To tell if dinner is too hot for your mouth...

Test it with one of these!

Yep, it's still too hot.

--

The story of my life http://scubajunk.blogspot.com

Samantha Vincent about.me/samantha.vincent

Not to alarm anyone...

But my chai latte has a hint of hot-dog flavor... It is mildly disconcerting, however it did not prevent me from finishing said latte.

I think it's going to be a weird day...

Greening my thumbs and blackening my nails...

No, I didn't miss with the hammer... I'm attempting to grow things in my apartment window!

I got basil seeds for Easter, and they all sprouted :D and I got this poor plumeria as a house warming gift that has been sitting in plastic wrap for faaaar too long... and I finally got soil and planted/repotted them today!

Pardon me sir, but do you have a bucket for my brains?

I made it to the bike store, mostly before it closed the other day...

I was casually chatting with the guy working in the store and offhandedly commented that it was great they were open till 7, when he said "No it's not. It's 7:20!" and proceeded to show me.

Boy did I feel silly, I'm really not sure where that time went... sheepishly I stopped thinking about it and just bought the damn helmet.

guy: "You riding that little BMX bike out there?"

me: "Yes, I think it's a little small for me, but I got a good deal on it at the swap meet!"

He gives me a semi-non believing inquisitive look...

me: "$35"

guy: "Damn girl! No wonder you ridin' BMX, I would be too!"

While paying for my purchase we continued to chit-chat and hearing a story about a girl who had recently been hit and cracked her skull without a helmet, which likely would have been a much less severe concussion with a helmet, re-affirmed the necessity of protecting my own bwains.

I am now the proud owner of helmet that costs almost as much as my bike... but that's not really important, because the contents it will be protecting are priceless.

Hmmm overshot the bike shop?

So I decided to venture out and attempt to obtain a brain bucket... and somewhere in the chaos of shoulder checking, and successfully navigating intersections without getting forcibly ejected into the future I realized that it felt like I'd gone a lot further than I thought I should have to...

Then I started thinking that looking at things on Google maps can be deceiving because when you aren't zoomed in all the way it still only shows the major streets... so maybe it's the *next* the major intersection...

A couple intersections later, I decided I'd like to call a friend.

me: "Hello?" *intersection noise*

friend: "Dude, where are you?"

me: "Out... Are you uh, anywhere near a computer?"

friend: "My phone is *like* a computer, why?"

me: "Would you go to Google maps and tell me if Magliocco is before or *after* Hamilton if you're going *up* Winchester?"

friend: "Are you lost?"

me: "No, I know how to get home... I'm just not sure where the bike shop is!"

I gave up and went home sans helmet, with a five mile bike ride to show for it.  Of course this would be yet another reminder, as to why I normally put the name of the next "you've gone too far" street on my directions...

Time of death: 10:29am Friday May 9th, 2014...

Four years ago a wonderful friend of mine Shazam gave me a set of pens (red, green, blue and black) and a little black book with skulls all over it to document my sailing adventures with my father.

The green pen died today.

That's not to say that I didn't use the green pen as much as the other pens... it just lasted a really really REALLY long time... and somehow despite my trip and multiple moves since returning I managed not to lose it.

It's just a pen, but it's been there through a lot with me.

I've drawn and doodled with it, twirled it around my fingers, and kept it tucked close at hand for notes... but most importantly I've written about moments that changed my life, things I saw that touched me in some way.

Things I want to remember.

Thank you green pen, I hope you are content knowing you served your purpose to the utmost and will always be remembered fondly when I flip back through my own pages of memories.

This little piggy...

Just discovered that these seats on the bus recline... so not doing anything all the way home ;)

--
The story of my life http://scubajunk.blogspot.com
http://about.me/samantha.vincent

May the fourth be with you...

In honor of Star Wars day I bought a new t-shirt, and I'm rocking "the Luke" haircut... or lack thereof.

In fact I like my new shirt so much I wore it for "Revenge of the fifth" as well!

Pleasant surprise!

Since I was expecting a bill, this was so great to get in the mail.

Thanks California!

How hot was it today?

Stitch down! Stitch down!

The storm of the century!!!

At least that's what they were calling it. This post got a little lost, but it still makes me smile so I thought I would share it.

I mean seriously.

Yes, it's a decent storm... but if this is "The storm of the century", then we have at least one a year up in Canada *rolls eyes*

My favorite quote of the weekend was from the cashier at Target:

All friends online are all "Calm down California, it's just a little water..."

Yeeeeesss? Yessss!

The conversation went kind of like this...

So we're going to *grfmahrufle* (Fogo de Chao) are you interested?

me: Sure?

Have you never had Brazillian steakhouse grill before?

me: I don't think so...

It's a meat-fest.

me: I'm in.

What? Really?!? *laughs* You haven't even heard what it's about! 

me: No, but it's food, and I'll eat anything... so yeah, I'm still in.

Okay, I'll try to give you condensed rundown: So they have this really great salad bar, it's amazing, but don't eat *any* of that - it's filler, just a distraction.

Then, they give you this magic coaster. It's red on one side, and green on the other... my husband calls it (in a deep announcer voice) "The meat faucet".

When you flip it to green, guys come out of nowhere! They just appear and start putting meat on your plate! then you have to flip it to red to turn it off.

...

I can now verify first hand, that's exactly what it's like. In fact, I ate enough meat to turn cave man, followed by the full giggles I get after all you can eat sushi. 

It was fantastic.

Some days...

When I asked someone if he was having fun yet. He responded:

Well... it starts with “F. U.”… but it doesn’t end with “N!”

Bet you didn't know...

That this is what $650 worth of "Sign here" stickers looks like!

Ask me again after I've been audited, but currently I believe it's worth it. Especially considering the hours upon hours of tax treaties between Canada and the US I did not have to spend reading, across multiple revisions dating back to the early 80's, attempting to correctly interpret which category I fall into, and which rules apply to me... *inhales*

Now all that's left is the mailing of signed copies to the four corners of Rome ...and the blood of my first born *exhales* 

I think I've just about got this taken care of... *sigh* 

*mutters* stupid taxes.

--
The story of my life http://scubajunk.blogspot.com
http://about.me/samantha.vincent

Musical idea inspires retro clarinet lamp

Check out what we made!

My friend had this wicked awesome idea for a clarinet that would cost more to fix than is currently worth it... so after multiple trips to the hardware store, and taking it apart and putting it together more times than I can count... it's ready!

Ta DA!!!!

Note that in this version the clarinet has not been modified in any way, so if at anyone is so inclined it can be repaired and used again. In another version though I would like to make one that has the light switch be one of the keys.

If you're so inclined, the gory details of the learning process are included here for your entertainment:

We left the mouth piece, and the next top section off as this seemed to be a better height. The piece from the lamp kit fits nicely inside once you've whittled it down a fair amount.

Spray paint the gold pieces before you put it together three or four times...  We found that leaving the flat bit out let the whole fixture nestle nicely in the neck of the clarinet and just felt more sturdy than having it perched on top.

Drilling through the case... I stand corrected, the drill bit will try to roll in the cotton batting, like it's so excited it's never seen cotton batting before roll in it, and then it will eat it all up.

And finally, after you've taken it apart and put it together "a few" times, make sure the light bulb is snugged all the way in before you despair that you've broken it or mis-wired something.

Rainy day distractions

I had great intentions of doing work-related type stuff yesterday, but then I got distracted. This is the result. (You should be able to click to enlarge them Mom - most of them look better like that ;)

Only one with flash that sort of worked

Panoramic-esque

Sploosh!

Waterworks!

Slightly off kilter

This would look so awesome frozen!

Slightly b'jubbled

Crop option 1

Crop option 2 (shhh but I think I like this one better)

Kaplooey!

Don't mind me, just living the fantasy

A friend of mine sent me this from some shop down near LA

Now I know everyone loves Canadians (how could you not ;) but I didn't realize there was such a need to *be* Canadian.

If being Canadian is one of your fantasies, we have a set of instructions you can follow.

Hockey night in Canada

I was listening to the Vancouver - Avalanche game which I suppose ended awhile ago now... and I've just realized that it rolled in to a loop of what sounds like practice ice...

It's relatively quiet, although there are voices in the background. Everything echos a little bit, belying the size of the arena they're in. The slap of shots and the *donk* sounds of the puck off the bar or the deeper hollow sound as it hits the boards... sticks *klacking* and my favorite the *skshhhhhht* of skates making shaved ice.

It's strangely soothing. 

If I close my eyes I can almost imagine watching my friend play. Sitting on a flat, well worn bench in the stands... hot Tim's in hand. Its almost cold enough to see your breath, but the game is exciting enough you don't feel it between cheering them on.

There's more to it, than just using the right words

While messages such as this one (which I correctly received) in my inbox make me smile... and for the most part convey the correct message.

(Click to enlarge)

I am simultaneously appalled at our use of the English language.

By "our" I mean society as a whole.  I say this because whether I like it or not, I have found that my own usage is influenced and affected by those around me. Some of it is local colloquialisms... but sometimes it's just bad grammar.

For future reference

Here's a way to sort drop down lists, the way you should be able to in FileMaker...

http://www.soliantconsulting.com/blog/2012/09/extending-filemaker-pro%E2%80%99s-value-list-sort-capabilities-using-char-function

Look out for those little green leprechauns!

So my friend the music teacher had the kindergarten class today, and apparently they were a little riled up, what with it being St. Patrick's Day and all...

Her: I'm thinking of a word that rhymes with dime, and starts with an "L"

...at which point half the kids in the class yelled out "Leprechaun!!!"

Her: Hmm... No, leprechaun doesn't rhyme with dime.

I think what probably put them over the edge... was coming in to their classroom to find that a leprechaun had come and "trashed" the place in the middle of the night, leaving green sparkles and destruction everywhere he went. 

If everyone did things, just because they could...

Last night I was coming out of Home Depot, walking across the parking lot when I saw a lady  balancing a large unwieldy item, she paused... and I called out to ask if she needed a hand with it (it really looked a little awkward).  She told me she had it, as she stuffed it into the back seat of a laden down 4-door car.

Then she stopped.

She looked up, and said "Thank you. I don't usually meet such nice people when I'm shopping. You just made my evening."

I walked away wishing her a nice evening too... and realized on the way home that I was so shocked by what she'd said, that I'd forgotten to tell her I'm Canadian.

It breaks my little heart, that when people see someone struggling with something they don't stop and offer to help. If she had accepted my offer, it would have taken less than five minutes out of my evening... but even as it was, we both left the parking lot smiling.

Nutritional benefit -1

I'm not sure what my dysfunction is, but I have had no luck getting celery that lasts any length of time down here... 

Ok, well technically it has lasted. But the crunchy aspect leaves more than a little to be desired... I certainly don't eat it for it's nutritional benefits.

I ask you

How is it that the last three minutes struggling through a run, feels longer than five minutes of drinking coffee in the sunshine?

Beware the dark side!

Dark in there it is, take one of these you should...

Brush your teeth you must, or lose them all you will. 

So you had a bad day

There's nothing in this world quite like a bad day... especially the kind where you exhale until there's a vacuum in your chest, and you feel surely that at any moment you'll disappear into the negative space only spoken about in hushed whispers of calculus discussions...

and then an eternity in a second...

before the tears explode.

Breathe.

One of the benefits of getting older, is knowing that this too shall pass...

That whatever it is that isn't okay in my little world, will sort itself out one way or another, and be okay again.

Besides, someone once told me...

"Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end yet!"

"Terrible" has never been so refreshing

Yesterday I was graced with the honest opinion of a disgruntled employee.

After sitting on hold for at least 20 minutes, waiting for dispatch to tell me my shuttle number I walked out into the rain washed air.  It was cool and fresh, and still raining a little - I grew up on the "Wet coast"... so to everyone else at the airport it was raining a lot.

I climbed into the van, and asked the driver how his night was going. "Terrible!" he responded, and then fully explained it when I asked why.

It was very refreshing.

It wasn't the usual, in fact he told me about his frustrations with dispatch... that as a van service he had made three single runs that evening, and that any time he called he had also been on hold upwards of 20 minutes. Which is "unacceptable!" he exclaimed.

I happen to agree.

He was frazzled, and brusque, but despite all of that he was still patient and polite. I could tell that he was trying his best, and each passenger he contacted, he gave directions to find the pick up area.

I felt bad for him, his level of customer service is higher than the company he's working for and it was bothering him that things weren't what they should be... and yet there didn't seem to be a whole lot he could do about it. I respect that he hasn't adopted an air of indifference, blaming everything on dispatch. In a sense he is still blaming them... but somehow it seems more like they deserve it.

2 hours later I got home.

While I appreciate the reminder not to always just smile and give the rote answer that everything is "fine" it would have been nice to get home sooner.

DMV Question...

I'm practicing for the DMV written exam in California, which seems to be pretty much the same as BC. I was going through the sample questions when this little gem came up...

That's the correct answer indicated.

 Now I ask you, how do you know it's a crosswalk if it's unmarked?!?! *scratches head*

So much for using the bike lane, apparently it's also for parking.

Cooking with reckless abandon

Bought this roast forgetting that I had no roasting pan to speak of...

Tinfoil to the rescue!

In case anyone was wondering, it worked like a charm.

--
The story of my life http://scubajunk.blogspot.com
http://about.me/samantha.vincent

Look up!

I noticed this, and got totally distracted by how cool it looked!! I really need to learn how to take better night shots... still... *sigh*

Reminiscing about an operating system

Dear OS'ssss

Having recently been indoctrinated? into the Mac universe, using it during the day at work and my PC at home at night I've had plenty of time to compare the two.

Is one "better" than the other? Not really as far as I'm concerned. They're just different. I can do my job, or whatever it is I'm trying to do using both.

I've found that they each have their merits, different short cuts that are more intuitive or easier than the other, but that goes both ways there isn't a clear "winner".

But today it hit me!

One of the things I realized for the umpteenth time, is that although I haven't used a *nix machine in at least 9 years I *still* miss having the active window be the one your mouse is hovering over... so you don't have to click before you type.

It just makes sense.

Now please excuse me, I have to go Google it, someone probably has a work around.

Awesome is...

Streaming the Olympic hockey game live while working in the US and listening to Canada score *Cheshire cat grin*

GO TEAM CANADA!!!

Yes, spelling *is* important

Mom pointed this out last night in an extremely on-the-ball witty kind of way, and it made me laugh so hard, so I of course embellished it a little further for your viewing pleasure:

It has recently come to light that the American "Right to bear arms" may have been a misrepresentation due to a transcription error... and that in fact the original intent was that every citizen have the "Right to bare arms"

Sorry for any confusion this may have caused.

And elsewhere due to a translation error...

New meaning to "spring snow"

I literally did a double take on the way to get my mail the other day. My body knows what season it is... pretty much everywhere else in North America seems to know what season it is... Cupertino California?

Completely oblivious.

Yeap, even the weather is a little blond down here...

Tales of teaching kindergarten

Now anywhere the class, or a speaking student is indicated... you need to imagine it in a high pitched Cindy-Lou voice, from the original Grinch.

Teacher: Do you guys know Frosty the snow man?

Class: Yeah!!!

Teacher: Yeah? Okay let's sing it together!

Class: "Frosty the snow man... la... la.. humphumpa... hmm.. somethin'... la"

Hmm.

Teacher: Okay, how about we learn the actions that go along with it, to help you learn, and to remember the words.

... "with a corncob pipe" *mimes holding a pipe*

student: what's a pipe?

... "he was made of snow" *mimes packing a snowball*

*pause*

Teacher: You guys know what snow is right?

Class: yeaaahhh..?..

Teacher: Hold up your hands if you've *actually* seen snow.

... righhhht, we're in California, only the Korean kids have seen snow... 

*siigggghhhh*

This isn't usually a problem I have

Well I finally did it, I got all of the ingredients for dinner ready at approximately the same time.

Until I drained the spaghetti...

The look on the little ninja's face said it all "This looks great, but uh... what're you gonna have?"

Yep, that's right... for the first time in the history of making spaghetti noodles, I did not make enough.

A time for every matter under Heaven...

How do you say goodbye to someone who has been a part of your life for longer than you've been alive? I don't think you do... I don't think you're supposed to.

Even as the realization tingles in every fiber of your being with the acute pain of something missing, and the hole that's been left in your heart threatens to cave your chest in and disintegrate everything that gives your body structure... you mustn't let it.

Stop for a moment... Take a deep, if ragged breath, and then take another one.

And know this. This is the moment... the moment in which everything changes. In fact it is from this *very* moment forward, that you must draw from all the good memories you've put away.

Every single one of those memories that are floating around inside the dusty recesses of your mind, that are now tugging gently at your skirt or coattail... don't brush them off, stop for a moment and look at each of them, turn them around, dust them off and remember how they got there.

Don't try to look at them in the darkness of the light that no longer burns, but pause and let your eyes adjust... and you will see that they shine with a light of their own.

 Once you've looked them all over tuck them away, safe in the hole in your heart... and hopefully you'll find that the hole isn't nearly as large as you thought it was.

This is what you save up good memories for.

There are so many things I want to tell you about my Granny. So many things that you would have to know in order to have an understanding of who she was and what she meant to me. But the thing is, I'm not story teller she was... and I'm not sure I can weave this tale together in any sort of pattern right now.

Well to start with, I can tell you that Granny told me with some disdain that she didn't want to make it to a hundred. "Those people are old, and all they do is sit there. I don't want to be like that!" ...and here we are, she would have turned 100 at the end of May.

"I've lived a good life" she always used to tell me. "I have wonderful children who all found good partners, and they're all still together... and they have wonderful children, and I have grand-children and great-great-grandchildren" and then she'd look back into memories that nobody else could see and smile.

She had a beautiful smile.  Her whole face wrinkled up when she smiled, and her eyes twinkled but all the wrinkles knew which way to go. I want to be old like this. Loving, and warm with an air of ancient wisdom. One part pioneer, two parts awesome and one part regally classy like the Queen Mother... when appropriate.

Whenever we spoke on the phone, she could make ten minutes feel like an hour, catch you up on all the important things going on in the family and still make you feel like you were the most important person in the world. No matter what kind of trouble I was getting into Granny would listen carefully and say "As long as you're happy that's the main thing."

She was a wonderful story teller, she was always talking, she loved to talk - got into more trouble that way. She had a way of saying things that no matter how soft or quiet her voice was, it made you stop whatever you were doing and listen. Even if you had already heard that story a hundred times before, or you were no relation whatsoever... time would slow down and you would hang on every word of that story.

She had stories about everything, good and bad... things that just don't happen anymore. But I loved how she delighted in the telling. Her entire body would change when she was telling a story, like she was somehow lighter. I liked that sometimes she told the sad ones too, with a respectful "that's just how it is sometimes".

One of the stories we have about Granny, that makes me ever so proud to be her grand-daughter was when she went down the *big* water-slide at West Ed.

Another one of my favorite Granny moments, was when her and my Aunt were leaving a restaurant up Island and Granny pointed at a motorcycle in the foyer and said to my Aunt "*That's* a Harley-Davidson!"

Well it turned out that the proud owner of that lovingly restored Harley was right behind them, and when he asked Granny if she'd like to sit on it she said "Oh yes please!", and just like that this big hulking 6 foot-something of a man picked Granny up and set her in the saddle.  In the picture of that moment, Granny is grinning to split her face, but the best part of that was after when she recounted the tale of it her eyes would twinkle and she'd end up grinning again.

When my Grandpa passed away, I composed a list of things I remembered about him that nobody else knew... well, these are some of the things about Granny... things I remember from when I was little;

I remember her turning around to me sitting on the dining-room table and saying in a stern voice "Tables are for glasses, not for children's asses" and it shocked me so much that she'd said *whispers*asses*whispers*, that I very nearly fell off!

I remember sleep-overs on weekends, and pushing the couch up against the end of her bed for me to sleep on, singing Robbin-a-Bobbin, and reciting this prayer before bedtime each night...

"Now I lay me down to sleep
I give the Lord my soul to keep
If I die before I wake
I give the Lord my soul to take" 

I remember waking up at 5, and watching cartoons until Granny got up at 8 and made me breakfast... and then let me eat and watch in front of the TV (yes Granny let watch TV for *hours* and it was amazing!)

I remember a round black dog named Binny, because once Granny talked to a vet who unwittingly gave her the advice that if it wasn't going to be a show-dog to "feed it whatever you like" and from that day forward every dog in her life was spoiled with a sampling of the table scraps... or whatever happened to be left over.

I remember walks to the park, even when it was raining... and puddle jumping, she'd call me "Puddle duck" and that it never really mattered what the weather was like, or how wet and dirty I got, we always had fun.

I remember Granny babysitting us as kids, and when Daniel was crabby she opened up the drawer and let him play with all the pots and a wooden spoon.  It was almost as loud as him screaming, but he was happy...

I learned a lot of things from Granny, and I have so many favorite moments that I will probably be writing about them as I remember for the next 30 years... but one of the morsels of wisdom that she passed on came at a perfect time in my life. It was the story about a visit to Northern Ontario with her Mom, Dad and I'm thinking he must have been her fiance at the time, my future Grandfather.

She related the tale with an impish twinkle in her eye... they'd snuck and gone to the Olympic pool, and the two of them had dared each other to dive off. Granny told me that she climbed up and up and up and up, and by the time she was up there, there was no way she was admitting to being chicken and climbing back down so she jumped. The impact of hitting the water stretched her swim cap down over her eyes and face, but she did it!

The next morning, her parent suggested they go check out the Olympic pool... since they were in the area... Granny said when they got there they looked waaaaaay up at the high diving board they'd jumped off of the night before. "You know" she said, "if I'd been able to see that's how high it was I  wouldn't have jumped!" 

That's when she said to me "There are *some* things I never told my parents, and there are some things my children have never told me... *nodding* and I'm alright with that."

Thanks Granny, that's good to know... I'll keep that in mind ;)

I don't want to grow up, but this is how I want to grow old...

When my Granny was 80 she went down the big water-slide at West Ed "The Sky Screamer" which is located 83 feet above the rest of the water park (it's the red one down there, on the left). 

I've mentioned this before, but it's lost in my other ramblings. It really deserves to be told on it's own, so here's the whole story.

She looked up at it and said "I think I want to do *that* one" I'm sure my Aunt looked at her like she was crazy, but said "Okay Mom, I'll be waiting for you at the bottom" and as Granny started up, my Aunt grabbed the nearest lifeguard and muttered "You're coming with me..."

Granny took her time and hiked up the stairs, and waited patiently in line at the top.  While she was up there she watched to see how "everybody else" was doing the big waterslide, and of course modeled herself after the 30-something hunk who crossed his legs, lay down flat and tucked his arms in.

Little did Granny know at the time, that this is the position you assume when you're trying to model a human torpedo... and accordingly torpedoed out the bottom of the Screamer!

My Aunt rushed in, to check her pulse and when the lifeguard asked how Granny was doing, she muttered "better than I am..." *grins* that's *my* Granny.

Later when anyone asked her about the big waterslide and how she liked it she would say "Oh it was fine!" and grin like a school-girl.

Why I love gmail...

For anyone who cares to look, there are little morsels of the human element behind the machine scattered amongst the detritus of automated feedback... things like this that make me smile, because someone just like me put them there.

Apparently it's spring in Cupertino!

I can't believe that after two weeks of decidedly cold weather (not just cold for the area) it's spring at the end of January.

My internal clock is still on Canadian time, and I keep trying to leave the house with my winter jacket on only to take it off as I walk around the corner.

--
The story of my life http://scubajunk.blogspot.com
http://about.me/samantha.vincent

Lesson with my 3rd grade trumpet student today...

Me: This next song is a duet.  What's a duet?

Student: It's when two people doooo it

Machine screw this!

My first successful dremel mod *grins*

Home Despot didn't have a long enough round headed general purpose screw (the kind shaped like a mushroom)... *sigh* because this post wasn't suggestive enough *ahem* aneeeways, so instead I got a longer countersunk one (the kind shaped like it would fit in a funnel) and "fixed" the pot handle instead.

Thanks Dad!!

Good things come in white boxes

Thanks auto phone rotate... whatever, you get the picture.

Happy Birthday, Mac

There are some perks to being a contractor  here ;)

Multi-tasking mishap

Eating carrots, drinking tea and programming.

All very ninja-esque... until you reach into your tea cup for the next carrot.

Pah, puny human!

Every once in a while karma reminds me that I'm only human. In the way, that only karma can.

This generally happens any time I start to think that my superior immune system renders me impervious to the plights of weaker ones.

That's about the time I'm reduced to a pathetic, achy, congested, sneezing, snivelling mess of a human being. Unfit to walk to the corner store. One that is about as far as possible, from the supposed peak of evolutionary development we like to consider ourselves to be...

But this cold has got me thinking (for the briefest of moments anyways)... That seriously? This runny snotty mess is the most efficient way we've come up over the last six million years to get rid of internal disease and pestilence?

I'm not impressed.

I would ponder this further, but my congestion has backed up into my cerebral cortex and everything is grinding to a halt.

No match for even the tiniest of virus and bacterium.

Absolutely pathetic.

*That* friend

Everybody needs that friend who trips you up short...

 just before you descend into your spiralling whirlpool of hypothetical chaos.

That friend who says 

"Dude, stop worrying about things that haven't happened yet. You have enough to contend with."

The one, who will, if absolutely necessary say "Remove head from ass, and use it for once!"

Then reaches down a hand to pull you out of your own Wile E. Coyote body indent.

The one who reminds you to stop, and breath for a moment.

I really appreciate that friend right now.

Thank you, friend.

Dear future self

When you are working with SVN and trying to svn:ignore a file...

Stop.

And remember, that as this lovely gentleman clarifies it so nicely:

You don’t svn:ignore a file.

You put an svn:ignore property on the directory to ignore that filename pattern!

Thank you kind sir, the time and frustration you saved me have been reallocated to more important matters. 

It's so SHINY!!!

I don't think there is anything quite as awesome as a brand new slinky, (except maybe you) thanks Dan!