35 - 14

And that about sums it up. And by "it" I naturally mean today's Seahawks - Redskins playoff game, a game in which the offense looked great at times and crappy at times, and the defense basically saved the day. They've been doing a lot of that this season, and I'm hoping that next weekend in Green Bay they won't have to do it again. Hoping they won't, but also assuming that they will because the running game still looked crappy today and it's easy to defend the pass if that's all you have to worry about!

Happy 7th Birthday, Miss Maya Chicken!

Another January 4th, another birthday for Miss Maya. Hard to believe she's seven. So here, to commemorate it, just like last year, is a series of photos covering this and the previous birthdays:

YouTube weirdness

So I've got a page on the YouTube - a "channel" in the YouTube lingo - but I basically don't use it. I signed on to share some stop-motion videos young Logan Chicken made with Legos, and to post some private videos of the kids for the various grandparents, aunts and uncles. But I'm not a "YouTuber". I don't have a web cam, and I don't really have any interest in getting one. But I know a couple people who do, and now they're using them. A lot. And it's sucking me in.

The fact that they're brothers probably explains it...Dan, who goes by the YouTube handle "Rafter12", lives in the midwest while brother Ben, alternately "Some Guy from Seattle" and "Simpleton's Corner", lives here in the Jet City. So the YouTube gives them a chance to talk to eachother without the added effort of typing. Or picking up the phone. Or interacting in real time. Except when they IM while recording, which is kind of surreal to watch.

I've been making my way through their videos since Dan e-mailed me and directed me to his page, and I find the experience oddly voyeuristic. Not exactly uncomfortable, but not completely comfortable either. They're both pretty personal (Dan's more than Ben's, at least so far...Dan has a series where he's giving an autobiography in installments), which contributes to the voyeurism thing. And while it's helping me know my friend and his brother better, and giving me more insight into Dan's life (and Ben's, for that matter), it still feels like I'm eavesdropping on a conversation going on at the next table at the Starbucks.

RIP, Paul!

Paul Alderson has died.

Who's that, you ask? Well, the short answer is that Paul was a guy I worked for from around 1993 to 2000. The longer story is, um, longer, and if you really want it let me know and I'll post it. In place of that, and in honor of Paul's memory, here are a few things I learned from him:

Enjoy what you do, and have fun when you work: When I started working with Paul every day was an adventure. We were both learning new stuff, figuring out new ways to do things, and building a cool tool. It was the closest I've come to working at a well-funded start-up, and I imagine the vibe was similar. We enjoyed what we were doing, we enjoyed eachother's company, and we were getting paid (relatively) well. In later years as the department grew Paul was forced in to more of a management role which he generally did well, but didn't enjoy nearly as much as the creative side of things. Perhaps not coincidentally he started having some major health issues and the fun pretty much went out of it for him.

Don't sweat the small stuff: It's trite, but it's true and Paul was (generally) good at letting the minor crap roll off his back. And I've tried to emulate that.

Confront staff problems early: This is one Paul and I learned together, but I haven't really learned it. Not that I have people reporting to me any more...anyhoo, we had a couple people on the team that needed to be fired for various reasons, and we let it slide far too long. And as a result the expected happened: team morale suffered, we looked like idiots, and the company spent money on salaries for people who didn't produce. The problem was that both Paul and I were softies at heart and hated firing people. Which isn't a bad thing, except for when it is.

Listen to your body: This is a lesson I learned by observing Paul do exactly the opposite. While he preached the whole "don't come to work sick" thing he couldn't follow it himself. He worked when he was sick. He worked when he was in pain. He worked when he was hopped up on goofballs and suffering from something called "Prednisone Psychosis". And as a result his health suffered, the team suffered, and our relationship suffered. Because let's face it, it's hard to respect a guy who won't take care of himself, especially when he's grilling you on the details of a conversation that never happened.

Listen to your doctor: This one's a corollary (or is it companion? One of those) of the last rule, but it's still important. You'd think it was obvious, but sometimes it's easy to assume the doctor is a quack or doesn't know you and how your body will react. But as Paul proved at least once, doctors aren't all idiots and sometimes when they tell you "you're going to need to take this drug for a while, then cut it off slowly" they're right. And if you suddenly stop taking the drug they warned you about because you've quit other things "cold turkey" you'll probably end up in the hospital.

It's not rocket science: This was Paul's favorite line, so it's not really a lesson...although it is applicable to just about everything I've done in the work world, either during my days with Paul or after. It went along with his other fave phrase of "don't reinvent the wheel". Trite, both of them, but they did sum up a lot of the management philosophy of our group: keep it simple, and reuse anything and everything.

I'm sure there's more, but nothing is coming to mind right now, and hasn't in the weeks that I've been thinking about this (Paul died in early December...I apparently didn't learn any lessons about procrastination from him). So I'll wrap up with a heartfelt thanks to the late Paul Alderson for his guidance, support and friendship early in my business career, and an equally heartfelt apology for not staying in touch (or forcing him to keep in touch) after the department was shut down and we each went our separate ways. Hopefully that will be the lesson I really learn from him!

Happy New Year!

OK, so I'm getting around to this at 10:30 at night on New Year's Day, but what the hell...

In addition to the standard resolutions of losing weight and doing good in the world, I'm going to try to post more frequently. Honest. Tina, of Galivanting Monkey fame, did a challenge last month or the month before where she posted something every day. So I'm going to try that in January, and hopefully continue beyond that.

We'll see how it works out, if I actually put in any original content, or just link to articles and give updates of my Facebook Wrestler's career

Remind me not to go skiing in Japan...

Or if I do, not to take advantage of the "massage chair".

Oh to live a few miles to the north...

Can someone please tell me what Jim McDermott is smoking so I can avoid it at all costs? I mean, I'm as areligious as the next Gen-X Seattlite but really...voting "no" against a recognition of Christmas seems, well, offensive in it's apparent intent not to offend. Let's compare the three religious holiday-acknowledging resolutions (all pulled from the PI's article):

1. Ramadan: HR 635: "Acknowledges the onset of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting and spiritual renewal, and conveys its respect to Muslims in the United States and throughout the world on this occasion." (Approved 376-0)

2. Diwali: HR 747: "Acknowledges the onset of Diwali and expresses its deepest respect to Indian Americans and the Indian Diaspora throughout the world on this significant occasion." (Approved 358-0)

3. Christmas: HR 847: "Acknowledges the international religious and historical importance of Christmas and the Christian faith." (Approved 372-9)

Maybe the problem is that HR 847 didn't acknowledge the onset of Christmas. Or that it didn't express its deepest respect to Christians throughout the world on this occasion. Or maybe it's the "religious and historical importance" piece that's included in Christmas but missing from the other two. Unfortunately, since I don't know the congressman I don't know why he decided to vote "no" on this one (which, according to a staff member in his Seattle office quoted in the article, I would if I did). But it gives me one more reason to wish I hadn't been re-districted out of Insley Country.

What the hell?

So I'm a fan of the site Hot Chicks with Douchebags. Generally funny pictures, amusing commentary, good clean American fun.

So Sunday's photo was this, and I have to ask: what's the deal with the belt buckle? I mean, how can you even sit with that thing in your lap? I'm deeply disturbed by the buckle...deeply.

Yet more useless science

Finally someone has calculated how long Santa stays in town on Christmas Eve. Because we needed to know that it was 34 microseconds per stop and that the sleigh has to fly 3,604 miles per second.

Clearly Anders Larsson, listed as being "of the engineering consultancy Sweco", needs to listen to a little more Cheech & Chong. Then he'd know that Santa has magic dust and takes the freeway. Makes much more sense that way, don't you think?

WTF, Amazon?

So I ordered a couple things from Amazon.com (if you must know, a pair of headphones for me and some noise-cancelling earbuds for Mrs. Chicken) and select the "free supersaver shipping". Now, usually that means it sits on the shelf for a while, then gets dropped in the US Mail and gets here whenever it can.

This time they ship it DHL. I get the notice that it's shipping on Friday (November 16th), and that I can expect delivery on...November 28th. I can only assume that DHL is either now using pack mules to transport stuff or their drivers are limited to 8 hours a day at about 25 mph.

My new personal heros

Well, maybe "hero" is too strong a word. But you have to admit it's a good piece of innovation to get inmates to pay you rent for the honor of staying in your jail, even if the law frowns on it. And it takes a certain something to be able to chug Tabasco sauce straight from the bottle. So maybe "hero" is the right word after all.

Finally, you too can look like Geordi La Forge

You'll have to do some case moding on your Vuzix iWear AV920, but that's a small price to pay.

Oh, and along the way you can experience a video image that's the equivalent of a 62" screen 9 feet away. You won't be able to see your beer, but that's also a small price to pay.

Ah, if only...

You've seen 24 in the past (whether you see it this season is up to the strike...). You know how dependent the show is on tech: cell phones, satellite photography, internet hacking, text messaging, all that stuff.

So what would the show have been like if they'd done it in, say, 1994? Fortunately for us, the College Humor guys have answered that question with this, 24: The unaired 1994 pilot

Note to self...

If I ever end up divorcing Mrs. Chicken, be sure not to kiss her afterward. Especially if she's had a bit to drink. Otherwise I'll end up like this guy. Well, except for the part where the police report "finding the man's lip on the bedroom floor, covered with cat hair." Dust bunnies, sure. But not cat hair.

Finally, a choir I can get behind

I'm not big on the vocal scene, I must admit. Never really enjoyed singing, although I've been told I have an OK voice (for someone who doesn't sing, I assume). Actually, let me amend that: I've never really enjoyed singing FOR people. In the car or shower is another story.

Anyhow, I've never been a big supporter of the choral arts, even when friends have been in choirs and invited me to come see them. But after seeing this article in today's PI about the "Complaints Choir" I think I may have found my outlet. As the founders of the Complaints Choir states:

"We say you should sing (complaints) out ... acknowledge things aren't as they should be. It's therapeutic."

It's kind of like the Festivus "airing of the grievances", only with more peole. And set to music.

Everyone in the Complaints Choir has to contribute a complaint, which could be the most difficult part. No, not finding something to complain about, but rather narrowing it down to the one complaint worth submitting...I think I'll go with "The new Comcast DVR software is worthless".

Moving up my Xmas wish list

It's the Dough-Nu-Matic from our good friends at SkyMall (courtesy of Sci-Fi's Tech blog). Because it's really too big a hassle to go the 10 blocks to Krispy Kreme when I want a donut...

Another product I didn't know I needed

Organic Batter Blaster ™ - Original Pancake and Waffle Batter

Not just any Organic Pancake and Waffle Batter...Organic Pancake and Waffle Batter in an aerosol can a la spray cheese. Which kind of goes against the whole "organic is better for the environment" thing, doesn't it?

At least he's still humble...

So they're making a new "Star Trek" prequel with the characters from the original series - Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Uhura, etc. Nimoy's in, but Shatner's out. But at least, according to this story from CNN, he's taking it well:

'I couldn't believe it. I'm not in the movie at all. Leonard, God bless his heart, is in, but not me,' Shatner, 76, told The Associated Press on Thursday. 'I thought, what a decision to make, since it obviously is a decision not to make use of the popularity I have to ensure the movie has good box office. It didn't seem to be a wise business decision.'

Something else to worry about

I don't live in "The City", so this might not be a problem, but still...Pythons in the toilet? I have a friend who is buying a house, so I've pointed this phenomenon out to her so she can make sure the inspector checks the pipes properly.

I'd better get on it...

Now that I've been linked to from the mighty John Moe's mighty Monkey Disaster blog I should get of my butt and start posting stuff again. Which will, almost undoubtedly, be a bunch of stupid news stories that I find and blather about on the air (Radio KYA Ocean Shores...apparently the "sweetest music ever made", but I wouldn't know since I almost never listen). But I'll start off my return to (hopefully) more active posting with something a bit more "real": A recommendation that you listen to my nephew Matt in his early attempts at being a DJ.

Matt, like his uncle, is a college DJ. Unlike his uncle, his weekly college radio show can be heard world-wide thanks to the wonder of the Internet (in MY day we had three listeners in a prison and we liked it!). The station is VIC Radio out of Ithaca College (probably the "IC" in VIC, not that I've asked), and you can find their stream here. Matt, being a freshman, gets a fine graveyard shift: midnight to 2 AM Tuesday mornings. Which works out great for his West Coast relatives, since he's on from 9 to 11 on Monday nights.

So tune in, give it a listen, and don't razz him too much about saying "um" every other word. After all, he's new at this and hasn't learned the secret of turning "um" in to "uh" or "so" or "ehhhhh....yeah...."