tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61401939412659029742024-02-06T18:02:35.067-08:00The [Almost] Nerdy WifeLife as the Wife of a Nerd ... Or Life as a Nerd?
The lines are getting blurry ...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-26441803356277820802014-08-11T20:45:00.000-07:002014-08-11T20:45:07.719-07:00Summertime [And the Livin' is Easy]<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>[Uh, it's August? Already? </i><i>Wasn't it June, like, </i>yesterday<i>? I'm pretty sure we were all just starting to enjoy our summers ... and then I turn around to find that the stores are threatening us with Back to School Sales. </i><i>Say, wha ... ?!?!?]</i></blockquote>
Hi. My name's Stephanie. And you may think I've forgotten about this little corner of the interwebs.<br />
<br />
On the contrary, I assure you.<br />
<br />
You see, life here with Mr. Dude and Little Guy is just as nerdy as ever ... I just have seasons where I'm paying more attention to the "wife" part of my title than to the "almost nerdy" writer half.<br />
<br />
Here's our rundown of summertime shenanigans:<br />
<br />
<b>Visiting CA: </b>Um, this one makes me feel old. My high school class had its ten (10!) year reunion, so we took the opportunity to visit grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other random relatives. <i>[Actually, I'm fairly certain that </i>all <i>of my relatives are random, so perhaps it would be more accurate to say that we visited various other relatives? I digress ... ] </i>Highlight of the trip: Nana and Papa taught him to walk from Point A at one end of the house to Point B on the other end of the house. Prior to the trip, he had only been taking a few steps here or there. I'm still undecided as to whether I want to thank them for teaching him such a skill, or if I miss my baby who crawled everywhere ...<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXLs2qLSBMvoA86CXuP34GJypJ0eoWnZFCjRpGIIsz99Qx3RW_yKqeAGgsdFdMBEplMw-nimxsvF_gjdct_64jkyn0SlYOXNfUV1765Y0UdoU5pL-i2lkuJntgb2zhh5KCdBxUavlPp4K/s1600/20140625_161507_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXLs2qLSBMvoA86CXuP34GJypJ0eoWnZFCjRpGIIsz99Qx3RW_yKqeAGgsdFdMBEplMw-nimxsvF_gjdct_64jkyn0SlYOXNfUV1765Y0UdoU5pL-i2lkuJntgb2zhh5KCdBxUavlPp4K/s1600/20140625_161507_wm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>[Playing with a Mickey Mouse fire engine at his great-grandparents' house that my sisters and I played with when </i>we <i>were little. Vintage toys FTW.]</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Family Reunion:</b> Every year, Mr. Dude's family gets together for a family reunion. The location changes based on which one of the siblings is planning it. Constant themes: There is always way too much food <i>[because </i>everyone <i>in that family can cook, bake or both]</i>. There is always a hilarious game made up by the hosts that we all play together. The weekend always seems too short. And this year, we got to watch our son bask in the attention of a multitude of cousins - he was absolutely fascinated by watching them on the swings, the see-saw and running around on the grass. Running around after them made for one tuckered-out Little Guy.<br />
<br />
<b>Southern Oregon: </b>We city slickers visited Mr. Dude's aunt and uncle on their ridiculous-number-of-acres ranch for a weekend full of hiking, tractors, learning to drywall, and waaaaaayyyyyy too much food. <i>[You'll notice that's a theme of life in general, I suppose, since I keep on mentioning it ...]</i> We also played an old-school game called <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/4355/therapy" target="_blank">Therapy</a> and Jeff Foxworthy's <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/22980/jeff-foxworthys-you-might-be-redneck-if-game" target="_blank">You Might be a Redneck If ...</a> Both ... were ... uh ... interesting ways to get to know your family better. And it's kind of scary how good Mr. Dude's family is at being rednecks when they want to ...<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhye39pZGRj9XZsoj3fknWavFx5tFumMUVLVaFBjhZdOiKpe1yvvUsUKu87pFSbtvqk4DmnG5q0-Lkpg8UYIaRfwU6M7PPyErVhnhxhYGE4lqBmNGQh0Stpn_alLkDPLOnR7SpgNyVBq8OC/s1600/IMG_20140727_083759_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhye39pZGRj9XZsoj3fknWavFx5tFumMUVLVaFBjhZdOiKpe1yvvUsUKu87pFSbtvqk4DmnG5q0-Lkpg8UYIaRfwU6M7PPyErVhnhxhYGE4lqBmNGQh0Stpn_alLkDPLOnR7SpgNyVBq8OC/s1600/IMG_20140727_083759_wm.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>[Mr. Dude's uncle took Little Guy out for a ride on the tractor.</i><br />
<i>Cutest. Thing. Ever.]</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Housing Projects: </b>This one has kept us the most busy. Something about homeownership creating its own massive "to do" list? Anyone else have that issue? In Mr. Dude's world, though, the most exciting thing has been making our walls look like Swiss cheese. And by that, I mean we had an electrician come and replace all of our 1916 home's knob and tube wiring with modern-day electricity. Let's hear it for the 21st Century! And insulation!<br />
<br />
No, really. Let's hear it for insulation! You can't have insulation in walls with knob and tube wiring because the wires are exposed<i> [yup, it's </i>that <i>old]</i> and would catch fire if they ran alongside insulation. So heating our home without turning it into giant bonfire is ... um ... fun. Oh, and it helps that all of Mr. Dude's electronics won't short out every outlet in the house when he tries to run them all at once. It's the little things in life, people.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>[Swiss Cheese. Because we must needs feed the electronics.]</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
What shenanigans have you and yours been up to this summer? Anyone else bringing their house into the 21st Century? Or discovering you married into a family full of red necks?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-23521275356550895522014-06-27T13:00:00.000-07:002014-06-27T13:00:00.047-07:00Double Pi Day Shenanigans <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>[Food Day Friday ... where I show you what I've been tinkering with
in the kitchen. Mr. Dude gets a lot of air time on here about some of
the projects he's working on or the things he's reading or thinking
about. But rest assured, my entire life does not revolve around Mr.
Dude's nerdiness - so here's to the foodies!]</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="usercontent">Can I please do some lamenting right now?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="usercontent">Food is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> important at Casa de Larsen. Or at least to me. We tend to
have a busy schedule, but we somehow usually find time to make and eat great
meals as a family and with friends. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="usercontent">Tomorrow, Ladies and Gentlemen, we
have an event of truly <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">epic </i></span>proportions
that we can NOT attend and we can NOT do anything about, no matter how hard we
try. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And it makes my little foodie heart so very sad. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Double Pi Day. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_C-S1i0zVNeVB420Qm9DdrL_0JhyphenhyphenBZ7oKoVnwQDXlCrOukgQ13UxVn-iXGA1wwqH6DWdCg2Xbi9B05Fbzy8hFyhuiIcTZVqtMj6K5v1RrZWGouJVYuFefNvEO3tIOdx1q9eDyT081-zu/s1600/DoublePiDay_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_C-S1i0zVNeVB420Qm9DdrL_0JhyphenhyphenBZ7oKoVnwQDXlCrOukgQ13UxVn-iXGA1wwqH6DWdCg2Xbi9B05Fbzy8hFyhuiIcTZVqtMj6K5v1RrZWGouJVYuFefNvEO3tIOdx1q9eDyT081-zu/s1600/DoublePiDay_wm.jpg" height="118" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span class="fsl">Ask any nerd, he'll say 3/14 is Pi Day, and pi day
means pie. Ask any nerd who wants seconds, he'll just say multiply by 2.
6/28 is Double Pie Day. Double the pi, double the pie.<br /> <br /> On June
28, come out to our place for some pie. Hors d'oeuvres will be provided,
and don't worry about coming late—we'll have a fire out on the<span class="text_exposed_show"> deck for some s'more pies.<br /> <br />
Also—don't trust your pie buying or baking, abilities? Come with a
bottle of wine, and we'll hook you up just the same. We'd rather have
two buck chuck than a five dollar pie anyway. <br /> <br /> Party starts at 6:30pm, pie judging at 8pm. Blood sugar testing available upon request.</span></span></i></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sigh … doesn’t that just sound <i>heavenly</i>?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I mean, nerdy implications aside, a get-together with
friends that just features PIE?!?!?! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My mouth started salivating just from typing that. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then my long time friend who majored in math reminded me that <i>Tau </i>is the proper term for <i>2</i><span class="entity _586o" data-fulltext="Double π Day" data-group="all" data-icon="null" data-select="group" data-si="true" data-text="Double π Day" data-type="ent:event" data-uid="1458598747720170"><i>π</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="entity _586o" data-fulltext="Double π Day" data-group="all" data-icon="null" data-select="group" data-si="true" data-text="Double π Day" data-type="ent:event" data-uid="1458598747720170">Potato, potahto. I just want the pi[e]. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-41092515939951040602014-06-24T11:00:00.000-07:002014-06-24T11:00:03.145-07:00LOTR + Strawberries = Saturday Night FunLast weekend, Mr. Dude's mom called me up and invited me to go strawberry picking.<br />
<br />
Mr. Dude was out with his own dad to celebrate Father's Day<i> [something about a brewery tour and a viewing of Godzilla, neither of which I was interested in]</i>, and Little Guy and I were about ready to go on a run.<br />
<br />
But strawberry picking?<br />
<br />
I posed the question on that social network the all-knowing audience<i> [aka, "Facebook"]</i>: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Exercise
Option: Do you think I'll choose my normal run with a stop at a park to
let Little Guy play, or going to pick strawberries with my mother in
law where Little Guy can play in the mud with us?<br /> <br /> I'll give you a hint: I'm a foodie who hates running, and a mom who doesn't mind dirt.</span></i></blockquote>
Bonus points if you got the right answer before I show you this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8n7lfM7uxIGMUVjtuv3MIPfOpu9FKH36etKdwNOuDKjwGF-neEtETjTr6l6kN_LggaTfcxfrU-BMgPQMx_q6D29yCxvQKw6YXDfTk94BiIR-kom6S8aSykc42dur0AaFInL9uk1p2bQfJ/s1600/IMG_20140614_200117_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8n7lfM7uxIGMUVjtuv3MIPfOpu9FKH36etKdwNOuDKjwGF-neEtETjTr6l6kN_LggaTfcxfrU-BMgPQMx_q6D29yCxvQKw6YXDfTk94BiIR-kom6S8aSykc42dur0AaFInL9uk1p2bQfJ/s1600/IMG_20140614_200117_wm.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
Grandma had a fabulous time with Little Guy, showing him how to find the strawberries and pull them off the plants. I'm pretty sure her plan was to get time in with her grandson whilst her daughter-in-law did most of the picking.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ca_hL7Z86uSnbQ-u_mt1vd8ZQaaNwVFYwiHbU9OFnJxQXdRb2lqm_dOl50jmZTxVOnL7CEqZV3mP1bIO3VjkRO379q-II5CfhrMaJI_jZT-Zk7BH3kZM76J6HqTJqCmyed3n8LV3QGHO/s1600/20140614_155258_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ca_hL7Z86uSnbQ-u_mt1vd8ZQaaNwVFYwiHbU9OFnJxQXdRb2lqm_dOl50jmZTxVOnL7CEqZV3mP1bIO3VjkRO379q-II5CfhrMaJI_jZT-Zk7BH3kZM76J6HqTJqCmyed3n8LV3QGHO/s1600/20140614_155258_wm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Cute baby in a strawberry basket in the middle of a field. Ridiculously cute? I think so.<br />
<br />
Also, there was a lot of dirt. <i>C'est la vie. </i> <br />
<br />
Once we got home, though, the <i>real</i> work began. Washing, slicing, sorting and freezing two whole flats of strawberries is no picnic, people! It called for a marathon of <i>something </i>to entertain my brain. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUsZ72EtzV2HFrkocMluxlk-6ogASQk5QPrCQt6NHpyleKbXuAcxEfjJtWJuk92-fPKvBCwLW9FGLu5l39r0zPzM3pE4DQwSZkoOB2MwL2WmiNDIH3Em3QvSRbk1qmQ4fECbNl_uKB15U/s1600/LOTRBluRay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUsZ72EtzV2HFrkocMluxlk-6ogASQk5QPrCQt6NHpyleKbXuAcxEfjJtWJuk92-fPKvBCwLW9FGLu5l39r0zPzM3pE4DQwSZkoOB2MwL2WmiNDIH3Em3QvSRbk1qmQ4fECbNl_uKB15U/s1600/LOTRBluRay.jpg" height="320" width="251" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>[</i>Fellowship <i>to the Rescue!!!]</i></div>
<br />
It was rather odd to be slicing something so sweet and yummy whilst Ring Wraiths attacked poor Frodo at Weathertop, or whilst nine members of the Fellowship fought off hordes of angry goblins and a cave troll down in the Mines of Moria. But it was nice to have the distraction.<br />
<br />
Mr. Dude came home from time with his dad and paused the movie to tell me about his day. I think he may live in the meme-world a little too often, because he stopped it right <i>here</i>:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01PxbYT_K5Cy9AwcAUM6Nwk1ec3SPL4qlMe3kY6H-tIhOFO2JAjuac-Xb2BXuRqjXUuyE_KVw9h6KTUWuGVFQrvG_2MOy_BAgHjylwA3Pqq5QzoU49WtR9JhCEOPdl_wPGN_He26kKfzJ/s1600/LOTR+One+Does+Not+Simply+Pause_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01PxbYT_K5Cy9AwcAUM6Nwk1ec3SPL4qlMe3kY6H-tIhOFO2JAjuac-Xb2BXuRqjXUuyE_KVw9h6KTUWuGVFQrvG_2MOy_BAgHjylwA3Pqq5QzoU49WtR9JhCEOPdl_wPGN_He26kKfzJ/s1600/LOTR+One+Does+Not+Simply+Pause_wm.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span class="usercontent">["So I walk in the door and Steph had
this going. It seems I paused it at EXACTLY the right moment. One does not
simply pause a 3 hr movie at the opportune time."]</span></i></div>
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Seriously?!?! How does he <i>do </i>that?!?!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-42110884288481397042014-06-18T10:00:00.000-07:002014-06-18T10:00:05.802-07:00White and Nerdy ... Strikes AgainAll in favor of Weird Al videos, say, "Aye!"<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>["Aye!"] </i></div>
<br />
Mr. Dude appreciates that I appreciate Weird Al. Of course, Mr. Dude has been listening to Weird Al's CDs since forever, whereas I just point out the fact that Al did most of a college education at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, near where I grew up. <br />
<br />
It's not <i>what </i>you know, but <i>who </i>you know, people.<br />
<br />
Or who's famous from your hometown.<br />
<br />
But I digress.<br />
<br />
Our favorite Weird Al video is "White and Nerdy".<br />
<br />
Let's just say it's spot on for how I think of Mr. Dude, except that he's not <i>quite</i> that awkward. <br />
<br />
Here, for your viewing pleasure, you should probably watch it, too. It'll make your day.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/N9qYF9DZPdw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Why am I thinking of this?<br />
<br />
Two reasons:<br />
<br />
1. Mr. Dude sent me a new "Epic Rap Battles of History" video to watch, with Weird Al making a cameo as Sir Isaac Newton. Internet gold, I tell you. <i>[And whist you're at it, go ahead and just watch everything in that series. Again, it'll make your day. And take up a lot of your time that you could be using on, you know, useful things in life. But again, I digress ... ]</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/8yis7GzlXNM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />2. I've been sitting on my own treasure trove of internet gold with footage of Mr. Dude and one of his fellow nerds attempting to play DDR. I'm not sure if the game had them attempting to do the same steps or not because I couldn't actually see the screen, but I'm pretty sure that makes it even better. So allow me to help you meet your laugh quota for the week:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/stX82babjhQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
God bless the nerds!<br />
<br />
Excuse me while I go clean up the Tea. Earl Grey. Hot. that just spewed out of my mouth while I was laughing so hard ... Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-13983302195563344042014-06-13T10:30:00.000-07:002014-06-13T10:30:00.146-07:00Greek Shrimp Bruschetta ... Opa! <blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<i>[Food Day Friday ... where I show you what I've been tinkering with in the kitchen. Mr. Dude gets a lot of air time on here about some of the projects he's working on or the things he's reading or thinking about. But rest assured, my entire life does not revolve around Mr. Dude's nerdiness - so here's to the foodies!]</i></blockquote>
Ever since the arrival of Little Guy, Mr. Dude and I have found that date nights at home are easy-peasy: no finding a babysitter, no prepping Little Guy to be with said babysitter, no rushing to get out the door on time to wherever we have reservations or tickets for ... not to say that we <i>don't</i> get out at all - it's just our M.O. to have "date night in". Heck, after our standard college $10 coffee date for so many years, eating a nice meal and sharing a bottle of wine feels extravagant!<br />
<br />
On my selfish side, "date night in" gives me the chance to make food that's a little more elaborate or time-consuming. Sometimes it's more expensive than how we'd eat for the rest of the week. Usually it just requires a little more concentration to be sure I'm following the recipe as I should be.<br />
<br />
That's difficult to do if you've got a munchkin attached to your jeans as you try to move around the kitchen.<br />
<br />
Did we mention that Little Guy likes to be wherever we are? It can make simple house chores take at least 100 x as long as they should. Good thing he's cute!<br />
<br />
But I digress ...<br />
<br />
Where were we? Oh yeah. Date night.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_HgtsmHt8Zq915Icf0x1oV5JjBUpdT-HxLUSygavI6eNz2nN-Kns6oTiUuudzj7iqJZxmBtTZoljVdrhC45kjEqh7uD_sA1bANOhNegoDu7gr2nseUiQCV-F37i_pgkXk0EHwAwwzrzQ/s1600/20140604_195604_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_HgtsmHt8Zq915Icf0x1oV5JjBUpdT-HxLUSygavI6eNz2nN-Kns6oTiUuudzj7iqJZxmBtTZoljVdrhC45kjEqh7uD_sA1bANOhNegoDu7gr2nseUiQCV-F37i_pgkXk0EHwAwwzrzQ/s1600/20140604_195604_wm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This recipe isn't really difficult so much as it just feels fancy. Pair it with a good red, plate it well, and you feel like you're at happy hour at a nice neighborhood restaurant.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/greek-shrimp-bruschetta-10000000682944/" target="_blank">Greek Shrimp Bruschetta</a><br />
<br />
Coastal Living July 2004<br />
Yield: 2 Dozen [feeds 4-6]<br />
<br />
[Ingredients]<br />
<div class="directions">
1/3 cup olive oil, divided<br />3/4 pound small fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined<br />1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic<br />2 large plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped<br />1/2 cup sliced green onion<br />1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese<br />1/4 cup finely chopped parsley<br />1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice<br />2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme<br />1 teaspoon Greek seasoning<br />1 French baguette, cut diagonally into 1/4 inch-thick slices</div>
<div class="directions">
<br /></div>
<div class="directions">
[Preparation]<br /><ol>
<li>Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté shrimp and garlic 3 to 4 minutes until shrimp are cooked.</li>
<li>Transfer to a small bowl and chill.</li>
<li>Combine tomatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in shrimp. Refrigerate until ready to serve.</li>
<li>Place bread slices on a baking sheet; brush bread with remaining olive oil. Bake at 375º for 8 minutes. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon shrimp mixture onto each bread slice.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div class="directions">
[Steph's Notes]</div>
<div class="directions">
<ol>
<li>I used the shrimp from Trader Joe's - no peeling or deveining! And I didn't have time to chill them in the fridge since I started dinner prep so late, so they sat in a bowl in the freezer whilst I prepped the veggies and bread. </li>
<li>Small sugar plum tomatoes took a little more work to de-seed, but were easier to dice into smaller pieces. And they had more flavor than large plum tomatoes, in my opinion. </li>
<li>Trader Joe's crumbled feta with herbs mixed in meant that I didn't worry about not having "Greek seasoning" on hand. Most companies use some combination of garlic, onion, oregano, mint, thyme and/or lemon. I'm cheap, so I buy all of those separately and then combine them as I need to. </li>
<li>We were both full after 3 of these [I put a very <i>large</i> heaping spoonful on our baguette slices], and the leftovers lasted for a couple of days. Bonus: we used a slice of toasted Dave's Killer bread when we ran out of baguette slices, and it was super tasty! </li>
</ol>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-54040109738757661862014-06-11T11:00:00.000-07:002014-06-11T11:00:15.622-07:00Computer Thief ... Or, Why It's Helpful to Have Lots of Browsers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj09Gfxhd5LLRpY6YvBUFw_lF_eLjuDHSKVu6e9kLigoDJKGW877SXzUmCTVyrp6Kc4yudzJ6LDdbpN9NM0_Haryq7zvKH5BtEzNKNo-4yS7OabRujkiC5hyphenhyphenYB5yB0tPy4wFmRsYCpnFvrX/s1600/IMG_20140611_102412_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj09Gfxhd5LLRpY6YvBUFw_lF_eLjuDHSKVu6e9kLigoDJKGW877SXzUmCTVyrp6Kc4yudzJ6LDdbpN9NM0_Haryq7zvKH5BtEzNKNo-4yS7OabRujkiC5hyphenhyphenYB5yB0tPy4wFmRsYCpnFvrX/s1600/IMG_20140611_102412_wm.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>[We interrupt this broadcast to tell you about this awesomeness in a jar: Trader Joe's Lemon Curd. Put it on toast and enjoy with a cup of Tea. Earl Grey. Hot. Or drizzle over plain yogurt, then toss in some sliced almonds and dried cranberries. Better yet, put it on top of ice cream. Trust me, you'll be glad you spent the $3.99, and I'm not even getting paid to tell you that.] </i></blockquote>
Look at me. The post hasn't even started and I'm already digressing.<br />
<br />
If you've been paying attention, you've noticed that <a href="http://thealmostnerdywife.blogspot.com/2014/04/on-surface.html" target="_blank">I'm somewhat addicted</a> to having lots of internet browser tabs open. As a visual processor, it's just how I function, okay? I know that the browser tab's inherent <i>"to do" </i>item is completed when the tab is closed. Until then, it stays open. Deal with it.<br />
<br />
So, some days the top of my browser may or may not look like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIJIkga-ZDQQA-vYOQa6ACLVoGREg2V3WhFAOsjbHi4WCQ49OLsN6QUansAyk0ayXbTHogFBbxBZUNPaKx7p7L4SftU7u3fRkxtxLJUKC10kWIjkT9yPHoUT3eMnH6aecRh7XerSBMML1/s1600/Chrome46Tabs_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIJIkga-ZDQQA-vYOQa6ACLVoGREg2V3WhFAOsjbHi4WCQ49OLsN6QUansAyk0ayXbTHogFBbxBZUNPaKx7p7L4SftU7u3fRkxtxLJUKC10kWIjkT9yPHoUT3eMnH6aecRh7XerSBMML1/s1600/Chrome46Tabs_wm.jpg" height="168" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>[Pay no attention to the fact that my arrow via Microsoft Paint is horrendous. I know that. If you'd like to get me a subscription to Adobe InDesign, then I'll make pretty graphics for you. Until then, you get the cheap stuff. Or you can pretend that Little Guy was helping me with the illustrations. :D]</i></blockquote>
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<i>[Also, you know you're married to a nerd when ... you see the Lifehacker tweet and exclaim to your husband, "You can randomize your MAC address?!?!" ... because you actually know what a MAC address is and some of what it's used for ... ]</i></blockquote>
But telling Mr. Dude that I <i>need</i> all those tabs open to work on my projects just makes him shake his head and sigh. It also makes him require that any machine we purchase for me needs to have as much RAM as possible. <i>[I haven't maxed out the 12G of RAM on his super computer yet ... perhaps that should be a personal goal for the summer ... ]</i><br />
<br />
Anyways, whenever he needs to use my computer, he's just learned to open a new browser. Not a new window for whatever browser I had open - no, a new browser entirely.<br />
<br />
What?<br />
<br />
You're surprised that we'd have Google Chrome <i>and</i> Mozilla Firefox <i>and</i> Internet Explorer all on one machine?<br />
<br />
You must not know us very well.<br />
<br />
So while Chrome chugged along with my 46 <i>[!]</i> and counting tabs, Mr. Dude pulled up Firefox to start Pandora since we had friends coming over for the evening.<br />
<br />
As I was shutting down the computer for the night <i>[and this is where I thank whoever had the brilliant idea to make browsers capable of resuming where you left off when you turn your machine back on again - hurray for saving all the tabs!]</i>, I noticed this video was the other tab he had opened up:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/aNvjuzdHnsI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Surprising? Not in the least. It's one of his favorite franchises, all kinds of previews are coming out for games with E3 going on, and he's easily distracted. So <i>of course</i> he was watching that while pulling up Pandora. </div>
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I right-clicked on the video to get the link so I could share it with all of you, and I started giggling. Bonus points if you see it in under 10 seconds: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ7ZbexIhEZfE8KzS_eWNf4h4ffZd70enOkbYTtlSP5Ldx7K4NcLMEHeUFy8GYwQT4uwCbEqOKHb5Vo-j5H8EHvQj6CuydXXB6jSzodPN92SkpaflWw7ZBmv8fFIvko8NUt1PWjtishiS/s1600/Batman+Stats+for+Nerds.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ7ZbexIhEZfE8KzS_eWNf4h4ffZd70enOkbYTtlSP5Ldx7K4NcLMEHeUFy8GYwQT4uwCbEqOKHb5Vo-j5H8EHvQj6CuydXXB6jSzodPN92SkpaflWw7ZBmv8fFIvko8NUt1PWjtishiS/s1600/Batman+Stats+for+Nerds.jpeg" height="177" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Did you get it? Oh, c'mon!<br />
<br />
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<b>"Stats for Nerds". </b></div>
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<i>REALLY?!?!</i></div>
<br />
I have no idea what stats it pulls up - I was laughing too hard to bother looking. And I have no idea if that's a standard option on the right-click menu, if that's special to Chrome, or if Mr. Dude was messing with my machine again.<br />
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To be honest? It's getting hard to tell anymore.<br />
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In the meantime, I'm off to enjoy my toast and lemon curd with Tea. Earl Grey. Hot. while the Little Guy sleeps. And who knows? Perhaps I'll get enough done so there are only 30 Chrome tabs open at the end of the day.<br />
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Hey, it could happen!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-3387541774586545552014-06-09T10:00:00.000-07:002014-06-09T10:00:05.551-07:00NinTeethO<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>[Near Gear Mondays. Where I tell you all about the random gear that Mr. Dude - or I - may or may not own. Or gear that we may or may not plan to own. Or gear that we may or may not find interesting. You're welcome.] </i></blockquote>
Once upon a time, a long time ago, baby gear was all about what baby actually <i>needed</i>. <div>
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<div>
And then along came things like dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, vacuum cleaners and electronic baby swings ... suddenly, people had time on their hands for more than the bare minimum. So they started coming up with things that would be <i>cool</i> for baby to have, which usually coincides with "things baby definitely doesn't <i>need</i> to have". </div>
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<i>[As a long time babysitter and nanny, I've seen my fair share of the ridiculous things that people could swear they "need" for their kid. Wipe warmers, anyone? But I digress.] </i></blockquote>
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There are some baby items which - admittedly - baby does not <i>need</i>. </div>
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BUT! Mom and Dad find them cool. </div>
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Bonus points if Dad finds them cool, because supposedly that makes Dad more interested in hanging out with baby ... or at least feeling like he has a say in some of the gear that you buy.<i> [Let's be honest. Most dads don't care about decorating the nursery or picking out a diaper bag.]</i></div>
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<div>
Enter: Geek Teething Toys. </div>
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God bless <a href="https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/93314630/geek-toy-baby-personalized-retro-game?ref=shop_home_active_6" target="_blank">the Canadians on Etsy</a> who designed this: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEfzS7p8nWVNet6TPxn5Z_6-L-2LFrwmHlLnptVZWRrEP8q8HjrVBiuoQhVP3S_6edHnaI52DgMDyyeNIZTxaaj2c5EtVToH4GkzS97FOuB980kgjphETdXCJd4okqdjuVdRlU-8yo5eF/s1600/NinTeethO2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEfzS7p8nWVNet6TPxn5Z_6-L-2LFrwmHlLnptVZWRrEP8q8HjrVBiuoQhVP3S_6edHnaI52DgMDyyeNIZTxaaj2c5EtVToH4GkzS97FOuB980kgjphETdXCJd4okqdjuVdRlU-8yo5eF/s1600/NinTeethO2.jpg" height="320" width="319" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CV7onfPDhB7tmL4_vFjwabBxGOLoxg2D2SAmEbXYvNFtWCg4jnCwG9Y0NnWf-X3gsWWcjuzbtcA_kT3LrMIndRkuzwLk99yfr7v4d3-ga4QWi6z6Y5J4TN5UeK4liZnjHEDfemHXyzJ6/s1600/NinTeethO3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CV7onfPDhB7tmL4_vFjwabBxGOLoxg2D2SAmEbXYvNFtWCg4jnCwG9Y0NnWf-X3gsWWcjuzbtcA_kT3LrMIndRkuzwLk99yfr7v4d3-ga4QWi6z6Y5J4TN5UeK4liZnjHEDfemHXyzJ6/s1600/NinTeethO3.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2N51CuyXT1VL1t0aRbEsqsLOv_By65BVCS_cBbzXxy63hEUN9RVBNt1_M3SSSOhyE8be7bI9B9tvxhiPuCkXCajiuQAxq1UpscT1ruhpqizbnAqQbBKTo8XHzIfW1fzh5YBLdhkWvdeJE/s1600/NinTeethO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2N51CuyXT1VL1t0aRbEsqsLOv_By65BVCS_cBbzXxy63hEUN9RVBNt1_M3SSSOhyE8be7bI9B9tvxhiPuCkXCajiuQAxq1UpscT1ruhpqizbnAqQbBKTo8XHzIfW1fzh5YBLdhkWvdeJE/s1600/NinTeethO.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Bonus Points: It's even made of maple. How very ... um ... Canadian of them, eh? </div>
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Whenever Little Guy gets a Little Gal or a Littler Guy to teach about all things nerdy, I can almost guarantee you that we'll buy one as a teaching prop for him to use. You gotta equip the next generation, you know. </div>
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Can you hear the conversation now? </div>
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<b>Little Guy: </b>Here, baby. This button helps you jump and this one makes you go faster. This one helps you get the extra star ... No, no, no! You don't eat it! That will make Mario fall down and die!<br /><b>Future Little Sibling:</b> <i>[blank stare, blink blink, continues chewing]</i></blockquote>
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<i>[Sigh. This is the part where I resign myself to my fate of always living in a house of nerds ... in case you hadn't caught on to that yet ...]</i></blockquote>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-91476641281394125252014-06-06T10:00:00.000-07:002014-06-06T10:00:01.569-07:00PAX Drama for the MamaIf you've been hiding under a rock, you may not have known that Mr. Dude is just <i>slightly</i> excited about PAX Prime.<br />
<br />
And that he's had me on "PAX Alert" ever since PAX East 2014 ended about a decade ago.<br />
<br />
Or maybe it just seems that long.<br />
<br />
Tickets sell faster than lightning strikes, so he had me turn on notifications for @Official_PAX on Twitter. And he always made sure that at least one of my thousand open browser tabs was the registration site. And he was diligent in letting me know when his meetings at work would start and end <strike>so I'd know when I could talk to the love of my life during the day</strike> so I knew when I was responsible for dashing to the computer in a frenzy in case ticket sales went live.<br />
<br />
It got to be rather ridiculous, actually.<br />
<br />
And then there was that one morning nap time <i>[for Little Guy, not me - unfortunattely] </i>where a Twitter notification came through and Mr. Dude called all at the same time.<br />
<br />
<b>It. Was. <i>Go Time.</i></b><br />
<br />
Good thing the browser tab was already set to the all-important prime.paxsite.com/registration <i>[I may or may not have just typed that out from memory. I think I'll plead the Fifth on that one.]</i> so I could just click on the "Badge Sales" button without thinking too much.<br />
<br />
Do you remember when you were a small child how tempting something became simply because it was forbidden?<br />
<br />
You didn't actually <i>want</i> the cookie until mom said you couldn't have it. And you never really <i>cared</i> about your sister's doll until your dad said you couldn't take it. And you had never even thought that the movie would be cool to watch until your mom said you weren't allowed to go see it with your friends.<br />
<br />
That's what PAX did to me and my "refresh" button.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsGDimXlUw1MmyqEw1RdSokR9Tz75Pg5JLxA_YtH5NH2fGGwURtLt72vfNxxG8POe6zwOq6mrwlpCMzZkTZcN66bmfBqDwZ0bxAENeG-3i1ffXEoXAkfgtzcP577G_PGbRxbBdhWcPEzf/s1600/20140528_101822_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsGDimXlUw1MmyqEw1RdSokR9Tz75Pg5JLxA_YtH5NH2fGGwURtLt72vfNxxG8POe6zwOq6mrwlpCMzZkTZcN66bmfBqDwZ0bxAENeG-3i1ffXEoXAkfgtzcP577G_PGbRxbBdhWcPEzf/s1600/20140528_101822_wm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxBdDpUim6nDq6lK1iKhO8fqfMkYAb0_eDNmcicztrwtAYOA_-bqH3mAq2-qOLCuu76Nvkp1B2-LpN2Fhn31aKTWDp4Iu08wLGX9yEefgRmKTiImKir0-2YNMAcGgsDsfAAilZZpsOIEY/s1600/20140528_101832_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxBdDpUim6nDq6lK1iKhO8fqfMkYAb0_eDNmcicztrwtAYOA_-bqH3mAq2-qOLCuu76Nvkp1B2-LpN2Fhn31aKTWDp4Iu08wLGX9yEefgRmKTiImKir0-2YNMAcGgsDsfAAilZZpsOIEY/s1600/20140528_101832_wm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Seriously?!?! NO refreshing the page? The page will redirect automatically and I just have to be patient?!?! </div>
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But ... but ... but ... </div>
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Somehow, I <i>knew</i> that if I followed directions, I'd be okay. But it certainly didn't <i>feel</i> like it. </div>
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The tech gurus who ran the PAX website would know better than to tell a bunch of geeks that the page would automatically redirect if the page wasn't going to automatically redirect, wouldn't they? I mean, talk about the most embarrassing tech snafu you could imagine, right? Screwing up registration for a nerd convention? </div>
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It still took <i>everything</i> I had in me to not hit that refresh button, though. </div>
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I think I just didn't trust the nerds enough. </div>
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Meanwhile, my adrenaline system was on high alert, shaking hands, shallow breathing, accelerated heart rate and all. </div>
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Must. Get. Tickets. Must. Get. Tickets. <i>MUST</i>. <i>GET</i>. <i>TICKETS</i>. </div>
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Mr. Dude got into the queue just before I did and managed to snag two each of the four single day passes. </div>
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Success! Breathe! Relax! </div>
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Wait. No four-day passes? </div>
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Nope. They all sold out. <a href="http://www.geekwire.com/2014/pax-prime-tickets/" target="_blank">In FIFTY SECONDS</a>. </div>
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<i>[Can we just pause right here? ... What kind of crazy world do we live in where there are so many nerds desperate to get to a conference that they stalk a site so that over 80k tickets are gone within just a few hours? Not all of these people are the stereotypical kids-posing-as-adults living in mom's basement and playing WoW all day. Lots of them actually have families, really good jobs and friends. But I digress.]</i></div>
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So, if you want to know where Mr. Dude will be for all of Labor Day weekend, you've got your answer. If you actually want to <i>see</i> him that weekend, then you'd better have scored some PAX Prime tickets. If you're lucky, you'll be there the day that Mr. Dude, Little Guy and I all show up in our cosplay. More on that to come. </div>
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Meanwhile, I think I need to go make myself a nice cup of tea to calm down again after reliving that harrowing experience. I'm getting too old for all these adrenaline highs. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-39827328609270423892014-06-04T10:00:00.000-07:002014-06-04T10:00:05.860-07:00June Bugs*In the computer world, "bug" is a bad, bad word. <i>[This is where all the coders start shuddering.]</i><br />
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Within the confines of my house, "bug" means <i>"pest that's only alive because the cat isn't doing her job or Mr. Dude hasn't killed it yet even though I asked a whole 2 seconds ago"</i>.<br />
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For my garden, "bug" means <i>"that thing that's trying to eat all the plants!"</i><br />
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As far as my to do list is concerned, "bug" refers to the verb, as in - <i>"I haven't done Item A [or Item B, or Item C, or Item D, or Item E ...] yet, and it's starting to bug me"</i>.<br />
<br />
For the purposes of this blog, "bug" explains the content of this post, and I'm going to refer to all of the above.<br />
<br />
Let's go in reverse order, shall we?<br />
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<b>To Do List:</b> Let's just say that mine has been rather long, without much progress and without enough coffee. <i>[For the record, there's </i>never <i>enough coffee. You'll be my best friend if you bring me some good coffee. Promise.] </i>We've had lots going on with Mr. Dude's work schedule, Little Guy's sleep schedule, and my manage-our-home-behind-the-scenes schedule. Thus, the blog fell off the "highest priority, must get something posted today" radar. Hard to blog about life when you're too busy living it, right? Don't worry - it gnawed at me. So we're back.<br />
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<b>Garden:</b> The bugs in the garden have been watching us pull up undergrowth, kill off the moss that was eating our lawns <i>[oh, the joys of living in the PNW]</i> and set up all kinds of accessories. Our backyard is now sporting some awesome garage sale finds and hand-me-downs: patio table and chairs, solar LED umbrella <i>[oooh! blinky lights!]</i>, fire pit, and gas bbq grill. <i>[Can you say "neighborhood cookout"?!]</i><br />
<br />
If you thought Mr. Dude's only hobbies were building and modifying computers or finding random videos on YouTube featuring reviews of the Goat Simulator game given by a gal who just ate a habanero pepper stuffed with ghost chili pepper sauce, then you were mistaken.<br />
<br />
He <i>ALSO </i>loves sprucing up a much-loved grill to make it shine like new and filling up the gargantuan yard waste can with vines and dandelions and blackberry bush clippings. Not the stereotypical nerd who never sees daylight, I tell you.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>[Although, did I tell you about how he worked in the basement at our university's IT Help Desk, and they had pictures of windows overlooking sunny landscapes on their computer desktops in lieu of actual windows? Apparently the nerds thought their virtual UV rays were sufficient ...] </i><br />
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But seriously, when he's not doing yardwork, he really <i>is </i>looking up Goat Simulator game reviews.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9guIy6cDvic?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<b>House: </b>I've been doing my own geeking out over things like design, function and decorating. I may or may not have spent most of a sunny day outside, lounging in our new-to-us patio furniture and reading this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9hM9pbcZcoLzZfdeN6c3LHR_-ZFlDqNsEW1sYk6EgbhwJ1k0OUs2Cxb68zwdZm1UOTeduIgRSJHCztsYDxDLQUiZpwuY89jZIFRZVlObLGpbKX4EUSgavi4zb71x9vBUfvtb31b-tUb_/s1600/20140603_220619_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9hM9pbcZcoLzZfdeN6c3LHR_-ZFlDqNsEW1sYk6EgbhwJ1k0OUs2Cxb68zwdZm1UOTeduIgRSJHCztsYDxDLQUiZpwuY89jZIFRZVlObLGpbKX4EUSgavi4zb71x9vBUfvtb31b-tUb_/s1600/20140603_220619_wm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<br />
Mr. Dude likes the "DIY" concept for building computers; I like it applied to cooking and decorating. Also, I appreciate bloggers with a sense of humor, so <a href="http://www.younghouselove.com/" target="_blank">I follow them</a> on Bloglovin'.<i> [Note: You could follow The Almost Nerdy Wife on Bloglovin', too. Just sayin'. #shamelessselfpromotion #justkiddingIhateselfpromoting] </i><br />
<br />
The only downside is that I can't actually <i>do</i> most of the project ideas in here: we're waiting on even basic things like paint and hanging pictures until our walls are demolished and rebuilt. No, we're not knocking our entire house down. Yes, we have to redo most of our electrical work.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>[1916 House </i><br />
<i>+ </i><br />
<i>Nerd with Excess of Electronic Devices </i><br />
<i>= </i><br />
<i>Supply and Demand Imbalance]</i></div>
<br />
Actually, we needed to do the update anyways <i>[hellooooooo, knob and tube!]</i>, and I'm too lazy to paint walls that are just going to be torn up in a few months. But it's <i>so </i>much more fun to point out Mr. Dude's wattage consumption. He won't mind, though. He willingly measures how many watts his machines pull out anyways.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNCIY79D04AFIx5PDYngBLwpAv9g2KVBTfLZWHEZyGBHNOVb12SdPeHLvEMIZG7rLPvnsijrEC5nz2Z6KN_oJ86rQx0MbPfLZDhOkRNVX2lRqFsCq90RzsaNZUsCKZt343ieLbJlFbrCn/s1600/20140603_222202_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNCIY79D04AFIx5PDYngBLwpAv9g2KVBTfLZWHEZyGBHNOVb12SdPeHLvEMIZG7rLPvnsijrEC5nz2Z6KN_oJ86rQx0MbPfLZDhOkRNVX2lRqFsCq90RzsaNZUsCKZt343ieLbJlFbrCn/s1600/20140603_222202_wm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This is actually pretty low, especially after we had legit outlets installed downstairs, in addition to the lightbulb-to-outlet conversions he had done. Otherwise, he had a ridiculous number of devices daisy-chained to a single extension cord running off one outlet in the mudroom/pantry just up the stairs from his man cave and it was consistently up in the 400s. We <i>really</i> need to get the electricity finished, folks!<br />
<br />
Where were we?<br />
<br />
Oh yeah. Decorating. Or not. At least not until Mr. Dude's machines can't cause a shortage throughout our entire house and blow every fuse in the box with one fell swoop of overclocking.<br />
<br />
Excuse me. I'm off to go stock up on batteries for the flashlight in case of Wattage-gate.<br />
<br />
Maybe I'll buy a can of paint while I'm at it.<br />
<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>[*Bonus Points for those of you who ever watched the Cartoon Network "June Bugs" specials where they ran a marathon of Warner Brothers' Bugs Bunny cartoons. Ah, such wonderful childhood memories.]</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-77820781691401971212014-04-25T10:30:00.000-07:002014-04-25T10:30:00.435-07:00Xbox One vs. PS4 ... GO! Mr. Dude used to have a collection of consoles.<br />
<br />
When we got married, he had an original Xbox and a PS2.<br />
<br />
Then came an Xbox 360.<br />
<br />
Then, somehow, he weasled his way in to buying a PS3.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Mr. Dude:</b> But, Stephanie, we <i>need </i>a BluRay player. The 360 doesn't have one.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Me:</b> And why should I care about that?</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Mr. Dude:</b> Because <i>this</i>:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOewPN8JHtqhoLFneyDcI2k9Fnq3pB7zRW8fHBnTV-DjAPKm1u6kE5Hbv2r10umkdDa4TK7KBgXow7JN2MKChBQiX6kpbFytMs7QWvlghYsmhuPFuZUU586xSkFTxWE7pR57fV3olvr8F/s1600/LOTRBluRay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOewPN8JHtqhoLFneyDcI2k9Fnq3pB7zRW8fHBnTV-DjAPKm1u6kE5Hbv2r10umkdDa4TK7KBgXow7JN2MKChBQiX6kpbFytMs7QWvlghYsmhuPFuZUU586xSkFTxWE7pR57fV3olvr8F/s1600/LOTRBluRay.jpg" height="320" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[Image via Amazon.com]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Mr. Dude: </b>And because it's available on Amazon Prime. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Me:</b> <i>Ooooooohhhhhh </i>... well that's different. <i>Fine</i>. Get the PS4. BUT! New rule. For every console you purchase, you must get rid of one from here on out. And, there must be some benefit to me, as well.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Mr. Dude:</b> DONE! </div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>[BluRay comes in handy for all sorts of things like the </i>LOTR <i>Extended Edition Trilogy, the bonus features for </i>Enchanted <i>that aren't available on the DVD, </i>Pride and Prejudice<i> with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth ... you know - the important stuff.]</i></div>
<br />
Then sometime this year ... last year? ... <i>[the timeline is foggy because we have so many discussions about what gadget he's going to buy next and why]</i> ... he started musing on whether to get an Xbox One <i>[which was confusing, because that's what we had been calling the original Xbox over here] </i>or a PS4. Fortunately for him, he had already sold off the PS3 in favor of playing BluRays via his computer, so there was "room" for another console.<br />
<br />
Want to see that conversation played out in real life? Here, we took video:<br />
<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/DExSQW2prGg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Okay, so really that's Sheldon and Amy from <i>The Big Bang Theory</i>. But you get the point.<br />
<br />
I think I've mentioned before how it seems that the writers must just follow my life story for materials because I've had so many of the exact conversations that go on in that show.<br />
<br />
It's getting kinda creepy, Chuck Lorre ...<br />
<br />
Thankfully, we've put off buying anymore consoles for the time being. Mr. Dude believes that the consoles must be advanced enough technologically beyond the last generation to justify the price, so we're safe.<br />
<br />
For at least the next five minutes.<br />
<br />
Until he actually makes up his mind.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-26359354877248397552014-04-24T11:00:00.000-07:002014-04-24T11:00:02.520-07:00On The SurfaceThe Microsoft Surface, that is.<br />
<br />
Yesterday was a two-fer day for blog posts.<br />
<br />
I kinda felt bad about leaving you in the dark on all the funny things that happened over the last week, so you got an extra one. Part of my radio silence was from giving our poor sick Little Guy lots of extra attention.<br />
<br />
And part of it was because of conversations like this:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUCtoAV4LLgAlqzO3wVXvL6MqERTW5nn888pLxgP8-cCnfDccm1q6MRsE_Eh1c-F6FWoOy3ys9I5qAWYFHULnaJJTPZv3boulmVxb0gWgYd4P_mjdTEAeuaclHbdNkmhNzuOrCErE8FOg/s1600/Toasted+GPU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUCtoAV4LLgAlqzO3wVXvL6MqERTW5nn888pLxgP8-cCnfDccm1q6MRsE_Eh1c-F6FWoOy3ys9I5qAWYFHULnaJJTPZv3boulmVxb0gWgYd4P_mjdTEAeuaclHbdNkmhNzuOrCErE8FOg/s1600/Toasted+GPU.jpg" height="163" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Yes, I know how to tell when my display driver crashed. I know what a display driver is. And I know how to update them.<br />
<br />
I also know that if my GPU is becoming akin to burnt toast, then I have to replace the entire laptop sooner rather than later <i>[the one upside of a desktop, in my opinion - your GPU isn't soldered onto the motherboard ... wait, did I really just type those words?!]</i>.<br />
<br />
I'm also too lazy to do my own computer maintenance sometimes.<br />
<br />
Besides, why deprive Mr. Dude of some time to tinker around, à la car mechanic?<br />
<br />
So in the meantime, I'm dealing with a slightly cantankerous machine that thinks it's getting too old for the likes of 30 internet browser tabs being open at once, despite the fact that this multi-tasking mama needs it to keep chugging along.<br />
<br />
And then Mr. Dude brought home a Microsoft Surface that a friend had let him borrow.<br />
<br />
I think my little HP notebook could tell that I was <i>oohing</i> and <i>aahing</i> over another machine, and it must have gotten jealous because it is running ... as ... slowly ... as ... molasses ... in ... January ... today.<br />
<br />
Maybe it just needs another cup of coffee?<br />
<br />
Nope, that'd be this mama who needs another cup of coffee.<br />
<br />
This machine is gonna get Windows 7 reinstalled and all the drivers updated by my personal Geek Squad this weekend. And then we can all celebrate its restoration to good health.<br />
<br />
Oh, the joys of owning PCs and being married to a PC tech., no? Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-83175899367561355212014-04-23T14:00:00.000-07:002014-04-23T14:00:02.074-07:00Meanwhile, From the Prize BoxRemember how you used to have days in class where the teacher would do a review session for an upcoming test, and he'd pass out small prizes for the right answer? You know, like pencils, stickers, bookmarks and the like?<br />
<br />
You thought I was talking about elementary school .<br />
<br />
Nope. This happens in adult world, too, folks. Your wildest dreams have come true!<br />
<br />
Mr. Dude's right answer during the SharePoint training seminar earned him some swag:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnVxH0hGFguD_2qSaCW-ObNd-IvvBF_jqe5pO9z6cm-G1YcUf3iFV_X7HYnZAmxT6AY5upWv6SgpNpLsqhNpyNCP-m0VlJ2TXcjzBaZwZDFbDbkWButyesEJaP3-LyfwqOuW4hOOcBQzl/s1600/20140423_090344_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnVxH0hGFguD_2qSaCW-ObNd-IvvBF_jqe5pO9z6cm-G1YcUf3iFV_X7HYnZAmxT6AY5upWv6SgpNpLsqhNpyNCP-m0VlJ2TXcjzBaZwZDFbDbkWButyesEJaP3-LyfwqOuW4hOOcBQzl/s1600/20140423_090344_wm.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Seriously?! </div>
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Tacky? Or awesome? </div>
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Discuss. </div>
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<i>[Side Note: I don't even dare ask Mr. Dude what the question was. Otherwise I'll suddenly discover that he's rattled off about all things SharePoint for an hour and I'll know more about it than the general population. I know better than that, folks!]</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-31227766415551664052014-04-23T13:30:00.000-07:002014-04-23T13:30:00.406-07:00No, Seriously. What About Second Breakfast? Little Guy turned one earlier this month, and my family made the trek all the way from sunny CA to celebrate with us.<br />
<br />
They took the opportunity to give him some ... um ... appropriate gifts.<br />
<br />
One sister, for example, created these:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlaOLvCPmzY2Y0k0a97sqCCBlhg0IQfQ3lcpSXToAkF3lW2yAOGYwhuCpkSei5Yx3ynQnnSLhpGXXXLACnM0X463dn-oUy05Gh2fe_RGMrhqH8yKirJQvNndJSMRGyMSt6vztOK08Fy2S/s1600/2014-04-22+09.37.11-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlaOLvCPmzY2Y0k0a97sqCCBlhg0IQfQ3lcpSXToAkF3lW2yAOGYwhuCpkSei5Yx3ynQnnSLhpGXXXLACnM0X463dn-oUy05Gh2fe_RGMrhqH8yKirJQvNndJSMRGyMSt6vztOK08Fy2S/s1600/2014-04-22+09.37.11-1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It's what happens when you have access to the interwebs, a printer, and iron-on patches. So now my kid can go around proclaiming on his shirt what his general M.O. of life seems to be:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"But what about second breakfast?"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The <i>other</i> sister gave him what I call the "maniacal bumblebee" and what Mr. Dude has proclaimed one of the most awesome toys <i>ever</i>.<br />
<br />
Want to see their ad for it?<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El8-ToN7hK0" target="_blank"> Watch the overly cheerful video</a>. And then wonder if the video editor lost some hair while working on that project. Auntie's "Operation: Bug the Momma, Please the Nephew" is a complete success, y'all. Because Little Guy LOVES it.<br />
<br />
<i>[We have a dichotomy in our parenting philosophies, by the way. Mr. Dude thinks that loud, noisy toys make childhood more fun. I, on the other hand, am the one at home all day with Little Guy, so I hear that noisy toy a LOT. And I think a kid needs to learn to be entertained without all the flashing lights and sounds. But hey, he loves leafing through his board books and playing with blocks, so we'll call it good.]</i><br />
<br />
I'm just worried about what's gonna happen when Mr. Dude gets around to building that DOS Pentium II off-line machine that our kids will get to use.<br />
<br />
Too. Many. Flashing. Lights! Aaaaaauuuugggghhhh!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-9086448817661660362014-04-22T11:00:00.000-07:002014-04-22T11:00:02.773-07:00But What About Second Breakfast?Or in my case today, what about a second cup of tea?<br />
<br />
There have been a <i>lot</i> of second "cuppas" this past week as both I and this blog fell off the face of the earth. That's what happens when you've got one very sick Little Guy who decided that a fever meant lots of snuggling with momma and sleeping. I took to calling him a "Clingy Monkey". But at least he was a cute clingy monkey.<br />
<br />
So, we're back. He's back to causing mischief, I'm back to writing, and Mr. Dude is the same as he ever was.<br />
<br />
Well, except for today, when his company sent him to a SharePoint training this week instead of his normal work routine.<br />
<br />
Know what he's most excited about?<br />
<br />
Free, unlimited Mountain Dew.<br />
<br />
You know, the kind of soda he used to drink during multiple weekends of playing waaaaaaay too much <i>Halo </i>in high school. He claims it's how he stayed out of trouble.<br />
<br />
<i>[I'm guessing his mom is grateful her couch got a little beat up by crowds of teenage boys working their way through endless levels of video games on the "Legendary" difficulty, rather than have her son get mixed in with the wrong crowd. I wonder if they thought to buy stock in Mountain Dew since they were probably single-handedly keeping the profit margin high?]</i><br />
<br />
But back to real life outside of Mr. Dude's nostalgia trip today ...<br />
<br />
I'm back on "PAX Duty" since he's out of WiFi. And back to real life chores after spending most of my weekend doing this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUA0ndfRYO1IL5STIcjjz6yAToIwzTvzOuY2eSZAccTP0kop4TbysXRs9nfKjQt_9rDitulaDGkmH3B5MXWK9jsQaWIEGc3fi8bYDmylT_lvyGCKsfKzpThMmnmGjRZDiuGBsPIWG9HOk/s1600/2014-04-22+09.38.55-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUA0ndfRYO1IL5STIcjjz6yAToIwzTvzOuY2eSZAccTP0kop4TbysXRs9nfKjQt_9rDitulaDGkmH3B5MXWK9jsQaWIEGc3fi8bYDmylT_lvyGCKsfKzpThMmnmGjRZDiuGBsPIWG9HOk/s1600/2014-04-22+09.38.55-1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Ever seen Meryl Streep's amazing performance in <i>Julie and Julia</i>? Holy cow. The movie is based on a mix of this book and the <a href="http://juliepowellbooks.com/blog.html" target="_blank">blog of a gal named Julie</a> who learned to cook by working her way through Julia Child's <i>Mastering the Art of French Cooking</i>. I'm wondering if <i>anyone</i> can read this book without getting drool all over their face and not getting up at least three times to go scour the kitchen for something, <i>anything </i>that could be even a fraction as tasty as all the food she describes in her book.<br />
<br />
The mug, by the way, is full of Earl Grey. Hot. Make it so. <i>[Yeah, that was a Star Trek reference. I know.]</i> Because every good book needs a good mug or glass of something yummy to accompany it. One friend suggested that I have a good glass of wine, some fantastic crusty French bread and a really creamy Brie to savor while I read. I agreed, but I was fresh out of all three. And too glued to the book to go to the grocery store. So I settled for the tea. Much more British than French, but still tasty.<br />
<br />
So that's what I geeked out on this weekend. Mr. Dude may be writing PowerShell scripts for this and that, continually locking down our network, and waiting for PAX Prime tickets to go on sale. I'm learning how to cook all sorts of tasty things.<br />
<br />
C'mon. 'Fess up. What hobbies did you do instead of chores this weekend?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-50328504246472275442014-04-14T10:00:00.000-07:002014-04-14T13:14:20.614-07:00Stalking PAX PrimeLast night, I was all settled in for a lovely semi-marathon of BBC's <i>London Hospital</i>. Little Guy was down for the count. The house was reasonably clean. And Mr. Dude was out with friends to watch the new Captain America movie.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>[As an aside, I was supposed to go to that movie, too, but we couldn't get a babysitter in time. So I couldn't watch the latest iteration in a never-ending parade of superhero/comic book-based movies. Oh darn.]</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
And then I get this text message:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57uuk61UBobHc44WwG0huAU8ywCU2EaE5cDJbMjg89YTmy8owqR8gzl-KYTsdAB9n5oEjDyAjEsg9BCfdd_Qt8Q8q7upq7mhYsXcptP0COpZk04X3ldZfjL4CWBBjDZEbuLMb9BRtbMkV/s1600/PAX+Stalking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57uuk61UBobHc44WwG0huAU8ywCU2EaE5cDJbMjg89YTmy8owqR8gzl-KYTsdAB9n5oEjDyAjEsg9BCfdd_Qt8Q8q7upq7mhYsXcptP0COpZk04X3ldZfjL4CWBBjDZEbuLMb9BRtbMkV/s1600/PAX+Stalking.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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Grammatical errors aside <i>[because I'm one of those annoying people who try to make sure even my text messages have proper capitalization, punctuation, etc.]</i>, this pretty much sums up my weekend. </div>
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Stalking PAX Prime tickets. </div>
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Mr. Dude <i>[who really is listed in my phone as "Yours Truly" ... and who chose a ridiculous profile picture based on a meme] </i>knows that historically, PAX Prime tickets are announced very soon after PAX East in Boston has concluded. </div>
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So the man who has a Twitter handle and never uses it turned on notifications for @Official_Pax a week ago to be sure he could rush to a computer at a moment's notice to get one of the coveted 4 Day Passes. Since PAX East was this weekend, there's been a tweet every. freakin'. 30. seconds. </div>
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That's a lot of notifications on his phone, people. </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And a lot of times for my heart to start racing, waiting to hear him yell out, "To the interwebs!" </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And a lot of times of not knowing when I'm going to have to drop everything <i>[except for maybe the 1 year old Little Guy ... I love my husband, but I draw the line there]</i> to run to my computer and basically live out this scene: </div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/5aaDiNAy_68/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/5aaDiNAy_68&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/5aaDiNAy_68&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Key Difference that Mr. Dude would like you to note: They're trying to get into Comicon in San Diego. Not PAX. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I actually offered <i>[!!!]</i> to go to Emerald City Comicon last month and he refused. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Why?</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
"That's for a bunch of nerds, Stephanie."</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Riiiiiiiiigggggghhhhhhttttt ... </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>[Updated: Apparently I should use the interwebs for some of my proofreading. You know, so that I can discover that it's spelled "Comicon" instead of "ComiCon" ... like I tried to do the first time around.]</i> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-45452884428155284832014-04-11T10:00:00.000-07:002014-04-11T10:00:05.978-07:00Nerd Status Panic AttackIn the world of baseball, going 2/3 in a game is a great batting average.<br />
<br />
In the world of being <i>almost </i>a nerd, going 2/3 means I haven't gone over the edge. Yet.<br />
<br />
But oh man, did I get a scare.<br />
<br />
Scrolling through my FB newsfeed ... saw a post by <strike>Mr. Sulu</strike> George Takei that a friend shared ... and almost had a heart attack.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHKD0M66cIZ37W2TVr3Yt7nu-XpovLUZs-9W6ES2lJIjXnYQxoy1cHhhJvvSUZw8KUYQpZgLMxTZuJMUYq7B5klEMmM1t6tcRTWswLGEzWWm5GZyQCeVmYkzQzTlBM3OPesgIzcb-UVGb/s1600/IMG_11625013619184.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHKD0M66cIZ37W2TVr3Yt7nu-XpovLUZs-9W6ES2lJIjXnYQxoy1cHhhJvvSUZw8KUYQpZgLMxTZuJMUYq7B5klEMmM1t6tcRTWswLGEzWWm5GZyQCeVmYkzQzTlBM3OPesgIzcb-UVGb/s1600/IMG_11625013619184.jpeg" height="224" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
OH CRAP. I KNOW WHAT ALL OF THOSE ARE.<br />
<br />
Or at least I thought I did.<br />
<br />
The ways of the force? Easy, that is. <i>Star Wars</i>.<br />
<br />
The One Ring? You mean the One Ring to Rule Them all? <i>LOTR</i>. Duh.<br />
<br />
Muggles? Wow. Talk about a reference out of left field. They brought in Puddleglum from <i>The Silver Chair</i>? Random, but okay.<br />
<br />
Except NOT okay because I know EXACTLY who they're talking about and so according to the totally legit authority of the some(e)cards meme, that makes me a full-fledged nerd!!!<br />
<br />
<i>Aaaauuuugggghhhhh</i>!<br />
<br />
Oh wait.<br />
<br />
That said "muggles". Not "marshwiggles".<br />
<br />
<i>[Insert my quick Google search here.]</i><br />
<br />
Oooooh. Those are from Harry Potter.<br />
<br />
Never read the books. Only seen clips of the movies when other people have had them on in the room.<br />
<br />
Never mind. I'm not a complete nerd.<br />
<br />
<i>[Yet.]</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-40717411332186262012014-04-10T10:00:00.000-07:002014-04-10T10:00:06.024-07:00Dating Windows XPFound some more treasures at the consignment shop for Little Guy, just in time for the M's home opener on Tuesday:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBWaB7bECMAvIudeDWm7EVjzQtPMRE8lba8mr-HS4bwXK_H4evtKcJRjuozd_EGHzyndzdS3nJ8lS1GuAsKVpguzTmtlfNhm9Q2UF2zjjbS-aLULy1ZiNaephme3Pt_FcAemyBETEXhoG/s1600/20140405_201618_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBWaB7bECMAvIudeDWm7EVjzQtPMRE8lba8mr-HS4bwXK_H4evtKcJRjuozd_EGHzyndzdS3nJ8lS1GuAsKVpguzTmtlfNhm9Q2UF2zjjbS-aLULy1ZiNaephme3Pt_FcAemyBETEXhoG/s1600/20140405_201618_wm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnHNpBykTYOzDURaUWPkW5cJA9h7aeJXsozDYYB5O_dxir4Pcr7xepJ9Puf0i525gUVqlI0mnUgivvrU0samqxyMAB03DU4FwknmOBXEsZe-6tyGQEXteeThKHRPrZOwYBugeoWpqYTOu/s1600/20140405_201632_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnHNpBykTYOzDURaUWPkW5cJA9h7aeJXsozDYYB5O_dxir4Pcr7xepJ9Puf0i525gUVqlI0mnUgivvrU0samqxyMAB03DU4FwknmOBXEsZe-6tyGQEXteeThKHRPrZOwYBugeoWpqYTOu/s1600/20140405_201632_wm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Does this Giants' fan get bonus points for buying M's gear for our son? I mean, seriously.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>[Mr. Dude asked me to wear M's gear to the game, and I think I almost laughed in his face. </i><i>I reassured him that I love him. A lot. </i><i>And then I reminded him that this is </i>baseball <i>we're talking about. I only wear black and orange, no matter who is playing or who my husband is cheering for. The "leaving and cleaving" may apply to my family, but it does </i>not <i>apply to my baseball team. Just sayin'.]</i></blockquote>
Also, I'm claiming bonus points for the R2D2 and C3PO shirt. Because what nerd's kid's wardrobe is complete without something from Star Wars?<br />
<br />
I digress.<br />
<br />
The day of said home game where Little Guy sported his Griffey gear, Mr. Dude and I were filling out paperwork at the doctor's office for the <i>[insert trumpet fanfare here]</i> one year appointment.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Me:</b> What's the date today?<br />
<b>Mr. Dude:</b> The 8th. Do you know how I know it's the 8th?<br />
<b>Me:</b> Because it's our dating anniversary?<br />
<b>Mr. Dude:</b> No. And yes! But today is the day that Windows XP support ends.<br />
<b>Me: </b>And you know that more than you know that it's our dating anniversary?<br />
<b>Mr. Dude:</b> Hey, I had to live and breathe that deadline! </blockquote>
In all fairness, our dating anniversary is something more like a three day stretch, because it took one day for him to ask me to be his girlfriend, one day for me to think about it, and a third day for me to say "yes". April 8th is the day I said "yes". So sometimes I have a hard time remembering which one we celebrate <i>[answer: we kinda, sorta celebrate all three]</i>.<br />
<br />
And in all fairness, his massive project at work as a "Sharepoint Farmer"<i> [as he calls himself]</i> has been to migrate everything on their servers to a new OS so that everyone and their mom couldn't hack into the system. So the countdown to April 8, 2014, has been on his work desktop for the last couple of years.<br />
<br />
Oh, widgets. What did we ever do without you?<br />
<br />
Even so, the ordinals in his head for April 8th events went something like<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>[Windows XP end-of-support, M's Opening Day, 8 year dating anniversary, SQUIRREL!, Little Guy's appointment].</i></div>
<br />
If he's not careful, I'll start calling him Szalinski.<br />
<br />
<i>[And he'd like you to know that he's proud I'd even use a reference from a 90's movie.]</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-87486024364242361582014-03-06T22:23:00.002-08:002014-03-06T23:13:50.615-08:00Awkward Family Photos and Verbal Analogies, SAT-Style<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>[We interrupt this broadcast to bring you this important bulletin: Today is "Family Harmonica Day".]</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The Awkward Family Photo calendar said so.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Why on earth", </i>you ask, <i>"do you have an Awkward Family Photo calendar?!?!"</i></div>
<br />
Good question.<br />
<br />
Have you ever heard of "photo-bombing"? Usually, it's a practice where someone jumps into another's scene while a photo is being taken, without the primary subjects noticing. <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/benedict-cumberbatch-executes-aerial-oscars-photobomb-on-u2-9164392.html" target="_blank">Benedict Cumberbatch</a> and <a href="http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/crasher-squirrel" target="_blank">squirrels </a>alike have been known to take up the hobby.<br />
<br />
At our house, it's what happens when you ask friends to babysit whilst you attend a wedding, and they see fit to grace our walls with said calendar's presence, without you noticing until <i>after</i> they had left for the night. In this case, the calendar <i>literally "</i>photo-bombed" our wall.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXyedk2mCt_cKsuLPZ6jATLGuHrKoS3b0dCnxcsd_RDd-n3YFp2ozQIfHOocwIU0LvKHulqwaRKlqR6FwmHDzn9eXg5qIqnqWbRweYR5zrpuXu6ohCC-2-wFlUyM9APKtkDIqYZcqtolT/s1600/20140306_082431_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXyedk2mCt_cKsuLPZ6jATLGuHrKoS3b0dCnxcsd_RDd-n3YFp2ozQIfHOocwIU0LvKHulqwaRKlqR6FwmHDzn9eXg5qIqnqWbRweYR5zrpuXu6ohCC-2-wFlUyM9APKtkDIqYZcqtolT/s1600/20140306_082431_wm.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Fortunately, it's turned out to be quite the useful calendar with so many helpful holidays written in. Today is "Family Harmonica Day", and "Dress Like a Hobbit" comes later this month. And then there are other important occasions such as "Polyester Jumpsuit Day" and "Family Sweater Day". If you haven't gotten your harmonica on yet, though, you'll want to hurry. The day is almost done!<br />
<br />
Know how Mr. Dude and I are celebrating this year's "Family Harmonica Day"? We're sitting side by side working on our respective computers while Little Guy sleeps. Ah, the life of a nerd and his wife. He's doing PowerShell scripting for work and I just finished up a freelance gig wherein I kinda-sorta-not-really played the part of a web developer.<br />
<br />
Actually I was migrating content from one website to another, which really just means I was a glorified copy-and-paste wizard. But a wizard nonetheless, mind you. I'm working on getting my staff and a horse as cool as Shadowfax.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>[#LOTRreferenceFTW]</i></div>
<br />
What's that you say? You're surprised that I dove into the world of web development?<br />
<br />
Me, too. Sometimes these things just land in my lap and I take them - always good to learn new skills and earn a bit of extra cash, right?<br />
<br />
Mr. Dude, however, was more focused on the fact that I was uploading content into a WordPress site.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Mr. Dude:</b> "That's not web development, Stephanie!"<br />
<b>Me: </b>"Well, you're just doing PowerShell. That's not really programming."<br />
<b>Mr. Dude:</b> "Yes it is!"<br />
<b>Me: </b>"Then working with WordPress sites is web development. So there."</blockquote>
Very sophisticated arguing, I tell you. But a valid point, unless of course you agree that<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
HTML : WordPress :: C++ : PowerShell</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
If that's true, then WordPress really is nothing like "true" web development, whatever that means. I'm still accepting the title of "Copy and Paste Wizard", though. <i style="text-align: center;"> </i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Happy "Family Harmonica Day"! </b></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-70877449300375727822014-03-05T12:00:00.000-08:002014-03-05T12:00:01.287-08:00Halo: Taking Over the World<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>[One cell phone and Atari console at a time ...]</i></div>
<br />
In this week's <i>[or maybe just today's?] </i>edition of "news Stephanie notices now only because she's married to a geek", I saw an <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/04/watch-microsofts-cortana-assistant-for-windows-phone-8-1-shown-off-on-video/" target="_blank">article from TechCrunch</a> about Microsoft's answer to Siri.<br />
<br />
I know we all want some sort of personal assistant who knows what we need, when we need it, and can get it for us. Heck, if I had someone who could bring me coffee and do my paperwork and clean my house while I just played with Little Guy all day, that would be fantastic. And I know how hard it is to find a good assistant - I've actually worked as an admin assistant on several occasions, once for an executive director. <i>[Do you know how hard it is to stay one step ahead of a boss who we all joked had more energy than the Energizer Bunny?!]</i><br />
<br />
For some of us unfortunate souls, the closest we get to having a personal assistant is being good friends with apps like Remember the Milk, Evernote and Google Calender. <i>[God bless those developers!]</i><br />
<br />
Apparently, there are some people want a pseudo-friend who will organize their lives and talk to them, too, even if it's their OS wearing those shoes <i>[wasn't there a movie nominated for an Oscar this year about that?]</i>.<br />
<br />
Video gamers, say goodbye to Siri. Your new best friend <i>[as long as you like Windows Mobile]</i> is now Cortona.<br />
<br />
Oh wait, she already was, wasn't she? For all those years you played <i>Halo</i>? <i>[Or still play </i>Halo<i>?] </i><br />
<br />
Yeah, she's that creepy AI that helps you with the crazy amount of information you have to store whilst you're beating the bad guys.<br />
<br />
Um, methinks I already have enough video games in my life without having my phone talk to me like a character from a giant gaming franchise that I'm pretty sure Mr. Dude could play through while blindfolded.<br />
<br />
Thanks anyways, Microsoft. I'm sure it's the thought that counts.<br />
<br />
In last week's edition of "news the family only pays attention to because they have a geek for a son", Mr. Dude's dad dropped off a photocopied article from the <i>Smithsonian</i> magazine. <i>[Yes, he can be old-school like that. Photocopiers do still exist, people!]</i><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiME3LHdcia0aDQQHKr7m7OAZ9M7ubphpg3qT9qGMz6MOV4gF8mSnD3VUncKeYepIqZucpujyDOCdbb83QJ9JUwtATpmrfpHPYBPxlYGr41_njEKMEGARbySWY7u45iafn1MyIsZMba_D8/s1600/20140304_131624_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiME3LHdcia0aDQQHKr7m7OAZ9M7ubphpg3qT9qGMz6MOV4gF8mSnD3VUncKeYepIqZucpujyDOCdbb83QJ9JUwtATpmrfpHPYBPxlYGr41_njEKMEGARbySWY7u45iafn1MyIsZMba_D8/s1600/20140304_131624_wm.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The Scrabble rule in Mr. Dude's family is that if you can use it in a sentence, it's a legit word.<br />
<br />
So now, thanks to someone who wanted to "demake" <i>Halo</i> by cramming it all into just 4KB of memory on an Atari 2600, I have a new word to use and hopefully score triple word points on. If only I could get Mr. Dude to play a game of Scrabble without taking 10 minutes for each turn ...<br />
<br />
There. Now don't you feel so much more informed about the important events of the day?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-35891766920972525742014-03-03T12:00:00.000-08:002014-03-03T18:16:17.385-08:00Oscar [!!!!!] MomentLast night, I threw Mr. Dude for a loop.<br />
<br />
Little Guy goes to bed fairly early, and Mr. Dude was sick in bed. So I decided to make myself dinner and watch the Oscars.<br />
<br />
Guys, I almost NEVER watch the Oscars. I'm not interested in celebrity gossip, or the red carpet, or even in seeing the latest movies.<br />
<br />
Heck, I realized that I hadn't even seen most of the movies that were nominated in any of the categories for this year's awards. That's probably because I never get to the movie theater anymore. Or remember to rent the movies later. Or even know that the movies are coming out to begin with.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>[We call that living in the "Parenthood Bubble".] </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
But I digress.<br />
<br />
Let's suffice it to say that watching the Oscars is a little out of character for me.<br />
<br />
You know how they have different celebrities come on stage to introduce the next category and announce the winners?<br />
<br />
In my head, I'm usually seeing the actors as the various characters I've seen them play. Or I'm scratching my head trying to figure out who they are.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>[Enter Whoopi Goldberg.] </i></div>
<br />
She's been in a lot of stuff that are family favorites: <i>The Lion King</i>. The film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's <i>Cinderella</i>. <i>Sister Act</i>. <i>Sister Act 2</i>.<br />
<br />
And what comes to mind <i>first</i> when I see her walk out on stage?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Hey, she played Guinan."</i></div>
<br />
Guinan.<br />
<br />
As in, a character on <i>Star Trek: Deep Space Nine</i>.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Really?!?! <i>REALLY?!?!</i></div>
<br />
I LOVED <i>The Lion King</i>. I thought <i>Sister Act</i> was hilarious, and that the sequel was even better. And she redeemed Brandy's performance in <i>Cinderella</i>.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
And the first thing that comes to mind is her role in <i>Star Trek</i>?!</div>
<br />
I have a disease, people. Mr. Dude's forever ruined me with so much exposure to Star Trek that I may never recover.<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure the only cure for it is more cowbell. Or coffee. Or chick flicks. Or ... something.<br />
<br />
Suggestions?<br />
<br />
<i>[<b>UPDATE:</b> Mr. Dude has informed me that Guinan only appeared in </i>Star Trek: The Next Generation<i>, not </i>DS9<i>. I'm not sure if I should give myself a proverbial slap on the wrist for making such a rookie mistake, or a pat on the back for not being as well-versed in the Star Trek universe as I thought, thereby having some hope at "normalcy". Either way, I informed him that he will NOT be getting me to watch them again. He still hasn't watched multiple seasons of </i>Downton Abbey<i>, </i>The Big Bang Theory<i> or </i>Sherlock <i>with me.]</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-40865841496438282152014-03-01T10:17:00.000-08:002014-03-01T10:17:59.330-08:00[GASP!!!]<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>[The title is an onomatopoeic reference to me gasping for air after
drowning in the ocean that is buying a home and moving into it ... all with one
very wiggly and mobile Little Guy and a Mr. Dude who is working overtime right
now.]</i><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
That's right, people. We bought a house. And Mr. Dude officially
has a "man cave" that is his to do with as he pleases. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
[Can you say<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>"ridiculously happy geek"</i>?] <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Aside from putting our laundry machines downstairs eventually to
accommodate a larger dining room, Mr. Dude has a sizable space to use with
plans for a full bar, a media area<span class="apple-converted-space"><i> </i></span><i>[with
surround sound for him ... and sound-proofed floors for his wife's ears]</i>,
his computer desk and an extra table for working on tech projects. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
That extra table is important, people. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Because there are stories from his past that still haunt him. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Stories of using a soldering gun to repair a laptop. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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Indoors. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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On his mother's dining room table. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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With a tablecloth. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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That now has a small hole burned into it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
So he's banned from doing said tech projects in such places. And
thus we're getting him his own tech work bench/table/space. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But I digress. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
For Christmas, I promise I actually did get him a tech-related
present, despite me listing a few things I vehemently declared I would<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>not</i> get for him. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xWZoPhCosXB9pE5ByfHJRgzaWbWcWhLultbvw5E1DXqOAlOCIUGh7-rlGdYA2rDF7tekdyJNoJVOzPXEt2YuiwT6l5GU2VVxivy3PPut7yleJZsS_btz9q5nRW2hFexhPlrQZGoU5o-9/s1600/2014-02-24+21.57.47-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xWZoPhCosXB9pE5ByfHJRgzaWbWcWhLultbvw5E1DXqOAlOCIUGh7-rlGdYA2rDF7tekdyJNoJVOzPXEt2YuiwT6l5GU2VVxivy3PPut7yleJZsS_btz9q5nRW2hFexhPlrQZGoU5o-9/s1600/2014-02-24+21.57.47-1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Yes, that is a Companion Cube Ice Cube Tray. And warning sign coasters. Because a geek's bar needs to be tricked out with appropriately geeky stuff, right? </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
The full bar is going to be Tron-themed, complete with blue and
orange neon mixed in with acrylic. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i>[Mr. Dude really likes acrylic.]</i> <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
I figured that Portal 2 was the same colors and cool enough that
he'd be okay with something of a mash-up for his theme. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The wife guessed right. Booyah!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And as a bonus, I got Geek Points from ThinkGeek AND my husband. Double booyah! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkY9v7WDk5nwxseVQSLDcepKx6_EklrxdKsLsMgB5elyaGgqGeLK0luthOAaXurEb4fjx9koCG8RRA6ZXuPMAuUMuDetyX28uB_WiTkgZDNDMZ2SaZnoFEOKm4cmlWh0AElt1y0pGtHX7/s1600/20131205_113655_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkY9v7WDk5nwxseVQSLDcepKx6_EklrxdKsLsMgB5elyaGgqGeLK0luthOAaXurEb4fjx9koCG8RRA6ZXuPMAuUMuDetyX28uB_WiTkgZDNDMZ2SaZnoFEOKm4cmlWh0AElt1y0pGtHX7/s1600/20131205_113655_wm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Also on the list of "you-know-I-love-my-husband-a-LOT-when-I-buy-him-ridiculous-stuff-like-this": </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnTClCFXGMIJqqwSQ1USFXCRcouBuU_l7fbbPnrilxgBZcET5B7UnHZCSQgTRrTqdJpFAf8n6IoCpVSEvBKX8buIr5SH517DfBUsPP4Ezmd7roGbJd5V8wrRAggOOz3lYJ8cZvU2L7mT_/s1600/2014-03-01+09.50.49_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnTClCFXGMIJqqwSQ1USFXCRcouBuU_l7fbbPnrilxgBZcET5B7UnHZCSQgTRrTqdJpFAf8n6IoCpVSEvBKX8buIr5SH517DfBUsPP4Ezmd7roGbJd5V8wrRAggOOz3lYJ8cZvU2L7mT_/s1600/2014-03-01+09.50.49_wm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<i>[Exhibit A: Valentine's Day gift - Mario Mushroom Tap Lights. That I found in a consignment shop. For $3 each.]</i> Before you think I'm a cheap-o gift-giver, I <i>also</i> told him I'd play one of the Mario games with him for an evening. If you believe this <a href="http://www.salary.com/2013-mom-infographics/" target="_blank">infographic </a>about how much a stay-at-home-mom's time would be worth in the "outside world", then my time is worth about $20/hour, give or take. Assume that an evening of video games is about 4 hours <i>[because that's all I think I can handle before I go cross-eyed and want to pull all my hair out]</i>, then the gift is at <i>least</i> $80. There, now you can't think I'm a cheapo. And Mr. Dude is <i>ridiculously</i> excited for me to voluntarily play video games with him. Yes, I love him that much.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIJSUV58Lp0M9Psw0E8GA7sBTDBw978JEs0GTeGEc7dKfiXnzpQerTyMvFF7j4iOZNqq1tBrN76GDwx4oXC54Jl52ZUjZWUvS3otiyYW1Ye-TJxf1hWQ6vI41ZGaZu-Y9RXVJQSoTFm0u/s1600/2014-02-20+10.03.50-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIJSUV58Lp0M9Psw0E8GA7sBTDBw978JEs0GTeGEc7dKfiXnzpQerTyMvFF7j4iOZNqq1tBrN76GDwx4oXC54Jl52ZUjZWUvS3otiyYW1Ye-TJxf1hWQ6vI41ZGaZu-Y9RXVJQSoTFm0u/s1600/2014-02-20+10.03.50-1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<i>[Exhibit B: Command Gold Onesie, 24 months. That I found at the same consignment store. Also for just $3.] </i>Yes, that's Little Guy's size. But when I called Mr. Dude to tell him I found <i>him</i> a present, and he saw it when he came home from work, he <i>definitely</i> agreed that it was a gift for him. Because what nerd wouldn't want their son to proudly sport Kirk's uniform? As long as our son doesn't end up doing commercials for an online travel company, we're okay ...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuu_Z5aMlow5f7x3rnelpUY-f8s5_iJvVyB2Zn3S0AGc1jrT2frQYnhmiLkvRcxA_7fdvQdqzeYviyiSeMt4Gv4Sm9afIKMokn56j-gOOXnwSvqhxRJ1s_qoczC2rnPZ9Svz4CIE9FmSgM/s1600/2014-02-20+10.03.16-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuu_Z5aMlow5f7x3rnelpUY-f8s5_iJvVyB2Zn3S0AGc1jrT2frQYnhmiLkvRcxA_7fdvQdqzeYviyiSeMt4Gv4Sm9afIKMokn56j-gOOXnwSvqhxRJ1s_qoczC2rnPZ9Svz4CIE9FmSgM/s1600/2014-02-20+10.03.16-1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<i>[Bonus Items: Classic Children's Books]</i> Because there are some titles that you buy immediately when you see them in such good condition at the consignment shop. So while Mr. Dude is trying to convince Little Guy to be a computer nerd, I'm going to be instilling a love of books into him. Hurray for a growing library!<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the meantime, my apologies for leaving you all hanging for so long. I know
you were just <i>dying</i> to hear about all
the funny things Mr. Dude has been up to in all of his geekery these past
</span>couple of months. Or maybe you were just living life as usual. Or perhaps you were too busy playing <i>Age of Empires</i> with Mr. Dude to realize I hadn't been writing about his antics? </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-26661510444812425202013-12-30T12:36:00.001-08:002013-12-30T12:36:51.033-08:00Nostalgia in the NewsIf Mr. Dude had his way, there'd be a giant arcade game - or multiples - somewhere in our home, with a library of all the best titles from days gone by.<br />
<br />
For now, he's stuck with an emulator on his original Xbox, the arcade library on the Xbox 360, and his dream.<br />
<br />
But wait! There's more!<br />
<br />
The<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25527786" target="_blank"> BBC posted an article</a> a few days ago about the Internet Archive making a bunch of games available to play on any internet browser.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>[Yes, I read the BBC news. And yes, this article caught my eye. Can you tell that Mr. Dude and I have been married for a while? He must be rubbing off on me ...]</i></blockquote>
Sound isn't available yet, but apparently it's coming. The article also speaks of bespoke <i>[haha! I think I made a funny there ...] </i>cartridges that the old games used to run on and are getting harder to find. So they're doing the equivalent of translating old photographic slides into digital jpg files.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHCoaqsb4GFOVi4PeYGBn9GIT-EKIlPtkuhOut_xsEUXdGNBDTkGXvMN8lV4x7dTMgE1M2hWh7hHtCpGUb_HrXFXlfo3fFw5PkhiNvJbZFAC4HWsiyX7b_mzPf9hi3svQHFT1spYbhyPq/s1600/InternetArchiveplaying_atari_2600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHCoaqsb4GFOVi4PeYGBn9GIT-EKIlPtkuhOut_xsEUXdGNBDTkGXvMN8lV4x7dTMgE1M2hWh7hHtCpGUb_HrXFXlfo3fFw5PkhiNvJbZFAC4HWsiyX7b_mzPf9hi3svQHFT1spYbhyPq/s320/InternetArchiveplaying_atari_2600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="https://archive.org/details/consolelivingroom" target="_blank">Internet Archive</a> homepage</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This may sound weird, but I am oddly encouraged by the fact that I have never heard of "bespoke cartridges".<br />
<br />
<i>Yet. </i><br />
<br />
Mr. Dude's excitement about computers and consoles of the past has never reached that level of detail.<br />
<br />
Or maybe he just hasn't found time to wax eloquent on the subject yet because he's been so busy telling me all kinds of other technological tidbits?<br />
<br />
Whatever.<br />
<br />
Anyone want to take bets on when the <a href="https://archive.org/details/consolelivingroom" target="_blank">Internet Archive</a> homepage makes it onto his list of favorite bookmarks?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-50584956321619348452013-12-29T22:32:00.000-08:002013-12-29T22:32:27.328-08:00For the Love of Free ShippingSome days, I literally have to tell Mr. Dude to stop talking.<br />
<br />
No, I'm not being the mean wife who hates hearing what her husband has to say.<br />
<br />
And yes, I listen to my husband talk a LOT. Because my husband can literally talk a LOT.<br />
<br />
Sometimes, I just have to tell him to stop talking because otherwise he'd never stop. Especially when you get him talking about tech stuff. Or when <i>he </i>gets <i>himself</i> talking about tech stuff.<br />
<br />
Tonight, for example, I asked him a simple question:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Do you need anything from Target?"</i></div>
<br />
Purpose: I have a pair of slippers I was planning on getting from there - my old ones are kaput after 5 or 6 years and it's <i>cold </i>here in Seattle's winter, by golly.<br />
<br />
The nearest Target is a half hour away with traffic [darn city living] and that's just not a good life choice most days with a munchkin in tow. I also don't need enough stuff from there to justify spending that much on gas, anyways.<br />
<br />
But Amazon <i>[oh, Amazon - how we love thee]</i> has taught me to <i>despise </i>the thought of paying for shipping.<br />
<br />
So we play Target's game - spending enough money to trip the "free shipping" discount. I can't think of anything we need at the moment <i>[isn't that a lovely feeling?]</i>, so I ask my dearest husband if he can think of anything.<br />
<br />
After I throw out his first few suggestions <i>[one of which was an Ouya console, which is another story entirely]</i>, I suggest we go for a baby monitor since we've been considering it. We live in a small apartment, so we can either hear Little Guy from anywhere we stand, or we use a baby monitor app on our phones that calls whatever number we set up when the decibel level in his room reaches a certain level <i>[officially called the "he's awake" decibel level ... about 74, if you're counting]</i>. But with trips and other events, we've decided it's finally time to shell out the less-than-fifty-dollars for a decent audio monitor system that's portable and doesn't require one of us to sacrifice a phone during naptime. <i>[First world problems, I know.]</i><br />
<br />
Being the good wife of a techie, I know a few questions I should ask - do I need to make sure that the device works on multiple channels so that it doesn't interfere with our wifi and other wireless devices?<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>[This is important, mind you, because Mr. Dude informed me that there are over 30 wireless access points within range of our apartment, and they had caused so much interference as to make his Xbox controllers disconnect the other day. While he was using one. In the middle of a game. Oh the horror! But I digress ...]</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>[Oh, and our Xbox friend of </i><a href="http://thealmostnerdywife.blogspot.com/2013/12/reasons-for-pursuit.html" target="_blank">Gears of War 3</a><i> fame would like me to correct "XBox" in that post to "Xbox". Apparently the appropriate capitalization thereof is vitally important. I told him to get over it. And now I'm digressing again.]</i></blockquote>
You know, my father-in-law has a saying:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"If you don't want to know the answer, don't ask the question." </i></div>
<br />
I'm beginning to think it would be wise to start listening to some of his advice.<br />
<br />
Know how Mr. Dude answered my very simple question?<br />
<br />
I got a very loooong and drawn out discussion about how 2.4MHz is the standard on consumer devices ... but that some devices used 5.1MHz to mitigate the interference factors ... Unfortunately that frequency isn't as good at sending signals through walls, so it's almost useless anyways ... But the router has the ability to "auto-hop" between channels on the 2.4MHz frequency, so it will automatically skip over whatever channel the baby monitor is using and it won't be an issue ... Some devices will solve the issue by sending smaller packets of information that can wedge themselves into the same stream that other devices are using on that channel ... And what if he were to just replace the bad RAM in the server he's got, put a microphone on it, and have it send an email or text or something when Little Guy's noises reach the "I'm awake" decibel level? ... Ooh! That could be a fun Christmas vacation project ...<br />
<br />
Dude. Mr. Dude. Just stop.<br />
<br />
My feet are cold.<br />
<br />
I want to go order my slippers.<br />
<br />
And I'm going to order a baby monitor, too, since we need one and that makes free shipping possible.<br />
<br />
And all that you just told me boils down to simply "Stephanie, the frequency and channels on the baby monitor don't matter because I can tweak our other devices to work around it. So just order one that has a decent range, good reviews and isn't more than $50."<br />
<br />
Done and done.<br />
<br />
Ten minutes later, I have an order confirmation number and the satisfaction in knowing that I found a baby monitor for under $50 with a 1000 foot range and <i><b>120 </b></i>channels.<br />
<br />
Booyah.<br />
<br />
Now to go find a pair of socks to fill in for the slippers that haven't arrived yet. Darn instant gratification addiction.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-10383823416882309702013-12-27T15:08:00.000-08:002013-12-27T15:08:25.750-08:00Reasons for PursuitMr. Dude is what you might call "persistent".<br />
<br />
Before we started dating in college, the story goes [no matter what he may tell you], he <strike>pursued</strike> stalked me.<br />
<br />
You heard me.<br />
<br />
He'd somehow manage to show up wherever I was, whether he was invited or not.<br />
<br />
If our paths crossed on campus and I told him I couldn't talk because I was on my way to class, he took it upon himself to walk with me, even if that made him late to his own class.<br />
<br />
If I told him I needed to end our phone conversation because I was going running [and let's be honest - sometimes the running was just an excuse to <i>end </i>said phone conversation], he said he'd see me in five minutes and come running with me.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Say what?!</i><br />
<br />
Not sure about you, but I didn't hear an invitation - or even the <i>hint </i>of one - in my statement.<br />
<br />
I happen to mention that I'm so happy to finally be free on a Saturday so I can get some stuff done ... and he somehow convinces me to go bowling with a "bunch of friends " ... who end up being two other couples ... and us.<br />
<br />
Uh, I'm pretty sure that made it a "triple date". And I'm pretty sure that's <i>not</i> what I had agreed to.<br />
<br />
You get the idea.<br />
<br />
Since we've been dating and now married [for a grand total of seven and a half years!!!], Mr. Dude's one. constant. request. has been for me to play video games with him. Any of them. Arcade games. First person shooter. Tower defense games. Heck, he's even tried to get me into <i>Minecraft </i>lately.<br />
<br />
I knew it was getting desperate when he had a game day with a friend who works at XBox, and they played through <i>Gears of War 3</i>. I asked him how the day was, and all he could say was, "Stephanie, won't you <i>please </i>play through the <i>Gears of War</i> series with me?"<br />
<br />
Uh, no. <a href="http://thealmostnerdywife.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-nerdy-christmas-un-gifting-guide.html">Remember </a>this picture?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrA9N_4GlX1KxEH0Pbe6Lsq_rqxczoK_iE1ebAZKew_AKLP68K99aiw_Y3IlnK7seLUx8dZoiuMp1ET5u2Wciy8rFO_wsPnx-24hGAg9ib7U1G6hZDfzrK48TFdyxFgTPmeb3GNg5jPYW/s1600/GrumpyCatNoJustNo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrA9N_4GlX1KxEH0Pbe6Lsq_rqxczoK_iE1ebAZKew_AKLP68K99aiw_Y3IlnK7seLUx8dZoiuMp1ET5u2Wciy8rFO_wsPnx-24hGAg9ib7U1G6hZDfzrK48TFdyxFgTPmeb3GNg5jPYW/s1600/GrumpyCatNoJustNo.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Yup. Still applies. Even after seven and a half years of you asking.<br />
<br />
The Facebook feed today has since enlightened me on <i>why</i> Mr. Dude wants me to play, courtesy of a former high school friend who now works at a video game developer company in the area and shared this photo:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9zEFvZ4I3gPbBgKTLPoxm-GpRq-VYUK2iU4ItVpreMiouCY0aLv8I9nNmNiIi1f5saPEvx5wavd2lqsdpLni61dUekqeWcwLoWghVEXsnBHEaykJVN8muwllxs7x-NcZvKOuLFolF1Xo/s1600/9GagDearGirls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9zEFvZ4I3gPbBgKTLPoxm-GpRq-VYUK2iU4ItVpreMiouCY0aLv8I9nNmNiIi1f5saPEvx5wavd2lqsdpLni61dUekqeWcwLoWghVEXsnBHEaykJVN8muwllxs7x-NcZvKOuLFolF1Xo/s1600/9GagDearGirls.jpg" height="320" width="245" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://9gag.com/gag/4956597">9GAG</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Did I mention that Mr. Dude and his friend couldn't beat the last boss in <i>Gears 3</i> while playing insane mode after playing the game all day? He told me later that they made something like 50 attempts, but to no avail.<br />
<br />
He could try telling me that he wants me to play with him because I'm the most important person in his life<br />
<br />
Or he's <i>really </i>desperate for help in beating that last boss.<br />
<br />
Seriously, Mr. Dude. That's why there's this thing called "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow78z--sZ2U">YouTube</a>". I guess you'll just have to think of another reason for me to start playing video games. :]Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140193941265902974.post-77428869948673409312013-12-18T12:00:00.000-08:002013-12-18T12:00:06.813-08:00Virtual FlowersPoor Mr. Dude.<br />
<br />
He married a gal with very particular - and seasonal - tastes.<br />
<br />
So many gals would list roses as their favorite flowers, which is great since they're available year-round in most places. <i>[We won't mention how expensive they are - that's beside the point.]</i><br />
<br />
And then there's me - my favorites are quite inexpensive ... as long as they're in season.<br />
<br />
Daffodils.<br />
<br />
You know, the bulbs that bloom like crazy. For a month. And then they're gone.<br />
<br />
So, for about a month straight, our home is filled to the brim with their yellow and white cheeriness as Mr. Dude stops by the store almost every day to bring me more.<br />
<br />
It's cute, really, to see him come home with a big grin on his face since he knows I'll be so excited to fill yet another vase with one of the first signs of spring and the upcoming sunny weather.<br />
<br />
Here in the dark and gloomy Pacific Northwest, that's a big deal!<br />
<br />
But right now we've almost made it to the darkest day of the year, the holiday craziness is upon us, and Mr. Dude and I are in a particularly busy season with his work and our family life <i>[uh, hence the lack of posts lately]</i>. And there are no daffodils to be found to help cheer up the days.<br />
<br />
Or so I thought.<br />
<br />
I stopped by Mr. Dude's computer where he was getting some work done to ask him a question, and he quickly pulled up a picture that I just <i>had</i> to see:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMt8eOs2IdOOudgNIHOCOT5itpPBGsL1I6HnLqyyvhFc1pHfD9tC1gfMNxF_a_EiRGQRzwnYhDodS4IyPIWXtH4pLThK9ogaV8ZZ_Orf13FYCEwf0GFp6AXr8W3MVysBJenNm_4Xy9fxE/s1600/FalloutNewVegasDaffodils.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMt8eOs2IdOOudgNIHOCOT5itpPBGsL1I6HnLqyyvhFc1pHfD9tC1gfMNxF_a_EiRGQRzwnYhDodS4IyPIWXtH4pLThK9ogaV8ZZ_Orf13FYCEwf0GFp6AXr8W3MVysBJenNm_4Xy9fxE/s1600/FalloutNewVegasDaffodils.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[Source: Screenshot from the game]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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He had been playing one of his newest favorite games earlier [<i>Fallout: New Vegas</i>, if anyone is keeping score ... and Mr. Dude would like me to remember that it runs on the same engine as another favorite - <i>Elder Scrolls V: Oblivion</i> ... which are both published by the same company] and noticed some daffodils hidden in a corner. </div>
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One gaming screenshot saved in his Steam profile later, and his wife got daffodils in December. </div>
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<br /></div>
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She also got proof that he thinks of her even when he's playing video games. </div>
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Now isn't that just sweet? </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01361453895497121021noreply@blogger.com0