I'm feeling edgy today. The morons leaving the club last night at 2 in the morning prolly have a little to do with it, but I think mainly it is all the unfamiliarity I'm facing that makes me yearn to slip into the anesthetizing embrace of sweet, sweet routine. Well, and the gas range is getting on my nerves. I can't get even heat out of the thing, so when I toast a cheese sandwich, I've got a burnt spot in the center and the edges of the sandwich are mildly warm. Oh, and the ActionScript for the picture viewer I've been working on is misbehaving in seriously infuriating ways, which sent me out for a walk to the library, which sadly has neither free wireless or books on ActionScript or Flex :(. Still, I took a stroll around the perimeter of the new art museum, which is seriously funky and interesting.
Man, it was windy out today. A couple times the grit in the wind felt like a sandblaster on the chin. The pigeons were all huddled up on the leeward side of the roof of the former governor's mansion. Poor pigeons. I've been watching all the males doing their mating dances and all the females being oblivious at best and flying away most of the time. I can empathize, guys. But then again, maybe you deserve it for sitting on my air conditioning unit and cooing loudly at 7 in the morning.
The other day, I did notice what is in that former governor's mansion. Evidently there are some law offices and a private investigator housed there. I wonder what sort of PI has digs in the former governor's mansion? But that doesn't seem to solve the mystery. The other day there were ladies out by the pool doing amusing exercises and last night there were two catering vans unloading their contents into the building. Must be some law office. And the flag flying outside, which I've never been able to read properly ("something something something for a reasonable something"), seems to be a variation on the Don't Tread On Me flag. Curious.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Friday, March 30, 2007
21 Minutes
Cool. I got a lot of stuff done today as the snow was melting. My car now has license plates on both front and back (fancy!) and I have an S-Video cable to connect my laptop to my tv. 27" monitor anyone?
I also took a trip over to REI's fantabuloustastic flagship store to spend my dividend on cycling goodies and boots ... well, not the boots, since their boots started at $89 and went much further than that. But I now have some nifty gloves and cuff protectors. I continued on up to RealEyes and then turned around. Timing myself coming home, it took 21 minutes from parking lot to parking lot. Of course, getting myself put together and unpacked will take a while longer, but that's a pretty reasonable commute when you're doing it sans motor. Also, it should be shorter going to work, since it will be mainly downhill. Thank you, Cherry Creek Bike Trail! I figure it's around 4 miles or so and completely doable without sweating through my shirt. We'll see how it goes on Monday.
And now back to chores around the apartment.
I also took a trip over to REI's fantabuloustastic flagship store to spend my dividend on cycling goodies and boots ... well, not the boots, since their boots started at $89 and went much further than that. But I now have some nifty gloves and cuff protectors. I continued on up to RealEyes and then turned around. Timing myself coming home, it took 21 minutes from parking lot to parking lot. Of course, getting myself put together and unpacked will take a while longer, but that's a pretty reasonable commute when you're doing it sans motor. Also, it should be shorter going to work, since it will be mainly downhill. Thank you, Cherry Creek Bike Trail! I figure it's around 4 miles or so and completely doable without sweating through my shirt. We'll see how it goes on Monday.
And now back to chores around the apartment.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
And now for something completely pointless
Oh, you folks in Florida should enjoy this. While the temperatures rise there and you start to sweat, think on the fact that you could be in Colorado enjoying the cool and refreshing snow!
Yes, not only did it drop a couple inches last night, but it is still quite actively snowing this morning. Thank goodness I got my running around in yesterday, though I'd hope to take my newly reassembled bike (I did that!) out for a spin to REI and RealEyes. Now I'm thinking something along the line of reading all day, spending quality time with the Internet, and making a new picture viewer in Flash.
Oh, and I might watch some TV on my stunning 27 inch Olevia that I picked up yesterday. I'm not sure quite what came over me to cause me to splurge, but I certainly did enjoy watching Lost in high definition last night. Of course, it would have been nicer had the episode not been so lame. (CAUTION! SPOILERS AHEAD) I mean, other than getting rid of two annoying extras in a rather ghoulish and contrived fashion, it was up there with the dumb tree frog episode. It was even more jarring, following as it did two very strong episodes, totally breaking the momentum they had built. So long Nikki and Paolo. It couldn't have happened to a more deserving couple. You thought they were annoying as extras? We find out now that they not only are thieving, murdering murderers, but they also exhibit the worst tendencies of Lost characters to the extreme. They kill each other over their selfish secrets. They find hatches and don't tell anyone (might this have been useful with Rousseau announced impending Other-induced DOOM?!). They knew the Others were going to go after Jack using Michael. They knew about the plane with the radio. They had an Other's brand walkie-talkie. And it was practically a clips show. Arrrggh! It makes me want to beat my head against a wall, or preferably their heads. Speaking of annoying, I'm glad we could be reminded what a colossal waste of oxygen Shannon was. Thanks, I had almost forgotten. And what was with the scene with Juliet and Ben?
Juliet: How will you get Jack to perform the surgery?
Ben: The same way I get anyone to do anything. I find out what he's emotionally-invested in and exploit it.
They should have given him a handlebar moustache to twirl in that scene. Maybe add a black top hat and an evil laugh? C'mon folks! Oh well. Back on track next week with a knock down, drag out, wet t-shirt cat fight between Juliet and Kate. Sign me up!
Yes, not only did it drop a couple inches last night, but it is still quite actively snowing this morning. Thank goodness I got my running around in yesterday, though I'd hope to take my newly reassembled bike (I did that!) out for a spin to REI and RealEyes. Now I'm thinking something along the line of reading all day, spending quality time with the Internet, and making a new picture viewer in Flash.
Oh, and I might watch some TV on my stunning 27 inch Olevia that I picked up yesterday. I'm not sure quite what came over me to cause me to splurge, but I certainly did enjoy watching Lost in high definition last night. Of course, it would have been nicer had the episode not been so lame. (CAUTION! SPOILERS AHEAD) I mean, other than getting rid of two annoying extras in a rather ghoulish and contrived fashion, it was up there with the dumb tree frog episode. It was even more jarring, following as it did two very strong episodes, totally breaking the momentum they had built. So long Nikki and Paolo. It couldn't have happened to a more deserving couple. You thought they were annoying as extras? We find out now that they not only are thieving, murdering murderers, but they also exhibit the worst tendencies of Lost characters to the extreme. They kill each other over their selfish secrets. They find hatches and don't tell anyone (might this have been useful with Rousseau announced impending Other-induced DOOM?!). They knew the Others were going to go after Jack using Michael. They knew about the plane with the radio. They had an Other's brand walkie-talkie. And it was practically a clips show. Arrrggh! It makes me want to beat my head against a wall, or preferably their heads. Speaking of annoying, I'm glad we could be reminded what a colossal waste of oxygen Shannon was. Thanks, I had almost forgotten. And what was with the scene with Juliet and Ben?Juliet: How will you get Jack to perform the surgery?
Ben: The same way I get anyone to do anything. I find out what he's emotionally-invested in and exploit it.
They should have given him a handlebar moustache to twirl in that scene. Maybe add a black top hat and an evil laugh? C'mon folks! Oh well. Back on track next week with a knock down, drag out, wet t-shirt cat fight between Juliet and Kate. Sign me up!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
It's Officialicious!
Well, I got me some licensing. In fact, I got the driver's license, registration, and parking permit all before noon. Take that, Cesar Chavez! So I guess that makes it official. I'm a Coloradan once more. The fates were definitely smiling on me today, as the parking meter that I fruitlessly paid yesterday to get 25 minutes today had 45 minutes on it when I pulled up. Also, everything except the bike is unpacked. Thanks to Dean and John for getting those to me.
I also explored the bowels of my building today and found that laundry technology has advanced quite a bit since I last fed quarters into a washer. The nice laundry room here runs off of cards, so no more hoarding quarters! I bought a card, charged it with my debit card and started washing clothing.
Third neat thing: Amanda invited me to a Adobe Users Group meeting that RealEyes hosted and I got to see a presentation on the Creative Suite 3 products coming from Adobe. There some seriously neat stuff coming down the pike, such as importing your PSD directly into Flash and turning the different layers into different types of elements and copying and pasting pixels from Photoshop into Dreamweaver as an image. That ought to shorten dev time.
Oh, and I gorged myself on Indian food at Little India. I had to take a nap later. The walk there and back may have worked off one of the pakora I ate, but not likely. Dang. Their kheer was fantastic too ... aaaaaaaaand now I'm writing about my meals. I gotta nip this in the bud.
I also explored the bowels of my building today and found that laundry technology has advanced quite a bit since I last fed quarters into a washer. The nice laundry room here runs off of cards, so no more hoarding quarters! I bought a card, charged it with my debit card and started washing clothing.
Third neat thing: Amanda invited me to a Adobe Users Group meeting that RealEyes hosted and I got to see a presentation on the Creative Suite 3 products coming from Adobe. There some seriously neat stuff coming down the pike, such as importing your PSD directly into Flash and turning the different layers into different types of elements and copying and pasting pixels from Photoshop into Dreamweaver as an image. That ought to shorten dev time.
Oh, and I gorged myself on Indian food at Little India. I had to take a nap later. The walk there and back may have worked off one of the pakora I ate, but not likely. Dang. Their kheer was fantastic too ... aaaaaaaaand now I'm writing about my meals. I gotta nip this in the bud.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Why, Cesar Chavez? WHY?!
So, with help from new friend John, I got moved into my apartment today. I got all the boxes up other than the ones I shipped via UPS. Those will come tomorrow. I then tried calling the city parking bureau to find out if I could get my parking permit today so I don't have to worry about moving my car every 2 hours. However, the phone just rang and rang and rang. I tried on several occasions as I went out to grocery shop and hit the post office. Finally, I got home and saw that the office isn't too far from my new pad, so I drove down there, and all the doors were locked. Finally someone came out and I (and several other people) asked her what was up. The conversation went roughly like this:
Me: Why are the doors locked?
Her: Because only employees are allowed in.
Me: So how am I supposed to register for this permit at this office?
Her: Well, they're closed now.
Me: Uh, it says they're open from 8-5.
Her: Not today.
Me: Uhm. Why?
Her: It's a holiday.
Me (and other people standing there): Holiday? What holiday?
Her: It's Cesar Chavez day.
And here I trusted Cesar Chavez. No more! Fortunately, they also don't enforce parking rules on Cesar Chavez Day, which for those of you inclined to celebrate such things by flaunting parking rules, is the last Monday in March. Who knew? Not me, or the 6 or 7 other people I saw trying to get into the Wellington Webb building today.
In other news, while unpacking my bathroom stuff (which is not a euphemism), I discovered on the top shelf of the closet a pair of glasses. They appeared to be women's reading glasses, but either they are an exceptionally weak prescription or they aren't reading glasses. They're just plain glasses, evidently for show. This makes me wonder: was the person who lived here before me a master of disguise or were they simply glasses for show, you know, to heighten their geek chic appeal? Nerds make passes at girls who wear glasses. But not on Cesar Chavez Day.
Tomorrow, I will have furniture, and I probably go stand in line at the DMV, title office, and parking bureau, none of which is remotely near the other. Bliss, thy name is bureaucracy!
Me: Why are the doors locked?
Her: Because only employees are allowed in.
Me: So how am I supposed to register for this permit at this office?
Her: Well, they're closed now.
Me: Uh, it says they're open from 8-5.
Her: Not today.
Me: Uhm. Why?
Her: It's a holiday.
Me (and other people standing there): Holiday? What holiday?
Her: It's Cesar Chavez day.
And here I trusted Cesar Chavez. No more! Fortunately, they also don't enforce parking rules on Cesar Chavez Day, which for those of you inclined to celebrate such things by flaunting parking rules, is the last Monday in March. Who knew? Not me, or the 6 or 7 other people I saw trying to get into the Wellington Webb building today.
In other news, while unpacking my bathroom stuff (which is not a euphemism), I discovered on the top shelf of the closet a pair of glasses. They appeared to be women's reading glasses, but either they are an exceptionally weak prescription or they aren't reading glasses. They're just plain glasses, evidently for show. This makes me wonder: was the person who lived here before me a master of disguise or were they simply glasses for show, you know, to heighten their geek chic appeal? Nerds make passes at girls who wear glasses. But not on Cesar Chavez Day.
Tomorrow, I will have furniture, and I probably go stand in line at the DMV, title office, and parking bureau, none of which is remotely near the other. Bliss, thy name is bureaucracy!
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Does my second post really have to be a reaction post?
This will be relevant to approximately 3 people reading this, two of whom I watched this with, but since it is causing my brain to melt out my ears, let's talk about the Battlestar Galactica season finale. WARNING: Here be spoilers.
Cheers:
Cheers:
- What a way to end a season! I will be talking about this for a while to anyone who will listen. Thus my post here.
- A very nice speech by Apollo.
- Lampkin working the limp.
- Tigh, Tori, Terol, and Anders are Cylons? Or are they good Cylons sent from Earth, because why would the Cylons have Jimi Hendrix songs in their programming?
- Starbuck's back! I was right! And she's ... not a Cylon? Or is she the 5th good Cylon?
- Three ladies in an opera house with Hera and Baltar.
- 2008!!!??? What the heck?! No more shows until 2008!? Why you dirty rotten...
- Roslin getting mean and vindictive. We all hate Baltar, but be good Laura! Be good!
- What's with the freaky horror show camera work? And the zoom to Earth?
- 2008?!! Seriously? C'mon!
The Arrival
Well. Here I am. After 27 plus hours of relatively uneventful driving, I arrived at my friends Jill and Dean's house in Littleton. Jill's parents are very generously letting me use their house while they are away, so I have a base of operations for Operation Find Nils A Home In Denver. The first part of that operation will be to find a better name for the operation, something like Operation Enduring Housing or Operation Winter Shield.
So, let's say it's Operation Enduring Housing, and let's say that the day after I arrived, I went out looking at apartments. We can say that because I did. I had a list of 5 different apartments that I thought would work out for me. Two of them were too expensive, leaving three others. One of those filled up before I even left Orlando, and I got a phone call from another just as I was driving to tour it that they had no apartments left, which whittled my list down to the final apartment, which had been my top choice. So I went there for my tour, and they were out of apartments too, but they had an affordable townhome, which wasn't too bad and had tons of room despite having an incredibly tiny kitchen. What turned me off were the cigarette butts littering the lawn, the broken glass in the doormat, the broken bottles along the sidewalk, the graffiti in and outside the buildings, and the impressively sized mound of vomit along the sidewalk. Also, the neighborhood was pretty sketchy; not a place that said "happy, happy living" to me.
So, I drove home in a bit of a panic and in rain, rain, and ... snow? Yes, big wet flakes mixed in with the rain. Joy. It snowed effectively enough to dust the top of the hogback west of Denver and to make my first day in Colorado seem rather inauspicious. Once I got back to Alpha Base to eat some lunch and consider my options, I went back to the list of apartments I made and looked at some that had been outside my top 5, but still acceptable. I found two that might work and called on some new ones, but those original two were the only ones with open apartments that answered the phone. So, I went back out onto the freeway to drive through rain and spray to visit these last possibilities.
The first was a highrise in the Capitol Hill district of downtown. Other than the lack of dishwashers and available parking, it was in nice shape with an interesting view and seemed rather agreeable. The second was out in the Cherry Creek area, about 10 miles from work, but on the Cherry Creek bike path, which was attractive. However, the apartment was worn, dim, and underneath a unit with a small child. After some more panic and prayer, I decided to go for the Capitol Hill unit. I drove back and signed myself up for a 14 month lease, which of course instantly flooded me with buyer's remorse, because that's how I deal with large expenditures.
The bottom line is that Operation Enduring Housing is nearing success. I will be moving in tomorrow (Monday). The new address will come to those of you who need it via email. Pictures will prolly be up here as soon as I have internet in my new place. Oh, and the new place has several nice perks: a computer lab with free WiFi (so, those pictures may come sooner than I think), a well-appointed exercise room with amazing views (of Denver, not ... oh never mind), and a rooftop patio with an incredible panoramic view (and I say this when you couldn't even see the mountains due to cloud cover).
So, I am still quite nervous and unsettled, but hopefully that will go away once I am moved in and am acclimated to the parking environment. I will have free on the street parking, but I will have to move my car every three days. The place is near enough to the bike path and work that I should be riding to work every day, so hopefully I'll just wait until I see a good parking spot, move my car, wait three days, rinse, repeat.
Well, that's it for now. Today I'm going to my old church with Jill and Dean, having a brunch and worrying about how I'll watch Battlestar Galactica this week with Alpha Base being unequipped with cable.
So, let's say it's Operation Enduring Housing, and let's say that the day after I arrived, I went out looking at apartments. We can say that because I did. I had a list of 5 different apartments that I thought would work out for me. Two of them were too expensive, leaving three others. One of those filled up before I even left Orlando, and I got a phone call from another just as I was driving to tour it that they had no apartments left, which whittled my list down to the final apartment, which had been my top choice. So I went there for my tour, and they were out of apartments too, but they had an affordable townhome, which wasn't too bad and had tons of room despite having an incredibly tiny kitchen. What turned me off were the cigarette butts littering the lawn, the broken glass in the doormat, the broken bottles along the sidewalk, the graffiti in and outside the buildings, and the impressively sized mound of vomit along the sidewalk. Also, the neighborhood was pretty sketchy; not a place that said "happy, happy living" to me.
So, I drove home in a bit of a panic and in rain, rain, and ... snow? Yes, big wet flakes mixed in with the rain. Joy. It snowed effectively enough to dust the top of the hogback west of Denver and to make my first day in Colorado seem rather inauspicious. Once I got back to Alpha Base to eat some lunch and consider my options, I went back to the list of apartments I made and looked at some that had been outside my top 5, but still acceptable. I found two that might work and called on some new ones, but those original two were the only ones with open apartments that answered the phone. So, I went back out onto the freeway to drive through rain and spray to visit these last possibilities.
The first was a highrise in the Capitol Hill district of downtown. Other than the lack of dishwashers and available parking, it was in nice shape with an interesting view and seemed rather agreeable. The second was out in the Cherry Creek area, about 10 miles from work, but on the Cherry Creek bike path, which was attractive. However, the apartment was worn, dim, and underneath a unit with a small child. After some more panic and prayer, I decided to go for the Capitol Hill unit. I drove back and signed myself up for a 14 month lease, which of course instantly flooded me with buyer's remorse, because that's how I deal with large expenditures.
The bottom line is that Operation Enduring Housing is nearing success. I will be moving in tomorrow (Monday). The new address will come to those of you who need it via email. Pictures will prolly be up here as soon as I have internet in my new place. Oh, and the new place has several nice perks: a computer lab with free WiFi (so, those pictures may come sooner than I think), a well-appointed exercise room with amazing views (of Denver, not ... oh never mind), and a rooftop patio with an incredible panoramic view (and I say this when you couldn't even see the mountains due to cloud cover).
So, I am still quite nervous and unsettled, but hopefully that will go away once I am moved in and am acclimated to the parking environment. I will have free on the street parking, but I will have to move my car every three days. The place is near enough to the bike path and work that I should be riding to work every day, so hopefully I'll just wait until I see a good parking spot, move my car, wait three days, rinse, repeat.
Well, that's it for now. Today I'm going to my old church with Jill and Dean, having a brunch and worrying about how I'll watch Battlestar Galactica this week with Alpha Base being unequipped with cable.
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