by christindall | Jun 18, 2004 | Uncategorized
So in a past blog I posted something brief about the new car the Italian Police got donated to them. Here´s
another page, with many more photos – very, very cool.
So Janene and I are house sitting this coming weekend for Elaine, Janene´s boss at
Seattle Children´s Hospital. They live over in a townhouse on the east side – very sweet little place. I think the plan is to take the dog for a walk every now and then and make sure the pets are comfortable, and to just veg and watch Showtime and HBO all weekend. It has been an incredibly long time since we just relaxed – I´m looking forward to it!
Next weekend I get to go camping with my dad and my brother, which I´m anticipating with great joy. It´s been a while since I went camping, and I´ve never been (well, since I was like 5) with them. We´re headed up the
Mountain Loop Highway towards
Verlot / Monte Cristo. I am so stinkin´ pumped for that!
And then on the weekend of July 9 we get to go camping with some close friends! We´re doing a married´s camping trip with the Moes and the McMasters. The six of us are headed over to
Ocean Shores for the weekend. I´ve never camped on the beach before (although Bob and I were pretty close when we went to
Fort Ebey a couple of years ago), so that should be really cool. I´m definitely looking forward to that, as well.
It´s sunny and hot here in Seattle – it´s
supposed to hit 80+ today, I believe. Ugh. That´s too hot for me, although I can go swimming which I may just have to do.
Tonight´s date night, and we have free tickets to go to a screening of
The Notebook. I´ll let you know my thoughts on it sometime in the next couple of days…
Life´s busy, but this is all the fun stuff!
by christindall | Jun 16, 2004 | Uncategorized
I thought this was quite amazingly cool. Yes, the potential for misuse is there – and the device probably WILL be misused if it ever becomes commonly available. But hey, what are great inventions for?
The inventor of an “invisibility” cloak has said that his next project will be to develop the technology to allow people to see through walls.
Susumu Tachi, who showed off the cloak at an exhibition in San Francisco earlier this month, said he was hopeful of providing a way to provide a view of the outside in windowless rooms.
“This technology can be used in all kinds of ways, but I wanted to create a vision of invisibility,” he told BBC World Service´s Outlook programme.
“My short-term goal would be, for example, to make a room that has no outside windows appear to have a view to the outside, then the wall would appear to be invisible.”
Read the Full Story
by christindall | Jun 10, 2004 | Uncategorized
I do. I love old people.
Yeah, I spend a lot of time complaining about their driving (whether I´m in a hurry or not). About how they should not be allowed to drive any more.
But when it really comes down to it, I love old people. I´m proud that I live in a country where they can still be independent. Where they can go to the grocery store if they want to. Or out with friends.
I´m incredibly fortunate at 25 to have both sets of grandparents alive and well. My mom´s parents just celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary – 60 freakin´ years! That´s absolutely amazing! I have learned so much about life (and love, and the way things work) from my grandparents that I don´t know where I´d be without them. I have fond memories growing up of spending time with my grandparents, and their friends.
Old people have so much wisdom. So often they are looked upon as out of touch with reality, out of touch with today´s society. But I submit that they are more in touch with reality than many younger people in todays society. These older people have been through the wringer and come out the other side, full of strong character and life experience. We as a younger generation should above all respect that and take the time to listen to the stories our old people tell. Listen and learn.
Learn about what it was like to live through a huge depression, where food was literally scarce. To live through world upheavals and wars. To live in a society that still rewarded people for strong character, for honest and integrity, and for fidelity. A society that was more concerned about what was morally right than what someone´s feelings were. After all, what is a hurt feeling compared to a moral sin?
What would happen, I wonder, if the youth of today were required to be mentored by an old person. To help take care of an old person. To listen and learn, and to grow in so doing. My guess is that society would be a different place. Perhaps we wouldn´t be sliding down the slippery slope into oblivion, because I believe that´s where we´re headed. And it SEEMS like so few in our society see it. Or have the character and the guts to stand up and make themselves heard.
I wonder, would we listen?
Not at first, that´s for sure. Because I can almost guarantee that right now someone with character is standing up and saying HOLD IT! But do we hear it? No.
Perhaps we´ve forgotten how to listen? How many of us have no idea what´s happening in politics today? I know I´m definitely weak in that area, much to my shame. How many of us have never volunteered to help people, in a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter or a home? How many of us have no true understanding and appreciation of what the phrase “to serve” means?
I think old people are best at these things. Perfect? By no means. But definitely stronger than the vast majority of the rest of us.
So get up off your butt. Turn off your computer. Go hug and old person, and have a good conversation. I imagine you´ll enjoy it and learn something about life and yourself in the process.
by christindall | Jun 8, 2004 | Uncategorized
Three movie reviews for you this evening. Janene and I recently saw Van Helsing on a spur of the moment date. The other two, Big Fish and Paycheck, we saw this weekend because Janene has been sick with a bummer of a cold.
Van Helsing:
The basic plot of Van Helsing: Van Helsing works for a secret society call the Knights of the Order, based out of the Catholic Church. He is referred to as “the Left Hand of God” multiple times throughout the movie, and he is a primary “enforcer” in the Church´s fight against evil.
The movie starts with an encounter between Van Helsing and Mr. Hyde which sets the mood for the remainder of the movie. After returning from his encounter with Mr. Hyde to the Vatican, Van Helsing is sent to Transylvania ostensibly to help protect the last two of a royal bloodline dedicated to destroying Dracula.
The movie is wonderfully dark and entertaining. In the same vein as the Mummy and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (although it was much much better than League…), it is filled with comedic action, fun monster affects, and side comedy. There´s essentially no blood shown in the movie; indeed, very little actual death is shown, with the exception of the vampires – which was, for obvious reason, far fetched enough that it wasn´t particularly bothersome. There is much teeth and claws and snarling beasts as was to be expected. Probably wouldn´t be enjoyable for the person who doesn´t like to be startled or who has an aversion to vampires, etc. But if you enjoy those sorts of movies, by all means don´t miss this movie.
Big Fish:
Big Fish is the “life story” of Edward Bloom (played by Ewan McGregor and some other old guy – flashbacks and such), a bigger than life man from a town too small to hold him. Directed by Tim Burton, this film is full of eye candy and extremely enjoyable exaggerations. Following the life of Edward Bloom through flashbacks while showing him as a late life grandpa who is dying of cancer, the film explores life and creativity through tall tales – which turn out to be not quite so tall after all.
I personally enjoyed this film immensely. I enjoyed not only the scenery but also the emotions of the film. I´d love to hear what other people took out of this film.
Paycheck:
In the same vein as The Bourne Identity, although not as good (in my humble opinion), Ben Affleck plays an engineer who reverse engineers technology for a corporation. The premise includes the fact that Affleck gets his memory wiped clean after each assignment. After accepting an unusually long assignment he finds himself back “on the outside” with no memory of his last three years – and without the paycheck he expected to find waiting. In its place was an envelope filled with several strange and seemingly random items. Left to use the items in the envelope to unravel the mystery of what´s going on is the basic plot of this film.
It was enjoyable as an essentially “brainless” entertainment item, but won´t win any awards.
by christindall | Jun 6, 2004 | Uncategorized
One of my past entries alluded to the fact that I have really been thinking a lot about life and what I want out of it. Well, I´m still doing that, but it occurs to me that I should ask some of you a few questions to see where other people stand.
- What do you want out of life?
- Where are you now?
- Are you happy?
- What more do you want?
- What kind of life do you want?
- Do you like your life?
Anyway, I´d love to hear what your thoughts are!
by christindall | Jun 3, 2004 | Uncategorized
Well, I was going to leave the cars for sale blog up for a while but decided to update things a bit instead. If you´re here looking for the cars that are for sale, feel free to look at the full blog page (this is the newest entry only) or use the links off to the left here.
So spent this last weekend in Union, Washington, which is just outside Shelton (about 35ish minutes from Olympia) working on Seasonal Essentials administrative items and technology. Soon I´ll have the new version of seasonalessentials.com up and running, with our new pricing, a new design, some important technology upgrades, and our new merchant program. We´ve got product in three stores now, which is amazingly cool. We´re going to focus on merchant sales and let the online storefronts grow as they will, at least for the moment.
It was an interesting weekend for me personally, however, as I thought a lot about what I really want out of life; what´s important, what´s not, where I want to be and to go, how I want to live, what I want my priorities to be, and so on and so forth. Those of you who know me may chuckle because it probably seems that I´m always asking these questions and evaluating my life – and that´s true. 🙂 Sometime in the “near” future I´ll probably put some of my thoughts here, not necessarily because anybody cares but more to get it written down somewhere to work through it all.
Hope all of your Memorial Day celebrations were fun and relaxing! Let me know what you did in the comments section!
by christindall | May 26, 2004 | Uncategorized
| So apparently prisoners in Oregon can earn a flatscreen TV for their cell. I want a flatscreen TV. Of course, they´re only 7″ TVs, but it does mean they don´t have to go out to the common room and argue with Bubba about what to watch. I wouldn´t want to argue with Bubba either. |
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In other crazy news, you can now go golfing in Kabul. There´s no green, no water hazards (but the same rules apply), and no mines. Whew. That´s a relief. Talk about your hazards.
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People who know me know how I feel about technology and the church. In fact, I´m working to start a company developing Christian technology and solutions. However, I think that this may be a bit far. Although (and I hate to say this) the problems that they´re facing are rather humorous. In a sick sort of way. I believe that technology is a tool that can be used. I don´t believe it is a way to commune with God. For heaven´s sake (literally, perhaps) – if you´re going to pray, just PRAY. Don´t log onto a website as a cartoon character and get on your digital knees. Good grief. The title is aptly named, though. Ship of Fools. |
Dr. Love´s Super Baby Making Show. Yes, you read that right. It´s a new reality show in the works. ´Cmon people. If the Ship of Fools was a step too far one direction, surely this goes too far the other way. But you have to give Singapore credit. It has some serious birth problems.
“A worldwide survey last year by condom maker Durex showed that Singaporean couples had sex on average just 96 times in 2003 — making them the least sexually active respondents among the developed countries surveyed. Singapore has made baby-making a top national priority after it recorded its lowest-ever birth rate last year since independence in 1965. “
Talk about your boring place to live.
This talking toilet seems a bit overboard to me. But it certainly sounds funny.
“Hello, what are you up to then? Put the seat back down right away, you are definitely not to pee standing up … you will make a right mess…”
by christindall | May 26, 2004 | Uncategorized
This article on CNN tells us that Alaska is starting to bury its dead. There´s something you never think about. Apparently (and with a little thought obviously) it gets so cold up there that digging a grave during the winter months is simply impossible. Or at least unrealistic. So everyone that dies during those winter months goes into storage. As the ground thaws now they can be buried.
Something about this is funny. I don´t know why. It probably shouldn´t be. But it is. And it certainly gives rise to numerous script possibilities for a cheesy horror movie. “Alaska´s Dead”, or “Cold Storage” or something similar. Kind of makes you wonder what other regional complications are, and how they deal with their dead.
by christindall | May 26, 2004 | Uncategorized
I´m looking forward to participating in some outdoor activities this summer. I love to camp and hike, despite the crappy shape I´m in. Yeah, you try sitting in front of the computer as much as I do (don´t ask, but with three businesses…) and staying in shape. Seems like a priority change might be in order. Soon.
Anyway, if you´re also interested in getting out and about, might I suggest that you do some basic research first? This summer is bound to be an active one for thousands of people. Try finding some lesser known areas; avoid the crowds and enjoy yourself more! Check out the National Park Services site. Also, this article on CNN basically sums it up.
They´re saying that this year may be a record year for the West Nile Virus. And in the great Pacific Northwest the wildfire hazard is also going to be epidemic this year. According to KiroTV.com, fire danger levels are currently (as of May 2004) at the level they´re usually at in August. Oh joy.
Personally, I´m looking foward to a trip to Ocean Shores. I´d also like to explore a bit and find some places I haven´t been before. Which shouldn´t be tough, since most of my camping experience has been at Leavenworth.
by christindall | May 26, 2004 | Uncategorized
Aaron Bale clued me in to this one. Thanks B!
Stupid, bumbling crook.
by christindall | May 26, 2004 | Uncategorized
According to CNN (and Reuters) McDonalds intends to offer DVD rentals via an “experimental DVD rental machine” owned by DVDPlay. The kiosks will hold 30 – 40 of the newest release titles, and people can rent them for $1 / day. I´m assuming that it requires Credit Cards in order to hold people accountable.
Is McDonalds going to start selling video games, too? Maybe they should hook up with Amazon.com.
by christindall | May 24, 2004 | Uncategorized
Society today, in 2004 in America, is ludicrous. People who have no intelligence or common sense can do something INCREDIBLY stupid and turn around and get filthy rich by suing someone else. People who break the law often have more rights than those who have been violated. The world is becoming emotionally scarred by the constant barrage of violence that comes out of our entertainment and information resources, from movies to the news to video games to TV.
Now don’t get me wrong about this. I’m not saying that violent video games, movies, or information necessarily lead to violent behavior; I’m not particularly prone to violence, and I regularly watch violent movies and play violent video games. And I’m not saying that stupidity, violence, greed, or any of the other “social ills” are anything new. What I am saying is that America is treading a path that can only lead to darkness, not the enlightened society that so many would have us believe.
For example, why is it that someone can break into a house, illegally and of their own free will, get hurt, and turn around and sue the home owner?
Why is it that a man could put has brand new Winnebago on cruise control, get up and go back to make himself some coffee (resulting in a crash, of course), turn around and sue Winnebago for over a million dollars (and a new Winnebago) – and WIN – in a trial that actually went to court?
Why is it that a man can shoot his neighbor’s dog with a pellet gun (who happened to be tethered to a pole in the ground), accidentally get close enough to the dog that the dog attacks him, and then turn around and sue his neighbor for medical expenses?
Why is it that a burglar, who robs a home while the family is on vacation and gets locked in the garage for three days (forced to dine on dog food and coke), can turn around and sue said family for trauma and anguish?
Does our legal system even work any more? Of course it does. How many violent and dangerous people would be on the street today if it didn’t?
The problem lies not (at least 100%) in the legal system. It lies within the jury. Within the everyday people it is meant to protect. Because those people are not perfect, the legal system cannot be.
I, for example, believe that if some individual is going to willfully, knowingly violate my rights to safety, to freedom, to security – whether it be to break into my home or to steal my car or . . . I firmly believe that said individual no longer HAS any rights. That person made a choice. A choice to break the law, to infringe on my rights and endanger not only myself but those around me. So if they trip and fall and break a leg, then that’s the cost. If they fall on a knife, then that’s the cost. If they get locked in the garage and starve, then that’s the cost. They have NO rights left. The fact that they could turn around and sue ME? For what, using my house? Securing my possessions? Protecting my family? I don’t think so. I think that’s absolutely ridiculous.
Endanger me or those I care about, willfully violate my rights, and lose yours. Turn the tables around – if I willfully violate you or your rights, by breaking into your home uninvited (for example), then I have chosen to give up my rights. Simple as that.
And I think that those of us with any sense left need to stand up and put on the brakes of society. Enough is enough. If Tim Eyman can put initiatives in front of the voting public, so can anybody else. Societal change starts with our caring enough to speak up. So shout loud.
Ok. My rant for the day is over.
