I spent today in fun pursuits such as backing up the computer and getting papers signed at school. Now that most of the grunt work is out of the way, I plan to start writing on my thesis again tomorrow. Hopefully the extended festering period will erupt in a cacophony of ingenuity.

On the side, I'm reading The Fatal Shore, a book recommended by my dad as an interesting history of Australia. Before that, I read two books by John Douglas of the Investigative Support Unit of the FBI, detailing how serial killers are caught. The books are really fascinating, but you'll want a strong stomach and a morbid sense of curiousity to get through them.

Friday Fragments

Instead of further whining about Tatu, I've decided to devote some energy to improve their dolphin-speak. I have found the perfect song for them to license instead of the Smith's How Soon Is Now. It's John Cage's legendary song, 4'33" . I would definitely buy the single and play it all day long.

There's a local company called College Hunks Hauling Junk . "You're not a real man until you go to the dump," Suzuki said. "That's my philosophy". I approve of the rhyming couplet approach to naming a company. Fashion designers opening outlet stores could be "Fops With Shops" and Florida-Mike could call his web design business "Non-Jewish Whites Making Sites". If I ever get around to starting my own record company, I would probably call it "Post Grad Stud Producing Duds" and payola my way into an Ashlee Simpson hit. Incidentally, I loved when she got boo'ed for her halftime performance last year, but I really wish the audience had gotten violent. How ironic would it have been if her career had ended with Pieces of Me? All over the stage?

Here's a news story about a double bigamist who got caught when all his wives visited him in the hospital . If there are three wives, "double bigamist" seems like a rather confusing term. Maybe "Double Bigamist with Cheese" or "Supersizamist" would be better. Speaking of marriage, I sincerely hope that my future wife, wherever she is out there, does not turn out to be a blood relation . One more reason to like Caucasian girls!

Is my site guy-friendly or girl-friendly ? I think I fit both categories. Now all I need is an Ebert-esque figure to proclaim, "The URI! Zone is popular with the ladies!"

Yesterday's search terms:
random vomit, urisat, tulsa welding school, bear hunting handicapped chompy

Chad Darnell's 12 of 12

5:28 AM: Cats get more anxious for breakfast when there are guest cats in the house -- you'd think they could just eat each other.

6:04 AM: I always show favouritism to the other mirror when I do 12 of 12 -- this probably reflects badly upon me.

6:20 AM: There will be no more sunrise pictures, since I've now moved to an office on the west side of the building.

6:21 AM: Now it's time to unpack and set up the new office.

7:28 AM: The office is now set up to be an identical twin to the old office, but with a much nicer view.

8:24 AM: This corporate slogan now adorns the lunch room, reminding all employees to be at their best when they pig out.

11:50 AM: The Tuesday Special (two pieces of chicken, a biscuit, and a side order for $3.18 -- a savings of over 30%)

12:32 PM: Guest cat, Titan, watches flying beetles outside the window while I telecommute.

3:34 PM: Working on a Wiki and watching an old episode of Alias.

4:10 PM: Dinnertime for Kitties.

6:11 PM: Sorting through old photo albums for tomorrow's Memory Day post.

8:17 PM: Dinner out at Omia's Italian Restaurant. This was our first exploration, but we'd go back!

See more 12 of 12ers at Chad's site!

Chad Darnell's 12 of 12

6:43 AM: Post-shower, pre-work.		6:51 AM: Thawing some steaks for this evening.
6:56 AM: Listening to "The Day I Died" by Just Jack on the way to work.		7:24 AM: My office plant prefers the new office even though the view is crap. It's blooming and making little plant babies for the first time in five years.
9:23 AM: Working hard.		1:07 PM: Taking the toll road home because ten minutes saved is worth more than fifty cents. I later used the ten minutes to pick up a six-pack of beer and some mushrooms.
2:17 PM: Titan, one of two babysat cats currently in my home, interrupts my telecommuting.		4:39 PM: Drugs for kitties.
5:29 PM: Steaks!		5:43 PM: Sam, eating steaks.
7:32 PM: Getting some more work done to get caught up.		9:04 PM: Rebecca comes home from work!

See more 12 of 12ers at Chad's site!

Chad Darnell's 12 of 12

5:57 AM: Mostly awake.		6:13 AM: Showered.
6:27 AM: At the stoplight in Herndon which either changes for you as you drive up to it, or recalcitrantly forces you to wait for five minutes.		7:45 AM: Apparently the sun isn't planning on coming out today.
1:31 PM: Driving home from work, listening to the new stereo that replaces my canceled XM account (they billed me for the next quarter anyhow, of course).		1:51 PM: Amber welcomes me home.
1:58 PM: A late light lunch.		3:30 PM: Additional storms gather out my telecommuting window.
4:43 PM: Surprisingly enough, I've actually managed to play my trumpet almost daily for the past three weeks. Fifteen minutes a day is still "daily", and on par with any music education major.		6:21 PM: In the basement doing home improvement projects.
7:41 PM: Just like last year's 12 of 12, tonight is Steak Night.		9:15 PM: Cats waiting for dinner (they did not get steak).

See more 12 of 12ers at Chad's site!

Chad Darnell's 12 of 12

5:46 AM: Waking up early.		5:58 AM: Multiple personalities.
6:14 AM: The "g" in the sign keeps burning out.		7:25 AM: My constantly multiplying window plants.
8:01 AM: Artsy view out the window.		9:11 AM: Working on the UNIVERSAL CORE!
11:34 AM: Cats welcome me home for lunch.		12:02 PM: Shells and cheese for lunch.
2:00 PM: Done working for the day and relaxing with some TV time.		4:45 PM: A nice afternoon for mowing the lawn.
8:30 PM: Late dinner at the Tortilla Factory.		10:25 PM: Closing out the night with Herr Metal (an 80s hair band) at Friday Night Live in Herndon. Free!

Weekend Wrap-up

On Friday night, post-thunderstorm, we rolled down to Herndon for their weekly free concert series. The opening band, Dr. FU, didn't really have much to offer, other than the arranger's ability to replay any popular song as frat rock, and the Thao Nguyen-esque ability to not quite hit the right pitch on any given note. Thankfully, Herr Metal was as good as they were two years ago, and had branched out beyond Guns n' Roses covers to Van Halen and Bon Jovi.

Saturday was a quiet day, in which we took full advantage of our free month of Netflix. We may or may not have watched "Odd Animal Couples", about different species of animals that have befriended each other. In the evening, Rebecca went off to yoga while I dry-vac'ed two years of cobwebs out of the backyard shed.

On Sunday, we drove down to Madison, VA for the wedding of Joe Ambrogne and Katie Augustine. Katie was one of Rebecca's classmates in PT school, and at one of the first social gatherings, I recognized Joe as someone that works at FGM on the far side of the building where I never tread. We drove back directly from the wedding because some crafts convention had booked all of the hotels in the area, and arrived home just before midnight.

I took today off because I wasn't sure how long return travel would take, and am now puttering around the house doing a little telecommuting and taking 12 of 12 pictures. How was your weekend?

Chad Darnell's 12 of 12

4:58 AM: Rugged beauty.

5:17 AM: Autographing a log book.

5:21 AM: Peaceful office.

9:12 AM: Storms over Reston.

11:45 AM: Driving home behind the Wu Tang Clan.

11:59 AM: Welcoming committee.

12:10 PM: Fried chicken and the newspaper.

1:09 PM: Amber acting as storm chaser while I work.

3:53 PM: Running to Community.

5:00 PM: Playing Divinity.

8:27 PM: Booty reheats leftover pizza for my dinner.

8:44 PM: Dinner time with Robin-Williams-themed movie watching.

Chad Darnell's 12 of 12

5:02 AM: Ready for work.

5:29 AM: Breakfast in the office.

7:56 AM: Writing an ingester.

11:35 AM: Driving home for lunch.

11:49 AM: Squatters in my kitchen.

11:57 AM: Turkey sandwich for lunch.

12:15 AM: Back to work!

1:00 PM: Time for a conference call.

3:15 PM: Exercising with the last season of Newsroom.

4:58 PM: Sydney and Booty learn to play.

7:30 PM: Planning out the next D&D adventure.

8:24 PM: Burger Night.

Chad Darnell's 12 of 12

5:13 AM: Showered and ready for work.

5:31 AM: Arriving in the office.

6:51 AM: Excess heat flares over Reston.

11:02 AM: Getting lunch at Chickfila, less because I was hungry and more because I needed to break a 20 dollar bill.

11:22 AM: Lunch and news.

11:39 AM: Back to work with Booty.

2:00 PM: Running on the treadmill and watching the TV show version of Limitless.

3:05 PM: Time for a humidity-triggered haircut.

3:30 PM: Working on my Wiki.

3:46 PM: Exercising Booty.

6:35 PM: Burger Night!

7:29 PM: Rebecca finishes up her documentation for work.

Chad Darnell's 12 of 12

12 pictures of your day on the 12th of every month

6:30 AM: Showered and ready for the day.

6:47 AM: Bagel for breakfast.

7:04 AM: Arriving in the home office.

9:23 AM: Good morning!

9:24 AM: Maia wanted to take a picture of us.

10:28 AM: Home from Costco with the needs of the household.

11:47 AM: Playdate with Aunt Sena and Nolan.

3:19 PM: Running on the treadmill and watching the poorly named Money Heist.

6:12 PM: Family dinner at The V.

6:45 PM: Watering the plants.

6:58 PM: Ice cream dance! Also, she is wearing Minnie Pants because "Minnie Pants match Watermelon".

7:03 PM: Rewarded with chocolate ice cream.

Chad Darnell's 12 of 12

12 pictures of your day on the 12th of every month

6:05 AM: Showered and ready for the day.

6:16 AM: Breakfast.

7:59 AM: Drafting a proposal response.

8:17 AM: Relocated to the satellite office (with ensuite kitchen) where my conference call won't wake anyone up.

9:10 AM: Good morning!

11:07 AM: Coloring in states.

1:41 PM: Surprise! Your AC drain pan is clogged and has been overflowing into the basement carpets for at least a day!

4:52 PM: Making a galette for dinner.

5:46 PM: Dinner time during thunderstorm #1.

6:16 PM: Maia took this picture.

6:44 PM: Maia wants to do her own 12 of 12.

7:15 PM: Enthralled with Frozen 2 during thunderstorm #3.

Chad Darnell's 12 of 12

12 pictures of your day on the 12th of every month

6:14 AM: Showered and ready for work.

6:21 AM: Bagel for breakfast.

6:41 AM: Reviewing a proposal.

8:46 AM: Someone stayed up late last night to start a calendar shop on Etsy.

8:53 AM: Off to Stroller Strides and the last day of Claude Moore Camp, respectively.

11:48 AM: Leftovers for lunch: honey soy ginger salmon and two pieces of withered Red Robin pizza (bring your own olives).

1:10 PM: Watching classic Whose Line Is It Anyways? while folding laundry.

3:07 PM: Off to grandma and grandpa's house for the weekend!

3:11 PM: Wondering what to do next.

4:05 PM: Strolling at Lake Anne.

4:31 PM: Reaching new heights like a bird in a spaceship.

6:10 PM: Joe's for dinner, with Isabella photobombing in the background.