At least my cold's over :) At the end of the year I had 0 vacation time, 0 sick time, and 0 personal time. I think right now, I have 4 vacation hours, 0 sick time (used it for the MRI yesterday), and 1.5 personal hours...............................................................
Oh, I should mention, that I now notice a near-constant pain near my tailbone, like around .5 on a scale of 0-10. However, I can't tell you how long it's been there.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Adventures in Medicine part 10 - the phone call
That catches us up to today.
I get a phone call at work. I'm at a special place inside of work where we can't get phone calls. So I get the message that the neurologist needs to talk with me. So I call him back, wait on hold for a few minutes, mildly freaking out. He answers the phone and reveals to me that I have a growth in the lumbar region, called <something>-moma.
I call my wife, and she bums out. (She called her family and my family and they freak out.) She asks more questions that I didn't recall the answer to, so I call the doctor back, and they tell me further that they would schedule a neurosurgeon visit.
My wife brought me lunch while I was bummed.
I get a call back that says it's called ependymoma, and that she'd fax us (at work) further information, and that she scheduled the neurosurgeon appt. for Friday and another MRI for tomorrow, for C-spine and T-spine.
My wife gets a call from the neurosurgeon saying that he wanted to move his appointment to tomorrow because he was in surgery on Friday and wanted to get me in this week.
I tell various people at work that the next few weeks could be tenuous as we figure this out. My boss asks how I am, and I tell him I'm depressed, and he mentions that I didn't look depressed. I guess that's good.
I re-quiz an employee of mine that went through cancer last year on various experiences. It's nice to be able to talk to him.
I get a phone call at work. I'm at a special place inside of work where we can't get phone calls. So I get the message that the neurologist needs to talk with me. So I call him back, wait on hold for a few minutes, mildly freaking out. He answers the phone and reveals to me that I have a growth in the lumbar region, called <something>-moma.
I call my wife, and she bums out. (She called her family and my family and they freak out.) She asks more questions that I didn't recall the answer to, so I call the doctor back, and they tell me further that they would schedule a neurosurgeon visit.
My wife brought me lunch while I was bummed.
I get a call back that says it's called ependymoma, and that she'd fax us (at work) further information, and that she scheduled the neurosurgeon appt. for Friday and another MRI for tomorrow, for C-spine and T-spine.
My wife gets a call from the neurosurgeon saying that he wanted to move his appointment to tomorrow because he was in surgery on Friday and wanted to get me in this week.
I tell various people at work that the next few weeks could be tenuous as we figure this out. My boss asks how I am, and I tell him I'm depressed, and he mentions that I didn't look depressed. I guess that's good.
I re-quiz an employee of mine that went through cancer last year on various experiences. It's nice to be able to talk to him.
Adventures in Medicine - part 9 - the MRI
We go to the imaging place, this time at a place a little nearer our house. All the other places so far have been about 20-25 minutes away.
MRIs are interesting. They're very noisy - Mr. technician said they were around 120db, around airplane engine loud. So I had earplugs and 2 inch thich (ish) pads around each ear.
I spent most the time either trying to code in my head, or analyzing the patters of the beats in the noise.
We did lumbar back, then brain, then he added an IV (a real IV this time) for contrast, and did brain with contrast, then lumbar with contrast.
We got the imaging data on CD for fun for later.
MRIs are interesting. They're very noisy - Mr. technician said they were around 120db, around airplane engine loud. So I had earplugs and 2 inch thich (ish) pads around each ear.
I spent most the time either trying to code in my head, or analyzing the patters of the beats in the noise.
We did lumbar back, then brain, then he added an IV (a real IV this time) for contrast, and did brain with contrast, then lumbar with contrast.
We got the imaging data on CD for fun for later.
Adventures in Medicine, Part 8 - the neurologist
We visit the neurologist, a little later with appointments as they are.
We were 10 minutes late. Google maps led us astray - we were surfing through the medical complex across the street. We called them, and fortunately they held our slot, because somebody else's follow-up showed up 15 minutes early.
We go in. He tests arm, leg, hand, foot, finger, and toe strength. He tests reflexes. He asks about my symptoms, and comes up with a theory:
I've spent the last 30 years of my life training my bladder muscles to hold it in, that now they are too tight and hard to relax. So now I need to untrain them, by keeping hydrated, getting plenty of sleep, and peeing every hour.
He schedules a brain and lumbar-spine MRI anyway, for the next Monday, Jan 30th just to be sure.
We schedule a followup for about 6 weeks later, not expecting complications.
We were 10 minutes late. Google maps led us astray - we were surfing through the medical complex across the street. We called them, and fortunately they held our slot, because somebody else's follow-up showed up 15 minutes early.
We go in. He tests arm, leg, hand, foot, finger, and toe strength. He tests reflexes. He asks about my symptoms, and comes up with a theory:
I've spent the last 30 years of my life training my bladder muscles to hold it in, that now they are too tight and hard to relax. So now I need to untrain them, by keeping hydrated, getting plenty of sleep, and peeing every hour.
He schedules a brain and lumbar-spine MRI anyway, for the next Monday, Jan 30th just to be sure.
We schedule a followup for about 6 weeks later, not expecting complications.
Adventures in Medicine, Part 7 - the CMG
The CMG Duhn duhn duhn
Most interesting visit so far. I show up well hydrated, and show up not having had my flow-max for 3 days, and I'm instructed to pee in a cup with a little spinning nozzle that measured the urine flow. (The lady left the room for this.) Guess what happened? I couldn't go. Not at all. So she put in a catheter to drain the 700ml that my body wanted to hold on to, and then hooked 2 sensors inside, one up the front, and the other up the back, to measure pressure, and then attached an iv-like thing (I guess you could call it an ip, because it's not going inside a vein), and proceeded to fill the bladder about 1ml per second.
I was instructed to tell her when these 4 cases happened:
1) It felt like, if I were on a road trip, I would have to start looking for a gas station
2) It felt like we would have to pull over pretty quickly to a gas station.
3) It felt like we would have to pull over and use a bush.
4) It felt like I would absolutely explode.
It took about 400ml or so to reach #3. After that, bladder muscles contracted and such, and I held it in, but I never managed to reach #4 even after 900ml (Yes, in medicine, they use cc instead of ml, but they're the same thing). She wanted me to try the pee-in-the-spinning-cup thing again, and again, I couldn't go.
The follow-up the next day
Dr. says that given that I couldn't pee at all when I'm that full is most likely a neurological problem. Even with a large/tight prostate, the contracting bladder should be able to produce some flow.
We schedule a trip to the neurologist.
Most interesting visit so far. I show up well hydrated, and show up not having had my flow-max for 3 days, and I'm instructed to pee in a cup with a little spinning nozzle that measured the urine flow. (The lady left the room for this.) Guess what happened? I couldn't go. Not at all. So she put in a catheter to drain the 700ml that my body wanted to hold on to, and then hooked 2 sensors inside, one up the front, and the other up the back, to measure pressure, and then attached an iv-like thing (I guess you could call it an ip, because it's not going inside a vein), and proceeded to fill the bladder about 1ml per second.
I was instructed to tell her when these 4 cases happened:
1) It felt like, if I were on a road trip, I would have to start looking for a gas station
2) It felt like we would have to pull over pretty quickly to a gas station.
3) It felt like we would have to pull over and use a bush.
4) It felt like I would absolutely explode.
It took about 400ml or so to reach #3. After that, bladder muscles contracted and such, and I held it in, but I never managed to reach #4 even after 900ml (Yes, in medicine, they use cc instead of ml, but they're the same thing). She wanted me to try the pee-in-the-spinning-cup thing again, and again, I couldn't go.
The follow-up the next day
Dr. says that given that I couldn't pee at all when I'm that full is most likely a neurological problem. Even with a large/tight prostate, the contracting bladder should be able to produce some flow.
We schedule a trip to the neurologist.
Adventures in medicine, Part 4, 5, 6
So, it's a little fuzzy in this period, as in whether/how many follow-up talking-only appointments there were.
Part 4
The ultrasound
This part was actually interesting. I was to be there well hydrated, and I was, and they watched things, checked for flow from the kidneys to the bladder, etc. Then they had me empty myself. According to her measurements, I had 450ml before that, and 300ml after. So it clearly didn't empty. She also showed me all of my other internal organs in that area, and it was fascinating to see them in my own body for once.
Part 5
The follow-up and the scope
So, Dr. was happy that there weren't any kidney infections, what with all the latent urine sitting around perpetually. We scheduled a scope for the next week, now around the 5th of December. We do a scope, where he takes a little camera thingy on the tip of a long tube, and shoves it up my ***** and looks around. He doesn't find anything. At this point, he says that it's one of the following:
1) A blockage between the bladder and the ***** (maybe some time, I'll be comfortable saying that word online).
2) A neurological problem.
He prescribes a drug called Flowmax (sp?). The generic is called Tamsulosin. It's supposed to treat #1, particularly in the case of an enlarged prostate.
Part 6
The next follow-up
4 weeks later-ish, now at the end of December, we have the next follow-up. At this point, my wife starts coming. I was telling her that I was okay going by myself, but she was dissatisfied with my ability to answer her questions :) At this point, I tell him that I've been all right, but with the Tamsulosin having run out a few days before, and me wanting to wait for this appointment to see what happened while I was off it for a few days, I mention it's been harder to pee without it.
He wants to schedule a Cystometrogram (CMG) for a few weeks later, because they do them on Mondays and the next Monday was New Year's when they were closed.
Part 4
The ultrasound
This part was actually interesting. I was to be there well hydrated, and I was, and they watched things, checked for flow from the kidneys to the bladder, etc. Then they had me empty myself. According to her measurements, I had 450ml before that, and 300ml after. So it clearly didn't empty. She also showed me all of my other internal organs in that area, and it was fascinating to see them in my own body for once.
Part 5
The follow-up and the scope
So, Dr. was happy that there weren't any kidney infections, what with all the latent urine sitting around perpetually. We scheduled a scope for the next week, now around the 5th of December. We do a scope, where he takes a little camera thingy on the tip of a long tube, and shoves it up my ***** and looks around. He doesn't find anything. At this point, he says that it's one of the following:
1) A blockage between the bladder and the ***** (maybe some time, I'll be comfortable saying that word online).
2) A neurological problem.
He prescribes a drug called Flowmax (sp?). The generic is called Tamsulosin. It's supposed to treat #1, particularly in the case of an enlarged prostate.
Part 6
The next follow-up
4 weeks later-ish, now at the end of December, we have the next follow-up. At this point, my wife starts coming. I was telling her that I was okay going by myself, but she was dissatisfied with my ability to answer her questions :) At this point, I tell him that I've been all right, but with the Tamsulosin having run out a few days before, and me wanting to wait for this appointment to see what happened while I was off it for a few days, I mention it's been harder to pee without it.
He wants to schedule a Cystometrogram (CMG) for a few weeks later, because they do them on Mondays and the next Monday was New Year's when they were closed.
Adventures in medicine Part 0, 1, 2, 3
So, a while ago, I mentioned something that I was too embarrassed to talk about. Most of it is very TMI. So if you're queasy, better to just skip over it. Well here it is:
Background (Part 0)
So, at my physical about 3 years ago, my doctor asked me how my urination is. Well, it's better than him asking when the date of my last period was. I mentioned that sometimes in the morning, it just didn't come, until about 1-2 hours later. He said if it gets worse, we can try to do something about it.
Part 1
On the last Saturday of November, it wouldn't come at all. Mind you the night before I was at a LAN party until 3am and had chugged a 32oz bottle of Gatorade at around 2am, but that's beside the point, right?
Anyway, around 8:30-9, I go to the local health clinic, and they popped in a Foley catheter. Bet you're all wanting to try one. They drained 1.6L. They left in the catheter just in case I couldn't for later, and we made an appointment for my PCP.
Part 2
2 days later, we visit the PCP. Wasn't very useful, except that he referred me to a Urologist. He didn't even take out the catheter. However, they did tell me how to take it out myself so that I could remove it the day I saw the Urologist (Wednesday) to see if I could go on my own during the day before the appointment.
Part 3
On Wednesday, I was singing an old Cub Scout song - "The Little Skunk's Hole". Google it. Note the chorus: "Take it out, take it out, take it out, take it out, remooooooooooooove it".
I took out the catheter, and drunk lots of water, and by the time of my appointment I had peed according to the following schedule:
10am
2pm
2:30pm
3pm
3:15pm
Even after going, the little teeny ultrasound machine still said I had 500ml left inside. The urologist did a quick prostate check, and ordered a lab.
Background (Part 0)
So, at my physical about 3 years ago, my doctor asked me how my urination is. Well, it's better than him asking when the date of my last period was. I mentioned that sometimes in the morning, it just didn't come, until about 1-2 hours later. He said if it gets worse, we can try to do something about it.
Part 1
On the last Saturday of November, it wouldn't come at all. Mind you the night before I was at a LAN party until 3am and had chugged a 32oz bottle of Gatorade at around 2am, but that's beside the point, right?
Anyway, around 8:30-9, I go to the local health clinic, and they popped in a Foley catheter. Bet you're all wanting to try one. They drained 1.6L. They left in the catheter just in case I couldn't for later, and we made an appointment for my PCP.
Part 2
2 days later, we visit the PCP. Wasn't very useful, except that he referred me to a Urologist. He didn't even take out the catheter. However, they did tell me how to take it out myself so that I could remove it the day I saw the Urologist (Wednesday) to see if I could go on my own during the day before the appointment.
Part 3
On Wednesday, I was singing an old Cub Scout song - "The Little Skunk's Hole". Google it. Note the chorus: "Take it out, take it out, take it out, take it out, remooooooooooooove it".
I took out the catheter, and drunk lots of water, and by the time of my appointment I had peed according to the following schedule:
10am
2pm
2:30pm
3pm
3:15pm
Even after going, the little teeny ultrasound machine still said I had 500ml left inside. The urologist did a quick prostate check, and ordered a lab.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
nonsocial SWTOR
So, I've found at least 2/3 of the time I play SWTOR is when I'm tired and don't want to do anything else. Normally, "anything else" includes socializing.
However, SWTOR is kind of a social game. When you log on, your friends see you online (and I haven't found a way to not advertise your presence) and they want to hang out. Which is good, unless you're already tired and don't want to socialize.
However (*2), my friends are a lot more gung-ho than me. One of my friends has a level 48*, a level 22, and probably another; and my other friend has like 6 level 20s. I have 1 level 21. That's it.
So it turns out I kind of have to make "appointments" to hang out online, and then I make sure I'm in the mood. :)
* Each level takes a little longer than the previous one, making getting to 50 pretty hard
However, SWTOR is kind of a social game. When you log on, your friends see you online (and I haven't found a way to not advertise your presence) and they want to hang out. Which is good, unless you're already tired and don't want to socialize.
However (*2), my friends are a lot more gung-ho than me. One of my friends has a level 48*, a level 22, and probably another; and my other friend has like 6 level 20s. I have 1 level 21. That's it.
So it turns out I kind of have to make "appointments" to hang out online, and then I make sure I'm in the mood. :)
* Each level takes a little longer than the previous one, making getting to 50 pretty hard
Song juxtaposition
So, somehow last week, my wife and I both bust into song right at the same time. I started singing the chorus of "******* Perfect" (Pink), while she started singing the theme from "Big Bang Theory" (Barenaked Ladies). Somehow they actually fit together, at least for the first five seconds, when we stopped and laughed.
German cooking
So, my wife likes German food. I think it's all right. My nephews are studying German in MS/HS, so we planned a German food get-together. She cooked:
Spaetzle
Rotkohl
Goulash
Apfelkuchen
and my sister brought German pancakes. And then I offended everybody with offensive things I said.
Spaetzle
Rotkohl
Goulash
Apfelkuchen
and my sister brought German pancakes. And then I offended everybody with offensive things I said.
First real hard run since being sick
Oooh! I made it - I did a hard run again. I did part of a hard run on Wed, but did full out.
10 min: 20s 9mph, 1:40 8.5, 2:00 8.2, 6:00 8
3 min easy
8 min hard - same pattern, but with 4:00 at 8 (and I except I had to stop and poop in the middle, so I'm not sure how to count that)
3 min easy
6 min hard - just at 8mph
3 min easy
3 min 8 mph
I measured my heart rate with the fingers on my neck, and got 174 20s after the last 3 min.
10 min: 20s 9mph, 1:40 8.5, 2:00 8.2, 6:00 8
3 min easy
8 min hard - same pattern, but with 4:00 at 8 (and I except I had to stop and poop in the middle, so I'm not sure how to count that)
3 min easy
6 min hard - just at 8mph
3 min easy
3 min 8 mph
I measured my heart rate with the fingers on my neck, and got 174 20s after the last 3 min.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Commenting computer programs rant
So, I think we can all agree that useful comments in programming are good. Like describing something non-obvious or commenting something that is obvious that doesn't make sense WHY you're doing it.
But seriously, why would you do this:
// Desribes what a Player is
class Player
{
// the Player's position
public Vector3 position;
// the Player's age
public int age;
}
or even worse
/*
* Desribes what a Player is
*/
class Player
{
/*
* the Player's position
*/
public Vector3 position;
/*
* the Player's age
*/
public int age;
}
Hello! The comment is completely useless. And even worse, in the second case, all the work to make the comment look "pretty" is detracting from me being able to actually see what a Player is.
Now if your comment were useful, that would be different:
class Player
{
// how many times a player has visited each location*
public map<Location, int> locationCounter;
}
* - still only somewhat useful, but the best I could come up with at the moment
But seriously, why would you do this:
// Desribes what a Player is
class Player
{
// the Player's position
public Vector3 position;
// the Player's age
public int age;
}
or even worse
/*
* Desribes what a Player is
*/
class Player
{
/*
* the Player's position
*/
public Vector3 position;
/*
* the Player's age
*/
public int age;
}
Hello! The comment is completely useless. And even worse, in the second case, all the work to make the comment look "pretty" is detracting from me being able to actually see what a Player is.
Now if your comment were useful, that would be different:
class Player
{
// how many times a player has visited each location*
public map<Location, int> locationCounter;
}
* - still only somewhat useful, but the best I could come up with at the moment
Calories per mile
My treadmill is dumb. Or maybe I am.
It has no knowledge of my weight, and I can't figure out how to measure heart rate on it (it has a thumb sensor - I get readings like '50 bpm' in the middle of a hard run).
Anyway, I noticed that running a mile at 6mph yields EXACTLY 150 calories on this treadmill. (On a previous treadmill, it was like 165, but oh well. What's 1/3 of an Oreo in the grand scheme of things?).
However, when I run at 7mph, I've noticed it goes a little down. So today I charted the following, all according to my treadmill:
1 mile at 10mph*: 144 calories
1 mile at 8mph*: 147.6 calories
1 mile at 7mph*: 148.4 calories
1 mile at 6mph: 150 calories
1 mile at 3mph: 192 calories.
* I didn't actually do this - I stood on the side and watched it for 1/4 mile
Holy cow: 192 calories for REALLY slow?!? Sorry - I mean walking briskly? Maybe I'll bring in a stationary bike to work and pedal slowly while I'm coding and burn it up. I suppose we should characterize it like this however:
3mph: 576 cal/hour
6mph: 900 cal/hour
7mph: 1038.8 cal/hour
8mph: 1107 cal/hour
10mph: 1440 cal/hour
I just intrigued
It has no knowledge of my weight, and I can't figure out how to measure heart rate on it (it has a thumb sensor - I get readings like '50 bpm' in the middle of a hard run).
Anyway, I noticed that running a mile at 6mph yields EXACTLY 150 calories on this treadmill. (On a previous treadmill, it was like 165, but oh well. What's 1/3 of an Oreo in the grand scheme of things?).
However, when I run at 7mph, I've noticed it goes a little down. So today I charted the following, all according to my treadmill:
1 mile at 10mph*: 144 calories
1 mile at 8mph*: 147.6 calories
1 mile at 7mph*: 148.4 calories
1 mile at 6mph: 150 calories
1 mile at 3mph: 192 calories.
* I didn't actually do this - I stood on the side and watched it for 1/4 mile
Holy cow: 192 calories for REALLY slow?!? Sorry - I mean walking briskly? Maybe I'll bring in a stationary bike to work and pedal slowly while I'm coding and burn it up. I suppose we should characterize it like this however:
3mph: 576 cal/hour
6mph: 900 cal/hour
7mph: 1038.8 cal/hour
8mph: 1107 cal/hour
10mph: 1440 cal/hour
I just intrigued
Still not better... running anyway
So the day after that run a few days ago I felt like utter crap. I debated going to the doctor again.
So I did nothing that day and got like 10 hours of sleep. Then the next I felt a *little* better, and ran 5 minutes at 5mph to make sure I didn't kill myself, and did some singing and trumpet playing to "exercise my lungs" (stupid theory, they're staying closed because I'm not using them). I felt okay yesterday and today so far, but still a little congested. So I ran again today, saying to only run at 6mph, but after 15 minutes I got bored (I guess that's a good sign) so I increased a few points and then 1 point every minute to hit 30 minutes at 7.7.
We'll see if we're dead again tomorrow.
So I did nothing that day and got like 10 hours of sleep. Then the next I felt a *little* better, and ran 5 minutes at 5mph to make sure I didn't kill myself, and did some singing and trumpet playing to "exercise my lungs" (stupid theory, they're staying closed because I'm not using them). I felt okay yesterday and today so far, but still a little congested. So I ran again today, saying to only run at 6mph, but after 15 minutes I got bored (I guess that's a good sign) so I increased a few points and then 1 point every minute to hit 30 minutes at 7.7.
We'll see if we're dead again tomorrow.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Finally running again!!
So, I've been sick for about 2 1/2 weeks. After my 4.5 mile run 3 Saturdays ago, I felt a cold/flu coming on. I was pretty sick Sunday-Tuesday, but was still having breathing issues. Like an awesome stubborn person, I didn't go to the doctor. One reason was I had a follow-up dr appointment for ANOTHER problem, last Monday (8 days ago).
In the middle of that, last Wednesday, I run about 5 minutes at 5 mph and got exhausted.
Anyway, I finally go to the doctor last Saturday. He said my virus causing my problems had passed, but my asthma kept the airways tight. So he gave me Prednizone (oh yeaaaah), and now we're finally clearing up.
So today, I ran 2 miles, 1 mile in 7:30 and 1 in 12:30 (warm-up and cool-down). More harder later.
Side effect of not running in 3 weeks, and worsening in junk food habits: gaining about 4 pounds. Poop.
In the middle of that, last Wednesday, I run about 5 minutes at 5 mph and got exhausted.
Anyway, I finally go to the doctor last Saturday. He said my virus causing my problems had passed, but my asthma kept the airways tight. So he gave me Prednizone (oh yeaaaah), and now we're finally clearing up.
So today, I ran 2 miles, 1 mile in 7:30 and 1 in 12:30 (warm-up and cool-down). More harder later.
Side effect of not running in 3 weeks, and worsening in junk food habits: gaining about 4 pounds. Poop.
Monday, January 9, 2012
I miss my piano
So, my piano is supposed to be fixed tomorrow. Normally, when I want a good pick-me-up, I go tinker around at the piano for a minute or two. Now I guess I have to resort to chocolate.
Well done, XKCD
One of my favorite comics, xkcd.com, has hit its 1000th comic. A few of them are a bit on the edge, but most of them are absolutely hilarious to a geek like me.
Passwords
So, my work has a password policy that makes your password expire after 3 or 6 months (don't remember). It also makes you not use the same password for the most recent 4 passwords. For a time, everybody just spent 2 minutes to cycle through 4 new passwords and back to the original.
Now, to circumvent that, they made it so you could only change your password once a day. But that's not enough for me!!! One more day and I'll be back on my original password.
PS - you must read http://xkcd.com/936/
Now, to circumvent that, they made it so you could only change your password once a day. But that's not enough for me!!! One more day and I'll be back on my original password.
PS - you must read http://xkcd.com/936/
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Tests tomorrow
So, regarding my 'issue' that I mentioned a while ago, I have another test tomorrow. I'm a little nervous for the procedure as well as the result. But I'm hopeful it will be okay.
I'm still not better from my cold/flu/respiratory-infection. Day 9. Yes, I'm stupid and haven't gone to the doctor yet, but I'm close. I probably haven't because each day feels a little better than the previous one... Maybe.
I'm still not better from my cold/flu/respiratory-infection. Day 9. Yes, I'm stupid and haven't gone to the doctor yet, but I'm close. I probably haven't because each day feels a little better than the previous one... Maybe.
Friendship
Isn't making friends weird? Especially as an adult? Not talking about facebook friends, but friends who actually mutually want to associate with each other outside of the place they met?
So finding people to talk to at work who don't hate you is easy.
In order to classify as a friendship, let's suppose the following conditions must exist:
1) You actually get along.
2) Person 1 invites Person 2 to do something.
3) Person 2 invites Person 1 to do something.
4) You talk about more than the venue where you met (i.e., work/school/church).
5) Repeat
However, let's suppose the following rule is true:
You don't have to be friends with somebody you don't want to be friends with (an old friend told me this a few years ago). So how do you know that both sides actually want to be friends, and one isn't just going along with it to be nice?
On the flip side, you typically have to be a friend to make friends, or rather, you have to go out of your way to make the first step.
On the other hand, suppose somebody makes the first step toward friendship with you, but you don't want to? Aaaawkward.
On the other other hand, everybody needs a friend. So are you going to turn your back on them? Duhn-duhn-duhn. (Yes, I know nobody's said that since 2007.) Unless they're a complete jerk.........
Let's also suppose the following is true, which isn't necessarily true being a married adult with children:
You have time for friends. They have time for you. So just because you don't have time for each other does that mean you wouldn't have otherwise been good friends?
So put all of these things together, and it's no surprise that since school, you haven't made more than a handful of new friends.
Of course, if you don't waste your time writing dumb blogs, you might have time after all.
So finding people to talk to at work who don't hate you is easy.
In order to classify as a friendship, let's suppose the following conditions must exist:
1) You actually get along.
2) Person 1 invites Person 2 to do something.
3) Person 2 invites Person 1 to do something.
4) You talk about more than the venue where you met (i.e., work/school/church).
5) Repeat
However, let's suppose the following rule is true:
You don't have to be friends with somebody you don't want to be friends with (an old friend told me this a few years ago). So how do you know that both sides actually want to be friends, and one isn't just going along with it to be nice?
On the flip side, you typically have to be a friend to make friends, or rather, you have to go out of your way to make the first step.
On the other hand, suppose somebody makes the first step toward friendship with you, but you don't want to? Aaaawkward.
On the other other hand, everybody needs a friend. So are you going to turn your back on them? Duhn-duhn-duhn. (Yes, I know nobody's said that since 2007.) Unless they're a complete jerk.........
Let's also suppose the following is true, which isn't necessarily true being a married adult with children:
You have time for friends. They have time for you. So just because you don't have time for each other does that mean you wouldn't have otherwise been good friends?
So put all of these things together, and it's no surprise that since school, you haven't made more than a handful of new friends.
Of course, if you don't waste your time writing dumb blogs, you might have time after all.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Friday pizza night
Normally on Friday we cook homemade pizza with the kids, and let them top their own pizzas. However, last night neither my wife nor I was in the mood for pizza, but we made it up for them anyway. I halved the dough recipe and it was only BARELY enough stuff in the mixer, was I put in the flour, for the beater to actually mix the dough.
Wool socks
Aren't wool socks the awesomest thing ever? (My grammar teacher friend would yell at me for 'awesomest' not being a word.) I never wore them until October, when I went on a freezing camp with the boy scouts. And naturally, it's only been freezing for about 2 weeks of the time since then. It's been in the 40s and 50s up until yesterday.
Anyway. They're awesome and warm. However, after a small amount of time, they itch. Other than that, the only significant disadvantage is that they're slippery on [fake] wooden flooring.
Anyway. They're awesome and warm. However, after a small amount of time, they itch. Other than that, the only significant disadvantage is that they're slippery on [fake] wooden flooring.
Burstiness
So evidently you've noticed by now that I go through spurts - several posts in a day followed by several days of absence. Oh well.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Adventures of Dod (cont)
I finished it, so drop the list of unfinished books down to 2.
It wasn't bad. I was confused whether it would be predictable or unpredictable near the end. And in the middle, I thought it would be a Harry Potter knock-off, but it wasn't quite.
It wasn't bad. I was confused whether it would be predictable or unpredictable near the end. And in the middle, I thought it would be a Harry Potter knock-off, but it wasn't quite.
SWTOR graphics
So, with the first few days of playing SWTOR, I was excited. And then, I went in a building. And once I did the graphics tanked, to the seconds-per-frame range. But I persevered, kept going, and made budgetary plans to go buy a new computer in a few months. I had made the graphics settings all to 'low', went to windowed mode, and made the window like 500x300 and it was almost bearable (but I couldn't read anything). But then - a friend said to turn off the shadows (I hadn't noticed the setting because it was already on 'low'), and then it worked fine! Huzzah!
Luigi's Purple Coins
So, my 7yo got Super Mario Galaxy for his birthday a few months ago. Our MO has been he'll play a level a few times, and if he can't beat it, he'll pass the controller over to me. So we beat the game, and then there is a bonus if you get all 120 stars. We have 80 something right now, and we're trying to pass "Luigi's Purple Coins". I can't beat that one yet; it's the only one I haven't been able to beat, and I've had like 20 tries at it.
On the mend
So I ran 4.5 miles on Saturday at about 7.1 (avg) mph. I was going to run for an hour, but I gave up early. Maybe I noticed that I was getting sick with a cold, since I did that evening, and stayed home from most of church on Sunday, rested most of Monday (reading a book), and worked yesterday and today, but still not quite better.
So I haven't run since then, but I think I'm on the mend. This morning I hit the "creamy snot" phase. You know what I mean.
So I haven't run since then, but I think I'm on the mend. This morning I hit the "creamy snot" phase. You know what I mean.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Piano Repair
So, my piano's been bugging me that about 20% of the notes don't take. Meaning, you hit a key and nothing happens. Then my parents and my wife colluded to fix it for my birthday. We brought in a lady, and she examined it, and she recommended a regulation. It probably hasn't been done in 30 years - I was like "can't we just do a partial one? - but my wife said we might as well do it.
So now the piano lady has the guts of our piano in her shop, and we can't play it. *whimper*
So now the piano lady has the guts of our piano in her shop, and we can't play it. *whimper*
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Game #3
I also write video games in my spare time. I haven't written about it yet because much of the time lately has been spent thinking of how to proceed with a feature.
I've been working on 3 games over the last year:
A simple arcade game with a few levels (no story, no upgrades) - this was meant to have been done in a single day, but it took a team of 10 or so a year in (VERY) part time to end up where it ended up, and it made $300 on XBox indie site (whatever it's called).
Our team has been working on 3 games since then, I worked on one, but everybody switched to two others to compete in Dream-Build-Play. We tried to rush it, but didn't finish in time. I decided to go back to the original game, and the rest of the team seems to have lost interest in that game.
I've also worked on a chess game that I've been dabbling with for years. I ported it to the Unity engine a few weeks ago, and hopefully soon I can get it onto the iPhone/iPad or something similar. I know what you're thinking - "another chess game!" - but a) I want to finish something I started myself, and b) I have a potentially interesting twist on it. But the reviewers will decide, I'm sure.
So I spend my "free" time (that is, when I'm not with my family or doing something else) I spend coding time between these two games, and doing consulting work for my former company (at a rate of not many hours, but that rate comes close to the rate spent on the games).
I've been working on 3 games over the last year:
A simple arcade game with a few levels (no story, no upgrades) - this was meant to have been done in a single day, but it took a team of 10 or so a year in (VERY) part time to end up where it ended up, and it made $300 on XBox indie site (whatever it's called).
Our team has been working on 3 games since then, I worked on one, but everybody switched to two others to compete in Dream-Build-Play. We tried to rush it, but didn't finish in time. I decided to go back to the original game, and the rest of the team seems to have lost interest in that game.
I've also worked on a chess game that I've been dabbling with for years. I ported it to the Unity engine a few weeks ago, and hopefully soon I can get it onto the iPhone/iPad or something similar. I know what you're thinking - "another chess game!" - but a) I want to finish something I started myself, and b) I have a potentially interesting twist on it. But the reviewers will decide, I'm sure.
So I spend my "free" time (that is, when I'm not with my family or doing something else) I spend coding time between these two games, and doing consulting work for my former company (at a rate of not many hours, but that rate comes close to the rate spent on the games).
Fight Song
I've been practicing my trumpet embouchure in the car on the way to work. I know, it sounds weird. Oh well.
Anyway, I played my old high school fight song almost flawlessly today. It has a 2 octave C to C range. Although, after about 5 more minutes, I couldn't sustain any notes about G and about 5 minutes after that, I couldn't play any more at all.
Anyway, I played my old high school fight song almost flawlessly today. It has a 2 octave C to C range. Although, after about 5 more minutes, I couldn't sustain any notes about G and about 5 minutes after that, I couldn't play any more at all.
The Adventures of Dod
So, I've been reading "The Adventures of Dod", which makes the first book I've read since "Inheritance" (Eragon, finale, which was good except for one small detail of the ending, and could have been 150 pages shorter).
So far, this makes the 3rd book I haven't finished. This time, though, I think I've only been reading it when I've gotten a cold or something, and don't have a lot of energy to get into it.
The other 2, btw, are "The Hobbit" and the second book of the "Pendragon Adventure". I find that if I put a book down before the real rising action, then I don't ever come back to it.
So far, this makes the 3rd book I haven't finished. This time, though, I think I've only been reading it when I've gotten a cold or something, and don't have a lot of energy to get into it.
The other 2, btw, are "The Hobbit" and the second book of the "Pendragon Adventure". I find that if I put a book down before the real rising action, then I don't ever come back to it.
Facial muscular symmetry
I've been paying a lot of attention to symmetry in my body lately. Primarily, I've been focusing on running symmetrically, and every time I try, I figure out something different, but I digress.
I noticed recently that I don't smile symmetrically. Maybe it has something to do with trying to master Han Solo's half smile. But I have a lot more control with the left cheek muscles than the right. The right can do more stuff if the left is also doing it. I've also noticed with trumpet playing that the control with the right side is less.........
CPR in the movies
So, I learned CPR as a boy scout*. Since then, I've seen a number of movies or TV shows where they do CPR. They NEVER go straight up and down on the chest compressions like you're supposed to.
* Disclaimer - That was a looooooong time ago, and I haven't kept up certifications. I also heard "they" changed how you're supposed to do it recently.
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