Spending the 4th holiday in Reno at a cat show. Not going very well for guys unfortunately, but we did make it into the local paper's Independence Day edition yesterday. http://www.rgj.com They quoted Di and have a picture of our recent sphinx addition Desmond and me.

Its starting the 6th week since I started taking classes. I look back and it doesn't seem that long, then again, a lot more stuff is going on with life. :D

It can be amazing how it seems you can fit more into your schedule the more you do, well, to a point perhaps. But the last month and a half has been insane crazy. Work has been slow, but it still takes up 10 hours a day. Classes have been easy, nothing new yet and nothing I've not encountered before so its not required a lot of study time. Weekends have been taken up with cat shows, family stuff, or cleaning up the house because we've not been around to keep up with it. Not been missing WoW at all, even though I thought for sure I would. I think its because I made 80, did a few things I thought would be more enjoyable than they were so its just sitting out there as something I once did and may do again, but right now just too many other things I want to focus on instead.

Planning a big 4th of July weekend in Reno in large part because of a 3 day cat show! But Reno on the 4th should be awesome from what I've heard. Also, we've already done one cat show at the resort we will be staying over the 4th, and its freakin insane awesome. The place is like its own little city inside Reno. Movie theater, bowling alley, wedding chapel, stores, etc, etc. Only thing I'll need to stay away from is the one wall which must be 20+ feet high and 100+ feet log full of wide screens showing racetracks around the country. It showed a few other sporting events, but the weekend I was there it was all horse races.

Might, and this is a big maybe, get some camping in this year. I want to do a camp out over on the coast somewhere, but not sure where exactly we'll go or if we'll even find a spot this late in the year.  We'll see.

You look back at the last three years and it's amazing how things change and how life just speeds along. Three years ago (well, three years this last Saturday June 13th) was my accident and I feel so far past it, its almost like it never happened. But it did happen and changed my life for the better overall. Sure I have stuff I deal with that I don't like (such as my job), but I have gained a great deal from the experience that even in this gloomy economy I still feel fortunate. I still have a job. I still have a place to live. I'm going back to school and gaining the skills I need for the career I want to pursue.

Here is another three good years...

They found it via Google Earth and its cool to think there are still areas not fully discovered and cataloged by scientists.

Rainforest

It's official. Last night I started using the "re-education" funds granted to me due to my accident almost 3 years ago.  I feel like its been so much longer than three years with all that has happened in such a short period of time.  So, for the next 12-15 months I won't be around as much because the schooling will be 4 nights a week, 4 hours a night (Mon-Thurs 6-10pm).  Makes for long days, but it will be worth it in the long run.  I'm going for some specific classes which will help me take and pass various certificates, such as the A+, Network+, Linux+ etc which will help prepare me for taking the MCSE if I so wish. Its something I've been wanting to do for years and really excited about the opportunity.

Still working on the house. Its not a lost cause, just an uphill battle as we now have to save up more money than we originally had been told... this all thanks to the housing economy and stricter mortgage rules.   Another year of saving perhaps, but we should be fine even if the housing market has hit bottom. It won't go up too fast to price us out of the market this time.

I was extremely pleased to hear the new Star Trek movie was going to be showing Thursday night (last night) and to find one of the local theaters showing it.   For any of you who like Star Trek this is a MUST see!!  Loved it!  Without giving anything away, it really was a great movie for both those who don't know much about Star Trek and those Trekkers out there like myself.  

One of the things I loved the most was seeing all the great references and nods to the other movies and originally series episodes.  Knowing the "history" of the ST universe definitely made it more enjoyable for me, but at the same time the story itself was solid enough to stand on its own.  I found only one part of the movie slow and at first "pointless" but it did serve as an entry into a character being introduced so it worked. As to be expected, they did at least leave it so there is plenty of opportunity for future movies after this one and I really hope it does well enough this weekend so they will proceed with additional movies.  IMHO this was the next best ST movie after ST: IV The Voyage Home (yeah, the one with the whales).  

I know a few people who are into making their own beer and wine, which I still want to learn how to do as I love the idea of making my own just like making my own bread.  Not to mention, beer and bread aren't that much different in their creation :)

On to the point:  Its just a few months now until the Sonoma County Fair and I'm on a mission to exceed my success last year with the 3rd place I received on my Stollen bread.  I'm still going to submit the stollen, but into the Ethnic food category as it is a German Christmas bread.  We'll see how I do with that.  Also, I've begun testing new Fruit and Nut breads for the category I won 3rd in last year.  I noticed that ALL the recipes last year where all quick breads like Banana Nut bread, so I've begun with finding a unique fruit bread recipe.  Anyone out there that has something you like or that you find which would you unique/different please pass it on!

Here is what I've found so far:

Strawberry Bread
Strawberry Pineapple Bread
Kiwi Bread
Pear Bread
Peach Bread
Apple Bread
Cantalope Bread

I've already made the Strawberry bread and it turned out very well. There were a few things about it that need work, such as more strawberry flavor and making the strawberries smaller so they are more appealing when you cut and see the bread.  Also, finding the right kind of nut to go with Strawberries.  I've had recommendations for Almond, Pecans and Walnuts but I think I want to try Pistachios as I think it would just be perfect. 

I'm also very curious to try both the Kiwi and Cantalope breads, to see if I can make those work.  I'm thinking I may need to puree the fruits, just like you do with zuchinni bread, and its an idea to try with the strawberry bread as well.  

I posted a while ago that the owners of the company I work for know Guy Fieri and had thrown a rather large birthday party for him, which I was sadly not invited too.  However, Guy is always around here (not living very far from where I work) and last night he happened to be here doing burnouts in the Shelby Cobra that he bought from the owner.  Some of my boss' cars can be seen here if you really care (I don't care much, because honestly, I don't see why you'd spend your money on something like cars you'll never drive).

Once the smoke cleared from all the rubber being heated excessively, I walked over to meet Guy. Got a couple of pictures here, and in both pics you'll notice that tire marks on the street.  I guess there was also a photographer out there with Drive magazine which was doing some piece on Guy so if interested you could keep your eyes open for that.

I found this on a friend's Facebook page and just had to share. It's the Obama action figure.

I don't have very vivid dreams often, at least ones that I remember so clearly even after being up for hours.  This one last night had to be induced by it just being a non-routine day.  Got a great lunch quickie yesterday, had a super busy day at work which was both stressful and rewarding, and spent several hours at the vet to FINALLY get the correct diagnose on our cats' ears!  

Anyway, here is the ( The Dream... )

Here you go: Octuplet Mom speaks out

Let me just start off by saying, if God or Nature (or whoever/whatever you believe caused humans to come into being) intended for women to give birth to more than 2 children at a time, then they would be endowed with more than 2 tits. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a woman with 8 tits. As a breast man I'd love a few more tits on a woman, but that's not how they are built so they shouldn't be giving birth to 8 children like some dog with 8 puppies.

( The Long Rant )

Thanks to a Media just looking for the smallest thing to play on people's fears (even if they didn't realize it was a fear), we have articles such as this one which are making Google's new Latitude service sound like its Big Brother ready to swoop down and invade your life regardless of your choice.

( The Rant )

Here are 3 great examples to show America isn't the weirdest place in this world.

First we have the Bird trying to be a human.

Next, we have the woman trying to be an insect.

Last and definitely not least, the woman who thinks she is a dog.

Okay, so it wasn't exactly a rat, but Kangaroos totally remind me of giant rats!  Except of course they have pouches and carry their young in said pouches, they still remind me of rats.  In fact, when I see rats I expect them to sit back on their hind legs and jump around using their long tail to balance themselves while their young rat babies poke their head out of their belly fur. 

I never thought I'd ever get the chance, but I did the other night when I took the wife out for dinner at Johnny's Garlic's, which is one of Guy Fieri's local resturants.  Those that don't know, Guy (the host of Diner's Drive-ins and Dives) lives up here in Sonoma county and has a couple resturants that do pretty well.  My boss, in fact, knows Guy personally and is going to be throwing him a B-day party this week.  NO, I'm not invited which pisses me off a bit, but to explain that would make me digress into another post.

Kangaroo... welll.. I had it medium rare with mashed potatoes and veggies, which oddly enough tasted like grass next to the kangraoo so I'm not sure if it was the spices on the veggies or what.  It was prepared blackened, meaning lots and lots and lots of pepper, along with what I'm guessing was caujin seasonings knowing the nature of Johnny Garlic's food.   It sadly tasted like pepper and canjin seasoned beef.  I really was expecting a gamey taste or something different and was sad when all I could taste was the blackened seasonings.  At least the drinks where good and the wife's Canjin Chicken Fetticuine Alfredo was as good as usual.   

Well. I've been considering a laptop for some time and have narrowed it down to the following two, due mostly to cost and the fact they are the most memory, best processor, and most gaming capable cards I can find for the price.   I'm looking for some thoughts on which might be best.  Never had an Acer, so not sure about them.  Di has a Toshiba and we love it, but its definitely not got the video card ability to run something like WoW.  

Here is the Acer:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115546

Here is the Toshiba:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834114639

One thing I like about the Acer is its got a dedicated 1GB of ram, as opposed to the Toshiba's 512MB, other than that they are basically the same machine at a difference of $100 (the Toshiba being more).

I've said it before, how my brush with death accident has altered my outlook on life in many positive ways. Or so I like to think ;)  A few weeks ago I had been wondering what the hell I was going to do with my life so I felt like I was actually accomplishing something worthwhile.  I've really been feeling a need to be more community "oriented", in that I feel like I need to give... I dunno.. give something to others who are less fortunate than myself...?  Its hard for me to put into meaningful words, but once again in my life I've been feeling like there is a more meaningful purpose to this life than I've been living and I want to do something about it.  I think that is one reason I decided to pursue teaching before I figured out it wasn't for me.  

I've figured out lately that the jobs I've worked are just that.. jobs.  I work to live, meaning I work so I can enjoy those aspects of my life which allow me to experience enjoyment and fullfillment in my life.  Many days I dislike, even hate my job, but I always remind myself that I get paid to make someone else money, so I will do my job so I can make money and enjoy my life the way I want to enjoy it. 

I've found an alternative I'm pursuing which I believe may be the right choice. I'm going to become a Big Brother, part of the Big Brother/Big Sisters of America.  I'm submitting my application this week and will keep the journal updated with the news. 

I came across this news story and this makes me sick to live here in the State of California. Its stupid shit like this which is ruining this state and this country, because people would rather  blame someone else for their hardships in life and get rich off it instead of just accepting the shit life throws at them and dealing with it.  This lady should be glad she is alive.

So, the moral of the story is to NOT help someone whose life might be at risk because you could get sued for it. This is just setting humanity up for being more cruel and less caring for each other in a time when we need to actually care and help each other more than ever before.

This was a fun quiz. Thanks mattie

Your result for Which Star Trek Ship Should You Command? Test...

Akira Class!

70% Flight_Control, 30% Tactical, 40% Science and 60% Command!

Take Which Star Trek Ship Should You Command? Test at HelloQuizzy

This video, which I found throughgryphonlsb is a great statement. I would never have worded it so well.