Sunday, November 30, 2008

Guitar Hero is My Waterloo


I tried playing this game for the first time Friday night and sucked so horribly that I couldn't get through a single song on easy. You know what I think was screwing me up? The vertical music bar. I am so programmed to read music left to right, I was fumbling.

It didn't matter how many musical instruments I can play or that I can sight read music. In fact, all the technical background I have was a hindrance. There weren't 8th notes, key signatures, or a meter which are my musical tools. It is pure intuitive music and rhythm. Which made me start to wonder if I'm a good musician at all or am I just good at music rules?

Since I hate sucking at anything, I think I'm going to pick this up to hone my skills. Another possible problem is that the buttons on the guitar are for the left hand but I hate using my stroke as an excuse too much. I had good feeling for my pointy and ring finger (green and yellow buttons). Middle finger, red, was completely useless.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Thanks for the E Coli Not Your Average Joes!

This evening, I ordered a medium sirloin burger from the Watertown Not Your Average Joes and it was basically beef tartar. I got a full refund from the delivery place. I also tried to call Not Your Average Joes to warn them about the whole raw meat issue - no one picked up the phone. So, if you come down with food poisoning after eating their food, there is a precedent. Blech!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

The Eco-Friendly, All-Natural Alarm Clock


If you would like to help the environment, reduce your electricity bills, and avoid annoying beeping/radio talk in the morning, I highly suggest you get a cat. Why? Because they are walking alarm clocks. Every morning I am woken up at 6AM by a particularly stinky poo that Rasputin just plopped out in the litter box. It is so stinky, he comes into bed with me and bugs me until I get up and clean his litter box. He's a good, regular boy.

32 is the New 14

My birthday went very well - nice and leisurely with my brother. Plus, I got two birthday cakes. One at my brothers (cheesecake sampler from Whole Foods) and one at my parent's the next day (Trader Joes opera cake). So, yeah my stomach is all ready for Thanksgiving gorging. I got a bunch of workout/gym gear thanks to my parents. Also, word to the wise - name brand sports stores are fine if you really want to spend a lot of money but local sports stores are where customer service and prices are AWESOME. Plus, supporting local business is a really good move.

So, why is 32 the new 14? I have an evil acne breakout for the first time in about 18 years and I've been really moody all week. I can't count the times I've flipped people off while driving. I never thought at 32, I would be researching home acne remedies online. BTW a baking soda scrub is really effective.

Granted, at 14, I had no idea about the internets (do you think pluralizing internet will die out after Obama gets inaugurated?). If you work at a college/university right before the fall semester starts you usually get an email detailing the incoming freshman's mindset. Like this class' first remembered president was Bill Clinton, there weren't two Germanies or the USSR when they were growing up etc. It's a handy email to a)dial down your expectations of the freshman and b)make you feel ancient.

So, here I go with my own historical perspective: my first remembered president was Ronald Regan. The first computer I used was an Apple IIE. The first video game system we owned was Atari. I played Oregon Trail on the Apple IIE at school. Basically no one owned their own computer when I was a kid. I was in 3rd grade when the Challenger exploded. No one really talked about it but growing up there was a feeling that we'd all be vaporized by an atomic bomb which made every boneheaded move by Reagan feel even more dire. Jelly bracelets and cabbage patch kids were huge when I was in 2nd grade. Michael Jackson's Thriller came out when I was in 1st grade and it was still popular up to 4th grade. The Berlin Wall fell and the first Iraq war started when I was in middle school. I was a sophomore in high school when Bill Clinton was elected and I was able to vote for him when I was a sophomore in college. Good times... The internet and email were still fairly new and low graphic freshman year in college. It was a time before browsers like Netscape Navigator. I owned my first cell phone when I was 24.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Half 64

Tomorrow is my birthday and I'm turning 32. Quite honestly, I am thrilled with putting 31 behind me - it was exhausting! 4 different jobs, no vacation, lots of health issues, and no money. I don't think 32 could be any worse. I have a job that is very well positioned for an iffy economy. I'm hoping to take a vacation in the summer. It might be my old stand-by, PEI. I'm still kicking ass at personal training sessions and I have added in daily cardio so I hope that will make a positive difference for my health. Slowly, I am digging out from a debt. So, here's to hoping for a fabulous new age and an amazing next 32 years!

My Main WoW Characters

Since I've gotten back into the game, I figure I'll post my characters in case any other players are out there who want to group or run a dungeon with me. My main character is her. I am in the midst of completing two quests: missing Warsong supplies and missing pages. I'm one deadly blunderbus and 2 chapters away. When I'm bored with the Horde, I play this other character. She's the first character I made on WoW. I kinda regret picking a druid as my first character. If I need money, I use my dwarf. She's my worker bee with mining and skinning.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Big 3 Bailout Insights via Gchat

My first reaction was hells no. Let them fail. Bad business means a failing business.
But then I heard that about 10% of US jobs are related to the big 3 auto industry. So, if they tank they'll bring down about 6 million jobs.
9:56 AM Then since I heard how the $700 billion bailout is totally being mishandled, I thought that there must be another way to save the Big 3.
9:57 AM Tah dah! Bankruptcy.
In bankruptcy, they can totally realign their business and re-negotiate contracts (like union stuff).
9:58 AM That's the other thing. I am usually pro union. But man... if a union absolutely destroys an industry, that is too powerful and not the purpose of unions.
9:59 AM What happened to workers rights rather than sweet benefits packages?
10:01 AM Sarah: right on sista
10:03 AM me: Which means that universal healthcare could solve all these problems.
10:04 AM Sarah: good idea
me: Ha! Just call me a naive liberal

Comics Come Home

I've gone to this comedy benefit for nine years. I think it's a great cause and plus the collection of comedians are hard to beat! This year we had Denis Leary, Lenny Clarke, Anthony Clarke, Patrice O'Neal, Jim Breuer, Al Madrigal and a bunch of other unknown comedians. Back in the early years, it was held in the Orpheum and Dane Cook was still relatively unknown so he was there every year. For the past 3 years, the show has been moved to BU's Agganis Arena which is a much nicer venue. The show is always held in mid-November and I highly recommend trying to check it out. I usually spend about $50 (with ticketmaster fees) on a ticket and my seats have always been good.

This year's show wasn't as great as I remembered past ones. The show wasn't sold out - which was weird but then again the country is collapsing and money is an issue with people. Which leads me to this odd glumness that hung over the comedy. There were barely any political jokes and a lot of pee/poop humor. But I did find a new comedian to keep an eye on - Al Madrigal.

Denis Leary didn't really lift the mood when he devoted a lot of time explaining his "controversial" autism quote from his new book. Eh, who cares? We were there to laugh. Oh yeah, fun fact - ever since Dane Cook hit the big time, he is too important to donate his time to Comics Come Home. I definitely laughed a lot and enjoyed the night but I didn't walk away with many memorable jokes that I can laugh over afterwards.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Asshole Driving Moves I Don't Get

1. Why don't drivers yield?

2. Why do drivers who have been moseying at 40mph on the highway suddenly speed up when I try to pass them? Will I win some prize that they want if I pass them?

3. Why do drivers not notice that their headlights aren't on?

4. Why don't drivers realize that if they brake all the time, it's basically boy who cried wolf driving syndrome? How will I know the difference between a random foot seizure and actual traffic brake?

5. Why don't drivers use those handy mirrors on the side of their car or THEIR EYES?

6. Why can't drivers look ahead 1 car before honking? I drive a puny Ford Focus and if I'm not moving, it could be because there is a car in front of me at a dead stop.

7. Why must SUV's have their brights on all the time?

8. Why do drivers who are in the slow lane on a highway have to drive between 30 - 40 mph and slam on their brakes at every on ramp?

9 What can you, as a driver, do when you notice that the driver behind you is too busy texting to actually notice traffic?

10. Why can't drivers figure out merging? It's like a zipper or shuffling cards idiots! No, making a third lane won't help and you won't win the driving game.

My Commute From Hell

When I started this job assignment back in late September, my commute was a breeze. 30 minutes or less on the Pike against traffic (west in the mornings and east at night). Over the past two weeks, my commute home typically takes an hour or more. Why? Mostly car accidents that happen on 95 north that back up the Weston tolls exit for miles. Or it could be a combo of car accident and speed trap that shuts down the left lane like last Friday on the Pike. I've tried leaving a bit early from work and that doesn't help. I've found the AM station with traffic on the 3's and I always check Boston.com's traffic link before I leave work. It has become pointless to have a fast-lane pass now considering I usually just creep through the tollbooth coming home. It has gotten so bad now that I pack my chorus stuff or gym clothes in my car in the morning because I can't count on having time to swing home after work.

I am really hoping this is just people adjusting driving home in the dark and holiday stress. I was in front of a van the other night that didn't have its headlights on - it makes me shudder thinking of being on a highway with a driver like that.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Lazy Olympics

With some things, I am a hard worker and driven but with other things I am horribly almost pathologically lazy. This weekend I hit my lazy nadir and I doubt that any of you can "top" me. This weekend I...


...did a load of laundry Friday night was too lazy to unload the dryer and bring the clothes upstairs until Sunday night. So I dressed in scrubby clothes all weekend.

... needed to refill my Brita filter but my sink was stuffed with dirty dishes so I used the tub to fill up my Brita.

Beat THAT!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Sweet Jesus There's a New World of Warcraft Expansion Pack!


I've been out of the gaming loop for a while now because none of my friends or family are playing anymore. And also, I got tired of grinding. But, it is almost the winter, and there's a new expansion pack out - Wrath of the Lich King. It looks so pretty and my hibernating urges are about to get stronger as the weather gets colder. My only hesitation is that I have to double-check the game specs against my computer. I am extra excited for another continent too! None of my characters are high enough to even become a Death Knight. In fact, I have no idea which characters I have now. I think I have a Blood Elf hunter, a Night Elf druid, a Human priest, and a Dwarf rogue.

Cursed Commute

I have no idea what's going on with drivers this week but it's like they (and the Turnpike Authority) took stupid pills. Here are a couple examples:

Tuesday evening commute home on the Pike to 128 took me 1.5 hours (my regular commute is 30 minutes). Why? Because some poor people got into an accident on 128 North and offramp drivers decided not to pay attention to which lanes were cash vs. Fast-lane. Here's a tip, get off your cell, look ahead, and see what lane you're in.

This morning's Pike commute west taking the route 30 exit (#12 I think) wasn't a picnic either. Traffic was backed up onto the Pike because a Fast-lane was shut down and there was absolutely no signage so you couldn't see it was closed until you were basically ready to breeze through. Of course life was made oh so simpler by drivers making3 lanes when there should be only 2.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Ladies Be Not Afraid...

...when you notice in the bathroom stall that the toilet paper has been shredded to bits. A wolf hasn't been let loose. It is just me trying to start a new toilet paper roll. The glued end only comes up an inch so I get a nice long streamer to wipe my ass. Fed up, I usually try to use my fingernail to go across which can result in 3 ply to 6 ply toilet paper squares (since the roll can't actually roll). So, there I am with a stack of toilet paper squares and a streamer.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Medical Probability Is Not My Friend

This past weekend I had an appointment to donate blood platelets in honor of poor Dink. I donate blood as often as my guilt catches up with me so I'm okay with needles and seeing my own blood. I'm O+ so I'm a trooper.

I got the straight dope on platelet donation from Sarah so I wasn't nervous. The nurse lady who walked me through the questionnaire and took my stats was really nice. I pointed out my favorite bulging blue vein but apparently it was too squishy so I would need a double needle. Left arm intake, right arm outtake. The set-up is really nice. You get a comfy heated chair and your own movie to watch. I chose "Iron Man". The day before, I tried to drink a lot of milk to help my platelets but I still had to chew tums to boost my calcium. They used a pretty thick needle (14 gauge). The intake arm was getting a mix of blood thinner citrate and my outtake arm was blood - which is fed into a machine to sort out the platelets. My left arm would receive my own blood back into me eventually.

It was going fine for a while but I got the lip tingles so they gave me more tums and dialed down my machine. My stomach started feeling really awful but I ignored it figuring that it was a reaction to the tums. More lip tingling and another dial down within an hour. Then I started feeling REALLY awful and nauseous so I flagged over the nurses. They turned off the machine, got my feet up and pumped my blood back into me. It turns out the citrate blood thinner doesn't agree with me. I had to spend another hour to recover enough to drive and at home I camped out on the sofa feeling gross for the rest of the day. My teeth were aching all night. On the up side, they did get some (not a lot) platelets!

I decided to read up on this citrate BS. I have been on blood thinners before so I know I could tolerate them. It turns out about 1% of platelet donors have a bad reaction to this stuff. But my goodness, my reaction was a cake walk compared to some of the reactions I read about - seizures and muscle rigidity. I started thinking about me and medical probability. I was one of the 30% of the population who had a patent foramen ovale. I was one of the small percentage of women who had a stroke while on birth control pills. I bet I'll wind up one of the 3% of women who get pregnant using condoms. But on the up side, I kicked medical probability's ass by surviving my stroke and recovering so well.

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Presidential Analysis



Look at the swap off for McCain's top supporters and Obama's bottom supporters. It almost looks like a cut and paste job.

Election Data Geekery

So, if there is any question about whether being a financial analyst is a good job for me, I think I just answered it. On my lunchbreak, I was tooling around with this. After some fun playing with the map, I delved into the data. Then it occurred to me, I could cut and paste the data into Excel and sort to get a better analysis. Yup, that's what I did on my LUNCH BREAK and I had fun. Here are my initial findings for the ballot questions:


My initial process was just purely sorting by straight votes. But as you can see, of course the biggest cities make the top 4 and bottom 4. So, analytically it wasn't too interesting. BUT what is interesting to look at the pattern of cities that crop up. Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Quincy, and Cambridge always pop up. But look at Question 1 and 3, no Newton. And on Question 3 Brockton pops up out of nowhere on the No side. Maybe that's because the Raynham-Taunton Greyhound Park is nearby?

Since I spotted the error in my sorting and analysis, I realized that I should weight the votes somehow. So, I weighted votes as a percentge against total votes. Remember, this is FUN for me:



Look at the variety of towns! Also look at Question 3. It appears that I was correct that opinion was heavily influenced by location (and probably employment). Sad to say, a lot of these towns I've never heard of. Apparently Wendell is a stoner friendly town! New Marlborough loves their doggies. Leverett loves taxes so much, we should give them more! It is also interesting to see which questions were the most divisive. On the no side, Question 1 had the highest percentage of either question followed by Question 3, and then 2. On the yes side, it went 3,2,1. Stay tuned for my presidential analysis and I might try another method of weighting voting results which would include town population.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Prediction Report Card

I'm no Nostradamus, and there are still states out there that haven't been called for either candidate but I'm at about 96% accuracy. I forgot Indiana in my list so that knocked down my score.

Tired and Grateful


Wow, what a day to wake up to, huh? It is amazing that every single thing I checked off on my ballot won! The last couple of days I have had been nauseous from nervous tension and had very odd dreams. I was convinced that the Republicans would steal this one again. Guess what bitches? When you screw with the electoral process you flip the state blue (see Ohio and Florida).

Last night, I had a personal training appointment - which really helped work off my nervous energy. When I got home, I camped out on my sofa with my handy map, laptop and the TV. I flipped between BBC, MSNBC, and CNN. BBC was hilarious and bit delayed in terms of projections. They had a bitter American right winger for commentary and every time a state was projected, they gave a bit of history or screwed up on the name: North Hampshire. I colored along on my map as projections came in. When Ohio went blue and the projections said Florida would follow I started feeling cautiously hopeful.

After the Daily Show live special, I turned over to CNN and Barack was President-Elect! I still have no idea what sequence of events lead to that (I assume it was the West Coast). Many ecstatic phone calls to friends and family later, it sunk in. This is what it feels like when 8 years of hope repressed emerges victorious. I will be able to watch States of the Union without a bottle of wine and a string of invective thrown at the TV. I will be able to listen to our President give speeches without cringing. All my friends abroad can stop bugging me about my country's leadership and policies. My goodness, I slept so well last night. On the flip side, can Obama live up to the hype? There is a lot of wiggle room for "better than Bush". Also, don't taunt your Republican acquaintances. Remember the painful election days we had to endure this past decade.

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Happy November!

My birthday is coming this month and I'm toying with the idea of getting a tattoo. I'm thinking a compass on my right upper back. Comme ça:



My crappy 2001 Ford Focus was fixed Thursday. The rear passenger window suddenly stopped working last weekend. I'd like to compliment Framingham Ford. They were quick and honest with the repair job. And also, I had THE BEST taxi rides to and from the dealership thanks to Tommy's Taxi. They came early every trip and I had some really nice conversations. If I focus on these positives, I can forget that the repair cost me over $400.