Monthly Archive for February, 2007

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Facebook

Published on February 16, 2007 in advice and personal news. 0 Comments

Dry Alert! The following content is not meant to be funny or entertaining. Simply informative.

Lately I’ve been bolstering up my account on Facebook with photos and such. I’ve used it in the past, but I stopped for a while because only a few people I know have been using it. Now a few more have joined and I discovered that it has all sorts of features that knock the socks off MySpace.

With MySpace, you have a page, your friend has a page, you have photos, your friends have photos, but they are entirely separate from each other except for the occasional comment. Facebook’s system allows much greater integration, especially with its tagging system. If I write a note or upload a photo that is about or contains someone else in my Facebook friend list, I can tag it with their name, which means that a link is created on their profile. From one friend’s page, I can see all of the photos that anyone has that contain this friend.
The feed feature is great too, which gives a list of everything that has effected their page recently: comments, new photos, other photos that have been tagged with your name, even blog items from your external blog.

The entire system is much more interactive.

There is also much more fine tuned control with respect to what people get to see what information in your profile.

Also, check out their awesome text message interface for adding friends, changing your status, posting comments, etc, all from your cell phone.

In the past, Facebook was only open to students of certain colleges and universities, but a few months ago it has been opened up to everyone.

Check out my Facebook profile and create your own profile. That is not a request, it is a demand.

Rock Climbing, Part Deux

Published on February 13, 2007 in personal news. 1 Comment

Last night I went rock climbing again. This time it wasn’t just fun, it was awesome! I don’t know what was wrong with my not being able to climb a 5.6 last time. I climbed a couple of them with no problem. I would have tried a 5.7, but I had to leave prematurely for a meeting. I signed up for a month pass.

I can feel my atrophied muscles start to regenerate.

Columbia Roads

Published on February 12, 2007 in Why?. 0 Comments

For anyone who has driven in Columbia Maryland before, you know exactly what I mean. There is never a road that goes directly from where you are to where you are going. Every route to your destination is indirect. It is also the only city I have ever driven in where you can be driving on Columbia Gateway Drive, and when you reach a “T” you have the option of turning right on Columbia Gateway Drive or turning left on Columbia Gateway Drive. Several streets are shaped like lassos. The city looks like spaghetti.

The Men Pen

Published on February 11, 2007 in Why?. 0 Comments

So I don’t very much like to visit MySpace with my laptop when I’m in public. It may seem like a very strange statement, but it is true. You see, MySpace uses targeted advertising. They give different people different advertisements based on what you have set in your profile. While in theory it is good (I am unlikely to get advertisements for feminine products or Polydent), sometimes I feel that they are making too many assumptions.

Back to why I do not view MySpace in public: gay porn. Well, it’s not pornography per se, but I don’t feel comfortable with a stranger standing over my shoulder seeing what could easily be mistaken for something grossly inappropriate for a public place. Sure, there is uderwear coverage or strategic placement of arms and such, but why assume that because my “sexual orientation” field is set to “gay” that I am interested in dating/hookup/escort sites? Should they not also look at the field for relationship status? I’d much rather receive an advertisement for, oh, say a cookbook or a car. They do know that gay people drive cars, too, right?

Today I went to MySpace and saw and advertisement out of the corner of my eye for what I thought was lipstick. Upon closer inspection, I saw that it was for a cosmetic product called “The Men Pen“.

Yes, all gay men everywhere wear makeup and cruise for sex all the time.

Rock Climbing

Published on February 10, 2007 in personal news. 0 Comments

When I was in high school I went rock climbing a few times. I did not enjoy myself. Even though I had lots of exercise from walking, riding a bike (didn’t drive a car for much of high school), hiking, etc., I never really enjoyed any sports that took a great amount of dedication and control. While downhill skiing and kneeboarding took some fine control, they could easily be dropped for several months and started up again without any problem. I was quite a nerd, keeping mostly to academics, class and club offices, and playing with my computer.

The past few years I have lived in the suburbs, and have grown rather sedentary. I do go to the gym at least once a week, sometimes more, but I find it to be mind numbing and claustrophobic. That’s where the phrase ‘running in place’ comes from. After a short while, I can’t exercise anymore. Not because I can’t physically handle it, but because I am bored to tears. I started copying television shows to my iPod to take with me, so I have something to pass the time. It just causes me to find the shows extremely boring. It backfired like my own little Clockwork Orange therapy.

Rock WallI’ve been getting the itch lately to get out and do stuff again – skiing, hiking, wind surfing. The past few months my cousin Alison has been rock climbing, and a few days ago I thought “hey, why not try again?” So last night after work I went with her. I think I fared rather well. I climbed up a 5.5 first (I think that’s the easiest they have). No problem at all. I must have reached the top in less then thirty seconds. So next I tried a 5.6. I made it nearly to the top twice, but I couldn’t finish. I tried a 5.6 at another location and managed to touch the top whatever-it’s-called but not grab it with both hands. My forearms hurt from gripping and I had to quit. Only so much grip is required with a computer mouse.

The entire experience was thoroughly humiliating, but it was still fun. I think the biggest difference between now and high school is that now I’m not scared of humiliation. I am going to go back on Monday. A few more times and I’ll have the hang of it.

Paula

Published on February 9, 2007 in Stupid People. 0 Comments

I came to the recent realization that Paula Abdul‘s American Idol career has been far more successful than her music career. Her debut album was released in 1988, and her last successful release was in 1991. She had a comeback album in 1995 that I won’t even count and a greatest hits release in 2000 that sold less than a million copies worldwide. That’s a four year successful music career. She has been on American Idol since 2002, which is now starting its sixth season.

I think I came to this conclusion so late in the game because I don’t watch American Idol. It’s not that I have anything against a television show that turns out talented but untrained cookie-cutter mega stars, it’s just that I only have time for a few select television shows.

I’m sure many of you have seen Paula’s drunken news interviews. In case you haven’t, here they are. Her publicist blames ‘technical difficulties’. Yes, I suppose getting sloshed is a technical difficulty: it makes everything technically difficult. Even if you think you’ve seen these before, at least take a look at the first one again. Most of the videos circulating the internet don’t include the first part.

THC

Published on February 9, 2007 in advice. 0 Comments

For some, THC is simply the primary psychoactive component of cannabis. For others, it is thermohaline circulation, the circulation of ocean water. To me, THC is The Heather Channel. If you are looking for an amazing way to bring together dull, drab clothing into something truly… spectacular, Heather is always willing to help, even if you aren’t willing to be helped. If your puppy is being disobedient, Heather can show you how kind words and a little patience go a long way to train your best friend. Let Heather show you how to free your innate hospitality be a great host or hostess during important social events such as the Supercup. And when the party doesn’t come to you, let Heather show you how you can turn it around and bring you to the party!

Tune in (nearly) every Monday for a brand new episode in Heather’s great saga. And bring baby carrots.

Telemarketers

Published on February 7, 2007 in Stupid People and work. 0 Comments

A few days ago at work, I received a phone call from someone trying to sell printer toner. He started rambling on about how his company can save us money, blah blah, get the models of your printers, blah blah blah. I interrupted him to use the magic phrase: No, I’m not interested. Put us on your do-not-call list.

Friends season 7 episode 13I use that phrase perhaps once or twice a day. I don’t know if they actually do have a do-not-call list, but it always gets them off the phone in a hurry. This time however, my demand was returned with a very short “Why you gotta be like that? I’m just trying to save you money.” He continued with his sales pitch. I interrupted him agin. “No. Don’t call back again!” to which he responded, “You know what I’m going to do for you? I’m going to put you on everyone’s call list! Hahaha!” Click.

Hmmm… I didn’t want to buy toner from him before, but since he puts it that way…

I wish I had caught the company name, but I didn’t. I tried *69, but I don’t think I got the right line.