I have one day left at giant!utility. It has been a good job these past 4 years. I learned more than I would ever care to convey about California environmental regulations. I acquired knowledge of technical nature, of politics, diplomacy, and the realities of running a business. I won't miss it ( Read more... )

Happy Birthday a few days late to t_bellwether  and kantrip , who apparently share the same birthday (January 21st), which I did not realize until very recently.
May the coming year bring all that you desire.

I just got back from a four-day trip to Seattle. I really must apologize to my friends in Seattle who I did not get to see, specifically kantrip  and twilight2000 since I did not even let them know I was going to be in town. Unfortunately this is no the only massive social oversight I have committed lately. It's just been that kind of past-several-months. I would not ( Read more... )

Moving: I have decided to try and move to Seattle at the end of March. The current plan is to head up there for four days at the end of January for t_bellwether 's birthday. In February I am going to Michigan for ConVocation. Then move in March. I am still a little tense about the move, but more and more I am realizing I just cannot stay here.

Body: It seems my ( Read more... )

Let me try to catch up with a backlog of stuff-I-haven't-posted-about-yet ( Read more... )

Turns out the whole modem, not just the power supply, was shot. I waited until yesterday for the power supply to arrive before I figured this out... and then went to Best Buy and bought a new modem.

Short version is I have internets again. Yay!

I will try to summarize this trip as best as I can.

Leaving: xylaix and I left about 10pm on Friday night, in a rental car. Arrived in Portland about 11am Saturday.

Portland: The hotel was in a barren wasteland in terms of food. Carl's Jr, Jung's Chinese, and a Starbucks. We drove 10 miles for breakfast one morning, and just ate at the hotel restaurant ( Read more... )

Here I am in Portland, Orgeon. Staying in part of town that is about as desolate for food options as anywhere I've been in the last two years. Had to drive 10 miles yesterday to get a decent breakfast. At least there is a Starbucks not too far away (still have to drive there).

The trip up was long, but mostly uneventful. 
( Read more... )

Dinner at Daffodil last night was fun. More for the company than for the food, however.

I arrived a bit early and decided to have a drink at read until my friends arrived. Upon mentioning my desire for a drink to the bartender, I might have expected to be handed a drink menu - or at the very least told about signature drinks the place might have (it ( Read more... )

Walking around Union Square this morning I saw a pimp strong-arming a girl. I watched long enough to know that's what it was, then tried to intervene. The guy was latino, pretended not to speak english but I know he understood me when I said I would call the police. He just kept walking... even when I put a hand on his shoulder to stop him, he didn ( Read more... )