Swirlies

Craziness Update

2009-07-22T09:48:00.004-07:00

Wow, it's been awhile. Life, as you can imagine, has been pretty crazy lately. Moving, wedding, packing, honeymoon, unpacking. Holly and I have been back to the real world for a week and a half and are slowly unpacking/moving all the stuff we have into our suite. It's slow going as we're doing little by little after work and making food and sleep. We're getting there, though.

The wedding was amazing. We received comments from a lot of guests saying that they had so much fun, and it was the most fun wedding they've attended! That was the idea, so we're glad that worked out!

The honeymoon was fantastic. I got to drive around southern England for a few days before the 12 day Baltic cruise. Proper roundabouts are fun... we only screwed up a few of them. Not bad for having driven through 7,000 of them in such a short period. Those narrow narrow narrow country lanes are crazy! Did I mention they were narrow? Some we drove through were 70 or 80 km/h (make that 40 or 50 mph over there) speed limits with lanes just barely wide enough for a car, let alone two way traffic complete with lorries and coaches (trucks and busses)! And don't forget the sheer walls of bushes or stone at the road edges. Fun stuff. No really, I had a lot of fun with it!

After driving through England and staying in bed and breakfasts, we hopped onto the cruise ship for 12 days of Baltic capitals. In short, we visited Copenhagen, Denmark; Berlin (via Warnemünde), Germany; Tallin, Estonia; St. Petersburg, Russia; Helsinki, Finland; and Stockholm, Sweden. Too much to say now, but maybe later.

After the cruise, we had another full day in England before flying back home. We were back into Vancouver on Saturday for a surprise visit from my parents. Then back home Sunday morning to get ready for work Monday morning. It's good to be home, but vacation is nice.

Now for a teaser picture. This was taken on the Baltic Sea on July 1st (Happy Canada Day!) somewhere between Germany and Estonia.

That is all.

LensBaby fun (and other photos)

2009-06-01T09:58:00.002-07:00

It's been awhile, so I figured I'd post something. It's not a Macro Monday, but just an assortment of photos I've taken recently. Most of them are taken with my LensBaby Muse (with double glass) with some other cool shots thrown in. Enjoy!

That is all.

Macro Monday: Collectors' Items?

2009-05-11T08:00:00.003-07:00

Answers to last time's pictures:
1) Push pin.
2) Elastic band.
3) Paper clip.
4) Staples.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday Delayed... Randomly

2009-05-04T09:19:00.002-07:00

I'm just letting you all know that Macro Monday will probably be spotty for the next month and a half. With the wedding looming and renovations started for the suite we'll be moving into, that doesn't leave much time for... well... anything. I'll try to post what I can when I can. MM will also be taking a break between wedding prep and honeymoon from late June to late July.

Stay tuned.

That is all.

Macro Monday Delayed...

2009-04-27T14:06:00.000-07:00

Twas a very busy weekend and didn't get a chance to take pictures. Stay tuned.

That is all.

Macro Monday: The Ties That Bind (Part 4)

2009-04-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Stuffed bunny (Holly: her name is Bow).
2) Egg.
3) Food colouring.
4) Chocolate Easter bunny.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: Hop Hop Hop

2009-04-13T14:37:00.002-07:00

Happy Easter!

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Tripod.
2) Dust blower.
3) Zoom lens (Canon 18-55mm IS).
4) Lens cap.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: Picture Perfect

2009-04-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Wire stripper.
2) Multimeter.
3) Rotary tool.
4) Palm sander.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: The Master Craftsmen

2009-03-30T08:00:00.001-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Snowboard boots.
2) Helmet.
3) Goggles.
4) Snowboard bindings.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: Playing In The Snow

2009-03-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Toilet paper.
2) Soap (on a bamboo dish).
3) Towel rack.
4) Faucet handle (cold).

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: Private Time?

2009-03-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Tea pot.
2) Tea bag.
3) Electric kettle.
4) Mug.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: In Hot Water

2009-03-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Caulk tube.
2) Glue stick.
3) Packing tape.
4) Duct tape.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: Stuck On You

2009-03-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Flashlight.
2) Candle.
3) Track lighting.
4) Light switch.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: The Future Is Looking Bright! (Part 2)

2009-02-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

Answers to last time's pictures:
1) AA battery.
2) Tea light candle holder (with red tea light).
3) Hygrometer.
4) Towers of Hanoi game.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: The Return!

2009-02-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

I realize I never posted the answers to the Big Holiday Special...

Answers to last time's pictures:
1) Christmas bauble.
2) Stocking.
3) Garland.
4) Christmas lights.
5) Wrapping paper.
6) Ribbon.
7) Bow.
8) Angel wing.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday Returns...

2009-02-09T09:33:00.001-08:00

... but not yet. Macro Monday is going to return next Monday!

That is all.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

2009-01-26T10:55:00.004-08:00

Sun Nin Fy Lok! Happy Year of the Ox!

That is all.

And Now For Something Completely Different...

2009-01-20T09:03:00.002-08:00

You just can't get away from Inauguration coverage today, even if you tried. Not surprising at all, really. It's everywhere... except here.

And now for something completely different...

So after a hiatus from Macro Mondays, it will return... eventually. Insurance is slowly working and I've got some items replaced. Out of my camera equipment, I have my 50mm and extra battery. The rest needs to be ordered in for me to pick up. Hopefully, that doesn't take too long, as I've been suffering withdrawal and camera envy. See you soon!

That is all.

The Transformation...

2009-01-05T09:33:00.002-08:00

... of two stellated rhombic dodecahedrons from a cube and other such stuff.

Let's start with the other such stuff.
Sadly, Macro Monday is on an indefinite hiatus. A few days before Christmas, my place was broken into and among the things stolen was my DSLR and all my lenses, including the LensBaby I had just gotten. We're currently dealing with insurance, so hopefully things get sorted out soon and I can get back to my photography. It's pretty amazing thinking about how differently I see things now compared to before I got my DSLR. Interesting photos are everywhere.

And now onto the transformation. It's easier to just show you a video than to explain it. I want one. I have one similar to this (only one piece, not two) that I got from a job fair awhile back, but that extra dimension of having two pieces really adds a lot!

That is all.

Macro Monday: Ho Ho Ho!

2008-12-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

It's the big Holiday Special. Merry Christmas! Depending on how things go, this might be the last one of the year. If it is, have a good one, I'll see you in the new year!

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Lego brick.
2) Magnetix.
3) Tangram (4 piece) puzzle.
4) Meccano.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

No Macro Monday this week...

2008-12-17T08:59:00.002-08:00

Sorry loyal fan(s?), but no Macro Monday this week. I've decided to skip this week, but I'm planning on giving you an extra big one next week for Christmas. See you then.

That is all.

Macro Monday: The Pressure is Building

2008-12-08T08:00:00.001-08:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Microfiber cloth.
2) Lamb wool wash mitt.
3) Fleece buffing rag.
4) Sheep skin chamois.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: Wiping Out The Competition

2008-12-01T08:00:00.002-08:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Throwing Copper CD by Live.
2) Paper airplane.
3) Hacky sack.
4) Throwing star.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: Flight MM24112008........Departed

2008-11-24T20:00:00.000-08:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Nerf dart.
2) Boomerang.
3) Disc golf disc.
4) R/C helicopter.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Colour IQ

2008-11-24T19:32:00.003-08:00

Here's an interesting item my friend posted over at Purple Pyro: Colour IQ Test. They have a test with four rows of colour chips, each row showing a different hue range. To complete the test, you arrange the chips so that they flow from the leftmost hue chip to the rightmost hue chip. When you think they're in proper order, you click the 'Score Test' button and see how you did.

A score of zero is perfect. I'm pleased with my score:

That is all.

Flight MM24112008........8:00A........DELAYED...ON PURPOSE

2008-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

I've decided to delay this week's Macro Monday for a bit because last week's was so late. This way, you get more time to figure out the pictures. Have fun.

That is all.

Macro Monday: Flight MM17112008........Departed

2008-11-19T22:22:00.002-08:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Chopsticks.
2) Knife.
3) Fork.
4) Spoon.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Flight MM17112008........8:00A........DELAYED

2008-11-19T09:50:00.004-08:00

Yes, I know I've used that one before, but it's a different flight number. And this will fit the theme. I hope to get this week's up by tonight. If not, I'm getting into the territory of it not being late anymore, as next week's being early.

For a partial explanation of why I'm late, check out Left4Dead. The pre-release demo was out a couple weeks ago and the full game was just released Monday at 9pm PST (midnight EST, officially) on Steam.

That is all.

Macro Monday: Feeding Frenzy

2008-11-10T11:45:00.002-08:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Bag handle (portable DVD player case).
2) Umbrella handle.
3) Gloves.
4) Shoes.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: Get A Grip!

2008-11-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Leather belt.
2) Pants hanger.
3) Picture frame hanger.
4) Suspenders.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: Suspension of Disbelief

2008-10-27T08:00:00.001-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Hair brush.
2) Lens brush.
3) Tooth brush.
4) Paint brush.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: A Brush With Destiny

2008-10-20T19:27:00.002-07:00

Another busy weekend. Better late than never.

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Pumpkin pie.
2) Cranberry sauce.
3) Brussel sprouts.
4) Turkey (white meat).
5) Stuffing.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: It's A Thankless Job

2008-10-13T08:00:00.001-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving Day all!

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Carpet.
2) Linoleum.
3) Concrete.
4) Laminate (fake hardwood).

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Muesday: Step On It!

2008-10-07T20:53:00.002-07:00

A little late, but here it is:

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) IDE ribbon cable.
2) SATA cable.
3) CAT5 cable.
4) Component video (RCA) cable.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Flight MM06102008........8:00A........DELAYED

2008-10-06T09:01:00.001-07:00

No Macro Monday yet today. It was a busy, but productive, weekend and I got home too late to want to take pictures. I'll try to get some up this afternoon.

That is all.

Macro Monday: Tether Ball?

2008-09-29T08:00:00.002-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Exercise ball.
2) Stress ball.
3) Powerball hand gyroscope.
4) Chair caster.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: Things Are Rolling Right Along! (Part 2)

2008-09-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Tennis ball.
2) Basketball.
3) Soccer ball.
4) Golf ball.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: Things Are Rolling Right Along! (Part 1)

2008-09-15T08:00:00.001-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Weigh scale.
2) Ruler.
3) Digital kitchen scale.
4) Tape measure.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Marketing...

2008-09-14T11:39:00.003-07:00

I was out shopping yesterday and came across this toy packaging. It's a 'Shape Shifter' Punisher... yet another changing/transforming toy. This one, however, is different. In usual fashion, it shows various steps of 'shape-shifting'. But if you look at the second step, it seems somebody didn't actually look at the picture before approving it. Oi. (Sorry for the horrible cell phone pictures.)

That is all.

Macro Monday: Does It Measure Up? (Part 1)

2008-09-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Microphone.
2) FRS radio.
3) Spiral phone cord.
4) RJ11 phone jack.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Contested Photography

2008-09-03T18:52:00.003-07:00

Not long after I got my DSLR and got more into photography, I'd been thinking that I should enter some photography contests. The first one I came across was one put on by London Drugs. I kept putting it off and forgetting about it until a few days after the entry deadline... That didn't work out so well.

Later on, I came across one put on by the Nature Trust of BC. This time, all my putting off and forgetting didn't push me past the entry deadline. But not without trying. The deadline is tomorrow, but I managed to get my maximum six entries in. Believe me, it wasn't easy picking only six photos out of the thousands I have.

For this contest, eighteen finalists are chosen by the Nature Trust and those eighteen go on to be judged by public voting (email ballots). If I make it to the finals, I hope you vote for me!

My entries:

That is all.

Macro Monday: Can You Hear Me Now? (Part 2)

2008-09-01T08:00:00.001-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Old-style telephone handset.
2) Computer speaker.
3) Cell phone (Motorola RAZR).
4) Tin can phone.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: Can You Hear Me Now? (Part 1)

2008-08-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Electric shaver.
2) Staple remover.
3) Pencil sharpener.
4) Swiss Army knife (Victorinox) saw blade.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

No Macro Monday Yet...

2008-08-25T08:43:00.004-07:00

Apologies for the lack of a Macro Monday at the usual time. It was a busy weekend with less sleep than I'd like and it completely slipped my mind yesterday. I'll try to get this week's MM up after work.

That is all.

Macro Monday: The Ties That Unbind (Part 3)

2008-08-18T08:00:00.001-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) WD-40.
2) Nail clippers.
3) Can opener.
4) X-Acto knife (this actually is an X-Acto brand knife).

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: The Ties That Unbind (Part 2)

2008-08-11T08:00:00.003-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Soap dispenser.
2) Scrubber.
3) Steel wool.
4) Scissors.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: The Ties That Unbind (Part 1)

2008-08-04T08:00:00.002-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Screw.
2) Masking tape.
3) Stapler.
4) Binder clip.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: The Ties That Bind (Part 3)

2008-07-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Holly's ring finger.
2) My right knee.
3) Ring box.
4) Engagement ring.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: The Ties That Bind (Part 2)

2008-07-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

This was not planned, but this multi-part Macro Monday theme worked out perfectly. For anybody that doesn't know yet, I proposed to Holly on Thursday! She accepted and now comes the fun part of figuring and planning everything out. Me = + .

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Zipper.
2) Button.
3) Velcro (hook and loop fastener).
4) Snap fastener.

And now this week's pictures, with obvious source of inspiration:

That is all.

Macro Monday: The Ties That Bind (Part 1)

2008-07-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Bookmark.
2) Magazine (Popular Photography - July 2008).
3) Comb binding.
4) Hard cover book (The Dilbert Future).

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: Reading Between the Lines

2008-07-07T08:00:00.001-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) LED flashlight.
2) Light bulb base.
3) LED keychain light.
4) Fluorescent spiral light.

Answers to the Canada Day Special:
1) Canada flag (more often than not, worn as a cape).
2) Toonie.
3) Canadian Tire money ($0.10).
4) Canadian $10 bill.
5) Loonie.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Pictures!

2008-07-06T21:07:00.002-07:00

As the title says, pictures! I've got two albums on my Picasa account now available: Canada Day and Misc. These are just a small sampling of the pictures I took recently. What you see below is an even smaller sampling:

That is all.

What do you mean it's not an on/off switch?

2008-07-02T17:28:00.003-07:00

It's scary to think that some (well... a lot of) people are given a license to drive. It's scarier to think that some of these people drive for a living. It's even scarier still to think that some of these people drive the public around for a living. Many times I've been on a bus with horrid drivers at the wheel. The latest didn't seem to understand that the gas and brake pedals are not, in fact, on/off deals. Starts were abrupt and sudden, pressing the lucky sitting passengers into their seats, while sending the unlucky standers staggering to find grip and balance. Stops were more abrupt and sudden, adding jerky to the mix. Between starting and stopping gave no reprieve, as constant velocity seemed an unheard of concept. Gun it, let off, gun it, brake, gun it... BRAKE! That's even with vehicles immediately in front. Oi...

That is all.

Macro Monday: We Stand On Guard For Thee!

2008-07-01T01:06:00.003-07:00

Happy Canada Day, everybody!

I know it's not Monday... and I already posted a Macro Monday yesterday. I was going to do a special Canada Day Macro Monday yesterday, but I completely forgot come Sunday. So all my lucky visitors get a double feature this week! Enjoy!

That is all.

Macro Monday: The Future Is Looking Bright! (Part 1)

2008-06-30T08:00:00.001-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Digital alarm clock.
2) Watch strap/links (Fossil brand).
3) Analog clock hands.
4) Sundial (in the Rose Garden at Butchart Gardens).

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Tetris Redux

2008-06-25T12:20:00.001-07:00

Tetris may have been invented by a Russian, but the Japanese made it so much better! Well, it's not quite Tetris, but it's hilarious to watch. I present to you: Human Tetris. Don't bother watching the non-Japanese ones... they are far from entertaining.

That is all.

Macro Monday: Time For More

2008-06-23T08:00:00.002-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Soldering iron.
2) Baseboard heater.
3) Portable mini-heater.
4) Barbeque lighter.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: Things Are Really Heating Up (Part 2)

2008-06-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Thermostat.
2) Stove element.
3) Toaster.
4) Matches.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Intelligence-Free Zone

2008-06-15T22:50:00.003-07:00

There's a lot of stupidity in this world. Most of the time, it's just your basic run-of-the-mill stupidity that's easy to ignore. But once in awhile, a shining star of stupidity rears its ugly head (mixed metaphors be damned). I was on my way to the ferries earlier and saw this car driving a little quickly (averaging about 120kph in a 80kph zone) and fairly aggressively (cutting people off, tailgating, etc). That's run-of-the-mill stupid, nothing extraordinary there. What made this stand out, however, was the fact that the car was full, including one kid in the back. Four adults seated, while this kid was free to roam around the back seat! Free as in not buckled in, not even sitting.

Obviously, Darwin didn't work fast enough with the parents...

That is all.

Butchart Gardens, Lack of Good Title Edition

2008-06-15T13:25:00.002-07:00

Move along, nothing to see here. Oh wait, yes there is:

That is all.

Are you STILL talking?!?

2008-06-11T12:16:00.000-07:00

I swear, some people should not be allowed to leave phone messages... or should be required to take Remedial Phone Message Etiquette. Phone messages should be short, sweet, and to the point. Anything over thirty seconds, in most cases, is far too long. Really, fifteen seconds should be enough.

"Hi [target name], this is [source name]. I'm calling [to|for|regarding|etc.] [purpose]. You can reach me at *slow down* [phone number]. That's [phone number]. Thanks. Bye."

That's generally about how my messages go. I might add an email or some other form of communication, but that's about it. (Speeding up when saying phone numbers is a whole other rant...)

The other night, I got home and there were two messages on my answering machine. (Yes, answering machine, not voicemail. One of the ancient, tape based ones!) It's a bad sign when it takes a relatively long time to rewind the tape for only two messages... The first message plays and this woman starts talking... and talking. And talking. And talking. And talking. And rambling. And rambling. And RAMBLING! My God woman, are you STILL TALKING?!?! And after literally a minute of talking, she STILL hasn't even come close to saying her purpose for calling. No, this is back-story that doesn't matter. Back-story that she basically repeated several times already. A few minutes later, the message FINALLY ends.

Next message. OMFG! She called AGAIN! Immediately afterward to "make sure she said what she wanted to say more clearly"! If you haven't guessed already, this message was JUST AS RAMBLING! Sure, it was only about half as long, but it was still a couple minutes. She went over the back-story AGAIN, while repeatedly talking about making it more clear. *bangs head on wall*

Wow. Holly listened to all of it with an incredulous look on her face. I couldn't actually stand it and walked away a few times... only to come back with the woman still talking.

Yes, some people should not be allowed to leave phone messages.

That is all.

Macro Monday: Things Are Really Heating Up (Part 1)

2008-06-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Car battery (terminal).
2) Headlight (high beam).
3) Tire (right rear).
4) Air vent (passenger front).
5) Disc brake (right rear).

For bonus points, what make/model of vehicle are those from?

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

You like me! You really like me!

2008-06-02T12:16:00.000-07:00

But still not enough to comment!

So checking the stats for May, I've broken my personal best records! Not by huge amounts, mind you, but it's still something. Number of visitors increased from the previous record of 254 to 269, and number of page views from 362 to 438. Looking at the graphs, you can see nice spikes every Monday.

On a general note, I've had visits from 72 different countries since I started tracking stats (May 26, 2006): Canada (3,629), United States (1,377), Great Britain (UK) (143), Australia (58), Germany (40), Sweden (25), Italy (22), France (22), Netherlands (19), Brazil (18), Israel (13), China (11), Portugal (10), Poland (9), New Zealand (Aotearoa) (9), Switzerland (7), Ireland (7), Spain (6), Singapore (6), Denmark (6), Venezuela (6), India (6), Mexico (5), Norway (5), Iceland (4), Thailand (4), Finland (4), Ukraine (4), Greece (4), South Africa (4), United Arab Emirates (4), Japan (4), Austria (3), Philippines (3), Belgium (3), Chile (3), Slovak Republic (3), Turkey (2), Romania (2), Argentina (2), Saudi Arabia (2), Guatemala (2), Korea (South) (2), Indonesia (2), Suriname (2), Yugoslavia (2), Russian Federation (2), Lithuania (2), Macedonia (2), Qatar (2), Trinidad and Tobago (1), Iraq (1), Kuwait (1), Czech Republic (1), Bulgaria (1), Zaire (1), Egypt (1), Tunisia (1), Slovenia (1), Ecuador (1), Afghanistan (1), Paraguay (1), Malaysia (1), Pakistan (1), Taiwan (1), Colombia (1), Hungary (1), Guadeloupe (1), Uruguay (1), Iran (1), Hong Kong (1), Lebanon (1).

On another note, I'm taking lack of response to the AdSense question as implying consent. I'll wait until Wednesday (one week for comments) for an official 'decision'.

That is all.

Macro Monday: And Away We Go!

2008-06-02T08:00:00.001-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Fork.
2) Toothpicks.
3) Cheese grater.
4) Tea strainer ball.

This week's aren't so much macro shots, as they are crops. I didn't have much time to do these ones, with a 'proper' light setup, so I shot them non-macro and cropped. The idea is still there.

That is all.

Do You Sense The Ads?

2008-05-28T13:16:00.002-07:00

Of course not, there are none. At least, not right now. I've been toying with the idea of 'applying' for a Google AdSense account to put a small AdSense placement on the right side. In the past I've had a personal policy of no ads whatsoever on my sites; ads were annoying, obtrusive, and ugly. Things seem to be different with the text-only version of AdSense, and frankly, I wouldn't mind having a little (most likely, very little) extra play money to help feed my photography addiction.

But I leave that up to you. What do you think? Leave your comments.

That is all.

Darwin's Crossing

2008-05-26T18:55:00.002-07:00

I'll have to get a picture some time.

Sunday afternoon, I headed out onto the Goose on my rollerblades for the first time this season. I hadn't really noticed it before, but along the way from Switch Bridge to Swan Lake it crosses Darwin Ave. Great. So? Well, there's a sign that says "Darwin Crossing" with a yield sign. I'd think it'd be funnier if the sign was just a plain information sign on a much bigger and busier street. Let Darwin have his fun!

That is all.

Feed Me, Seymour! (Again... only different.)

2008-05-26T12:18:00.001-07:00

I've made some changes to my RSS feeds, so you may or may not have to update your reader if you're subscribed. The feed links at the bottom of the sidebar have been updated. I removed one and added a new Macro Monday specific feed. Over the next [INSERT TIME FRAME HERE], I'll be adding labels to all my posts. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But soon, and for the rest of your life!

That is all.

Macro Monday: Now We're Cookin'!

2008-05-26T08:00:00.001-07:00

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Drill bit.
2) Sandpaper.
3) Saw blade.
4) Claw hammer.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macro Monday: I'm Workin' On It

2008-05-19T10:00:00.001-07:00

First up, answers to last week's pictures:
1) Ceiling tiles.
2) Light fixture dome.
3) Smoke detector.

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Sea to Sky

2008-05-18T22:34:00.002-07:00

You know, this is really turning into a photography blog. What can I say, it's a fun hobby. :)

Here are a few sunset pictures from a few days ago:

Yesterday, I got a new toy for my camera: the Canon 50mm f/1.8 II. Sometimes known as the 'nifty fifty' or 'fantastic plastic', it's definitely a nifty/fantastic lens. It's incredibly light, pretty small, has great optical quality, and it's incredibly cheap (especially for a prime lens). And it's even cheaper when on sale! Here are a few shots with the lens:

Take a look at the water texture in the last shot; pretty cool, eh? :)

That is all.

Macro Monday: Heads Up!

2008-05-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking of making this a weekly thing. I'll see how it goes and whether I'll actually keep it going. No promises, but the current idea is to have the post title be a clue to a theme all the pictures share.

Answers to last week's pictures:
1) Pants! The thing on the left is a belt loop.
2 - 4) Mushroom pieces!

And now this week's pictures:

That is all.

Macros in Flight

2008-05-04T15:43:00.002-07:00

Well, not quite, but here are some more fun shots. These pictures were taken on the ferry ride to Vancouver.

Time for some macro photography! I bought a set of macro extension tubes and have been playing around with them a little. My coworker has a Cranium calendar and occasionally there'll be a set of macro pictures where you have to guess the object. Here's my own version. The first is of one object, while the rest are of (different pieces of) another object. Make your guesses; I'll post answers at a later date.

That is all.

Butchart Gardens, Rebel Edition

2008-04-05T20:46:00.003-07:00

About a month ago, I got a new camera to play with and it is fun. The camera? A Canon Rebel XTi. There's a picture of it below, as seen in a gazing globe. These pictures are just a few I took today at Butchart Gardens. So far, I've *only* taken 1464 pictures with the camera.

That is all.

Hygiene Hijinks

2008-03-25T16:25:00.001-07:00

I don't understand some people. I was in the washroom earlier today and this guy walks in. He brushes his teeth and then flosses. That's fine, oral hygiene is important. Total time for that was about ten seconds, including brushing, flossing, and rinsing. World's fastest brushing/flossing/rinsing complete, he washes his hands and then goes to use the urinal. That's fine, emptying your bladder periodically is important. After jettisoning his liquid waste, he leaves... without washing his hands. wtf? You take the time (barely) to brush and floss after eating, wash your hands after brushing, but you don't wash your hands after using the urinal? Frankly, I think washing your hands after that is more important than the ten second oral cleansing.

That is all.

Quality Code Review Practices

2008-03-25T14:12:00.001-07:00

Unit of measure: WTFs/m.

That is all.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

2008-02-07T09:42:00.000-08:00

Sun Nin Fy Lok! Happy Year of the Rat!

That is all.

Peace and Solitude

2008-02-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

I miss the peace and solitude of driving to and from work. Well, not so much peace and solitude in general, there are too many bad and stupid drivers around, but the personal buffer zone of peace and solitude within the car. Now that I'm working downtown and have started taking the bus, I don't get that anymore. I'm stuck surrounded by a mass of people. A mass of people that includes stupid people and their stupid conversations.

For the last few days, I've been subjected to two stupid high school kids (a guy and a girl) talking only about smoking, their smoking cravings, their channeling money to buy their precious cigarettes, their precious cigarettes being stolen, etc, etc, etc, ad nauseum. (And yes, I realize that 'stupid' and 'high school' often becomes redundant.) The girl this morning mentioned almost asking a guy on the street for a cigarette while with her mom, but catching herself in time. Yes, because nobody can smell the smoke permeating your clothes and hair and body at all. *rolls eyes*

Forkin' dumbasses.

That is all.

Do's And Don'ts: Baby Edition

2008-01-25T15:06:00.000-08:00

This isn't new, but it's funny all the same. What to do and what not to do with babies in easy-to-understand picture form: Do's and don'ts with babies.

That is all.

It's A Small World... Well, City...

2008-01-10T15:42:00.000-08:00

Well, maybe not that small. I mean, it has been several years. Today, I bumped into the mom of an old high school classmate, Jane (yes, real name). I was heading into a store when someone caught my attention as I walked past. We had a brief chat, and it turns out her daughter is now in Toronto. That explains it.

Explains what, you ask? Well, around Canada Day last year, another old classmate was back in town and was having a little high-school reunion type party at his place. A third classmate tracked me down and invited me. At said party, we were talking about various classmates and it seemed that no one knew where Jane had ended up. Now I know. Toronto.

That is all.

Portal Meets Penny Arcade

2008-01-09T14:31:00.000-08:00

Penny Arcade takes on Portal in this comic. Not satisfied with just a comic, they also have a t-shirt!

That is all.

Portal Meets VG Cats

2007-12-08T20:11:00.000-08:00

If you haven't played Portal yet, do it. Now! For the rest that have and have beaten it, remember the song at the end? Well, it's now been animated for (even more) hilarity. So snuggle up with your Companion Cube, get some cake, and enjoy!

That is all.

Pender Pix

2007-11-20T22:28:00.000-08:00

A couple weekends ago, a group of us popped over to Goody's family cabin on Pender Island for a little getaway. Twas great fun. Here are just a few (of the 467) pictures taken from my camera alone. There were five (?) other cameras present, too.

Ok... more than a few.

That is all.

You're A Veritable Mac Daddy.

2007-11-02T15:01:00.000-07:00

There's a great new show on TV, called The Big Bang Theory. It airs Monday nights on CBS, and is quite possibly the funniest new show since Scrubs or Corner Gas. It centres on two brilliant physicists as they experience real life from their ultra-geeky perspective. It's all translated into some great comedy. Some quotes from the first episode below:

So what do you guys do for fun around here?
Well, today we tried masturbating for money...

I don't know what your odds are in the world as a whole, but as far as the population in this car goes, you're a veritable Mac Daddy.

That is all.

Aran's Wiener

2007-11-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

It's time, once again, for some site search results. These results are taken from October 1 to November 1. I think the list will speak for itself:

hooker hangouts
icbc claim bumper
woody woodpecker's eyebrows
turn styrofoam cup inside out
msn space abs
swirlie
Weekend Time
flying fox productions courtenay B.C.
turning a cup inside out
polyamourism
daschund roman candle video
walk with a goofy grin on your face
polyamourism swirlies
turn styrofoam inside out
severus snape animated
pictures of swirlies
SPICEJAMMER menu
how to turn a styrofoam cup inside out
"this love is taking"
carpool hooker
"swirlies" animated
RETARDS parade
How to turn a styrofoam cup inside out
"styrofoam cup" "inside out"
picture of "harry potter's parents"
daschund roman candle
swirlies
hookers habit
"Ann vs. Anne"
retards in parade
msn space allison
idiot driver Victoria
aran wiener
shoot me i'm an idiot
pictures of toilet swirlies
"hooker hangouts"
swirlies bicycle
swirlie video
"choose your own adventure" werwolf pants
funny hooker sign
pictures toilet swirlies
"potter mother"
music this love is taking its toll on me
rajeev and angela
msn swirlies
street corner hooker

That is all.

C is for Cookie... Carving!

2007-10-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

The other night I was at a friend's martini and pumpkin carving party. I can't remember the last time I had carved a pumpkin, but I had a simple idea for a fun one. The results are below. I think it worked out quite well!

That is all.

Gobble Gobble!

2007-10-08T00:42:00.000-07:00

                 .========.
               .-|        |-.
         .''-'`_.|__ __ __|._`'-''.
        / .--'`  |  [LI]  |  `'--. \
      .' /   _.--'''""""'''--._   \ '.
    /` .' .-'     _.----._     '-. '. `\
   |  /  /      .'  _  _  '.      \  \  |
   | |   |     /   `_  _`   \     |   | |
  /  /   '.   |    (o)(o)    |   .'   \  \
 |  |      '._|    .-""-.    |_.'      |  |
 |  \       / |     \  /     | \       /  |
 /  /      | / \    /\/\    / \ |      \  \
 | |      / |   '-.(    ).-'   | \      | |
 | |     | /       \`""`/       \ |     | |
 \  \    / |    _.-|    |-._    | \    /  /
  \  \  | /   .'   |    |   '.  \  |  /  /
   '. './ | .'    /      \    '. | \.' .'
     '._| \/                    \/ |_.'
       `'{`   ,              ,   `}'`
        {      }            {      }
        {     }              {     }
         {   }                {   }
          \,/                  \,/
            '.                .'
         jgs  '-.__      __.-'
                {  _}""{_  }
               /    \  /    \
              /=/=|=|  |=|=\=\
              \/\/\_/  \_/\/\/

Happy Thanksgiving!

That is all.

I'm continually amazed...

2007-10-03T00:27:00.000-07:00

About ten minutes ago, I witnessed another shining example of the worst of human stupidity... one that greatly deserves to be forcibly castrated. Then shot, just to be sure. I pulled out of my garage and backed onto the street, which at this time and in this city is usually dead quiet. I finished backing up and looked forward and immediately saw said example come flying past going probably about 100kph ON THE WRONG FUCKING SIDE OF THE ROAD. As soon as he hit the intersection, he swerved back to the normal side. Now, the section he was coming from has a barrier along the entire block, so he had to either have been on that side the whole time or he had pulled out of a driveway on that block. I don't know. It happened too quickly for me to see clearly, or to get his plates, or I would have called it in to 911. As it is, I probably should have because I could have given a general description of the vehicle and a direction of travel and location. Where's the Hand of God (or the Monty Python Foot) when you need it?

That is all.

Flying Swirlies pt. 2

2007-09-17T20:00:00.000-07:00

Some more about last post's video. The guy in the video is a Frenchman who designed and built this suit (and other previous incarnations) as a project while at the Olivier de Serres industrial design school in Paris. The ultimate aim is to mass-produce these suits, dubbed 'BuggyRollin'. I must admit that I kind of want one.

The video from last post is the second in a series of three videos taken at various mountain roads in Switzerland: Swiss Pass 1 (Furka), Swiss Pass 2 (Grimsel Pass), Swiss Pass 3 (Oberrard). A lot more videos are available on his YouTube page.

That is all.

Flying Swirlies

2007-09-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

No description necessary.
Lets fly.

That is all.

Gaming Swirlies

2007-09-07T22:30:00.000-07:00

Seems I've been quite lax about updating this for awhile. Well, so has everybody else I know. Anyway, this isn't going to be a real update, just filler. Here are several interesting things I've come across recently:

Stair Fall 2: Simple, yet entertaining.
Poke the Penguin: No, it's not a euphemism.
Pocket Emo: Emo-y goodness... sadness?
Pootris: Ahh, toilet humour. It's what you get when you mix Tetris, Pipes, and toilets.

That is all.

Fired up about flowers

2007-08-09T15:46:00.000-07:00

A couple Saturday's ago, Holly and I went to Butchart Gardens for the fireworks; spending most of the day there to ensure a good spot. While there, I had a little fun with my camera... all the while wishing I had a DSLR. Here's a selection of the pictures. You can find more in my Flickr albums: fireworks, Butchart Gardens.

And one last picture. This one is of Holly's bookshelf, which we finally got around to setting up after moving. It's usually supposed to be vertical, but the ceilings aren't high enough to accommodate that, so we got a little creative. Pretty cool, eh?

That is all.

Pottering about...

2007-07-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

In light of the recent buzz over Harry Potter and the release of the last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I got to thinking about what's going to happen in the series. Not being one of the obsessed, I wasn't lined up before midnight, dressed as Harry Potter or any of the other characters, frantically anticipating the release. In fact, it only took me about ten years to start reading the series... I currently have about 4,000 pages left, give or take a few hundred. In other words, I'm reading book two right now. Anyway, the reason I'm writing this is to tell you that I've figured out the surprise ending in the final book without having read it. It goes something like this:

Severus Snape is Harry Potter's mother.
"What?" you say, "You're crazy!" Not at all (well, maybe a little), but it'll all make sense in a second.
So, Snape is Harry Potter's mother. That's not all. Severus Snape is also Voldemort. If you remember back to when Voldemort killed Harry Potter's parents and left the lightning scar on Harry, Harry's father was the first to die. Harry's mother/Snape/Voldemort killed his father first, then attacked his mother. Now, since his mother was also Voldemort, when his mother 'died', Voldemort's power was destroyed. The scar on Harry was caused by shrapnel.

Now, fast forward to the end. Voldemort(/Snape/mother) confronts Harry and says, "Luk... err... Harry, I am your mother!" This is just too much for Harry to handle, as something in his mind snaps, driving him to insanity. At this point, Harry goes on a wild killing rampage, destroying the entire UK, before finally committing suicide.

Keep all this in mind as you read the last book. You'll see how uncannily accurate it is.

Come to think of it, I should have thought of all this on the 20th... Oh yeah, this post contains spoiler warnings.

Hmm, I wonder how many hits I'll get because I mentioned 'Harry Potter'? Harry Potter Harry Potter Harry Potter Harry Potter Hermione Granger Ron Weasley Albus Dumbledore Severus Snape Hagrid Harry Potter Harry Potter

That is all.

Corny, ain't it?

2007-07-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

There's been corn in them thar fridges as of late. During my most recent corn consumption with Holly, I started thinking about how people eat corn, because there are quite a few different ways and people are usually quite set in their own way. There are several basic types of eaters (like dancing...): the circle/ring eater, the spiral eater, the row/typewriter eater, and the Space Invaders eater. The ring eater eats around the corn cob, slowly advancing to the side as each ring is completed. The spiral eater is similar, but eats in one continuous spiral. The typewriter eats a row at a time, like a typewriter. The Space Invaders eater is similar to the typewriter eater, but moves like the aliens in Space Invaders, side to side.

All of these basic types move 'down' the cob, turning the cob upward as progress is made. I can't recall anybody that moves the other way, eating 'up'. If you are, let me know. There's also the issue of eating with your top, bottom, or all your teeth. I mostly use my bottom teeth and scoop up to the top. Other people dig down with their top teeth, while others still use both.

I'm a modified ring eater. I eat my corn in rings, advancing from the tip to the base... until I get to about 3/4 of the way. Then I eat a ring or two off the end before finishing it off. Holly, on the other hand, always eats a little off each end to create handles. From there, who knows? She likes to play and make patterns.

Speaking of playing, there were lots of ways we played with eating. I remember as a kid, my brother would sometimes eat a single kernel at a time. I would eat and skip rings. I've played with the typewriter method, but it always felt wrong. Holly and her brother would eat words and patterns, or eat spirals.

So, how do YOU eat your corn?

That is all.

Happy Canada Day!

2007-07-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

Yep, Canada is 140 years old today. But don't tell the government that; they think it's tomorrow... According to their official statutory holiday policy, if July 1st falls on a Sunday, then Canada Day is July 2nd. Indeed.

Anyway, go have a 2-4 of beer and some flapjacks, eh! Now take off, ya hosers!

* Animated flag courtesy of webanimations.co.uk. Life on the Web. I couldn't find my old animated flag, but this one looks better anyway!

That is all.

Strafe! Strafe!

2007-06-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

Hehehehehe, gotta love the Japanese:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a88_1182467920

That is all.

Mish Mash, I was taking a bath / 'Long about a Saturday Night.

2007-06-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

As hinted by the title (sorry about that), this post is going to be a mish mash of topics.

Saturday night. The team performed at a wedding on Saturday night. An East Indian wedding. What? Yeah, swing isn't really the first thing you think of when you hear 'East Indian wedding'. It was fun, though. It was also fun doing a tantrum (aerial) to It's All Right With Me (lyrics...) at a wedding... Exactly.

Last night I was randomly surfing around and came across a site called Geekologie. Its About reads: "Geekologie is [a] website dedicated to the scientific study of gadgets, gizmos, and awesome." I wouldn't say 'scientific' or 'study' even, and a lot of the author's comments are rather asinine, but there are some pretty cool items featured... such as the Abduction Lamp. Another favourite is the full size Camarasaurus dinosaur replica. This thing is six metres high and seventeen metres long. And somebody added the absolute best comment ever:

So I'm the only one here that wants it outside my work so at 5:30pm I can jump out the window and slide down it's [sic] neck to my car whilst screaming "Yabba Dabba DOO!!"?

July 4. Forget American Independence Day; I don't care about that. July 4 is when the Transformers movie comes out! As with any movie release with this much history, childhood memories, and merchandising, there are a bunch of toys I want. Hehe. I so want this Optimus Prime voice changing helmet! Just imagine going to the theatre wearing this... along with all the others doing the same! And of course the Mr. Potato Head Optimash Prime. These are just cool: transforming Softimus Prime and Slumblebee plush figures. And for some classic chess... Transformers chess set.

That is all.

Alumni facts?

2007-06-21T12:34:00.000-07:00

You would think the Alumni Association for the University of Victoria would have a proper fact checker... or at least someone with enough time on their hands to do the work. Apparently not. As I said in my last post, Holly's Convocation was a couple weeks ago. During Convocation, you get an alumni pin from the Alumni Association. Looking at Holly's and then mine and then Holly's again over the course of a day or two, I noticed a few differences. When I got them together, they were completely different, as you can see in the pictures below. The pins are quite different, but have the common elements of the book/tome/whatever representing knowledge (I assume) and the three martlets. The text on the card stock that the pins come attached to are also fairly different. My card has the official motto in both English and Latin, whereas Holly's only has it in English. What's most interesting, though, is the discrepancy of the facts.

Mine reads:

A gift for you...

It is with pleasure and congratulations that the University of Victoria Alumni Association welcomes you as a member. We hope you will wear this pin with pride as a token of the dedication and discipline with which you earned your educational distinction. We trust that this pin will serve as a reminder that you are one of an accomplished group of individuals.

The Alumni Association is a volunteer-based, non-profit society which works in partnership with the department of Alumni Affairs at the University of Victoria to encourage a life long relationship between alumni and their university. The back of this card outlines the ways you can stay connected to your graduating class and UVic.

Multitudo Sapientium Sanitas Orbis
(A multitude of the wise is the health of the world)

The three martlets on the crest are symbolic of the 1903 to 1915 Victoria College affiliation with McGill University, while the blue and gold colours represent the UBC affiliation from 1920 to 1963. The University of Victoria formally came into being on July 1, 1963. The Alumni Assocation was incorporated as a society in 1965.

Holly's reads:

A gift for you...

The University of Victoria Alumni Association welcomes you as a member. We hope you will wear this pin with pride since it represents the dedication and discipline you gave your studies at UVic.

The UVic Alumni Association is a volunteer-based, non-profit society working in partnership with the department of Alumni Services at the University of Victoria to encourage active relationships between alumni and their university. You automatically become a member of the association upon graduation. There are no membership fees.

About your new pin...

Your alumni pin features a simplified version of the university's official coat of arms. The three martlets on the crest are symbolic of the 1903 to 1915 Victoria College affiliation with McGill University, while the blue and gold colours represent our affiliation with UBC from 1920 to 1963.

The formal coat of arms also includes a torch (from which the alumni magazine takes its name) and the official mottos: "Let there be light" and "A multitude of the wise is the health of the world."

The University of Victoria was established on July 1, 1963. The Alumni Association was incorporated as a society in 1964.

Re-read the red bolded sentences. Interesting, no? So was it 1964 or 1965?

Holly's is on the left, mine is on the right.

That is all.

Convocation Carnival

2007-06-20T12:11:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago was Holly's Convocation. After toiling away at studies for years, and paying thousands and thousands of dollars for that privilege, she got the pleasure of experiencing the hallowed traditions that are Convocation. Let me describe Convocation to you:

The experience of friends and family
You pile into the University Centre Auditorium with all the other friends and families, at which point you wait... and wait. When the ceremonies begin, you stand while all the unprocessed graduates form a Procession that file into the seats around the stage. Then people talk. And more people talk. And more people talk. When all the talking is done, the unprocessed graduates go through the age-old traditions until all have passed into the World of Academia. After this, there's yet more talking. At the end, the newly anointed graduates file out as you once again stand.

The experience of the vict... Convocatee
You arrive at the University long before your family to pick up your silly looking regalia that's steeped in time-honoured tradition. After getting the regalia, you proceed to find your staging room where you are helped into said regalia. Time to wait. And wait. And wait. Once you're tired of waiting, you're then directed into lines and given orders of either "you go when I tell you to go" or "follow that guy" or "follow the person in front of you". Now that you're in your lines, you then wait (and wait and wait and wait) for your cue (queue? ). Once you've gotten your cue, you make your way into the auditorium and to your seat, where everybody can see your every movement. And now the speeches. Traditions always call for lots of talking and Academia has some of the oldest traditions, so there's always lots of talking.

After all the talking, you're filed onto the stage one-by-one to have your name called out to the masses (the audience) and what program/degree got you to this point. When your name is called, you first pose for pictures, then walk across the stage to where the Chancellor is sitting, who bonks you upside the head with a funny looking hat to welcome you to Academia. You then walk off the stage where you collect your multi-thousand dollar piece of dogwood (degree) and the alumni people give you a pin and other stuff. By taking the pin and other stuff from the alumni people, they implicitly take permission to ask you for money for the rest of your life.

Once all the unprocessed graduates have been processed, you then sit through more talking before filing out to a standing audience. Now it's time to find your friends and family in the sea of hundreds of other friends and family. After collecting your people, you then proceed to the free food and then pose for hundreds and hundreds of pictures, so you can forever be captured in your silly looking regalia... which you have to return before X time or you'll pay late fees. And it better be clean or you'll be paying cleaning fees.

A note about the silly looking regalia. Everybody in Academia wears silly looking regalia for these types of things. The higher (or deeper, depending on how you look at it) you go, the sillier it looks.

That is all.

Styrofoam!!!

2007-06-19T15:22:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it took awhile for an update. Total time I've spent on the cup since last posting has been about five minutes. Total time Holly's spent on the cup has been an hour or two. The cup might not be inside-out yet, but I've got pictures of progress... taken soon after posting last time.

That is all.

Madness on the Inside (Out)

2007-06-04T00:23:00.000-07:00

Saturday, I was in two shows with the team, performing our latest routine to Ella Fitzgerald's It's All Right With Me. The shows were the two halves of the Victoria Dance Connection's Year End Performance at the Royal Theatre. At the end of the second show, we were hanging out backstage getting ready to leave when Geoff told us a little story involving a styrofoam cup. I was drinking some water from one such cup at the moment. Apparently, his friend's dad used to turn styrofoam cups inside out during his college days. It seems it's possible to flatten the styrofoam enough to give it the flexibility to turn the whole cup inside out without breaking. It just requires a lot of patience and boredom... and possibly some insanity, as I found out.

Now, if you tell me a story like that, it's quite possible I'm going to take that as a personal challenge. So, having finished my water, I started in on the cup, flattening the top and slowly working my way down. Geoff had already started on his, but would later give up when he got a little impatient and broke his by rushing. When we were all ready to go, we headed out to celebrate and hang out. Personal challenge and all, I had my cup in hand. And so was the case for the rest of the night. When I said it required a lot of patience, I wasn't kidding. It's slow going, flattening styrofoam cups. After flattening on and off for a couple hours last night, I was only about one third of the way into the cup. A little more work today and I'm a little over half done, though it does go faster the lower you get since the diameter decreases. The cup is starting to get pretty flexible and I've started widening the top in preparation for inside-out-ing it.

I have to say, it's pretty tough on the thumbs. They're starting to feel like I've been playing with Lego for a long time. I can see I still have a lot of flattening and working the cup to increase its flexibility still, but I'm not going to give up. I'll report again soon.

That is all.