"Murphy was an optimist!"
Play Podcasts Chronologically on an iPod October 31, 2009 10:02 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Gadgets, Technology[flashvideo file=http://realityme.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/playpodcastchronologically352x288.mp4 /]
add a commentOctober 28, 2009 7:16 pm
Posted by utterz in : Daily Life, Podcasting
Mobile post sent by djuggler using Utterli. Replies.
The 53 Car..er..Van October 26, 2009 3:42 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life
"I see you everywhere!" I hear that from my friends often. With five children in five different schools and only one working vehicle, we are on the road a lot. My response is almost always, "If the driving was bad, it was one of the teenagers…even if it was really me." Why would they notice us? We drive a white Dodge Grand Caravan. These white Caravans are so ubiquitous that you often have to look twice to assure you are getting in the correct one.
Did you know that Regal Entertainment Group is headquartered in Knoxville? Yes that Regal Cinemas. What this means is that b-flicks premier in Knoxville. When Herbie Fully Loaded came out in 2005, we took the family to see it. Turkey Creek was giving out lots of swag. We ended up with at least two 53 magnets. One went to a friend with an actual Volkswagen bug and the other lived on our refrigerator.
The day we got our white Dodge Grand Caravan, I thought I was being funny and slapped the 53 magnet on the hood thinking it would last 3 days. I was amazed at the number of people who smiled, pointed, and giggled as they walked past the van. They’d quiz, "Herbie right?" It’s a van, not a Volkswagen bug, so I’d reply, "Herbie hits middle age" (fatter in the middle) or "Herbie gets a family." I once tried to remove the magnet and found it bonded to the paint.
Last week, I noticed Herbie Van was showing its age. The freeze had cracked the 53 magnet. Now I’m left with some choices.
- Leave it as it..cracked.
- Try to remove the magnet which is bonded to the paint and risk tearing the paint off the hood
- Have a professional remove it and repaint the hood with an actual 53 (and perhaps a stripe).
- remove the magnet and repaint the whole van with daisies.
- Buy a new van. (okay.. that’s not a realistic option..)
White Noise for Calm October 26, 2009 10:20 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily LifeI have a lot to do in a short time. How do I focus? I listen to a thunderstorm.
2commentsPost 40 Monday October 26, 2009 9:36 am
Posted by utterz in : Daily Life, PodcastingMobile post sent by djuggler using Utterli. Replies. mp3
Old Navy helping October 24, 2009 12:24 pm
Posted by utterz in : Daily Life, Podcasting
Transition Fair October 24, 2009 11:47 am
Posted by utterz in : Daily Life, Podcasting
The best iPhone app ever October 24, 2009 3:18 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Gadgets, Humor, TechnologyI’ve been debating getting an iPhone because I’d like to develop some applications for it. Plus I think it looks cool. I hesitate because of cost and I do a lot of texting on my phone by feel of the buttons without even looking at the phone. This new app has me thinking I need to forget the buttons and just get an iPhone!
add a commentClot II – Return of the Nosebleed October 24, 2009 2:52 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Amy, Daily Life, Family, Of Being DadProducer: Amy
Lead role: Amy
Supporting cast: Dad
Clot summary: At 2:30am, 7 year old girl will erupt from bed with nose gushing blood leaving small drip on favorite pink pillow and a bit of a puddle on the sheets. She will try to deal with the problem herself by sitting on the toilet (lid down) and rocking in a half daze to make sure that blood drips cover as much of the wooden, where linoleum was before the dogs tore it up, bathroom floor as possible. Only when nose bleed subsides will she wander downstairs to rouse the sleeping father who will don his bio-hazard suit and begin to console the weary child…
Planned releases: Rumor has it that Colt III – Revenge of the O Positive is in production and scheduled for an early release.
On programming – how to read other people’s code and why October 23, 2009 11:15 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Programming, TechnologyProgramming is an art. I [You] do a lot of business that starts off with "…and my developer just isn’t around anymore…" Dozens of statements could come before or after that but no of those statements change the meaning. Quite simply, you are [I am] about to look at someone else’s code and that person may be an expert programmer or a newbie borrowing snippets from other people’s examples. The code may be documented correct or incorrectly or not at all. Regardless, you [I] have to work with that code no matter its state or quality.
If you are a professional software developer, or aspire to be one, you will need to know a lot of of things. Various maths, stats, languages, frameworks, methodologies, tools, etc. Fads and buzzwords will come and go, all during your career. You’ll master some, ignore some, laugh at some. … You have got to be able to read other people’s code. [Source, Design by Gravity, How to Read Other People’s Code — and Why]
Worthwhile read by Christopher Schanck
add a commentUm October 22, 2009 5:28 pm
Posted by utterz in : Daily Life, Podcasting
Internet – I’m turning you off October 22, 2009 3:27 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily LifeThe Internet is making me angry. I’m going to turn it off, cook dinner and go juggle at Knoxville’s Boo at the Zoo.
add a commentToday’s Cat Kill October 22, 2009 7:22 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Family, Gray, PetsWe belled our cat. It worked! While she had her bells, nothing died. Then she got the collar off. Today’s offering–a field mouse.
add a commentFrom the mouths of babes October 21, 2009 6:49 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Amy, Cathy, Daily Life, Evan, Family, From the mouths of babes, Noah, Of Being DadI dropped the milk. The cap popped off and poured all over the floor.
Me: "DAMMIT!"
Evan, 4 years old: "Dad said dammit."
Mom: * gives Dad eyeballs *
Amy, 7 years old: "Moooom! Evan said dammit!"
Evan: "No, Dad said dammit."
Amy: "Don’t say dammit."
Noah, 13 years old: "Evan, don’t say that. It’s a dirty word."
Evan: "No! Dammit. Dammitdammitdammitdamitdamitdamitdamtdatmdaaaaammmmmmmit!"
Mom: covering her face in towels to hide her laughter.
Dad: hiding in the fridge unable to breath laughing.
Uncle already! I get the message. Mouth meet soap.
1 comment so farThe GSMNP From My Front Door October 20, 2009 10:35 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Of InterestThese pictures were shot with a 1.3 megapixel cellphone camera while driving downparked on the side of the road 9:30ish in the morning. On a clear day, you can see the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This isn’t quiet the view from my front yard as we live slightly below the top of what becomes a valley so our view is obscured by trees and a slight hill but it doesn’t take much to get a view of the Smokies.
That dark orange band is the mountains, not clouds. On a clear day, you can get a very nice view. On days that we cannot seem them, these mountains are obscured from our view by haze, pollution, fog, clouds, and busy minds. This view is a nice reminder of a treasure not a far distance from home that we completely under utilize and take for granted.
From great reading on our wonderful park, check out The Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog.
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