Month: July 2006

That Was Vacation

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I last week (and yesterday) off from work for a little much-needed break. I had no real travel plans like I normally do for vacation. Instead, Amy and I saw some movies, visited New Hope, went to the pool several times, went to a Mets game (they lost), bought Amy a new television, spent time with her family, toured a vineyard and winery, and shopped for food.

My apartment complex has a pool. When I moved in — three years ago? — I received two passes but never used them until now. I should have been visiting the pool a long time ago. It’s very relaxing and feels perfect on a hot day. Unfortunately, the pool is surrounded by pine trees, so needles seem to make their way into the water.

It could be worse; I distinctly remember being on a school trip while in high school or middle school, and on the way back from our destination, we stopped at a public pool where classmates discovered used tampons swimming in the water.

Compared to that, my community pool is paradise. Now, it’s back to work.

And Yet I’m Not Hungry

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I believe I forgot to eat dinner earlier this evening. After all, I had a big lunch at the Macaroni Grill for a coworker’s birthday, and then I was working on a paper after I arrived home.

I guess this is my life… but not for too much longer. Almost there. Almost. Just six more weeks.

Frustrating WordPress Bug

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It frustrates me that every so often, WordPress reverts to the basic “default” template, changing the look of this website back to something that bugs me. There’s no good fix to this problem, and it only happens to certain blogs. Perhaps the next update will fix the problem. If you ever visit here and see the site looks weird, then there’s your explanation.

Woo! Linked By an Old School A-Lister

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I admit I get a little satisfaction from being linked to by someone who has been on the forefront of blogging since 1999 and has written books and essays (including weblogs: a history and perspective in September 2000) on the topic. Obviously Rebecca’s Pocket didn’t link to this old blog that has been around in some form since the dawn of (internet) time, but to the one that actually gets play. And it was only a link-in-passing, but me likey validation.

All-Stars

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Wouldn’t it be great if the National League wins the All-Star Game on the 10th anniversary of its last win in the same game and then the Mets go on to win the World Series on the 20th anniversary of its last win in the same series?

There’s one out left in the All-Star game at the moment, and I’m doing homework.

Syd Barrett Dies

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syd.jpgRoger Keith “Syd” Barrett, an original member of Pink Floyd who set the creative direction of the band in its early years, passed away a few days ago. (Thanks for letting me know, Doobie.)

He wasn’t the greatest guitarist in the world, but he had a unique imagination that I really enjoyed. Pink Floyd was never the same since he had to leave the band, as anyone who has listened to Shine On, You Crazy Diamond should know.

Here’s the last song he wrote for the band, Jugband Blues. It’s actually incredibly sad, and shows the workings of a mind that was almost completely gone, thanks to excessive drug experimentation:

It’s awfully considerate of you to think of me here
And I’m most obliged to you for making it clear
That I’m not here.
And I never knew the moon could be so big
And I never knew the moon could be so blue
And I’m grateful that you threw away my old shoes
And brought me here instead dressed in red
And I’m wondering who could be writing this song.

I don’t care if the sun don’t shine
And I don’t care if nothing is mine
And I don’t care if I’m nervous with you
I’ll do my loving in the winter.

And the sea isn’t green
And I love the queen
And what exactly is a dream?
And what exactly is a joke?

Moving is a Hassle

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And that’s why I chose to renew my lease, despite the incompetent management and uneven floorboards. So I’ll be here in Plainsboro for a while. It certainly wasn’t my favorite choice but it makes sense for now.

After work tomorrow, I’m heading to a New York Philharmonic concert with Stacey at the PNC Bank Arts Center to listed to some good brass music and possibly volunteer depending on what’s needed.

The rest of the week should be pretty normal and boring. It will be my final week of “Strategy Formulation,” the penultimate required course for my master’s degree. Do I feel like I’m ready to manage all aspects of a business? I guess… though experience will fill in some holes. I gain much more knowledge from my classmates than I do from the instructors, which I suppose should be expected.

My final day of earning this degree is August 22. I have a wedding to go to on August 26. It should be a busy month.

Hey, It Was a Holiday Weekend

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Most of my weekend was spent helping Amy set up her new apartment, shopping for furniture, and building things. We did take a break long enough to see Superman Returns. While Lex Luthor’s scheme was a little weak, I really enjoyed the movie. The big question I’d have to ask is “Who is Superman?” If Christopher Reeve’s Superman is the definitive character, then Brandon Rausch did a good job playing him. The way he delivered his lines was very reminiscent of Superman: The Movie.

I would have enjoyed the movie more without the allusions to Jesus, though, and possibly even more without (spoiler warning, highlight this area only if you’ve seen the movie) Superman’s son, the Plot Device Kid.

On the other hand, I thought John Ottman did a good job of taking John Williams’ overexposed themes and making some decent new music. I’ll probably pick up the soundtrack.