You can obtain Google SMS help information sent directly to your phone by sending the word 'help' as a text message to 46645 (GOOGL).
Below are some sample queries:
For more information, see Google SMS.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Google SMS Rocks!!!
Some of you may not know of this, but Google has an SMS service that can provide the following information:
Business listings
Residential listings
Driving directions
Movie showtimes
Weather conditions
Stock quotes
Q&A
Product prices
Definitions
More useful information
Help
You can obtain Google SMS help information sent directly to your phone by sending the word 'help' as a text message to 46645 (GOOGL).
Below are some sample queries:
'Corner Bar Dallas TX' (for business listings)
'weather 75209' (for weather conditions)
'aapl' (for stock quotes on Apple Computer Inc.)
'150 pounds in kilograms' (for conversions)
For more information, see Google SMS.
You can obtain Google SMS help information sent directly to your phone by sending the word 'help' as a text message to 46645 (GOOGL).
Below are some sample queries:
For more information, see Google SMS.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Help Save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Is it really the caribou's fault that we drive cars that get 12 miles to the gallon and then complain about the price of gas? If the answer is yes, then feel free to skip this posting.
For the rest of you, I hope you will take the time to try and help save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
So please take a minute...okay...maybe three...to take action and protect one of America's greatest natural treasures.
Let's try and make a difference. Thanks...
For the rest of you, I hope you will take the time to try and help save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
So please take a minute...okay...maybe three...to take action and protect one of America's greatest natural treasures.
Let's try and make a difference. Thanks...
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Camping @ Bar-H Ranch
Today I returned from another successful mountain biking/camping excursion to Bar-H Ranch with my great friends Eric, Jenn, Pete, and Rocket.
On a leisurely Saturday morning we headed north around 1 pm after a short brunch visit to Einstein's. Despite moderate traffic we arrived in Saint Jo around 3 pm. After a short drive, we located a suitable camping spot complete with a modified Weber grill and unloaded the bikes. Eric, Pete, and I suited up and began our adventure while Jenn and Rocket went for a hike.
We started down Bill's Way, veered left into The Oaks, started our ascent into Go West (where we ran into Jenn and Rocket), descended the Horseshoe, took a breather on Earl's Way, turned onto Copperhead down to the creek bed (where I took Eric and Pete on a bit of a wild goose chase), shot up through The Holler, rounded Rustler's, dove into the trees in Commanche Dance, played with sand down in The Holler, rode through Hole in the Tree, climbed and screamed down Upper Armadillo Ridge, and returned back up Bill's Way.
After taking a short breather for some water and snacks, we headed out again, this time to conquer the infamous Devil's Backbone. Hoping to slow Pete down, I sent him off to do Go West again while Eric and I took a shortcut through Earl's Way, which led us directly to Devil's Backbone. Once there, we started our arduous ascent (about 1,000 feet of climbing in just under four miles). The first descent I took a turn a little to fast and wide and, seconds into it, I ended up on my back. After a quick recovery, we continued our journey reaching the summit four more times over seven additional climbs. Naturally Pete caught up with us. We finished off Devil's Backbone with a screaming downhill and warmed down on Earl's Way back to our campsite.
After a quick, sulfurous shower relaxed with some Old Speckled Hen, Hacker-Pschorr Weisse, and Dogfish Head Shelter Pale Ale and set up our tents. We then prepped for dinner, which consisted of some my grilling some cedar plank salmon and grilled chicken breasts. Jenn and Pete provided couscous, orzo, and rosemary rustica bread. For dessert, we had s'mores and hobo pie with apple pie filling.
We settled down for bed around midnight. Wind gusts of around 25 mph kept most of us up all night (I probably fell asleep around 4 am). We got up around 8:30 am Sunday morning as Quince joined us. Quince and Pete went for a short ride while Eric prepared his famous breakfast tacos. After breakfast we packed up our belongings and went for one last ride. I had to cut the ride short due to a slow leak and hung out with Jenn and Rocket while the rest of the guys did Devil's Backbone again. Reunited, a few of us enjoyed some additional beers and relaxed.
We gladly paid our self-service dues at the trailhead and then left to return home around 3:30 pm. Yay us for a rain-free camping weekend! I can hardly wait to go back!!! In my opinion this is the BEST mountain biking in Texas. Hopefully next time I'll have some pictures to share with you.
On a leisurely Saturday morning we headed north around 1 pm after a short brunch visit to Einstein's. Despite moderate traffic we arrived in Saint Jo around 3 pm. After a short drive, we located a suitable camping spot complete with a modified Weber grill and unloaded the bikes. Eric, Pete, and I suited up and began our adventure while Jenn and Rocket went for a hike.
We started down Bill's Way, veered left into The Oaks, started our ascent into Go West (where we ran into Jenn and Rocket), descended the Horseshoe, took a breather on Earl's Way, turned onto Copperhead down to the creek bed (where I took Eric and Pete on a bit of a wild goose chase), shot up through The Holler, rounded Rustler's, dove into the trees in Commanche Dance, played with sand down in The Holler, rode through Hole in the Tree, climbed and screamed down Upper Armadillo Ridge, and returned back up Bill's Way.
After taking a short breather for some water and snacks, we headed out again, this time to conquer the infamous Devil's Backbone. Hoping to slow Pete down, I sent him off to do Go West again while Eric and I took a shortcut through Earl's Way, which led us directly to Devil's Backbone. Once there, we started our arduous ascent (about 1,000 feet of climbing in just under four miles). The first descent I took a turn a little to fast and wide and, seconds into it, I ended up on my back. After a quick recovery, we continued our journey reaching the summit four more times over seven additional climbs. Naturally Pete caught up with us. We finished off Devil's Backbone with a screaming downhill and warmed down on Earl's Way back to our campsite.
After a quick, sulfurous shower relaxed with some Old Speckled Hen, Hacker-Pschorr Weisse, and Dogfish Head Shelter Pale Ale and set up our tents. We then prepped for dinner, which consisted of some my grilling some cedar plank salmon and grilled chicken breasts. Jenn and Pete provided couscous, orzo, and rosemary rustica bread. For dessert, we had s'mores and hobo pie with apple pie filling.
We settled down for bed around midnight. Wind gusts of around 25 mph kept most of us up all night (I probably fell asleep around 4 am). We got up around 8:30 am Sunday morning as Quince joined us. Quince and Pete went for a short ride while Eric prepared his famous breakfast tacos. After breakfast we packed up our belongings and went for one last ride. I had to cut the ride short due to a slow leak and hung out with Jenn and Rocket while the rest of the guys did Devil's Backbone again. Reunited, a few of us enjoyed some additional beers and relaxed.
We gladly paid our self-service dues at the trailhead and then left to return home around 3:30 pm. Yay us for a rain-free camping weekend! I can hardly wait to go back!!! In my opinion this is the BEST mountain biking in Texas. Hopefully next time I'll have some pictures to share with you.
April Pint Nights at the Ginger Man
Pint Nights are every Tuesday starting at 4 pm. If you buy the beer of the day you get to keep the logo glass.
April 5th - New Belgium glasses
April 12th - Rahr glasses
April 19th - St. Arnolds glasses
April 26th - Real Ale glasses
April 5th - New Belgium glasses
April 12th - Rahr glasses
April 19th - St. Arnolds glasses
April 26th - Real Ale glasses
Friday, April 01, 2005
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Restaurant Review: Iris
Tonight my parents and I ate at Iris, a contemporary American restaurant near the intersection of Inwood Road and Lovers Lane. This restaurant is co-owned by Susie Priore and chef Russell Hodges.
For my appetizer I selected the "Prosciutto with Roasted Figs, Seckel Pears, Golden Beets, Baked Goat Cheese, and an Aged Balsamic Glaze" ($13). The plate consisted of a layer of prosciutto upon which sat a mound of organic microgreens beneath a round of goat cheese. This was surrounded by the figs, pears, and beets and a drizzling of the aged balsamic glaze. The balsamic glaze was rich and mellow and applied sparingly so as not to overwhelm the delicate salad as most restaurants neglect to do. I thought the warmed goat cheese, while delicious, took a bit away from the cool, crispness of the fruit. Otherwise, the plate was delicious and is highly recommended.
For my entreé I selected the "Double Chop & Loin of Lamb with Medjool Dates, Saffron Texmati Rice, Grilled Asparagus, and a Fresh Mint Apricot Chutney" ($30). The lamb arrived a perfect medium and the meat was silky and smooth with an almost melt-in-your-mouth character and the rice was fluffy with a hint of spice. This is also highly recommended.
The restaurant is beautifully decorated on the interior with various works of art from local artists. The wines-by-the-glass tend to be a bit pricey ($8 - $14/glass).
Overall, I highly recommend a visit to this restaurant. While it lacks the typical Uptown Dallas crowd it follows in the footsteps of such notable, unforgettable gems as Hattie's, York Street, and the sorely missed Barclay's.
For my appetizer I selected the "Prosciutto with Roasted Figs, Seckel Pears, Golden Beets, Baked Goat Cheese, and an Aged Balsamic Glaze" ($13). The plate consisted of a layer of prosciutto upon which sat a mound of organic microgreens beneath a round of goat cheese. This was surrounded by the figs, pears, and beets and a drizzling of the aged balsamic glaze. The balsamic glaze was rich and mellow and applied sparingly so as not to overwhelm the delicate salad as most restaurants neglect to do. I thought the warmed goat cheese, while delicious, took a bit away from the cool, crispness of the fruit. Otherwise, the plate was delicious and is highly recommended.
For my entreé I selected the "Double Chop & Loin of Lamb with Medjool Dates, Saffron Texmati Rice, Grilled Asparagus, and a Fresh Mint Apricot Chutney" ($30). The lamb arrived a perfect medium and the meat was silky and smooth with an almost melt-in-your-mouth character and the rice was fluffy with a hint of spice. This is also highly recommended.
The restaurant is beautifully decorated on the interior with various works of art from local artists. The wines-by-the-glass tend to be a bit pricey ($8 - $14/glass).
Overall, I highly recommend a visit to this restaurant. While it lacks the typical Uptown Dallas crowd it follows in the footsteps of such notable, unforgettable gems as Hattie's, York Street, and the sorely missed Barclay's.
Friday, March 18, 2005
St. Patrick's Day @ The Ginger Man
It being such a nice day, Brandon and I went to the Ginger Man around 5:30 pm and grabbed a spot outside on the back patio as close to a heater as we could.
An awesome band that played last year called Spinach came on stage around 8 pm and started playing music reminiscent of Weezer, Jack Johnson, John Mellencamp, Jackopierce, U2, and others.
Lora, Laura, and Cheryl joined to help keep us warm and toasty. As the temperature dropped and as I shivered more and more, my hoodie made an appearance. As the evening progressed and as my natural charm came out as a result of consuming many glasses of Abita Purple Haze, my hoodie transformed into a hoody and my dormant superpowers began to surface.
After the girls left us, Brandon and I returned back to the Ginger Man to continue our philosophical discussions about girls. Realizing that that conversation was getting us nowhere but hungry, we headed eagerly to Whataburger to enjoy some delicious taquitos and call it a night.
Thanks to all of you who showed up on such short notice!!!
Sláinte!
An awesome band that played last year called Spinach came on stage around 8 pm and started playing music reminiscent of Weezer, Jack Johnson, John Mellencamp, Jackopierce, U2, and others.
Lora, Laura, and Cheryl joined to help keep us warm and toasty. As the temperature dropped and as I shivered more and more, my hoodie made an appearance. As the evening progressed and as my natural charm came out as a result of consuming many glasses of Abita Purple Haze, my hoodie transformed into a hoody and my dormant superpowers began to surface.
After the girls left us, Brandon and I returned back to the Ginger Man to continue our philosophical discussions about girls. Realizing that that conversation was getting us nowhere but hungry, we headed eagerly to Whataburger to enjoy some delicious taquitos and call it a night.
Thanks to all of you who showed up on such short notice!!!
Sláinte!
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
SXSW
The South by Southwest Festivals + Conferences is in mid-week running from March 11 through March 20 in my hometown Austin, TX. The number of showcased musical acts is 1,279 playing at 60 different venues around town.
For all of you music lovers out there who can't attend, what may be of interest to you is that you can obtain music from the showcased artists for free by going to the following link. So far it's over 750 full-length mp3 files.
It does require that you download and install the BitTorrent client, which is also free.
The BitTorrent client is pretty simple and neat. However, so far, it has taken me at least five days with another estimated two extra days remaining to download 2.6 GB of music. Is it painful? Absolutely! My download rate varies between 1 KB/s and 20 KB/s. Hopefully my download rate will stay high. Once that is done, I will try and keep my client open so that you might benefit from any load-balancing that is available.
Enjoy!
For all of you music lovers out there who can't attend, what may be of interest to you is that you can obtain music from the showcased artists for free by going to the following link. So far it's over 750 full-length mp3 files.
It does require that you download and install the BitTorrent client, which is also free.
The BitTorrent client is pretty simple and neat. However, so far, it has taken me at least five days with another estimated two extra days remaining to download 2.6 GB of music. Is it painful? Absolutely! My download rate varies between 1 KB/s and 20 KB/s. Hopefully my download rate will stay high. Once that is done, I will try and keep my client open so that you might benefit from any load-balancing that is available.
Enjoy!
Anoopa Sharma
Occasionally I take time aside to cover issues unrelated to me and to my personal life. Sometimes when I am taking daily time to read other blogs I come across items I find humorous and/or interesting, and I enjoy sharing them with you, the reader.
However, sometimes I will find the need to share with you things that affect me a little deeper. This is one of those times. Anoopa Sharma, someone I did not know but was a friend to many, passed away yesterday evening in a Birmingham hospital. She was involved in a head-on car accident on Saturday, March 5.
Some friends of hers created a blog after the accident as a way to keep friends and relatives updated as to the condition of her recovery. However that blog has now become a tribute.
You can visit her website www.anoopa.net to read the thoughts and prayers from others.
What is the takeaway from this posting? Remember to cherish the time you spend with friends and family and make sure that they know how much you care about them. Life is too short. Don't take anything for granted.
It is said that it is always best to end with a quote. And if someone else has said it best and you can't top it, steal from them and go out strong. So I picked a guy I thought you'd like.
"Dance as though no one is watching you, love as though you have never been hurt before, sing as though no one can hear you, live as though heaven is on earth." - Souza
However, sometimes I will find the need to share with you things that affect me a little deeper. This is one of those times. Anoopa Sharma, someone I did not know but was a friend to many, passed away yesterday evening in a Birmingham hospital. She was involved in a head-on car accident on Saturday, March 5.
Some friends of hers created a blog after the accident as a way to keep friends and relatives updated as to the condition of her recovery. However that blog has now become a tribute.
You can visit her website www.anoopa.net to read the thoughts and prayers from others.
What is the takeaway from this posting? Remember to cherish the time you spend with friends and family and make sure that they know how much you care about them. Life is too short. Don't take anything for granted.
It is said that it is always best to end with a quote. And if someone else has said it best and you can't top it, steal from them and go out strong. So I picked a guy I thought you'd like.
"Dance as though no one is watching you, love as though you have never been hurt before, sing as though no one can hear you, live as though heaven is on earth." - Souza
Sunday, March 13, 2005
St. Patrick's Day
The festivities started just after noon on an absolutely beautiful, clear, mid-80 degree day in March. We sat out in front of Ana's watching many of the revelers walking towards the party on Greenville whilst enjoying beer, cider, and B-to-the-E.
Around 2:30 pm we headed over to join the crowd. Wow. It was waaay more crowded than it was last year when it was overcast and drizzly at times. How we were able to stay together was nothing short of miraculous--wall-to-wall bodies everywhere. "Yikes" was deemed an official word of this year's St. Patrick's Day weekend. Laura was not feeling too well so Quince led the first group back to Ana's for a more relaxed time.
Around 4:30 pm we met Kendall at "The Gate". They were no longer letting people in so we finished our beers and started heading over to another party before Ana unfortunately twisted her ankle and went down in a heap. We then headed back to her house so she could ice her ankle and take some Advil. The first group of our party was keeping Ana's warm and so we were continued the festivities there.
Around 8:30 pm we headed over to dinner at the Blue Goose. Oddly enough, Greenville was still relatively packed and, after an hour wait, we were finally seated for a table. After dinner we headed over to the Dubliner before we decided the line was too long. So we ended up at the Pony Keg instead. With the energy level waning in a major way and with Ana's ankle, we decided to call it a night and head back around 11:30 pm.
Thanks to all for hanging out with us this weekend! While we weren't able to finish up the night at the Slip Inn, it was an absolutely awesome day start-to-finish with great friends!
Around 2:30 pm we headed over to join the crowd. Wow. It was waaay more crowded than it was last year when it was overcast and drizzly at times. How we were able to stay together was nothing short of miraculous--wall-to-wall bodies everywhere. "Yikes" was deemed an official word of this year's St. Patrick's Day weekend. Laura was not feeling too well so Quince led the first group back to Ana's for a more relaxed time.
Around 4:30 pm we met Kendall at "The Gate". They were no longer letting people in so we finished our beers and started heading over to another party before Ana unfortunately twisted her ankle and went down in a heap. We then headed back to her house so she could ice her ankle and take some Advil. The first group of our party was keeping Ana's warm and so we were continued the festivities there.
Around 8:30 pm we headed over to dinner at the Blue Goose. Oddly enough, Greenville was still relatively packed and, after an hour wait, we were finally seated for a table. After dinner we headed over to the Dubliner before we decided the line was too long. So we ended up at the Pony Keg instead. With the energy level waning in a major way and with Ana's ankle, we decided to call it a night and head back around 11:30 pm.
Thanks to all for hanging out with us this weekend! While we weren't able to finish up the night at the Slip Inn, it was an absolutely awesome day start-to-finish with great friends!
Friday, March 04, 2005
Dragostea Din Tei
I was reading Robert Scoble's blog, and came across the Numa Numa Dance. This is awesome! Depending on your connection speed, it will take about two minutes to load. If you decide to download the Shockwave Flash Object, you can open the file with Internet Explorer.
The song is entitled Dragostea Din Tei from O-Zone.
You can view the O-Zone music video at the following link:
http://mapage.noos.fr/martialro/ozone/video.html
If you wish to purchase this song, it is available from the following link:
For more information, see the following blog:
http://badmonkeynobanana.blogspot.com/2005/03/numa-numa-dance.html
The song is entitled Dragostea Din Tei from O-Zone.
You can view the O-Zone music video at the following link:
http://mapage.noos.fr/martialro/ozone/video.html
If you wish to purchase this song, it is available from the following link:
For more information, see the following blog:
http://badmonkeynobanana.blogspot.com/2005/03/numa-numa-dance.html
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
March Pint Nights at the Ginger Man
Pint Nights are every Tuesday starting at 4 pm. If you buy the beer of the day you get to keep the logo glass.
March 1st - DeKoninck glasses
March 8th - Belhaven glasses
March 15th - Murphy's glasses
March 22nd - Potluck glasses
March 29th - Bass glasses
March 1st - DeKoninck glasses
March 8th - Belhaven glasses
March 15th - Murphy's glasses
March 22nd - Potluck glasses
March 29th - Bass glasses
Monday, February 21, 2005
2nd Annual Old School Kegger
This past Saturday, February 19th was the date for the 2nd Annual Old School Kegger at Eric's house. It was a great, great event with a larger, more diverse showing than the previous year. We had a packed house and garage. Leia flew into Love Field just before 8 PM for a special encore appearance. People started showing up around 9 PM with the busy season between 11 PM - midnight. Beer bonging started around 10 PM and lasted throughout the evening until both kegs floated.
We went through a keg of high-quality Miller Lite, a pony of Kirin Ichiban, two batches of trash can punch (the second of which was highly improvised since I was missing most of the ingredients--but, then again, it's trash can punch, right?), and jello shots. Fortunately some people brought along extra beer to help service the needs of those still thirsty.
The air was filled with salsa music as well as the traditional vocal stylings of Pat Green, Robert Earl Keen, 50 Cent, Ice Cube, Notorious B.I.G., Snoop, Roger Troutman (my favorite), Snow, Rob Base, Coolio, and more...
The party wound down noticeably about 3 AM, leaving Eric's with Brandon, Laura, Mark, Kristen, Joseph, Princess Leia, Eric, Brian W., Janet, Dancing Pete, "Bacon & Peas" Amanda, Brian R., Nicole, and yours truly with shower curtain intact this time.
A big shout out to all of you who decided to brave the wonderful evening weather and party with us!!! I did a very conservative count (counting only those in photos and those I remember meeting) and there were at least 65 attendees with a guy-girl ratio of 6:7. My shirt proved to be a huge hit, so it will make many more appearances. Hope to see you again!!!
We went through a keg of high-quality Miller Lite, a pony of Kirin Ichiban, two batches of trash can punch (the second of which was highly improvised since I was missing most of the ingredients--but, then again, it's trash can punch, right?), and jello shots. Fortunately some people brought along extra beer to help service the needs of those still thirsty.
The air was filled with salsa music as well as the traditional vocal stylings of Pat Green, Robert Earl Keen, 50 Cent, Ice Cube, Notorious B.I.G., Snoop, Roger Troutman (my favorite), Snow, Rob Base, Coolio, and more...
The party wound down noticeably about 3 AM, leaving Eric's with Brandon, Laura, Mark, Kristen, Joseph, Princess Leia, Eric, Brian W., Janet, Dancing Pete, "Bacon & Peas" Amanda, Brian R., Nicole, and yours truly with shower curtain intact this time.
A big shout out to all of you who decided to brave the wonderful evening weather and party with us!!! I did a very conservative count (counting only those in photos and those I remember meeting) and there were at least 65 attendees with a guy-girl ratio of 6:7. My shirt proved to be a huge hit, so it will make many more appearances. Hope to see you again!!!
Monday, February 14, 2005
Quince's First Marathon
First of all...congratulations to Quince (#2260) for completing his first marathon. Unfortunately he was not able to beat his goal of 4 hours, but he still managed a very respectable chip time of 4:11:38 (the worthless bastard). Not too shabby...
In any case, for those of you who were not able to be there with him, I decided that I would go down to Austin this past weekend and surprise him to give him a mental boost...on that note, let me recap my experience...note that all times are approximate...
5:30 AM - I wake to the sound of thunder. I wonder if that is just my mind playing tricks on me from the previous day filled with visits to Crown & Anchor (C&A), Ginger Man, Draught House, and then back to C&A during an unscheduled, mid-afternoon-into-evening pub crawl.
5:38 AM - I'm officially up. It IS raining. I check the weather online. There is a severe thunderstorm rolling through the Austin area. Wonderful! However it looks like it will pass through the area by 7 AM.
6:40 AM - With a newly bleached CamelBak and a somewhat waterproof jacket, I leave my parents' house and head to the start of the race on my Epic. It is still raining.
6:53 AM - I reach the start line two minutes before the wheelchairs go. I momentarily panic when I wonder if Quince is waiting to start at the finish line. It stops raining.
6:57 AM - Quince, Kristian, and Emylie show up at the start. (Hearsay)
6:58 AM - Quince is peeing. (Hearsay)
7:00 AM - The start gun goes off. 22,000 runners or so head off towards downtown Austin.
7:42 AM - [Mile ~5] A surprised Quince runs by and asks me what the hell I'm doing there.
8:15 AM - I ride along, view, and cheer at various points along the race course. Now I'm taking roads, back streets, and alleys to make it to 6th and Congress by 9 AM to see Kristian, Quince, and Emylie. I feel like one of those NYC bike messengers (except I'm not wearing a dress--long story).
9:02 AM - [Mile ~14] I'm trying to meet up with Kristian & Emylie at the Starbucks on Congress (no, the other Starbucks) when I see Quince again. He's still looking strong. I spot Kristian and Emylie but they do not see me on the other side of Congress.
9:06 AM - I stalk Kristian and Emylie and we meet up to head down to Mile 20 to see Quince.
10:08 AM - [Mile ~20] The clouds break, the sun shines, and Quince motors by looking strong.
10:10 AM - Kristian, Emylie, and I head for the finish line.
10:11 AM - Quince craters. (Hearsay)
10:17 AM - I break from Kristian and Emylie and head to Mile 23 to try and catch up with Quince again.
10:33 AM - I am waiting for Quince with about 5K left to go. I have been waiting here for about eight minutes. Where is he? Based on his pace he should have run by here about five minutes ago. Did I miss him? I don't think so. Governor Rick Perry runs by. I momentarily talk to a cute girl who is running the marathon--she gives me the thumbs up, but not her number. Sigh...
10:36 AM - Thinking I missed Quince, I head back to the Mile 25.9 beer stop.
10:50 AM - I wait at the beer stop for ten minutes. It smells sooo good here. It smells like my fridge. Sniff, sniff...
11:04 AM - I wait a the top of a grassy knoll across from the finish line hoping to catch Quince. I assume that I missed him. The last time I saw him, he was on a 3:58 pace.
11:06 AM - Governor Rick Perry finishes. He does a victory lap.
11:14 AM - Alas, I cannot find Quince to congratulate him. I leave a message for Kristian and head home to get back on the road to Dallas by 2 PM. Little do I know that he is just about to finish.
1:53 PM - I head back to Dallas.
Congrats Quince on a job well done!!!
And to all the ladies out there, Happy Valentine's Day!!!
In any case, for those of you who were not able to be there with him, I decided that I would go down to Austin this past weekend and surprise him to give him a mental boost...on that note, let me recap my experience...note that all times are approximate...
5:30 AM - I wake to the sound of thunder. I wonder if that is just my mind playing tricks on me from the previous day filled with visits to Crown & Anchor (C&A), Ginger Man, Draught House, and then back to C&A during an unscheduled, mid-afternoon-into-evening pub crawl.
5:38 AM - I'm officially up. It IS raining. I check the weather online. There is a severe thunderstorm rolling through the Austin area. Wonderful! However it looks like it will pass through the area by 7 AM.
6:40 AM - With a newly bleached CamelBak and a somewhat waterproof jacket, I leave my parents' house and head to the start of the race on my Epic. It is still raining.
6:53 AM - I reach the start line two minutes before the wheelchairs go. I momentarily panic when I wonder if Quince is waiting to start at the finish line. It stops raining.
6:57 AM - Quince, Kristian, and Emylie show up at the start. (Hearsay)
6:58 AM - Quince is peeing. (Hearsay)
7:00 AM - The start gun goes off. 22,000 runners or so head off towards downtown Austin.
7:42 AM - [Mile ~5] A surprised Quince runs by and asks me what the hell I'm doing there.
8:15 AM - I ride along, view, and cheer at various points along the race course. Now I'm taking roads, back streets, and alleys to make it to 6th and Congress by 9 AM to see Kristian, Quince, and Emylie. I feel like one of those NYC bike messengers (except I'm not wearing a dress--long story).
9:02 AM - [Mile ~14] I'm trying to meet up with Kristian & Emylie at the Starbucks on Congress (no, the other Starbucks) when I see Quince again. He's still looking strong. I spot Kristian and Emylie but they do not see me on the other side of Congress.
9:06 AM - I stalk Kristian and Emylie and we meet up to head down to Mile 20 to see Quince.
10:08 AM - [Mile ~20] The clouds break, the sun shines, and Quince motors by looking strong.
10:10 AM - Kristian, Emylie, and I head for the finish line.
10:11 AM - Quince craters. (Hearsay)
10:17 AM - I break from Kristian and Emylie and head to Mile 23 to try and catch up with Quince again.
10:33 AM - I am waiting for Quince with about 5K left to go. I have been waiting here for about eight minutes. Where is he? Based on his pace he should have run by here about five minutes ago. Did I miss him? I don't think so. Governor Rick Perry runs by. I momentarily talk to a cute girl who is running the marathon--she gives me the thumbs up, but not her number. Sigh...
10:36 AM - Thinking I missed Quince, I head back to the Mile 25.9 beer stop.
10:50 AM - I wait at the beer stop for ten minutes. It smells sooo good here. It smells like my fridge. Sniff, sniff...
11:04 AM - I wait a the top of a grassy knoll across from the finish line hoping to catch Quince. I assume that I missed him. The last time I saw him, he was on a 3:58 pace.
11:06 AM - Governor Rick Perry finishes. He does a victory lap.
11:14 AM - Alas, I cannot find Quince to congratulate him. I leave a message for Kristian and head home to get back on the road to Dallas by 2 PM. Little do I know that he is just about to finish.
1:53 PM - I head back to Dallas.
Congrats Quince on a job well done!!!
And to all the ladies out there, Happy Valentine's Day!!!
Monday, February 07, 2005
IM Wars
Oh the humanity! Should I use AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, or any of a number of other instant messaging clients? I know that many of you are plagued by thoughts and sleepless nights worrying about this topic. So let me help you help me help you...
Which Instant Messaging (IM) Client Should I Use?
All of the IM clients listed above support the following most commonly used features: exchange text messages with one or more people, voice chat, webcam, and file transfers.
AOL Instant Messenger is the most basic of the three. The most notable downside is that you cannot modify your Screen Name (Display Name). Additionally, AIM does not have the ability to archive messages.
MSN Messenger has the most flexibility for changing your Display Name.
Yahoo! Messenger integrates LAUNCHcast Radio so you can listen to streaming audio from the IM client--your contacts can also see what songs you are listening to. Yahoo! Messenger also integrates with your Yahoo! Address Book--the only downside I see to the Address Book integration is that you need to keep contact information up-to-date whereas MSN Messenger updates information automatically when the contact updates his/her information.
Both MSN Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger archive messages.
What About Multi-Protocol Instant Messaging Clients?
One of the problems with using different IM clients is that if you have some co-workers, family, and friends using one client and others a different client, you need both client applications installed and running to be able to communicate with both parties. Multi-protocol instant messaging clients allow users to utilize just one client application to communicate who might be using different protocols. The most popular of these applications are Trillian, Gaim, and Miranda. All of these aforementioned clients support AIM, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, and IRC.
What If I Cannot Install Software On My Computer?
AIM, MSN Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger are all full-featured IM clients that you install on your own computer or on ones you have permission to install on. The following IM services let you send instant messages directly from a Web browser and are suitable in certain cases when companies block IM traffic or lock down software installations:
AOL - AIM Express
Microsoft - MSN Web Messenger
Yahoo! - Yahoo! Web Messenger
These allow the use of basic instant messaging features on a Web browser without installing any additional software.
What About Instant Messaging Security?
IMs are exchanged over the Internet in cleartext form. IM security products encrypt these messages to prevent others from eavesdropping onto your IMs.
Secway has a product called SimpLite that has support for the more popular instant messaging protocols, including AIM, ICQ, MSN, and Yahoo! SimpLite is a transparent application that encrypts messages before they leave your computer to the Internet.
Zone Labs has a product called IMSecure that appears to do the same thing although I have never used it.
Summary
As for me, I currently use MSN Messenger coupled with SimpLite for MSN. I reluctantly use AIM. I like the fact that I can change my Display Name in MSN Messenger, something I cannot do with AIM. While I do like some of the features of Yahoo! Messenger, namely the LAUNCHcast streaming audio feature, too many people are currently using AIM or MSN Messenger to justify installing yet another IM client.
I am currently evaluating Trillian Basic 3.0, one of the multi-protocol IM clients. So far I like it. However, one of the biggest problems I see with multi-protocol IM clients is the continual updates required to keep up with the updates to all of the IM clients they need to support. Also, multi-protocol IM clients will never offer the full set of features that any single IM client would provide.
As a side note, MSN Messenger is about to release a new version in the near future, which should add blogging support for MSN Spaces and stealth mode as well as other lesser features.
Which Instant Messaging (IM) Client Should I Use?
All of the IM clients listed above support the following most commonly used features: exchange text messages with one or more people, voice chat, webcam, and file transfers.
AOL Instant Messenger is the most basic of the three. The most notable downside is that you cannot modify your Screen Name (Display Name). Additionally, AIM does not have the ability to archive messages.
MSN Messenger has the most flexibility for changing your Display Name.
Yahoo! Messenger integrates LAUNCHcast Radio so you can listen to streaming audio from the IM client--your contacts can also see what songs you are listening to. Yahoo! Messenger also integrates with your Yahoo! Address Book--the only downside I see to the Address Book integration is that you need to keep contact information up-to-date whereas MSN Messenger updates information automatically when the contact updates his/her information.
Both MSN Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger archive messages.
What About Multi-Protocol Instant Messaging Clients?
One of the problems with using different IM clients is that if you have some co-workers, family, and friends using one client and others a different client, you need both client applications installed and running to be able to communicate with both parties. Multi-protocol instant messaging clients allow users to utilize just one client application to communicate who might be using different protocols. The most popular of these applications are Trillian, Gaim, and Miranda. All of these aforementioned clients support AIM, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, and IRC.
What If I Cannot Install Software On My Computer?
AIM, MSN Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger are all full-featured IM clients that you install on your own computer or on ones you have permission to install on. The following IM services let you send instant messages directly from a Web browser and are suitable in certain cases when companies block IM traffic or lock down software installations:
AOL - AIM Express
Microsoft - MSN Web Messenger
Yahoo! - Yahoo! Web Messenger
These allow the use of basic instant messaging features on a Web browser without installing any additional software.
What About Instant Messaging Security?
IMs are exchanged over the Internet in cleartext form. IM security products encrypt these messages to prevent others from eavesdropping onto your IMs.
Secway has a product called SimpLite that has support for the more popular instant messaging protocols, including AIM, ICQ, MSN, and Yahoo! SimpLite is a transparent application that encrypts messages before they leave your computer to the Internet.
Zone Labs has a product called IMSecure that appears to do the same thing although I have never used it.
Summary
As for me, I currently use MSN Messenger coupled with SimpLite for MSN. I reluctantly use AIM. I like the fact that I can change my Display Name in MSN Messenger, something I cannot do with AIM. While I do like some of the features of Yahoo! Messenger, namely the LAUNCHcast streaming audio feature, too many people are currently using AIM or MSN Messenger to justify installing yet another IM client.
I am currently evaluating Trillian Basic 3.0, one of the multi-protocol IM clients. So far I like it. However, one of the biggest problems I see with multi-protocol IM clients is the continual updates required to keep up with the updates to all of the IM clients they need to support. Also, multi-protocol IM clients will never offer the full set of features that any single IM client would provide.
As a side note, MSN Messenger is about to release a new version in the near future, which should add blogging support for MSN Spaces and stealth mode as well as other lesser features.
Sunday, February 06, 2005
February Pint Nights at the Ginger Man
Pint Nights are every Tuesday starting at 4 pm. If you buy the beer of the day you get to keep the logo glass.
February 8th - Fat Tire glasses
February 15th - Lindemans glasses
February 22nd - Samuel Smith glasses
February 8th - Fat Tire glasses
February 15th - Lindemans glasses
February 22nd - Samuel Smith glasses
Introduction
This is the first post into my weblog...with a few words about me and what you can hopefully expect to see in the future from this weblog.
Some of you may already know me, but a brief introduction is in order for this initial posting.
I am currently working as a .NET Solutions Developer at Avanade. I live in the La Foy Place subdivision in Dallas just minutes away from a few of my regular hangouts, Corner Bar & Grill, Ginger Man, and TABC. I participate in marathons as well as in shorter races--I have completed 5 marathons in the last 4 years. When I'm not running, I can occasionally be seen on my road bike or on my mountain bike at a number of various DORBA trails.
This blog's subject matter is extremely non-specific and will include occasional posts on interesting programming tidbits I come across as well as some of my favorite pastimes and hobbies such as cooking, cycling, mountain biking, music, partying, running or whatever else happens to suit my fancy.
I hope that you will enjoy this journey onward as much as I do...
Some of you may already know me, but a brief introduction is in order for this initial posting.
I am currently working as a .NET Solutions Developer at Avanade. I live in the La Foy Place subdivision in Dallas just minutes away from a few of my regular hangouts, Corner Bar & Grill, Ginger Man, and TABC. I participate in marathons as well as in shorter races--I have completed 5 marathons in the last 4 years. When I'm not running, I can occasionally be seen on my road bike or on my mountain bike at a number of various DORBA trails.
This blog's subject matter is extremely non-specific and will include occasional posts on interesting programming tidbits I come across as well as some of my favorite pastimes and hobbies such as cooking, cycling, mountain biking, music, partying, running or whatever else happens to suit my fancy.
I hope that you will enjoy this journey onward as much as I do...
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