6.78mi - 47'41"

Ok, it's clear I obsess, right? So I was still very skeptical of the results for the iSweat Nike+ thingie. Maybe it was because I installed it a bit wonky. Possible. Nike's version of the shoe puts it under the padding in the arch of the shoe. Well, dang nabbit, so will I!



Marked out a place to cut...



Box cutter of doooooooom goes to work - choppity chop



And thar she is, snug as a bug in a rug.

I actually did this before the Saturday run. I can't even feel it when I run, so I guess that's good. I could actually feel it a bit when it was outside under my shoelaces. I recalibrated on Saturday too. I think the distance is closer to what I think it ought to be, but I'm still not completely convinced. I'll have to go to an officially marked off 10k or something and check against that. We'll see. It's not that important... really...

It's just that I obsess, you know.

Hip, Hip, Hippopotamus!

A trip to the library to pick up a couple of books that for some reason aren't already on my shelf and a wild and hot evening with the photocopier, and I'll be done with the nastiest tasks!  I've still got 'Make a final exam' on the list of things to do, but that's not too bad, I pretty much know what's going to be on it, and if I don't write it out, then the students can't pry any info out of me! Bwahaha.

Whew.  I got pretty much all that I hoped to get done tonight and it's only 8!  I think I need to stop by the store on the way home and pick up some celebratory chocolate.  OOOO  ICE CREAM.   I know it's too late to be eating a calorie bomb like that, but hey, I'll run a lot next week.  You guys hold me to it, ok? 

Zerodoll said that I needed ice cream, and, by gum, she's a smart gal. 

Double Plus Unquiz With an Increased Chocolate Ration

I missed a week – sorry ‘bout that, I’ll make it up with a couple extras here

let’s get right down to the quiiiiiz!

Pre-quiz questions!
1. What does the microphone smell like?
2. What was odd about Cyndi Lauper’s Dad’s beard?
3. What are the two (out of three) that aren’t bad?
4. Who was looking for Lee Ho Fook's? And how was his hair?
5. In ’84, which guys did she think were ‘OK?’
6. What do the papers want to know about Bowie’s spaceman?
7. He’s just a man, with a man’s courage. Who is he?
8. What kind of music just soothes the soul?
9. Why would Stan make a new plan?
10. Who worked for Mr McGee at the Five and Dime? And why didn't Mr McGee like him?
10.5. Janet's fiancée didn't know know to do their dance. What dance did he ask if anyone knew how to do?

Ok, ok, quiz questions!
11.

You’ve gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out you’re gonna have to get used to it

12.

But everything changes
And my friends seem to scatter
But I think it’s about forgiveness
Forgiveness

13.

Second time around, I'm still believing
The words that you said
You said you'd always be here
And love forever still repeats in my head

14.

There once was a time and there once was a way
We had something going and to my dismay
Attention to me seemed to drift though I don't know where

15.

Out where the river broke
The bloodwood and the desert oak
Holden wrecks and boiling diesels
Steam in forty five degrees

16.

You remain
My power, my pleasure, my pain.

17.

So I wake in the morning and I step
Outside I take deep breath
I get real high
Then I scream from the top of my lungs

18.

Somebody once asked could I spare some change for gas
I need to get myself away from this place
I said yep what a concept
I could use a little fuel myself
And we could all use a little change

19.

I went to a party last Saturday night
I didn't get laid, I got in a fight,
Uh, huh
It ain't no big thing

20.

She said I'm sorry baby I'm leaving you tonight
I found someone new he's waitin' in the car outside

Freshness, Charm - The Enticement of a Skin More Precious Than Personality or Cleverness - Do You Seek It?

The library at Duke (I guess) put up something called Ad*Access - some wonderful ads from early this century online for our enjoyment.  Well, I'm sure that was the reason they did it.  Go take a look!  There are racial ones and ones that explain to the girls what men really want. 

Ok, seriously, I'm going back to work.

This Time I Mean It

Allrighty.  All the labors that needed to be done at home have been done (seriously, no quarter was given - laundry was folded and socks were matched)
Now I am ensconced in my office with a pizza on the way.  I vow here and now to not leave until:

• Labor the First (grading) is completely finished
• Labor the Second (next class syllabus) is completely finished
• Labor the Third (next class reading list) is completely finalized and at least mainly compiled and ready for the print shop

Labor the Fourth (writing the final exam for this class) is going to be postponed, I think.  I may fiddle with some ideas if I need a break from earlier tasks, but it's not going to be a requirement for me going home.

There may be enough break time to put together a quiz in there somewhere :)

Why?

I've got 3 specific grand tasks that I must get done this weekend.  Why is it that I can't seem to start any of them?  #1 is easy but frustrating and time consuming.  #2 should be fairly easy but involves making decisions that I don't want to make yet, and #3 should be kinda fun, if a little frantic.  None of them are particularly catastrophic, I think I just want a weekend for once.  I want a couple of days in a row where I don't have anything that needs to be done.  Feh.  This whole being a responsible adult thing is so overrated.

Ugh.  I just remembered a fourth and a fifth thing I need to do this weekend.  bleh bleh bleh. 

4.24mi - 30'16"

Maybe - I'm still fiddling with the calibration - more on that later

7.45mi - 48'10"

More musing about the iSweat Nike+ system: 
I set the iPod for a 10k run so I could record a 10k time.  I knew I was going to be running more than 10k, but I figured it would at least get the time logged.  So I go on the run and the iPod says my fastest 10k time is 40'33", which is nice, but it doesn't show up on the online page.  I'm just whiny because that speed would have put me on the leaderboard for my age group :(

I'm such a vain little twit, ain't I?

Noted:  Ankle feels a little tight, but otherwise ok.

No Kiddie Trailer Yet

Camera Obscura mentioned that I need a kiddie trailer for my bike. Let me tell you I would so very easily use that. It would be jam-packed full of books and goodies in a day or two. This is why it's a good thing that I don't have a car. Too much space...

Anyway, I thought I would present to you a photo of my wonderful wheels:

It's a Bridgestone XO-3, which I'm told they don't even make anymore. I've ridden the poor thing for about 14 years now, and only the standard wear-out-ables have been replaced, what a loverly bike, eh?

Got the cool monster-bright led lights fore and aft. On the frame there's an air pump that doubles as a lock, but I forgot the combination (Hey I bought the pump in like, '97 or something, gimme a break), so I can't take it off or use the air pump. I need to get it cut off. The upside is that the velcro attachments can be used to attach an umbrella to the frame joust-style - very intimidating, I'm sure.

The pannier on the side is the Jandd Commuter, which I just started using recently and really like a lot - roomy enough for my giant laptop with all the cables plus some books and other random goodies. I really should have gotten one for each side, but instead I tried to go for something more stylish - the Cannondale CyPod (with a name like that I should have known better). It's pretty and all, but the construction just isn't that great. The zipper is balky and the attachment system is very nice on the top, but quite wonky on the bottom. It works well enough for smaller loads, I guess.

So that's my bike and bag - ain't they cool?

Ah yes, I didn't r.i.c.e. the ankle, but I did r.e. and it feels better, so maybe there's a Friday run in store for me :)

Whoops

I forgot the cardinal rule of grocery shopping.  I went hungry.

In my defense, the tortilla chips were on sale.

the chocolate bar - not so much.

I should also remember that I am riding a bicycle and not a huge SUV with capacity

I also tweaked my ankle, so no run today.

Yes, yes, this in my thrilling life...

Slooooooow

Why is my internet so sloooooow at home tonight?  I feel like I'm surfing through molasses. 

Also, baseball highlights make baseball look thrilling at all times, but it's not. 
Home runs bore me - good defense looks much cooler.
Is it bad that I hope that they find a way to expose everyone who is juicing and that the entire sport collapses on itself?
Maybe they could pare the league down to a more manageable dozen or two teams.  What do they have now?  50-something?  I think Stockbrigde, MA just got a major league team...(with a multi-billion taxpayer funded field, no doubt)

5km - 18'18"

I calibrated on the track, but I think it is still a little bit fast.  I'll do a longer run later and see how close it gets. 
kinda cool - if I were in the pool last week, this time would have gotten me in the top 10 fastest 5ks in the Nike+ universe (4th place overall, 2nd in my age group).  I'm sure that's just because there aren't that many runners online yet, but it's still kinda cool

That Wall

Yesterday I said that the students seem to have hit the wall.  I think I may have too, I'm just too dense to realize that my head is pounding into it over and over again.  I'm grading and preparing a prompt for the next paper and thinking of final exam possibilities and I thought - Wow.  I'm going to be doing all of this over again.  We've got two summer sessions here and I'm doing them both.  Yep.  It's all for the good, you see - experience, resume fodder, etc... etc... but it is sucking the life out of me.  And it probably shouldn't bother me as much as it does, but I'm being paid pretty badly - just a little more than I was as a TA.  Needless to say, once I get all of this done, I get about a week to move to NewU and get ready for PhD studies (including TAing the right up front in the fall)

I am really having fun teaching, but I do worry a bit about burning out.  I've seen that happen and it ain't pretty.  If I could only squeeze an extra week or two into that last little break to decompress.

I Can Sneak You In In My Trunk

I think the class is starting to hit the wall.  Absentees are rising and sleepy eyes are drooping.  And that's just on my side of the podium - har har har.  Thank you, thank you.  I'll be here all week - make sure to tip the roast beef and try your waitresses.

Luckily, we're getting into some areas where there are some intriguing and useful audio-visual aides.  I just went to the library to pick up a video and discovered they've got a very very eclectic selection of films.  A very extensive and brand-new-looking Richard Pryor collection was the centerpiece in my opinion.  I think I need to spend more time over there.  I did end up checking out with more movies than strictly might be useful for this class - all in the interests of education, mind you.  So now I've got Netflix and a stack of library videos - VHS though, mainly.  That means I can only watch then in my office projected on the wall.  Good and bad.  Anyone want to pick up some beer and pizza and watch Rashomon with me?

That is, of course, after the grading is done. :(

6.41mi - 45'42"

Still uncalibrated - sassenfrassen track team wanted to use their track this afternoon.  The gall.

Whoops

I'm doing some work for a professor who's on sabbatical right now.  I was really stoked because I got through everything and sent it off to her today. 

Then I got her email.

Basically, the upshot is that I thought I had, lets say, 20 units of hard work and 2 units of pretty easy stuff.  I now realize that I had 20 units of hard stuff and 45 units of pretty easy stuff.

ugh.  And of course, I look like a big idiot because I can't even find the email that had the other units (and I use gmail!), but I have a vague memory of seeing them somewhere.

Feh.  So that gets in the way of my grading this weekend and I didn't end up with the time I thought I would have so the students don't get their papers back on Monday.  I can live with that.  Can they?

iSweat 6.89mi? - 48'41"

So I did get it to work out, and it looks very nice. I'm interested to see what the 'community' aspects will be when they come out. The little iDot thingie stayed in place just fine, and that's even with me running through the briar and bramble, Oodi-lolly oodi-lolly, golly what a day.
That's why my shoes look so sad, Jayfish, it's all the wilderness out there -the foxes in green suits and the bears with quarterstaves and no pants.

Anyway, I'm using miles now. I'm not sure that I'll keep doing that, but it seems easy to change, so I'll try it out.

I will need to calibrate it though - either that or it doesn't like the way I've set it on the shoe. The route I ran today was 10.20km last week with the Triax system, 6.29mi (10.12km) on the Google Pedometer but 6.89mi (11.08km) with the iSweat. Should be fun though. I haven't run on a track for years. Regardless, the pace was pretty good, maybe the pretty color makes me go faster.

Oh, yes. There needs to be more avatar icons to chose from. The ones they have are good, but there are only 6 or so.

I set up a couple of goals on their goal system, which looks interesting. We'll see how that goes. It looks like you get different medals for how difficult the goal is, but honesty, the higher level goals don't look as nice as the lower level ones.

All in all, I'm pretty happy. See I am basically easy to please :)

iSweat install

So before the little papoose arrived, I knew I would have to update the iPod and iTunes - so I did that a couple of days ago. No worries, right? No. :(

I got the little nubbin and its buddy in the mail, plugged him in, but got the standard error message:



But but but! I did update everything! So I boot up iTunes and ask it to update itself. I plug in the iPod and ask it to update itself. Both said that they were fully updated and thanked me for being such a thoughtful updater. I tried to plug the transmitter again and it still didn't work.

Sadness. I hunted around until I found that I needed at least version 1.2 software on the iPod. That shouldn't be the problem though because I just... wha?! I've only got 1.1. But didn't I just...? No. I guess I didn't. I guess you can't count on the iTunes software to update your iPod - sad. Anywhoo, I found the manual update download, and it's not an update, but an new install. Ok, no real worries there, I guess. Odd, but should still work ok.

Part of the joy of a new install is a wipe of everything off of your iPod. Thanks. After a mandatory reboot, and a lockup of iTunes and the iPod updater, I finally got the software updated. Or so I thought – more on that later.

Now it’s all about getting the shoe and the dot thing (iDot?) happily in my shoe. I’ve long been an evangelist for the old Nike Triax system, but wow.



Look at the size difference.



Maybe now I’ll run faster :) The other bonus is that maybe I can wear a regular watch, too. The Triax system uses its own digital watch. One downside is that the iSweat doesn’t support the heartrate monitor that the Triax system uses – maybe in a later incarnation.

Now I didn’t buy the special iSweat shoes, but I’ve seen a lot of people use Velcro or tape to get the iDot stable, so I didn’t think I needed to. I liked the idea of Velcro, so I went that way.

A little trim to fit and voila!






I decided to sew the Velcro strip to the shoe just in case – I really should have gotten two kinds of Velcro – the sticky kind for the iDot and non-sticky for the shoe, because sewing through the sticky led to much grief and sadness.

But, the attaching seemed to work out in the end.

The software and the iPod itself – not so much. I wrote this about 6 or 7 hours after I started to get all of this together. I think I’ve finally figured out what happened. The original update didn’t go through somehow. Maybe it was part of the whole wiped iPod effect. Anyway, it seemed that the iPod thought it was all scrubby-cleany, but wasn’t. All the music and such were gone from the iPod, and it showed the new update, so I thought it was good too. The problem must be with the computer, right?

The computer could only see that there was a kind of a hard drive there, but nothing else. I tried reinstalling just about everything several times and rebooted until my foot was sore. I ran into the ‘Service cannot be deleted’ error (I still don’t know what that means). I ran into the ‘iPod cannot be mounted error’ (which at least makes sense), and much more amusment. So it came down to me finally figuring out that everything on the computer was fine. It was something about the iPod. Thing was that the updater would lock up the computer when it tried to talk to the iPod and Windows couldn’t even open up the hard drive that it thought it saw. The trick was that windows did give the drive a letter. So, back to the dark ages with you! I opened up a dos prompt (they aren’t actually still called that, are they?) and did a ‘Format E:’ it took a really long time, but eventually did format the whole thing. One more crash out of the updater and the second try, it worked! Unfortunately, it’s too late now to go running.

Overall, the install was not smooth. I know this was supposed to be designed to work well with Windows, but it just didn’t (for me anyway). Maybe this is my reward for saying nasty things about Macs. Frankly, I think it confirms my point. Mac software is luscious when it works, but when it breaks, it never seems flexible enough to pull together. It’s a good thing that I’m easy to please in the end. If the thing will work eventually, I’ll be happy. I really want to love this thing.

Cartography

This is the best and most accurate map ever.

10.20km 49'11"

I went to a funky little greasy spoon for breakfast this morning - I had a giant every-veggie omelet with spicy Louisiana sausage. drooool.  I'm proud of myself for not being able to eat the whole thing though.  Seriously, it was big enough for two people.

Anyway, big yummy breaky = 'nother long run.  I've got to keep my girlish figure, dontcha know?

Oh yeah.  One downside of the breakfast.  It seems that on weekdays, they don't get enough traffic to have fresh biscuits ready, so they microwaved mine!  Blasphemy against the biscuit gods! 

One Of These Things Ain't Like The Others

Ok, so the Post Office wants to put out stamps of DC comics super heroes.  Fine and good.  I'm a fan of funky stamps and I'm not opposed to super heroes, so all is well and good.  Or so you would think.

Take a look at the selections...
Superman - sure, you've go to have Superman - he's the icon.
Wonder Woman - naturally
Batman - absolutely
Green Lantern - Ok, I can see that
Aquaman - Well, alright.  No one likes him, but he was big at the time, so ok...
Supergirl - not that crucial, but it wouldn't do to only have one super-heroine
Flash, Green Arrow, Hawkman - eh, but ok

PLASTIC MAN?!!  No!!  What the?!  Would you...  Where did the...  Who was in charge of....

sigh...

Good thing I haven't actually sent a letter in forever...

Company

I'm happy to see that I'm not the only one that hates those Hummer ads

And, yeah, Jayfish, you're right - turning off the TV is the best option I'm doing that more and more often because every time I turn on CNN, it's that god-awful shrill example-of-the-worst-in-all-lawyers Mary whatserface or that new monstrosity who-said-we-need-another-'personality'-instead-of-news Glenn Beck. Sometimes its even worse - Larry King

Also from adweek's blog - did you know that Bush was such a singer? How about Blair?

Tony and George lipsync "Open Arms"


And of course, Bush sings "Sunday, Bloody Sunday"


edited: Blasted performancing formatting :(

10.22km - 48'59"

Added a little extension on the run and came up with a 10k!  woohoo

Funniest moment of the day - I just finished showering after the run and was drying off when a woman walks into the men's locker room.  She took a look around and spun around.  Muttering ohmygodimsorryijustwalkedintothemensohmygod, she headed back out the door she came in.  Perhaps having a door that leads right into the shower room might be good for the swimmers, but not so good for the absent-minded.

8.2km - 39'08"

completely unrelated, but if I were a woman, I think I would be an angry angry woman.  If I see the 'Get your girl on' commercial for the Hummer monstrosity one more time... and high heels, I mean, c'mon, who's running this place, anyway?

iPod Apolegia

    I've been a geek pretty much all of my life, and I'm fine with that.  My first computer was a Vic 20 (Thanks Santa!), and I've had a computer ever since then (except for a brief period of time when I was off living the off-off-off-off Broadway life in NYC).  So, I've given a lot of thought to the whole PC/Mac tension.  See, the thing is that I really love the stylings of the Mac.  I love the idea that it doesn't crash as much and that it's elegant in so many ways, software and hardware.  The Mac designers really seem to care about the way that the computer is used and the way that it looks as well as its performance (We'll say nothing of stories of laps being singed by overheated Macs).
    But, here's the thing - The Macs don't do all that I want them to do, or at least not as easily as the PCs. 
    A Mac is probably the best choice for digital image and video editing, of which I do a fair amount, but that's not all I do.  I have grown very accustomed to being able to try out all the new software right when it comes out.  Betas and alphas, shareware and demos - I love 'em all, even when they don't love me back.  Windows does crash for me on occasion, but it's a wonder it doesn't crash more often, with all the crazy stuff I've installed and uninstalled over and over.  Windows has to be flexible enough to handle any little garage startup software company's devilish designs as well as the vast majority of the black hat bad boys trying with all their might to bring down Aunt Bessie's 486. 
    I love options.  I love being able to choose between many many options when picking out word processors and music players and funky field-specific mashups, some of which I can't find even one option for on a Mac.  I also play video games (or used to anyway, when there was time), and the outlook for Mac gaming is fairly gloomy, despite some noble attempts. For Macs, the recent victory here is that Civilization IV just came out for the Mac.  It came out for the PC last October.

    So the end result is that the reason I don't think I could ever buy an Apple is the exact reason I bought an iPod.
    I'd used and loved the Creative Zen Micro MP3 player for quite awhile, but I was always frustrated by the fact that I couldn't get accessories for it.  If I wanted an arm-strap to use when I run, there were only a couple of options - mostly style-deprived ones.  Because of the rather sickening rush to be a cool kid with an iPod, all of the accessories companies went crazy putting together all the toys that I wanted, just not for my MP3 player.
    So popularity bred coveting, if not of the product itself, than of the options that the product presented, and I hate that.  I do not want to be one of the cool kids.
    I still hate the fact that you can't change the battery easily on the iPod, that it seems to be designed to be thrown away eventually, you can't get radio reception with it,  and that it's not easily separated from iTunes - it's not that I dislike iTunes that much, although I'm not really a fan - it's just that I don't like being told what software I should be using. 
    The last straw that crushed my resistance was the Nike/Apple pedometer system (although it needs a better name.  They call it the 'Nike + iPod.' Isn't that more of a description than a name?  What about iRun?  iSweat?  iNike?)  I use the old Nike system.  The software and support was never that good to begin with, and it looks like they're just never going to update that anymore, and the new Nike online system looks useful and stylish, so there I go. 
    I got the 4GB Nano and a nice armband for running and a little prophylactic sleeve thingie to keep it umm... safe.  It certainly does look nice, doesn't it? 
    The pedometer is rumbling its way toward me thanks to the fine ladies and gentlemen at Amazon.com, but I ain't buying any of those 'designed for the pedometer' shoes from Nike.  I'll either cut a little hole into my innersole or velcro it onto the tongue of the shoe.  Feh.  I already feel bad enough for caving in on the iPod thing...
   
   

Neck Bone Connected to the Quiz Bone

Double points for sheepish for getting what I thought was a sure ringer. Who could remember Haircut 100? Certainly not I, but I, as my ex-girlfriend once said, am no sheepish.

Slightly less than double points for Jayfish – Greg Kihn? Who is Greg Kihn?

No love for Missing Persons? I will admit that Bob Seger’s “Shakedown” does sound like it oughta be “Smuggler’s Blues” or Miami Vice or “Axel F” or something…

1

Why do you come here
When you know it makes things hard for me ?
When you know, oh
Why do you come ?

2

But if you see me walking by,
And the tears are in my eyes

3

Sometimes I feel
Like my only friend
Is the city I live in
The City of Angels

4

And I would be the one
To hold you down
Kiss you so hard
I’ll take your breath away

5

First I'm gonna make it
Then I'm gonna break it
Till it falls apart
Hating all the faking

6

I said, "This isn't Sha Na Na, come on Mom, I'm not Bowzer
Mom, please put back the bell-bottom Brady Bunch trousers”

7

It's not the way that you caress me
Toy with my affection
It's not my sense of emptiness
You fill with your desire

8

No more presidents
And all the
wars will end
One united world under god

9

A week without you
Thought I'd forget
Two weeks without you and I
Still haven't gotten over you yet

10

Boys come along a dime by the dozen
That ain't nothing but ten cent lovin'
Hey little thing let me light your candle

8.19km 38'21"

5 seconds off my personal best on this trail!  Woot!  Now for junk food and chocolate!

I Am So Good

I have no desire to go on a run right now.  But I will.

I just finished teaching the last class of the week.  The first paper is coming in and grading must be begun (finished?) this weekend.  I want nothing more than to go and pick up some dinner - horribly calorie-ridden, covered in cheese, deep fried or greasy, or better yet all of three, and go home, pop in a movie and collapse into a vegetative slothform and finish off the bar of chocolate that I started last night (see how good I am?)  It's a good thing I don't usually drink alone, 'cause I could use a drink.  Or many many drinks.  Ugh.

I have no desire to go on a run right now.  But I am going.

TMI Theatre

I very very often wake up with a song in my head.  How it gets there and why, I couldn't tell you.  Very often, I haven't even listened to the song in a long time.  Most times I forget it quickly, but it will sometimes last all the way to teeth brushing.  Today, it took me so long to figure out what the song was (I had the melody, but not the lyrics), that I focused on it so that I could figure it out.  The song was "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show."  Honestly, I haven't heard this song in ages.  Probably since I used it in a quiz a long time ago. 

Anyway, the other thing that's odd is that I'm not a music kind of guy.  I don't need music really.  I can't play any instruments, and I only sing along with showtunes (including Rocky Horror - with that one I actually have to sing along. No choice in the matter) and some bad 80s pop stuff.  I don't have favorite bands, and I know next to nothing about any of them - why do you think I quiz others - I don't know the answers myself.

No point to all this, but odd anyway.

Coolest Way to Start the Day

So, I'm biking in to campus today, bike-ity bike bike
There are billions upon billions of tykes here for summer sports programs, bounce pop weee!
As I swing through campus on the bike path, whoosh whoosh whoosh
Crowds of said kids line the bike path cheering and demanding high-fives, Whoohoo slap slap slap!

Seriously, made my day. How cool is that?

Couch Potato(e)

Via the most lucky of buzzes

Bolded ones that I've watched and italicized ones I've never heard of - this should be disturbing...

The quick answer is that I like the Beeb and cartoons, old shows and in general I've watched way too much TV in my time.

24
4400, The
7th Heaven

Absolutely Fabulous
Adam-12
Addams Family, The
Adventures of the Gummi Bears
Aeon Flux
ALF
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alias
All Creatures Great And Small
All in the Family
America's Next Top Model
American Dad
Andy Griffith Show, The
Angel
Arrested Development
A-Team, The
Avengers, The

Babylon 5
Babylon 5: Crusade
Batman
Batman:the Animated Series
Battlestar Galactica (the new one)
Battlestar Galactica (the old one)
Baywatch
Beavis & Butthead
Ben 10
Beverly Hillbillies, The
Brady Bunch, The
Beverly Hills 90210
Bewitched
Blackadder
Blossom
Bonanza
Boondocks, The
Bosom Buddies
Boy Meets World
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Bug Juice

Carnivale
Carol Burnett Show, The
Chappelle's Show
Charlie's Angels
Charmed
Cheers
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers
CHiPS
Closer, The
Code Lyoko
Cold Case Files
Columbo
Commander in Chief
Cosby Show, The
Coupling [BBC]
Coupling [the NBC series that got cancelled]
Courtship of Eddie's Father, The
Cowboy Bebop
Crossing Jordan
CSI
CSI: Miami
CSI: NY
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Cybll

Daily Show, The
Danny Kaye Show, The
Danny Phantom
Daria
Dark Angel
Dark Shadows
Dark Skies
Darkwing Duck
Dawson's Creek
Dead Like Me
Dead Zone, The
Deadwood
Degrassi: The Next Generation
Designing Women
Desperate Housewives
Dharma & Greg
Diagnosis Murder
Dick Van Dyke Show, The
Different Strokes
Dinosaurs
Doctor Who
Dragnet
DuckTales
Due South

Ellen
Emergency!
Entourage
ER
Everwood
Everybody Loves Raymond

Facts of Life
Family Guy
Family Ties
Farscape
Father Ted
Fawlty Towers
Felicity
Firefly
Flintstones, The
Flying Nun, The
Frasier
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The
Friends
Fury
Futurama

Gargoyles
Get Smart
Gilligan's Island
Gilmore Girls
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Golden Girls, The
Goodies, The
Green Acres
Green Wing
Grey's Anatomy
Growing Pains
Gunsmoke

Hannah Montana
Happy Days
Hell's Kitchen
Henry Rollins Show, The
Hercules
Honeymooners, The
Hogan's Heroes
Home Improvement
Homicide: Life on the Street
House

I Dream of Jeannie
I Love Lucy
Incredible Hulk, The
Inuyasha
Invader Zim
Invasion

JAG
Jackass
Jeffersons, The
Jetsons, The
Joey
Johnny Bravo
Jonny Quest
Junniper Lee
Justice League, The

Kingdom Hospital
Knight Rider

L Word, The
Land of the Lost
Laugh-In
Law & Order
Law & Order: SVU
Law & Order: CI
Little House on the Prairie
Lizzie McGuire
Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lost
Lost in Space
Love, American Style
Love Boat, The

M*A*S*H
MacGyver
Malcolm in the Middle
Married… With Children
Melrose Place
Miami Vice
Millennium
Mission: Impossible
Monk
Monkees, The
Mork & Mindy
Mr. Ed
Muppets Tonight
Murder She Wrote
My Favorite Martian
My Three Sons
My Two Dads
Magician, The
Man From U.N.C.L.E., The
Munsters, The
Muppet Show, The
My So-Called Life
My World and Welcome To It

NCIS
Night Gallery
Nip/Tuck
Northern Exposure
Numb3rs
One Tree Hill
Oz
O.C., The
Office (UK), The
Office (US), The
Outer Limits, The
Outlaw Star

Penn & Teller's Bullshit!
Perry Mason
Pokemon
Power Rangers
Pretender, The
Prison Break
Profiler
Project Runway
Quantum Leap
Queer As Folk (US)
Queer as Folk (British)
Quincy ME
Real World, The

Red Dwarf
ReGenesis
Rescue Me
Road Rules
ROME
Roseanne
Rose of Versailles, The
Roswell

Sailor Moon
Saved by the Bell
Scrap Heap Challenge
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?
Scrubs
Seinfeld
Sex and the City
Six Feet Under
Shield, The
Simpsons, The
Six Million Dollar Man, The
Smallville
Smothers Brother’s Comedy Hour, The
Sopranos, The
So Weird
South Park
Spaced
Spongebob Squarepants
Star Trek
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Enterprise
Stargate Atlantis
Stargate SG-1
Suite Life of Zack and Cody, The
Superman
Supernatural
Surface
Survivor

Third Watch
Three's Company
Top Chef
Top Gear
Taxi
Teen Titans
That 70's Show
That's So Raven
Transformers, The
Twilight Zone, The
Twin Peaks

Veronica Mars
Venture Brothers, The

Waking the Dead
Waltons, The
Whose Line is it Anyway? (UK and US)
Will and Grace
Wings
Without A Trace
West Wing, The
Wild, Wild West, The
Wonder Years, The

X-Files, The
Xena
Xiaolin Showdown
Young Ones, The
Zorro

Yikes!

I don't off the face of the blogging world for a few days and when I come back there are 150 blog posts to read! 

No real news here - I'm still getting hammered by the summer class teaching schedule.  I did get several pieces of departmental gossip, but then I can't very well tell all of you guys about that, now can I?  You'd be blabbing it to everyone and the next thing I know, I'd be on CNN trying to explain myself. 

It is pretty juicy though.

I Need That Like a Quiz in the Head

So no one will openly admit to liking “Don’t Worry, Be Happy?” (Don’t worry Camera Obscura, your secret is safe with me :) )

Ah, and the last title was from the opening line of the Dao De Jing - 'The Way that can be spoken is not the eternal Way.' Quizzical philosophy for the day.

1.
This is a town where everyone is reachin' for the top
This is a place where second best will never do
It's ok to want to shine
But once you step across that line
No matter where you hide I'm comin' after you

2.
Should've known better than to cheat a friend,
and waste the chance that I've been given.
3.
Well you can take it as a warning
Or take it anyway you like
It's the lightning, not the thunder
You never know where it's gonna strike
4.
People call me on the phone, I'm trying to avoid.
Well, can the people on TV see me or am I just paranoid?
5.
If I ever catch up with you
I’m gonna love you for the rest of your life
6.
But it's gonna take money
A whole lotta spending money
It's gonna take plenty of money
To do it right child
7.
My lips are moving and the sound's coming out
The words are audible but I have my doubts
That you realize what has been said
8.
And found myself alone alone
Alone above a raging sea
That stole the only girl I loved
And drowned her deep inside of me
9.
When I call love
Give love some soul
If I may be quite so bold
Where does it go from here?
Is it down to the lake I fear?
10.
So we journeyed to her house one thing led to another
I keyed the door we cold hit the floor looked up and it was her mother

Edited: very wonky formatting :(

Multimedia message

Multimedia message
Originally uploaded by Overread.

Multimedia message

Multimedia message
Originally uploaded by Overread.

Exhausted

I don't know why, but I've been insanely tired lately. I mean, I've been working hard, but not much different than before. Maybe it's the heat sucking my energy out. In any case, I went home early yesterday and slept for about 10 hours. Let's see if that helps any.

Luckily, I'm still a happy guy. Some of my happiness comes from my good friend the internet. Since I don't have a quality blog post ready (wait until I see Pirates of the Caribbean this weekend - the reviews look really bad!), I'll give you some more fruits of my internet habit (and yes, they almost all come from Boingboing, what of it?):

#1 Quality sarcastic comments from the Sarcasm Society: (is there anything that Jane Austin cannot do?)

» Sometimes I need what only you can provide: your absence.
- Ashleigh Brilliant

» It's always darkest before it turns absolutely pitch black.
- Paul Newman

» It's a catastrophic success.

» I feel so miserable without you, it's almost like having you here.
- Stephen Bishop

» History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives.
- Abba Eban

» No, Groucho is not my real name. I am breaking it in for a friend.
» I never forget a face, but in your case I'll be glad to make an exception.
» I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.
» I have had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it.
» I didn't like the play, but then I saw it under adverse conditions - the curtain was up.
- Groucho Marx

» The United States is a nation of laws: badly written and randomly enforced.
- Frank Zappa

» The 100% American is 99% idiot.
» The trouble with her is that she lacks the power of conversation but not the power of speech.
- George Bernard Shaw

» He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.
- Oscar Wilde

» He was happily married - but his wife wasn't.
- Victor Borge

I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.
- Mark Twain

» I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.
- Clarence Darrow

» If you ever become a mother, can I have one of the puppies?
- Charles Pierce

» You have delighted us long enough.
- Jane Austen

#2 Streaming Classical Persian Music. Cool! I don't even know Persian music, but this is nice.

#3 David Hasselhoff's Music Video "Get Into My Car" Fair Warning - it hurts

Best Google Query That Led Here

Most of the queries are for lyrics and such, then there's a whole lot asking for Quizno's calorie information ('cuz Quizno's won't tell anyone)  There's still someone trying to find the blueprints for Wayne Manor - good luck to you, sir! and of course the classic, "Women are like McDonalds"

That I could amuse myself for hours looking at this stuff has nothing to do with the fact that I should be prepping a class right now

So far this is the best one I've gotten:

"my friend swears that you can't be prosecuted for stealing a dead body because it has no intr [insic value?]"

Other gems:

"I'm a failure"

Rabbi+Priest+Bar

Psychadelic [sic]+folgers

squash+hippopotamus

prejudice,+blue+eyes,+hats,+experiment

mrs. beauregarde farted

"didn't+do+the+reading"+"grad+school"+en

Movie Posters

Funky Polish Movie Posters (Benji: The Hunted is...eerie, somehow)

Imagined Russian(?) movie illustrations - I'm still not sure I know what each of them are for.  Umm... Accordion playing alligator?  Did I mis that one?  Can you guess them all?

8.23km - 38'34"

Same as Monday - heh

Proof

Netflix tells you what is popular in your area (zip code, I guess).  I present to you evidence that my area is particularly tasteless:

The number one most popular film in my are is....wait for it...

The Pink Panther - the new one.  Let that sink in.  #1 is the Pink Panther.  Wow.

Back to Space

Happy Fourth everyone!

Yea Shuttle!

So, Germany or Italy?  I'm no big fan of either one, though.  I think I'll root for lotsa goals (how Amurikun is that?)

The coin flip says I'll go for Germany

My, Aren't I Fickle

I've fallen back into infatuation with Minnie Driver thanks to An Ideal Husband.  This netflix beast is a dangerous thing.

The Quiz That Can Be Quizzed Is Not The Eternal Quiz

(bonus points for what the title is riffing on)

 

A dangerous turn toward the 80’s looms ahead. Well, mostly the 80s…

 

You know, reading all these lyrics makes me realize that all musicians are psychos. Stalkers and freaks, every last one. Good to know, I guess…

 

1    Stalker!

I tried to call you before

But I lost my nerve

I tried my imagination

But I was disturbed

 

2    Don’t break up with me, I’ll change! I need you!

Baby, I think tonight

We can take what is wrong and make it right

Baby, it's all I know

That you're half of the flesh and blood that makes me whole

 

3    Was that your ex on the phone? I don’t want you talking to him.

Wanna have you near me

I wanna have you hear me sayin'

No one needs you more than I need you

 

4    umm… psycho much?

I will have you

Yes I will have you

I will find a way and I will have you

Like a butterfly

A wild butterfly

I will collect you and capture you

 

5    Perhaps if you can’t write the next line, you should wait until you can before you write the next line.

I bought a ticket to the world

But now I’ve come back again

Why do I find it hard to write the next line

When I want the truth to be said

 

6    This precedes one of the best lines in music history. Ouch!

The tears I cry aren’t tears of pain

They’re only to hide my guilt and shame

I forgive you now I ask the same of you

 

7    Just. Wow. Funny, but wow.

Like Kurasawa I make mad films

Okay, I don't make films

But if I did they'd have a samurai

 

8    One of my favorite lyrics ever. I picture all these animals stop motioned in a weird game of red light green light

Animals strike curious poses

 

9    What?! What am I supposed to do?!

Just remember to always think twice.

Don’t think twice!

Don’t think twice!

 

10    My apologies for this one – I still like it.

The landlord say your rent is late,

He may have to litigate

 

11    Um… instead of holding her down, maybe she needs someone to take her to the hospital?

Who's gonna hold you down

When you shake

Who's gonna come around

When you break

 

12    Stalker!

I’ve been meaning to tell you

I’ve got this feeling that won’t subside

I look at you and I fantasize

You are mine tonight

Now I’ve got you in my sights

And This Doesn't Even Start To Counter The Ice Cream

8.26km - 38'34"

hehe - last month's total? 137.8km

And Now For Something Completely Different

based on a discussion over at RussianViolets:

Be it resolved that Keanu Reaves is known to the world as dumb as a box of rocks.

For the guy in class who showed up with his bike:

No, you can't park it in the very small classroom because you forgot to bring your bike lock.  The thing is that I'm pretty sympathetic, and if we were in a giant lecture hall, I wouldn't have any problem with it, but yeesh, we're squeezed in already.

Also, is it possible to get the classroom a little hotter?  Because I'd like to see if I can get the pit stains to meet on the back on my shirt if that's possible.  It's kinda like a goal of mine.  Also, it's important for an afternoon class to have as much 'post-lunch nappism' as possible, and excessive heat really helps out with that. 

Finally, I think it's safe to say that the woman in the back was not taking notes on her Nintendo DS.  At least with a laptop, I can delude myself into thinking that they're working.  Feh, I know her though.  That she showed up is a huge success already.

Oh, Sheepish - it was Curse of Monkey Island :)

Multimedia message

Multimedia message
Originally uploaded by Overread.

Mama Told Me

There'd be days like this.

Nothing really bad happened, but nothing else is happening either.  I wanted to finish off this side project I'm doing today, and I probably could have, but I just can't get moving on it.  I feel so tired.  It's not physical tired, just tired.  I came into the office and set up some stuff, and couldn't get started.  I tried a couple of other things I could be doing but just couldn't get on top of them. 

I think the mentally healthy thing to do is to take a step back.  I'm ok on my deadlines, so I can afford to just go home - maybe pick up something to eat on the way home - maybe even ice cream.  That way I can positively reward my sloth. 

I've got a couple of Netflix offerings at home.  I'll do a little cleaning so that I feel like I got something done and watch a movie or two.

Yes, folks.  This is about as thrilling as my life gets.  feh.

Hang Ten

Very bizarre surfing gets done late late at night when you're doing laundry (cause it's too bloomin' hot to do laundry during the day).

So, excuse me if I'm a little too amused at these links. Well, a link and a video. They're just sooooo hypnotic:

Stan sells lots of stuff (noisy) (bonus points for folk who know what the image comes from)

Whew!

One week down, a summer's worth of them to go.  From what I can tell, it looks like it's working.  No one has seen entirely through my facade, so I guess that's good.  The talkers that I've got are generally engaged in the topic and not so much in just hearing their own voice.  So as long as I bust my tush every day for the rest of the summer I may make it.  Thank goodness I'm making the big bucks now.  Oh, no.  I forgot.  I'm only making a touch more than I was making as a TA.  Feh.

oh, yeah - 8.19km-39'30"

Teaching Notes

• Has anyone done a study of teachers getting white-lung (chalk-dust inhalation sickness)?  If so, can I get workers' comp?
• Three students saw Superman - 2 enthusiastic thumbs up, and one 'meh,' as Camera Obscura puts it.
• I am actually where I planned to be after the first week of lectures.  I'm stunned.
• Tomorrow is for analyzing the readings.  Danger danger danger.
• It's odd - I'm used to being able to lean on the professor's presence in discussions.  If there's something I don't know, it's never been a problem because I'll just say, I'll ask the professor.  It sounds a lot more sketchy if it's 'I'll go look that up.'
• I can also play against the big bad professor - "Well, it is a difficult reading, but the professor thinks it's important, so...  Now I'll have to actually be responsible for my actions!  I'm an American for crying out loud!  I don't do that well at that!

Whoa.

Blogger cloning! cool...

I know kung fu...

Tunes

Tunes

Tunes

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href="http://www.last.fm/user/Overread/?chartstyle=iPodWhite"><img
src="http://imagegen.last.fm/iPodWhite/artists/Overread.gif" border="0"></a>

Tunes

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src="http://imagegen.last.fm/iPodWhite/artists/Overread.gif" border="0"></a>

Superman

I snuck out to see a movie instead of running today.  I don't want to say much about the particulars.  It's sort of odd, it seems like there are a lot of 'new' things, but I kept on thinking, wow, there's really nothing fresh about this.  It's the same old stuff happening the same way it always does (without Richard Pryor as a computer whiz, thank goodness). 

There's one really big 'surprise,' but I really didn't like the way they handled it.  Overall, I enjoyed most of the movie, but left me feeling very unfulfilled, and very unsatisfied with what passed for the 'character' of Superman.

I'm glad I saw it, but I'm even more glad that I didn't have my hopes that high

Stressball

Class went a little better today.  Notes were taken.  Questions were asked (and I even knew the answers, which is helpful)  I think one of the hardest things for me is to judge how much material we can cover in how much time.  Better to over-prep than to under-prep, I guess.  I know I'm dumping a lot of material on them, and I wonder if I'm going too fast.  I tend to talk more quickly when I'm nervous and/or excited, which covers this class pretty well from beginning to end.

We're getting into more difficult territory tomorrow, so we'll see.  I can tell that teaching this way every day is going to wear me out.  I need to look for a masseuse.

8.28km 39'05"

Online advice.

On classic photographs.  Great fun.

8.27km - 38'52"

Post Lecturum

Wow.  Lecturing is so... different.  The students weren't taking notes.  I wasn't really hitting a lot of content on day one, but still, shouldn't they be taking notes?  Also, there are several ringers in the class.  They know the subject really pretty well (and two of them could probably teach the class themselves), so I was always running my eyes back to them to see how they were taking it.  Nerve-wracking. 

On the plus side, I didn't run out of material.  I thought I planned a bit too much, and it turns out that I planned a bit too much, so I guess that's good.  Also, I have a handful of good talkers, and a couple of people very interested in getting into content arguments, so that's nice.  Maybe during discussion they can pull some of the quieter ones out of their shells. 

Oh yeah, one guy went to sleep and one guy came in one hour late and asked when the class started.  :)

Multimedia message

Multimedia message
Originally uploaded by Overread.

Why am I so nervous?  I'm getting ready to teach a class in a half an hour, but I've taught before.  It's no big deal, is it?

This is my first teaching position all on my own at a real university.  Everything is mine.  The readings selections, the lectures, the discussions, everything.  I mean, I've borrowed content from here and there, but I chose them all.  Cutting there, adding here. I've always said, 'if I were teaching this course, I'd do it this way - I wouldn't do that.'  Damn karma.  Of course, I now know very well that idealism and course design don't mesh well.  Well, I guess it's a progressive thing.  I've got to start somewhere, right?

Hehe - These people actually expect me to run the whole show. 

So, I'm a little jumpy.  Students can smell fear, right?

Just Add ‘In a Quiz’ to the End of Your Fortune Cookie

Well, as long as I get it posted before Monday, I’m still not late, right?

Only one missed from last time was #7, “Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters” by Elton John. I just love that ‘Sons of Baaaankers, sons of Laaaawyers’ part. Good Stuff.

1 – I never would get the artist on this one

Soon You will come to knowWhen the bullet hits the bone

2 – I had/have a big crush on this artist. I think just about everybody did.

To where the water and the earth caress

And the down of a peach says mmh, yes,

Do I look for those millionaires

Like a Machiavellian girl would

When I could wear a sunset? mmh, yes,

3 –

It was kind of cold that night

She stood alone on her balcony

She could the cars roll by

Out on 441

Like waves crashing in the beach

And for one desperate moment there

He crept back in her memory    

4 – Eeeeeeasy

There’s something about you girl

That makes me sweat

5 – I’m not so sure about this one…

    There's a hole in my head where the rain comes in,

You took my body and played to win,

Ha Ha woman it's a crying shame,

But you ain't got no one else to blame.

6 – Obscure, but I bet you’ll get it

No one in the world ever gets what they want

and that is beautiful

Everybody dies frustrated and sad

and that is beautiful

7 – A hmmm hmm hmm

And you know what I’m talkin’ about.

Just let me know if you wanna go

To that home out on the range.

They gotta lotta nice girls.

8 – The lyrics site had the last line as ‘You always see my number, you don’t..’

Most times you can’t hear ‘em talk, other times you can.

Oh the same old cliché, as that woman on her a man

You always seem outnumbered, you don’t dare make a stand.

9 –

Face to face

And back to back

You see and feel

My sex attack

Sing it

10 – Toughie?

And when my mind is free

You know a melody can move me

And when I'm feelin' blue

The guitar's comin' through to soothe me

Don't Tell Anyone,

I feel busier now getting ready for this class than I did when I was getting the thesis together.  Feh, anyway, my dirty secret is that I'm still getting out and running:

Fri: 8.27km - 38'46"
Today: 8.23km - 38'45"

Funny, yeah.  Consistency's gotta count for something, right?

So yesterday I went shopping to get a couple more 'Lookie, lookie, I'm an adult' shirts.  I know I can never really pull off the illusion, but if I can trick the students into buying it for the first week or so, I figure it's in my favor.  Good grief though, I forgot how proud of their nice clothing those stores are.  I spent a lot more money than I thought I would.  Ended up with some nice stuff though, so I guess it's ok. 

I'm still lacking shorts that fit my new waist size though.  That's lower priority, but still, I finally feel like one of the cool kids, because my shorts want to ride with the waist somewhere around mid-thigh.  I just roll like that, you know.  I guess paisley underwear should be on my list too...

Final random notes:

• The machine is out of diet coke, so I'm drinking my first non-diet coke in a long long time.  Tastes funky.  I want my unnatural chemicals back in my beverage!
• If I played for Brazil, my name would be 'Overreaca.'  It's true because a website told me.
• Yesterday's outing also involved Ice Cream.  Phish Food, you are my true love.
• I'm not a student here anymore, so I've got to pay for the bus and for the gym.  Feh.  At least my library card still works
  

Done For today

Creating this class is a wonderful pain in the tush.  Ive been working on fleshing out the readings and finalizing the structure all day long (except the break just long enough to be disappointed by the US soccer team, of course).  I'm really excited about being able to put in parts that I really get excited about, but I feel embarrassed when I take out pieces that I don't feel as comfortable with.  I generally over prepare, but I think that's a good thing.  I am a little worried about assigning too much reading.  It is a summer class, after all, but the readings are fun!  Well, maybe not all of them.  Maybe not to undergrads who are only taking the class to knock off requirements, but still... :)

US - Ghana

Well, crap.  Ok, I actually had hope of the US actually winning one.  No dice.  I'm a little skeptical of the penalty kick, but there's no doubt that the US had their chances and didn't take advantage.  They looked ok against Italy, but this was the US team that played the Czech Republic.  I wonder how long Arena will keep his job?

Honestly though, the team from Ghana earned this.  The US team played horribly, but they earned it.  They played well and deserve the win.  I'm rooting for Ghana and Korea now.  Ghana'll play Brazil though, so I guess I'm rooting for Korea.

Work is Dead, Long Live Work!

The grading is done and submitted, and now the work begins. 

Putting together a class is an exhausting job.  I've TAed one of the classes I'm going to teach twice and the other class once, so I'm lucky to have a lot of material to draw on, but still, I've got to build a lot of it from scratch.  In fact, it's a very good possibility that the only reason I'm not tearing at my clothes and ripping out my hair is that I really don't know what I've gotten myself into.  I've got the basic form and themes of the class down basically, but the readings and finer structure are still very much... hopeful.

Another odd first - a couple of 30-something students came in to talk to the 'professor of the X classes for the summer.'  I was pointed out and they came to chat about seeing if they could get in (the class is full).  First funny thing was that they didn't laugh when they saw that I was the one who was going to be teaching it.  Second funny thing is that they seemed genuinely excited about taking the class.  Now maybe that was just an act to butter me up so I'd let them in, but still.  funny world. 

The office is getting more and more private as people leave.  This one left the academic world to try her luck in DC.  This one left to take care of ill parents.  That one is going to spend the summer back home with the long-distance boyfriend.  This one is working like a madman at his local job to build up enough money to make it through another school year.  And here I am - the only grad student hanging through the summer in the office.  I always gripe about not being able to get anything done because of all the distractions, but I'm going to be really lonely in here.  Especially since I'll be moving on before the office gets rowdy again.  sadness.

8.24km - 39'04"

Feh - I Only Got 10 Right

Who said what:  Ann Coulter or Adolf Hitler?

(Give it some time, the server seems to be getting hammered)

Link Dump!

• My audiobook of the moment is Shelby Foote's Civil War, so I needed something... visual, as Dr. Frank N Furter would say. So I found these battlefield maps. Random Link, but cool if you dig maps like I do.
• VERY NOT SAFE FOR WORK OR THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. (Also generally offensive to most humans, but still, kinda funny):
• If you are wondering how ESL students pick up some of the... um... manners of speaking, check out these excerpts from the Japanese English text, Adult English: Porno Smallbook Speaking, Let's Go!
• Others have already noted the psychedelic Folgers Ad, but have you seen the Slovenian condom commercial? The Virgin Airlines Flashback? How about the Match.com crusade against 'Bachelorism?' Aw, heck, just go over to AdFreak - they've got all sorts of crazy ads over there.
• This is ancient, but I stumbled on the link again recently - Have you ever wondered if Shamu could use a credit card? Will "Service Sucked" be challenged when signed on the dotted line? How about "My Butt?" Well, now you need question no longer, for your questions, and many more, are answered here.
• Files Are Not For Sharing: A Children's Book.

Last Week's Top 5

8.25km - 38'36"

Tuesday O'Meme

I'm way behind in my meme-ing, so here's a golden oldie from Chez Stewgad

5 Items in my Fridge: (it's a huge embarrassment, but I couldn't tell you what's in there. I'm never at the apartment enough to know. I only vaguely remember cooking, many many moons ago)

5 Items in my Closet:

1. Much that needs laundering
2. A couple of pairs of old beat up running shoes that I've never gotten around to tossing out.
3. An insane number of socks. I firmly believe that there is little better than a really good pair of cushion-y hiking or running socks. Oh, yeah. I don't have a chest of drawers, so the socks go in the closet. Nice eh?
4. small cobweb at the top corner
5. a shelf-piece from an old computer desk that I don't have enough room for in my room. Do I have room for it in my closet? well, no. Not really.
   

5 Items in my Car: (Well, crap. Maybe this meme just looked cool, but I don't fit it. See, I don't have a car. So... How about things on my wall in the office!)

1. Big calendar from the campus student group (major circled day was thesis turn in day. Next circled day is due date for grade turn in)
2. Bunches of pictures of my two beau-ti-ful nieces.
3. Postcards - 1 from Profgrrrrl, several from Jayfish & Zerodoll and a couple other random ones
4. A thank you note from a student from last class. I know - I was shocked too.
5. a cartoon printed from Phdcomics.com (this one)
   

5 Items in my Purse: (how about backpack?)

1. Waaaaay too many books.
2. Laptop (in padded compartment) with various cables and such
3. Pens and highlighters beyond number
4. Hand sanitizer
5. point-n-shoot camera

5 Items in my Desk: (This'll have to be 'on' my desk, because I'm not cool enough to have a desk with drawers.)

1. Nike triax dongle (to download my runs to the computer)
2. wicker basket that is supposed to be full of nutritious fruit goodness, but has been suspiciously empty of late.
3. Kleenex for crying students and allergy-ridden TAs
4. A stack of several things that need to be translated with a quickness
5. Giant teddy bear (free gift with purchase of $100 or more at the campus bookstore) wearing my mortarboard. He's actually on the filing cabinet, but I couldn't leave him out. Him? Maybe it's a her?
   

'Nother Bit of Grading Joy

When I said that I highly recommended that you students get together for group study sessions, I was hoping that you wouldn't pass around incorrect information like some kind of ignorance virus. 

From the Bluebooks

It seems that the main activity of revolutionaries is not 'revolting' but 'revolving.' 

I mean, I'm sure that Lenin and Mao are spinning in their mausoleums, <twirling Groucho cigar>but this is ridiculous. </twirling Groucho cigar>

Maybe it's lack of sleep, but the image of George Washington on a hilltop slowly spinning with arms outstretched (with or without the musical accompaniment) is very difficult to dislodge.

More Procrastination

Long run:

11.3km (7 miles!) - 54'54"

Waiter, There’s a Quiz in My Soup.

The quick like a bunny quiz!

 

1.

Smack, crack, bushwhacked

Tie another one to the racks, baby

2.

I’m in a mood for you

For running away

Stars come down in you

And love...you can't give it away

Inside you the time moves

And she don't fade

3.

Who broke my heart?

You did, you did

Bow to the target

Blame cupid, cupid

You think you’re smart

Stupid, stupid

4.

Open fire on my burning heart

I've never been lucky in love

My defenses are down

A kiss or a frown

I can't survive on my own

5.

I'd lay in a pile of burning money that I've earned

and not even worry about getting burned

I'd climb the Empire State Building, fight Muhammad Ali

Just to have you baby close to me

6.

If you took all the girls I knew when I was single

And brought them all together for one night

I know they’d never match

My sweet imagination

7.

Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers

Turn around and say good morning to the night

For unless they see the sky

But they can’t and that is why

They know not if its dark outside or light

8.

Morning, just another day

Happy people pass my way

Looking in their eyes

I see a memory

I never realized

you made me so happy

9.

Anybody could be that guy

Night is young and the music’s high

With a bit of rock music, everything is fine

10.

Now I’m towing my car, there’s a hole in the roof

My possessions are causing me suspicion but there’s no proof

By The Power Of Greyskull…

Thanks for all the happy thoughts and congratulations everyone. You guys are so sweet to me.

It’s all over but the paperwork. I am a Master. By the way, don’t you think that ‘Master of X’ should be a higher degree than ‘Doctor of X?’ I mean, hey, if I’m a Master, why should I keep studying, right?

Thoughts from the commencement ceremony:

• I like the symbolism of the hooding ceremony for the PhDs. I think it’s important to show the world that after decades of study and hundreds of thousands of dollars spent, that newly minted PhDs still need help getting dressed.
  
• There is more evidence of this in the way that the people dressed themselves. Ratty tennis shoes and frayed blue jeans? Flip-flops? I mean, c’mon now, at least try.
  
• When getting hooded, kneel or squat, do not bow! Plenty of people bowed – it only makes it harder for your hooder. Now, that’s fine by me, I had a great time making fun of everyone, but it might cause embarrassment for you. Another important lesson is to choose tall advisors.
  
• The quality and variety of robes was just wonderful. I think that the European schools had the best ones though. I swear one of the professors looked like he just stepped off the stage from a community theatre production of Merchant of Venice (Scrivener? Was that you?)
  
• Commencement speakers need to be able to speak well. This goes back to my firm belief that all potential educators need to take a public speaking class (or 3)
  
• On the other hand, I feel awful for the name-readers. Phonetic spellings can’t help you out of everything. Bonus points for all of them. Also full points for the hand-shakers – you just know that they’re going to come down with some kind of cold or something.
  
• Nobody tripped. Pity.
  

Right then. A return to grading!

It's Done.

A massive white-out of blog posts is ended with these words:

It's Done.

The masters thesis, warts and all, is filed and very soon I will be walking across the stage in my silly black dress and backwards necktie (MAs get hoods - who knew?).

I'm still not thinking very well, but I think I could use a nice long nap. 

I followed Jayfish's advice and got some ice cream - Mint Chocolate Chip, and it was so very very good.  Ah yes, did I mention that I still have ~50 essays and an equal number of finals to grade by next Tuesday?  No, I'm guessing I didn't.  Oh, yes,  then there's also the prep work and reader-building for two classes this summer that start the week after next.  So, there's not even time for a debauch trip to Vegas.  All for the best, I'm sure, but still.

My hopes are for quizzes and regularly scheduled blathering to be back up to speed by next week.

Oh, one last note of interest -  One of the 'things I do' is shoot sports.  I've been taking pictures for the athletics department here for the past couple of years, and, I've gotten a couple of good shots, if I do say so myself.  Anyhoo, the uni I'll be attending in the fall has a massive sports program.  They regularly compete and win playoffs of all sorts and flavors.  So, I chatted with the Media relations guy here, and, guess what?  He's got some connections over there.  He says he'll get me an introduction and figures that I should be able to shoot down there too.  Woohoo!  Fun fun!  Now I think I really may need that new lens :)

On The Trail Again

8.23km - 39'45"

Oh yeah,

The US Soccer Team makes me sad.  I mean, I never thought we would beat the Czechs badly, but I figured we wouldn't get blown out.  So sad...  And like we're going to do any better against Italy - Pheh.  I'll need to find another team to root for here in a couple of games.  England?  Mexico?  Korea?

Egg-Sauce-Ted

I think I'll I can handle are bullet points right now.

• Ok, yeah, no quiz this weekend.  No blogging at all. I've just been beat.  So very tired. 
• The upside is that I've gotten signature 2 of 3 on the thesis and the last one should be just a formality (watch - I've just jinxed it). Still plenty to be done - especially in the proofreading department, but closer and closer
  
• Here's a good way to not endear yourself to your TA:  If the exam is at 12, and you aren't going to go to the exam, then your TA should have the exam prompts in advance so that he or she can make copies so that the students can take the test.  It is a good idea not to breeze in at 11:45 and respond to the question, "Do you have the tests?" with a shrug or an "Oh, yeah," especially when you don't have the tests.  There is a chance however that your TA will have foreseen your not taking care of things and he or she will have pieced together a retyped version of the draft so that there will be something to give the students on time.  Seriously, I like this prof, but I don't see any excuses here.  I mean, a simple email would have saved a lot of stress and panic. 
  
• Last night was the official 'Goodbye Grads' party.  There was an obscene amount of food and booze.  I got home at around 3am, which ain't my usual thing.  I had many many many beers (and toasts of champagne) which is also not in my general habit.  Perhaps that's why I'm exhausted?  Many dark secrets were discovered after the professors went home and the booze flowed more freely.
• There's no way I'm running today.
• Exam proctoring results:
• 3.12% are left handed
  
• 5.22% wear hats
• 20% turned backward
• 20% turned sideways
• 40% trucker hats
• 2.08% wear hoodies with the hoods up
• 21.84% wear glasses
• 2.08% wear sunglasses on top of their heads
• 1.56% have beards
• 4.68% are long haired dudes
• 2.08% are short haired gals
• 2.08% have long braids
• 17.68% wear their hair in pony tails
• 7.28%  wore clothing with our university's name on it
• 1.04% wore clothing with the names of other universities.
  
• Beverage count
• 17.68% of students had a bottles of water
  
• 2.08% coffee
• 3.12% soda
• 3.12% sports drinks/juice
• Of the last 15 students taking the exam
• no lefties remained
• only one had curly hair
• 7 men 8 women
• notable shirts:
• "I hate myself and want to die"
• "Tennis 1994"
  

Rarbie

Rarbie
Originally uploaded by Overread.

My Thesis Will Go On (Sing It, You Know You Want To)

Well, what did I say?  That I was going to turn in version 1.5?  right?  Well, I think I just sent version 1.45 off to the chair of my committee.  There's still a bit of friction coming from my advisor in charge of the 'data.'  It's well-deserved friction, to be sure, but troublesome anyway.  Oh, yeah, she's gone out of the country too -yeesh.  In any case, I still say this with a bit of incredulity, but it looks like I'll be able to get it in - on time, even. 

I'm thinking I need to buy myself a treat.  What do you guys think?  Camera lens?  Video game system?  Wild weekend of debauchery in Vegas?  Spinning rims for my bike?  Scratch 'n Sniff stickers?

Round and Round I Go

8.20km -39'45"

I Couldn't Make This Stuff Up.

Stu:  Do I have to write the paper in English?

Overread:   [stunned silence]

Thesis? What Thesis?

8.18km - 39'20"

Because I Won't Respond This Way To Their Faces

To the dude in the gym:
    The public shower is not the place to practice your standing toe touch stretches.

To the student with my email on speed-dial (I know, I know, but you get it, right?):
    The answers to all of the questions you asked are on the syllabus, on the website, and on page 2 of the reader.  You lose 10% of your grade for being a twit.

To the guy behind me in line:
    Yeah, you probably should have waited for the tests to come back, because it sounds like she wasn't that umm... healthy.

Image is Nothing

Someone just dropped by to see if they could get into the full summer class I'm teaching. 

After the student left, I thought that perhaps leaving off shaving for the weekend, wearing a beat up shirt and ragged jeans (hey, I don't have class on Mondays - I have no class to begin with - har har har) and having a desk buried in crap doesn't present a particularly inspiring image to the world.  At least she called me "Mr. Overread" and not "Professor Overread" - That's already happened once and it freaked me out.

Just Another Form of Procrastination at This Point

Fri:
6.07km - 28'39"
Sat:
6.05km - 28'42"
Mon:
8.25km - 39'50"

Nose to the Quizstone

Ah yes… Thanks Camera Obscura. I did my best to drop off the face of the earth this weekend and didn’t post a quiz. Bad, bad Overread… (fun typo – I originally typed “drop off the farce of the earth.” Fits a little better if you ask me)

Old business:

#2 – Well, it is Tom Petty…it was… “Don’t Do Me Like That!”

#7 – “El Paso,” Marty Robbins – another one of those songs with a story – Ah, nice…

#10 I have no clue about who sung “Momma Told Me Not To Come” first, Three Dog Night or Tom Jones. I would guess Three Dog Night, but that’s just a guess.

Alrighty – here we go – some easy ones and a couple of hard ones mixed in!

1

She'll take a tumble on you

Roll you like you were dice

2 Super Bonus Geek Points for anyone who gets this one

The fools that think the worst is over

They won't live to be much older

Why do they remain, why do they remain

Everything is ready, everyone that's cominghas been safely brought on board

3

Like to tell ya about my baby

You know she comes around

She about five feet four

A-from her head to the ground

4

Baby, I think tonight

We can take what is wrong and make it right

Baby, it's all I know

That you're half of the flesh and blood that makes me whole

5

In my life there’s been heartache and pain

I don’t know if I can face it again

Can’t stop now, I’ve traveled so far

To change this lonely life

6

Something’s happening

Happening to me

My friends say I’m acting peculiarly

7

I bought a ticket to the world

But now I’ve come back again

Why do I find it hard to write the next line?

8

I think I caught his spirit

Later that same year

I’m sure I heard his echo

In my baby’s new born tears

9

I want a doctor to take your picture

So I can look at you from inside as well

10 Yeah, yeah, ok, I had to add this one after #9 – Cheap laugh, I know :)

Neon on my naked skin, passing silhouettes

Of strange illuminated mannequins

Shall I stay here at the zoo

Or should I go and change my point of view

The Heat

It's sapping my will to live.  I deal very badly with heat, and we've had a very unseasonable heat wave the past couple days.  Yesterday I was sitting in the library (on the floor that doesn't get wireless access - Sometimes that helps me focus).  I wasn't moving.  Just sitting there at my laptop.  Sweating.  streams of sweat.  I couldn't even think.  I spent about 4 hours there and got nothing worthwhile done.  I went to the office.  Nothing.  I went home and went for a quick run.  The only upside to that was standing in the ice-cold shower after. 
I thought I might be able to get something done when the sun went down.  The sun went down, but it never cooled off. 
I remember when I was little, when it would get really hot at night I would get out of bed and put a sheet on the ground and just lay down on top of it with the fan turned on high blowing right on me.  I could never get to sleep on nights like that.  miserable miserable miserable.  It was almost that bad last night. 
This morning I figured I needed to get the blood flowing, so I went on a longish bike ride to a guilty pleasure spot for brunch.  I'd hit the cafe nearby to work.  When I got there I realized I left my wallet at home.  Ugh.  I had enough to eat, but not enough for anything else.  So.  long bike ride home to get the wallet and then short bike ride to the local Bucks o' Star to work.  That's where I am now.  Still hot.  Still unhappy.  Still not getting any work done.