August 2001 archives
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Friday, August 31, 2001
College football picks, week 1
They've been moved here.
Amusement park magnate
Last night, after watching Arkansas-UNLV and Arizona-San Diego State, I decided to play a little Roller Coaster Tycoon. Before I knew it, it was 4:00 in the morning. I had no idea what time it was.
I love games like that.
Wednesday, August 29, 2001
Random musings
I've added a couple of new UA football facts, if you're interested.
Sorry about not posting a lot recently...I just can't seem to find the enthusiasm for it. Yesterday I went to a bookstore, looking for a computer book to learn something new. But I just couldn't get interested in any of the languages or topics. I guess I'm just in a funk.
Saturday, August 25, 2001
Thanks, BellSouth!
This morning, while getting ready for Six Flags (I'm going with a bunch of friends today), I got my e-mail and found out that a lot of people have visited the rivalries site in the past two days. So I looked at the site logs, and found out that it's a featured college football link on BellSouth's site!. Look at the bottom, under "On Net This Week", where it talks about college football. It may be gone soon, but that's still pretty cool in my book.
Friday, August 24, 2001
Memphis is just up the road
With your favorite guitar riff in the background:
Well, I've got 15 pounds that I could stand to lose,
Well, I've got 15 pounds that I could stand to lose,
I've got the 23-years-old-and-already-developing-a-middle-age-spread blues.
Thursday, August 23, 2001
A wedding night to remember
Bride charged with battery on guest.
Wednesday, August 22, 2001
One of life's little mysteries
Okay, I've wondered this for at least four years now, since the movie Masterminds came out.
Who sings that song "Baby I'm Ready To Go"? Can anyone help me out with this one?
Just like back in pre-school
I have re-learned that naps are A Good Thing ® I have mentioned before that I have not been sleeping well at night; however, this doesn't seem to translate into the day. This is also A Good Thing.
Not the job kind, but still kind of interesting
Today, I got an e-mail from a reporter from the Dallas Morning News. They're doing an article on a new fight song for Southern Methodist University that is debuting this year. I guess that someone found my fight song lyrics site, because tonight I found an e-mail message asking for an interview concerning fight songs and their histories.
So I'm going to be giving Dallas a call soon. Kinda cool, I think...
Tuesday, August 21, 2001
When driving fails
I have not been sleeping well the past few nights. I was originally thinking that it had something to do with the fact that my grandparents keep the temperature hotter at night than I'm used to; I have a tendency to wake up at night if it's too hot. But I'm starting to think that it's got more to do with some oncoming stress.
I'm not used to not being in school at the start of a fall at all. I looked up Alabama's academic calendar and found that I would be starting classes tomorrow were I still there. I'm starting to wonder if I made the right decision to take a year or two away from school before I made the decision about a doctorate.
I'm definitely not used to not having something to do for an extended period at all. The last time that I can remember not having school or a job to think about was the summer before my junior year in high school. And even then I had football practice by this time.
Yesterday, I took an application to UAB for employment. The lady at the counter took my application and told me that they'd be in touch with me. Then I walked outside and got into my car. I wasn't ready to come back home yet. So I drove around Birmingham for a little while.
Driving has always been something of a relaxation mechanism for me. The thing is, what do I have to be relaxed from? If anything, I should be more relaxed now than I've been in eight years. I don't have one thing that I have to do tomorrow. But that's the problem.
This day, even driving failed me. I think that I would have enjoyed it more if I was looking around at neighboorhoods to live in or for new ways to get around town or something. This day, it seemed contrived, as if the only reason that I was doing it was to do something, anything. Which it basically was.
I turned left onto I-459 and headed for home.
Saturday, August 18, 2001
Bingo.
Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven - I think. We're not really sure. Oh well. Couldn't have said it any better.
Look for it under "New Findings".
Friday, August 17, 2001
A few things
I've made some changes to a couple of things internally. Everything should look normal, but if it doesn't, please let me know.
Also, I received my first rejection notice today. Stanford calls them "ding letters". So I've been dinged. :(
Thursday, August 16, 2001
Hip new fashion sense
Just so you know...
- I've got contacts again.
- I've grown out my goatee.
- My hair is now cut so I can wear it to the front if I want.
In other words, I'm clean-cut no more. Well, at least until my first job interview. :)
What this (virtual) world has come to
Boo! And the 100 Other Dumbest Moments in e-Business History. Some of these are laugh-out-loud funny.
What am I doing up right now? I wish I knew. I haven't been sleeping very well lately. I just popped wide awake this morning, and couldn't get back to sleep.
Tuesday, August 14, 2001
another football fact added
Ricky came up with a question that I hadn't thought about...what's Alabama's record in games where it's a new coach's first one? The answer is now in UA Football Facts.
Drat!
Left-Handers Day was yesterday, and I didn't even know!
Anyway, you can go to left-handersday.com to learn more about this day.
Are you ready for some football! (facts)
The pre-season installment of UA Football Facts is now up. I've also "spruced up" the site; sprucing up implies making a title graphic. Hey, it's an update!
Aren't you ready for September 1st and UCLA? I know that I am...I just hope that I still have my tickets!
Monday, August 13, 2001
1122 Update
The 1122 timeline has now been updated to reflect a certain event that occurred on July 28. Whatever could it have been?
Sunday, August 12, 2001
Back in Birmingham
My sister and brother-in-law came home for the weekend, so I came down as well. We played golf this weekend. I played 9 holes on Friday, and 45 yesterday. I am sunburned. My shoulders hurt. My fingers feel arthritic. I'm golfed out for awhile.
But now I'm back up here, resuming the job hunt, etc., etc.
Added a new insane thought.
don't laugh...it might work
I'm convinced that if restroom hand dryers ran for five more seconds, this world would be a much better place.
Thursday, August 9, 2001
It's a sign!
Seen on a gas station marquee on the road traveling home today:
"When the pressure's on...press on!"
Minor résumé update
I've added an objective statement to my résumé, if anyone cares to look at it. I'm starting to wonder if anyone does.
Tuesday, August 7, 2001
Yes, there really is someone this dumb...
Witness Scott Larson, 26 years old. Mr. Larson lost his baseball cap while looking at Kilauea, an active volcano on Hawaii. Mr. Larson wanted his cap back. Mr. Larson decided to go fetch his cap. By reaching over the edge of the summit crater. Mr. Larson proceeded to fall into the volcano.
As you read this article, a good question to ask yourself is this: Mr. Larson is an officer in the United States Navy. Shouldn't there be a test or something for entrance into the military so that we can weed these people out?
Question 1. What would you do if you were right by the opening of a live volcano and your $10 baseball cap flew off toward the molten lava?
Yeesh...
Monday, August 6, 2001
Yes, I know it's somewhat nerdy, but...
This site makes me giggle like a little girl.
Hooray!
A new insane thought!
they just keep coming...
For my Internet access, I'm on the AT&T 7/7 plan. As part of this, I get little ads sent to my screen every now and then. With that said...
If I see one more advertisement for the University of St. Francis, I believe that I shall scream.
Sunday, August 5, 2001
How to make the worst parkway ever
I've added a new incensed thought, a few lessons ALDOT should learn.
a few lessons ALDOT should learn
Driving to my hometown this past Friday, I decided that I would try something different and take the Alabama River Parkway. This proved to be a terrible mistake.
A little background might be necessary, so here goes. Montgomery, Alabama is a nice enough town. However, it has had road construction around the I-65/I-85 junction area for the last seven years. The construction is slated to end in approximately spring, 2017. Well, it seems that way, anyway.
At any rate, making it through Montgomery to Highway 231 and the homestretch of my journey takes roughly 30 minutes. Which isn't horrible, but it could probably be better.
Enter the Alabama River Parkway. This toll road, off of the same exit 179 of "Interstate or 82" fame, claims to allow its travellers to bypass all that nasty construction and reach the desired goal of Highway 231 more quickly.
Coming toward Montgomery from Birmingham, a few miles before the exit, is a billboard proclaiming the joy that is this turnpike. On the billboard is a lady waving a construction flag, beckoning you to turn off of the interstate and head toward the parkway instead.
Oh, sure, she looks friendly, smiling at you and all. But she knows that it's all a Siren song designed to trap unsuspecting drivers. I haven't driven by that sign at night, so I can't be certain, but I'm pretty sure that her eyes start glowing red when no one's looking.
Anyway, back to the idea that I had to take the parkway. I turned off of the exit and proceeded toward the parkway. I get to the toll booth and pay my 75 cents, and begin my journey on the Little Parkway of Horrors.
Now, let's decide on what makes a good toll road. Surely we could discuss this topic for days on end, but to be succinct, let's restrict our line of thinking to this cardinal rule of a good parkway that I'm sure can be universally agreed upon: it should be designed to let us go at least as fast as the interstate would let us.
Given that one rule:
- There should not be a speed limit of 35 on a parkway.
- There should not be a red light on a parkway.
- A toll road should not go through a residential area of a town.
- A parkway should be designed to take you around congested traffic areas.
- Corollary: it should not dump you directly into the middle of one.
Is this too much to ask? I don't really think so, but ALDOT thinks differently. And as a result, my normal 30 minute trip through Montgomery was extended to 50 minutes. I bet that flag-waving girl on the billboard had a good chuckle at my expense.
So I may soon be mailing the good folks at ALDOT a self-addressed, stamped envelope with a handwritten note asking for an apology in triplicate and my 75 cents back.
Saturday, August 4, 2001
Some memories of last weekend
Just to name a few:
- Groomsmen singing songs you wouldn't normally hear at a wedding (e.g. "Look Away" by Chicago) as if it was a church choir singing them.
- Various ideas for last-minute processional and recessional themes.
- Ricky and Tammy stories from olden days.
- One last Diet-Rite binge.
- More Simpsons quotes than should be allowed by law.
- Ricky's brother playing 80's TV themes and video game music on the piano. By ear. In chords.
- "It's like unwrapping a present!"
- "I don't know about you, but I'm pretty hungry!"
Wednesday, August 1, 2001
Maybe I need a Snoopy driver
3-year-old makes hole-in-one at California course. What's really sad is that I'll probably never get one.