Tempest and I have decided to make a pair of Adirondack chairs for our patio in the back yard. We're going to buy unfinished lumber this weekend and then use the local high school's planar and jointer to smooth and size it. At first I didn't like the Adirondack idea, but I started to appreciate that it doesn't have a Californian heritage, but is still quite appropriate for the area. I like having things that remind me of home, since there is no real common culture in the Bay Area. We picked a set of plans that requires more advanced joinery techniques (i.e. dove tail joints instead of screws alone), but I think that's good since we're both learning the skills. Buying both chairs would cost about five hundred dollars. We'll build both of them for under one hundred. This project has us both excited, but now I have the urge to buy a router at Lowes to build another project -- a lumber and sheet goods caddy that can store and organize what I already have sitting on the garage floor. The caddy project requires dado cuts; of course I could buy a dado blade for the table saw but I think a router has more overall uses. What the hell, I'll probably get both of them, but I like to pretend I have fiscal discipline. I can always rationalize, "The more tools I buy, the more money I'll be saving..."

This was too cool, not that the test is great, but the concept!
take the which one of the trading spaces cast are you? quiz!

I took Roo to the vet today to get her teeth cleaned. When I tell people this, they are invariably amazed that I would provide dental care for a cat. The number one response I hear is "Well, cats lived in the wild for thousands of years without getting their teeth cleaned." It's good to know that the anti-intellectualism movement is thriving in America. My response is always "Humans lived for thousands without dental care, why change now?" Still, the point is rarely accepted.

Leading indicators show an increased stress level. Web surfing = lower then normal. Cans of Diet Pepsi consumed today = 8. Bag of chips consumed = 1 (I don't eat junk food normally). Cigarette craving = high (I don't normally smoke). Coding deadline = 5 weeks.

When I was a child, one of my favorite books was the Count of Monte Cristo. In it, the protagonist Edmond is betrayed by his friend, and to a lesser degree, his lover Mercedes. Edmund is imprisoned for years before he escapes and finds a treasure that empowers him to exact revenge. When he discovers certain mitigating circumstances regarding Mercedes, he falls in love with her again. I always wanted Edmond to have Mercedes imprisoned or ruined for her betrayal. Anyway, its been years since I thought about this. I went to the movie adaptation last weekend and suddenly remembered my opinion of Mercedes, which struck me as a particularly vindictive attitude. This is ironic, not only because I have a different attitude now, but because the book's central theme is about revenge, a point I apparently missed fifteen years ago. Still, part of me wanted to yell "Kill the whore!" in the theater. Old habits die hard.

I'm not in school anymore and haven't been for five years (not counting the masochistic practice of going to part time graduate school after work). However, I don't feel mature, at least from the vantage of me. I have more stuff, more experience, more opinions, but I don't feel more narrow, which I had always assumed would happen. I'm still willing to try something new and enjoy the anticipation of the unknown. My biggest problem is keeping constants in my life. I like starting over, practicing, refining, until it's in a state I like, and then I'm not interested anymore. Unfortunately, I'm far too structured. The results of responsibility such as a mortgage, a car, a marriage. These things are good, but they make me feel old. They reduce my spontaneity. Of course, the age of 27 is not old, and that's a little scary. P.S. I'm ambivalent over this type of self absorbed blogging, but I'll give it a try for awhile.

It's a somewhat rare occurrence when I find writing that is truly unique and beautiful. Miles slide behind us. A salmon, sensing the inferiority of Snake Eyes, leaps into the air beside it, leaps again, leaps again, ten pounds of fish jumping five times high into the air -- a bravado demonstration, a territorial declaration. This is, after all, the salmon's eponymous river. John McPhee, Coming into the Country

I've come to peace with Valentine's day. I used to hate the crass nature of day, with marketers trying to convince people to "show the one you love" how much you care. Yes, for only 99 dollars, this lovely heart shaped pendant will show her that you really care. People are aware that the "holiday" is a sham, some just go along to make up for other relationship shortcomings. I never got my wife a Valentine's day gift, until yesterday. I hate the day so much that I refuse to prevent it from allowing me to get a gift if I so choose. Hence, I purchased my wife a lovely bottle of anti-Valentine's day perfume. Next year, maybe I won't get her a gift on that day; I think we'll go to Vegas for Groundhog day. The point is that a good relationship has nothing to do with a single moment, it's the continuum of events that makes it good or bad. FU Valentine!

I'm listening to Tantric. The only songs I like are Breakdown and Astounded. The others don't have the choral vocals and "arpeggios on guitar with overdone chorus effect" that make the band good. Hey, it's my taste. P.S. Apparently it's also Tantric's taste. Two of the three demo tracks they have on their website are the ones I like!

Today, like many days, I've decided that I enjoy life immensely. Ennui is a term that I sometimes fantasize about, but never really applies to me. Why this cheerful post ask ye naysayers? No reason, other then the absurdity of life that provides me so much entertainment. Setting: A conference room where a project is being discussed. Engineer: As you can see, this architecture has every technical case covered. Manager: When can we start using this? Engineer: Today. Me: But what about x, y, z, and this little place you may know called "reality", each of which will take months? Engineer: We'll, you're right... but we're ready today. You can't pay for something this good!

My rib still hurts from snowboarding. I went back to the gym today and could really feel it doing dumbbell presses with the 100 pounders. I don't care; after watching the men's Olympic snowboarding I'm feeling inspired. Perhaps I can break a rib instead of bruise it next time. I will master the half pipe, or at least I'll learn how ride fakie for more then 5 feet in it. Never mind all of that -- I've taken another step towards true suburban male, Dick and Jane, American Beauty ennui with the purchase of gas barbecue grill (I already have a lawn mower). I'm gonna fight the good fight and stay current as long as possible, but it's only a matter of time before I feel like an adult. In a similar manner to the treatment of terminal disease, I plan on preventing the symptoms until my lifespan has been reached. The key is to avoid becoming a father, which is a concept I cannot fathom. Last Saturday/Sunday I slept for over twelve hours. Taking care of the cats pushes me to my paternalistic limits. I come home after 7 pm from work almost every day and cooking a meal that requires more then 10 minutes of effort becomes very optional. Taking care of little uslennar is not a pretty thought. I'll probably have 5 kids when I'm 40 years old...

I got back from two days of snowboarding at Kirkwood. Kirkwood has three "snowbomb", or some such stupidly named, terrain parks. They each have a series of jumps -- a beginner, intermediate, and advanced set. The first day I did quite well practicing in the beginner park. The second day, after listening to an old Iron Maiden tape I found, I jumped an intermediate ramp at full speed, skied the moon, landed roughly, and held myself off the ground by using my face on the slope at high speed. Some nice scratches on my cheek, and a brief moment of evaluating if I had a broken rib ensued. All in all, it was a kick-ass day!