the car listens to you. On a bike this delay is so much smaller, your brain doesn't really register it. You think of something, and you're there. A bike becomes a part of you - an extension of your body. You'll probably need a Ferrari to achieve such unity with a car."
 |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Jan. 22nd, 2007|05:56 pm] |
Random observations #435 and #654:
435) I cyclically go through periods of not being able to return anyone's phone call within a day or two, and calling 5+ people a day and not having them call me back within a day. I don't get it. I would understand part a and b if on b I got ahold of more people, but it seems to be more broadly related than just a single individual. Phone menstrual patterns anyone?
654) Another cycling loop: Sometimes I feel ontop of the game, have all the answers, always know what to do. Then I go through periods of incubation: always learning new things, never knowing the answer. One would think that the knowledge would build on itself and be a gradual upward slope, but it seems like more of a sine wave. Hmmm, or a sine waye superimposed on a slope = 1.
Wow. That was dry. |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Jan. 12th, 2007|03:08 pm] |
In continuation of our investigation of nerdy nerds and their physical demeanor, we have specimen #2. While bald, I still love the new solid-coloured shirt, no undershirt, and left untucked. If this ain't a football-lovin' man's man I don't know who is. Obviously nerdy, but still reflects his experience and seniority.
Bonus puntos to anyone who can name him & how many iPods he owns. |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Dec. 15th, 2006|11:43 am] |
Tools:
Go get firefox 2 now. Yay! You probably already had it. Now get 'del.icio.us Bookmarks' plugin. Note that there are like 20 different delicious plugins, this one is genius, the others suck. This one was made by yahoo! , so someone was actually paid to make it. The version I gots is 1.3.64.
Linux?
I think I've finally screwed my gentoo install up to where I don't care enough to fix it. I'm thinking Ubuntu, by all reports it is supposed to be dead-simple, and at this point that's what I want. Other suggestions?
Google Notebooks:
The suck. There's a good implementation and UI in there desperately trying to get out though...
Research:
I want to go back to school for a masters or PhD. Most schools want people with prior research experience. Unfortunately doing 2 degrees and studying abroad I had no time for such extracurriculars during my undergrad stay. Any ideas on how to get experience now? Good research assistant jobs somewhere?
Paper organization:
Like everyone else serious about their profession, I have lots of PDF papers about research topics. How do people organize these? They seem to come from everywhere randomly too, anyone have any ideas for a central area to find more from? (I'm a cheap bastard and haven't joined the ACM yet, or similar) |
|
|
| Seattle for Pyros |
[Dec. 11th, 2006|04:35 pm] |
I went to Ignite Seattle last Thursday. They had a bunch of cool talks about what you would expect...people opening art bars, web sites, and companies. Basically it was an outlet for geek enthusiasm. Like a fountain. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if there was a geek River of Slime running underneath the place.
But why would I be there? Sure it's fun to listen to talks, and go out on Thursday nights. But I was hardly in the targeted age bracket (it was an all-ages event, but I didn't see anyone younger than I), and unfortunately my enthusiasm was not up to par.
I was there because of boy #126 who I had met a month or so ago. I've been quite obsessed for no particular reason. Rather, the obsession has grown out of the fact that he doesn't live in the state, and I can imagine him to be whomever I would like1. The Perfect Person. The Ideal Mate. In any case he would have been there if he lived in Seattle, so I went.
But moreover, Ignite was on the hill. Capitol Hill2. I was hoping to spot #127, or even better, #126 #2. And the results? Not as well as I had hoped, but better than expected. It was a bit packed to work my magic (Ha! Anyone have an extra wand?), but a few faces did show up to see and be seen.
Soooooo.....the moral of this story is that I'm a whack job. That is all. Please return to your regularly scheduled web-browsing.
1I probably just butchered who/whom
2Which contains no capitols that I am aware of
3Please note the irony in picking up girls boys at a geek-fest. |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Nov. 19th, 2006|08:22 am] |
So. The pic fromXY as promised.
Really not so bad, eh? It's on a four-picture spread near the back, all from a halloween party. It made me chuckle all day to have made it in to such a trashy magazine (although admittedly not the first). Perhaps it means I should clean up my act? Ha!
--
Another bluegrass party last night, good fun. A packed house with pickers, drinkers, (pot) smokers, and dogs. All singin' the roof off in a oh-so-casual manor. It really is indescribable until you've seen one for yourself. But by the end of the night I was tired and feeling very diatonic. I think after five hours of playing my ear gives up on me, making it all sound the same.
Going for the last long run before the marathon today. Feeling not too bad anyhow.
Installing frame sliders. I dropped it in the garage, and somehow the only damage was busting of BOTH mirrors. How the fuck does that happen? So time for preventive measures anyhow.
Life has been toying with me. It provides plentiful companionship, but none live anywhere close to me. Yea, uh-huh. Big fuck you to .
Danny is in town as of last night, but hasn't called yet? Methinks he got drunk on the plane flight again ;).
Thanks to ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) evan's glowing words, I've picked up _Infinite Jest_. I'll probably go hold down a coffee shop or UW library today and read it a bit. Fun! |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Aug. 21st, 2006|02:46 am] |
Back from Japan! but jetlagged to the extreme. At this point I’ve decided to just stay up for the next day or so and just use lots of caffene to get me through. At least it sounds like a good plan at the moment.
Moved into the new house. It’s sexy. Floors that have real carpet on them, my own bathroom, and a garage to put my bike in, oh my. I did ride the 2 downtown today to do a little shopping (I need a wine rack: it’s either that or have folks over to drink all the wine sitting on the counter currently. Actually I plan to do both), and damn people on the 2 are crazy.
Got my haircut at the usual place, and damn they were sassy today. She asked how I wanted the back, to which I replied ‘straight accross’. So most paces ask if you want it blended down or straight across the back, right? Or so I thought. She then said ‘So that’s not really an answer. You have choices of following the growth, blended down, blended up, slanted to the right, or just some plucking here and there’ (ok, so she said something more realistic than that, but hell if I remember). Anyhow by now it should be quite obvious the only real reason I go there is for the wonderful sass. It is in the udist though, someone needs to suggest me some new places on cap hill.
I got asked to play at SeaFair! but I wasn’t in town. Oh well. In fact I haven’t been in town for most of this summer I feel like. And while it would be swell to go climbing with my pops next may in Napal, I think I’ve had quite enough of older folk and traveling for a bit, and would like to just chill. Just have to get through all the parents’ guilt-tripping about why I’m not going now..... |
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| [ |
go |
| |
earlier |
] |
| |
|
|
