Mattheus just figured out how to open doors and he likes to wake up early. Even those of you without kids should understand the gravity of this situation: a two-year-old with free reign of the house without parental supervision == really bad news!
We will have to spend the next couple of days hunkering down and getting ready for the destruction. Either that, or we can just put up the baby gate at the top of the stairs. I think we'll go for option #2.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
New Pics Posted
Spent most of the evening loading pictures onto my Facebook account. These were long overdue and the easiest way was to create an album for every year:
2003 (5 pics)
2004 (6 pics)
2005 (33 pics)
2006 (36 pics)
2007 (12 pics)
2008 (12 pics)
Enjoy.
2003 (5 pics)
2004 (6 pics)
2005 (33 pics)
2006 (36 pics)
2007 (12 pics)
2008 (12 pics)
Enjoy.
Gotta Love Springtime
The sun is out, it's warm outside, and the kids are playing in the sandbox. Just another little piece of heaven.
Monday, April 28, 2008
6 years and counting...
Yesterday, Wifey and I celebrated our 6th anniversary. To tell you the truth these were really easy years. Over this time we haven't had a single fight (in fact we've never had a fight any time in our relationship) and have had only 1 or 2 "discussions". When I was thinking about this the other day I had to double check with her just in case I had forgotten about something. Her response was "No, but why are you asking about this? Do you feel like you need to pick a fight with me?" I guess I must have had my serious face on when I asked the question...she always knows just the right thing to say to get me to laugh.
About the most stressful part of the marriage so far has been the cross-country move to Colorado which has taken us away from all of our family and friends. Probably the worst night of my life happened when Wifey had to have an emergency appendectomy while we were all out here looking at houses on my interview trip. After being stuck in a strange town without any friends and a very tired 2-year-old waiting for your wife to get out of surgery, the stresses of moving to the same strange town aren't quite as bad. Hey, at least we knew the hospitals were good!
In short, these have been the best years of my life. I have a smart, funny, and beautiful wife and our kids have inherited all these traits. I can't wait to see what the upcoming years have in store for us. What more can you ask for?
About the most stressful part of the marriage so far has been the cross-country move to Colorado which has taken us away from all of our family and friends. Probably the worst night of my life happened when Wifey had to have an emergency appendectomy while we were all out here looking at houses on my interview trip. After being stuck in a strange town without any friends and a very tired 2-year-old waiting for your wife to get out of surgery, the stresses of moving to the same strange town aren't quite as bad. Hey, at least we knew the hospitals were good!
In short, these have been the best years of my life. I have a smart, funny, and beautiful wife and our kids have inherited all these traits. I can't wait to see what the upcoming years have in store for us. What more can you ask for?
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Rock on you crazy fool!
Going to my friend's house to play Rock Band today. We're fairly addicted to the game and have been known to play for hours on end without a break. In honor of simulated video super stardom and having to tape bags of frozen peas to my arms attached is a hilarious video review of Guitar Hero III for your enjoyment.
Guitar Hero III Review
Guitar Hero III Review
Friday, April 25, 2008
Books Since October
New rating system (sorted lowest to highest):
(1) Made me puke
(2) Did I really need to read this?
(3) Eh
(4) I liked it
(5) Don't wait up honey, I'll be reading until the sun comes up
Contact by Carl Sagan - 10/30/2007
Rating: Eh
Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck - 11/21/2007
Rating: Eh (didn't finish)
His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik - 11/25/2007
Rating: Don't wait up, reading 'till dawn
Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik - 12/1/2007
Rating: I liked it
Black Powder War by Naomi Novik - 12/18/2007
Rating: I liked it
Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik - 1/1/2008
Rating: I liked it
Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest - 1/19/2008
Rating: Did I really need to read this?
Crystal Rain by Tobias S. Buckell - 3/29/2008
Rating: Eh
Nimitz Class (audio) by Patrick Robinson - 3/20/2008
Rating: Did I really need to read this?
Duma Key (audio) by Stephen King - 4/8/2008
Rating: Eh
A Fine and Private Place (audio) by Peter S. Beagle - 4/15/2008
Rating: Did I really need to read this?
The Forever War (audio) by Joe Hadelman - 4/22/2008
Rating: Don't wait up, reading 'till dawn
A Room with a View (audio) by E. M. Forster - 4/22/2008
Rating: Made me puke (didn't finish)
Currently Reading:
The World's Religions by Huston Smith
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear
(1) Made me puke
(2) Did I really need to read this?
(3) Eh
(4) I liked it
(5) Don't wait up honey, I'll be reading until the sun comes up
Contact by Carl Sagan - 10/30/2007
Rating: Eh
Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck - 11/21/2007
Rating: Eh (didn't finish)
His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik - 11/25/2007
Rating: Don't wait up, reading 'till dawn
Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik - 12/1/2007
Rating: I liked it
Black Powder War by Naomi Novik - 12/18/2007
Rating: I liked it
Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik - 1/1/2008
Rating: I liked it
Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest - 1/19/2008
Rating: Did I really need to read this?
Crystal Rain by Tobias S. Buckell - 3/29/2008
Rating: Eh
Nimitz Class (audio) by Patrick Robinson - 3/20/2008
Rating: Did I really need to read this?
Duma Key (audio) by Stephen King - 4/8/2008
Rating: Eh
A Fine and Private Place (audio) by Peter S. Beagle - 4/15/2008
Rating: Did I really need to read this?
The Forever War (audio) by Joe Hadelman - 4/22/2008
Rating: Don't wait up, reading 'till dawn
A Room with a View (audio) by E. M. Forster - 4/22/2008
Rating: Made me puke (didn't finish)
Currently Reading:
The World's Religions by Huston Smith
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear
The Snape Song
Zoe just loves this video.
Occasionally she'll just walk around the house singing "Snape, Snape, Severus Snape. Dumbledore!"
Occasionally she'll just walk around the house singing "Snape, Snape, Severus Snape. Dumbledore!"
Thursday, April 24, 2008
I love my new job...
I just started a new job a couple of weeks ago. It's in this group called "future plans". It's a small group on a really large program that has a lot of influence on the program. Basically, we are the people who do a lot of analysis and determine the direction that the program needs to take in the future. It is very math/science intensive with a lot of independent research going on. In many ways it is a dream job for a math geek like me. I don't even mind the hour long commute to Denver I'm so excited to go to work.
Here's what sealed the deal for me:
Earlier this week, my team lead and I were in his office talking about a new problem we were working on. In jest, he started to write down an equation which he said would solve all of our problems. I then added my own parts to the equation. We went back and forth for a couple of minutes and ended up with a triple integral involving politics, time, and money as the key variables in our equation. I know that this probably sounds like it would be hell for most people, but that's the point. Since I've started my professional career I've never felt comfortable enough to make a math joke like that. In fact, the one time I did try it before, I distinctly remember the querulous look that my friend made and I never tried it again. It hasn't been since I was president of the math club in college that I've been able to do jokes with math.
Here's what sealed the deal for me:
Earlier this week, my team lead and I were in his office talking about a new problem we were working on. In jest, he started to write down an equation which he said would solve all of our problems. I then added my own parts to the equation. We went back and forth for a couple of minutes and ended up with a triple integral involving politics, time, and money as the key variables in our equation. I know that this probably sounds like it would be hell for most people, but that's the point. Since I've started my professional career I've never felt comfortable enough to make a math joke like that. In fact, the one time I did try it before, I distinctly remember the querulous look that my friend made and I never tried it again. It hasn't been since I was president of the math club in college that I've been able to do jokes with math.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
More Books
Again, it's been a while. Really quick rundown of the books I've read lately...
Sun of Suns by Karl Schroeder
Kick butt pirate adventure in a world completely enclosed in a huge balloon. Very cool, I liked it and will pick up the others in this series when they come out.
Lisey's Story by Stephen King
Got this book for Christmas. I tried getting into it a couple of times, but it just couldn't hold my interest. Had to put it down once I got to page 50.
The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck
Something that I'm learning as I get older is that I really like John Steinbeck's books. If you had told me that in 7th grade when I was forced to read The Pearl, I would have laughed in your face. Such a good story in this book...I will have to go out and find more of his books.
The Blonde by Duane Swierczynki
Read the book in one night, kind of appropriate since most of the book occurs over the course of a couple of days. I just couldn't put it down until I got to the end. I think I might have a new favorite author.
Currently Reading:
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein (2nd reading)
I'm a Stranger Here Myself by Bill Bryson
The Sagan Diary by John Scalzi (audiobook)
Analytical Mechanics of Space Systems by Hanspeter Schaub and John L. Junkins (for school)
Sun of Suns by Karl Schroeder
Kick butt pirate adventure in a world completely enclosed in a huge balloon. Very cool, I liked it and will pick up the others in this series when they come out.
Lisey's Story by Stephen King
Got this book for Christmas. I tried getting into it a couple of times, but it just couldn't hold my interest. Had to put it down once I got to page 50.
The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck
Something that I'm learning as I get older is that I really like John Steinbeck's books. If you had told me that in 7th grade when I was forced to read The Pearl, I would have laughed in your face. Such a good story in this book...I will have to go out and find more of his books.
The Blonde by Duane Swierczynki
Read the book in one night, kind of appropriate since most of the book occurs over the course of a couple of days. I just couldn't put it down until I got to the end. I think I might have a new favorite author.
Currently Reading:
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein (2nd reading)
I'm a Stranger Here Myself by Bill Bryson
The Sagan Diary by John Scalzi (audiobook)
Analytical Mechanics of Space Systems by Hanspeter Schaub and John L. Junkins (for school)
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Book Reviews for November
It's been a while, and I've read a couple of books since the last time I posted. Here are my quick reviews:
Learning the World by Ken MacLeod
This was one of the Hugo nominees for this past year. Synopsis...human civilization has gone a long way towards populating the galaxy, thus far no other intelligent species has been found...up until now. The latest colonization attempt is reaching a world which is populated by bat-people similar in size to human. The world is very similar technologically to the Earth in the 1920's.
This book flips back and forth between two points of view: those of the colonists and those of the bat-people. I actually wish that MacLeod stuck with the story from the bat-people's point of view...to me, at least, this part kept me more interested than on the colony ship. I think what turned me off to the colony ship was that the people on this ship were so different from humans today that I couldn't relate to them...I actually felt closer to the bat-people. Maybe that was what MacLeod was trying to do all along. The ending was a little weak, I was waiting for more stuff to happen and then the book just ended with a convenient resolution. I was kind of disappointed because I was really getting into the story at that point.
The Android's Dream by John Scalzi
John Scalzi is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Again, Scalzi doesn't delve in any deep concepts/messages, he just writes a really good story with plenty of action and comedy to keep you turning the pages. The book starts off with a chapter-long fart joke assassination of an alien diplomat. In order to prevent the alien race from destroying humanity, which they easily can, a low-level state department official, Harry Creek, who has just the right qualifications (i.e. ex-cop, special forces experience, computer-wiz, etc.) has to track down a genetically modified sheep called the Android's Dream and provide it to the alien race. The only problem is that somebody is killing off all of these sheep and now have their sights set on Harry. I'm afraid of revealing any of the plot twists, so I can't say anymore about the book. Just pick it up, you won't regret it.
My only regret is that I bought this book right away and then found out that Scalzi is offering some signed versions of the book at some of his preferred retailers. I think I will still buy the signed version anyway and give my current version to the library. The great news is that Tor has asked for a sequel to this book...I can't wait to see it!
Encounter with Tiber by Buzz Aldrin and John Barnes
Yes, that Buzz Aldrin. I was actually surprised with the quality of the book. Of course, reading all the technical parts about space travel from an expert was quite exciting for me, considering that I'm getting my Master's in Space Systems. Synopsis...an alien species far more advanced than humans sends a signal to earth with a map to a location on the moon that leads to a library of information from the aliens. The book is divided into a number of parts, some parts deal with trying to get to the library, other parts deal with information obtained from the library (in particular, the telling of some stories from the aliens...this is the part that I enjoyed the most).
It's a pretty good book, which surprised me. I say that because I'm always skeptical of picking up books that are written by more than one author. There's something deep inside me that says, if one person couldn't write it (especially if he isn't an author) it can't be that good. I'm glad to be proven wrong here.
The only thing that I found as a real weakness in this book is one of my major pet peeves when I read novels...a really smart character all of a sudden having such a lack of knowledge in a particular area that another character has to explain it to him, when really the author is just trying to explain the concept to the reader. It really annoys me when an author does this. I don't care if the author has to make a descriptive paragraph or two in order to explain this to the reader...it's science fiction, it's a given that there are going to be some things that a reader doesn't understand. The part that I detest is taking a person so out of character that it is laughable that they don't know the information being explained to them. It doesn't fit in the story, especially when the person has be touted as being uber-smart and is a real distraction for me.
Next Book:
Sun of Suns by Karl Schroeder
(By the way, this book has some real kick-butt cover art. It will definitely be picked up by those people who do judge a book by it's cover.)
Learning the World by Ken MacLeod
This was one of the Hugo nominees for this past year. Synopsis...human civilization has gone a long way towards populating the galaxy, thus far no other intelligent species has been found...up until now. The latest colonization attempt is reaching a world which is populated by bat-people similar in size to human. The world is very similar technologically to the Earth in the 1920's.
This book flips back and forth between two points of view: those of the colonists and those of the bat-people. I actually wish that MacLeod stuck with the story from the bat-people's point of view...to me, at least, this part kept me more interested than on the colony ship. I think what turned me off to the colony ship was that the people on this ship were so different from humans today that I couldn't relate to them...I actually felt closer to the bat-people. Maybe that was what MacLeod was trying to do all along. The ending was a little weak, I was waiting for more stuff to happen and then the book just ended with a convenient resolution. I was kind of disappointed because I was really getting into the story at that point.
The Android's Dream by John Scalzi
John Scalzi is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Again, Scalzi doesn't delve in any deep concepts/messages, he just writes a really good story with plenty of action and comedy to keep you turning the pages. The book starts off with a chapter-long fart joke assassination of an alien diplomat. In order to prevent the alien race from destroying humanity, which they easily can, a low-level state department official, Harry Creek, who has just the right qualifications (i.e. ex-cop, special forces experience, computer-wiz, etc.) has to track down a genetically modified sheep called the Android's Dream and provide it to the alien race. The only problem is that somebody is killing off all of these sheep and now have their sights set on Harry. I'm afraid of revealing any of the plot twists, so I can't say anymore about the book. Just pick it up, you won't regret it.
My only regret is that I bought this book right away and then found out that Scalzi is offering some signed versions of the book at some of his preferred retailers. I think I will still buy the signed version anyway and give my current version to the library. The great news is that Tor has asked for a sequel to this book...I can't wait to see it!
Encounter with Tiber by Buzz Aldrin and John Barnes
Yes, that Buzz Aldrin. I was actually surprised with the quality of the book. Of course, reading all the technical parts about space travel from an expert was quite exciting for me, considering that I'm getting my Master's in Space Systems. Synopsis...an alien species far more advanced than humans sends a signal to earth with a map to a location on the moon that leads to a library of information from the aliens. The book is divided into a number of parts, some parts deal with trying to get to the library, other parts deal with information obtained from the library (in particular, the telling of some stories from the aliens...this is the part that I enjoyed the most).
It's a pretty good book, which surprised me. I say that because I'm always skeptical of picking up books that are written by more than one author. There's something deep inside me that says, if one person couldn't write it (especially if he isn't an author) it can't be that good. I'm glad to be proven wrong here.
The only thing that I found as a real weakness in this book is one of my major pet peeves when I read novels...a really smart character all of a sudden having such a lack of knowledge in a particular area that another character has to explain it to him, when really the author is just trying to explain the concept to the reader. It really annoys me when an author does this. I don't care if the author has to make a descriptive paragraph or two in order to explain this to the reader...it's science fiction, it's a given that there are going to be some things that a reader doesn't understand. The part that I detest is taking a person so out of character that it is laughable that they don't know the information being explained to them. It doesn't fit in the story, especially when the person has be touted as being uber-smart and is a real distraction for me.
Next Book:
Sun of Suns by Karl Schroeder
(By the way, this book has some real kick-butt cover art. It will definitely be picked up by those people who do judge a book by it's cover.)
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