Yinsight

RIP, Grandma

2009-10-03T11:47:00.002-05:00

Thank you.

Thanks, Roger

2009-07-06T09:51:00.003-05:00

Congratulations, Roger. Thank you for allowing me to witness sports genius at its finest.

I've had the opportunity to follow the careers of Gretzsky, Jordan, and Woods. You do make them look average.

Pure Joy

2009-04-14T23:47:00.003-05:00

Just in case you've forgotten what pure joy is, watch a woman realize her life-long dream. Congratulations, Susan Boyle.

Third Time's The Charm?

2009-04-05T16:00:00.008-05:00

As a previous owner of the 7 inch Asus Eee PC and the Dell Mini 9, I had become disenchanted with netbooks. The Eee PC was underpowered, had a keyboard suitable for toddlers, and was both noisy and butt ugly. The Dell Mini 9's keyboard is not useable by any technical person. Try hitting any of the following keys without slowing down: ', ", [, ], {, and }. Worst yet, the up arrow was on the same row as the right shift key. For someone who spends most of the day cursing at syntax-highlighted source code in vim, this is unacceptable.

Last week, C brought home the HP Mini Vivienne Tam Edition. I scoffed at this red and flowery overpriced netbook. However, after spending some time typing on it and browsing the web, I was impressed. So impressed that I went to Best Buy and bought the non-designer version, the HP Mini 1030.

This time around, I am restraining myself from wiping out Windows XP in favor of Ubuntu. We'll see how this little machine works out.

The New Home

2009-03-28T00:32:00.006-05:00

What do you get when you mix low interest rates, a condo developer's eagerness to move units, and a desire to avoid driving? The purchase of a new condo within walking/biking distance of downtown, of course. After a few false starts, we have an executed contract on a 2/2 unit that's steps from the Lamar pedestrian bridge and a few blocks away from Zilker Park.

While the HOA fees are outrageous, I have somehow rationalized it to myself. After the closing, I will find myself the owner of 3 properties in Austin. Life was definitely simpler going month-to-month on a one bedroom apartment.

Used gadgets, anyone?

2009-02-22T23:12:00.006-06:00

I love gadgets, but I hate owning things that don't get a lot of use. The result? A constant selling of used electronics on craigslist and ebay. To me, the cost of a gadget is the difference between its new price and its used price on craigslist or ebay. Someone should set up an electronic leasing company for consumers like me.

Gabriel

2009-01-17T19:35:00.005-06:00

Around the middle of July -- I've learned that the start of pregnancy is backdated to the end of the mother's last period -- we will have a screaming and pooping machine we will affectionately call "son." My little wunderkind will carry on the family name. Project Gabby has been renamed to Project Gabriel.

The Peanut is camping out

2008-12-10T22:57:00.004-06:00

Here is Gabby at 8.5 weeks.

It was quite a thrill to see her little heart beating on the screen.

Dancing Around the World - in HD

2008-12-06T13:49:00.005-06:00

Matt Harding's ridiculous dance around the world always makes me smile. By unifying the diversity of humanity through the common thread of joy, Matt's videos always put me in a better mood. Now, you can see them in HD.

New Corporate Website

2008-11-30T23:49:00.001-06:00

The new Velomatrix corporate website is now up. The previous (and original design) was over five years old. The current design is simpler, more colorful, and should be good for another five years.

Opt-Out

2008-11-22T22:28:00.006-06:00

After days of debate, we decided to exercise our option to not buy the new house. While we sacrifice the option money as well as the inspection and loan fees, we won't be saddled with another mortgage. During this time of economic collapse, we will seek shelter in C's house. It's dog-friendly, has plenty of room, and will allow us to invest even more in Gabby. This must be a tough time to be a real estate agent.

Rathlet

2008-11-20T22:09:00.005-06:00

I am thrilled to announce that my future progeny is now gestating. Utilizing the mystical art of mathematics, I've determined the due date to be the end of July. We are currently referring to the parasite as Gabby. I am equally thrilled that my child will not be born during the Bush administration.

Yes We Can

2008-11-04T22:11:00.001-06:00

An historic moment.

No words

2008-10-04T12:32:00.004-05:00

What do you say to a friend who has lost his 32 year-old son to a motorcycle accident? I didn't know and still don't know. All I could do was give him a hug.

Commensurate With Ability

2008-08-25T22:39:00.003-05:00

I posted a few job listings last week. For salary, I entered "commensurate with ability" instead of the usual "commensurate with experience." I would rather pay more for the less experienced candidate who can produce quality work over the industry veteran who has been wasting away for decades. There must be a study out there that seeks to identify the experience inflection point for software developers. My bet is that it's somewhere between 5 and 8 years. Sadly, I'm way past that number.

What happened to my hair?

2008-08-05T01:57:00.005-05:00

On a fateful July Sunday morning, I engaged in a one-on-one basketball game with a colleague. The loser was to depart with all his hair. After a painful hour or so, I was that loser. Above was the result.

When I posted the picture on Facebook, it garnered more attention than the recent change in my relationship status. If my friends are to be believed, I'm the love child of Jet Li and the Dalai Lama.

My List

2008-05-02T00:04:00.004-05:00

Since all personal blogs are thinly veiled expressions of self importance, I thought I would start a list of unusual facts about me:

Never had a cup of coffee
Once tried to run a marathon without training - bad idea
Owner of more bicycles than pairs of jeans
Currently addicted to Scrabulous
Don't own a TV
Boyhood heroes include Weird Al Yankovic and Al Bundy
Once mistaken for Jet Li, but a facial analyzer thought Richard Stallman was more appropriate.

Blast From the Past

2008-04-29T03:46:00.005-05:00

Insomnia and nostalgia led me to my high school year book where I came across these precious words:

It was fun sleeping behind your desk in calculus. Love, Lillian.

I don't remember much about Lillian except that she was a Russian immigrant who only picked her head off the desk to take the exams.

Duels Defense

2008-03-21T16:01:00.007-05:00

Check out this time waster:

Come Suited for Battle at Duels.com

Stereo Bluetooth Devices Are Not Ready for Primetime

2008-03-02T11:25:00.005-06:00

My initial enthusiasm over stereo bluetooth has waned. Both my MacBook Pro and Blackjack II support A2DP. Over the past month, I have been using a bluetooth headphone from Best Buy and this Bluetooth transceiver connected to C's Apple Hi-Fi.

Despite not being an audiophile, I can unequivocally state that the sound quality sucks. From the MBP to the headphones, I can hear static. Plus, the music just sounds muffled. Sound degradation can also be heard from the Apple Hi-Fi. In both cases, the bluetooth devices are no more than 10 feet away from one another.

My research into A2DP reveals that the signal is transmitted digitally. It must be poor implementation then. Perhaps in a year I'll try the new A2DP devices on the market.

Traveling Light

2008-02-24T22:17:00.004-06:00

Over the long weekend, I experimented with traveling even lighter than usual. I wanted to be more portable than the MacBook Pro + backpack combination. In their place was the Asus eee pc with my trusty small sized Timbuk2 Messenger Bag. I'm happy to report that it was a success. The bag, laptop, accessories, and 2 changes of clothes totaled less than 8 pounds. The eee pc made for a more than adequate LAMP development environment. It also helped that I installed a 2 GB DIMM and an 8 GB SDHC card.

Sweet Ariana

2008-02-24T20:18:00.002-06:00

I flew to Durham, NC to meet my new niece Ariana. For the hour a day that she's not cranky, she's the world's most beautiful baby.

I left my brother's house with a strong sense of birth control.

Fixed Gear

2007-12-02T22:59:00.000-06:00

I've decided to venture into the fixed gear world. Last Friday, this beauty arrived:

A fixed gear bicycle lacks a freewheel -- when the rear tire spins, so does the crankshaft. There's never any coasting. Whether you're starting, stopping, leaving the saddle, or turning, the pedals are moving. This was startling to me as I acclimated to the new bike.

People have repeatedly questioned why I would opt for a fixed gear. The best answer I can provide is that it appeals to my sense of simplicity and presents a new set of challenges. No rear brake, no chainrings, no cassettes, and no derailers -- just the joy of riding.

Goodbye, A-Rod

2007-10-28T22:40:00.000-05:00

Alex Rodriguez has opted out of the final 3 years ($91M) of his contract with the Yankees. He will be become a free-agent and will be free to negotiate with any MLB team. Industry experts expect his next contract to exceed $300M.

As both an Alex Rodriguez and Yankees fan, I'm sorry to see him go. When his career concludes, A-Rod will be remembered as the best power hitter to have ever played. However, I will admire the Yankees organization even further if they stick to their word and choose not to pursue him as a free agent.

A-Rod's next contact will be in excess of $30M/year. At that price, the Yankees would be able to sign Johan Santana and a third baseman with 70-80% the capability of A-Rod. Surely, that is the wiser business move. In baseball, a single player cannot win the World Series for you.

The Yankees' off-season will be intriguing. It has already begun with the firing of Joe Torre. There is a potential of a brand new look if the Yankees choose not to resign Posada, Rivera, and Abreu. Moreover, Pettitte may decide to retire. As a life-long Yankees fan, I think it's time for a makeover.

Then Yankees of this decade are becoming the Braves of the 90s - a team good enough to make the playoffs, but one that quickly fizzles out once they get there. Here's to an exciting winter for the Yankees.

Send large files

2007-06-28T00:42:00.000-05:00

If you need to send files that exceed your email system's attachment limit, check out Virtual Drop Box. It's my pet project and employs SSL, Ruby/Rails, reCAPTCHA, Adsense, and Google Analytics. It's simple, secure, and free. While you're at it, click on some of the ads.

10th Reunion

2007-06-03T21:45:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, I ventured to Old Nassau to celebrate my 10th college reunion. From the strong showing of children, there will be no shortage of future Princetonians.

Pictured below are my college buddies. We're all older and drink a lot less, but otherwise remain the same.

Ron Paul

2007-05-28T00:13:00.000-05:00

I admire Ron Paul for criticizing our asinine foreign policy. Instead of pandering to the masses and parroting the "They attacked us because they hate freedom and our way of life" mantra, Paul invites us to consider the real motivations behind Al Qaeda's attacks. Our Middle East foreign policy, nation building, and pre-emptive strikes are not indicators of a peaceful nation.

Unlike Giuliani, I will take Congressman Paul's advice and read the books he's recommended.

Charitable Donations as Presents

2007-03-02T14:29:00.000-06:00

For the past few years, I have made charitable donations as wedding presents in lieu of consulting a registry. As more couples marry at a later age, the idea of registering for linens and china is quite antiquated. Most of my friends own houses and multiple vehicles by the time they're married. Besides, contributing to cancer research or an organization like Doctors Without Borders does much more to balance the karmic scale than buying a crock pot or serving tray.

Liquid Diets Suck

2007-02-18T20:52:00.000-06:00

I've been trying to explain the difficulties of having my mouth wired shut. Yes, your speech is mumbled and and it feels like someone hooked up a pair a pliers to your teeth and is yanking with all the force of an F5 tornado when you yawn, cough, or sneeze. I can overcome these things. The most troubling part is my repeated comical attempts to get enough nutrition into my system.

Following surgery, getting enough calories and protein is essential for a quick recovery. However, it's difficult to consume enough calories when you can't open your mouth and everything must be sucked in through a straw. Forget about steak and lobster. Heck, forgot about minestrone soup. All you have to work with is the opening between your teeth that won't even allow the strawberry seeds from a smoothie to pass through. It's pretty much juices, milk, and whatever will dissolve in them. (By the way, despite what they tell you at Whole Foods, all protein powders are disgusting.)

Tonight, I attempted to overcome my calorie and protein deficient diet through some ingenuity. Armed with 2 hard boiled eggs, chicken broth, sea salt, a microwave, a blender, and a strainer, I set about satisfying my continually growling stomach. I heated the broth and dumped the eggs and salt into the blender. After a minute or two in the blender, I poured the admittedly disgusting looking liquid through a strainer. No dice. Most of the egg particles clogged up the strainer. I did my best to get whatever would pass through the strainer into a soup bowl.

Next came the pathetic step of sucking this unappetizing concoction through a straw. (This is not something you want to try on a first date.) I regret to report that my stomach is still growling and that most of the hard boil eggs are in the strainer. I guess it's back to soy milk and protein powders.

I don't recommend fracturing your jaw to anyone. The consequences suck.

How To Avoid Jury Duty

2007-02-14T17:37:00.000-06:00

Two days before you're scheduled to appear for your jury summons, go to your softball game. Then while playing second base, stop a one-hopper destined for the fence with your jaw. After you've spit out streams of blood and verified that your teeth are in place, go back in and finish the inning.

Next, drive yourself home to pick up your insurance card and head to the emergency room. There, X-rays and CAT scans will reveal that you have broken your jaw in two places. When the on-call oral surgeon arrives, he informs you about anaesthesia, metal plates, screws, and wiring your mouth shut. While discussing these options, be sure to ask for a doctor's note to get out of jury duty. That's a perk for giving the hospital tens of thousands of dollars worth of business.

The next morning, while feeding yourself with an oral syringe with an IV in your arm and your mouth wired shut

take a call from the court house. They will inform you that the parties have agreed to settle. Done: you are now released from jury duty.

Chalk One Up to Lupica

2007-02-11T12:28:00.000-06:00

From Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News:

Now this week it comes out from Rev. Tim that, lo and behold, Rev. Ted [Haggard] is "completely heterosexual."

Now I'm no ministering counselor, but in light of the facts, wouldn't this be like somebody trying to suggest that Yao Ming is completely short?

Google Analytics

2007-02-06T23:28:00.000-06:00

My latest obsession is Google Analytics. (Kudos to Busey for pointing me to this free service.) In an effort to sell more ads, Google provides all the functionality from Urchin for free. I check the stats for this blog more often than there are visitors. Sad, but true. The one advantage of having such small traffic numbers is that I deduce which family members and friends have read my posts recently.

Which Celebrity Do You Most Resemble?

2007-02-05T21:42:00.000-06:00

If you ever wanted to know which celebrity you most resemble, now you can. Simply visit this facial recognition application and upload a recent photo. I uploaded the picture you see to the right and here were the results:

Christian Bautista, 75%
Johnny Depp, 75%
Christopher Lambert, 71%
Richard Stallman, 66%
Haley Joel Osment, 64%

Richard Stallman? WTF.

(Gadget) Lust

2007-02-01T15:43:00.000-06:00

Funny, geeky, and easy on the eyes, Veronica Belmont is my latest crush. Oh yeah, I'd also like to have the iRiver Clix in the video.

Open ID

2007-01-28T22:48:00.000-06:00

The idea of a universal login is nothing new. Microsoft has been trying it with Windows Live ID and Sun has the Liberty Alliance. Yet, Yahoo! and Google are closer to realizing the vision of a unified web authentication method with their myriad of services.

A relative newcomer to the game is Open ID - a universal web login controlled by the user. While the initiative has gained some traction, it will require either Google, Yahoo, or Microsoft to adopt it before it reaches the tipping point. However, I can't imagine any of the big players adopting Open ID alongside their logins. Here's hoping I'm wrong.

O'Reilly on Colbert

2007-01-19T12:03:00.000-06:00

Stephen Colbert and Bill O'Reilly appeared on one another's show on January 18, 2006. On The Colbert Report, I couldn't help snicker at the following exchange:

O'Reilly: I am effete. I'm not a tough guy. This is all an act. I'm sensitive --
Colbert: You're breaking my heart, Bill. If you're an act, what am I?

On the Way Out ...

2007-01-17T15:41:00.000-06:00

I never enjoyed watching Randy Johnson pitch in the postseason. In 1995, he came in from the bullpen to shut down the Yankees as the Mariners won game 5 of the Division Series. In 2001, he and Curt Shilling proved that 2 dominant starting pitchers can win the World Series. Fast forward to 2005 and 2006. Randy Johnson is still pitching, but this time for the Yankees. He loses all the playoff games he pitches in.

So, I'm not sad that Johnson has been traded. Neither is David Letterman:

"Maybe you heard about this: Randy Johnson, used to play for the Diamondbacks, came to play for the New York Yankees -- well, he's been traded back to the Diamondbacks. It's crazy. So, now this season, the oldest, most overpriced thing at Yankee Stadium will be the hot dogs."

Condo for sale

2007-01-14T18:13:00.000-06:00

If you're looking for a condo close to UT, please consider this listing.

Why Clinton Has a Better Chance Than Obama

2007-01-13T09:56:00.000-06:00

Both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are on the verge of declaring their 2008 presidential candidacies. The possibility of both running leads me to the question, "Who has a better chance of being elected President in America, a Black man or a White women?" In my mind, the answer is clear: a White woman.

While it's politically correct to publicly declare race and gender agnosticism, the evidence against such neutrality is damning. Despite accounting for 12.8% of the population, African Americans are woefully underrepresented in Congress: 1 Black Senator and 42 Representatives. Let's not forget the 0 Black Republicans in Congress.

Women in the 110th Congress fair somewhat better: 16 Senators and 74 Representatives. However, considering that women comprise 51% of the US population, this is pathetic.

Nevertheless, there is a 16:1 ratio of Female (White) Senators to Black Senators. Since I am a gambling man, I would bet heavily that Clinton receives more votes than Obama in the primaries.

Sorry, Barack. While Americans claim to be race neutral, their preferences are quite clear.

Gmail Annoyances

2006-12-29T18:30:00.000-06:00

For the most part, I'm a happy Gmail user. However, there are some annoyances I wish they would fix.

When I use a different from: address, recipients see the dreaded "On behalf of" message.
Signatures - how about an option to not append one in a reply or forward? I hate having to scroll to the bottom of the message and manually removing it.
Why are contacts automatically added when I email them?
Can I please have a first AND last name field for a contact? This would make importing into my Blackberry so much easier.

The last time I wrote about Gmail, I asked for a calendar application and Google obliged. Come on, Googlers.

Wireless Power?

2006-12-27T18:22:00.000-06:00

I can't tell if this is a joke or real.

Open Letter to Women With Large Sunglasses

2006-12-01T11:49:00.000-06:00

You look ridiculous. How can a fashion accessory popularized by retirees in Florida leap across two generations? As with leg warmers and perms, you're going to regret the photographic evidence of your inability to think for yourself. Stop now. Save yourself from having to apologize for your poor judgment.

Soccer Ball

2006-11-28T17:27:00.000-06:00

I got part of a soccer ball named after me in Peru. This is all part of Nick's humanitarian work in the remote villages of South America.

iTunes Add-On

2006-11-27T15:55:00.000-06:00

For those Mac users not blessed with infinite screen real estate, You Control is a lifesaver. It puts the basic iTunes controls on the menu bar. Although Foxy Tunes offers the same controls on the FireFox status bar, You Control plays nicely with OS X overlays as tracks start.

Who Is This?

2006-11-25T00:15:00.000-06:00

"[T]he most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully."

The God of the Old Testament, according to Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion

My Life in 15 Minutes

2006-11-18T10:25:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Neeraj for this video that summarizes my dating life. My people will have their revenge.

Ed Op

2006-11-02T20:58:00.000-06:00

I wish I wrote this.

NYC is expensive

2006-10-30T10:26:00.000-06:00

Confirming what we all know, this article provides an unscientific basis on why living in NYC is expensive.

White & Nerdy

2006-10-18T14:05:00.000-05:00

Weird Al Yankovic is a genius:

Well Stated

2006-10-05T17:10:00.000-05:00

"Democrats should go into another line of work if they can't retake the House in this climate of Republican misery." -- George Will

Outfoxed

2006-10-04T21:44:00.000-05:00

It's common knowledge that the Fox News Channel is a conservative right wing propaganda machine. Their trademarked taglines "Fair & Balanced" and "We Report, You Decide" are as apropos as calling creationism a science.

The documentary, Outfoxed, reveals the truth behind Rupert Murdoch's mouthpiece.

Train Wreck

2006-10-01T21:43:00.000-05:00

The Republicans have outdone themselves this time. Representative Mark Foley sent explicit emails to an underage page. Apparently, the Republican leadership knew about it a year ago and did nothing. Uh oh.

With this scandal, Iraq, the economy, failed foreign policies, illegal wire taps, and endless mischief, the Republicans should lose control of Congress. If not, the U.S. is in big trouble.

You Are A Fortunate Soul

2006-09-09T15:59:00.000-05:00

Appreciate what you have.

RIP, Crocodile Hunter

2006-09-04T10:27:00.000-05:00

Since 1992, his infectious enthusiasm provided hope that work and fun were one in the same. RIP, Steve Irwin.

Lust

2006-08-26T12:04:00.000-05:00

I want one of these.

Recent Sports Quotes

2006-07-31T00:43:00.000-05:00

"[Most Americans] don't know a peloton from an electron." [Link]

Yankees pitching coach Ron Guidry to Scott Proctor on the pitcher's concern about being traded, "You can always go back to [stinking], and then nobody'll want you." [Link]

The World Cup is Over

2006-07-09T16:25:00.000-05:00

Although I am an avid sports fan, I can't seem to make myself enjoy the World Cup. I played soccer as a child, but never enjoyed watching it. To this day, the difference between a thrilling 0-0 tie and a boring one still eludes me. So I'm not upset that the World Cup concluded today, with Italy winning the title.

My biggest complaint about soccer is that the better team does not win an overwhelming percentage of the time. Too often, the match comes down to penalty kicks. And in this type of tie-breaking scenario, the goalie who guesses right more often than the other goalie can secure a victory for his team. Just ridiculous. At least in ice hockey, the goalie has a legitimate chance of stopping the puck.

While soccer sports tremendous athletes and a world-wide following, it's never going to replace football, baseball, or basketball in the US.

Buffet

2006-06-25T12:13:00.000-05:00

Warren Buffet continues to be my hero. He is giving away his entire fortune, most of it to the Gates Foundation.

Capacitors + Nanotubes = Super Battery

2006-06-09T01:43:00.000-05:00

These batteries will charge in seconds, last longer than current batteries, and won't degrade. Boy those MIT guys are sure smart.

Craigslist

2006-06-02T23:19:00.000-05:00

I love craigslist. I listed a used road bike at midnight. I had cash in my hands before noon the next day.

Ironic?

2006-05-20T10:24:00.000-05:00

On Bike to Work Day, I received a parking ticket.

Web-based IM

2006-05-10T09:41:00.000-05:00

Meebo allows you to log into all your IMs via a browser. It's a bit sluggish and doesn't yet have all the features of a desktop client. However, the concept is great. Check it out.

Not A Good Combination

2006-05-10T01:05:00.000-05:00

Jack Daniels with Arizona's Mucho Mango does not go well together, especially after hot Thai Curry at 1 am. I need to keep this in mind.

Brilliance

2006-05-06T14:55:00.000-05:00

My hatred of W and love of sports in one memorable quote:

Season tickets have been selling rapidly in New Orleans ever since the Saints drafted Reggie Bush. Optimistic Saints fans point out that this is the first time since Hurricane Katrina that somebody named Bush has promised to help New Orleans -- and actually meant it.

Home Office

2006-05-01T13:46:00.000-05:00

Any chance I can win the home office of the year award?

Not That Naive

2006-04-29T21:38:00.000-05:00

Not even I'm dumb enough to fall for this scam artist on craigslist.com:

Thanks for your reply...

I will be paying using USPS online money order... you will be notified by USPS when the payment is made, approved.,... the money order would have been approved by USPS.. then your CASH would be mailed to you.

Fedex will come pick the item when you receive the email notification saying the money order has been verified / approved and your CASH is about to be mailed out. You dont need to pay anything... it's all at my own expense.

Please reply with your full name and address to send the payment to.

The Real Excitement

2006-04-08T00:25:00.000-05:00

While Apple's Boot Camp has generated a lot of buzz, Parallels Workstation 2.1 for OS X is what really interests me. Dual booting is necessary if you play games or need Photosohop to run at maximum speed. For me, however, I only need to run Internet Explorer, Dev Studio, Access, and Yahoo! Music. Virtualization (not emulation like Virtual PC) provides more than adequate performance for these applications without the inconvenience of rebooting. Moreover, the ability to have a complete deployment environment (Windows 2003, Red Hat Enterprise Server, etc.) readily available makes my life easier. Dreams do come true.

It's Hard to Find Good Help

2006-04-07T23:47:00.000-05:00

Perhaps my expectations are unrealistic, but every service person/company I've hired to prepare my house for its new life as a rental has performed unsatisfactorily. First, there's the handyman I hired to install a new garbage disposal. He forgot to punch the hole that connected the dishwasher to the garbage disposal. Consequently, the dishwasher wouldn't drain. It took a puddle of water and 45 minutes of investigation before I discovered the problem.

Then, I contacted someone from craigslist to install 2 deadbolts. The handyman calls to cancel at the exact time he was supposed to show up. He then asks to reschedule and promises to make that appointment, short of ending up in the hospital. Well, he missed that next appointment. I hope he's doing OK, because he's fired.

I then contacted another handyman to install these deadbolts. On the front door, I wasn't able to turn the deadbolt when the door was closed. That's a bad installation in my book. He finally fixed it, but there's wood filler and other hacks involved. Then on the back door, his drill bit started to exit on the other side. This normally wouldn't be a problem, but these are one-sided, keyless deadbolts.

The following day, I contracted with a service company to powerwash, paint, and clean my house. The powerwashing went well. That's pretty hard to screw up. The paint job was haphazard and represented something I could have done. As for the cleaning, they neglected to clean the inside of the oven, the workshop, the garage, and didn't bother with any of the blinds. We had a verbal agreement for all those things.

Where are all the good service people in Austin hiding?

How to Make a Sale

2006-03-26T19:19:00.000-06:00

True Story:

While searching for a bike shop, I encountered a Mattress Firm retail store. As I needed a bed for my new place, I walked in and spoke with the saleswoman. She was the only one in the store, cute, and not more than a few years removed from college.

I summarized my bedding needs succintly, "I'm a light sleeper and want a queen-size bed that minimizes motion transfer." To demonstrate the effectiveness of various beds, she bounced on the bed as I lay on the other side. I tried not to be a lecherous shopper and look over, but I couldn't help myself. With one hand, she was holding her top up to prevent from coming out of it.

So I had an idea: I would test about half the beds in the showroom for their motion transfer dampening effects. An hour later, she made the sale. America is such a great country.

Landlord

2006-03-21T00:04:00.000-06:00

I have renters! A lovely couple has signed on for a 13-month lease of my house. This marks my entrance into the landlord realm. Watch out, Donald. I'm gunnin' for ya.

Now What?

2006-03-18T18:04:00.000-06:00

With the help of craigslist, I was able to sell my 27" TV and DVD player. I have no immediate plans to replace them. This will be the first time since 1993 that I haven't had television to keep me company.

How will I replace my TV watching time? Well, there is that pile of books I've paid for but never actually opened ...

I'm Doing Something Right

2006-03-18T02:31:00.000-06:00

I received a handwritten letter from my 6 year-old niece today:

Dear Uncle R---
I miss you! I hope I will see you at Auntie's wedding. I love you a lot.
Love, Shannon

She's still my favorite (and only) niece.

Switch to Gmail

2006-03-04T13:53:00.000-06:00

The ability to access all of your emails and contacts with a web browser is a powerful concept, especially if you use multiple computers throughout the day. Moreover, having someone else responsible for backing up your most important data removes a huge headache. I've been a paying Yahoo! Mail Plus customer for the past few years. Last week, I switched to a better alternative, Gmail.

Gmail is now the gold standard in web-based email solutions. Here's what distinguishes it from its competitors:

Fast and snappy interface. Google has invested a lot in AJAX, and it shows in Gmail. At times, Gmail feels like a desktop application. Yahoo's new interface is still clunky, slow, and flaky.

Keyboard shortcuts. Vim is my primary development environment, so it's no surprise that I'm a heavy user of keyboard shortcuts.

Threaded conversations. How did I previously live without this?

Tags. I can categorize conversations into multiple buckets. For example, a converstaion may be related to ClientX as well as AJAX. Now I don't have to choose just a single place.

2.7 GB of storage and growing. Wow.

The big feature I'm waiting for is Google Calendar. Hopefully, it will adhere to the iCalendar standard, have the rich client interface of Gmail, and of course, be integrated with Gmail.

We Don't Need This

2006-03-04T12:08:00.000-06:00

While I believe in euthanasia, I'm not thrilled about my homeland as a suicide destination. Cambodia has had enough problems from which it's trying to recover. While I didn't find Cambodia to be as lawless as this account, I did find that sex, drugs, and even rocket launchers were within the reach of a $20 bill.

Weird Al Rules

2006-03-03T12:06:00.000-06:00

This is pure genius (All About the Pentiums):

Yeah, payin' the bills with my mad programming skills
Defraggin' my hard drive for thrills
I got me a hundred gigabytes of RAM
I never feed trolls and I don't read spam
Installed a T1 line in my house
Always at my PC, double-clickin' on my mizouse
Upgrade my system at least twice a day
I'm strictly plug-and-play, I ain't afraid of Y2K
I'm down with Bill Gates, I call him "Money" for short
I phone him up at home and I make him do my tech support
It's all about the Pentiums, what?
You've gotta be the dumbest newbie I've ever seen
You've got white-out all over your screen
You think your Commodore 64 is really neato
What kinda chip you got in there, a Dorito?
You're usin' a 286? Don't make me laugh
Your Windows boots up in what, a day and a half?
You could back up your whole hard drive on a floppy diskette
You're the biggest joke on the Internet
Your database is a disaster
You're waxin' your modem, tryin' to make it go faster
Hey fella, I bet you're still livin' in your parents' cellar
Downloadin' pictures of Sarah Michelle Gellar
And postin' "Me too!" like some brain-dead AOL-er
I should do the world a favor and cap you like Old Yeller
You're just about as useless as jpegs to Hellen Keller

Sleep, Where Are You?

2006-02-28T12:48:00.000-06:00

So many things to do, so little time. Life was easier as a slacker. I need sleep.

Checks Written

2006-02-25T14:10:00.000-06:00

My condo offer was accepted. The checks have been written. The financing has been arranged. The only thing that can derail my move now is a bad inspection.

Winter Olympics?

2006-02-18T13:02:00.000-06:00

I'm convinced that the Winter Olympics are just a collection of contrived sports contested among privileged Scandinavians and Americans.

You Can't Make This Up

2006-02-12T22:34:00.000-06:00

Dick Cheney shot a friend. Imagine what he'd do to you.

Confused

2006-02-10T18:44:00.000-06:00

Chinese Professor: (In Mandarin) Are you a Texan?
Me: (In Spanish) No, but I got here as fast as I could.

Oops.

Another Potential Income Source Eliminated

2006-02-08T02:36:00.000-06:00

According to a local news broadcast, only 3% of men who apply to be sperm donors are accepted. There goes another backup job.

Chinese is Hard

2006-01-25T23:39:00.000-06:00

After the first week, I've concluded that learning Mandarin is difficult. New sounds, 4 tones, and completely alien writing. Did I mention that the professor assigns 10-15 hours of homework per week? But when I'm able to eavesdrop on native conversations in Chinatown, it will all be worth the effort.

Clear Vision

2006-01-19T17:06:00.000-06:00

This morning, I bid adieu to my glasses and contact lens paraphernalia. Dr. Shannon Wong at Austin Eye Clinic performed Custom-Cornea Wavefront-guided IntraLASIK surgery on me. The technology derives from the Star Wars program. Following a 3 hour nap, I woke up with some dryness, but otherwise felt spectacular. I'm sure the Valium helped.

I'm not going to miss my contact lenses refusing to take their place in the morning. Nor am I am going to miss them getting lodged or tearing at the most inopportune moments during a softball game. Finally, I'm not going to miss lugging around this gear.

Listen to Your Elders

2006-01-17T10:24:00.000-06:00

On MLK Day, Shaq, prompted by the great Bill Russell, made amends with Kobe Bryant. Although the rivalry was good for the NBA, it was overblown. However, the idea of peace in the NBA arriving on MLK Day makes for a great story.

11 seconds

2006-01-17T10:03:00.000-06:00

In my prime, it would take me 90 seconds. But the world record is now 11 seconds. Just incredible. I'm talking about solving the 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube, of course. What the hell were you thinking?

Student Again

2006-01-02T17:47:00.000-06:00

On January 17, I will return to the classroom by taking a UT Extension Course. In my attempt to learn Mandarin, I've registered for Chinese I. After all, 800 million people can't be wrong.

RIP, Grandpa

2005-12-25T22:33:00.000-06:00

On Christmas Eve, my family and I celebrated the life of my mom's father, Hat Ly. At the age of 96, grandpa accomplished more in his lifetime than I can even imagine for myself. He leaves behind 6 children, 11 grandchildren, and (so far) 3 great-grandchildren.

It's been devastating for me to witness the decline of his health in the past few years. I remember the strong and proud partriarch, who in his eighties, had the vitality of a man half his age. I remember the man who cared for me during the Khmer Rouge's reign. I remember the man who served as my surrogate father during my formative years. I remember the man who valued family above all else.

With all the stories and advice he tried to impart in me throughout my 30 years, 2 stick in my mind:

Spend less than you earn.
Marry a pretty girl.

Great advice, grandpa. Thanks for everything.

Kung Fu Hustle

2005-11-25T00:22:00.000-06:00

Kung Fu Hustle is now one of my favorites. Action, comedy, and even a touch of romance.

Simplify in 2005

2005-11-15T02:13:00.000-06:00

Selling and donating material possessions are easy. Removing parasitic relationships and draining friendships are much harder. I need to cut the cord sometime.

The Final Phase

2005-11-14T22:12:00.000-06:00

I received official documentation from my former business partner of his intention to dissolve Oridian, Inc. What started out in July 2000 as a simple company turned out to be some of the best and most trying times of my professional life. No regrets, though.

I Still Hate Them

2005-11-14T14:22:00.000-06:00

One of the joys of listening to the Yahoo! LAUNCHcast Radio stations is the ability to skip over Green Day songs. They annoy me more than Maroon 5. How can such lack of talent still sell CDs?

More Manageable

2005-11-11T18:00:00.000-06:00

Last weekend, I owned six computers, three desktops and three laptops. That's just ridiculous, hardly conforming to my minimalist Buddhist upbringing. I promptly sold two desktops and managed to sell my old Compaq laptop today. I'm down to three, one for each major OS.

Three machines is probably two too many, but at least they double as space heaters in the winter. Now if only my Powerbook would make its way back from the repair shop, my family will be reunited.

Life Without Taz?

2005-11-11T02:44:00.000-06:00

Out of curiosity, I researched the cost to remove Taz from my right shoulder through laser removal. Conclusion: 3-4 visits per color, at an average cost of $250/visit. Since the tattoo has three colors, the price ranges from $2,250 - $3,000. Wow. $100 to put on. $3,000 to take off. Taz will be with me for a while.

Technology Sucks

2005-11-09T11:47:00.000-06:00

After upgrading to an 802.11g router, I was unable to get my Soundblaster Wireless Music device to connect. 2 hours wasted. Then 30 minutes later, my new Powerbook decided that it's not in the mood to boot up. This earned it a trip to the Apple Store this morning. It turns out there's a problem on the motherboard, necessitating a visit to the repair center. 3 hours wasted + 7-10 days of waiting time.

Why can't things just work and keep on working?

Truth in Advertising

2005-10-30T15:01:00.000-06:00

Signature line from a forum post:

Girls are:
- Single
- Attractive
- Stable
you can only pick two of the three

Birthday Message

2005-10-28T11:06:00.000-05:00

Today is the sixth anniversary of the birth of my favorite (and only) niece. Happy birthday, Shannon. Her desire to trade her current godfather in for me puts a smile on my face. What a sweetie.

Thanks, Blue Cross Blue Shield

2005-10-24T18:37:00.000-05:00

Terse and depressing:

You or your spouse will change rating age brackets on the effective date shown. Your new premium rate will be $[a lot more].

New Platform

2005-10-24T11:10:00.000-05:00

Frustrated with the Inspiron 700m's tiny keyboard and half-size keys that are really important to software denizens, I sold the otherwise beautiful machine to a client. After exhaustive research, I decided to go with the 12.1" Powerbook. I was able to convince myself that I could accomplish 90% of my tasks on the Mac. Besides, this would be a nice switch for me and amazon.com has a $150 rebate on top of their low price. Then at checkout, amazon offered me a free 4-month trial of Amazon.com Prime, allowing me to have it shipped overnight for $3.99. I love these guys.

So, does anyone know the answers to the following questions:

o Is IE available for Tiger? If not, what are the workarounds? IE still has 90% marketshare and I build web applications, so I'd like a solution that doesn't involve using Remote Desktop to log into my Windows XP desktop.

o Is there Mac software that can play music I download from Yahoo Music Unlimited, the subscription service? Specifically, it has to play wma drm's.

Why You Should Train

2005-10-24T11:00:00.000-05:00

After a summer of drinking and carousing, I thought it would be a good idea to participate in the Ride for Roses yesterday. With two week's rest from physical activity and an early bedtime on Saturday evening, I was ready to tackle the 100 mile course with corhorts 1 and 2. At the 35 mile mark, we had to decide between the 72 mile course and the 100 mile course. As I've undertained for every endurance event in my history, I sensed the upcoming pain of riding 28 extra miles with wind gusts up to 25 mph.

Despite Joy's protests, we rode the 72 mile course. As I antipicated, the lack of training caught up with me. At one point, I was drafting a 180+ lb woman and was unable to maintain the pace up a hill. What an ego blow. However, with the help of my teammates and a tailwind for most of the final 7 miles, I managed to reach the finish in one piece. 100 miles next year.

High Road

2005-10-18T12:07:00.000-05:00

George Steinbrenner takes a lot of criticism from fans, players, his staff, and other owners. However, I can't fault a guy who is obsessed with winning and will spend the money necessary to achieve that goal. As a fan, what more could you want from an owner? Of course, when the Yankees fail to win the World Series, the year is considered a failure.

Mel Stottlemyre, the Yankees pitching coach for the past 10 years, has decided not to return next season. Primarily, his cites the tension between Steinbrenner and his staff for the not returning, even taking shots at The Boss. Instead of engaging in banter through the media, Steinbrenner chose the high road and praised his former employee:

Mel Stottlemyre will always be a Yankee. When I purchased the ballclub more than 30 years ago, he was one of the team's true stars and leaders, and during his 10 seasons as pitching coach, we won six American League pennants and four world championships.

While it is no secret that I can be a very difficult boss, Mel has always conducted himself as a professional and a gentleman. I wish he and [his wife], Jean, much success and happiness in the future.

Whether you hate him or love him, you must admire the class.