I got a ton of work done this weekend. My parents came down to CT for Saturday and helped me with a substantial amount of work on the House of Rock. It was great to see them and we got a ton done. Thanks rents!

A highlight to all the work was laying down a concrete leveling compound in our Mud room. It was extremely fun. My Dad and I mixed the stuff in a huge bucket, and then poured and spread the concrete across the floor. It had the consistency and color of Chocolate Jello Pudding. The end result was a magical dark smooth concrete floor.

I did not taste the concrete, but I would imagine it did not taste like chocolate jello pudding.

The Question

the Don Shaun:

A senior member of our family has come under significant fire from her television set. Every morning, several hours before she would like to wake up, it comes on at an unreasonably high volume pumping static into her living quarters.

Repeated investigations of the physical evidence reveal that the timer function for the television remains, as it always has, in the ‘off’ position.

Why oh why would a TV do this to an 82 year old lady? What can be done to tame this insatiable beast?

Please note that suggestions to purchase a replacement have been met with a dim view; at the end of the day, she would very much like her [expletive deleted] television to work.

Your friend indeed,
Jules

Comment by Julie Britt — 1/14/2005 @ 4:18 pm

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I have uploaded a few new tunes that I put together. You can find them in the ROCKSTAR section. Please note, as all recording and editing was done in Windows Sound Recorder… the levels aren’t all that hot.

enjoy!

Jesse and I play a good amount of darts at the House of Rock. Last night, a typical Thursday, we played 4 games of cricket. I experienced something very unusual during the game. The first game was won by Jesse. It was close and had come down to a single throw. This isn’t out of the ordinary because Jesse and I are both at about the same skill level. The second game, Jesse dominated. 256 to 17. I was SOOO angry. HOW COME THE DARTS WON’T GO WHERE I WANT THEM TO GO! My fury was multiplied by his simple nonchalant throwing style. “look at that, another bullseye!” ARRRG! I was so full of hate.

As we started the third game, I suddenly had complete control of my motor skills. Beyond the normal amount. I felt one with the darts, almost as if I could will them to their targets. My first three throws resulted in 100 points, and it didn’t stop. Jesse would hit two 18’s and then I would hit two triple 18’s. I was en fuego.
the final score was 438 to Zero.

But that was it. We played the next game, and it was close again. I had lost the touch.

yes. I know what you’re thinking, and I think you’re right.

.

I flirted with the Dark Side.

For the past few days I’ve spent my time working on the manufacturing floor learning about some of the errors that I had incorporated into my most recent mechanical design. I went up to check on the welder. Larry and Rich were there. Recently we determined that my reinforced steel frame supported by M12 (huge bolts) design was WAY over engineered, now it seems they were concerned about my frame covers.

(paraphrased)
Rich: have you taken a look at your frame covers?
(aside: frame covers are thin pieces of aluminum that protect the operator from harmful magnetic fields generated in the cabinet)
mike d: where are they?

rich points me to the table were the covers are.
mike d: they look good.
Larry: If you want to bulletproof the welder, then yes.

(aside: the plates are about 9.5mm thick. Normal thickness is 3mm. The jokes begin.)

Larry: We also usually try to contour the edges of extension frames to match the welder.
mike d: well, I was going for a more boxy modern look.
Larry: like that of a tank? do you want to support these with M12s too?
mike d: nah, let’s use M14s. those old ones were flimsy anyway.
Rich: One of them doesn’t fit either. So I think we’ll have to make new ones anyway.
mike d: we can send these old ones out to Iraq to help armor the vehicles
Rich: good idea. let’s send them to the troops.
mike d: Go America!

There’s something special about engineering humor.

Eric Pope has an adventure blog forming in his comments section.

Please contribute here.
(read the comments of his entry)

Lent has been tough thus far.

This past weekend when I visited Jill I was tempted by a giant chocolate cake that happened to be there.
Not 24 hrs later, my sister Theresa offered me a handful of delicious nestle chocolate chips.
I have turned down eclairs, lollipops, french fries, potato chips, and numerous soda opportunities. So far I have been unrelenting in my refusal of these tasty treats. only a harrowing month or so to go.

::abrupt topic change::

I think I’d like to learn how to skateboard. What an interesting sport, skateboarding is. I’m curious how long it would take to master something like that. The main reason I want to try skateboarding is that next winter I’m going to try snowboarding. And I would imagine that mastering skateboarding first could be a major plus. That’s just me, thinking aloud.

Recently I changed my tooth brushing technique.

as a child, I always finished brushing by spitting, rinsing the toothbrush in cold water, and then filling a cup with cold water and swishing/cleaning my mouth out.

A few weeks ago, I switched from cold water to warm water. What an interesting experience. First, I have no idea why I used cold water for 23 years of my life. Warm water is so much better. It doesn’t Bite like the cold water does, and it’s equally as refreshing. Does everyone use warm water? am I just late jumping on the bandwagon? Or… perhaps I’m the start of a new revolution. A revolution for the betterment of brushing enjoyment.

The Question

Shaun,

So this might be a dumb question, but I’m asking anyway. Your heart pumps the blood, your liver cleans the blood (I think), your veins & arteries are little blood tubes – what organ in the body actually MAKES the blood? Where does it COME from?

I also have a followup question regarding my earlier Smith-College-water one. When I take a shower at Smith and let my hair dry naturally, it dries in perfect, smooth, shiny ringlets. When I take a shower at home and let my hair dry naturally, it dries in frizzy, kinky, uncooperative curls. But the water at home has been softened, filtered, cleansed, etc., while the water at Smith smells funny and is certainly nothing special. I use the same shampoo both places. Is bad/hard water good for my hair? Or is it just good for my hair’s appearance? Or is my hair just CRAZY?

Your sister,

Meghan.

Comment by Meghan McQuaid — 1/11/2005 @ 6:54 pm

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Today my knees feel like Jello with chunks of fruit in it.

this is because I ran 18 miles yesterday.

Actually, it was more like 16 with a mile+ of walk breaks, but I’m still very proud. My sister Theresa and I will be one of many folks running the Boston Marathon without actually qualifying. We’ll just jump in during all the mayhem of the starting line and coast along with the crowds for 4 or 5 hours.

4 or 5 hours.

In order to survive, Theresa and I take 1 minute walking breaks every 15-20 minutes. It allows a little recovery time early on, making the long distance seem a little less overwhelming.
but starting back up after a walking break feels like you’re feeding your legs through a blender. Excruciatingly painful.

In other news I saw the lovely Jill this weekend. we had planned to celebrate valentines day by going to a classy restaurant. But the restaurant ended up blowing their water heater, so we got chinese.
but really? nothing says love more than a heaping plate of lo mien and some crab rangoon.
I carved her a box with a tree in it as a gift. I burned the leaves into the box and filled it with small wooden hearts. It came out really fantastic, I was proud. Jill gave me a handsome watch which makes me feel extremely professional. I’m wearing it at this very moment.

And thus ends another wonderful weekend.

In a recent comment, Ben pointed out that there are 8 flavors of Pantene Shampoo/Conditioner enjoyment:

1. Smooth and Sleek
2. Sheer Volume
3. Full and Thick
4. Daily Moisture Renewal
5. Color Revival
6. Hydrating Curls
7. Relaxed and Natural
8. Classic Care Formula

And that’s just the 2 in 1!! When I explored the website, I found 9 varieties of shampoo, treatments, and more!

Then I went to the ‘expert tips’ section, because I’m always looking for a way to maximize the potential of my locks. But they really didn’t have a section for trying to achieve perfect bed hair without greasy undertones, which is really the kind of style that I seek.

Now that you’ve seen Pantene in full effect, I present to you the website of Mane & Tail. I think the website speaks for itself.

I got back from Kentucky last night. It’s nice to be back, though coming back to the office after four days on the road wasn’t as smooth as I had hoped it would be. Most office folks welcomed me back, but I got a few abrasive “where’s this!” and “how come this isn’t done!” It’s disheartening.

The plane ride was mini. I was on a Beech 1900 for half of the ride back. There were 6 passengers and everyone had both an aisle and a window seat. It was also extremely loud and turbulent. BUT, the pilot left the door to the flight deck open, so I got to watch them line the airplane up with the runway during landing.

The co-pilot was the steward.

They had to check the door seal with a flashlite to make sure it was closed.

And the girl sitting diagonally in front of me was playing Tetris on the new game boy. I was jealous. Tetris rocks. I passed the time by trying to beat box, trying to figure out how many U.S. states begin with vowels, and trying to count how many letters of the alphabet are not represented in the spellings of the U.S. states. It was a productive flight.

It’s good to be back in New England.

My time here in KY is winding down, and from the looks of the weather reports, I should be able to get back to New England just in time for some good cold rain. Last night I switched into the Fairfield Inn. Oh man. what an improvement.

The shower had one of those new-fangled curved shower rods that makes the shower seem significantly larger than it actually is. And… AND… the shampoo was physiQue.

That brings me back to the days at WPI when Shamus, Eric, Jesse, Paul, and I all got an apartment on west street. Paul backed out at the last minute so we put in some requests for a new roommate. And that is how we met Suzanne.

Suzanne was really hot but extremely ditzy. Classic sterotypical blonde that would spend 4+ hours in the bathroom and buy fluffy pink slippers. The day came when I was out of shampoo and kept forgetting to buy more when I went to the store. I looked at my roommates shampoos: Price Chopper Dandruff, Head & Shoulders, Pert Plus, and physiQue.

I used the physiQue and my hair radiated love and joy like the abdomen of a glow worm.

ahh… the good ole days.

Anyway, The Fairfield had physique. And this morning, I’m proud to say my hair is a veritable mop of perfection.

Dear Internets,

Traveling for business kind of stinks. I’ve been staying at the knights inn while I’m on the road. It’s not as royal as they might want you to believe. It’s the huge variances in the temperature of the rooms that is really getting to me. There’s a giant heater/air conditioner in the corner that has a few controls on it. My first night in, it was cold so I turned it on ‘heat’ and it proceeded to slowly turn the room into a sauna. I woke up in the middle of the night sweating from the blasting fury.

The second night I turned it on ‘cold’ and I woke up halfway through the night with the breath of death chilling my bones.

If I have to stay a few extra nights here, I think I’ll switch my hotel.

can’t wait to get home,
mike d.

Well, the work stuff is going pretty well here in KY. And I’m happy to say that today’s temperatures are suppose to be in the mid 60’s. That should make for a very enjoyable lunch and evening. Despite the beautiful weather outside, for some reason the temps inside the plant can’t seem to get much higher than about 35 degrees, so gloves and jackets are a must.

I should be heading back home tomorrow evening, so you can be sure that updates to this wonderful site will continue as they were before. Last night I had steak for dinner. Tonight? maybe Ribs. Maybe steak. Maybe Both?

Keep on Rockin.

well, I’m off to Kentucky for the first half of next week to hopefully finish up this work project. So please forgive me if I’m a bit lackluster on posting. I’ll do what I can.

Going on business during lent STINKS. No desserts, soda, or junk food? What am I to do?
The good thing is that I won’t be there for a Friday. So steak every night is not out of the question.

And to answer all your questions, Yes. I will be wearing my “Gettin’ Lucky in Kentucky” Shirt when I go to the customer’s plant on Monday. Hopefully they will find some humor in that. If not, maybe I’ll be home early and unemployed.

BOOYA!

Thanks to everyone who has helped vote me to the #1 spot on the WPTOPSITE site.

Please enjoy this MSPaint banner as a Thank you from me to you:

(in case you can’t tell, that’s little images of Me ROCKING out at the awesomeness that is #1)

Now, we must concentrate our forces and bring JPAbad to the top as well. HnH Ocelots 4 Life!

“welcome to your first nightmare job.” my co-worker

Today has been brutal. 6am-late with no lunch and stress like never before!

the good news is that I am ROCKING this thang.
(p.s. click on the stats button and leave a review, the ones that are there are hilarious- “show all reviews” gives you the full list)

Well, today’s ash wednesday. That means Lent.

Lent is a 40 day period leading up to Easter when us Catholics give up stuff we like (or start doing nice things that we hate doing) as a show of our dedication to the Chief upstairs..

So, this year I will be giving up* Soda (not a difficult task)**, junk food***, and Desserts**** (Lord help me).

As a Lentin kickoff, I just scarfed down the last chocolate that I would be having for 40 days. I will be sure to keep you all updated on my progress/sanity.

.

footnotes
* If someone offers me an item that I have given up and it is impolite to refuse, I am allowed a temporary hiatus from Lent. Also, if anyone taunts me or tempts me maliciously, I am allowed to kick them in the face.
** If staying awake is a matter of life and death, I am allowed a single caffeinated soda. But I must drink it as fast as humanly possible so that I will get zero pleasure from the beverage. Later, I must donate 5 bucks to a charity of my choice.
*** Donuts are allowed if and only if they are provided by my work place because the hope for free donuts is sometimes the only thing that gets me through the day. Donuts with filling are not allowed. Boston Creme/Chocolate eclaire donuts are completely off limits. Donuts with sprinkles and/or a glaze are acceptable.
**** “Desserts” does not include any ice cream product, nor any dessert (sans chocolate) that is eaten as breakfast. Example: apple pie for breakfast is okay. apple pie after a meal is not. Ice cream with chunks is allowed, however ice cream can not be used as a carrier of other delicious desserts. Example: Putting a desired Cadbury cream egg into a bowl of ice cream does not make it legitimate. Sherbets, Italian ice, Slush, Dots, and Sorbets are all considered members of the ice cream family despite their lack of lactos. No toppings are allowed on the ice cream. Whip Cream is allowed on waffles and pancakes only. Chocolate chips can be eaten in pancakes, muffins, and bagels. Chocolate protein shakes are allowed. I reseve the right to edit or add to this list of restrictions/exceptions at any time.

while discussing one of the more conservative priests at my local parish

mom: and some people don’t like how strict he is with his refusal to marry couples that live together. now, I think it’s important to stand by your convictions. If you start letting one or two things slip the next thing you know, you’re Episcopalian!

Sometimes people just can’t accept fate .

The Question

Shaun,
I was recently driving back to Northborough from Rochester, NY after the holidays when a thought hit me. After rubbing the bruise the thought gave me I began to think. Say one person in a car crosses the MA border from NY on I-90 and beeps his/her horn. The next person closest to them on I-90 then beeps there horn in some sort of automotive relay race. This continues for however long it takes until “The Beep” reaches Boston. Now stemming from this thought I had several quandries; 1: How long would it take “The Beep” to reach Boston from the Ma/NY border? 2: How many cars would it take to necsesitate “The Beep”? and finally 3: Would the fact that the cars are all moving towards boston speed up “The Beep” in any measurable amount?
Hope you had a good holiday shaun and i can’t wait to hear your answer!

K

Comment by Kurt — 12/30/2004 @ 1:42 pm

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I was writing an e-mail to Jill with a short motivational quip regarding stretching before exercise.

I wrote:

I think if you specifically add certain stretches to you routine and consider them as important as the weight lifting, then you might have better lunch forcing yourself to do them.

Jill e-mailed back, pointing out my error saying “Further proof that Michael’s number one priority is food”

This past weekend was enjoyable. I drove everywhere. Friday I zipped up to Worcester and saw a few people, Saturday I visited the lovely Jill and we saw ‘Sideways’ and went out to a nice dinner, and Sunday I went down to RI and went running with my sister Theresa.

While we were running, Tree (whose birthday was on Friday, happy b-day t!) told me about all sorts of cool psychological stuff. She’s getting her PHD so she knows what she’s talking about. We discussed mental health, common symptoms of psychological breakdowns, and then we talked about sleep. And I learned some awesome stuff which I will now convey to you.

There are a number of stages that the body goes through before reaching REM sleep. By the time the body goes through the whole process and reaches REM there are certain specific things that happen. First, you lose the ability to sense temperature changes. Second, your body falls into a temporary paralysis. Third, your brain gets crazy with activity and you start to dream. and I think there was a fourth thing too, but I don’t remember it.

ANYWAY, you know how every once in awhile as you start to fall asleep your body jerks violently and you wake up all startled? Often times it’s accompanied by a strange dream where you’re falling, or tripping or something? well! When you’re stressed, or extremely tired, your body will sometimes skip the first stages of the sleeping process. You’ll go straight to REM. Then your brain gets crazy with activity but your body has yet to fall into temporary paralysis. So your brain ends up sending messages to your muscles to contract and jerk violently. Thus waking you up thinking that you had just fallen off of the edge of a giant bowl of custard and landed angrily on a pile of wooden shutters. isn’t that interesting?

I hope that little story made your Monday morning that much more bearable.