Abstract factory

A good article on uses of the Builder and Abstract Factory software design patterns. This helped clarify some ideas I couldn't get out of my head this weekend. Work has been long and hard, which, in turn, means I'm having a harder problem in getting work out of my head.

http://www.developer.com/design/article.php/3769336

Social cues

I had an interesting encounter at work where a new co-worker gave a strong, contested opinion to management without picking up on or feeling out the social dynamic of our work group. Needless to say, many of my co-workers were quite peeved by the comments.

It got me to think about how to approach the new co-worker in a gentle fashion to give him a heads up that he was commenting on a very sensitive work topic and that his comments, in particular, were not received well.

It also got me thinking how it's not my battle to fight and he's on his own to learn his own lessons.

I'm not sure which road to take here.

Knees

My knees. They currently hurt. That is all.

Pops

So I attended the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra's annual pops concert this past weekend. It originally was supposed to be held outside at Sennott Park near Central Square, but being that it was overcast the entire month of June, the organizers decided to move it indoors to a nearby youth center.

It was a good time. They ended up playing medleys from Broadway musicals like West Side Story and Chicago. I haven't seen West Side Story since I was in middle school and I've never seen Chicago, but it still was enjoyable. They also played a medley of Star Trek music which brought a little inner geek enjoyment out of me. They closed it out by having a symphonic narrative in respect to the African-American poet Phyllis Wheatley. It was good in an avant-garde way. I have to find more events like this since it was a nice change of pace.

Weekend

There's a lot that I can say about this weekend, but I need some time to gain some perspective to discuss it more concretely. Some things I learned about myself:

1. Despite my ongoing internal dialogue, my initial estimation is usually the correct one. In other words, my instincts are usually correct.
2. If someone is funny and an asshole, then they are exactly that. They are funny, but they are also an asshole. Finding funny people isn't as easy as one may think. Also, trust your instincts and stay away from the dicks. People who routinely find trouble are to be avoided.
3. I can drink a lot of beer.
4. I can appreciate good musical technique even if the output is not as interesting to me.
5. I am not into illegal drug use on any level, even recreationally.
6. I received an e-mail from a close friend and then had a good long discussion with him. It helped me understand how to define what a close friend really is and is not.
7. I am not as socially practiced as many other people, but this does not correlate to me being an idiot.
8. I am comfortable with who I am, what I have accomplished, and where I am going.
9. I need a new mobile phone, but I don't want massive features on it, nor do I have any need or desire to be eternally connected.

I feel motivated for the upcoming week of work, which is a feeling I needed.

Thanks

Thanks to JT for keeping it real in a world of hypocrites and bastards. That was well needed.

Good hair

As a guy, I don't think about this too often, but I am having alternating luck with my hair. Consider the following:

Monday: Bad hair day
Tuesday: Good hair day
Wednesday: Bad hair day
Thursday: Good hair day
Friday: Bad hair day

I have decided to get a haircut this weekend in order to stem the tide of hair uncertainty.

Now that I got that out of the way, it's not gone unnoticed that I took a break from serious blogging recently. Normally, when I blog of something of importance, it is because I want to clear some space in my head by reasoning things out in writing. It brings me some clarity. I have been feeling fairly clear-headed over the past month or so. Don't get me wrong. There are still things in my life I want to improve on, but I am progressing nicely in those areas. I feel like there is a combination of comfort. I am comfortable with where I am and also comforted by the various possibilities in my life. I feel exceptionally self-aware right now and that, honestly, feels pretty good.

That was pretty exhausting. It's the end of the week and I want to take a nap.

Giant sharks

Funny clip found online from hack movie script writers...

What are most people afraid of when flying? The takeoffs? Landings? Turbulence? Power failure? Bad weather? No. GIANT FUCKING SHARKS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skYRZ_-RXtk

Child abuse

I was watching a short spot of television this morning while enjoying my delicious and nutritious bowl of Shredded Wheat cereal when I viewed the following commercial:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qb0vquRcys&feature=related

This was so funny and sad at the same time. I usually am a habitual channel changer during commercial breaks, but this was a good set of advertising.

It reminded me of one of Jack Handy's classic Deep Thoughts...

If a kid asks where rain comes from, I think a cute thing to tell him is "God is crying." And if he asks why God is crying, another cute thing to tell him is "Probably because of something you did."

Things I will never eat

A new series in my blog...

Things I will never eat: I was watching the Travel Channel and saw a corndog cone. Just no.

Sleep

I was exhausted when I went to sleep last night. I couldn't sleep much. Now, I am awake and am exhausted again, but I can't get back to bed. What the shit.

The Dentist - Part 1

I had a fantastic appointment at the dentist today. I do mean that. The cleaning went smoothly. They gave me novacaine. I can't feel my face right now and I think I accidentally bit my tongue and won't feel the pain for another few hours. I tried using a mouthwash to clean out some bacteria. When you have no feeling on the entire right side of your face, keeping liquid in your mouth is a challenge. I tried to accomplish this feat and hilarity ensued.

Appreciation for Honesty

It's rare to have refreshing honesty in life. Let me share a personal anecdote.

I moved into a shared house when I was away for school. It was shared between me and two other guys. One of the housemates left after the fall semester as he graduated early. I liked the final housemate, but we never really hung out.

After the spring semester, when he was moving out to drive to Washington, D.C. and his new life. We didn't know each other well enough to keep in touch. I said a brief goodbye and instead of saying goodbye, he replied, "Well... have a nice life!"

I wasn't offended at all by this blunt, and, to some, offensive farewell. It was actually amazingly refreshing. I laughed and went on with my day. His comment remains with me to this day as it had a lasting impression on me. I hope he is doing well.

Tuscan Milk

To further add to yesterday's epic post, consider the following glorious review of:

Tuscan Whole Milk, 1 Gallon, 128 fl oz

Chateau du Lait Blanc, watch out!

"One should not be intimidated by Tuscan Whole Milk. Nor should one prejudge, despite the fact that Tuscan is non-vintage and comes in such large containers. Do not be fooled: this is not a jug milk. I always find it important to taste milk using high-quality stemware -- this is milk deserving of something better than a Flintstones plastic tumbler. One should pour just a small dollop and swirl it in the glass -- note the coating and look for clots or discoloration. And the color -- it should be opaque, and very, very white. Now, immerse your nose in the glass and take a whiff. Tuscan transports you instantly to scenic hill towns in central Italy (is that Montepulciano I detect?) --- there is the loamy clay, the green grass of summer days, the towering cypress. And those gentle hints of Italian flowers -- wild orchids, sunflowers, poppies. Then, one takes in the thick liquid and lets it roll across and under the tongue -- what is that? perhaps a hint of a nutty Edam cheese? With Tuscan, you feel the love of every dairyperson involved -- from the somewhat sad and deranged farmhand shovelling steaming cowpies to the bored union milk maiden dreaming of leaving this soul crushing life behind for a job waiting tables for obnoxious American tourists in Siena. But not too fast -- sip gently, slowly, or one is in danger of not only missing the subtleties of the milk's texture and its terroir, but -- if chilled too long -- also of giving oneself a blinding ice cream headache. Nay, savor the goodness that only dairymen and dairywomen working at the apex of their craft can deliver. Tuscan is best drunk young -- no, no, don't cellar this gem -- I guarantee you'll be sorry if you do. I recommend pairing with freshly baked macadamia nut scones. Milk Expectorator gives this one a 92." - Philip Tone

Of course, this goes well with yet another review comment on yesterday's post on the Three Wolf T-Shirt...

"I accidentally spilled a glass of Tuscan Whole Milk down the front of this shirt, and my soul was torn from my body and thrown into heaven by a jealous God." - Chaon

Zubaz pants

Amazon.com is currently being flooded by a number of viral reviewers for funny items sold on the site. The 4chan /b/tards have been crapflooding the site with pretty humorous reviews. A few snippets:

Zubaz Pants

"I call these my Cock Fight pants. I know what you are thinking, why Cock Fight? Why not Zebra Fight pants? Here, let me explain:

The first time I wore these pants, I tried to capture the spirit of the animal print from which they came: the Zebracorn (50% Zebra / 50% Unicorn = 100% real. See Google). I would wear these pants with nothing more than Crocs on my feet and hair on my chest, and prance around the block like the mighty, legendary Zebracorn. It was kind of like skipping, using an intermittent hop, kind of a gallop. Yes, definitely a gallop. And I held my hands in front of my chest like I wasn't exactly sure what to do with them. People would ask if I was gay as I pranced around. I'd smile, wave, and wish them a happy day too. Then one day my friend explained to me that those people used a redefined meaning of that word. I didn't know they did that! (Change word meanings, I mean.)" - J.C. Murphy

Three Wolf Moon T-Shirt

"I purchased this shirt with the intention of giving it to my father. I knew he would feel it was fabulous and wear it with proud distinction. What I did not anticipate was the compelling gaze of Wolf #3. Upon opening the package I was instantly enraptured by its eyes and knew without a moment's doubt that my father could not have this t-shirt. It had to be mine.

Fate mocked me, however, for the gift arrived on Father's Day and I had no choice but to give it to him.

The anguish I was forced to endure was beyond the most savage of torments Hell could bestow upon the lowliest of mortals. What choice was I given? I murdered my father in a fit of jealous rage.

I sometimes pay a prostitute to wear the t-shirt and visit me in prison just so I can look lovingly upon it." - Brandon Patterson

Unknown state of being

One of the few readers of my blog site mentioned they wanted me to update the site. I haven't updated in about a week or so because honestly, I couldn't think of anything of interest to write about. Life is ok. There are things I would like to improve, but I am working on them (trying out more and more new things, being more social, general health). I consider myself fairly happy.

I like the feeling of being in a relationship, but I am not in a hurry to do so either if that makes any sense. I am comfortable meeting new people with the intention of learning more about them and becoming friends and if something more develops than I will be pleasantly surprised.

So far I seem to attract older women and gay men in my newly started online dating scene adventures. This is strange.

Weight update

I hit my first magic number this past Friday, but still have a ways to go.

1st magic number - BMI benchmark
* Original estimate: May 15, 2009
* Projected estimate: May 1, 2009
* Actual: May 1, 2009

2nd magic number - Initial goal
* Original estimate: July 10, 2009
* Projected estimate: June 19, 2009

3rd magic number - Lowest weight in ages
* Original estimate: July 17, 2009
* Projected estimate: June 26, 2009

4th magic number - Middle goal
* Original estimate: September 18, 2009
* Projected estimate: August 14, 2009

5th magic number - BMI benchmark
* Original estimate: September 25, 2009
* Projected estimate: August 21, 2009

6th magic number - Final goal
* Original estimate: October 23, 2009
* Projected estimate: September 11, 2009

My stomach is starting to get flat. I need to lose weight from my gut, waist, butt, and thighs. Pretty much the majority of my weight is currently sitting in my core which makes sense. When a person puts on weight, they usually put it on the core areas first (mentioned above), so when a person loses weight, this area gets more affected last.

Go, go, go...

Online dating

So, in what will be the first in a string of probably amusing and/or depressing blog entries, I entered the fray of the online dating world this past week.

First off, why am I doing this? Traditionally, the majority of women I have hit it off with in the past, I have not met via online dating. We met through a friend, at an activity, at a party, at school, etc. However, since leaving the social confines of academics, I realized am not the most outgoing or social person in the world so any avenue which allow me a greater avenue to meet new people is a step in the right direction. I also am appeasing my mother who has been nagging me to do this for years.

I sign up on a few different sites, entering in my profile information (interests, who I am, what I am looking at). I realize at this point that this is immensely difficult. It is very difficult to summarize ME in the span of a few short paragraphs, much less in a honest way that will be interesting or attractive to other people. This is painful.

I put up a few pictures. I tried to post pictures that didn't make me look hideous. However, I was honest about my pictures and posted images that showed what I really look like. No MySpace wierd angle shots. No headshot only shots. No shoulder and above only shots. I wanted people to see me and if they aren't interested, then so be it.

After a few days, I get some interest, but haven't been interested in anyone just yet. Here's the problem. I can't really tell how interesting a person is from their profile alone unless they managed to spend some time crafting their profile. If the profile is not good, then all I have to go by is their pictures. If all I have to go by is their pictures, then it feels sleezy, like I am picking up a mail-order date.

I have been contacted so far by:

* An hot girl who is near jailbait age - She is hot, but I'm looking for someone of substance and closer to my age and experiences in life.
* An interesting women who lives too fucking far away - I did a long distance-ish relationship once and am not eager to go in that direction again.
* Several unattractive women - I feel bad, but if I'm not attracted to them, then what can I do? I've noticed that if a woman doesn't have nice eyes, I am not attracted to them. Every woman/girl I have ever dated (from 1 date to relationships) has had beautiful eyes. A woman with beautiful eyes is very attractive to me.
* Shitty short profile woman - One woman contacted me. She is cute but has the most abrupt and generic profile I have ever seen.
- "I thought I would never be the one to try out online dating!"
- "I enjoy going out on the town as much as staying home in sweats, checking out a movie."
- "I love music!"

Welcome to humanity. In fairness, this might be related to the profiles and how they are difficult to fill out.
* Shitty long profile woman - Some people find long profiles to come off as desperate. I don't necessarily see them in that way and do not do an excessively long profile myself either (more so because I'm not sure what to put down). However, when it comes off as a myspace blog entry or text message with poor grammar, it makes me think the woman is not the sharpest tool in the shed. I'm not so distanced from youth, but presenting yourself well occurs in all forms, even your writing. I'm no nobel laureate of literature, but I can form complete sentences. Ya feel me?

I sometimes think about responding to some women who write me that I may find interesting as a friend, but I am hesistant to do so because sending any message of interest may come off as leading on a dating site. I'll think on this more.

Melee weapons

While talking with a friend last night, he asked me:

"If you had to fight and could only have one type of melee weapon, what weapon would you choose?"

I originally mentioned I would use a longsword due its versatility.

He mentioned he would choose a crowbar or a baseball bat. I said that his choice makes more sense since there is a smaller learning curve towards using a crowbar or baseball bat.

Since that point, I have changed my answer to motorized chainsaw. It seems like it would be easy to manage and good for offense or defense.

These are important questions people.

More IM Randomness

cnite: i'll give you my coconut cashew cookie recipie
seppyk: ok
seppyk: that sounds fancy
cnite: so easy
cnite: seriously
cnite: but i'm willing to share if you don't pass it along
seppyk: that's pretty awesome
seppyk: i will not pass it along
seppyk: i said the same thing to colonel sanders
cnite: hahaha
cnite: i'm going to tell you the biggest secret of all my baking/cooking
cnite: the secret ingredient?
cnite: its love
seppyk: butter
seppyk: fuck, close
cnite: when i'm feeling good about the people i'm making it for or in a good/happy mood
cnite: it all comes out so much better
seppyk: so if i have no love in my heart, i will not be baking coconut cashew deliciousness, but lumps of coal
cnite: pretty much

IM'ing keeps me sanely insane.