Here's a list of things I would like to get done during the course of a day.
Morning, ideally:
-do a full stretching routine
-go for a walk or work out in some other way
-shower and put on makeup
-eat breakfast
-pack lunches
-do freelance work for an hour and a half (two or three days a week)
-work on writing/AMRN stuff
-plan, prepare, and shop for dinner
-mess around online or watch videos for 15-30 mins (I always tend to do this in the morning, so why not plan for it?)
Lunchtime:
-eat lunch while working
-go on a walk or work out at the Y during actual lunch hour
Evening:
-cook and eat dinner
-ride the bike (on its stand)
-relax
I am going to go ahead and post this, but it's incomplete. I need to figure out how long each morning thing would take me and how early I would have to get up to accomplish it all. I think the writing and freelance work would have to be on alternate days, but even then would it be practical? Because I have to start working out in the morning regularly; there is just no way I can't.
Also, I obviously can't try to start doing everything at once after I've nailed down a routine. I'll have to come up with a good plan and then start adding each item one at a time every week or two. I'm already set to start freelance this Friday, so I guess that'll be the first thing.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
The ultimate work(out) station
I want a new desk for work.
This desk needs to support two monitors, one CRT and one LCD, an oversize keyboard, and a phone. Ideally it would also have room for a printer or two and a way to keep the CPU itself off the floor.
The work surface should raise and lower so that I can either stand or sit.
The desk should have one file drawer and one or two miscellaneous drawers.
It should also have a fold-out treadmill and a fold-out exercise bike that will retract into the desk when not in use. Ideally the controls for these would be built into the desk, as would retractable hand grips.
I can almost picture how this desk would work. It would have to be at least L-shaped, if not U-shaped. The arm or arms would contain the exercise equipment. There are already products that can raise a monitor and keyboard; for this desk they would just have to raise two monitors at once. I'd prefer it to look snazzy, so instead of a product sitting on top of the desk, I'd prefer the desk itself be adjustable. That would ensure that there would be space for the exercise equipment to fold out and lock in, as well.
Okay, universe, you have your assignment. When can I expect to see this desk in my office?
This desk needs to support two monitors, one CRT and one LCD, an oversize keyboard, and a phone. Ideally it would also have room for a printer or two and a way to keep the CPU itself off the floor.
The work surface should raise and lower so that I can either stand or sit.
The desk should have one file drawer and one or two miscellaneous drawers.
It should also have a fold-out treadmill and a fold-out exercise bike that will retract into the desk when not in use. Ideally the controls for these would be built into the desk, as would retractable hand grips.
I can almost picture how this desk would work. It would have to be at least L-shaped, if not U-shaped. The arm or arms would contain the exercise equipment. There are already products that can raise a monitor and keyboard; for this desk they would just have to raise two monitors at once. I'd prefer it to look snazzy, so instead of a product sitting on top of the desk, I'd prefer the desk itself be adjustable. That would ensure that there would be space for the exercise equipment to fold out and lock in, as well.
Okay, universe, you have your assignment. When can I expect to see this desk in my office?
Quality time
Check out this fabulous fatherhood PSA from the Ad Council. (Click for full size.)
Nice.
Nice.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Expenditures
I copied all debits listed in our checking account for the last 90 days into an Excel spreadsheet, then labeled each one with a category. I sorted by categories, totaled the categories and all the expenditures, then calculated what percentage of our spending each category was.
My categories may not have been completely accurate, because I can't always tell what a debit is for, and I also may have debits that fit more than one category. I also left out transfers to savings and two one-time debits that didn't really fit anywhere.
Here's what I found out.
Bills: 21.99%
These are our regular bills that we will arguably always have, like rent, phone, internet, power, websites, etc.
Food: 19.67%
Eating out and ordering in.
Car Payments: 14.91%
My Yaris. Sean likes to make double payments each month. Should be paid off soon.
Health: 14.88%
Various bills related to my congestive heart failure. Nice.
Entertainment: 8.47%
This is mostly the purchase of DVDs and books from Amazon.com, though it also includes a few webcomic-related purchases (t-shirts, books, subscriptions).
Furniture: 7.26%
The dining room table, my desk and filing cabinet, and the decorative stuff I recently bought at Target.
Groceries: 3.89%
Anything I buy for home use, including toiletries and cleaning stuff and, of course, food.
Beauty: 2.47%
My salon visits and Sean's haircuts.
Gas: 1.92%
I really thought this would be higher in the list.
Clothes: 1.87%
This isn't accurate, as I usually use my Cato card to buy my clothes, so this percentage only includes the stuff I recently bought Sean from Lands End.
Family: 1.58%
Basically if we spent money on family, like presents or cards.
To put that in perspective, here's a nifty pie chart:
I knewwe I spent a lot of money on eating out, but that is a pretty big portion of our overall budget.
I'm not sure what to make of all this yet. It's definitely given me something to think about.
My categories may not have been completely accurate, because I can't always tell what a debit is for, and I also may have debits that fit more than one category. I also left out transfers to savings and two one-time debits that didn't really fit anywhere.
Here's what I found out.
Bills: 21.99%
These are our regular bills that we will arguably always have, like rent, phone, internet, power, websites, etc.
Food: 19.67%
Eating out and ordering in.
Car Payments: 14.91%
My Yaris. Sean likes to make double payments each month. Should be paid off soon.
Health: 14.88%
Various bills related to my congestive heart failure. Nice.
Entertainment: 8.47%
This is mostly the purchase of DVDs and books from Amazon.com, though it also includes a few webcomic-related purchases (t-shirts, books, subscriptions).
Furniture: 7.26%
The dining room table, my desk and filing cabinet, and the decorative stuff I recently bought at Target.
Groceries: 3.89%
Anything I buy for home use, including toiletries and cleaning stuff and, of course, food.
Beauty: 2.47%
My salon visits and Sean's haircuts.
Gas: 1.92%
I really thought this would be higher in the list.
Clothes: 1.87%
This isn't accurate, as I usually use my Cato card to buy my clothes, so this percentage only includes the stuff I recently bought Sean from Lands End.
Family: 1.58%
Basically if we spent money on family, like presents or cards.
To put that in perspective, here's a nifty pie chart:
I knew
I'm not sure what to make of all this yet. It's definitely given me something to think about.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Partay
I had a bunch of workies over to hang out today, and it was a lot of fun.
Rex arrived first, then Steven, and finally Gene, Kelsey, and Samantha showed up. We all hung out and snacked on the chips and goodies I'd prepared, then went out to dinner at Giuseppe's, which is just up the road. Dinner was good, but they took way too long making Sean's takeout order, so I felt bad about keeping everyone there waiting on it. Finally I walked up to the counter and they handed it right to me :P
But things were good again once we were back at the apartment. We played Wii tennis, bowling, and golf for a long time. Samantha brought her Wii and Rex brought extra controllers. It was really fun. Hopefully someday I'll get my own Wii.
After everyone left I cleaned up right away. It's best to do that rather than leave it to the next day, I think. Besides, I have laundry to do tomorrow, so it'll be nice not to have to clean the kitchen and dining room too.
Pictures start here.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Stop taking pictures of food. Seriously.
Sorry, Brandon. Not gonna happen:
Sushi from Fujiyama, 2/10
Tuna fish on honey yeast bread with pasta salad, from the ever-wonderful Boll Weevil, 2/11
Coconut creme cake from Boll Weevil. It was soooo good.
Garden burrito with beans and rice from Nacho Mama's, 2/12
It's my own damn fault
The National Symphony Orchestra is playing tonight at the USC Convocation Center in Aiken.
They only travel to one city each year. This year they happened to pick a city in my area. When I first heard about it I was so excited that I leveraged my media contacts to get myself a pre-sale password. I bought two extremely good seats.
For weeks I looked forward to the concert, gazing fondly at the pink tickets that had arrived in the mail and sat waiting for that fateful day atop my desk.
Those tickets are in my purse right now.
For the past several days, I've bragged to friends and coworkers alike that I was going. I was so excited I couldn't hold it in.
So why, pray tell, am I not there, taking advantage of what might very possibly be a once in a lifetime chance to hear the official symphony orchestra of the United States of America in person?
You want to know? It's a really, really stupid reason.
I couldn't find the place.
Matter of fact, I couldn't even find the city of Aiken.
It's all my own fault. I've only been to Aiken once before, and I've never been to the Convocation Center. I should have gone up there to find my way sometime before tonight. Or I should have gotten good directions from someone.
As it was, I was following my Google Maps printout when all of a sudden I hit a detour somewhere around Graniteville, and after that I was nothing but royally screwed. I couldn't find the next road. I actually passed a sign with the highway number on it, but there was no arrow or anything letting me know if I was on the highway or if I needed to turn somewhere. I kept going straight, and to tell you the truth I have no idea where I ended up. I do know that when I turned back around and stayed on that same road, I ended up in familiar territory...back in North Augusta, just as the concert was scheduled to start at 7:30.
The whole experience was so humiliating and frustrating that I just want to curl up and die.
But I'm having friends over tomorrow, and there are chores to be done. Maybe I can just pretend it was meant to be, so that I would have time to prepare for company.
Unfortunately, that doesn't make me feel any less stupid.
They only travel to one city each year. This year they happened to pick a city in my area. When I first heard about it I was so excited that I leveraged my media contacts to get myself a pre-sale password. I bought two extremely good seats.
For weeks I looked forward to the concert, gazing fondly at the pink tickets that had arrived in the mail and sat waiting for that fateful day atop my desk.
Those tickets are in my purse right now.
For the past several days, I've bragged to friends and coworkers alike that I was going. I was so excited I couldn't hold it in.
So why, pray tell, am I not there, taking advantage of what might very possibly be a once in a lifetime chance to hear the official symphony orchestra of the United States of America in person?
You want to know? It's a really, really stupid reason.
I couldn't find the place.
Matter of fact, I couldn't even find the city of Aiken.
It's all my own fault. I've only been to Aiken once before, and I've never been to the Convocation Center. I should have gone up there to find my way sometime before tonight. Or I should have gotten good directions from someone.
As it was, I was following my Google Maps printout when all of a sudden I hit a detour somewhere around Graniteville, and after that I was nothing but royally screwed. I couldn't find the next road. I actually passed a sign with the highway number on it, but there was no arrow or anything letting me know if I was on the highway or if I needed to turn somewhere. I kept going straight, and to tell you the truth I have no idea where I ended up. I do know that when I turned back around and stayed on that same road, I ended up in familiar territory...back in North Augusta, just as the concert was scheduled to start at 7:30.
The whole experience was so humiliating and frustrating that I just want to curl up and die.
But I'm having friends over tomorrow, and there are chores to be done. Maybe I can just pretend it was meant to be, so that I would have time to prepare for company.
Unfortunately, that doesn't make me feel any less stupid.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Weird observation
I can't remember ever hearing a news story about a plain-looking, regular student killed in a wreck. They're always beautiful and sociable and everyone in the school knew them. Do news outlets just not bother with the unpopular kids, or are popular kids more likely to get in wrecks?
I support Montel Williams
Or at least, what he said on Fox and Friends:
He's right. Shut up about celebrities, stay out of people's private lives, and focus on what's important. Yes, fans do mourn Heath Ledger. But they can do that on their own time; they don't need a TV show to help them.
And don't argue that it's a happy-shiny morning show, and what Montel said was too depressing. If that's the case, then why talk about death at all? Are you then saying that Heath Ledger's death is a lighthearted one?
He's right. Shut up about celebrities, stay out of people's private lives, and focus on what's important. Yes, fans do mourn Heath Ledger. But they can do that on their own time; they don't need a TV show to help them.
And don't argue that it's a happy-shiny morning show, and what Montel said was too depressing. If that's the case, then why talk about death at all? Are you then saying that Heath Ledger's death is a lighthearted one?
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Japanese name-based personality tests
Kayo linked to a couple websites where you put in your name and they give you a personality assessment. I went to the Japanese one and found a whole bunch linked from it.
heatherの脳内 (Heather's Brain):
This one created an image so I'm unable to copy and paste the characters and try and figure out what it means. It doesn't look good, though, does it?
Edit: Kayo says:
嘘 (uso) means a lie.
寂 (jaku) means sad or lonely.
But she also kindly pointed out that my full name has a better meaning:
友 (you) means a friend, friendship or friendly.
休 (kyu) means a rest or a holiday.
heatherの脳内フェチ (Heather'sFetish Passion):
爪 means claw or nail.
己 is "ore", the masculine personal pronoun...I'm wondering if this is also how you specify a dom? However, I'm also seeing it in a combination where it can mean "by oneself", so I don't know. I probably need a native speaker to tell me what it means.
I'm not really sure if this is saying I'm into manicures and tough guys, or if it's talking about sexual things. I'm not sure how the word "fetish" is being used.
Edit: Kayo explains things in the comments. Yes, I think we can safely say that I am into myself. Not sure about the nails though!
heatherの前世の脳内 (Heather's Brain in a Previous Life):
賭 means gambling.
酒, of course, is sake, or alcohol.
So apparently I was pretty worthless in my past life!
heatherの鞄の中身 (Inside Heather's Bag):
Translation:
heather弁当 (Heather's lunch):
My obento costs 620 yen and contains rice (米) and something else. Again, it made an image, so no copy and paste :(
Edit: Kayo tells me that "貝 (kai) means shellfish".
heatherの脳内 (Heather's Brain):
This one created an image so I'm unable to copy and paste the characters and try and figure out what it means. It doesn't look good, though, does it?
Edit: Kayo says:
嘘 (uso) means a lie.
寂 (jaku) means sad or lonely.
But she also kindly pointed out that my full name has a better meaning:
友 (you) means a friend, friendship or friendly.
休 (kyu) means a rest or a holiday.
heatherの脳内フェチ (Heather's
爪 means claw or nail.
己 is "ore", the masculine personal pronoun...I'm wondering if this is also how you specify a dom? However, I'm also seeing it in a combination where it can mean "by oneself", so I don't know. I probably need a native speaker to tell me what it means.
I'm not really sure if this is saying I'm into manicures and tough guys, or if it's talking about sexual things. I'm not sure how the word "fetish" is being used.
Edit: Kayo explains things in the comments. Yes, I think we can safely say that I am into myself. Not sure about the nails though!
heatherの前世の脳内 (Heather's Brain in a Previous Life):
賭 means gambling.
酒, of course, is sake, or alcohol.
So apparently I was pretty worthless in my past life!
heatherの鞄の中身 (Inside Heather's Bag):
| 鞄の種類 | あのブランドっぽいハンドバッグ |
| 鞄の中身 | シックなハンカチ カルボーン おとまりセット 眼科の診察券 生徒手帳 |
| Type of Bag | |
| Bag's Contents | Chic handkerchief Japanese sweets from 20 years ago (guess I won't be eating them!) ophthalmologist patient registration ticket student notebook |
My obento costs 620 yen and contains rice (米) and something else. Again, it made an image, so no copy and paste :(
Edit: Kayo tells me that "貝 (kai) means shellfish".
Hospital observation
In the hospital again! (And looking great, I might add.)
So, yesterday at work something odd and scary happened to me.
I was down in the studio with the chief engineer, working on graphics for one of the weather computers. I had gotten a bit flustered about a problem and was trying to make sure it got resolved before I went back to my desk. There were a few people in the weather center and all the chairs were taken; the chief engineer was crouching and I was standing up.
I got tired of standing so I knelt on the floor in seiza, the formal sitting position where you fold your legs under yourself--you've probably seen it in anime or martial arts. Your legs can easily go to sleep in this position. I wasn't thinking about the poor circulation it would afford me and how that might not be so great since I'm on diuretics; I was just pleased that I could still sit that way.
At some point the weather guys were talking to the engineer. They were all standing up and talking over my head and I was sort of listening to them. All of a sudden, I felt myself falling forward. Then I felt myself catch myself. It was kind of like how you start to fall asleep and then jerk awake suddenly, except I was lucid the entire time. I could still hear everyone talking as blurriness filled my vision until I couldn't see. I've had that sort of thing happen before, a lot actually, since I started heart medication, but it usually went away in a second or two. This time it lasted as long as it took me to finally wrest control of my muscles and stand up, a surreal passage of seconds during which I felt myself jerk backwards over and over uncontrollably.
I don't know how severe it was or how long it actually lasted, but I didn't fall down and no one even noticed. Their conversation continued as I was finally able to reach out and stabilize myself against the desk to pull myself to my feet.
"I just had some sort of seizure," I said, for lack of a better explanation, "so I'm going to go call my doctor." Everyone called after me in surprise as I strode out of the weather center and back up the stairs. I continued to be blase about it until I had gotten to my desk, made the call, and gotten the machine. As I described the problem my voice started shaking and then it was a huge struggle not to cry.
Once I was done leaving the message for my heart doctor I tried to go back to working, but I couldn't concentrate and I was starting to feel freaked out. One of the directors came in to make graphics for her show, and she started chit-chatting with me, and I couldn't do much but babble in response. Finally I said, "I'm not really coherent right now because I just had a seizure or something."
"Are you okay?!" She started asking questions and I felt overwhelmed so I finally just said "I don't know," and she ran out of the room and got my boss.
My boss came in and I tried to compose myself and call my GP, since the cardiologist hadn't called back yet. I got a machine there too and hung up.
"Do you want to go to the hospital?" my boss asked. The director had asked that too. I didn't know if I needed to or not but I was scared.
"I guess so," I said. My boss practically sprang out of the room and found someone to drive me over to the ER.
I wasn't feeling any spasms or having any vision issues, just the normal slight dizziness upon beginning to walk that I have grown accustomed in recent weeks to experiencing, so I walked out to the car with the promotions assistant and she drove me to the hospital and stayed with me in the ER for as long as she could before she had to go pick up her daughter from day care. I explained my symptoms to a nurse, waited awhile, got registered, and then waited even longer.
I'm pretty sure it was 7 o'clock before they finally called me back. The episode happened at 3:20 and I'd arrived at the ER at 4. By then I was feeling all right and I had actually just asked the nurse if I could leave.
I was put in a room and had to wait some more. Then I explained my situation to a doctor and he ordered labs and urine and an EKG. These various things occurred at various times. I saw another doctor who pointed out that the way I was sitting probably set it all off. A nurse put in an IV and took me to a different room with a stretcher.
Then that nurse was taken off my case and a different nurse was assigned. He let me know that we were waiting for someone from upstairs to evaluate me and decide if I needed to stay. Another doctor came close to midnight to tell me I would be admitted overnight, given fluids, and observed. That doctor brought me something to eat; I hadn't eaten or drank anything since around 2 o'clock when I had Wendy's with Fichtel. My hospital fare was a diabetic sandwich lunch with sun chips and an apple, and it was delicious.
I waited a long time to be put in a room. There was no TV in the little ER room, so once I had eaten my dinner and taken some pictures I had nothing to do. My cell phone had no reception. I laid on the stretcher and tried to sleep, but the ER noises made it difficult.
At one point I was taken to the ER Observation area to be put in a room there, but the nurses said they'd been told I wasn't to go there, so I ended up back in the ER room. It wasn't until 5:30 that I was finally placed in a room upstairs.
Much to my chagrin, the people on the other side of the curtain from me were snoring in the loudest, grossest way possible.
Also much to my chagrin, nurses kept coming in to take vitals and check things and have me sign papers and set up fluids and set up a loaner CPAP. I was able to sleep until 7:30, when a nurse came in for vitals again, and then I took the CPAP off and resigned myself to staying awake.
The CPAP had blocked a lot of the disgusting snoring noise, but now I had nothing to protect me. I tried my television which helped some. Eventually my neighbors were awakened and I was relieved.
Breakfast was not good. It was so not good that I didn't bother taking a picture. Fake eggs and tasteless grits. However, there was an orange muffin that was actually really yummy, and it was all served with orange juice and milk, which softened the blow.
Two different doctors came around one at a time after breakfast to hear my complaints and give me their opinions. Finally, right when I was starting to eat lunch, the whole cadre came in. They all agreed that I was reacting strongly to my heart medicines and I needed to cut back on the diuretics, which had dehydrated me to the point of renal failure. The fluids they'd been giving me all night combined with stopping the diuretics temporarily had brought my lab numbers back to acceptable levels, so I just needed to talk to my cardiologist about changing my doses.
After they were gone I ate lunch, which was even worse than breakfast.
I remember when I was hospitalized for leukemia, I couldn't stand the smell of those plastic containers, and the orderlies had to remove the lid out in the chamber beyond my room so I wouldn't smell it and throw up. At least it wasn't that bad.
Sometimes I think back on my time at the Markey Cancer Center with nostalgia. I think that it was nice to be taken care of, to have my diet planned out, and to sit around all day goofing off. This experience reminded me of the reality: my life was dull and depressing and I lived solely for those fleeting blocks of time when I was allowed to go home, to see something different, to walk outside. Those moments were bookended by weeks of hospital stays. No, nostalgia, I do not want that life again.
After lunch I fell asleep watching TV. One of the doctors, a cute guy who was pretty flirty, came in and asked, "So, want to stay a few more days?" I fortunately knew he was joking, and responded, "No, I think I'll pass." Then he said I would be able to leave in about an hour, which was wonderful news. We shook hands for about the fourth time (and joked about that too) and then he said, "I'll let you go back to sleep. Enjoy your nap," but of course I was too excited about leaving to sleep, so instead I started getting my things together, tidying up after myself, and getting dressed.
Finally a nurse had me sign discharge papers and I was free to go. I didn't bother waiting for Sean to come up to the room; I grabbed my stuff and strode right out of that room, down the hall, and into an elevator.
There was no dizziness and no blurry vision as I headed outside to wait for Sean to arrive. I tilted my head back and gazed at the blue sky above and felt no vertigo. I felt normal. It was nice.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
The Book Quiz
Okay, this is frightening.
You're Les Miserables!
by Victor Hugo
One of the best known people in your community, you have become something of a phenomenon. People have sung about you, danced in your honor, created all manner of art in your name. And yet your story is one of failure and despair, with a few brief exceptions. A hopeless romantic, you'll never stop hoping that more good will come from your failings than is ever possible. Beware detectives and prison guards bearing vendettas.
Take the Book Quiz at the Blue Pyramid.
Via Brooke.
You're Les Miserables!
by Victor Hugo
One of the best known people in your community, you have become something of a phenomenon. People have sung about you, danced in your honor, created all manner of art in your name. And yet your story is one of failure and despair, with a few brief exceptions. A hopeless romantic, you'll never stop hoping that more good will come from your failings than is ever possible. Beware detectives and prison guards bearing vendettas.
Take the Book Quiz at the Blue Pyramid.
Via Brooke.
How about this copy?
Was a group of Muslim women clutching briefcases and text messaging during films were spotted making a terrorist attack "dry run" in a theater?and-the RSS summary for this Snopes article
The 65-pound dog survived a six story leap from a Tampa airport parking garage and lived.Nice.-the first paragraph of this AP article
(It happens to all of us...especially during breaking news!)
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Obama manjuu
Barack Obama has been endorsed by the city of Obama, Japan.
Via Japundit.
Update: It occurs to me that a person who uses name similarity in this way would be what Edogawa Conan would call an お芽出度い奴.
Members of a local tourism association and other people formed a volunteer group Monday supporting Obama and put up campaign posters at a local hotel.Most exciting to me, though, was this bit:
"We'd like him to win the election and visit our city as president," said 55-year-old Kiyoji Fujihara, a group representative.
[...]
According to the city government, the move arose out of an e-mail sent to city hall by a local resident in late 2006.
The message said Obama had joked "I'm from Obama" on TV when visiting Japan and that the city should consider giving him an award for the comment that became good publicity for the city.
It is not known if he actually did make such a comment, but the city last year sent Obama a letter and lacquered chopsticks, a local specialty, city officials said.
The group is also considering selling Japanese-style "manju" sweets with Obama's portrait on them.Mmm, Obama manjuu.
Via Japundit.
Update: It occurs to me that a person who uses name similarity in this way would be what Edogawa Conan would call an お芽出度い奴.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Okay, rich boy
From Scuttlebiz:
Yeah, well, some of us can't find $100 or $150 in our couch cushions. Yeesh.
(Then again, if it gets to the point that it costs $150 to drive to Atlanta...:P)
With the exception of one international trip, every flight I have ever booked while living in Augusta has originated from Augusta's airport. The fares on each of those flights from Augusta Regional have always been "reasonable," which I define as being within $100 or $150 of Atlanta or Columbia.
Yeah, well, some of us can't find $100 or $150 in our couch cushions. Yeesh.
(Then again, if it gets to the point that it costs $150 to drive to Atlanta...:P)
Canal photos
I finally got my pictures from the Augusta Canal uploaded, tagged, and captioned.
This is the end of a section of stair rail. Weird, but it kind of fits with the outdoor, roughing it theme of the area.
A new trail...at least to me. So of course I had to explore it!
The end of the new trail (it was pretty short, but I loved the view).
Gazing at the bridge and headgates from behind, I noticed a crazy photographer standing on the thin concrete wall that separates man from the Savannah.
This is the closest shot I got of him.
Here's another wall-percher. For some reason she reminds me of Tamara. I think it's the hair, though it could also be the attitude. "I'm so cool, I think nothing of sitting barefoot on stone in 60 degree weather, reading a book!"
Ah yes, one of my all-time favorite subjects. Damn, I thought I had it so the reflection at the top was out of the frame.
Sean has a weird name for these, which I can't remember, and I can't remember the proper name for them either ;P
Well, poo.
One of many "ooh aren't silhouetted bare branches cool?" shots.
I started finding the power pole and line aesthetic pleasing when I went to Japan for the first time. This example is right up there.
Can you see why I love this place?
I just like the shapes in this shot, the curves and lines.
And here's another favorite subject. Too bad it stinks...
One for the road.
As you can tell from the order of the pictures, I went down a bunch of stairs (going down isn't a strain, it's just going up that's bad) and then walked across the headgates bridge. I headed up to the quarry, where I turned around, but I took the new bridge near the new fishing dock rather than going all the way back to the headgates. This gave me the opportunity to see the waterfall (and some litter), and then I decided to go through the woods to the parking lot instead of up the long gravel driveway. I think the forest trail was less of a strain than the road would have been.
I walked for about a mile, but for the first half of that I was stopping for photos a lot so I'm not sure how much I can count ;> By the end, though, I had worked up a sweat and was pretty winded. It felt great.
I need to make a photo walk a part of my weekend routine--something that happens every Saturday.
Many many many many many more photos, of varying quality, here.
This is the end of a section of stair rail. Weird, but it kind of fits with the outdoor, roughing it theme of the area.
A new trail...at least to me. So of course I had to explore it!
The end of the new trail (it was pretty short, but I loved the view).
Gazing at the bridge and headgates from behind, I noticed a crazy photographer standing on the thin concrete wall that separates man from the Savannah.
This is the closest shot I got of him.
Here's another wall-percher. For some reason she reminds me of Tamara. I think it's the hair, though it could also be the attitude. "I'm so cool, I think nothing of sitting barefoot on stone in 60 degree weather, reading a book!"
Ah yes, one of my all-time favorite subjects. Damn, I thought I had it so the reflection at the top was out of the frame.
Sean has a weird name for these, which I can't remember, and I can't remember the proper name for them either ;P
Well, poo.
One of many "ooh aren't silhouetted bare branches cool?" shots.
I started finding the power pole and line aesthetic pleasing when I went to Japan for the first time. This example is right up there.
Can you see why I love this place?
I just like the shapes in this shot, the curves and lines.
And here's another favorite subject. Too bad it stinks...
One for the road.
As you can tell from the order of the pictures, I went down a bunch of stairs (going down isn't a strain, it's just going up that's bad) and then walked across the headgates bridge. I headed up to the quarry, where I turned around, but I took the new bridge near the new fishing dock rather than going all the way back to the headgates. This gave me the opportunity to see the waterfall (and some litter), and then I decided to go through the woods to the parking lot instead of up the long gravel driveway. I think the forest trail was less of a strain than the road would have been.
I walked for about a mile, but for the first half of that I was stopping for photos a lot so I'm not sure how much I can count ;> By the end, though, I had worked up a sweat and was pretty winded. It felt great.
I need to make a photo walk a part of my weekend routine--something that happens every Saturday.
Many many many many many more photos, of varying quality, here.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Friday night
Evidence I can be in a photo and not look totally horrible:
Guess I should wear purple more often.
That picture was taken outside Logan's last night. It was pretty damn cold. But we had to wait a long time to get a table...Friday night, you know. Shalah, Samantha and I arrived late, so Elgin, Gene, and Mason were waiting even longer than we did. An odd thing happened, too; they were sitting at a table when we got there, but as soon as we sat down the server told us the manager said we had to leave. Apparently the server had seated the guys without regard for the waiting list, and now the table was needed for a party of 30.
So we trooped outside and sat on a freezing cold picnic table for what seemed like forever, within clear sight of the table we had just vacated, until finally we were seated on the exact opposite end of the restaurant, surrounded by tables full of raucous teenagers.
My food was good, and I was pretty much happy to be inside and chatting and eating, but Elgin swore off Logan's forever, and Shalah didn't seem particularly pleased either. Both of them had steak and they both said it was terrible. I had mesquite grilled salmon and mashed potatoes, and I enjoyed them just fine.
I'm beginning to think the bar is lower for me than it is for other people when it comes to restaurants. There's a guy at work who used to go to Boll Weevil all the time, but he stopped going after one bad experience with a hostess who ignored him. Me, I continued going even after the bread stopped tasting so good and it became a gamble to have the sweet tea. (My patience seems to have paid off; the bread and tea have both been great again the last few times I've been.)
After we were finished eating, the others convinced me to go with them to Doubletree hotel, which is right around the corner. So we went over there and hung out in the bar for awhile. It's a really snazzy place, quite upscale. Gene had a Jack and diet, Shalah had a pina colada, and Mason had some beer I've never heard of. Samantha took a sip of everyone's drink but didn't order anything. I don't drink, of course, and Elgin couldn't because he was on call. There was boxing on the TV next to our tables, and other patrons drifted in and out as we sat and talked.
Kelsey appeared at one point, and then she, Samantha, and Mason headed off to Red Lion to see a friend of a friend of a friend's band. The rest of us decided that area was a little sketchy and went home instead.
All in all, it was a good time. I'm glad I went!
Guess I should wear purple more often.
That picture was taken outside Logan's last night. It was pretty damn cold. But we had to wait a long time to get a table...Friday night, you know. Shalah, Samantha and I arrived late, so Elgin, Gene, and Mason were waiting even longer than we did. An odd thing happened, too; they were sitting at a table when we got there, but as soon as we sat down the server told us the manager said we had to leave. Apparently the server had seated the guys without regard for the waiting list, and now the table was needed for a party of 30.
So we trooped outside and sat on a freezing cold picnic table for what seemed like forever, within clear sight of the table we had just vacated, until finally we were seated on the exact opposite end of the restaurant, surrounded by tables full of raucous teenagers.
My food was good, and I was pretty much happy to be inside and chatting and eating, but Elgin swore off Logan's forever, and Shalah didn't seem particularly pleased either. Both of them had steak and they both said it was terrible. I had mesquite grilled salmon and mashed potatoes, and I enjoyed them just fine.
I'm beginning to think the bar is lower for me than it is for other people when it comes to restaurants. There's a guy at work who used to go to Boll Weevil all the time, but he stopped going after one bad experience with a hostess who ignored him. Me, I continued going even after the bread stopped tasting so good and it became a gamble to have the sweet tea. (My patience seems to have paid off; the bread and tea have both been great again the last few times I've been.)
After we were finished eating, the others convinced me to go with them to Doubletree hotel, which is right around the corner. So we went over there and hung out in the bar for awhile. It's a really snazzy place, quite upscale. Gene had a Jack and diet, Shalah had a pina colada, and Mason had some beer I've never heard of. Samantha took a sip of everyone's drink but didn't order anything. I don't drink, of course, and Elgin couldn't because he was on call. There was boxing on the TV next to our tables, and other patrons drifted in and out as we sat and talked.
Kelsey appeared at one point, and then she, Samantha, and Mason headed off to Red Lion to see a friend of a friend of a friend's band. The rest of us decided that area was a little sketchy and went home instead.
All in all, it was a good time. I'm glad I went!
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