I really like this map, and if you click the satellite button in the top-right corner it will overlay the fire damaged areas with satellite images so you can actually see all of the structures that have been burned. I had no idea how big the fires were until this link came along.
4000 photocopies Some OCD modest mouse fans have made the coolest music video ever... The whole thing was done frame by frame by hand and then laced together afterwards. So many photocopies!
Alive grlanachronism6 and I have returned in one piece from Seattle... Pictures with detailed explanations and stories to come soon, so for now enjoy our most myspace-esque picture.
It sneaks up on you. Slight update, the tumors were almost positively benign, I'm just waiting for blood work to come back and I don't want to be touched by creepy doctors ever again.
On an unrelated note, I've had a lot more time lately and I've sorta slipped back into playing WoW. I'm not exactly pleased to be playing it again for the most part, but on another level I'm glad for the distraction. I know I'll never be able play it on the level that I used to, but the steely addiction so conveniently glazes over empty time spent in front of a computer. After I finish off my gear I'm going to start doing arena PvP. It feels so pointless to raid because I just don't want to devote the time to it, though I will miss being able to see the cutting edge content.
It needs to be summer so that I can just go hiking or something at night without freezing to death. I think I'm going to start doing as much hiking as I can, though when I go off into the woods all solo-like I end up thinking way too much. May haps I need to find a good active hobby in the city, but I'm completely stumped as to what that could be beyond something like racquetball or perhaps badminton.
I found the fatal flaw in text messages I found out this morning that if you send more than 300 text messages to a nokia phone at once it crashes... a replica SQL server broke, and instead of calling me once (it does a full ring every time a text comes in), it called me over 300 times and crashed every time I finished deleting about 50 messages because it was trying to receive more.
Man, my thumbs haven't been this tired since Duck Tales came out on the 8-bit nintendo. If anyone needs me, I'm the guy standing in the corner looking really tired and wishing he had some strong coffee. Two more days until I'm not on call anymore, WOOOOO!
We need more Big Macs. This link got me thinking this morning because no one is around for me to pester.
Between 2000 and 2003 the rate at which teens had gastric bypass surgery tripled from a fairly flat trend in earlier years. There's not enough collected data from the years since then, but I'm fairly positive that the rate has increased even further. I have no problem with gastric bypass surgery in and of itself, though I do have an issue with it being used on teenagers. I don't feel that it's right to slice a teen open and band their stomach instead of teaching them proper eating habits and getting them to exercise. Even in the rarest of cases it can be argued that waiting until after they have reached adulthood would be better. During formative years the metabolism shifts wildly and it's safe to say that even some of the heavier kids slim down as they reach adulthood. While there seem to be only the most minimal of health risks associated with teen gastric surgery, my concern is that they aren't learning better eating and exercise habits. Having watched cousins go through this surgery through admittedly jealous eyes I can affirm that the patient is likely to revert back to their astounding largess. My evidence is anecdotal, but that being the case I've still watched three different people go through it from three very different families. In each case I was witness to the person involved eventually reverted back to a state of obesity. In total honesty, only one of the three patients even made it into the overweight category from obese. If this surgery was a last resort worthy of putting people under a knife you wouldn't see people ballooning back to their original weight within months.
The sad thing is that I can really relate to the desire for the easy way out that comes out of the shame and social awkwardness that an obese teen feels; I was overweight or obese from the time I hit puberty until, well, two or three weeks ago according to ye olde BMI index. The person that is obese feels trapped and isolated and quickly loses the notion that the state they are in is their fault. People may feel that they are obese for some reason out of their control, but even if genetics and metabolism are against someone they can still make it out of their rut with exercise. I'm no exception from this rule, my resting heart rate is close to 40 beats per minute and I have an astoundingly slow metabolism. You know what I do? I eat less. The surgery is presented as a last resort, but even presenting it as a last resort to a teen allows him or her to entertain thoughts of an easy solution to a lifelong problem instead of finding out just how hard it is to sweat those pounds out on an exercise machine. I think that in our complacent society we forget that our bodies require work to maintain. If teens weren't given the option of having this surgery in the first place, would they try harder to change? If the only way for you to fit in to society is to change yourself through hard work, eventually you'll either give up or give in, and that seems like a better option than getting gutted like a fish.
Maybe I'm being cocky, maybe my weight will go back up and I'll feel foolish for having this opinion. For some reason even typing that feels laughable though; I absolutely crave the time I spend at the gym and both my eating habits and more importantly food-type preferences have shifted wildly over the last year and a half because I took the time to re-train myself regarding food consumption and exercise.
One day I want to have a management position somewhere just so I can plan out events like having a man run around in an ape suit while getting shot at in front of children. Poor ape man. God I love Japan sometimes.
Spin class For any of you that feel like becoming a bit of a fitness nut, I recommend that you give spin class a shot. My dad has been bothering me to go with him for over two months and he finally caught me unawares this morning around 8.
I got there and found my bike. Spin bikes are are super thin and sorta precocious. The instructor sits on a mythical bike-throne devoted to her raw power at the front of the class and yells at everyone. After she's done making you feel like a fatty she has you do things like jog on the pedals with the tension turned up. The worst part of the exercise is a little maneuver that involves almost touching your head to the handlebars with your butt off of the seat while pedaling as hard as you can. It's a serious ab workout. Overall It was a 55 minute gauntlet that netted almost 1100 calories burned. I went through two bottles of water and I was still thirsty after it was over. My legs feel like someone cut them open and put searing hot stones inside. On top of that I feel sorta sick to my stomach, but goddamn that was a workout! Also, I think that the seats on those bikes are designed to either violate or sterilize you. My two best friends may never recover, so I'll have to buy them a little sweater or something to make up for it.
Now I sort wish I was still asleep because I'm wide awake and no one else is around.
Interesting! I love these quizzes that somehow strike a chord. They're just vague enough to ring true. Unless this is some sort of bizarro universe where I'm readable like a book... but I can pretend that's not the case! It's like talking to a phony psychic for free.
Justin's Existing Situation
Working to improve his image in the eyes of others in order to obtain their compliance and agreement with his needs and wishes.
Justin's Stress Sources
The existing situation is disagreeable. Feels lonely and uncertain as he has an unsatisfied need to ally himself with others whose standards are as high as his own, and wants to stand out from the rank and file. This sense of isolation magnifies the need into a compelling urge, all the more upsetting to his self-sufficiency because of the restraint he normally imposes on himself. Since he wants to demonstrate the unique quality of his own character, he tries to suppress this need for others and affects an attitude of unconcerned self-reliance to conceal his fear of inadequacy, treating those who criticize his behavior with contempt. However, beneath this assumption of indifference he really longs for the approval and esteem of others.
Justin's Restrained Characteristics
Circumstances are such that he feels forced to compromise for the time being if he is to avoid being cut off from affection or from full participation.
Wants to broaden his fields of activity and insists that his hopes and ideas are realistic. Distressed by the fear that he may be prevented from doing what he wants; needs both peaceful conditions and quiet reassurance to restore his confidence.
Willing to become emotionally involved as he feels rater isolated and alone. Egocentric and therefore quick to take offense, though he tries to avoid open conflict.
Circumstances are restrictive and hampering, forcing him to forgo all joys and pleasures for the time being.
Justin's Desired Objective
Needs a peaceful environment. Wants release from stress, and freedom from conflicts or disagreement. Takes pains to control the situation and its problems by proceeding cautiously. Has sensitivity of feeling and a fine eye for detail.
Justin's Actual Problem
Wants to be valued and respected, and seeks this from a close and peaceful association of mutual esteem.
Justin's Actual Problem #2
Disappointment at the non-fulfillment of his hopes and the fear that to formulate fresh goals will only lead to further setbacks have resulted in considerable anxiety. He is trying to escape from this into a peaceful and harmonious relationship, protecting him from dissatisfaction and lack of appreciation.
I took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test!
"Needs a peaceful environment. Wants release from s..."
I blame raquetball for all of my failings in life This is the third time I've rolled my damn ankle in a year. Ever since I tore it apart when we were living in salt lake it's become progressively easier to roll. I wasn't even moving wierd when it happened. I simply moved sideways to get the ball and rolled right over and fell down.
Last time the doctor said that we may need to look into surgery to shore up the tendons and ligaments... I'm not excited to tell him about this dirty little escapade. If I end up having to experience invasive surgery because of a single stupid night in salt lake.... ugh.
It's thankfully not swollen anymore, but it left me with a nice reminder that I'm the kinda person meant to stay in the kitchen instead of going outside.
( Boring picture of my cankles. ) I guess someone needs to be the gimp eh? All I need is a mask and a latex zipper suit.
So much tequila Oh god what have I done? The world is making me sick. Alcohol is bad for you, albeit fun. In an attempt to quell this hangover I took a quiz:
I am a psycho who wants to live in a cabin in the woods! How did the internet find out!?
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stnkymnky's journal
