Archive for February, 2006

2006.02.17

In Tahoe for the Weekend

I’m in Tahoe right now. While I do have internet access (thanks to however the owner of the MSHOME wifi network is) I’m not sure I’ll be posting much. There will be something like 15 of us here in the “cabin” and I’m sure we’re going to be busy.

Snowboarding!

2006.02.16

Site Navigation

I don’t know how I missed this when I created the theme for this site and OOKEE.com but Mookee pointed out that you couldn’t navigate to older material from the front page.

That’s fixed now. If you scroll to the bottom of the front page on either site you’ll see links to Older or Newer Entries. Useful! Keen! Use the bloody thing so you can get to the older stuff you might have missed! Now! Exclaimation!

2006.02.16

Joe DiMaggio Pool

I’ve got a new habit developing. After going to Austin and swimming in Barton Springs I decided to take advantage of the indoor pool at the Joe DiMaggio Clubhouse (Lombard and Powell). I would prefer to surf but I haven’t been out in months and this allows me to keep in shape.

I’m sore but it’s a good sore. Now I need to get some goggles so I can see where I’m going. I’m hoping this helps with the sleep problem I’ve been having lately. We’ll see!

2006.02.15

Microsoft Wants to Nix Passwords

This has got to be a joke. Bill Gates, bless his heart for philanthropy and curse him for Micro$oft, wants to get rid of the weak link in the computer security model: passwords. Eh?

Microsoft has described InfoCard as a technology that gives users a single place to manage various authentication and payment information, in the same way a wallet holds multiple credit cards

Eegads. Mr. Gates, the only wallet that’s really secure is yours because you can afford to hire a security detail. Our wallets, however, are subject to loss, mugging, and rain.

Besides, how is storing your passwords in a “wallet” different than having a bloody password in the first place?

2006.02.14

An Issue of Sleep

I haven’t been sleeping well for the past couple weeks. I’ve had insomnia and odd sleeping patterns in the past so I’m not unfamilar with getting too little sleep. This time it’s different. This time I’m not agonizing at 4AM thinking I have to get up in too few hours. This time I haven’t gone 80 days averaging less than four hours of sleep a night.

No, this time I’m waking up early. Yo, what’s up with that! I can handle not falling asleep, but this waking up involuntarily and not being able to fall asleep again… It’s like being trapped with colicky babies sitting on either side of you on a non-stop flight around the world. It drives me nuts.

Several people have several theories. What are yours? Most people seem to say exercise will help alleviate the problem. After work I did some laps in the pool near work. We’ll see if that helps. Meanwhile this weird sleeping thing is bothering me greatly. WTF?

Is this a sign of getting older?

2006.02.13

Czech Nostalgia

All it takes is one article to make me miss Prague. I remember visiting the cathedral. It’s strange to me that there’s any conflict about who owns it, but then things are simpler for me as the outsider. I would like to go back, though.

<sigh>Someday.</sigh>

2006.02.11

Sugar Candy City

After the game last night I walked back with some other VIZ people. Unfortunately I lost them. I was walking along Embarcadero and observing everything; people, empty cars, landmarks. I do this a lot when I’m walking long distances and I forget most everything around me. I don’t know if I pulled ahead or if I got left behind but when I thought to look where they were again I didn’t see them. Urgh.

I got lost in thought with each step and eventually remembered something I first observed in Prague. Cities are like slowly growing crystals. Very slowly over time a patch of ground gets more organized, larger and taller. I envisioned San Francisco as excess sugar in hot, supersaturated water growing crystaline forms as the liquid cooled.

Walking past downtown with all the buildings lit up, seeing a large crystal required little imagination. I felt euphoric staring up as my legs pumped out the two and a half miles through our sugar candy city.

2006.02.11

Parable of the Spineless Man

I love parables. This one by John Russell is one of the better ones I’ve read.

There once was a man without a spine.

He was a very likable guy. The advantage of not having a spine was that he could fit himself to anyone, and he frequently did. He could flex this way and that.

But he couldn’t stand up …

…and being kinda mushy and flat most of the time, people often walked on him without realizing he was there.

It goes from there to the man finally growing a spine and finding actual love. It’s a great parable criticizing the supposed “nice guys” out there. These are guys who complain and whine that nice guys finish last, that women always go for jerks, and debunks the false righteousness these idiots take. Many of the links at that last link really got me thinking because I know there was a time when I was that “nice guy” and I’m not proud of it.

The difference between nice guys and guys who are nice is one uses his supposed niceness as a means to manipulate others (and complain when it doesn’t work) and guys who are nice simply are nice without ulterior motive.

2006.02.11

Japan vs. USA Men’s Soccer Exhibition

Japan Attacks37,000 people crammed into Pacific Bell Park last night to watch the American and Japanese men’s national soccer teams play the pitch. The field was slick but that didn’t stop the action.

I was lucky to get a free ticket to go from my employer. I played soccer growing up but ran into resistance when I moved back to America and stopped playing, but the game still holds a place in my heart. I always had a weakness for the underdog in any game, and that’s why my sympathies in this game were with Japan.

I thought Japan was going to get trounced by the end of the first half. They had poor ball control, weren’t attacking the ball, and looked tired. America was running circles around them. Then in the second half they started playing. While America still had much better ball control Japan was attacking in came very close to a tie score in the four minutes of extra time.

And America won 3-2. We did well and I hope our teams keep improving and contending on the world stage. Soccer really is one of the few global sports, despite what American football, baseball and basketball would have you think, and I love that we are finally making a mark.

2006.02.10

Home, Home on the Range

Last night I went out with the Defiant One, his friend Lou and his wife, Remy. We ate at Range.

Located in what used to be Timos (842 Valencia Street) and completely renovated, Range has great food prepared by their chef and owner Phil and desserts by Michelle. I think we ate to bursting and would have had more if we had room. Definitely an event (there were three birthdays last night including Mr. Defiance) and date place.

And though you’re reading this in the morning it’s now 1AM, so I’m going to bed!