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brishti

Sitting in Ikea, awaiting my number for a return, I heard a low roar surrounding the air. I looked outside and saw buckets of rain falling where there was just little sprinkles minutes before.

And I'm thinking how lucky we are to be out of that dump of an apartment in Takoma Park, feeling pity for the guy who just moved in today. Bad luck to have the kitchen floor flood before your first night is over, eh?

Last Sunday was the final effort in disconnecting ourself from there. Tonight, I just returned the key and gave our new address so that we can get our security deposit back. We've been here less than a month, and it feels so much like home (lots of reorganizing to do, bleh). It's still pretty awesome that the grocery store is like a three-minute walk.

I went shoe-shopping with Asma today, because she's gotten shoe-crazy. But she discovered a very nice brand: Born. So the first pair of shoes ever that I buy for myself will be something from here. Perhaps Clutch?

Being inundated with work both sucks and is a nice change of pace.

How did Black Eyed Peas become a household name?

ghost town, part 2

There is literally no one in this corner of the building now. There must be a meeting of some sort.

I finished much of my online portfolio with the attention of applying for a job that was reposted a handful of times. Unfortunately, they're still advertising for the position and I haven't heard from anyone. Which means I suck.

I also think it's pretty amazing that we can use sounds and symbols to communicate. Because sounds and symbols in themselves mean nothing, nor do words. How can you define ‘just’ if its definition is made up with words, whose definitions are in turn made up with more words, to no end?

And do animals raised in captivity and re-introduced into their native lands develop their own dialect?

I'm in need of a good night's sleep. I've been staying up consistently late the past few nights, either dawdling around with Law & Order: SVU, working on a project which I hope to get done by tomorrow, or both. And I will be working overtime for sure to get this done, though I won't get overtime pay. And then I need to do at least three mockups by Sunday night/Monday morning to get a bid to redesign the biochemistry site at UIUC.

A couple of people are in their offices now.

There are some shitty parents in Bethesda that should probably be shot, or at least jailed. More to come at a later date.

There's also a report being circulated to the staff, which I wrote. I feel kinda dumb now. I hope I don't sound stupid in it.

(And I think it's a bit strange that I was thinking of the terrorist group November 17 a day or two ago, when I googled the original ‘ghost town’ entry a few minutes ago, which was itself posted on November 17.

poor Trent

I truly wish that he was a happy guy. His trite, recycled lyrics are eating at me.

But maybe this is all a front and he's swimming in money.

thanks, IRS!

I already got my tax return, and it's been less than two weeks since I filed. Hot. (It's great that I can deduct commuting expenses.)

I want more money, though. Having debt is like the term paper you keep putting off.

I feel like poo this morning, though better than when I first left work. Finishing Lord of the Rings again and re-reading The Silmarillion is re-inspiring me to actually start a story of my own.

Meh. Time will tell. I'm being unsuccessful at wrapping up my online portfolio, and I missed a chance to apply for a job which I think I might've had a good chance of getting called back for (seeing as how they reposted the ad two more times).

But. Yeah. cPickle.

dope chili and a pope

I made what turned out to be excellent chili a couple of nights ago. (The recipe was modified a bit; will be posted in the future.) And it hit me yesterday that, yes, I could eat as much as I wanted, because it's damn healthy. And it goes well with flavored tortillas and shredded cheese.

It'll also make you a certified poop machine, because there are many fibers in it.

Asma and I are steadily moving towards more physical activity, which is nice. We are more motivated to be outside now.

I was told today that someone from the web services group (where I was supposed to be transferred to until they said they had no need for me) is quitting, and that I will be transferred there in two weeks after all. Hot. This buys me time in my search for something bigger and better. I hope I get a pay-raise.

This morning, Asma had a revelation: Kaiser, I want to start investing. What do I do? Do I go to E*Trade?

I am practically married to an adorable creature.

And if anyone asks us where we were when Pope Benedict XVI was announced, we can say we were sitting on the floor eating chili burritos and searching for Jerry Springer.

sweet Bethesda

So it is at last that we've moved away from the hell-hole basement apartment of Takoma Park. I've never really mentioned how bad it was there, but I would like to give some highlights of why this apartment is so much nicer.

  • controllable thermostat and significantly more insulated walls
  • natural light, and a view out of windows that isn't eye-level with the ground and with dirty sidewalks and driveways
  • doors and walls – in place of curtains – separating the bedrooms from the living room and kitchen
  • an entirely separate room for Shirin and Papaya (though I feel bad that they can't see us nearly as much, since they've grown so used to our presence and probably miss us)
  • real carpetting, and a ‘no shoes’ policy in the apartment
  • a well-maintained and up-to-code living environment
  • no footsteps of grown-ups and kids, nor any annoying voices, echoing loudly down through the thin ceilings
  • no more landlady yelling down for us or nosing around
  • a 5–10 minute walk to the metro, grocery stores, bank, restaurants, and everything that was sorely lacking in the ‘Berkeley of the East’

I could go on a bit more, but I'll sum it up by saying that I feel much healthier and wholesome here. Technically, this apartment is smaller than the last, but the space is more organized and usable. I love it.

Last weekend Asma and I spent an insane amount of time moving things. The worst was a $50 washer/dryer combo that must've weighed 500 lbs (a few hundred pounds more than I thought it would). It took all the strength I could gather, plus the help of a tall, strong man moving it to and from the minivan.

Unfortunately, the units here require an electric dryer. But we were under the assumption that, since the only apartments in the complex that have gas cooking and heating were the only units that have washer/dryer hook-ups, the dryers must be gas dryers. Even the laundry rooms here have gas dryers.

It's ridiculous. And I have a feeling that when we tilted and shoved and shaked the large, heavy metal thing, the drain hose came loose from behind, so water falls to the ground when the washer tries to get rid of water. Which means we have to take it out again and check.

Oh well. We're still recovering from the physical strain of moving, but we're both stronger from it.

We did a lot of Ikea shopping as well. We have a nice, simple computer desk, two desk chairs, three lamps (the one in the bedroom being the coolest), other Ikea-things, and the most expensive bed frame they sold (at a very steep discount, thanks to the As-Is section).

The desk is from the Jerker line. This picture is from the first time I ever went to Ikea – September 22, 2004 – courtesy of Asma:

hjeeeeeweorgjm

It is, in fact, the same exact desk pictured here. How amazing is that? Digging up the picture just now, I thought it would be another type. Digging up the picture just now, I'm also reminded of the +400 pictures since I the day I moved that need to be named and organized; there are pictures with my family from that day. Sigh.

Apartment pictures to come, hopefully this weekend. Phone and cable to come, this Friday, followed by DSL a week after that. I'm going to take in the invigorating, cool breeze while I read Return of the King.

Things I wonder about while at work…

Song of the day: “No One Cares about a Missing Robot” by The Cattle Prods

Funny thing about the song of the day; it doesn’t actually exist. The song title was inspired by a comment from a slightly robot-like co-worker. I think there is a certain sadness to it, and I can only imagine the heartbreakingly tragic story of the missing robot that no one cares about. I think the song would be an excellent electro-country song, if such a genre exists. In any event, I’m thinking Ryan Adams meets Royksopp. Now all I need is for someone to actually make the song…

So, has anyone else seen this recent Mountain Dew commercial? It’s the one where two 20-ish guys come out of a convenience store, and the one guy somehow keeps transforming his car into all these different cars. Then, he transforms his guy friend into a hot girl, and they drive off together. Does anyone else think this is totally fucked up?? I don’t think a 30 second commercial has ever inspired the amount of unanswered questions that this commercial does. I mean, he changed his guy friend into a hot girl…what the hell? Dude, it’s still your friend! So, does the transformed guy know what’s going on? Is it even still him? If it’s not him, where did he go? Will the change wear off? What happens if they have sex, and then he changes back during the night, leaving the first guy to find himself sleeping next to his naked guy friend in the morning? Will his friend remember anything about what happened?? I desperately need to know the answers to these questions.

This entire scenario reminds me in a way of the movie Ghost starring Patrick Swazye, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. Now, there is a scene in the movie where Patrick Swayze’s character, as a ghost enters the body of Whoopi Goldberg, and then he and Demi Moore share a romantic kiss from beyond the grave, set to the tune of the Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody”. On screen of course, we see Demi and Patrick making out, but what’s really happening is that Demi Moore is making out with Whoopi Goldberg!!! Yeah, it’s his spirit, but it’s still her body! Again I ask, has anyone else thought about this??

Of course, the one of the classic “that’s fucked up” kisses in the history of cinema, (or at least geek cinema) is the Luke/Leia kiss. Now, I’m not a huge Star Wars fan, so I don’t even remember what movie it’s in, only that it happens, and then we find out later that they’re brother and sister. Very gross. Of course, I was always hoping for the even more awkward Luke/Yoda kiss…which makes me wonder: Did Yoda ever have sex? I mean, what the hell is Yoda anyway?? I don’t remember ever seeing another creature that looked to be the same species or race as Yoda in any of the movies, but of course, in order to exist, he was obviously born at some point. So, I’ll end this post with a request: someone please explain Yoda to me. What’s going on there? What is he? Where did he come from? Are there even answers to these questions?

Yes, these really are the things I think about while at work…

a few more boring things

1—In my move to DC, I left behind a desktop computer, bringing only its harddrives. In November, I finally bought an external drive bay and installed a 120 gig HD, partitioned into 30 and 90 gigs.

The bigger partition contained all my MP3s – some of my first ever, from the elder days of Napster – along with various video clips (World Trade Center plane crash, The Daily Show segments, etc.) and other files I can't even remember.

A few weeks after that, the big partition just ‘disappeared’, in the sense that Windows said it was now unformatted. A virus didn't get to it, otherwise it would've also messed up the smaller partition and Asma's entire computer (to which the drive bay was hooked up to at the time).

I thought that maybe the partition table was corrupted (comparing it to the smaller partition's partition table also suggested this), but it wasn't until two weeks ago that I googled the right set of keywords that gave me the information I wanted: how to repair the MBR. It was the breaking point, because I would've deleted and recreated the partition otherwise.

I went through the steps, using the recovery console from a NT setup disc, hoping that something amazing would happen, and that music I'd spent years collecting would reappear.

It was all a flop. The most that happened was that the partition was now readable, sans all the files. Now I have to start from scratch, and I have no antique files to pass on. Such is life, and my punishment for procrastinating on backing up the partition to DVDs.

2—DC has the highest concentration of assholes that I've ever seen or heard of. Everyone is so rude to each other. I think the whole situation could've been avoided if the man asked nicely, but then again, the lady also could've been a bitch in the first place. You never really know here.

3—This morning, while waiting at the bus stop, I witnessed a bitch honking incessantly at the car in front of her, which was waiting to make a left turn. If there was a big rock nearby, I think I would've thrown it at the lady. This, in what's considered the hippy town in the area.

Maybe this should be 2b.

4—We're moving to Bethesda today. Hot. Instead of neurotic and self-centered ‘hippies’, we'll be near neurotic and self-centered rich people. The upside is that there a ton of things within walking distance, and a nice apartment that won't flood or dip below 60° in the winter.

And isn't it funny that we're in a low-income, government subsidized apartment complex where the minimum combined salary has to be $32k for a two-bedroom? Isn't low income like $20k?

5—My right jaw has been hurting for over a week now, but I can't see a doctor or get medicine, because my current insurance has a $500 deductible and doesn't cover prescriptions.

I also have an overactive bladder, and would like medicine for it. It would help me sleep better at night if I didn't have to go to the bathroom multiple times (the sleep I've gotten this week has been horrible).

No, I haven't ever lost control or been on the verge of losing it.

So, at some point, I will have to jump from paying $75 a month for ‘emergency’ insurance to over $350 a month for full coverage. Anyone want to donate to my healthcare fund? LoL!!1

6—The bad thing about forgetting my bathroom key is that I have to introduce myself to someone I've always seen but never said hi to, and ask if I could borrow his.

Random Tips for Southern California Living (Part 1 of ??)

Song of the day: “Absolute Affirmation� by Radio 4

If you ever find yourself driving on a freeway in southern California, and up ahead in the distance you notice helicopters for all the major news stations and even Univision circling around some area, you can safely conclude that there is some fucked-up shit going on in the near vicinity.

If you’re driving on a 10 lane freeway, with 5 lanes going in each direction, and traffic is moving less than 20 miles per hour, there better be a damn good reason. Freeway mergers are ok, as are serious accidents. People stopping to look at someone being pulled over is not a good reason. If I’m going that slowly, I want to see blood. Fuck you, gawkers!

Hey bro bro, if you’re going to drop your Honda and pimp it out, maybe don’t drive like a slow bitch/complete psychopath, ok? Nice rims though, asshole.

Also, can we ban radio commercials that include any of the following: car horns, screeching tires, and the guy from Del Taco. I hate your voice, whoever you are.

In conclusion, only in southern California can you leave your home at the same time every day, and yet get to work as much as 20 min earlier/later than the day before.

[note: this post has been inspired from many road rage-filled hours on the various freeways of the LA-area]

exactly

bling?


Courtesy of this week's paycheck.

If only I could keep at that level forever.

the ring is found

It somehow got into the freezer. Don't ask me how, because I can't begin to answer.

Oh, and what's a miter? Why would you care, unless you were playing Literati? But if you were to Google an image of it, you might find

good job
It's really the hard work that counts.

in an electronic world

…twelve years ago, through the gateway of a very small MUD, I came into possession of an item known as a Pontiff's Headdress. Which, maybe, was a sign of his death.

I am curious as to whether the MUD culture is still going, dead, or now limited to a small, secretive group of elite nerds and hackers? I was nerd enough to play it before school each morning and in the afternoons, but that was another time, internet-less and before the internet even caught on, a local community of 14.4 and 28.8kbps modem users on Virtual Gateway.

BBSes need to make a comeback. I'm missing Dragon's Keep. (Scroll to the bottom.)

early morning television

If you ever get a chance, watch TLC at 7:30 EST for stupid-grownup-happy-hour, or Toddworld.

For the religious (and for today only), tune to Trinity Broadcasting Network and watch the Praise-a-thon. This is a Christian network, I guess. But it must be a start-up, or a satire, because the enthusiasm seems so stiff and pre-fabricated and not well rehearsed. And then there's the near-constant organ music. It's like they wanted to scream cliché.

Benny Hinn is paying a visit tomorrow, though, so it must be genuine.

Asma and I went for a jog yesterday on a trail nearby. Running outside on pretty days will now be a priority.

Po' Illini. Just one or two three-pointers to keep their momentum.

wow, oh, woe

Congratulations go to the Fighting Illini. I am sensing a bit of school spirit, which makes it the birth of such a thing.

I lost my engagement ring a couple of nights ago, and I feel stupid for this. Just a couple of weeks after I'd gotten used to it, I was maybe fiddling with it while watching Anne of Green Gables? (A surprisingly good movie, by the way; though too perfect in circumstances.) Thing is, I remember when I take it off my finger for an extended period of time (usually when washing dishes). Lame. I hope I find it while we pack up.

Papaya seems to have fully recovered from being spayed, and she seems much more personable. Earlier tonight, after I'd been petting her by the computer desk, I went to the kitchen. When I came back, she was lying down under my chair. Asma says it's because she was waiting for me. And she's taken to lying down by our feet when we're at the computer. That's my Poopoyoo.

Shirin is a poop machine. She still loves her Livestrong. She's also enjoying the switch of diet, from apparently not-so-good alfalfa pellets and snacks to mostly Timothy hay and a bit of the bad unhealthy food, as a treat.

There were other things I wanted to write that no longer come to mind. This is what happens when one procrastinates.

Oh yeah, insert political talk about Amina Wadud, Terry Schiavo, and Karol Wojtyla.