WolframAlpha

This is really amazing.  Tomas forwared this--he's out of commission since breaking his foot on the kiddy ramp in PA.  Now he's been spending far too much time combing the interweb for entertainment.  But this looks like much more than entertainment.  No point trying to explain:

http://www.wolframalpha.com/screencast/introducingwolframalpha.html

I've lost touch with almost everyone over the last year or so, but everything's going exceptionally well--despite all viral and economic panicking.  I don't pray much, but I do pray for the zombie infestation.  One day maybe we will finally make a virus that turns humans into mindless, flesh-eating beasts with no pain receptors.  Until then, it's business as usual in Houston.  Almost.

For all dusty, balmy, polluted air, flat landscape and hordes of homeless people loitering around the methadone clinic, Houston has been good to me.

This marks the second week at the new job and I couldn't be happier with it.  It's a multi-modal clinic called Advanced Diagnostics, just south of the med center.  The radiologist is an old, semi-retired Indian guy named Dr. Jingrhan and there's just no way to piss him off outside of misinjecting a patient.  The people are helpful and so far i haven't found the "uptight" person, which means it might be me, but at any rate, there's no one breathing down my neck here because I'm the only nuc med tech here!  

There's a ton of paperwork to get in order for upcoming state inspections (kinda scary), but it's a small price to pay for these conditions.  Still working at St. Luke's in the evenings and have recently upgraded to 3 movies at-a-time from Netflix, so i can watch all the Japanese gangster movies ever made in 1/3rd the time.

That's about it.  Except the guts of my muffler blew out onto the entrance ramp of 288 the other day and the bike sounds like an angry beast now.  

Holy Crap

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/blaise_aguera_y_arcas_demos_photosynth.html

A talk from TED.....a website and organization I am sure you all are familiar with.....this one is so....Jeeezzzz...
I don't even understand all the possible implications/opportunities/potential.

How To Be A Successful Evil Overlord

All bumbling conjurers, clumsy squires, no-talent bards, and cowardly thieves in the land will be preemptively put to death. My foes will surely give up and abandon their quest if they have no source of comic relief.

How to be a Successful Evil Overlord by Peter Anspach

I am falling in love.

P042309PS-0831
Originally uploaded by The Official White House Photostream

This flickr page make me all gushy inside.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/

The soothing beauty of a made bed.

I never make my bed. I find the rumple of covers/clothes/towels that generally resides atop my mattress pleasant to burrow under and thrash around in when the time for sleep comes. This is a long-time habit, and unlikely to change soon.

However, since May has snuck up and blind-sided me, and i find myself with 58% or so of my stuff in boxes, or staged, ready to box in my living room, no lease signed and 4 days or so to find somewhere to (a) sleep and bathe and (b) put my stuff i find i can fully appreciate the island of crisp, calm serenity and declaration of control that is a neatly made bed.

Similar to my long-time refusal to make my bed i have had a habit of believing that i have accomplished the things i think about for too long. Having now thought about where i want to live next for entirely too long, i guess i figured i had already sorted it out, and am scrambling. In an odd way it is kind of fun. If push comes to shove i have a friend i can crash with for two weeks or so, and a line on a room (think B&B) i can finagle for two more. I know i can rent a pickup for $20 a day, so i can start ferrying my meager possessions to either a storage facility or a new apartment.

There are two viable options, one available immediately (the responsible choice, but lacking something) and one slightly later (quirky, but not everything i am looking for). So, i squirm on the horns of dilemma: settle and take the 'right now' place, or hold out for something better.

Whatever happens i am enjoying the scramble as it takes me a bit out of myself, a thing sorely needed.

I hope all readers of this periodic blog are well, happy, and know where they are gonna put their stuff.

Hannah's birthday rap

Here is how cool my daughter is.
She made a rap video for her friend Sunshine's birthday.