Table or Booth

A Bumpy Bus Ride

As of Oct 8, 2007, the San Francisco 49ers on on pace to produce the worst rated offense since the league changed to a 16 game schedule in 1978.

230 Years of Service and Sacrifice

Happy Birthday, Marines!

I should've posted...

... at least once in October.  So pathetic.  I guess now I'm off the hook for November.

Hurricane of Hope

If you haven't seen Robert Tracinski's controversial piece about the New Orleans disaster, check it out.  Whether or not you agree with his position, it's atypical, intelligent commentary on the matter.

On Career Choices...

"One of the most valuable things my father taught me is an old Yorkshire saying: where there's muck, there's brass.  Meaning that unpleasant work pays."

- Paul Graham, Why Smart People Have Bad Ideas

A few other useful programming career-oriented links:

• How to Keep Your Job
• Discussion with Dave Thomas and Andy Hunt
• Advice from Monster.com
• Paul Graham: Hackers and Painters
• Keep Offshoring From Taking You

New Math

The bizarre world may be the most interesting when explained by its witty rationalists.  Regarding procrasination, this had me chuckling: http://jamie.ideasasylum.com/2005/03/distraction-operator_02.php. 

It may have been intended only in jest but, if taken seriously, perhaps it would be useful in measuring how tasking and the work environment affect productivity?  Making this supposition ¬ Doing actual research to make something useful out it :^)

Janitor Joke

You've got to love a janitor with a sense of humor.  I was greeted strangely today by three, fully emptied and bagged trash cans.  This is odd for several reasons:

• My cube is small and three cans make it virtually impossible to navigate
• No one else seemed to be missing theirs
• Three of a thing, is a pattern often used by interior decorators in their designs
• Hays, the potential perpetrator told me he "would have put 50 trashcans in my cube had he done it."

Maybe it's a sign telling me I have lots of emotional trash to rid or perhaps it's telling me I should start a mission, donating cans to the trashcan-needy.  Which reminds me; you never know when you'll be caught jamming a Butterfinger wrapper in your jeans pocket because you don't want to litter and there's not a single trashcan in site. 

Several washes later you'll reaquaint with your surprise piece of squirrelled away garbage when fishing for change or when you're searching frantically for that movie ticket you just purchased, only moments before, and now can't seem to find.  "I bought it; I really did!" you'll plan to plead next before finding it in your left coat pocket and smoothly handing it to the cinema-checkpoint person, all before anyone actually notices your memory lapse.  Finally, on your way to the show now, you spy a huge trashcan and toss the resilient Butterfinger wrapper, once and for all.

On Short Posts

Are my posts too long?  What say you, squirrel?

CYBA (Cover your Blog Ass)

Blogging might get you fired.   This reminds me of a Haiku I wrote some time back, in memory of a friend:

    Office Fire

    The office is cold   
    Management even colder
    When they fire you

Blogging can also be good for your career.  Tim Bray's gives several good reasons why.  Some parting tips:

• Don't bash your employer
• Do what you're paid to do (or more)
• Be nice to people

Cold Alcohol

I recently discovered a new cold/flu fighter called Airborne.  Statistics show that taking this (essentially train loads of vitamin C and Zinc) can significantly reduce the recovery time so, I've been giving it a try.  It dissolves in water and tastes allright.  Who knows if it really works but then the placebo effect would still be enough for me.

More interestingly, I also enjoy a mixed drink from time to time.  These usually include vodka, soda, and some kind of fruit juice to top it off.  Since Airborne comes in orange and lemon/lime flavors and has a little fizziness (when dissolved in water), it occurred to me to use it for the base of my mixed drink.  It's fabulous!  If you feel fine and just want to buck up on some vitamin C  I  still recommend it.  Call it the "Table air Borne".  Here's how to make one:
      
        Fill glass with 1/2 cup of warm water
        Drop in 1 Airborne tablet and let it dissolve completely
        Add 1 1/2 - 2 oz of vodka
        Top off with juice of choice - grape or apple work well