I Should Learn to Love Gazpacho

I made a reflexive decision today during lunch.

I was sitting at my computer desk, as usual. I took a big gulp of my Campbell's Creamy Tomato(TM) soup, (which I usually allow to cool for about 10 minutes, so it is sippably delicious).

Usually.

My mouth screamed "SOUP TOO EFFING HOT!" and proceeded to spray tomato goodness everywhere.

In a desperate attempt to save the life of my defenseless laptop PC, I pivoted at the last possible millisecond, spraying the wall, my left shoulder and arm with "Soup, Too Effing Hot".

The computer is fine, though he did hyperventilate for a few minutes there.

As for my poor, frail human limbs.....Good thing I'm right-handed.

Direct From Websters

I'm a bit of a word geek. As I'm going along minding my own business, a certain word will jump out and ask me to look up its etymology.

Today it was 'replenish', which most people pronounce as if there's a T in the middle. (But, my brothers and sisters - there is no T).

Here's the Webster's definition -

replenish

Pronunciation: ri-'ple-nish

Function: verb

Etymology: Middle English replenisshen, from Middle French repleniss-, stem of replenir to fill, from Old French, from re- + plein full, from Latin plenus --

- - to fill with persons or animals

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Is it just my imagination, or is that last line a bit strange? I know it's the archaic form, but still.

I call him Petey Junior

There are two reasons that I like Florida. One of them is the super cute (one might go as far as to say Uber-Cute) little lizards - ranging from 1 inch to 4 inches - that you find everywhere.

They can walk up walls and hang there, relax in the sun and get their nappy on.

As I said, they're everywhere - Including our laundry room. One of the Ultimate Cute baby ones dropped on Cindy yesterday as she was in the laundry room (which is outside on our patio, of all places) and apparently I missed quite the startled yelp.

Doing my own load of laundry today, I met the baby one that surprised Cindy. Aint he just scrumptuous? Cute lil guy.

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Tilty Tetris!! My Opus!

As you may know, I love me some Tetris.

I most certainly do. I was thinking that a version of Tetris where the blocks had weight and made the bottom tilt from right to left would make the game more challenging.

You'd have to adjust the tilt of the piece as it fell, so it would fit correctly. And if the tilt became too great, you might be unable to reach certain areas.

Get a load of this demo pic I made of the idea!...Zang!
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Tunneling to the New Digs

Our View - For the next week, anyway...

Real Life Conversation # 4

"Ugh! Did you just drink out of the Listerine bottle?"

(Swishing Listerine, can't talk) - eyes communicate doubtful look.

"Well obviously not drink. Drink was the wrong word."

(Swishing Listerine, can't talk) - Nod agreeably.

"You know, the cap is like a little cup, so you don't have to drink - er, sip from the bottle itself."

(Swishing Listerine, can't talk) - Focus all willpower to carefully avoid rolling eyes.

"You're thinking that being Listerine, it's a self-cleaning bottle."

(Swishing Listerine, can't talk) - Grin slightly, dribbling Listerine down chin and onto shirt....Dammit!

Yabba Dabba Doo, Bitches!

Dear U.S. Surgeon General,

Hello. I'm sure that somewhere online or in some paper pamphlets you warn against suicide, and suicidal tendencies.

Just a thought - You might want to put something in there about the positive and powerful effects of caffeine.

Maybe something like: "If you're considering jumping off a bridge or slitting your wrists - stop by Starbucks, toss back a few double expresso's, wait an hour and give it a second thought."

I think that we'd see a glorious decline in ill-considered suicides.

Thanks,

MC Etcher

Nothing happened. Not a thing.

Have you tightened the screws, bolts and other fasteners holding your desk chair together?

Have you done it lately?

You should do it now.

Why?...Uh...No reason. I just care about you guys, that's all.

It's my own fault

I did my bit of web surfing this morning, then went out for an errand, and came back home to find the internet connection "no workie" (as we say in the high-tech biz).

Some folks may have picked up the phone to their cable company at that very moment, but I like to cover all my bases before I call for help. Is the problem a loose cable? A bad cable? A conflict between the LAN and wireless connections? Is Ad/Spyware hijacking my connection? Is my PC's ethernet port dead?

After almost an hour of trying to solve the problem on my own, I called Adelphia - only to discover a message saying the entire area was suffering internet 'no workie' and that they were working on it, and not to complain about it because they already know, dammit, and they're working on it, OK?

Those people who walk into a store an instantly ask for help (often leaning over the very product they're seeking to ask for it) or who won't even take a moment to make sure a problem isn't their own doing get on my nerves. So I try not to be one of those people.

What makes it more annoying is when you do call for tech support, they have to ask stupid questions like "is it plugged in?" and "is your electricity working?" and "are you a moron?" because so many people are intentionally dim. (As compared to a good person who just doesn't know how things work - I'm fine with these people).

Next time, I guess I'll call before spending an hour trying to fix it. Thpptt.

In the buff, as they say

Last night, mere minutes after we turned off the lights to go to sleep, there was a bright flash from outside.

He: Was that lightning?

She: I didn't hear any thunder.

He slips out of bed and leaves the room, returning a minute later.

He: It's not raining. I don't think it was lightning. I unplugged everything just to be sure.

She: Good. Maybe it was an alien spaceship?

He: I thought about that as I was crawling naked under the computer desk to unplug it. And how the aliens would laugh - that the brave human male was cowering nude under the desk when they beamed him up.