Pure Vanity.
A friend broke the news that he has a second child on the way.
I was like, “Already? Must be the Irish Catholic in you!”
It occurs to me that now his first born has entered ankle-biting school. And maybe some of you have kids. How are you to know your child has a future in programming?
Well I don’t know, but I do have a story.
[The terrible threes after the jump.]Continue reading
I’m preparing a list of things to do tomorrow, when it occurs to me:
I wonder if Larry or Sergei ever have to fix their family members’ computers?
If so, that’s got to be the World’s Most Expensive Tech Support.
I wonder how many six(or more)-figure-salary software engineers weekend as the family Geek Squad?
“The front office is to your back that way and to your left,” someone says.
The delivery man walks a bit, gets confused, and looks at me across the floor, “Which way from here?” he points.
“It’s right of that.” I shout back.
He points in another direction, “That way?”
“No. Bisect the angle you just created.”
…blank stare…
“Errr…Or something.”
Mathematics is the universal language of science, not FedEx.
My computer has a GPS in it using the same SIRFstar III chipset as my hiking handheld, which also doubles as my cycling GPS.
On the Mac, it appears as a “USB-serial” device whose driver is made by Prolific Technology which, coincidentally, makes the driver for my camera GPS receiver. Like all SIRFstar III GPSs, getting the acquisition took only a second, but a fix took a minute.
Great! Now what to do?
[gps madness after the jump]Continue reading
I hate feeling depressed…
Nikon D3, Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G
1/60sec @ f/18, iso200, 14mm (14mm)
When people ask what sort of subject I like to shoot, I say, “nature,” but it’s been over a year since I’ve done any outdoor photography. I don’t know if my one dimensionality is an escape from or the cause of my mild malaise. In fact, I can’t think of a single good reason why I should feel this way since my life has become monotonically better, including living in a city that I love.
So I decided to wake up at an unreasonable hour, drive somewhere and try to convince myself why my depression is irrational.
Nikon D3, Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G
2 exposures, 10 multi-exposures, 1/100sec @ f/18, iso200, 14mm (14mm)
One nice thing about living in San Francisco is Treasure Island doesn’t cost you a Bay Bridge toll. I’ve seen a thousand shots of the city from here, but very few taken at dawn.
[Ultrawide lenses, and multiple-exposures after the jump.]Continue reading
I’ve been writing lately about the three P’s: programming, photography, and politics. Many of you must be bored out of your mind and are thinking, Damn! Terry.TMI.
Time to break it up a bit.
A friend is in the process of moving to a new place. She mentioned that she had never lived on her own before. She’s always been with boyfriends or her parents.
[At home with the parents after the jump]Continue reading
While researching the previous article, I came across this hilarious quote:
This is a far cry from 1966, originally the Klingons were scotch tape Asians (Fong, 176); White actors given slanty eyes. The Klingon race incarnate all the characteristics that most scare White America. The Klingons are violent, ill tempered, lustful, and drunk. They are on a mission to destroy the peaceful Federation and take over the universe. Finally, they fight to the death preferring death to defeat or capture. One scene from an episode entitled The Trouble with Tribbles almost mirrors a scene from the 1944 film Dragon Seed. In both scenes the evil Asians show up at a restaurant and demand liquor, when they are denied they go on a violent rampage. Often, they are shown eating large hunks of meat off the bone Gengis Kahn style.
—“As-liens: The Final Frontier in Depicts of Yellow Peril in Popular Cinema”
I’m so going to have to do this at the next geek event.
It’s important to listen to feedback from your readers:
Comment on my blog from John:
Lol, what a complete load of bollocks. I can’t believe I wasted my life reading this.
Comment on my blog from “photog”:
“You are not a real photographer, look at your shots. Stick to being a dork and don’t post this nonsense. Your camera doesn’t help your images.”
…
There is this old joke about how waitresses at Denny’s have to look ugly in order to make their food taste better:
Diner: “Excuse me, miss. There is something wrong with my Grand Slam breakfast.”
Waitress: “Hmm. Let me see.” *holds breakfast next to face* “Now does it look better?”
…
To John, photog, and others. Thanks for being the Denny’s waitresses of this blog. I always appreciate how your insightful commentary make me look good.
A college friend once once went to a Denny’s in the Florida panhandle. It was closed. “Sorry we’re closed,” the guy inside said.
“But the sign outside says, you’re ‘Open 24 hours,’” my buddy pointed out.
“Yeah, but not all at once.”
S—: Hey, Terry. She broke up with me last night.
Me: I didn’t know you were dating someone.
S—: Can I join your Afraid-of-Women club?
Me: You have to be the one to break it off first. It’s like Whac-A-Mole
[More relationship strategery after the jump.]Continue reading
Blurb is hosting Lunch 2.0 today on Valentine’s Day!
Reading people’s twitter’s I think
Am I the only single person who loves Valentine’s day?
Oh the gifts, flowers, chocolates, singing telegram, and the the restaurant dinner reservation! I love watching the public trauma this day brings to two people in love. Sometimes it is like a romance sped up. Other times it is a romantic comedy in miniature, but mostly it is a complete disaster—still memorable in a “visit the inlaws” sort of way.
To that last one, I remember how my friend Jay broke up with his girlfriend by taking her to McDonald’s for Valentine’s—given how I love fast food, this would probably be my ideal date. 😀
I thank that I never have had to privately experience that public trauma. Historo-mathematically, it should have happened—I know that I’ve been in a relationship during some February 14th of the past, but somehow I’ve been spared any compulsion to participate.
Instead, I normally celebrate it by spamming friends and family with an e-card.
Not this year.
[Triumphs of the Human Spirit]Continue reading