Vital Statistics

Bike odometer: n/a
Weight lost: 53 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 7
Hours billed last week: 41
Total mice caught: 13
Current reading: 2107 Curious Word Origins, Says & Expressions by Charles Earle Funk, The Book of Totally Useless Information by Don Voorhees, The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith
Recent listening: Coverville, DrugMusic, NPR Story of the Day, Science Friday
Recent viewing: Sportscenter, Kingdom Hospital, High Stakes Poker, Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report
Recent playing: Donut Games, Elebits
Recently accomplished: Fixed Thomas’ email, helped Tina finish her Cub Scout movie, help Thomas get video on his iPod, fixed DVD player (with Dust Off), test run for Cub Scout movie on projector
Imperative To Do: RMA old Tivo drive, hair cut, fix bathroom sink, buy front bike fender, taxes, move music to new drive, taxes, install CD burner in Thomas’ computer, backup everyone’s computer

Why not take all of me?

Graham is playing basketball this winter. It’s his first time and he’s a little behind some of the other kids on his team. Still, he’s doing a good job of defending and he’s getting better and better at his offensive skills. Tina has been practicing with him after school which has helped a great deal. He occasionally has problems with physicality – i.e. when somebody bumps him he’s prone to bump back harder than necessary (and the like) – but he’s learning to deal with the frustration and conflict. It’s a really important experience for him, I think. He had a double-header yesterday and really enjoyed himself.

Thomas saved money from Christmas, his birthday and allowance. At first, his goal was to buy a Wii, but that became unnecessary when we got one for Christmas. After weighing his options, he decided he wanted a new iPod. Especially after his friend, Andrew Barton, got an iPod Video. On Monday I ordered a 30 Gb iPod Video via the Apple Developer Hardware Purchase Program, where we get a slight discount. We weren’t expecting to receive it until next week, but it came on Thursday. Thomas has been ecstaticly exploring its many options since it arrived. I helped him download some shows from our Tivo and he’s learned all about the various video formats out there.

Meanwhile, Tina has been furiously working on a ten minute movie for the Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet tomorrow. She gathered a slew of pictures and a few videos and has set them to music in iMovie. She’s enjoyed it immensely, I think, and has been spending alot of her free time working on it. I think it will be well-received tomorrow night. I borrowed a projector from work to enhance the experience, so we’re all excited to see it.

I’ve been enduring the Oregon winter weather in the morning and evening. The rain seems never-ending at this time of the year, but I’ve been taking the shortest possible routes in order to minimize my exposure to the elements. I took Tina’s advice and bought a balaclava which helps keep my head and neck toasty-warm. Last weekend I accidentally broke my crappy front fender and have been riding fenderless all week. I repaired the crappy fender once before so this time I’m going to get something that will last longer. I need to get it soon, though, because I’m getting tired of the mud that’s flying all over.

Vital Statistics

Bike odometer: 711 miles
Weight lost: 53 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 8
Hours billed last week: 40
Total mice caught: 13
Current reading: 2107 Curious Word Origins, Says & Expressions by Charles Earle Funk, The Book of Totally Useless Information by Don Voorhees, The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith
Recent listening: The Information by Beck, Digital Ash In A Digital Urn by Bright Eyes, NPR Story of the Day, Broken Boy Soldiers by The Raconteurs, Necktie Second by Pete Droge
Recent viewing: Countdown, Sportscenter, Kingdom Hospital, The Office, My Name Is Earl, Medium
Recent playing: Donut Games, Elebits
Recently accomplished: Reset and re-baited mouse traps, re-routed cabling in office, paper recycling, paid bills, started reunion planning, DVD for Thane
Imperative To Do: RMA old Tivo drive, hair cut, fix bathroom sink, buy front bike fender, taxes, move music to new drive, taxes

Vital Statistics

Bike odometer: 680 miles
Weight lost: 53 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 6
Hours billed last week: 40
Total mice caught: 12
Current reading: 2107 Curious Word Origins, Says & Expressions by Charles Earle Funk, The Book of Totally Useless Information by Don Voorhees, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
Recent listening: Thick as a Brick by Jethro Tull, KBOO Bike Show, NPR Story of the Day, Science Friday
Recent viewing: NBA Rookie Challenge, All-Star Saturday Night, All-Star Game, Daytona 500, The Daily Show, Countdown, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Medium, Battlestar Galactica
Recent playing: Donut Games, Elebits, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz
Recently accomplished: Cleaned and lubed bike, office cleaning, recycling, installed longer Ethernet cable for Tivo
Imperative To Do: RMA old Tivo drive, pay bills, hair cut, fix bathroom sink, clean office, rebait and move traps

Vital Statistics

Bike odometer: 656 miles
Weight lost: 52 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 10
Hours billed last week: 40
Total mice caught: 12
Current reading: 2107 Curious Word Origins, Says & Expressions by Charles Earle Funk, 7 Seconds or Less by Jack McCallum
Recent listening: Thick as a Brick by Jethro Tull, Sammy Davis, Jr., XO by Elliott Smith, The Outsider by DJ Shadow
Recent viewing: Countdown, Sportscenter, Stargate SG-1, The Daily Show, Saturday Night Live, Meet the Press
Recent playing: Donut Games
Recently accomplished: Mouse hunting, picked up van from mechanic, vacuumed van
Imperative To Do: RMA old Tivo drive, pay bills, hair cut, fix bathroom sink, procure longer Ethernet cable for Tivo

Vital Statistics

Bike odometer: 622 miles
Weight lost: 53 lbs. (fixed 2/7 – bad math)
Hours of sleep last night: 11!
Hours billed last week: 35
Current reading: The Prince by Machiavelli, 2107 Curious Word Origins, Says & Expressions by Charles Earle Funk, 7 Seconds or Less by Jack McCallum
Recent listening: DrugMusic, Sammy Davis, Jr., Joe Walsh
Recent viewing: My Name Is Earl, The Office, High Stakes Poker, Saturday Night Live, Sportscenter, Countdown, Power Fuse, Super Bowl
Recent playing: Bust-A-Move, Castle Smasher
Recently accomplished: Updated personal wiki, renewed prescription, called mechanic (van is done), re-positioned mouse traps, groceries, cleaned office, paid bills
Imperative To Do: RMA old Tivo drive, pickup van from mechanic, vacuum van carpet, pay bills

Vital Statistics

Bike odometer: 596 miles
Weight lost: 49 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 9
Hours billed last week: 39.5
Current reading: The Prince by Machiavelli, Against All Enemies by Richard A. Clarke, 2107 Curious Word Origins, Says & Expressions by Charles Earle Funk
Recent listening: Two Lane Highway by Pure Prairie League, Infected by The The, Thick as a Brick by Jethro Tull, Necktie Second by Pete Droge
Recent viewing: The Daily Show, Wisconsin at Iowa, Suns at Bucks, Suns at Cavaliers, Classic Albums: Nevermind, Countdown
Recent playing: Bust-A-Move
Recently accomplished: Dropped van at mechanic, mouse hunting, bike maintenance, new tubes and tire for bike, cardboard recycling, Sunday dinner (hot dogs & sweet potato fries), cleaned and disinfected CPAP parts, paid bills
Imperative To Do: RMA old Tivo drive, vacuum van carpet
Cool Link: The CIA and Saddam Hussein: A Short History by Juan Cole

Vital Statistics

Bike odometer: 519 miles
Weight lost: 49 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 10
Hours billed this week: 39
Current reading: The Prince by Machiavelli, Against All Enemies by Richard A. Clarke
Recent listening: Essential Ten Years After by Ten Years After, Corinne Bailey Rae by Corinne Bailey Rae, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb by U2, Last Mango in Paris by Jimmy Buffet
Recent viewing: The Dead Zone, Stargate: SG-1, Countdown, The Colbert Report, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Dr. Who, CSI: Miami
Recent playing: ExciteTruck
Recently accomplished: Pinewood Derby weights and sanding, paint, wheels and axels; acquired Crazy Monster Truck
Imperative To Do: Two Pinewood Derby champions, call mechanic, RMA old Tivo drive, vacuum van carpet
Cool Link: Why I don’t wear a suit by Mark Cuban

Hey Oh

It snowed in Portland again today. We still had snow from last week which was unusual for Portland. Even more unusual was getting an appreciable amount of snow twice in the same winter. Today’s snowfall was probably around six inches. The temperature remained below freezing but that will likely change tomorrow. No school and no work for anybody in our house today. Tina and the kids went to the neighbors’ house to play in the snow with their friends while I stayed warm at home. I split my time between Tivo, Wii, computer and keeping Nietzsche warm. I anticipate a cold bike ride late tomorrow morning.

Vital Statistics

Bike odometer: 505 miles
Weight lost: 48 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 8
Hours billed this week: 8
Current reading: The Prince by Machiavelli, Against All Enemies by Richard A. Clarke
Recent listening: Sings Some Ol’ Songs by Victoria Williams, Broken Boy Soldiers by The Raconteurs, Welcome to Woody Creek by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Recent viewing: My Name Is Earl, The Office, CSI: Miami, Heat at Suns, AFC Division Playoffs, NFC Division Playoffs, 24
Recent playing: Wii Sports, ExciteTruck, Elebits
Recently accomplished: Re-partitioned Thomas’ hard drive, completed Super Excite Platinum cup, Pinewood Derby cutouts & shaping
Imperative To Do: Pinewood Derby sanding, Pinewood Derby weights, Pinewood Derby paint, Pinewood Derby axels & wheels, call mechanic, RMA old Tivo drive, vacuum van carpet, ride more/snack less, Super Excite Diamond Cup
Cool Link: Top Ten Myths About Iraq by Juan Cole