New Vantage Point
View from the new party deck in centerfield. Adam Jones playing catch with Nick Markakis.
Dark Shadows
Johnny Depp in that make up would lead you to believe that Dark Shadows, the latest Tim Burton film, would be campy just like Edward Scissorhands or Beetlejuice. Not really. It’s somewhat campy, but campy like Mars Attacks! In other words, it’s not a good movie.
The somewhat campy feeling — from the setting in the 1970s to vampires (!) — would make a movie bright. It is Burton’s signature atmosphere except the movie gets somewhat dark — from the setting in the 1970s to vampires! There’s some death which goes against the whole feel of the camp. It felt like the movie was caught between the two. Not campy enough and not dark enough. It was confusing. As well as that werewolf that shows up late in the film. What?!
2 of 5 stars
Take Dead Aim
He’s the worst student we’ve got.
Obligatory Whiny Post About My Current Job Situation
Once more with feeling.
Why again am I still working at IniTech? Nothing I do is "Good for the company."
These posts always occur after every Apple Keynote speech. I need to find a way to minimize the whining. Just do it.
Quote of the Day [6.11.12]
"It is upon the Trunk that a gentleman works."
Confucius
Link and Quote of the Day [6.07.12]
"No other object has been misidentified as a flying saucer more often than the planet Venus. Even the former leader of your United States of America, James Earl Carter, Jr., thought he saw a UFO once, but it's been proven he only saw the planet Venus.
Venus was at its peak brilliance last night. You probably thought you saw something up in the sky other than Venus, but I assure you: it was Venus."
Man In Black (Jesse "The Body" Ventura), The X-Files, "Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space'"
NASA's gallery of the transit of Venus across the Sun from the the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Whoa! Breathtaking.
On The Road Again
Broke out the Gios this past weekend, because it was a very cool Saturday. I only went a few miles, but I did go out both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, I went out in the afternoon for a quick jaunt around the neighborhood. It was only a fifteen minute ride that was about 3+ miles. On Sunday, I went out early, felt good, but also did a quick jaunt around the neighborhood. It was twenty-five minutes and 5+ miles. It looks like I’m averaging 12 MPH. Back to the beginning.
I also recompiled my bike logs since 2005. I rode the most 2007: 663 miles and 45 hours 22 minutes of saddle time. I did well in 2008 logging 517 miles. It was shaping up to be a banner year in 2009, until I stopped riding in July. I had logged 497 miles by then, and would’ve surpassed 600 if I only kept riding. I fell off the cliff in 2010 and 2011 riding only 21 and 34 mile respectively.
I just have keep going. Anyone up for a ride on the flat Eastern Shore?
Out of Breath
HomuHomu taking a break after smashing that trash can. O, moe, so very, very moe. Where’s that nendoroid? When’s it coming?
(Fun gif courtesy of wiki.Puella-Magi.net)
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There’s supposedly a party today. It’s gonna be a swim party at my mom’s. What better way to have summer fun than drinking, eating, and swimming? And what drink? Rum punch!
So I made a pitcher of it following this recipe. I wouldn’t have to use a recipe if I can remember this old West Indies mnemonic, “One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak.” The ingredients to this rum punch is one parts lime juice, two parts simple syrup, three parts rum and four parts orange juice. That’s it mix it all together and garnish with fruit.
The interesting part came when creating the simple syrup. I don’t have granulated white sugar in my house only sugar cubes. I do have dark brown sugar which is what I used to make the simple syrup. One cup dark brown sugar to one and half cups of water. Take this to a roiling boil and then simmer for ten minutes. It should reduce down to about one and quarter cup about 12 ounces.
For the lime juice, I squeezed 5 limes. I’ve got a sweet juicer that makes it easy. There’s a sixth lime, but that’s for the garnish.
For the rum, I used 1 part Malibu and the 2 parts the Captain.
Since it was dark brown sugar, the rum punch is a dark brown. It almost looks like an ice tea! Maybe Long Island ice teas next time!
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Bill Nighy channelling Crispin Glover and a really old and looney, bigoted Maggie Smith are a few of the sights to see in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Too bad that’s all there is to this movie. It’s good enough for the old folks to watch to skip out on the bang-bang, pow-pow of the blockbuster summer movies. It’s just not good enough for anyone younger than 55.
I’m giving it a decent rating as I didn’t hate it. I didn’t love it either. I’m writing this a week after watching so I can’t remember too much. Maybe you might.
3 of 5 stars