The years continue to roll by, and last Friday marked the day that I turned (gasp!) 34. This had to have been one of the better birthdays in recent years. Christy took me to a nice restaurant/brewery in Ft. Worth called The Covey. It is a really nice place, and you could easily drop more Washingtons than you intend if you aren't careful. However, we were both drawn to the wood-fired oven pizzas. Don't think Cici's or Dominoe's. Wood-fired pizza is hard to beat, and the offering at The Covey is no exception. I also highly recommend their IPA if you are in the mood for good beer.
Christy picked out a nice present for me. We recently saw Jim Gaffigan on Comedy Central, and he is one of the better ones that I've seen in quite some time. His sketches are mostly on the PG side, and he doesn't cuss. Anyway, Christy got me the DVD/CD combo of "Beyond the Pale" which contains the Hot Pockets sketch. I could tell you about it, but it is available in the media section of Jim's web site. We listened to the CD on the way home from The Covey, and then watched the DVD.
And then, as if Friday evening wasn't enough, Christy cranked up her mad scientist lab Saturday. She booted me out of the house at 9 a.m., and gave me strict instructions not to be home until 6 p.m. Before this day, I really didn't have an appreciation for just how long nine hours really is. I went to just about every electronics store or store that sells electronics in the Metroplex, and it was only 10:05 a.m. - not really. However, I settled in at The Corner Bakery around 3 p.m. to take advantage of free coffee refills and free wifi. Actually, killing a day is pretty easy, and I was almost late getting home. I ran into a bit of a traffic jam, but I still made it back by 6:05 p.m.
Upon arrival, I had to close my eyes and be led back to the bedroom which was serving as a holding tank. About 15 minutes later, Christy comes back and leads me out (eyes shut) to the living room as I was greeted to a surprise party. So with a small group of family and friends, we enjoyed a night of junk food, beer and wine, games, a slideshow of my life so far, and karaoke. All the dogs in a 20 mile radius had to go for therapy after we butchered song after song that night.
And that, folks, is what I call a good birthday weekend.
Until next time...
PH
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Update on September Vine Products
My latest review is now up on Amazon for the Bamboo Small Tablet. The results were mixed, but I will save the details for those who want to look on Amazon.
I've started listening to the Augie March CD this morning on my way in to work. I noticed that I had a different perspective than when I've bought CDs in the past. I was listening with more of a critical ear, and starting to formulate what I might say in my review. I think that this is what it must be like to be a music (or other) critic for a living. I think I'll need a few more listens before I can actually draw any conclusions. However, I will be glad to have the review behind me. Then, I can just enjoy listening to the CD. I am grateful to have gotten the chance to listen to something new that I otherwise would not have.
Until next time...
PH
I've started listening to the Augie March CD this morning on my way in to work. I noticed that I had a different perspective than when I've bought CDs in the past. I was listening with more of a critical ear, and starting to formulate what I might say in my review. I think that this is what it must be like to be a music (or other) critic for a living. I think I'll need a few more listens before I can actually draw any conclusions. However, I will be glad to have the review behind me. Then, I can just enjoy listening to the CD. I am grateful to have gotten the chance to listen to something new that I otherwise would not have.
Until next time...
PH
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Amazon Vine Program
In August, Amazon.com rolled out a new program called Vine. I'm not sure how they made their selections, but I have been participating in the program. In August, I read and advanced copy of the book Influencer. You can find my review here, but the link will probably not be valid for very long as the number of reviews and order that they are listed changes. Mine is the one listed "P. Heath (Hurst, TX United States)". If you go here, you can see all of the other customer reviews I have written for Amazon over the years. You will mostly find three kinds of things here: CDs, books, and electronics.
This month I will be reviewing the following products: the latest CD by Augie March, a cordless mouse from Logitech, and a pen tablet for use with PCs and laptops. I should have these around mid-week so my reviews will probably be up on Amazon starting next weekend.
I think this is a really fun program, but you would not believe some of the things that are said on the member section of the Vine program. There was one guy who was going to sue Amazon for what he perceived to be a breach of contract because he wasn't going to get to receive three items for review this month. Other folks were slow on the uptake and didn't make it to the site before the limited supplies ran out. Finally others were making selections and writing reviews before their items even shipped so that they could select additional items. It all reeks of greed and entitlement. People are forgetting that the program participation and the items are free and that the purpose is to have unbiased reviews up on the site prior to or right at product launch. Amazon fully disclosed that the items would be in limited supply. I would have hoped that people would be honored simply by being invited to participate. I guess this is really just a symptom of the larger problems that we face in today's world.
Until next time...
PH
This month I will be reviewing the following products: the latest CD by Augie March, a cordless mouse from Logitech, and a pen tablet for use with PCs and laptops. I should have these around mid-week so my reviews will probably be up on Amazon starting next weekend.
I think this is a really fun program, but you would not believe some of the things that are said on the member section of the Vine program. There was one guy who was going to sue Amazon for what he perceived to be a breach of contract because he wasn't going to get to receive three items for review this month. Other folks were slow on the uptake and didn't make it to the site before the limited supplies ran out. Finally others were making selections and writing reviews before their items even shipped so that they could select additional items. It all reeks of greed and entitlement. People are forgetting that the program participation and the items are free and that the purpose is to have unbiased reviews up on the site prior to or right at product launch. Amazon fully disclosed that the items would be in limited supply. I would have hoped that people would be honored simply by being invited to participate. I guess this is really just a symptom of the larger problems that we face in today's world.
Until next time...
PH
Monday, September 17, 2007
Football, Football, Football!
We have officially come out of the summer sports drought. I love it when the temperatures start to taper off a little bit, and it's hard to turn on your TV over the weekend without finding football. It's even better when your team is good. However, let's not get too excited about the Cowboys yet. These are the Colts or the Chargers or the Saints that they have lit of up the last couple of weeks.
Even when it's not all rosy, there's still something special about football. Although they are 0-2 at this point, there is still a lot of optimism surrounding UNT. Todd Dodge's offense was in high gear in the 45-31 loss to SMU. When your quarterback throws for over 600 yards, you know you are doing something right. Were it not for a couple of very bad interceptions by said quarterback, we might be talking about a 2-0 record in the Safeway Bowl for UNT.
What is the Safeway Bowl? I'm glad you asked. Back in 1994 when UNT was in its final season in I-AA, Coach Matt Simon was disgusted at SMU's unwillingness to accept a game with UNT. He said that UNT would play SMU in a Safeway parking lot if they would only take the challenge. It took over 10 years to establish a two year series. After a 24-6 loss last year, and a 45-31 win that was harder to come by than expected, don't expect an extension of the Safeway Bowl series.
Are you ready for some football?
Until next time...
PH
Even when it's not all rosy, there's still something special about football. Although they are 0-2 at this point, there is still a lot of optimism surrounding UNT. Todd Dodge's offense was in high gear in the 45-31 loss to SMU. When your quarterback throws for over 600 yards, you know you are doing something right. Were it not for a couple of very bad interceptions by said quarterback, we might be talking about a 2-0 record in the Safeway Bowl for UNT.
What is the Safeway Bowl? I'm glad you asked. Back in 1994 when UNT was in its final season in I-AA, Coach Matt Simon was disgusted at SMU's unwillingness to accept a game with UNT. He said that UNT would play SMU in a Safeway parking lot if they would only take the challenge. It took over 10 years to establish a two year series. After a 24-6 loss last year, and a 45-31 win that was harder to come by than expected, don't expect an extension of the Safeway Bowl series.
Are you ready for some football?
Until next time...
PH
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Spam That Predates The Internet
I have had a couple of recent encounters with something that used to be much more prevalent in the world of mass marketing. Do you remember how it used to happen without fail at the mall, the grocery store, or other popular shopping venue that you would return to your vehicle only to find some ridiculous advertisement stuck under your windshield wiper? How was this ever an effective way of advertising?
Honestly, have you ever taken action as a result of these things? All that it inspires in me is displeasure toward the advertiser for the fact that I now have something to throw away. Each of you has probably also succumbed to the moment of laziness where you removed the flier from your own vehicle and stuck it with its kin on the car or truck next to you. I would also think that the owners of businesses would be irritated by this practice as well since these typically wind up on the ground without making it to the trashcan. Have you ever seen the uniform mass of papers blowing around in the parking lot on a windy day?
It seems to me like we should expand anti-spam regulations to include these annoyances too.
Until next time...
PH
Honestly, have you ever taken action as a result of these things? All that it inspires in me is displeasure toward the advertiser for the fact that I now have something to throw away. Each of you has probably also succumbed to the moment of laziness where you removed the flier from your own vehicle and stuck it with its kin on the car or truck next to you. I would also think that the owners of businesses would be irritated by this practice as well since these typically wind up on the ground without making it to the trashcan. Have you ever seen the uniform mass of papers blowing around in the parking lot on a windy day?
It seems to me like we should expand anti-spam regulations to include these annoyances too.
Until next time...
PH
Monday, September 3, 2007
Mall Kiosks
I have been thinking this for quite some time, and I had it confirmed for me again today. Mall kiosks are evil. Yes, there are exceptions to every rule, but by and large this is true. How many times have you been asked to let someone clean your ring or other jewelry? I actually had someone stop me and ask if she could look at my finger nails. Is this what most people are looking for when they go to the mall? I highly doubt it.
It seems that the middle sections of the mall are reserved for the pushiest of vendors. I'm not sure when this happened, but I don't remember it always being this way. I can remember a time about a year ago or so when a wireless vendor accosted me about who my current provider was. When I let him know that I was with Verizon, he snapped back that I must be rich! I'm not sure where they teach that sales technique, but I can't imagine many people being persuaded to change to wireless provider XYZ because they must be rich to be with their current provider.
Have a mall kiosk story? Let me hear from you.
Until next time...
PH
It seems that the middle sections of the mall are reserved for the pushiest of vendors. I'm not sure when this happened, but I don't remember it always being this way. I can remember a time about a year ago or so when a wireless vendor accosted me about who my current provider was. When I let him know that I was with Verizon, he snapped back that I must be rich! I'm not sure where they teach that sales technique, but I can't imagine many people being persuaded to change to wireless provider XYZ because they must be rich to be with their current provider.
Have a mall kiosk story? Let me hear from you.
Until next time...
PH
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Unfinshed Tales - Part III
As I've posted previously, I am reading Tolkien's Unfinished Tales. I realize now that I have named the titles of my posts poorly as they do not correlate to the "Parts" of the actual book. For this post, I am going to combine three of the "tales" from the official "Part Two" which deals with the Second Age of Middle Earth. Without further ado, let us consider "A Description of the Island of Numenor", "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife", and "The Line of Elros: The Kings of Numenor".
I put tales in quotes because the first and third of these are hardly what you would consider tales in the since that they contain a plot. "A Description of the Island of Numenor" is exactly that. It was six of the hardest to get through pages of reading that I have recently taken on, and there was very little payoff. At best I have taken one for the team, and I can at best tell you that you can safely skip this.
Then there is "The Line of Elros: The Kings of Numenor". Again, there is nothing that is terribly insightful or memorable about anything contained in the pages of this "tale". Unless you are taking a college course on Tolkien, skip this one too.
That leaves us with "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife". While this actually qualifies as a tale, it falls considerably short of being compelling. Here's the story: mariners love the sea, and it is hard to be a Mariner's wife as a result. The only thing mildly interesting about this tale is that the first rise of Sauron is hinted at in a few places, but it is not at all developed. While Aldarion is an ancestor of Aragorn, reading this story will not really give you a deeper understanding of the great hero from The Lord of the Rings.
So far, that makes the Unfinished Tales of Part Two a bust. "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn" is the only one left so will see if it's a case of having saved the best for last.
Until next time...
PH
I put tales in quotes because the first and third of these are hardly what you would consider tales in the since that they contain a plot. "A Description of the Island of Numenor" is exactly that. It was six of the hardest to get through pages of reading that I have recently taken on, and there was very little payoff. At best I have taken one for the team, and I can at best tell you that you can safely skip this.
Then there is "The Line of Elros: The Kings of Numenor". Again, there is nothing that is terribly insightful or memorable about anything contained in the pages of this "tale". Unless you are taking a college course on Tolkien, skip this one too.
That leaves us with "Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife". While this actually qualifies as a tale, it falls considerably short of being compelling. Here's the story: mariners love the sea, and it is hard to be a Mariner's wife as a result. The only thing mildly interesting about this tale is that the first rise of Sauron is hinted at in a few places, but it is not at all developed. While Aldarion is an ancestor of Aragorn, reading this story will not really give you a deeper understanding of the great hero from The Lord of the Rings.
So far, that makes the Unfinished Tales of Part Two a bust. "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn" is the only one left so will see if it's a case of having saved the best for last.
Until next time...
PH
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