My Current Favorite Spam Message

Received at work today - classic. I never knew an email address could inspire such emotion (and she clearly does not know me very well - lol).

Hello,

How are you? i hope all is well with you, i hope you may not know me,

and i don't know who you are, My Name is Miss Aminata, i am just

broswing now and i see your email address and it seems like some thing

touches me all over my body, i started having some feelings in me which

i have never experience in me before, so i became interested in you, l

will also like to know you the more,and l want you to send me a email

so that l can give you my picture for you to know whom l am.I believe we

can move from here and see where nature will take us! I am waiting for

your mail (Remeber the distance or colour does not matter but love and

good caring matters alot in life).

Miss Aminata.

Hugs and Kisses

It's been a while since I posted any update on the Bird, this blog's official mascot. Honestly, there has not been a lot to report. However, a recent development is somewhat amusing (to me).

Rick loves to get his head kissed, touched and tickled. He makes kissy noises when he wants a kiss, or starts screeching (or he just calls me by name). Whenever he gets into one of these kissy moods, if you go up to him, he extends his cheek out to get a nice big smacker right on his cheek. Sometimes I will mutter "what a bird" to him while I do this.

So how much does he love this? Well, recently, we heard him mumbling "what a bird" to himself in the mirror and then making a kiss sound. We peeked around the corner to watch. Every time he said "what a bird" he would extend his cheek into the air and make the kiss sound. He was PLAY KISSING - exactly the way he would get kissed if I was doing it myself.

What a Bird.

Some Things I Hate....

A quick venting before going off to bed:

• Facebook Groups that pray for the death of Barack Obama (I mean, come on!).
• Drivers who do not use directionals.
• Pedestrians who push the button requesting a walk signal but then do not wait for it.
• The obsession with puzzle pieces by the producers of "Survivor".
• Bicyclists who demand to ride in the streets of Boston but do not abide by traffic laws.
• People who walk and text/talk on their phones oblivious to what is going on around them.
• The Apple Store (see previous post for why).

Thanks for letting me vent. Good night!

Fruit Flavored

I have been experiencing an annoying problem lately with my iPhone (my most important appliance), so I decided to take it to the Genius Bar.

The Apple Store is a scary place. Since the start of my PC to Mac conversion (which you can read more about here), I cannot escape its clutches without spending money there. It is almost like I have to pay to leave. I walk in and am immediately surrounded by pleasant sights and sounds, friendly smiles and that ever present Mac lover attitude that there is nothing better on this Earth than something produced by Apple (which might not be wrong).

But I am determined not to spend money! I purchased AppleCare for this device and intend to get it fixed without cost and not buy any unnecessary accessories (or yet another MacBook). So I proceed directly to the Genius Bar and do not look around (despite the fact that the MacBook Pros immediately started to call to me and the new 24" iMac kept taunting me all the way from the second floor).

The problem I was experiencing was a major problem for me. When listening to music for more than 30 minutes or so, the Voice Command would start popping up, looking for input. Every time it did, it would force me to hit "Cancel" to get my music back - and NOTHING gets between me and my music!

Some quick online research indicated that there might be a problem with my headphones (and particularly the microphone for for the phone part). I knew this was probably the cause, as I have sent my headphones through the laundry at least five times. Of course, I did not tell the Genius who attended to me about this fact, as I was fairly sure this info might void my AppleCare coverage and plan for getting a free replacement. The Genius did give me a new headset, but also spent some time explaining (in detail), how I could completely restore my iPhone to eliminate any software glitches. I smiled and nodded a lot, as I had already done this and only wanted my free headphones.

I escaped as soon as I had the headset, but naturally stopped at the accessories wall and bought my second case (I need color options...).

It Makes No Census

About six weeks ago (or so), on a Friday, I received an envelope from the US Census Bureau. Knowing that 2010 was a census year, and it had been advertised all over the place for some time, I assumed it was the census form.

It was not. It was a mass mailing (to I assume all American households) that let us know we could soon expect the census form, with a nice reminder that when we do receive it, we should fill it out and return it as soon as possible. For easy reference, we shall refer to this mailing as the "pre-census form form". This mass mailing reminder was filed appropriately.

The next Monday (2 mail days later), the full form was received in the mail. That was, indeed, "soon". So soon that I feared that some Americans, if they had gone away for that weekend, might confuse the pre-census form form envelope with the actual census form envelope and "file appropriately" the wrong one. "No!" I screamed at no one in particular. "What will happen?!" I questioned my front hallway. I decided that I would go fill out the actual census form and return it immediately to take my mind off the situation.

About two weeks later, I received a post card from the US Census Bureau, politely reminding me to fill out my form and return it. We will refer to this post card reminder as the "post-census form form". I was annoyed now. I actually did mail mine in and was certain they had received it by now.

So I started really thinking about how much this whole effort is costing us (taxpayers). I am sorry but with all the on the ground manpower - media and print advertising and online presence that this year's census has got going for it, did BOTH the pre-mailer and post-mailer really need to get sent (and paid for by us)?

It does not make census to me.

First Contact

I recently made the jump to contact lenses, freeing myself from the chains otherwise known as my glasses.

Wisely, I decided to make this transition during the first half of April, a time in New England where the air is filled with some magic powder called "pollen" that I am apparently very allergic to. This magic powder apparently fuels the life cycle of the various plant beings. It also irritates my eyes terribly - I must keep this substance from my enemies.

This year, there are record pollen counts. These record pollen counts are not due to the weather conditions we experienced this winter, as the mystic meteorologists claim. These high counts are being experienced to make my contact lens transition as difficult as possible.

Despite this obstacle, I have taken to contacts better than I thought I would. I have never liked even the thought of putting something in my eyes. And any time that I tried to put drops in them, I just got the drops all over my face. So instead of soothing my eyes with them, the result was looking as if I had balled my eyes off.

Apparently this is not uncommon, so the Optometrist's office provides training for new users. When the "trial contacts" were ready for me, I dutifully appeared for orientation. The Optometrist's assistant first showed me how she removed and applied hers. She was sporting colored lenses, a yellow gold to go for that appealing "Cullen Vampire Family" look we all aspire to.

She made it look so easy - in and out in seconds. Me? Different story. I fumbled for about 15 minutes before I got one in. But when I finally got both in, blinked a few times and looked at my iPhone, a new world appeared! I could see! Without my glasses! I was so excited that even though it looked like I had been crying for 30 minutes that I could not wait to get back to work to tell everyone! But, NOT SO FAST!

Now, I had to get them out. Ugh! I had to demonstrate to the vampire-eyed assistant that I can put them in and get them out. Oh well, eventually I got it done.

The first few days were terrible - I struggled getting them in and out and my eyes constantly felt like there was a small brush fire in them. I did make a great discovery though. Once you can get the drops to land in your eye, they feel really good.

However, two weeks into the mission now I can plug em in, pull em out with ease, and no longer need the drops every day. I sometimes forget they are in there.

They are high maintenance though, and I am not. So wondering how long this future will last. It better last at least a year - I bought that many!

It's About Time, Part 2

So right after I publish the last post, I go back to watching tonight's episode of "24" (no, I was not really watching that Discovery Channel show) and it occurs to me that if there is any evidence of time travel already in existence, it is all over "24".

"24" has always taken creative license with the concept of portraying events in "real time". But this season it is just ridiculous. I mean one minute the President is in her office, the next (minute, literally) she is in her car being whisked through Manhattan and on the phone with CTU and the very next minute (yes, minute) she is arriving at CTU (which appears to be across one of the NYC rivers). No one, not even the President, can manage that. And don't get me started about last week's sexual congress between Jack Bauer and Renee Walker. Because that encounter when from "Status=Clothed" to "Status=Finished and Cuddling" during one commercial break. Having us believe that about Jack Bauer's "skills" is, well, cruel.

Unless....., they (CTU and/or the Secret Service) have time travel capabilities. That could explain a lot on that show.

It's About Time, Part 1

Tonight, the Discovery Channel's show "Sci-Trek" is going to explore how time travel could actually happen.

This is good, as I have personal need for time travel and look forward to its availability. But even if I did not have that need, I would support any effort to explore the feasibility of time travel. Because the concept itself is just so damned cool.

However, I can see how the introduction of time travel into the mix could cause some problems. I have watched enough "Star Trek" to know we can't all just go around changing events in the past, right? Other than me, that is. It is the whole "step on a mosquito one million years ago" problem after all.

I know what you are thinking - "it's time travel", you'll say, "if we screw something up we can go back again and fix it". "Hmmm", I would respond then ignore you. Although this worked well for Doc Brown and Marty McFly, I do not see it working in real life time travel applications. In order to manage the process and avoid the accidental elimination from very existence some Earth based life forms (such as us), we must create an international agency to manage it.

Naturally, Jean-Claude Van Damme will head this agency. Until this organization is created and in place, be wary of any day-to-day changes around you. They could be caused by rogue time travelers.

That is, unless you run out of time .....

Get Lost

If you, like me, are a fan of the ABC show "Lost" (currently playing out its final season), then you, like me, are asking yourself the big question...

What the f..k??!!

Really, when this show started six years ago, were the writers actually thinking to themselves (at that time), "seriously, it will all end with two alternate realities working themselves to some common ending that will resolve a space time disruption caused by a nuclear explosion that will result from a miscalculated detonation inspired by the Hero"? I sort of don't think so. In fact, I am pretty sure that when they started, they had no clue how this was going to move forward.

Despite this, we all still watch the mess. Possibly because nothing else since "Melrose Place" (the original) has made us wonder what writers were smoking. The fact they brought back Desmond and Penny has made up for the horrible start to the season. Let's just hope the last episodes can make five years of loyalty worthwhile!

I suppose in this case, I can even look forward to being disappointed.

Back from hiatus (ok, not really)

OK, so not really a hiatus so much as I blew it off for two years. However, I am going to try to start this up again. I find writing therapeutic, and I am starting to do it again at work, so I need the practice.

I might slowly backfill some highlights of the past two years, but for now let's just say they were good and bad (what years aren't?). All you need to know:

• The Bird is still around, and will continue to inspire
• The Partner is too, but so is the cancer (six years now) - he will also inspire (he always has)

Love,

Jack

I'm Off to Hollywood

Hotel California

Flying High

I flew today from Boston to Los Angeles via American Airlines (which despite all its problems I still like, usually).

When I booked this trip, I did not consider the timing very well - it is school vacation week and apparently lots of people now take their kids to Disneyland in CA rather than Disneyworld in FL (damn them all!). When I get to the gate (after my usual battle with airport security), they are announcing the flight is overbooked and they are looking for volunteers to move to another, later flight. AA teases us with a free flight voucher, but I say NO. I want CA.

I board the plane and cannot help but notice the plane right next door (above) - Look at all the patch work holding that tail fin on! I hate traveling by air, but not because of fear of flying, just because I hate the whole process. But looking at this patchwork makes me suddenly worry about the act of flying itself.

Despite this, I have an very uneventful flight to LA - and a very nice week to escape the Boston winter.

Angels in the Outfield

Today I got to go the only 2009 season game at Fenway Park. My first game of this season, and my first post season game ever. I was hoping this would provide some luck for the Sox, as they were trailing the Angels 2-0 in the series and this game they could face elimination. However, I hoped their return to Fenway would help turn it around.

Alas, it did not. It looked like the Sox could close this game - I had a tweet ready to go to Twitter telling LA to put their brooms away. It is a good thing I did not send it because then Jonathan pulled a Papelboner and it was done. The Angels finally beat the Red Sox in the ALDS, to send them against NY in the ALCS. And where did they all celebrate? Out in the field in Fenway Park. Angels in the Outfield.

Bummer.

Carnival, 2009

Great week lounging in Ptown for Carnival 2009.

Off to Bird Camp

The Partner and I are off for a week to Provincetown, so we know we had to do something with The Bird. An entire week is a long time to have someone come by every day and feed him and provide him with some company. So what do we do? Take him to Bird Camp!

Well, Bird Camp is really more a small animal veterinarian hospital outside Boston that also provides Kennel services. We had put him up here before, during our last visit to CA, and the staff were already used to him and his "eccentricities". So they were happy to have him.

The last time we had him there he shared a room with several other parrots and he was extremely excited about it. This time, however, he was put into a room with about 10 cages. One was for him, all the others had cats in them. I was surprised, but did not think this was a problem. Cats and birds do not always get along, but they would be in cages, so everything should be fine. However, I did get concerned when I started realizing that the cat beneath Rick's cage was a loud, constant meower.

I really did not want The Bird to start meowing.

Finally, the Light at the End of the Tunnel

The Buffoonery will soon be over, and a real Leader - one with intelligence, poise and who can inspire will take over. The Dark Times are coming to an end:

Fluffee Talks on YouTube

If you have not seen this guy's videos yet, check him out. He is so damned funny. A YouTube phenom:

Fluffee Talks

The Plan

We plan to move forward with the Plan. A detailed plan of the plan can be found in the planning folder entitled “Plan”. Please plan time to examine the plan prior to implementation of the plan. We apologize for the unplanned planning, but we had planned on providing plans to review the plan but unplanned planning for another plan got planned.

For planning purposes, please plan on an alternate plan in case unplanned events cause the plan to go not as planned. Please plan to provide the planners with a copy of your alternative plan so that they can plan to plan for the unplanned.

As planned, should the plan go as planned, additional planning for the next plan will be planned. Please plan to attend the planning.

McCain's crap is starting to really smell

Who does McCain think we are?

You know, I really, really dislike John McCain. But the people I probably dislike more are the nutjobs on his campaign who either a) encourage him to do the stupid things he does or b) are not gutsy enough to stop him from doing them.

How much crap do they think they can pull before people start to smell it? At first, the Sarah Palin choice seemed like it might have some real punch. No one knew her yet, and you gotta hand it to John, he stole Barack Obama's post acceptance speech thunder and squashed it! One of the best political speeches in ages (it got me completely converted) and no one spoke of it again. So if that was McCain's goal, he totally scored. However, if choosing a sensible running mate was his goal, time is starting to show that he blew that one. I suspect the debate will only blow that wide open. Do their handlers really expect, I mean REALLY expect, that we will believe that because Alaska is closest to Russia, that she has "foreign policy experience"? I studied political science in Germany for a year - I have more real foreign policy experience! Do they think we are so idiotic that we would consider a refueling stop in Ireland to count as a visit to a foreign nation?

So while we are all trying to get through the ridiculousness that is the Sarah Palin nomination, we now get the whole silliness of the "suspended campaign" and attempt to put off the debates ridiculousness last week. Is McCain getting advised to do this crap or is the old maverick finally firing his last neuronic activity in that old brain of his? He goes through this grand effort to look like he wants to do the right thing, stop everything and go save the economy. Let's forget, momentarily anway, that he basically got this idea when the Obama campaign reached out to his campaign suggesting they issue a joint statement of solidarity. What followed was a crystal clear attempt to steal the thunder from Obama again (after all, the polls clearly show that Obama is pulling ahead, especially in the areas of the economy). So McCain just figures he will pull one of these stunts. It worked briefly with Palin. The funny part is the all the photo opps show McCain looking like a useless idiot, where Obama (who was clearly set up to be ambushed) looked positively Presidential. Oh, and McCain ended up having to show up for the debate after all, the one he wanted so badly to blow off.

Oh, and boy I can only imagine how badly he wishes he could have stayed away - talk about a poor performance. How many people could actually still want this team to be President and Vice President now?

People are starting to see through the smoke and mirrors now. McCain's Crap is starting to smell.