Enigma

Many years ago, I went to see Batman in the theatre. There's one scene where the Joker says, "This town needs an enema".

"Aha!" I thought, "that's how you pronounce 'enigma'."

Many years later I learned it's not.

Suddenly a lot of things started to make sense.

Guilty Pleasures

I have any number of guilty pleasures. I don't necessarily mean that in the sense of "bad habit," but in the sense that there are any number of things I enjoy, albeit very privately: things that are embarrassing to admit I like. It occurs to me that the guilty pleasures one enjoys might reveal a whole lot of who one is, so I'm going to share some of my guilty pleasures with you.

1. I love television. I don't actually have a television, because I can't turn it off. How embarrassing. But all is not lost: most TV networks post their good shows online, so I can watch an episode now and then. The shows I actually watch might be guilty pleasures in their own right, but I think the very fact that I'll watch a full episode in a web browser is embarrassing enough for now.


2. I think A Mighty Wind is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Probably because I like folk music. I actually put the DVD on just to hear the music.


3. I have Celine Dion on my iPod.


4. I like Totino's Pizza.


5. I have a Bible commentary that I keep just because I think it's basically wrong. I amuse myself by flipping through it and snorting derisively


6. I have an excellent grill, but I have to look at the grills in every store: frequently just to reassure myself I like mine better.


7. I love to read novels by Georgette Heyer. And Jane Austen.


8. I listen to Christmas music in every month of the year except February.


9. I loved Moonstruck, but I've been too embarrassed to actually buy the DVD from the $5 bin

I feel better now that I've gotten that off my chest.

It was all worth it

Apparently five calculus, three differential equations, one abstract algebra, one linear algebra, and one tensor analysis courses have all paid off:

You Passed 8th Grade Math

Congratulations, you got 10/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?

I feel very smart, all of a sudden

Been Gone

Well, a couple people have asked, so I thought I'd confirm that we were out of town a few days. I actually expected to maintain email and blog contact while gone, but waqs surprised to find that the hotel wasn't offering in-room wireless. It turned out to be a good thing, as I spent some time with the kids without the distractions and interruptions of the Internet.

Well, I still have a few days off, and I've got to post some pix of the trip, but I'll get to that another time. Right now, I just wanna crash.

Self-centeredness

I've always wanted to do one of these, so I copied Gwen's...

*GETTING TO KNOW YOUR FRIENDS*

1. *What is your occupation?* Programmer---mainly Java, do other odd bits in Perl, sh, etc.

2. *What color are your socks right now?* faded grey

3. *What are you listening to right now?* A sermon on church order. I'm about to put on "Zoot Suit Riot".

4. *What was the last thing that you ate?* I'm still eating a loaded bagel with cream cheese.

5. *Can you drive a stick shift?* Yeah. Not as well as Gwen, of course. But I taught her in my '81 VW Rabbit, so I should get some credit.

6. *If you were a crayon, what color would you be?* Hunter green

7. *Last person you spoke to on the phone?* Ames

8. *How old are you today?* 34. Tomorrow is my 35th birthday

9. *Favorite drink? --alcoholic or non-alcoholic????--* Beer

10. *What is your favorite sport to watch?* Hockey

11. *Have you ever dyed your hair?* Yup, I was a high school teacher, and I used Kool-Aid to get my hair to the school color (blue) for some special event or another.

12. *Pets?* Not any more: daughter has allergies.

13. *Favorite food?* NC BBQ: pulled pork with a vinegar sauce

14. *What was the last movie you watched?* The Princess Bride

15. *Favorite day of the year?* Thanksgiving. If I were still in Canada it would be Christmas Eve, but here in the States, Thanksgiving beats it out narrowly.

16. *What do you do to vent anger?* Nothing: I let it build up inside. Once I've gotten enough saved up, I'll buy a high-powered rifle and find a water tower

17. *What was your favorite toy as a child?* Lego

18. *What is your favourite, fall or spring?* Fall

19. *Hugs or kisses?* I have personal space issues. My wife and kids can hug/kiss me; but everyone else needs to keep a respectful distance.

20. *Cherries or Blueberry?* Cherries

21. *Jeans or Skirt?* I only wear a skirt to certain bars *cough*.

22. *Who is most likely to respond?* No one. I am silently wasting my life in ignored, impotent rage.

23. *Who is least likely to respond?* Gwen

24. *Living arrangements?* Wife, three kids, myself.

25. *When was the last time you cried?* Can't remember. Boys don't cry.

26. *What is on the floor of your closet?* Shoes, beer, some Lego boxes.

27. *Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending/tagging this to?* ?

28. *What did you do last night?* Went to prayer meeting.

29. *Favorite smells?* Raspberry.

30. *What inspires you?* Not sure

31. *What are you afraid of?* Mockery

33. *Favorite dog breed:* Rottweiler

34. *How many years at your current job?* 16 months.

35. *Favorite day of the week?* Friday

36. *How many cities or towns have you lived in?* YBL, YYJ, STL, Rockingham, GRR, CLT.

38. *Ever driven a Motorcycle or heavy machinery?* Hurt myself on a motorcycle: not bad, but bad enough to never try it again.

40. *Do you have a house phone that is NOT cordless?* Yup.

41. *10 inches of snow or 100 degree weather?* 10 inches of snow

42.*List the name of the person that sent this TAG to you.....* I'm blatantly stealing this from Gwen.