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I recently upgraded to a
Blackberry 8700g.
Email, cellphone, web
access, and PDA all-in-one.
I love Canon digicams.
I had an S330, then an S230,
now an SD400. They're solidly
made, they take great pictures,
and they're ultra-portable.
I've gone back to the dark
side. I once again have an iPod.
This time it's a 60gb iPod Photo.
The Dell Latitude D620
is my current work laptop.
It's a cleanly designed
Centrino Duo machine with
amazing battery
life and a nice screen.
My home laptop is a
15" Apple MacBook Pro
dual-booting both Mac OS X
and Windows XP. Hooray for
Boot Camp!
I recently upgraded to a 20"
Dell 2001fp LCD. It has great
image quality, and convenient
USB ports on the side.
My current PC is
a P4 system based on an Intel
D915GAG motherboard in an Antec
Sonata II case. 200gb Seagate
SATA hard drive, nVidia GeForce
6600GT video card, SB Live 5.1,
and NEC DVD-RW drive.
Just like with digicams,
I like Canon inkjet printers. My
i860 is quiet, fast, and produces
first-class color prints.
Not much to say here.
If you're an aviation enthusiast
and you have a fast PC,
go buy FS2004 now.
If you get hooked on
flight sims like I did, you'll want
a good flight controller. The
CH Products Flight Sim Yoke USB
is probably the best all-around
flight controller out there.
It ain't cheap, though....
My Current Reading List
Eastward to Tartary:
Travels in the Balkans,
the Middle East, and
the Caucasus
by Robert D. Kaplan
Falling Off the Map
by Pico Iyer
Great Bridge: The Epic
Story of the Building of
the Brooklyn Bridge
by David McCullough
The Polish Way: A Thousand
Year History of the Poles and
Their Culture
by Adam Zamoyski
Best of Europe 2006
by Rick Steves
2008
October (2 entries)August (1 entry)
June (1 entry)
May (2 entries)
February (2 entries)
2007
July (1 entry)June (7 entries)
April (5 entries)
February (4 entries)
January (11 entries)
2006
December (5 entries)November (3 entries)
October (10 entries)
September (6 entries)
August (4 entries)
July (7 entries)
June (5 entries)
May (7 entries)
April (15 entries)
March (9 entries)
February (7 entries)
January (15 entries)
2005
December (4 entries)November (6 entries)
October (15 entries)
September (4 entries)
August (9 entries)
July (18 entries)
June (10 entries)
May (12 entries)
April (19 entries)
March (18 entries)
February (10 entries)
January (20 entries)
2004
December (9 entries)November (21 entries)
October (9 entries)
September (15 entries)
August (7 entries)
July (7 entries)
June (8 entries)
May (10 entries)
April (5 entries)
March (12 entries)
February (18 entries)
January (9 entries)
| 04/29/2005 10:52 |
| The grown-up's guide to backpacking Europe By Rod O'Connor Special to the Chicago Tribune April 17, 2005 SALZBURG, Austria -- Supposedly Charlemagne dined in this room. Like so much we'd seen and experienced during our more than two months in Europe, this seemed unbelievable. But even more unbelievable was the fact that the three couples—one Irish, one British, one Australian—dining with us at Europe's oldest restaurant were envious of an American couple's travel schedule. It was hard for these folks to comprehend Americans bold enough to take a trip such as ours: eight countries—and 22 cities—over nine weeks. I was amazed the couple from London had never been to Vienna. Or Berlin. Or even Paris. And we had, all in the past month. "So you both quit your jobs; that's quite admirable," the friendly Australian woman said. "And not very American," her husband chimed in. The eight of us had just enjoyed the first of three sets of what I called "Mozart's greatest hits" at a Mozart Dinner Concert in the Baroque hall of Salzburg's St. Peter Stiftskeller, a 1,200-year-old formal restaurant tucked away in the courtyard of a Benedictine abbey. My girlfriend, Jennifer, and I explained that with only two weeks' vacation, quitting was the only way we could embark on a longer trip. A sabbatical or unpaid leave may have been possible, but we decided to cash in and see what would happen next. "You're joking—two weeks' vacation?" the Protestant minister from Belfast said. "We start out with four weeks straight away." Every year, thousands of college kids and young adults backpack Europe, whether it's via study-abroad programs or a post-graduation sowing of the oats. But what about those of us who never took advantage of youthful opportunities? Does that mean our chance to bop around Europe has gone the way of spring break high jinks and all-night fraternity parties—experiences reserved only for the young (we're in our mid-30s), never to return? For most of us, extended travel seems a fool's wish once we enter the working world. But the good news is you don't have to wait until retirement or your first million for an extended trip to Europe—and you don't need to sacrifice your career or deplete your life savings doing it. Taking the time. First things first: Not everyone is comfortable quitting a job to travel. It's scary, to be sure. If you're not the gambling type, ask about your company's policy on sabbaticals; most companies would rather provide time off without pay than lose a quality employee. For those really serious about dropping out, read "The Grown-Up's Guide to Running Away From Home" by Rosanne Knorr (Ten Speed Press; $11.95). Planning your trip. When planning a backpacking trip to Europe, you can craft a detailed itinerary yourself or hire a professional to do it for you—or just wing it. Having neither the time to plan nor the money for a travel agent, we chose the last. We began in Lisbon and worked our way east through Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic before winding back through Austria and Italy, ending in Rome. Our timeline allowed two to four days in most cities, with longer stays in cultural capitals like Berlin and Paris. But this is Europe, so itineraries are limitless. Make a list of places you've always wanted to see, or old favorites you want to see again, and connect the dots. Set a budget and stick to it (sort of). A month or two's worth of hotels, meals and activities certainly adds up, especially if you're newly unemployed, so determine a best- and worst-case scenario based on what you can afford. Outside of big-ticket items (roughly $1,200 total for airfare and $1,400 for our two-person Eurail pass) we settled on $150 per day to cover our lodging (budget hotels or bed-and-breakfasts but absolutely no youth hostels), meals, site admissions (all the must-sees, some curiosities) and other incidentals. But don't be afraid to modify your budget on a day-to-day basis. Splurge on a nice dinner one night, but then grab sandwiches the next. And it's not the end of the world if you go over your per diem to get into the Colosseum or to see a bullfight. That's why you're there, right? Off-season travel offers hidden benefits. Consider Europe in early spring or late fall. Rooms are cheaper, the weather is still mild in many areas, and there's more opportunity to interact with locals and experience the "real" Europe. Plus, the crowds are smaller at Europe's most popular sights. Traveling in November and December, we were free to linger in the Sistine Chapel in Rome, walk right up to the "Mona Lisa" at the Louvre in Paris and gawk at El Grecos in Madrid's Prado. Some tour groups became de facto private tours, just the guide and us, for substantially less than such personal service usually commands. Choose your guidebooks wisely. On an extended backpacking trip you really lean on your guidebooks. They become like a know-it-all travel companion—mostly helpful, sometimes annoying, but in the end you're glad they were there. We chose two: "Rick Steves' Best of Europe" (great for quality budget restaurants and historical detail), which covered 75 percent of our itinerary, and "Let's Go: Europe," which filled in the gaps, and provided vital, quick-hit transportation and tourist information. Younger backpackers may want to go with the Rough Guide series and its plentiful bar and club recommendations, while those with fewer budget restrictions should consider "Fodor's Europe," featuring more listings on high-end lodging and dining. Book rooms on the go. While most adult travelers stick to some sort of itinerary, unexpected twists and turns are part of the youthful allure. But when booking rooms on the go, you soon find that budget hotel quality varies wildly. After a few bad experiences, we discovered Venere.com (sort of a European version of hotels.com), which includes interior and exterior photos, and also maps to confirm your location is indeed "steps away from the City Center." The major U.S. travel Web sites like Expedia.com and Orbitz.com also provide plenty of hotel listings for major European destinations. The only caveat: Some sites charge a penalty for cancellations. Eat and drink like a local. Despite the rapidly dropping dollar, inexpensive meals kept us from tapping our 401(k)s. You can't go wrong, both in terms of price and quality, when you eat and drink like a local. In Prague, that means two liters of fresh Pilsner Urquell and a dinner of pork with dumplings for under $10. And $20 three-course meals, with more-than-respectable house red wine, in Parisian cafes. And neighborhood trattorias everywhere in Italy, where the check often brings disbelief. Was it possible our four-course meal, plus unlimited wine, cost less than $50 for two? Did we get the wrong bill? Was this some kind of mistake? Use your Eurail pass efficiently. It can be a grind, but the train is still the best way to travel Europe when you're hitting multiple cities—no matter your age. (For fewer destinations, or a tighter timeline, Europe's super-value airlines such as Ireland's Ryan- air may be a better option.) A Eurailpass Flexi provides 10 travel days over two months. The key is to utilize your Eurail travel days on longer trips, and buy additional one-way tickets for shorter rides as needed. Plus, most Eurail pass holders get First-Class seats on every train. But be sure to consult your schedule for trains that suggest or require an advance reservation (oftentimes with an additional cost). More information: www.eurail.com or www .raileurope.com. Pack the bare minimum. When constantly on the move, you need to pack light. It's not only easier to lug around your belongings; there's also less to wash at the laundromat or, in our case, the hotel sink. Bring mostly dark colors (they won't show dirt as easily), including one nice ensemble for when the occasion arises, and pack a small bottle of Febreze for in-between washings. Regarding luggage: One durable backpack or rolling duffel plus one day-bag each is the maximum. Don't try to do too much. Overnight trains don't allow for much sleep, and running constantly from hotel to hotel and city to city can take its toll. Blow off breakfast and sleep in once in a while. Save some sights for a return visit. And if you get sick, pop into one of Europe's handy pharmacies for prescription-grade medication. Returning home. We spent our final week in Rome just before Christmas, every piazza lit up for the holidays. It wasn't until our last night, crossing the Tiber River from the Trastevere neighborhood, that it finally hit us we had to return home. For nine weeks we tried not to complain about the small hotel rooms, the crowded trains, the closed museums and the confusing street signs. We had seized our second chance at the trip we'd always dreamed of, and there's no doubt we appreciated it far more as grown-ups than we would have as college kids. |
| 04/24/2005 13:41 |
| The are lots of people who stand on streetcorners in Olympia, displaying cardboard signs that explain why you should give them money. I just saw a guy with a "funny" one. It said "Ninjas killed our family. Anything you can give helps.". The guy was smirking, as if to say, "yeah, I'm destitute, but at least I'm ironically funny.". I couldn't get krw to run him over with the car, unfortunately. Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile. |
| 04/23/2005 17:56 |
| Weekends were made for cleaning house, but I couldn't be sure that I really needed to vacuum. I did anyway, then checked the results to see if it was worth the effort. Mr. Dyson proved that it was necessary.
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| 04/22/2005 16:28 |
| Hooray, I'm inside the carwash. Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile. |
| 04/22/2005 16:21 |
| I'm waiting in line at the drive-thru car wash, watching people at the do-it-yourself car wash do their thing. Some middle-aged guy in acid-washed jeans and white sneakers is spraying the hell out of the engine compartment on his Ford Windstar minivan. Isn't that bad for the engine? There's a short fat woman washing her little old Toyota pickup truck. It's a hunk of junk, but at least it will be clean. Interestingly, I'm the only non-SUV driver in line.... Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile. |
| 04/21/2005 19:37 |
| I found a nice deal on a 1gb PC3200 DIMM at chiefvalue.com, the company that is mysteriously allied with newegg.com. Anyway, it's perfect for my Mac Mini, which seems a little poky with only 256mb RAM. So, I got the 1gb chip, found a putty knife, popped the Mac Mini open, and installed the new memory. Much better. My first Mac hardware upgrade... awww....
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| 04/13/2005 20:31 |
| As I was passing through downtown Olympia this evening, I saw that a store called "Fire & Earth" was having a moving sale. I didn't really know what kind of business "Fire & Earth" was, but their door explained everything:
Fire & Earth Tobacco Rolling Papers Quality Hookahs Smokers' Supplies
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| 04/13/2005 19:21 |
| New icons! (Slightly) New layout! Same great sarcasm! |
| 04/13/2005 12:52 |
| New tile in the kitchen...
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| 04/12/2005 15:41 |
| New tile in the bathroom....
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| 04/10/2005 19:11 |
| It's in the hole!
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| 04/08/2005 19:07 |
| Ann Richards on How to be a good Republican: -You have to believe a poor, minority student with a disciplinary history and failing grades will be admitted into an elite private school with a $1,000 voucher. -You have to believe God hates homosexuality, but loves the death penalty. -You have to believe speaking a few Spanish phrases makes you instantly popular in the barrio. -You have to believe in prayer in schools, as long as you don't pray to Allah or Buddha. Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives. — John Stuart Mill |
| 04/08/2005 14:02 |
| I generally ignore banner ads, but this one is strangely interesting:
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| 04/07/2005 14:11 |
| There's a great story about some genius Best Buy employees having a customer arrested because he wanted to pay with $2 bills, and they thought the bills were fake. “I’m just here to pay the bill,” Bolesta says he told a cashier. “She looked at the $2 bills and told me, ‘I don’t have to take these if I don’t want to.’ I said, ‘If you don’t, I’m leaving. I’ve tried to pay my bill twice. You don’t want these bills, you can sue me.’ So she took the money. Like she’s doing me a favor.” He remembers the cashier marking each bill with a pen. Then other store personnel began to gather, a few of them asking, “Are these real?”
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| 04/05/2005 20:50 |
| I can't believe I've forgotten to write about the greatest kitchen invention since the refrigerator: The Cuisinart automatic ice cream freezer. Basically, you just dump the ingredients into the mixer, turn it on, wait 20 minutes, and then you have homemade ice cream. No rock salt, no ice cubes, just an insulated bowl that you store in the freezer until you're ready to use it. We saw Alton Brown using one on "Good Eats" (he actually had a Krups), and decided we should pick one up at Fry's. It's unbelievably easy, and it produces the best homemade ice cream I've ever had. My uncle comes over regularly just to eat the ice cream, it's so good. Anyway, we are now authorities on homemade vanilla ice cream. Someday we'll move past page 1 in the recipe book, but we're currently enjoying vanilla very much.
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| 04/04/2005 21:06 |
| It's interesting how you can discover who you're really rooting for in a sporting event you're really not interested in. Take tonight's NCAA basketball championship game, for example. I haven't followed the tournament, and I didn't really care who wins (or so I thought). When I turned on my car radio and heard that North Carolina was leading Illinois by 7, I thought "Oh, good!". Just like that, my subconscious told me who I was rooting for. I regularly put this theory to work in baseball games where neither the Mariners or Royals are playing.... Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile. |
| 04/03/2005 19:34 |
| I just played an Xbox Live game of MVP Baseball 2005. While I generally avoid online gaming, leaving that to the l33t haXor5, I have a free trial of Xbox Live and a new copy of MVP 2005, so I figured it might be fun. My opponent immediately picked the Yankees (as the home team), with Randy Johnson pitching. I picked the M's, with Jamie Moyer on the mound. Nothing like two over-40 starting pitchers. The game is a little bit jerky at first, which caused both of us to miss our pitching targets--Randy even threw a couple of wild pitches, allowing runners to advance. I manufactured a run in the 1st inning, with a Jeremy Reed double, a wild pitch, and a Richie Sexson single. Leading 1-0 in the bottom of the second, I left a curveball up too high, and Jorge Posada hit it out to left field. Nothing much eventful in the 3rd or 4th innings, but in the 5th (what, only a 5 inning game???), I manufactured another run with a single-sac bunt-single-sac fly sequence off of Mariano Rivera. In the bottom of the 5th, I brought in Rafael Soriano to face Posada, Tino Martinez, and Ruben Sierra. I got Posada to foul out, then Tino blooped a single over Beltre's head at third. Hmm.... I stuck with Soriano, and it paid off. He got Ruben Sierra to hit into a game-ending 6-4-3 double play (the relay got Ruben by just a millimeter, too). So sorry, Yankees.... |
| 04/03/2005 15:46 |
| The average Dr. Pepper drinker must not be very good at math.... this must be from the "Well, duh..." Department at the Dr. Pepper/Seven-Up Corporation....
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| 04/03/2005 09:50 |
| The new home office sofa from Ikea was delivered yesterday. The delivery was made by Sunshine Delivery - "Your White Glove Delivery Service." Regardless of their slogan, the two hispanic dudes who delivered the boxes weren't wearing white gloves. After a relatively quick assembly, the sofa/couch/bed is in place, and looks good. It's even long enough for me to lay down on comfortably. No arms on either end, you see.... Now to work on conditioning the cats to stay off of it.... |
