Well, it's official. I'm shutting down this blog. The 11 months without a post was probably clue to any readers I still have left. Anyway, today I launched a new blog. This one is going to be more focused on issues of policy, politics, science, technology, and the shaping of the future (which means you can get the good stuff without having to sift through my rants, inside jokes, and self-indulgence). The blog will also serve as the new home for the BurgerMap. So here are the relevant links.
The blog: Policy, Science Burgers
The BurgerMap: BurgerMap Philly
My first bizarrely popular post: A Missed Connection (why is this one getting more hits than all the others combined?)
I've had a lot of fun with this blog, but it's been mostly a "play-blog." I like to think of myself as graduating to a real blog. I won't say goodbye; hopefully I'll see you on the new site. Thanks for everything, readers,
-Matt
Showing posts with label personal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label personal. Show all posts
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Friday, October 23, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
My Question
My favorite blog on the internet published an interview today with Tim Harford, the "Undercover Economist." The way Freakonomics interviews work is that readers submit questions, and the interviewee picks a few of his or her favorites to answer. Well, I got a question in this time (the 5th of 8 in the interview). I was excited to see it there, and appreciated the response. I have my own comments, but I thought I'd share it with my readers and see what you guys think first.
Friday, August 14, 2009
LiveBlogging from Vegas
So I'm in Vegas, and this is my second blog post. I'm going to aim for short punchy updates of a shallow self-absorbed nature, but not in a Twitter kind of way.
Anyway, you'll all be pleased to know I've made SEVERAL Futurama references already. For example, so far I have:
-Tried to put 100 bucks on Rectoid Zambot while playing roulette.
-Asked what the house limit on Do-Overs is.
-Refused to see a Celine Dion contest.
I'll probably do a food report either here or on Awesomeopolis at some point. I've already eaten two things I'd award 5-stars if I had a map for their particular categories.
All right, gotta go. BlastFax Kudos all around.
Anyway, you'll all be pleased to know I've made SEVERAL Futurama references already. For example, so far I have:
-Tried to put 100 bucks on Rectoid Zambot while playing roulette.
-Asked what the house limit on Do-Overs is.
-Refused to see a Celine Dion contest.
I'll probably do a food report either here or on Awesomeopolis at some point. I've already eaten two things I'd award 5-stars if I had a map for their particular categories.
All right, gotta go. BlastFax Kudos all around.
In Vegas through Monday night. First vacation in 19 months, so I'm looking forward to it. People out here are nuts. It's like neon signs meet Wall Street, circa 2007. Also, as soon as I got off the plane everyone was talking about how Michael Vick signed with the Eagles. And I'm thinking "no way, I just came from Philly and I can assure you, good sir, that you are insane." Weird town. Oh well.
Gambling Ledger: Down $1
What are peoples' thoughts on what happens here staying here? Does that count for calories, cholesterol and sodium? Man I hope so...
Gambling Ledger: Down $1
What are peoples' thoughts on what happens here staying here? Does that count for calories, cholesterol and sodium? Man I hope so...
Thursday, July 02, 2009
My Diary
Sunday night/Monday morning was a bit of an adventure for Chuck and me. I’ve included below a diary of the events. Times are approximate, and get wildly inaccurate as the night goes on:
11:30PM – Power goes off
11:45 – Get panicked call from neighbor (Miniyee): can’t get Chuck on phone, is worried about power outage, sees many emergency vehicles outside
11:49 – Conclude even backup systems non-operational, possibly including alarms; disaster possible
11:55 – Agree to go investigate with Chuck, report back to Miniyee (and other neighbors) on situation
12:00AM – Grab Chuck’s very bright LED lamp and start heading downstairs from 18th floor
12:01 to 12:10 – Pick up many people along the way, scared lightless people hoping to piggyback on Chuck’s beacon of hope
12:04 – I make first Lord of the Rings reference (after our group expands to 9 people trekking into the dark)
12:12 – Get to bottom floor, discover outage not localized to our building, but biggest problems are; emergency vehicles gone, problem diagnosed as part of grid, city and electric company could take hours to repair it, but no immediate danger
12:13 – Report to Miniyee, who tells the neighbors
12:14 – Hungry, tired, thirsty, and not wanting to trek up all those flights of stairs immediately, head off to Wawa with Chuck
12:15 – Grow excited that the Hoagiefest deal should have switched at midnight from cheesesteak to turkey
12:17 – Meet Penn grad student who lives in building also going to Wawa, exchange pleasantries and conspiracy theories about the night’s events
12:20 – Get to Wawa. Hoagiefest switch did not happen at midnight. Employees useless and unhelpful. Had to settle for hot dog and metabolism-boosting pomegranate tea (needed for trek back up the stairs).
12:35 – Arrive back at apartment, only to be told the door to the stairwell only opens from inside as security measure; elevators still operational; dozens of people stranded in lobby
12:45 – Crowd gets sick of waiting, calls someone for help
1:00 – Chuck gets sick of waiting for the person called to actually come down, calls Miniyee for help
1:01 – Miniyee goes searching for some company since it’s dark and scary
1:15 – First person called arrives, opens door
1:15 and 5 seconds – Miniyee arrives, with two neighbors. Receives many thanks from Chuck and myself. Her words and smile are gracious, but her eyes hate us and our very existence. Faced with climbing up 18 flights of stairs, I agree with her eyes.
1:16 – Second Lord of the Rings reference made (by me), though at Chuck’s prompting. LED lamp is like the Light of Elendil.
1:17 – Third Lord of the Rings reference made (also by me). Some joke about heading back into Mordor. Stupid stairs.
1:18 – Someone in the group mentions that at least there’s no 13th floor. Trying not to be a Goapy Gus, I decline to point out that the first few floors are extra tall, and the ground floor is at least two stories. I do, however, make a clever joke about Ms. Zarves living on the 13th floor. No one laughs. Exercise must make people humorless.
1:19 – I observe, out loud, that there’s this thing called a “Stairmaster,” and I wonder why on Earth (or Middle Earth) anyone would pay money for it
1:20 – Miniyee makes joke about this stair-climbing being the most exercise she’s ever seen me do. Too winded at this point for snappy comeback.
1:21 – Walk Miniyee and other 10th floor neighbors to their doors and chat for a bit, make sure they’re OK—ostensibly to be gentlemanly (but really to procrastinate imminent stair-climbing)
1:29 – Resume intrepid trek, despite overwhelming urge to set up a base camp and make for the summit in the morning
1:32 – Return to apartment. Thighs hurt.
1:33 – Exchange pleasantries and commiseration with Chuck. Borrow an LED lamp for the evening so as not to injure myself getting to bed.
1:40 – Get ready for bed. Wish shower was operational.
1 minute later at 2:00+ AM – Finally look at clock. Night’s events took longer than thought. Exhausted. Barely remember to make sure cell phone alarm will wake me up, as normal alarm is inoperable. Toss and turn for a bit (no A/C, hot and humid night, just climbed up all those stairs). Finally fall asleep.
6:30 – Alarm goes off. Power back on. Only 84 hours until the weekend.
11:30PM – Power goes off
11:45 – Get panicked call from neighbor (Miniyee): can’t get Chuck on phone, is worried about power outage, sees many emergency vehicles outside
11:49 – Conclude even backup systems non-operational, possibly including alarms; disaster possible
11:55 – Agree to go investigate with Chuck, report back to Miniyee (and other neighbors) on situation
12:00AM – Grab Chuck’s very bright LED lamp and start heading downstairs from 18th floor
12:01 to 12:10 – Pick up many people along the way, scared lightless people hoping to piggyback on Chuck’s beacon of hope
12:04 – I make first Lord of the Rings reference (after our group expands to 9 people trekking into the dark)
12:12 – Get to bottom floor, discover outage not localized to our building, but biggest problems are; emergency vehicles gone, problem diagnosed as part of grid, city and electric company could take hours to repair it, but no immediate danger
12:13 – Report to Miniyee, who tells the neighbors
12:14 – Hungry, tired, thirsty, and not wanting to trek up all those flights of stairs immediately, head off to Wawa with Chuck
12:15 – Grow excited that the Hoagiefest deal should have switched at midnight from cheesesteak to turkey
12:17 – Meet Penn grad student who lives in building also going to Wawa, exchange pleasantries and conspiracy theories about the night’s events
12:20 – Get to Wawa. Hoagiefest switch did not happen at midnight. Employees useless and unhelpful. Had to settle for hot dog and metabolism-boosting pomegranate tea (needed for trek back up the stairs).
12:35 – Arrive back at apartment, only to be told the door to the stairwell only opens from inside as security measure; elevators still operational; dozens of people stranded in lobby
12:45 – Crowd gets sick of waiting, calls someone for help
1:00 – Chuck gets sick of waiting for the person called to actually come down, calls Miniyee for help
1:01 – Miniyee goes searching for some company since it’s dark and scary
1:15 – First person called arrives, opens door
1:15 and 5 seconds – Miniyee arrives, with two neighbors. Receives many thanks from Chuck and myself. Her words and smile are gracious, but her eyes hate us and our very existence. Faced with climbing up 18 flights of stairs, I agree with her eyes.
1:16 – Second Lord of the Rings reference made (by me), though at Chuck’s prompting. LED lamp is like the Light of Elendil.
1:17 – Third Lord of the Rings reference made (also by me). Some joke about heading back into Mordor. Stupid stairs.
1:18 – Someone in the group mentions that at least there’s no 13th floor. Trying not to be a Goapy Gus, I decline to point out that the first few floors are extra tall, and the ground floor is at least two stories. I do, however, make a clever joke about Ms. Zarves living on the 13th floor. No one laughs. Exercise must make people humorless.
1:19 – I observe, out loud, that there’s this thing called a “Stairmaster,” and I wonder why on Earth (or Middle Earth) anyone would pay money for it
1:20 – Miniyee makes joke about this stair-climbing being the most exercise she’s ever seen me do. Too winded at this point for snappy comeback.
1:21 – Walk Miniyee and other 10th floor neighbors to their doors and chat for a bit, make sure they’re OK—ostensibly to be gentlemanly (but really to procrastinate imminent stair-climbing)
1:29 – Resume intrepid trek, despite overwhelming urge to set up a base camp and make for the summit in the morning
1:32 – Return to apartment. Thighs hurt.
1:33 – Exchange pleasantries and commiseration with Chuck. Borrow an LED lamp for the evening so as not to injure myself getting to bed.
1:40 – Get ready for bed. Wish shower was operational.
1 minute later at 2:00+ AM – Finally look at clock. Night’s events took longer than thought. Exhausted. Barely remember to make sure cell phone alarm will wake me up, as normal alarm is inoperable. Toss and turn for a bit (no A/C, hot and humid night, just climbed up all those stairs). Finally fall asleep.
6:30 – Alarm goes off. Power back on. Only 84 hours until the weekend.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Our Inauguration
January 20th, 2009. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Inauguration day.
Today I saw a man promise to preserve, protect and defend a living document that counted him as three-fifths of a person until an amendment was added in the back.
Today I saw a man take the reins of leadership of a country in which he could have once been owned as property two centuries ago, in which he couldn't have voted one century ago, in which he wouldn't even have been served in some restaurants or been allowed to sit next to me on the bus half a century ago. I saw him become the most powerful person in the world.
Today I saw a great mind become president as the clock struck noon, as he listened to perhaps the most talented quartet of musicians the world has ever seen--a Jew, an Asian, a Christian and a black man--playing a variation of "Simple Gifts," a Shaker melody whose almost-forgotten lyrics declare that it is a gift to be free.
Today I saw a man offer patent honesty about the challenges face by a nation when offered unadulterated devotion and jubilation by the masses. I saw him redirect our attention from the afterglow of an election to the real work that lies ahead.
Today I saw a man captivate the world by raising his right hand, by becoming not just the head but the real face of a nation that leads the world into prosperity and crisis alike, whose relationships with its global neighbors define the destiny of a planet. Today as tears fell, as leaders and peasants held their breath, as humanity watched a transition and a transformation from over 240 nations and territories, we all heard a man say to world leaders--and really to the whole world--that we will be judged by what we can build, not by what we destroy. Leaders will be judged by their people, citizens will be judged by their peers, and nations will be judged by history on the basis of what we create, what we leave behind, and how well we fulfill humanity's pledge to leave for our children better than that which we ourselves received.
Today I saw a man ready to lead, and a nation willing to follow.
Today I saw a man promise to preserve, protect and defend a living document that counted him as three-fifths of a person until an amendment was added in the back.
Today I saw a man take the reins of leadership of a country in which he could have once been owned as property two centuries ago, in which he couldn't have voted one century ago, in which he wouldn't even have been served in some restaurants or been allowed to sit next to me on the bus half a century ago. I saw him become the most powerful person in the world.
Today I saw a great mind become president as the clock struck noon, as he listened to perhaps the most talented quartet of musicians the world has ever seen--a Jew, an Asian, a Christian and a black man--playing a variation of "Simple Gifts," a Shaker melody whose almost-forgotten lyrics declare that it is a gift to be free.
Today I saw a man offer patent honesty about the challenges face by a nation when offered unadulterated devotion and jubilation by the masses. I saw him redirect our attention from the afterglow of an election to the real work that lies ahead.
Today I saw a man captivate the world by raising his right hand, by becoming not just the head but the real face of a nation that leads the world into prosperity and crisis alike, whose relationships with its global neighbors define the destiny of a planet. Today as tears fell, as leaders and peasants held their breath, as humanity watched a transition and a transformation from over 240 nations and territories, we all heard a man say to world leaders--and really to the whole world--that we will be judged by what we can build, not by what we destroy. Leaders will be judged by their people, citizens will be judged by their peers, and nations will be judged by history on the basis of what we create, what we leave behind, and how well we fulfill humanity's pledge to leave for our children better than that which we ourselves received.
Today I saw a man ready to lead, and a nation willing to follow.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
My Chicago Hotel
I am in the weirdest hotel right now. At times it goes above and beyond the nicest resorts I've ever seen, and at other times it's less functional than a Motel 6. Overall, though, I like it.
When I arrived, I had to take stairs up to the lobby. Not totally odd, but usually there's an elevator or escalator for second floor lobbies. Turns out there is an elevator, but it's carefully concealed. When I checked in they asked if I'd like to partake in the wine reception. I looked around. Turns out, every night there's a wine reception for all the guests, no extra charge! All you can drink! Good wines too. Between delays and horrible cab rides, my 2 hour flight was the center of a trip that took 7 hours door to door. I hadn't eaten in even longer than that, and apparently I got drunk on I-forget-how-many glasses. Pretty swanky for a hotel though. Then, I got a free hand massage! They had a professional at the reception. My hands still smell great, and this was hours ago. Pretty ritzy so far.
Then I went upstairs to check out my room. On the left as I walked in, I saw double-doors with the kind of handles that don't move relative to the doors in which they're embedded. On the right was a single door with a turn-knob. I had to go to the bathroom, so I turned to the right. Almost made a mess of the closet. That's right, the closet doors led to the bathroom, and the normal door led to the closet.
In the closet, where one would expect to find extra towels or sheets or pillows or a bathrobe, is a set of leopard-print boxers and camisole (of matching pattern). I'm going to repeat that. My hotel room contains A LEOPARD PRINT CAMI AND BOXERS.
The room is quite nice. Big comfortable bed, free fast internet, and a giant flatscreen HD TV. Temperature control works great. But then there's no outlet. There are no fewer than 4 phone/cable jacks in the room, but I couldn't find an electrical outlet. I know there has to be one, because lamps are on and the clock works, but I can't find it. Turns out there's one behind the bed and one behind the dresser with the TV on top. Drunk as I was, I rearranged all the furniture in my room. Now everything is back where it was, and my laptop is plugged in. I just realized I'm going to have to do it again to recharge my cell phone, and once more before I leave.
Sitting next to me is a wonderfully functional and beautiful set of glasses on a silver tray with matching ice bucket. I've been up and down every hallway on my floor, and I can say with certainty that there is no ice machine. OK then.
So I'm sitting here in my swanky PoMo hotel room, next to an eternally empty ice bucket, staring at a wall with enough repeating ovals and rectangles to make me consider taking LSD so I'll hallucinate something a little more down to earth. I'm drunk on free wine and relaxed from a fantastic hand massage, confused about the bathroom doors and the contents of my closet, and feeling Chuck's perpetual longing for ice. I see the "charging" icon in the corner of my laptop's screen, and I feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. The free bottled water the front desk gave me is of exceptionally high quality, and I find it quite tasty. Sobriety can't be far away now.
People really like Obama out here.
(Special thanks to Cookie, who made my night by having Chicago-style pizza with me.)
When I arrived, I had to take stairs up to the lobby. Not totally odd, but usually there's an elevator or escalator for second floor lobbies. Turns out there is an elevator, but it's carefully concealed. When I checked in they asked if I'd like to partake in the wine reception. I looked around. Turns out, every night there's a wine reception for all the guests, no extra charge! All you can drink! Good wines too. Between delays and horrible cab rides, my 2 hour flight was the center of a trip that took 7 hours door to door. I hadn't eaten in even longer than that, and apparently I got drunk on I-forget-how-many glasses. Pretty swanky for a hotel though. Then, I got a free hand massage! They had a professional at the reception. My hands still smell great, and this was hours ago. Pretty ritzy so far.
Then I went upstairs to check out my room. On the left as I walked in, I saw double-doors with the kind of handles that don't move relative to the doors in which they're embedded. On the right was a single door with a turn-knob. I had to go to the bathroom, so I turned to the right. Almost made a mess of the closet. That's right, the closet doors led to the bathroom, and the normal door led to the closet.
In the closet, where one would expect to find extra towels or sheets or pillows or a bathrobe, is a set of leopard-print boxers and camisole (of matching pattern). I'm going to repeat that. My hotel room contains A LEOPARD PRINT CAMI AND BOXERS.
The room is quite nice. Big comfortable bed, free fast internet, and a giant flatscreen HD TV. Temperature control works great. But then there's no outlet. There are no fewer than 4 phone/cable jacks in the room, but I couldn't find an electrical outlet. I know there has to be one, because lamps are on and the clock works, but I can't find it. Turns out there's one behind the bed and one behind the dresser with the TV on top. Drunk as I was, I rearranged all the furniture in my room. Now everything is back where it was, and my laptop is plugged in. I just realized I'm going to have to do it again to recharge my cell phone, and once more before I leave.
Sitting next to me is a wonderfully functional and beautiful set of glasses on a silver tray with matching ice bucket. I've been up and down every hallway on my floor, and I can say with certainty that there is no ice machine. OK then.
So I'm sitting here in my swanky PoMo hotel room, next to an eternally empty ice bucket, staring at a wall with enough repeating ovals and rectangles to make me consider taking LSD so I'll hallucinate something a little more down to earth. I'm drunk on free wine and relaxed from a fantastic hand massage, confused about the bathroom doors and the contents of my closet, and feeling Chuck's perpetual longing for ice. I see the "charging" icon in the corner of my laptop's screen, and I feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. The free bottled water the front desk gave me is of exceptionally high quality, and I find it quite tasty. Sobriety can't be far away now.
People really like Obama out here.
(Special thanks to Cookie, who made my night by having Chicago-style pizza with me.)
Thursday, October 30, 2008
It was nice being able to scream as loud as I wanted while walking down the streets last night. I can't do that anymore. I also liked being able to high-five anyone I wanted, whenever I wanted, and have them be perfectly OK with that (hugs too, though under ever so slightly more limited circumstances). Sports bring people together.
Also, DeluxX's Facebook account got hacked by some woman named Patricia who has taken over his page for some reason. That said, the history is still up with only minor editing. I especially like this status message from October 10th: "Patricia has the apt to himself this weekend and can finally watch gay porn without all those judgemental eyes." I wonder which one of them spelled judgmental wrong.
Also, DeluxX's Facebook account got hacked by some woman named Patricia who has taken over his page for some reason. That said, the history is still up with only minor editing. I especially like this status message from October 10th: "Patricia has the apt to himself this weekend and can finally watch gay porn without all those judgemental eyes." I wonder which one of them spelled judgmental wrong.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Rick Blaine and I got to see Henry Kissinger and Robert Rubin talk tonight. I thought it wasn't fair the focus was on foreign policy without much about economics, but both former Secretaries were quite insightful (Kissinger a little more so given the field of discussion). I thought it admirable that with an election coming up, both men emphasized the need for nuance and the complexity of situations. There were no 10-word-answers, no campaign slogans, no X-point plans. There was an honest and frank discussion about the increasingly interconnected nature of the world, and the inability to isolate global problems into silos the way we do in campaigns. They both stressed our need for engagement, investment, and a full-picture view of global issues. Their conversation covered the necessity and importance of diplomacy, the impact investment in our nation (and lack thereof) could have, America's "moral authority," trade policy, and comprehensive approaches for everything from education (domestic and abroad) to foreign aid and providing proper incentives for other countries without letting innocents suffer. Sometimes they debated, other times they clarified and elaborated on each others' points. It was refreshing to see such an intellectual and high level policy discussion where the merits of an argument outweighed politics. I really admire both public servants more now than I did before the evening began.
I was also excited to see Mayor Michael Nutter and Governor Ed Rendell speak before and after the keynote 2-person panel. Mayor Nutter spoke about cities' struggles through the current economic crisis, while Rendell passionately made the case for investment in infrastructure and education (both for early childhood and secondary education in math and science).
All in all, a very inspiring and intellectually stimulating night, and even worth missing the start of the Phillies' first World Series game in 15 years. Here's hoping this one ends differently. It would be nice if the first sports team in North America to 10,000 losses would also be the one to snap Philadelphia's streak of 100 consecutive professional sports seasons without a major championship.
I was also excited to see Mayor Michael Nutter and Governor Ed Rendell speak before and after the keynote 2-person panel. Mayor Nutter spoke about cities' struggles through the current economic crisis, while Rendell passionately made the case for investment in infrastructure and education (both for early childhood and secondary education in math and science).
All in all, a very inspiring and intellectually stimulating night, and even worth missing the start of the Phillies' first World Series game in 15 years. Here's hoping this one ends differently. It would be nice if the first sports team in North America to 10,000 losses would also be the one to snap Philadelphia's streak of 100 consecutive professional sports seasons without a major championship.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
I'm in San Francisco for the week, on business. I was going to post a well-written personal essay about my trip out here and my first day, but then Lord Henry called and I still have half a post. Maybe I'll finish it some day. Anyway, San Fran is a nice place; it's one of the few cities I could see myself living. And it's great to see Lord Henry again.
I thought people might be interested in this tax calculator, in which you input some basic information and it spits out an estimate of what would happen to your tax bill under the Obama-Biden plan (and if you'd be getting a cut, compares it to the cut you'd get under McCain's plan). They don't tell you how much better McCain would be if you make over 250,000 dollars a year, but that's because it's on the barackobama.com site. Despite the bias in what gets reported, the numbers seem fairly accurate (good ballparks) to me based on what I know about both tax plans.
I thought people might be interested in this tax calculator, in which you input some basic information and it spits out an estimate of what would happen to your tax bill under the Obama-Biden plan (and if you'd be getting a cut, compares it to the cut you'd get under McCain's plan). They don't tell you how much better McCain would be if you make over 250,000 dollars a year, but that's because it's on the barackobama.com site. Despite the bias in what gets reported, the numbers seem fairly accurate (good ballparks) to me based on what I know about both tax plans.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
So I just got back from a ridiculous night of drinking and bar hopping with a Managing Director of a mutual fund company and a State Representative, who gave us an awesome nighttime tour of the capital. My favorite moment came as we were all yelling about national economic policy to a bar-provided soundtrack of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." The people you meet in a Harrisburg.
I also can't wait to be home in what I hope is 18 hours.
I also can't wait to be home in what I hope is 18 hours.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
My Central Pennsylvanian Restaurants
Central Pennsylvanian restaurants are totally backwards.
Monday night I was at Penn State visiting DeluxX. We went to a corner bar, called the Corner Room in fact. It looked a pub from the outside. It looked like a pub on the inside. The seats, the wooden tables, the outfits the staff was wearing. Except three things were amiss: there were classic red and white checkered diner place mats on the tables, there was no central "bar" area, and the whole place smelled like a diner. Turns out it WAS a diner. In a pub. Looked just like one, inside and out.
Tonight I went to a diner in Harrisburg. Outside was a classic 1950s diner. Inside it was laid out just like a diner. Except the counter area had a ton of booze behind it, all the furniture was in dark wood, and the chairs were pretty elevated off the ground. It was a bar!
Central PA has to get their restaurants straight. It's confusing me. Does anyone know what's going on?
Monday night I was at Penn State visiting DeluxX. We went to a corner bar, called the Corner Room in fact. It looked a pub from the outside. It looked like a pub on the inside. The seats, the wooden tables, the outfits the staff was wearing. Except three things were amiss: there were classic red and white checkered diner place mats on the tables, there was no central "bar" area, and the whole place smelled like a diner. Turns out it WAS a diner. In a pub. Looked just like one, inside and out.
Tonight I went to a diner in Harrisburg. Outside was a classic 1950s diner. Inside it was laid out just like a diner. Except the counter area had a ton of booze behind it, all the furniture was in dark wood, and the chairs were pretty elevated off the ground. It was a bar!
Central PA has to get their restaurants straight. It's confusing me. Does anyone know what's going on?
Friday, September 05, 2008
My First First Aid Kit
Today I realized I've had the same first aid kit since freshman year of college. It's a small blue and white box my mother got for me. It's running a little low on supplies, but so far I haven't had to replace any yet.
Those of you who don't know me very well might think this is the beginning of a charming vignette, painted with the imagination brush of a guy who doesn't get injured very often. The story could wind up at fond memories of my mother, and how she taught me to take care of myself or was always looking out for me.
Those of you who know me a little better already realize something is amiss. "Wait a second," you think, "this guy can hurt himself playing Ping Pong or Super Nintendo...and in fact has, multiple times! This makes no sense at all!"
But those of you who know me better still are thinking, "This makes perfect sense; he may hurt himself a lot, but he's really bad at finding stuff and remembering where he put things in his own apartment."
Thanks for looking out for me, Mom. You've been taking care of me by proxy, admittedly quite intermittently, for just over 5 years now.
I wonder if this is some kind of record for longest-lasting-first-aid-kit-owned-by-someone-who-injures-himself-as-much-as-I-do.
Those of you who don't know me very well might think this is the beginning of a charming vignette, painted with the imagination brush of a guy who doesn't get injured very often. The story could wind up at fond memories of my mother, and how she taught me to take care of myself or was always looking out for me.
Those of you who know me a little better already realize something is amiss. "Wait a second," you think, "this guy can hurt himself playing Ping Pong or Super Nintendo...and in fact has, multiple times! This makes no sense at all!"
But those of you who know me better still are thinking, "This makes perfect sense; he may hurt himself a lot, but he's really bad at finding stuff and remembering where he put things in his own apartment."
Thanks for looking out for me, Mom. You've been taking care of me by proxy, admittedly quite intermittently, for just over 5 years now.
I wonder if this is some kind of record for longest-lasting-first-aid-kit-owned-by-someone-who-injures-himself-as-much-as-I-do.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
My Visit to Rochester
So I'm in Rochester, NY for my grandmother's 80th birthday. I've got a few minutes, so I figured I'd blog some observations.
The weather here is much nicer in the summer. Right now it's 75 degrees and not very humid at all. It's been bouncing between the high 60s and low 80s. Fantastic. Of course, there's 9 months of winter when it's not summer, but I could see following in the footsteps of the Canadian Goose and spending summers in a more user-friendly climate such as this.
Also, I saw a Quizno's today in its own building. I'd never seen a stand-alone Quizno's before. This may sound weird, but it's true. They've always been attached to something, in a strip mall or shopping center, or at the base of a large building in Philadelphia. And while I'll admit I'm unobservant, I'm usually VERY aware of the Quizno's locations in my immediate vicinity (and if I'm passing one, it usually merits at least a wistful glance and acknowledgment of its presence).
Fine dining is hard to find in Rochester, NY. Though there's one of every chain restaurant ever (slight exaggeration, but not by too much given the Rochester's demographics nearly perfectly represent America's, making it a major test market), the only thing worth writing home about when it comes to fine dining is the complete absence of restaurants worth writing home about. I may include more details in the new blog Chuck and I are starting, which will be specifically about food.
The people here are nice. I always feel like I should be mildly embarrassed while around Rochesterians, who have managed to construct a working city without acting like, well, like people who live in cities. That said, it is a fairly small city with no subway system, but still. I wonder: why are some areas nicer than others? What makes a city populace nicer than another city's populace? It can't be random chance, otherwise most cities would be very close to an average (maybe they are and some people are just good at detecting differences?). I know what can make a place mean, but what can make a place extra nice?
Meanwhile, back on the political front, recent statements from Mr. McCain lead me to ask my readers this: do any of you think he'd be remotely good at handling anything even tangentially related to economics or the American economy? If so, let me know; I've got some posting to do.
The weather here is much nicer in the summer. Right now it's 75 degrees and not very humid at all. It's been bouncing between the high 60s and low 80s. Fantastic. Of course, there's 9 months of winter when it's not summer, but I could see following in the footsteps of the Canadian Goose and spending summers in a more user-friendly climate such as this.
Also, I saw a Quizno's today in its own building. I'd never seen a stand-alone Quizno's before. This may sound weird, but it's true. They've always been attached to something, in a strip mall or shopping center, or at the base of a large building in Philadelphia. And while I'll admit I'm unobservant, I'm usually VERY aware of the Quizno's locations in my immediate vicinity (and if I'm passing one, it usually merits at least a wistful glance and acknowledgment of its presence).
Fine dining is hard to find in Rochester, NY. Though there's one of every chain restaurant ever (slight exaggeration, but not by too much given the Rochester's demographics nearly perfectly represent America's, making it a major test market), the only thing worth writing home about when it comes to fine dining is the complete absence of restaurants worth writing home about. I may include more details in the new blog Chuck and I are starting, which will be specifically about food.
The people here are nice. I always feel like I should be mildly embarrassed while around Rochesterians, who have managed to construct a working city without acting like, well, like people who live in cities. That said, it is a fairly small city with no subway system, but still. I wonder: why are some areas nicer than others? What makes a city populace nicer than another city's populace? It can't be random chance, otherwise most cities would be very close to an average (maybe they are and some people are just good at detecting differences?). I know what can make a place mean, but what can make a place extra nice?
Meanwhile, back on the political front, recent statements from Mr. McCain lead me to ask my readers this: do any of you think he'd be remotely good at handling anything even tangentially related to economics or the American economy? If so, let me know; I've got some posting to do.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
My Random Updates (Jul 08)
Today I saw an unusually large number of people in suits. It was really hot out. I feel bad for them.
Also, courtesy of Yet-to-Pick-a-Pseudonym, the rules of Faceball. It looks extra fun if you have siblings.
Furthermore, my new apartment is fantastic. I'll be back to my more regular blogging soon, now that the move is mostly complete.
Finally, this article on healthy foods has been a NYTimes favorite for what seems like a record number of days now. If a bizillion Northeastern liberals enjoyed it, maybe you will too. It has convinced me to start putting cinnamon on my breakfast cereal.
Also, courtesy of Yet-to-Pick-a-Pseudonym, the rules of Faceball. It looks extra fun if you have siblings.
Furthermore, my new apartment is fantastic. I'll be back to my more regular blogging soon, now that the move is mostly complete.
Finally, this article on healthy foods has been a NYTimes favorite for what seems like a record number of days now. If a bizillion Northeastern liberals enjoyed it, maybe you will too. It has convinced me to start putting cinnamon on my breakfast cereal.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
My PA Smoking Ban
Yesterday, my favorite governor signed into law a smoking ban for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It goes into effect 90 days after the signing date. I'm extremely excited about this, especially since my family still lives outside of the reach of the Philly ban, and since my job might require me to go to Harrisburg periodically for an upcoming project. Everything's coming up Milhouse!
I'm trying not to read too much into how unlucky the dates are: signed on Friday the 13th and in effect on September 11th. Also, it seems a little wrong to be counting down to September 11th to begin a celebration. But it's a Thursday, so that weekend I might go to some of those places in the Philly suburbs I've wished I could go but couldn't. For starters, Macaroni Grill. I know it's probably just another disappointing chain restaurant, but people seem to like it. And every time friends or family have invited me to go to one with them, I've either had to pass or leave early because of the nearby smoking sections.
Which brings me back to one of my favorite analogies: Having a smoking section in a restaurant is like having a peeing area in a swimming pool. Well, no more peeing in my pool! And if you're going to be in the Philly 'burbs on the weekend of September 13th, let me know.
On an entirely unrelated note, a heartfelt Happy Birthday shoutout to Rick Blaine.
I'm trying not to read too much into how unlucky the dates are: signed on Friday the 13th and in effect on September 11th. Also, it seems a little wrong to be counting down to September 11th to begin a celebration. But it's a Thursday, so that weekend I might go to some of those places in the Philly suburbs I've wished I could go but couldn't. For starters, Macaroni Grill. I know it's probably just another disappointing chain restaurant, but people seem to like it. And every time friends or family have invited me to go to one with them, I've either had to pass or leave early because of the nearby smoking sections.
Which brings me back to one of my favorite analogies: Having a smoking section in a restaurant is like having a peeing area in a swimming pool. Well, no more peeing in my pool! And if you're going to be in the Philly 'burbs on the weekend of September 13th, let me know.
On an entirely unrelated note, a heartfelt Happy Birthday shoutout to Rick Blaine.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
My 150th My
This marks the 150th post since I started the theme of labeling posts "My [Something]." Sure, not all of them have titles (and 1 with a title began with "Our"), but I still feel like doing something special. I'm also especially giddy, as there is a state-wide smoking ban for Pennsylvania on its way to the governor's desk right now. But more on that if and when it gets signed.
In honor of my prestigious milestone, I've decided to once again follow in the footsteps of a TV comedy--this time not with a Futurama or Scrubs reference, but with a more general homage to the genre that has brought so much joy and saved me from reading so many books assigned to me by so many deluded teachers. Seriously, though, I'm doing a clips show! Below are links to some of My Favorite Posts. (Notably absent is the one after I found out Scott Adams published a Dilbert strip about me based on a story I sent in; it's not as awesome now that the strip is no longer online--though I do have 2 framed copies.)
Humor:
My Passover Diary
My Ruined Lunch
My Russian Education
My Special Children
My Four Year Old Fashion Column
Politics:
My Advice to John Edwards
My New Mayor
My New Mayor II
Our Children
Grab Bag of Me:
My National Pickup Line Contest
My Cure for Cancer
My Future Toilet
Fun with Links:
My Ridiculous Superbowl Hopes
My Best TV Segment Ever
My Last Question
In honor of my prestigious milestone, I've decided to once again follow in the footsteps of a TV comedy--this time not with a Futurama or Scrubs reference, but with a more general homage to the genre that has brought so much joy and saved me from reading so many books assigned to me by so many deluded teachers. Seriously, though, I'm doing a clips show! Below are links to some of My Favorite Posts. (Notably absent is the one after I found out Scott Adams published a Dilbert strip about me based on a story I sent in; it's not as awesome now that the strip is no longer online--though I do have 2 framed copies.)
Humor:
My Passover Diary
My Ruined Lunch
My Russian Education
My Special Children
My Four Year Old Fashion Column
Politics:
My Advice to John Edwards
My New Mayor
My New Mayor II
Our Children
Grab Bag of Me:
My National Pickup Line Contest
My Cure for Cancer
My Future Toilet
Fun with Links:
My Ridiculous Superbowl Hopes
My Best TV Segment Ever
My Last Question
Monday, May 26, 2008
If I get a new desktop computer, would my readers have any recommendations? I've been going with Dell for most of my life (since the choice has been mine), but in light of this perplexing failure that has affected both hardware and software, despite a fully reformatted hard drive, I'm open to suggestions.
I realize that one hardware problem is hardly indicative of a need to switch brands, especially since this is the 9th or 10th Dell computer I and my family have owned (and I ask a LOT of my machines). But still, I'm willing to consider other options if people have recommendations. That said, Dell's tremendous track record, excluding this failure which I'm only 90% convinced is a problem with the device itself, makes the company a front-runner.
Also, what do people think of Vista now that it's been put through its paces a bit and patches have been released? DeluxX seems to be having quite a good experience with his.
This is NOT an invitation to try to get me to switch to a Mac. I need my Excel, and Excel for Macs sucks (the new Excel doesn't even have VBA compatibility!).
I realize that one hardware problem is hardly indicative of a need to switch brands, especially since this is the 9th or 10th Dell computer I and my family have owned (and I ask a LOT of my machines). But still, I'm willing to consider other options if people have recommendations. That said, Dell's tremendous track record, excluding this failure which I'm only 90% convinced is a problem with the device itself, makes the company a front-runner.
Also, what do people think of Vista now that it's been put through its paces a bit and patches have been released? DeluxX seems to be having quite a good experience with his.
This is NOT an invitation to try to get me to switch to a Mac. I need my Excel, and Excel for Macs sucks (the new Excel doesn't even have VBA compatibility!).
Saturday, May 17, 2008
My Cry for Computer Help
Sorry to use this generally scintillating blog for mundane personal reasons, but I'm using every avenue I can think of. My computer broke (I'm on my laptop). I left for work; it was fine. I come back to a blue screen that says "A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer." Every time I restart, I get that message on a blue screen with a 0x0000007E error (and some other text). I'm currently backing up my files through safe mode, but I'd really like to get my desktop working again without having to reformat the drive and start from scratch.
If you think you might be able to help, please contact me. Whoever fixes this gets some big prize (I haven't decided what yet; the winner can have some input).
[Editor's Addendum: An update and more details on the problem are in the comments, in response to a reader's suggestion, which didn't help but for which I thank him or her.]
If you think you might be able to help, please contact me. Whoever fixes this gets some big prize (I haven't decided what yet; the winner can have some input).
[Editor's Addendum: An update and more details on the problem are in the comments, in response to a reader's suggestion, which didn't help but for which I thank him or her.]
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