Archive for September, 2008

2008.09.05

Save the Date; Halloween Party Time!

Just so you know, you should save the date for our Third Annual Bury These People in a Cemetery Halloween Party. It will be on October 31st from 8PM at my place. Invitations will start flowing (as well as an official announcement here on the site).

2008.09.04

Free Range Kids

Quite a long time ago I lamented the fact that children today seem so protected from the world (of mostly imagined danger) that they are losing all sense of adventure. They don’t get to play outside as much (and they’re getting fat because of it). They seem to live in parentally controlled environments… Safe, clean, and somewhat sterile.

When I was a kid we didn’t have bicycle helmets. Heck, we only wore shin guards playing soccer because we were told we had to have them. We walked to school, and not the cliche “two miles uphill both ways in the snow” but seriously at least half a mile. We walked to and from our friends houses alone and sometimes after dark. We played in the woods. We made treehouses out of found (and sometimes stolen) planks of wood and nails, and swung from ropes over creeks. We never had to sneak out of the house because it was expected that we’d go out and play. We didn’t have arranged “play dates” at proscribed hours, we were simply told to go out and play after we did our homework and to be home by dinner time.

I can’t imagine what it must be like to grow up as a kid today. I don’t know when young parents got so protective of their children that they started to stifle them. Maybe it was when a few kids died falling off a bike (a helmet could have saved them!) or maybe when some pervert kidnapped a kid when they were at the playground (the parent should have never let them out of their sight!). Maybe when the newspapers and newscasters tried to garner every ounce of interest out of some murderer blaming his problems on his childhood when he got lost and was oh so scared or maybe some stupid marketer making parents paranoid that the little scrape on their child’s knee would lead to infection and eventual amputation of the leg.

I don’t know but I sincerely hope that if/when I have kids I raise them differently. And it’s refreshing to see that other people, people with kids themselves, see this issue in the same way. If you’re curious about their stories I suggest going to Free Range Kids. Start here and then dig into some of the entries, especially the comments. I miss my childhood adventures. I wouldn’t want my kids to not have the opportunity to miss their own.

2008.09.03

Fire Near Work!

Yesterday’s excitement was a fire across the street from work. While some of my friends on Facebook didn’t believe it happened unless pictures were posted, it did actually happen. No news yet on what caused the fire. Pictures, in case my readers here don’t believe me, can be found at Banana Land and with zionvlad.

2008.09.03

Three Way Stop

We’ve all seen four way stop sign intersections. We’ve all had to wait for cross traffic at two way stop sign intersections. Have any of you ever had to deal with a three way stop sign intersection? Especially one that has traffic coming from all four directions? As far as I know there’s only one intersection like this in San Francisco, at the corner of Powell and Filbert Streets in North Beach. Can you think of any others?

2008.09.02

Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Soundtrack

In case any of you missed it, the soundtrack to Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is now available at the iTunes Store. Also, in case any of you were wondering what the lyrics for the songs are, look no further.

2008.09.02

Tooting the Horn for VIZ

I normally don’t brag too much about my place of work, even though it’s one of the best places I’ve ever worked in my life. That being said an email was sent out internally that linked to several articles (in Japanese) that have pretty positive coverage of our company and what we do there. What surprised me was the pictures. I work there, so I see it through my own eyes in the same way almost everyday. This is where photographs can give you a fresh perspective on the places you see everyday and (sadly) sometimes take for granted. Anyways, here’s the links:One (I love how AG looks so-o not happy to have her picture taken), two (there’s a picture of my space! it’s the one with the “HUMONEY” sign), three (weird that they included a picture of our Halloween party from two years ago…?) and four (with a picture of Ev’s magical forest of a desk).

2008.09.01

Big Surf Day

Though this happened 8 days ago, I see that Zionvlad finally posted up his excellent pictures from our big group surf day. A little over 20 of us went. I gave lessons to seven people; all of them managed to stand up at least once which is amazing to me. I guess that’s why he gave my picture the caption The Professor.