Tag: Life

Categories
Idle

When coffee is just not good enough

It was a struggle to drag myself out of bed this morning. I had a full night’s sleep, but it was just one of those days when the first twenty minutes of the day are spent examining my body for telltale tire tracks. Perhaps snoozing the alarm seven more times will put me right.

While I have no idea why I’m so very tired today, my body is clearly attempting to send me a message. So, when considering the options available to make myself for breakfast, there was really only one clear and rational choice: pancakes with fresh strawberries on top.

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Suitably fortified, my brain felt the need to point out that several hundred calories of carbs topped with just two strawberries really isn’t the most logical way to combat fatigue. Finney became the beneficiary of my momentary lapse of bad judgment.

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I’ll eat better for lunch… perhaps Five Guys?

Categories
Tech Web

Happy 10th Birthday A Little Blog!

Back on November 4th, 2002 I made my first blog post. Ten years later, it’s still going strong.

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Yes, my posting rhythm could, at best, be described as indiscriminate… but it is true that A Little Blog has been providing the net with mediocre content for a full decade. Given my unshakable dedication to drivel of questionable value published at random intervals, I know you’re as shocked as I am that the lame stream media isn’t joining with me to herald this momentous occasion.

Have no fear! While the press has decided to ignore this event, the Internet is not. Accolades have been pouring in from all corners of the ‘net, from readers just like you!

Well, perhaps not just like you. Probably not even remotely like you, unless you happen to be a spammer with only the most tenuous grasp of the English language.

“Beats” writes:

I am gonna watch out for brussels. I’ll appreciate in case you continue this in future.

Praise from "white office desks hutch"

Nice blog right here! Also your web site a lot up very fast!

A nice thank you from "Dubai Escorts":

Thank you for making the sincere attempt to speak about this on http://www.little.org . I feel very strong about it and would like to read more. If it’s OK, as you achieve extra extensive wisdom, may you mind including extra articles similar to this one with additional info? It will be extraordinarily useful and helpful for me and my friends.

"Unfongorn" has been won over by my logic:

Undeniably believe that which you stated.

Existential light bulb humor is always welcome too, this one comes from "cheap customizable basketball jerseys"

How many doctors should it choose to use twist inside a bulb? That relies in whether or not it features medical health insurance.

"Stephanie Almasi" knows indistinct pseudo praise is the way to my heart:

It’s nearly impossible to find well-informed people about this subject, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks

It’s not all comments from left field, some of the commenters are just regular people too, just ask them. For those who want to know what normal visitors think, check out this rave from "Jodee Halman":

Good write-up. I’m a normal visitor of your website and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I will be a regular visitor for a long time.

I have no idea, however, what "Prace licencjackie" is trying to tell me:

Thanks for enabling me to get in mint condition belief about laptop systems. I as well possess the belief that one of the best ways to swear your laptop in perfect condition is by via a remorselessly synthetic defense, or else maybe case, that will tally greater than the highest of one’s computer.

So, here’s to another decade of intermittent posts of questionable quality. For you spammers out there, please, keep commenting. I found about 1% of your comments 100% hilarious (but the spam filter lets 0% through to the normal regular readers, so you can count on privacy for your thoughts).

Categories
Idle

The True Reason for Halloween

It’s not to relive our childhood fantasies by playing dress up…

It’s to relive our childhood sugar rushes by eating Monster Cereal.

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Every year, I do just that very thing.

And every year, I’m reminded of just how awful this seasonal treat really is. For some reason (rightly or wrongly) I remember the monster cereals as being a little more powdery (think: colored Lucky Charms) and a lot better tasting. Instead, the cereal is shiny, glazed and lacking in all but the slightest hint of artificial fruit flavoring. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t expect it to taste like real blueberries. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, I really expect it to taste like fake blueberries, much the same way I expect Hawaiian Punch should never, ever, under any circumstances, start tasting like punch. The flavor, however, can be best described as “Crunchy Sugar”.

Admittedly, I do like sugar, and if I keep the mindset that I’m just eating generic, high fructose, artificially colored children’s cereal (you know, the kind with added vitamins & minerals / guilty parent panacea)… if I pretend and squint, it ain’t half bad.

Perhaps I’ll buy it again next year.

Almost certainly, I’ll be disappointed. Again.

Categories
Idle

I don’t think I’ll go into work today

Mother Nature thought our cars would look nice in a hard candy shell.

Knock Knock
Categories
Idle

This is how every workday should start…

… working in a comfy chair, fire blazing and my puppy happily passed out by my side.

Dog by the fire

Categories
Idle

Monkey Trap

I brought some homemade gorp to work in a jar… a jar that is just the right size to catch a Reeves. Ook ook.

Categories
Idle

Everything is better with bacon (yes, cupcakes too)

It seems that this year I’m becoming increasingly obsessed with bacon. When Dick comes to town we inevitably go to Lot no. 3 for a Plate ‘O Bacon. If Paula and I hit up Sunday Happy hour at John Howie it’s hard to resist the tempura bacon.

Now, as it happens, I’m also obsessed with cupcakes (and apparently not obsessed with eating healthy). You can imagine how pleased I was to head over to New York Cupcakes on Saturday morning to pick up a pair of Papa B’s Maple Bacon "breakfast" cupcakes.

"What, pray tell,"  you ask "is a Papa B’s?"

This a a baked cinnamon/vanilla French Toast cupcake topped with Vermont maple whipped buttercream and topped with candied baked bacon.

Don’t even bother asking if it’s delicious, I won’t answer. Mamma taught me not to obsess with my mouth full.

Categories
Idle

Microwave popcorn that’s just popcorn

popcorn

Think back to the last time you microwaved popcorn. Remember what the kitchen smelled like after you were done? Sure it tastes great, but take a look at the ingredients on the box… it may explain the smell. 🙂

So tonight when Paula and I were craving popcorn we decided to try out Squawkfox’s DIY microwave popcorn recipe (found via LifeHacker). Instead of partially-hydrogenated, artificially flavored popcorn food, we had popcorn. Yes, we ate unprocessed food and it was delicious.

The formula is pretty simple: toss a cup of popping corn into a brown paper lunch bag, fold the top down a couple times and nuke for 3 minutes. When done, season to taste and enjoy.

We found it to be simple and delicious, but have a couple of notes to add:
1. It took 4 minutes in our weak little microwave, not 3 (your mileage my vary, but don’t go too long, you may burn it).
2. One cup of pop corn kernels generated a lot of popcorn (at least 1.5 times what we normally get from a typical bag of microwave popcorn). We’re going to use a half cup next time.

All-in-all, we were super pleased. Paula’s review: "I’m certainly never buying another box of microwave popcorn again!"

I’m with Paula on this, without a doubt. I’m certain it’s better for us. It’s clearly less expensive. And the best part: our kitchen doesn’t smell nasty afterwards.

Categories
Life

I’m not sure I can keep eating this way

Paula and I met Dick for some drinks and snacks tonight and headed over to Lot no. 3 in downtown Bellevue. We had some Salumi cured meats, a PB & J (peanut butter, BACON and jelly) and, of course, a Plate O’ Bacon.

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What the hell, this body’s just on loan anyway, right?

Categories
Life

But I didn’t mean to sound like a jerk

IMAG0013 (2)_e This morning I rushed to catch the elevator up from the parking garage and as I stepped in I said “thanks” to the woman holding the door for me.

Turns out, however, that I reflexively said “thanks” only to realize, after I got in the elevator, that her hand was nowhere near the open button. She had seen me coming and made no effort to hold the lift for me.

How sad is it that the other person got caught doing a dick move and I feel bad for coming across as passive aggressive?