Localhost Dec 16, 2005
I finally figured out how to run a webserver from my computer.  I used EasyPHP and got help in setting things up from lineman.net.  The reason why this is significant is because now I can run PHP and other related things from my own computer.  Ever since I started using PHP and WordPress, I've had to test new things directly on my website.  Now I can try them out before I implement them.  This obviously wasn't a problem with plain text HTML, which automatically opens in any browser. #technology
Tooth fairy Dec 16, 2005
Sometimes I wonder about things like the tooth fairy.  Who came up with this idea?  Why does this magical tooth fairy harvest children's teeth for money?  What does she do with all those teeth?  And where does she get all the money?  How did Hallmark not invent a holiday centered around this idea? 

Wikipedia says that the myth may be used to offer a reward to a child after a harrowing experience like losing a tooth.  No pain, no gain.  Another explanation is that some European folklore mentioned mythical creatures that would "perform useful tasks or exchange valuable treasures for things humans view as mundane or useless".  Money in exchange for teeth.  Clean house in exchange for nail clippings (my contribution; not in Wikipedia article).  Weird.  But the most compelling explanation is that it gives children a sense of faith in things that are unseen.  That's something I never really thought about before.  Maybe that can explain Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.  Interesting. #psychology
GotVoice Dec 16, 2005
GotVoice is a web service that converts voicemails to mp3 and sends them to an email program or a personal GotVoice page.  Download Squad wrote a review. #technology
Flatulence in Japan Dec 16, 2005
This article talks about this article, which is about the results of a survey to find out when Japanese husbands heard their wives break wind.  What I find most amazing is that 12% of the men never heard their wives fart.  I applaud those women.  That's a tough thing to do. #entertainment
Engagement (2) Dec 16, 2005
On December 15, 2003 at 12:49pm, David Hosier wrote:
Hey Wendy, when you come over to play tomorrow, maybe we can go ice skating in central park.  I know it'll be cold and we will have snots, but I think it'll be a good thing to say we did.  Like, "Yeah I've been ice skating in central park..."  Or maybe at Rockefeller Center.....?
On December 15, 2003 at 12:50pm, Wendy Figner wrote:
yay! that sounds like lots of fun. i will wear my wool socks : ) to keep my toes warm and, hopefully, avoid some blisters. how is everything going today?  u can tell me about it tomorrow...if you like.
The next day, December 16, we went ice skating in Central Park, and that's where we got engaged.  Here's the story: 

It was September of my senior year in college, and I was thinking about "tha fyootcha".  Wendy and I had been dating for almost 2 years, and I felt like marriage was the next step, so I decided to start looking for an engagement ring.  We had walked into a few jewelry stores before and I had asked jokingly, "What kind of engagement ring do you want?"  She gave me a semi-serious answer and we sort of laughed it off, but I remembered what she said.  That was my plan all along.  Eggzelent.  So I went into a few jewelry stores looking for something I could afford.  Then I realized I couldn't afford much, so I lowered my standards quite a bit.  None of those 1 karat rocks.  And none of those flawless stones.  It had to be simple, yet tasteful. 

One Sunday, my dad was driving me back to school after a weekend at home, and I mentioned that I was looking at engagement rings.  I wanted to see how he felt about the whole thing.  He said I couldn't have found a better girl.  I took that the right way, meaning that Wendy was good, not that I wasn't good enough to find anyone else.  At least that's what I think he meant. 

In the middle of November, I made up my mind and decided to get a ring from a certain jewelry store.  I decided on that store because they gave me the best financing offer.  This was the first time I ever financed anything, and it was also my biggest purchase up to that point. 

I was scared to death of having this thing stolen, so I brought it with me during Thanksgiving break.  I told my mom about it, and she leaked the information to some other family members.  This put some more pressure on me to pop the question sooner, because secrets aren't meant to be kept. 

One time I was at a party and heard a guy talking about how he proposed.  He took his girlfriend to her locker in their high school and got down on one knee.  It was the place they first met.  Now that's a memorable thing.  So I knew I had to think of something cool, some sort of memorable experience, so that we could tell people about it for years to come. 

We had gone ice skating a few times before, and the most recent time, I talked to one of the managers of the rink and asked if it would be possible to clear the ice and play a song so I could propose to my girlfriend.  They were opposed to the idea at first, but it was because they thought I meant I wanted to do it right then.  I asked them if I could call them and set up a time on a specific night.  They seemed ok with that, maybe even a little excited.  This was at Mennen Arena in Morristown.  I later decided against the Morristown ice rink in favor of a better location. 

One night in my dorm room, I opened my door to head to the library.  There was a little piece of paper on the ground.  I picked it up and figured out that it was a ticket to either an ice rink in Central Park or the one in Rockefeller Center.  I can't remember.  But this actually happened; I'm not making it up.  This gave me the idea of looking at an ice rink in Central Park, so that's why I originally suggested it. 

Based on the email correspondence shown above, we planned on going ice skating in Central Park.  So Wendy came over and we took a couple trains to the park.  We skated around for a while, but it was pretty cold, so Wendy wanted to leave.  I suggested that we leave after the Zamboni cleared the ice so that we could skate on the newly cleared ice.  She reluctantly agreed.  I went to go talk to one of the ice skating safety people about when the Zamboni would be clearing the ice.  Actually, I went to talk to him about my plan.  I told him I was planning on proposing to my girlfriend that day and asked him what he could do.  He was very receptive and said he could let us go out on the ice right after the Zamboni cleared the ice, before everybody else could.  I agreed to that and went back to skating with Wendy. 

The time came and we sat around as the Zamboni cleared the ice.  My heart was beating hard and I could feel my pulse in my throat.  Just when it looked like they were ready to let people back on the ice, the safety guy came over to me and motioned us to come onto the ice.  Wendy was confused.  We skated out onto the center of the ice and I took Wendy's hand and told her that she was special (this was a stall tactic).  Then I fumbled down onto one knee, pulled the ring out of my pocket, and asked, "Will you marry me?"  I struggled to balance on my knee for what felt like an eternity (try balancing on one knee while wearing ice skates; it's harder than you think) as Wendy just sort of stood there and looked at me and the ring.  I think I might have said, "Well?"  She finally said yes and took the ring.  The people on the side of the rink cheered and clapped. 

They let everyone else on the rink, and Wendy and I skated around for a little while as I explained my utter relief at finally not being in possession of an expensive diamond.  As we got off the ice, some kids on the side told me I was their hero, and everyone congratulated us. #lifestyle