Skeleton Baby

Years ago, while visiting Six Flags: Great America during Fright Fest, several friends and I tried to think of ways to bug the crap out of the unfortunate costume-wearing employees. We asked a fellow dressed as a skeleton the following question:

If two skeletons got married and had a baby, would it be a real baby or a skeleton baby?

What is the real answer, and why?

Marmaduke Explained

Every link site I visit has featured this in the past week. I'm featuring it too - because it's AWESOME.
http://marmadukeexplained.blogspot.com/

The writer deconstructs the subtle wit of America's greatest dane.

iTunes 7 still sucks.

Waiting it out has proven fruitless. I'm tired of hoping Apple will patch the program so it works. To their credit, they have posted some workarounds for the problems folks are having, but seriously. No one should have to "work around" anything when you release an update like this.

The suggestions to fix the problem haven't worked for me. The main thing I use iTunes for at home is playing music in the background while I play games. Sound from the game and sound from iTunes have a fundamental disagreement they didn't have in version 6.

Oh, and get this: They have the cahones to tell me the problem is with the other programs I have running (see the very last bullet point on the page). Gee, the only change to my system is the new version of YOUR program, and you're telling me the problem is with everything else? I'd say "nice try," but it isn't, really.

Needless to say, I have reverted to an older version until the damn thing works for me.

Aaron's Last Day

My friend, Nerf target, and mentor said his goodbyes today. We'll keep in touch, certainly, but it won't be the same. Have a good one, Aaron.

iTunes 7 Windows Bug

iTunes 7 for Windows has a major playback bug. When running any other programs with iTunes in the background my music plays all garbled. I really hope they patch this soon - as in like, tomorrow.

The only information I have on it right now is this thread in the Apple forums.

Youth Ministry Logos

Logos I designed for the Jr. and Sr. High School ministries of a church.

V for Vendetta

This is what we like to call a good movie based on a comic book. It may have not been totally believable, but at least it wasn't campy and insulting.

If you're looking for 1984 meets The Count of Monte Cristo look no farther. I enjoyed it greatly.

pandora.com

This is the greatest website. You enter the name of a music artist or song, and it plays other songs that share characteristics with it. It's the result of a huge project by some music analysts. They went through thousands of songs, listing very specific features of each. The search engine goes through these lists and finds stuff you might like. Very, very cool.

You can save playlists, and rate individual song results thumbs up or down (like TiVo!). Did I mention very, very cool?

Painting the Bathroom

From the moment we bought the house, Erin was itching to repaint our purple bathroom. I told her to wait a little bit, until we got settled in. Such was our Labor Day project. We went out to the store, bought the supplies we needed, including some quick-dry spackle for the nail and screw holes all over the walls.

While Erin put up the tape to block the trim and ceiling, I drilled a new hole for the light fixture. The lights and medicine cabinet were too low - I had to lean over to see my face in the mirror! So we needed to move everything up about five inches. I drilled a great big hole five inches above the existing great big hole and set about getting the exposed wires where they needed to be. When wiring the cable and speakers for the living room, I had bent a wire coat hanger into a hook to pull cords through a small hole, so I figured I'd give it a shot here. It took some work (including making a second hook to grab and pull the other hook through the hole), but it totally worked.

Then we painted. Erin got these "paint pads" that work quite well on the wall edges. Then we used the roller for the rest. It really wasn't bad at all.

The Godfather

This film is a classic. Several friends of mine often mention that it's one of their favorite movies of all time. We had never seen it before, so we rented it and sat down for the long haul.

This movie is great. Like my friend says, it makes you want to be in the mob (just a little). Dramatic, suspenseful, great music, wonderful characters. My favorite part was the gradual transition of the main character - he's pulled in by things within and outside his control. Sort of a tragic anti-hero.

There was a lot going on, and I got a bit confused by all the different characters. They'd be talking about somebody by name and I would have no clue who they meant. But it certainly didn't lessen my enjoyment of the story.

Sears Repair and Service Center

I bought a reconditioned weedwacker at Sears, after giving up on the other one. This new one didn't work either - it would idle for a few seconds, then just shut off. Lame. I called Sears a few times during the week, and they never answered. Turns out they close at 5, so there was no way I could get there until the weekend.

Saturday, I drove back to the store with the machine in the back seat...

Dave enters the store, carrying a weedwacker. He waits in line at the counter for a couple minutes.

Polite But Entirely Unhelpful Lady: How may I help you?
Me: I bought this a week ago and it dun't work. Could I get it fixed or replaced?
Lady: Sure. We can send it up to [God knows where] to get repaired for you. Just fill out this work order.
Me: Okay. (hands over the machine, fills out the form)
Lady: Alright, we'll give you a call on the 16th (two weeks from now).
Me: The 16th?
Lady: Yes. Is there anything else I can do for you?
Me: No. That'll do it. Thank you.

Dave leaves, disappointed. What a load of crap. He gets in the car and drives to the parking lot exit. Hmm. I wonder what Erin will say when I come home with nothing, claiming we might hear back in two weeks.. Dave does a U-turn and parks the car again, walks back inside.

Polite But Entirely Unhelpful Lady: May I help you?
Me: Bet you're real happy to see me, huh?
Lady: ...
Me: Could I just exchange it now instead of waiting two weeks for repairs?
Lady: I'm sorry, but if there's a problem with a product we have to get it repaired.
Me: Are you sure I can't just trade it for one of those over there? They're pretty much the same thing.
Lady: I'm sorry but I can't do that.
Me (getting irritated): Look, I bought this last week with the understanding that it would work. Now you're telling me I have to wait another two weeks just to use the machine I already purchased?
Lady: I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do.
Me: *sigh* Okay. Thanks.

Dave gets back in the car, quite annoyed. He drives once around the parking lot, then realizes he has the reciept in his back pocket. He reads it gleefully, stops the car, and goes back into the store for the last time.

Me: This is the last time you'll see me today. I promise.
Polite But Entirely Unhelpful Lady: What I can I do for you?
Me: Could I get a refund please. (not a question)
Lady: Sure. (does all that is required for the refund)
Me: Thank you. (walks over to the rack of weedwackers, picks one out and brings it to the counter)
I'd like to buy this weedwacker.
Lady: (completes the transaction - turns out this one was ten dollars less than the other)
Have a good weekend, sir.
Me: Thank you.