BobRichter's Xanga

Thanksgiving: Good, exhausting

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:46:42 GMT

First thing Thanskgiving morning, I drove up to Spokane Valley to get my brother, which is about a two and a half hour drive. After loading him and various other items into the Burgundy Beast, we hit the road again for the 150-odd minute trip back to good old Richland. That's about five hours on the road, but I wasn't done yet. After a brief "wait for Alison" break (that is, well over an hour,) we did some last-minute shopping and headed out to my mom's (about 45 min) for dinner, which had to be cooked first (I got to nap, yaay.)

After an enjoyable meal pleasantly devoid of turkey (as we are in the main vegetarians,) I took another nap before driving another 45 minutes home. Then I sacked out for good, not waking up until some time Friday.

So it was fun. A lot of driving (which I'm not overly fond of) some good food, and a lot of good conversation, and then some good sleep. Thanksgiving may actually be my favorite holiday. It has all the stuff I like about Christmas with none of the annoying music or religious overtones or gift-giving, or the excessive sweets that plague both adjacent holidays.

Friday involved a lot of EVE (missioning and a nicely sizable corp mining op,) SPANC, and Karaoke.

RIP Dan Schulz

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:47:00 GMT

November 8, 2009 is the day (or so I am told) when one of the Internet's finest souls shuffled off this mortal coil. I didn't know Dan well, but we interacted regularly online, and he was a great guy -- both a pillar of the online Battletech community and one of the best website developers I have known. He was a tireless advocate for good website design, a scholar and a gentleman, and I was proud to call him peer and friend.

He died far too young, due to complications from influenza and pneumonia. The best information I have puts him at only thirty years of age.

So why am I posting about it on November 25th? Frankly, the news shook me, and I hadn't felt up to writing his eulogy. Even now, words fail me -- but to let his passing go unmentioned seems by far the greater crime.

Rest In Peace, Albatross. I will miss you.

Friday Night Rolls Around Again

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:42:17 GMT

And sometimes I get to feeling like I should write something substantial on this page rather than just telling you what I sang on Friday Nights. But I don't know what to write and I don't have the time or inclination, so yeah.

Karaoke was pretty fun. I enjoyed singing and hanging out and drinking Dew and listening to other people sing. I have an amazing capacity to sit in a room-full of people and connect with noone and end up feeling more or less alone. I probably need to take my meds.

Anyway, my Karaoke setlist for tonight was as follows:

Walk of Life -- Dire Straits
Voodoo -- Godsmack
Citizen Soldiers -- 3 Doors Down
Better Man -- Pearl Jam

Friday Night Karaoke 11-6-2009

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:42:18 GMT

Been a while since I did one of these, and I don't believe I've ever done it literally right after the show, so for a bit of novelty let's get right to business.

I sang:

Stacy's Mom -- Fountains of Wayne
You don't love me anymore -- Weird Al Yankovic
Voodoo -- Godsmack
She's Got Issues -- The Offspring
Hey Jealousy -- Gin Blossoms
The Saga Begins -- Weird Al Yankovic (Weird Al Rule)

My dad tried to set up a second Weird Al Rule with Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus. Unfortunately the show ended before I could follow up with Weird Al's Achy Breaky Song.

What's something you couldn't live without and why?

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:11:14 GMT

Oxygen. Mmm...Oxygen.

I just answered this ~~Stupid~~Featured Question (because I've been too lazy to give you a real post for a bit;) you can answer it too! I mean, if you're into that kind of thing.

I can more readily have fun sober than drunk.

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:30:49 GMT

Drinkers will talk about their imbibing of poison as if it's either a necessary step towards having fun or as if it at least facilitates the process. For them that may well be the case, and if so it's likely part of the problem.

I'll admit that my own experience is limited. I've been drunk probably once in my entire life, and the total time I've spent buzzed is less worth figuring out than worth mentioning.

Even so, I think just one time with the experience is enough to begin to evaluate it.

Being drunk is like being ill -- you're physically and mentally out of sorts. Nothing works like it's supposed to, whether it's your speech center or your erectile tissue. I simply can't fathom this state being considered pleasant, or in any way useful (unless you're looking to sleep.)

And then you have to consider the sorts of things I consider fun. Most are intellectually or physically demanding, and the fun comes in confronting the challenge and overcoming it. Drinking just makes that harder, while simultaneously suppressing my ability to appreciate it, which definitely limits the already dubious appeal of using intoxication as a handicap.

So I simply can't fathom drunkenness as an avenue toward or a measure of a good time. How about you?

I am an African-American

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:22:44 GMT

My ancestors first became anatomically modern perhaps one or four hundred thousand years ago in Africa. Perhaps fifty thousand years ago, the bulk of them left Africa, at some point arriving in Europe and the British Isles, where they helped to outcompete existing populations of more robust hominids through technological and cultural creativity and perhaps a little dumb luck. As much as three and perhaps four hundred years ago, some of them set sail on wooden ships, eventually arriving on the American continents where they helped establish first colonies and then an independent nation that grew into a world power. Others arrived later by all manner of conveyance. Perhaps some had been here already, having previously been Asian. Some may have had more recent African origins. All could trace their lineage to Africa.

In the course of this history, my ancestors have been rich and poor. They have been white and black. They have been Africans, Europeans, Germans, Welshmen, Irishmen, Rhode Islanders, Canadians, and many other things I'm sure I know nothing about.

Today I am a poor, unemployed American that through the power of science am able to know and claim my African origins. Since there is no statute of limitations on African-ness, I therefore hope to join with the rest of my nation in recognizing and celebrating that we are all African-Americans.

The time of a crime

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:11:57 GMT

I would like to request a moment of silence in recognition of lives and liberties lost on this date.

The Karaoke That Was

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:18:33 GMT

Friday's set list:

You May Be Right -- Billy Joel
Cumbersome -- Seven Mary Three
(With Anthony)One Night In Bangkok -- Murray Head
Hungry Like the Wolf -- Duran Duran
Blue on Black -- Kenny Wayne Shepherd
(Weird Al Rule)The Saga Begins -- Weird Al Yankovic

The Weird Al Rule was provoked by a set of newcomers who (as a bonus) hadn't heard The Saga Begins before. Had them in stitches. That turned out to be the last song of the night, and I had to beg Melissa to let me skip the rotation to get it in.

It was a good night. Blue on Black went better than it had before. I'm improving on One Night in Bangkok as well.

I'm pretty much over my cold, which is a good thing since I enjoy breathing.

In EVE news, I am flying a Titan. Pics soon.

Friday Night Karaoke...

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:20:57 GMT

...Happened on Friday Night. This being Sunday, I'm going to be lucky to remember what I sang. High School associate and karaoke virgin(?) Erik (of the Boom Squad) joined us for the evening and a good time was had by all. My cold is clearing up, but not altogether gone. Fortunately my voice survived the night.

I Alone -- LIVE
Stacy's Mom -- Fountains of Wayne
Everlong -- Foo Fighters
Rio -- Duran Duran