Nature taking over Sep 10, 2009
I feel like the vast majority of the work done around my house is simply to ensure the house doesn't get swallowed by nature.  Wood has a tendency to rot, and houses are ingeniously made of the stuff.  Weeds grow into foundations and crack cement.  Grass doesn't grow where I plant it but has no problem growing between the cracks in the sidewalk.  A roof has a lifespan of something like 5-10 years, after which point it simply disintegrates and lets nature have its way.  Pipes rust and crack.  Wires fray.  It reminds me of The World Without Us and the idea that when humans are gone, things will pretty much go back to the way they were.  It's comforting in a way, but it's also stressful because I constantly have to undo the things nature tries to do to my house, simply so my house doesn't collapse. #nature
Self-diagnosis Sep 10, 2009
Let's say I have high cholesterol.  The solution is diet, exercise, or genetic mutation (i.e. remove all traces of family history).  Now let's say I started running and want to see if it's helped my condition.  I have to go to my primary care doctor, get a prescription for a blood test, go to the blood test, wait for the results to be sent to my doctor, then go to my doctor to have the results explained to me.  [This could be a function of my insurance provider.  "Why not change insurance providers?"  It's like being offered the choice of a punch to the face or a punch to the stomach.]  The thing is, the blood test results already come with an explanation.  It says what the normal numbers should be, and it usually says what to do if the numbers are outside the normal range.  And if not, it's trivially easy to look it up online.  I look forward to the day when a doctor is not part of that equation.  Doctors don't give a crap about me.  They give a crap about insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies and medical malpractice.  This isn't so much a critique of doctors (though it obviously is), but a statement of fact:  Doctors can't care more about my health and wellness than I do, unless I specifically pay them to only worry about me.  For certain health issues like this, I'd rather be the one in control. #health
Advice from Dad Sep 10, 2009
Not to minimize the influence and effects of my dad, but the following is the most useful piece of advice I've ever received from him: 
"Always have an extra cylinder of propane."
Seriously, how much does it suck to have to call off a BBQ when all the meat is only partially cooked because you ran out of propane?  My extra propane cylinder has come in handy on multiple occasions. #food
D & W (1) Sep 10, 2009
I couldn't think of a better way to put this: 
[Image: dwgraph.png]
It applies to pretty much everything.  Energy level, volume, mood, appetite, hair length, etc. #psychology
Next species Sep 9, 2009
There's often talk of who will be the next president, or the next superpower.  My questions is who will be the next species?  There will probably come a day when humans are no longer top dog, which means something will take our place.  It probably won't be something like elephants or whales because their caloric requirements are too high.  They say a termite can survive a nuclear bomb, and rats seem to be able to survive things like plagues, so both are good possibilities.  My guess is that it'll either be bears or cats.  Adult bears in Yosemite National Park have been known to teach their cubs to climb trees to get the food bags people hang up there on overnight camping trips, leading the park to require that people carry airtight canisters for food storage.  And cats ... are curious creatures.  Accidentally leave a dog home alone, and it'll bark itself to death.  Leave a cat home alone and you'll have no more bug problems.  Also, cats can open jars and other containers.  And cats with thumbs?  We must fear cats with thumbs. #nature
Oh, nuts Sep 9, 2009
One time Wendy was walking around the kitchen holding a glass jar of peanuts.  It accidentally slipped out of her hands and harmlessly bounced on the floor, at which point she said, "Oh, nuts."  That's still one of the funniest things I've ever heard. #food
Car wash deal Sep 9, 2009
I get my car washed at this place near my house for $7.75.  I've determined that paying this small price is infinitely better than doing it myself, thus avoiding an hour of wasted time, wet clothes, and a poor wash job*.  But I only go about once a month, and even less frequently during the winter when road salt makes car-washing pointless.  So I have an idea I'm thinking about pitching to my car washer:  Offer a monthly membership program where customers can pay $10 a month to get their cars washed twice a month.  Customers could pay six months or a year up front, that way there's guaranteed income right off the bat.  And it's more income than you'd otherwise get from infrequent car-washers like me.  And it would benefit me because I would be near the place and think well, I already paid for it, so I might as well get my car washed.  Win-win. 

*Plus, Wendy says they most likely have some sort of purification process in place before they dump the waste water in the drain since it's a requirement of all businesses with heavy water usage, unlike my "system" which simply lets the waste water seep back into the ground.  Win-win-win? #business
Miles per fill-up Sep 8, 2009
One of the selling points I've been hearing more and more in car commercials is the idea of miles between fill-ups, which is a misleading way to sell a car.  Miles per gallon is at least a measure of engine efficiency.  Miles per fill-up is simply a measure of gas tank volume.  My car happens to have an 18-gallon tank, so I could potentially go about 500 miles between fill-ups.  But it doesn't mean it's more efficient or less gas-guzzling than a compact or a hybrid.  I guess it's all about the laziness factor. #business
Yamaha's product line Sep 4, 2009
Today's top story: 
Yamaha CEO Pleased With Current Production Of Jet Skis, Alto Saxophones, Snowmobiles, Power Generators, Scooters, Golf Carts

"Initially we thought that the declining global market would result in overproduction of synthesizers, PA systems, DVD players, tone generators, and motocross bikes, but in fact our production quotas were almost perfectly attuned to the market in power amplifiers, heart-rate monitors, signal processors, analog mixers, engine oil, microphones, HiFi systems, and grand pianos," said Umemura, who stressed that his company prides itself on attention to detail.

"At the Yamaha Corporation we're focused on one thing and one thing alone -- quality sound chips, ceiling brackets, editing software, race-kart engines, sport boats, flugelhorns, ATVs, sequencers, outboard motors, conference systems, golf clubs, projectors, MIDI controllers, lamp cartridges, portable recorders, subwoofers, component systems, and motorcycles."
Growing up I had a Yamaha saxophone, a Yamaha electric guitar, and a Yamaha electric keyboard.  I always thought it was weird that a company known for jet skis and dirt bikes was the same company that made my musical instruments. #products
Wasting garbage Sep 3, 2009
I feel bad about using and wasting the following things that end up in the garbage: 
  1. Paper towels.  They do a great job of drying things up, but sometimes they simply soak up water.  Clean water.  I feel bad using paper towels to dry my hands after washing them because I could just as easily use a washable towel or my pants.  All three objects perform the same function equally well, but only paper towels end up in a landfill.  Thankfully paper towels are biodegradable, so they won't sit around forever.
  2. Plastic bags.  On at least two separate occasions in my lifetime, I threw out a bag full of other plastic bags, simply because I had no use for that many plastic bags and they were taking up space.  This is still something I sort of regret, because plastic bags have a tendency to sit around in landfills for eternity.  And most times, they perform the stupidly simple purpose of transporting objects from one location to another.  You could use a billion other things to perform that function.
  3. Styrofoam cups.  I like me some smoothies, but smoothie-makers feel the need to package their products in landfill-destined polymer cups (which also stay around for eternity) because they keep things cold.  I personally wouldn't mind plastic (recyclable), metal, or even wood containers to transport my blended fruit semi-beverage from the store counter to my mouth.  I'm not that picky.
Wendy's a hippie, and it's rubbing off on me. #science