Hand cramps

Today’s challenge was to pen and send a handwritten letter. Obviously I won’t be sending it today, what with it being Sunday and all. It was fun. I’ve actually been eager to write a handwritten letter for some time now even though I absolutely hate my handwriting. And I hate handwriting. To minimize the sloppyness of the letter I typed it out first and then just copied it down. Sure, it’s not as romantic as sitting at a desk stationed near a sunny window in a shadowy room, feather pen moving back and forth while a narrator speaks the words I’m thinking, but it works for me. I was going to write to a friend who lives in Long Island, but instead I wrote to a friend who lives upstate. Even though I’ve wanted to write for a while, I didn’t really know what I was going to write about. I just saw this friend less than a month ago. It’s not like we can’t reach each other by phone or email anytime we have a thought that we need to share. So, what to write about? Well, I did what any other talent-less writer would do; write the letter about writing the letter. It was nice. I think he’ll appreciate it.

Tomorrow will be practicing sign language again. I absolutely love learning how to sign. I’m making my way through lesson 3 on lifeprint. It’s great. I’ve downloaded an app onto my wife’s smartphone and I continue to drop in to my coworker’s classroom to practice. I love it. The end of the 3rd lesson has a practice paragraph, which I can move through pretty quickly. There’s an accompanying video that I can watch to practice reading signs. Reading is kind of difficult right now, especially on a video. It’s not like I can ask a video to slow down (which I could sign if I was talking to an actual person). I hope I can take my signing to the next level when I get through the lessons and take a class or something. I also hope I’m brave enough to actually use it if I ever meet a deaf person. I can see now why my wife is shy to talk to someone in Thai when she meets them, although she did spend more time learning and speaking Thai language. But still, it’s scary.

Non-newvember news: No-shave November is going well. I may try to keep the beard all winter long…even through our Utah visit. My car is sick so I’ll be biking a lot more, which is exciting. We get to go ice-skating this Tuesday and before that we’re having pizza with some family! Oh, and I may become a new uncle this week! And we’ll be visiting my parents this week and our friends are going to be around and we’ll get to hang out with them. Good times this week!

And I’m getting excited for the holiday season!

This week's challenges should be good. I’ll study sign language, write stream of consciousness for at least 500 words, pick up litter wherever I go, do everything with the opposite hand, write a grateful email to someone, and meditate. Guess which one I’m looking forward to the least.

Painting....ugh...

Tonight's challenge was to paint a picture with someone else. I hate painting. I hate painting like I hate yoga and fishing and reading and meditating and other slow moving patience needing activities. I didn't want to do it before I started, I didn't like doing it while I was doing it, and now I don't like writing about it. Ugh.

Yesterday's challenge was to eat nothing but pizza all day! It was awesome. I wish I had been exercising and running these past few weeks so pizza day was more thrilling, but it was still great.

Tomorrow I will write an actual letter to someone. This should be fun. I'm going to write it to a friend I have in Long Island. Maybe then he'll finally reply to one of my communication attempts!

Probably not though....

Ugh, biscotti...

I was very excited about today's challenge up until about 15 minutes ago. Today I was to make something yummy and deliver it to someone. I failed on both accounts.
I decided to make biscotti. It's one of my most favorite things to make and eat. I love it. And wouldn't you know, the NY Times very recently had some new biscotti recipes to try! What luck! I even had a family who I had in mind to be the beneficiary of my baking. One of the people in the family is not eating gluten right now. Normally this would be a problem for biscotti making but not today, there are two recipes on the NY Times page that are gluten free. I chose this one. It seemed harmless.....I was wrong. It's bitter, crumbly (not in the good way), gritty, and just plain bad. They are touted as healthy. Well, I sure won't be eating many of them, that's healthy. But I am going to cover them in chocolate in an effort to salvage something. I won't be delivering them tonight. By the time I'm done with the chocolate it will be too late. If the chocolate doesn't save them I will have to make some more tomorrow and bring them over.

Oh well. Here's one of my favorite videos to cheer me up!

Tomorrow I have to write a speech and give it to myself. What should my speech topic be?

I have a problem...

"No Duh," says my wife.
My problem is that some of these challenges are so involved that I don't have time to do them completely and perfectly. Take the playlist for example. The massive 56 song playlist that I came up with is really just step one in a larger process. Here's how to make a great playlist.

1. Decide on an artist/theme. 
2. Listen to a bunch of the songs to see if you're correct. If you're not correct, repeat step 1. 
3. If you are correct, start selecting songs to choose from. 
4. Listen to the songs you've selected.
5. Start eliminating some of the songs. 
6. Rearrange the order of the songs so the next one compliments the previous one. 
7. Go back to the original list and see if any other songs would fit certain spots better. 
8. Rearrange/delete/add songs to optimize flow and feeling. 
9. Repeat steps 7 & 8 until satisfied. 
10. Put playlist on a portable device and listen to it. 
11. If it is good, burn it to a disc to listen to in the car. 
12. If it is not good, repeat steps 7 & 8 until satisfied. 
13. Edit it to make it middle school appropriate. 
14. Done. 

I am currently in the middle of step 4. How could such a process be squeezed into a day? It's only possible in what I call a "broken-leg-scenario."  Have you ever wanted to do something that you know is a complete waste of time should be way lower on your priority list but you really really want to do it? Then you say to yourself something like, "Someday, if I'm bed ridden and I can't go anywhere, like if I have a broken leg, I'll get X done." That's a broken-leg-scenario. I've never really been able to complete a broken-leg-scenario. Either I'm not really incapacitated and I end up doing something else or I'm so incapacitated that doing anything besides watching TV and sleeping is impossible (either way I end up being happy [i like being sick {i am a very good baby and i always have somebody to take care of me}]).

Today's challenge, create a folder of pictures that make me happy sans Xavier, is similar to the playlist one. I started doing it and after an hour of looking through maybe 5% of our pictures (and picking about 65 of them) I realized that this would have to be a multi-step process. After I go through all my pictures and pick out the top contenders, I'll have to walk away from the process for a while to clear my head of the pics. Then I'll have to go back and pick out the ones that, just by looking at them, make me happy. I will re-blog when the process is nearer to completion.

Here's a sample of the pics I have so far. They are some of the earliest pics from my collection. If you don't see yourself don't worry, I probably haven't met you as of the time the picture was taken (or I've never met you at all). 

When we lived together!

Guess who's room?!

"What are you up to?"

In NYC to pick up a friend...pre-courtship.

I was a different type of awesome back then.

No more dirty room thanks to her (and me).

This is Slide the snake...Say Hi!

I'm being spied on!

First time above the clouds!

Colden slide after the Trap Dike.

Giant.

Her tights match the rope...she's a keeper!

North Lake w/bro.

Oh, and I realized I didn't blog yesterday. Sign language went well. I took a 60 question quiz and got a 100%. The prompts were not just single words but simple phrases. I got all excited thinking I was doing good, then today when I walked by Art I tried to say something but I froze and looked like a moron :-(   Oh well, tomorrow will be better.

Tomorrow's challenge: Make something yummy and bring it to someone! I'm excited for this one. I love baking and I like giving away what I've baked!

Create a playlist highlighting one artist

This started out to be a great challenge. What could be better than sitting around listening to music and making an awesome playlist? I'll tell you what could be better...doing it all in a more comfortable chair. I have spent so much time today hunched over this computer I feel like my back is breaking. Making a playlist is one of my favorite activities, but, like a child given unlimited candy, I went overboard and now I'm tired and ready to be done.
Here's the playlist. It's too big and I'm not totally happy with it. If I have the mental energy to, I will come back to this someday and edit it down to fit on one CD so I can hand it out to people who are interested. In the mean time......I'm going to bed.

The playlist is highlighting Medeski, Martin, and Wood. They are one of my favorite jazz bands.
Song title is listed first, then album title.
If you look up and listen to all these songs, I'll give you 10 points!

1. Beeah - It’s A Jungle In Here - a great way to start an album and a playlist. It has lots of MMW elements including two frantic breakdowns.
2. Where’s Sly? - It’s a Jungle In Here - The feel and sound of this song sound so solid I would have guessed that it was a classic jazz tune created years ago. Excellent crescendos and drop-offs.
3. Sand - It’s a Jungle In Here - Another song that sounds like it should have already been created. One of their better mellow songs.
4. Moti Mo - It’s a Jungle In Here - This song sneaks up on you and before you realize it, your eyes are closed, your head is bopping, and you’re very happy! One of their best songs.
5. Shack - Friday Afternoon In The Universe - This song kinda crawls all over you then explodes at the half way mark. Billy Martin drumming is great.
6. Chubb Sub - Friday Afternoon In The Universe - A song that starts strong, becomes sort of standard, then builds and builds to a great ending.
7. Dracula - Shack Man - Another great mellow song. A very nice/haunting sound follows you through the whole song.
8. Strance Of The Spirit Red Gator - Shack Man - My favorite on this album. Many different uses of percussion and keys and some fat bass to lead you through to the end.
9. Sugar Craft - Combustication - Excellent use of a DJ on this song. Totally groovy and hip.
10. Just Like I Pictured It - Combustication - Very groovy and nice. A good song to walk around with earphones on and a pleasant attitude showing.
11. Nocturne - Combustication - So much atmosphere in this song it could terraform a planet….with lots of trees and woodland sounds.
12. Whatever Happened to Gus - Combustication - Guest vocals on this one. Billy Martin does an amazing job of putting just the write symbols in just the right places. Very crisp and solid bass.
13. Latin Shuffle - Combustication - You spend 6:05 of this song knowing that there’s something coming…and then Chris Wood gives it to you and you forget what the beginning of the songs sounded like.
14. Everyday People - Combustication - It’s hard to ignore such a solid eyes-shut song like this one.
15. No Ke Ano Ahiahi - Combustication - This song sounds like you’re saying goodbye/hello to an island paradise. Either way, you’re happy you’re alive.
16. Sugar Craft (Yuka Honda Remix) - Combustication Remix EP - A fun remix of a great song, which I think is actually hard to accomplish.
17. Your Lady - Tonic - A very classy song showcasing their classy side….with a nice breakdown at the end.
18. Hey Joe - Tonic - The perfect way to say goodbye to a live show.
19. Big Time - The Dropper - A full, heavy song from a full, heavy album.
20. Partido Alto - The Dropper - A groovy song with catchy keys.
21. Note Bleu - The Dropper - A very groovy song with some pleasing drums and bass.
22. The Dropper - The Dropper - A fat, funky song full of fat…and funk.
23. Norah 6 - The Dropper - The perfect end to a full, heavy album…a full, heavy (almost terrifying) song.
24. Uninvisible - Uninvisible - A great funky start to my first MMW album.
25. Your Name Is Snake Anthony - Uninvisible - Guest lyrics on this smooth song. Did he just talk about the Hudson river?
26. Where Have You Been? - Uninvisible - Good use of a person moaning/humming.
27. Nocturnal Transmission - Uninvisible - One of the best bass/drum funk lines ever. At 2:50 another songs takes over. Not as funky, but still good.
28. First Time Long Time - Uninvisible - Oh my goodness, this song makes you want to squirm around in your seat…but in a funky way!
29. Off The Table - Uninvisible - Good use of a ping pong game and eerie space keys to end an album.
30. Anonymous Skulls - End Of The World Party (Just In Case) - I’m tired of writing about the songs. It’s late and I’ve been making playlists all day.  The rest of the songs are good. If you want to know about a specific song, ask me.
31. End Of The World Party - End Of The World Party (Just In Case) -
32. Ice - End Of The World Party (Just In Case) -
33. Midnight Poppies/Crooked Birds - End Of The World Party (Just In Case) -
34. Queen Bee - End Of The World Party (Just In Case) -
35. Let’s go Everywhere - Let’s go Everywhere -
36. Pirates Don’t Take Baths - Let’s go Everywhere -
37. Far East Sweets - Let’s go Everywhere -
38. On An Airplane - Let’s go Everywhere -
39. Let’s Go - Let’s go Everywhere -
40. Old Paint - Let’s go Everywhere - Ok, I have to mention this song. It’s one of their best ever. It’s another song that sounds so perfect it must have been created years ago…but it wasn’t. Go MMW for channeling the universe so well.
41.  Sefrial - Zaebos: Book Of Angels Vol. 11 -
42. Vianuel - Zaebos: Book Of Angels Vol. 11 -
43. Cloud Wars - Radiolarians 1 -
44. Free Go Lily - Radiolarians 1 -
45. Sweet Pea Dreams - Radiolarians 1 -
46. Hidden Moon - Radiolarians 1 -
47. Riffin’ Ed - Radiolarians 2 -
48. Amber Gris - Radiolarians 2 -
49. Amish Pinxtos - Radiolarians 2 -
50. Baby, Let Me Follow You Down - Radiolarians 2 -
51. Chantes Des Femmes - Radiolarians 3 -
52. Satan Your Kindgom Must Come Down - Radiolarians 3 -
53. Kota - Radiolarians 3 -
54. Undone - Radiolarians 3 -
55. Walk Back - Radiolarians 3 -
56. Gwyra Mi - Radiolarians 3 -

Make a t-shirt

Today was great. It started with some leftover challenge from yesterday (sleeping on the floor, which will be repeated tonight!). We ran a 5k in the a.m. and I came in 3rd. Then we had a fun day of fun.

The challenge for today was to make a t-shirt. There were a few bumps on the road to complete this. Neither Fed Ex or Staples will print on the transfer paper I was to use to make the t-shirt. We had to call some friends at 7:30 to see if they had a printer. They did! We went over and hung out for a bit while we printed out stuff. Xavier got to play with their kids and he was acting sooooooo adorable.

After the friendly and helpful visit we went home, ordered pizza, put the boy down, ate the pizza, and made two cool shirts!! I'll have to take pictures and upload them soon, but until then, you can check out xkcd's What If? page to see the logo I used. I love this logo. It has the perfect accompanying picture to one of the worst/best questions ever asked. A t-rex being dropped into a sarlacc, what's not to love!

Tomorrow I need to make a new playlist highlighting a particular artist. It will probably take me several hours :-)

ps - in case you are wondering, xkcd does allow the use of his cartoons for not-for-profit use.

Old School Camp Out!

Today's "challenge" is to sleep on the floor! Who ever came up with sleeping on the floor is a genius. Of course, this is purely a middle class opinion. Some people sleep on the floor because that's all they have. I'm sure they don't approach their daily slumber with the same type of enthusiasm that I have. We have all our blankets laid out to make it as comfortable as possible, although I anticipate a restless night. It's a good thing we have a 5k to run tomorrow morning!

The one bad thing about tonight: I'm being forced to watch The Hobbit :-( The lord of the rings movies are sooooooo bad and sooooo long. They stink on so many levels. I'd love to write a review of them, but I reserve my reviews to quality pieces of art, not terrible pieces of junk. Here's a couple things I don't like about the lotr movies:

1. Too long. Do we really need to watch 3 hours of some morons walking around making bad decision?
2. Too many of them. Really, we need 3 of these movies? 3 movies each over 3 hours long somehow equals at least 20 hours of torture. It's too bad this type of compound math wizardry couldn't have been used for good instead of evil.
3. Too racist. Why is the short fat dwarf character Scottish? I know why, because it's a racist movie with nothing original to say.
4. Too contrived. Hey movie makers, can't you just make it seem like things are happening naturally instead of just writing in more stupid twists that make no sense. "Hey everyone, lets ride horses or walk instead of using this awesome flying bird. That way we'll take a completely unnatural amount of time on our stupid quest."
5. Too played out. Oh look, another old man as a wizard. Oh look, another axe wielding dwarf. Oh look, monsters that drool. Oh look, another movie where people with cool powers don't actually use them for anything productive. Oh look, another "hero" who spends more time being a diaper baby than actually getting things done.

Ok, I said I wasn't going to review the movies and look what I end up doing. One more reason to hate lotr: it makes you hate when you don't feel like hating.

Off to watch what I predict will be one of the crappiest prequels of all time (second only to Prometheus). I wish I had some Oreo's and skim milk, then it would be a true camp-out.