Month: November 2008

Wow. November 3rd. That’s the last time I posted to my blog. Largely, that’s been due to my work load “harshing my mellow” when it comes to recreational writing. Also, I’m not sure if anyone else noticed, but the theme I was using in WordPress was very slow to load. I changed themes (although I’ll be tweaking it for a bit), and it seems to go much faster. This pleases me.

Let’s see, what’s new… Well, after my laptop died, I didn’t restart on NaNoWriMo. That’s a little depressing, but really I didn’t have time anyway. I also didn’t have time to go without a laptop for the better part of a week, but I survived.

I’m also leaving on Tuesday, bound for Texas. It should be a fun trip. I’ll be at Supercomputing ’08 in Austin, and then back in Houston for a day or so at the Linux Journal corporate office. I’ll be sure to post lots of photos and video. 🙂

Holidays are coming! This year, Donna and I are trying really hard to figure out how to handle Internet access for our children. I can’t go into too much detail, what with Christmas just around the corner, but suffice to say it will be an issue pretty soon. I’m not a big fan of blocking all the potential naughty sites, because it really seems to be starting with an attitude of mistrust. Also, I’d rather our girls approach Internet creepiness with their eyes wide open. It seems that education and trust trump electronic countermeasures any day. Since I see the worst of the worst at work (a school), it’s difficult for me to separate that reality from our own. And yes, it is different when parents actually care and talk to their children.

So, how have you been? 🙂

NOTE: No flogging, the photos were sent. 🙂

If I don’t get my photos into the Hot Blogger Calendar ladies in the next 2 days — you all have my permission to flog me publicly. I have to get them done. This weekend didn’t work for reasons outside of my control — but I MUST get the photos in.

Because really, who would want photos like THIS on a calendar? “Uh, yeah, Shawn… we’re gonna put you on the second February of 2009…”

UPDATE: Just to clarify, the above linked photos are NOT something I’m sending into the calendar ladies. 🙂 Those were from an old article at Linux Journal. hehehe

No, I did not have chili last night for dinner. And, eiw.

The smell I’m referring to is that which emanates from a microwaveable bag of popcorn after it’s been in the microwave under power for too long. It’s not just a burnt smell mind you, but rather an unholy death stench that invades the very innards of the microwave.

Here’s what I don’t get though: I never know it’s burning, until I open the door. Then the biting putrid odor spews out like a disemboweled zombie all over the kitchen once the door is open. And here’s the odd part — every time AFTER that, whenever the microwave is on, it smells like burnt popcorn. Why didn’t it smell that way when it was actually burning?

I really hate that smell.