Helping out

November 8th, 2009

I did a little volunteering for Project Cure yesterday. I doubt I’ll do much for them on an ongoing basis – they’re located in Centennial, at the south end of the metro area, and I live up at the north end.

Normally, they collect medical supplies to be sent overseas. However, they’re not allowed to send out supplies for human use if they have less than a year before their expiration data. As a result, I hauled a carload of assorted IV fluids to the Humane Society facility in Greeley. They were glad to get them, although they weren’t certain where they’d put them all. Things at the Humane Society were complicated by the fact that they were holding both an adopt-a-thon and a dog vaccination clinic at the time. We did manage to get everything unloaded and stored, though, and I got to see a number of cute puppies and kittens in the process.

I may have to watch this movie

November 5th, 2009

I’ve been seeing previews for Pirate Radio. I remember listening to pirate radio when I was a young boy in England. I was attending Eastcote Elementary, a school for American service dependents, and the school used chartered tour buses to get us to and from the school. The usual driver on my route, a slightly-built young man with an improbably deep voice, used to tune in one of the pirate radio stations (Radio Caroline, I presume, but I really don’t remember) because the BBC was, at the time, too staid to play rock and roll.

It was an exciting time in music, and much of my musical taste was set at the time.

Life imitates art

November 3rd, 2009

I read a joke several years ago to the effect that the typical plot of a science fiction love story was:

1. Boy meets girl
2. Boy loses girl
3. Boy builds new girl.

It’s no longer science fiction, but I suppose whether it’s still a joke depends on how you feel about what they’ve done.

January-December Romance

November 1st, 2009

Most married couples I’ve known are pretty close in age, although there have been exceptions. The widest age disparity in a couple I’ve personally known involved a 62-year-old man who married a 19-year-old girl. I thought that was pretty outrageous, but it doesn’t compare to this.

Happy Halloween

October 31st, 2009

I made a Jack-o-lantern today, but I left it a bit late. It doesn’t look all that good, but I’ve never claimed to be an artist.

CthulhuLantern

I’ve done better Jack-o-lanterns in the past; you can see a couple of them here.

I did do a web search for Cthulhu images, though I didn’t find anything that particularly helped. I was quite taken with this one, though, which riffs on one of my favorite Miyazaki movies. Actually, I’m not certain that there are any Miyazaki movies that I don’t consider favorites.

Tonari no Cthulhu

Miscellany 3

October 29th, 2009

I’m by no means a full-blown birther, but I have always felt that there were things to be concerned about. That said, this is an interesting newspaper headline from 2004 for someone to have found. I wish I could remember who to credit for the link I followed to get there.

Ever wonder why spouts drip once you’ve finished pouring? Cyril Duez not only knows, he knows what to do about it.

I think I’ve posted a link to this clock before, but it’s worth another.

When my family moved to Del Rio, Texas in the early 1970s, I used to joke that the thing I liked best about the move was the fact that Del Rio was (at the time) about 150 miles from the nearest McDonald’s. That’s no longer the case, but Reykjavik now has similar appeal, albeit for regrettable reasons.

I have a set of Lionel trains in the garage – my mother told me that my father bought them as a present for my first Christmas, although it was years before I actually got to play with them. I’m glad this train setup wasn’t available then; I doubt I could keep from losing it even now.

Advice from Dear Abby’s predecessors.

Breaking news: Whiskey found in Antarctica.

Want to be an author? In case you want to get started during the upcoming Nanowrimo, here are two useful links for you.

This appears to be an interesting site.

More notes per song

October 24th, 2009

Tonight, I’m going to see Steve Martin in concert, playing banjo with the Steep Canyon Rangers. It should be a good time – I’ve heard some of the songs already. Actually, I’ve heard earlier versions of the songs already; I have a copy of the LP, The Steve Martin Brothers. The post title comes from the liner notes:

Dear Banjo Music Customer:

Note for note, banjo music is the cheapest music available in America today. While the average rock song has 75 to 100 notes per song, banjo music can have a full 200 to 300 notes per song, not including fade-outs. So called “easy listenin'” records may be easy on the ears, but they’re sure hard on the pocketbook at an average of 50 notes per song. It’s ok to listen to free music on the radio, but my music dollar will be spent on banjo music every time.

See you at the movies!

Steve

Should be a fun evening. I’m certainly looking forward to it. Maybe I’ll see if I can get him to sign the LP.

Thumb (in your eye) drive

October 15th, 2009

I’m surprised I haven’t seen this in the Thinkgeek catalog.

Ah, I guess they do carry it; I just hadn’t noticed it.

Bacon!

October 15th, 2009

It will likely be a long time before I can try chicken-fried bacon, but I found a recipe for bacon sushi I can make at home. Part 2 here.

Via Double-plus Undead.

I loves me some good snark

October 14th, 2009

And I found some in a comment on this post at Villainous Company:

Thank God we have a man who is as qualified and deserving to be President as he is, say, to win the Nobel Peace Prize.