September 28, 2003

Too much dynamite (or is that too little?)
Category: Misc.

This came up at dinner the other night. It is the story/video of the time that Oregon tried to blow up a whale that had washed up on its shores. It's worth a watch (if you are one of the couple people on the internet that hasn't seen it).

Posted by Stephen Speicher at 08:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 27, 2003

Two fun games wasting too much time.
Category: Fun

Thanks to Jennifer I have wasted more of my life. ;)

One

Two

Posted by Stephen Speicher at 01:40 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Two owners, three owners, everyone owns these books.
Category: Misc.

I thought that this was pretty cool. You register your book and just leave it somewhere. Then you watch where it goes. I wouldn't recommend leaving the book at the airport though. ;)

Posted by Stephen Speicher at 01:34 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Too many days without posts
Category: Site news

I've been told to get off my duff and post. Apparently, I have an "obligation" to my "readers." Sorry, I had no idea. ;)

Posted by Stephen Speicher at 12:28 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
September 18, 2003

Too young to die
Category: People

This weekend marks the first anniversary of my father's passing. I could never put into words the sadness that comes with losing a parent. So I will simply say that I miss him. I miss him a lot.

We had just navigated that difficult transition between parent - child to friend - friend, when cancer struck and he was ripped from this world all too suddenly. With all the nasty, evil people out there, I can't believe that a man with such intelligence, such honestly, and such a moral compass needed to be the one to leave.

If you have a parent, tell them you love them. If you have a child, hug them. Make them feel secure. Life is too short.

Posted by Stephen Speicher at 09:34 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
September 17, 2003

Too much about me
Category: People

  • I'm 6'3" 195 lbs. I have blond hair and blue eyes.

  • I'm not as good looking as that sounds.

  • I have particularly tight calves, but I can now do a downward facing dog.

  • I have never cheated on anyone, but I have been the victim.

  • I miss my father.

  • .. but I don't miss all of the interactions that we had.

  • If I had not met my wife when I did, I would have a very different life.

  • I have no tolerance for stupidity. This sometimes gets me in trouble.

  • I watch a lot of TV and I don't feel the need to apologize for it.

  • I am an intellectual bully. If I sense blood in the water, I have the tendency to attack.

  • I have a talent for making people look and feel stupid. I do feel the need to apologize for this.

  • I judge people by the look of their face.

  • I don't judge people by their race, creed, color, or gender.

  • I was both born in and want to name my daughter Savannah.

  • I finished Calculus as a Junior in High School.

  • I sing "Happy Birthday" twice when I wash my hands.

  • I love to write, but I don't love to read.

  • I am a grammar snob, but I wasn't one until I studied German.

  • I have been to more Bar Mitzvahs than any other religious activity.

  • I'm not Jewish.

  • That doesn't stop me from using a lot of Yiddish words.

  • I have a nonfat latte nearly every morning, but I don't suffer from caffeine withdraw.

  • I was never spanked (as a kid).

  • I like to sleep on my stomach.

  • I have been known to discuss books that I haven't read.

  • My body snaps, crackles, and pops more than it used to.

  • I am fascinated by other walks of life.

  • My concept of rich is being able to buy the $47 hamburger at Disney World without thinking twice about it.

  • I only have a handful of friends, and I really don't care if I get more.

  • I believe that marriage is forever, but I do have a prenup.

  • I hate to get calories from liquids. It seems like such a waste.

  • There are few words that bother me more than ointment.

  • I make my bed every day.

  • It bugs me when people say transpired when they meant to say happened.

  • My motto is often "If you're not burning fossil fuel, you're not having fun."

  • I eat sushi at least once a week.

  • Until I was 20 I thought that the phrase was "For all intensive purposes."

  • I chuckle when I hear people say sanscript.

  • If I were to wake up with amnesia, I would think that I was 24 years old.

  • My life is where it is because of a handful of events. The rest was just preparation for those events.

  • When I wear long-sleeved shirts, I nearly always roll the sleeves up (three rolls on each side). This is for comfort not symbolism.

  • It amazes me that in this day and age ANYONE would still have a mullet.

  • I don't keep too many secrets from my wife.

  • I don't keep too many secrets from myself either.

  • I can't trill and I really really wish that I could.

  • I am both colorblind AND very allergic to poison oak and raspberries. The combination seems unfair to me.

  • If I could make one part of my body longer, it would be my tongue.

  • My hair is thinning a bit on top, but I don't seem to be all that bothered by it.

  • Most of the time I can't decide if I am an optimist or a pessimist.

  • I get very cranky if I go more than a couple days without sex.

  • I am a dog person, and I really don't see why anyone would be a cat person.

  • I hate it when teetotallers say "I just don't like the taste of alcohol."

  • I hate it when people overpromise and under-deliver.

  • I always say "Have a great day" to people who have served me something.

  • I think that employers should pay their employees more and discourage use of the tip jar.

  • I am a moral, honest, and fair person, but according to my aunt I am going to hell because I haven't accepted Jesus.

  • I love a good massage.

  • OK. I even love a bad massage.

  • I usually forget to send away for mail-in rebates.

  • I can't remember the last product with which I was completely satisfied.

  • I do believe that Diet Dr.Pepper tastes just as good as the original.

  • At the end of the summer, I am really looking forward to rain.

  • I don't tan worth a damn. I burn very very well.

  • I get my hair cut at Supercuts.

  • I am filled with useless trivia.

  • When I play sports, I am nearly always better on defense than offense.

  • When I was a kid I broke both my arms at once. Let me tell you how much fun going to the bathroom was.

  • I sometimes play peek-a-boo with kids on airplanes. I always forget that they never get tired of it. I do. I get really tired of it.

  • I can't imagine having a kid, but I can't imagine not having had kids. I need a dog.

  • Every Thanksgiving my family goes to a movie. It's my turn to pick this year, but my sister will dispute it. This is because of the infamous trade of 99. Don't ask.

  • I am a geek.

  • I proposed to my wife two and a half months after we began dating.

  • I asked for her parents' permission first.

  • I cry during sappy movies. I cry during sappy commercials. I don't think that there is anything wrong with that.

  • I rarely go more than 2 days without talking to my mother.

  • I don't know why we are here, and I am glad that I don't. I would hate for life to have a meta task list.


    Posted by Stephen Speicher at 10:48 AM | Comments (14) | TrackBack
    • September 04, 2003

    Too much evil!
    Category: RealityTV

    Wow! Wow! Wow! Paradise Hotel is downright scary. I never really experienced the "High School Clique" thing, but if it is anything like Paradise Hotel, I could start to understand events like Columbine. The only difference is that these people are "adults."

    I really am at a loss for words. About a month ago, Mac described Toni as a histrionic bitch, but we have progressed far beyond that. The "popular" crowd at PH seems to be making a training video for the "scared straight" program. They are trying to break the smart clique with a combination of inches-from-your-face yelling, isolation, threats of violence, denigration, and sheer evilness.

    I don't know what scares me more: do these people not understand what the rest of world thinks of them? or, does the rest of the world not look at them as pure evil?

    The bottom line is that the "popular clique" is jealous of the "smart clique." The only problem is that the PC is too stupid to realize it. As a result civility, decency, and common courtesy have been defenestrated.

    It's like a train wreck and I love it!

    Posted by Stephen Speicher at 10:04 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack