Thirty-one days

Thirty one days until the wedding. We had our first of three dance lessons on Monday. We're grinding away at the music selections, the RSVP's are rolling in. There seems to be an alarming number of non-responses so far, but I've heard this is normal. A fair number we can guess at, since they're close friends.

I plan to get fitted for my Tux tonight.

I need to finish shopping for my groomsmen!

Other runs

I've been on two runs since my last 'run' post. One was on Sunday, the other today. Both went well. My knee was a little sore after my Sunday run, but today, so far so good.

Steel Battalion

I totally can't afford it, but I've ordered Steel Battalion on Half.com.

It comes with a special controller that you sit in. How could I resist?

Today's run

Little longer, probably 3.5 milesish

No knee pain.

Avoided sidewalks, did a lot of path running, and I wore my brace and stretched thoroughly.

Cool.

Minor injury

My knee has been acting up for a couple of months, and not in the usual way. Before, it only ached when I ran too many hills, or overdid some other way. I've learned that it's best not to increase frequency, speed and distance all at the same time.

Lately my right knee's been sore even after relatively short and slow runs, even when I'm not overdoing it whatsoever.

I went to the doctor yesterday and learned that I have Runner's Knee. Thankfully, it isn't major, and I can keep running while I do exercises to strengthen my interior quad, which will, in turn, keep my kneecap in the right place. I'm also wearing my brace with every run, and keeping my distance steady, and avoiding hard surfaces when I can.

Grass is softer than the road. The road is softer than the sidewalk. I didn't know that last one before.

Today's run was good. I ran to the I90 overpass, wore my brace, didn't go too fast, avoided the sidewalk when I could, and I feel good. I also stretched my anterior muscles (hamstrings and calves) before and after.

Wedding Honeydo List

disclaimer: not necessarily exhaustive


Things for you to do:

-order keg (half)
-arrange for dance classes (I'd prefer Monday, Wed, or Thursday nights
if a
weekday)
-get fitted for tux
-ask your father if he wants to wear a tux
-order ice cream cake
-check in with Christie re: attendance and boys' attire
-seating chart
-gifts for your attendants

Things that would be easier with a car:

-TJ's run for white wine and bubbly
-Safeway run for red wine (on sale until the end of June)


Things on the general/both of us list:

-Display/Costume for tiaras, medals, ribbons
-University Village for AV cord for iPod
-New Holly for testing iPod and timing processionals
-program details
-quiz questions
-meeting with Donovan (caterer)
-meeting with Rob (photographer)


Other major bits:
-wedding license (must get before Wed of Wedding Week)
-banquet permit (before Monday of Wedding Week)
-New Holly payment (Monday of Wedding Week)
-rental pickup (Wed of Wedding Week, I believe)

Lesson for the day

When working with a partnered duo, the two individuals are not interchangeable, even if they tell you that they are. It's best to work with both at all times, or with the same one of the pair. Otherwise expect to repeat yourself because invaribly they will miscommuniate your message to one another.

Neat things:

pirates
monkeys
zombies
robots
dogs
cats
leprechauns
elves
dwarves
hobbits
drag queens
porn stars
soldiers
wizards
wiccans
orcs
jedi
vikings
knights
gladiators
clowns
mimes
lions
tigers
bears
super heroes
models
hillbillys
pilots
strangers
lesbians
spies
cops
robbers
cowboys
indians
nazis
cavalry
drunks
hobos
dragons
albinos
orphans
ninjas
samurai
leather daddies
fishermen
masons
kings
queens
princesses

New Music List

Here's the updated list, with Nora and my requests combined:

1999 Prince
A Sunday Kind of Love Etta James Her Best (1997)
All I Need Is You Kenny Rogers   we like cheeeeeeeeeze, oh yes we do
All You Need Is Love Beatles   Not sure about this one.
Always On My Mind Elvis Presley   Chad's List
Always and Forever Luther Vandross
At Last Etta James Her Best (1997)
Baby Lets Play House various Doo Wop (the Extraordinaires)
Baby Love The Supremes
Blue Moon lots.
Blueberry Hill Fats Domino  Good one!  My Mom will love it.
Brickbat Billy Bragg
Bumble Bee Dusty 45s
Can't Fight This Feeling REO Speedwagon   Hmmm...
Chapel of Love The Dixie Cups   silly fun.
Crazy Patsy Cline / Willie Nelson   Chad's List
Crazy For You Madonna
Crazy Little Thing Called Love Queen The Game cool rockabilly vibe too!
Daddy's Home Shep & The Limelites
Dancing Queen ABBA   FUN!
Dedicated To The One I Love The Shirelles   I love, love, LOVE this
one!!
Who put it on?
Dream Lover Bobby Darin
Earth Angel The Penguins
Everlong Foo Fighters
Every Rose Has Its Thorn Poison   Chad song
Everything Jody Watley
Fire and Desire Rick James
Fly Robin Fly Silver Convection
Friends In Low Places Garth Brooks   Chad's List
Funky Town Lipps
Groove Is In The Hea-art Deee-lite   1...2...3....
He's So Fine The Chiffons
Heaven Psychedelic Furs
Hey Yah Outkast   Chad's List
Honky Tonk Girls Hank Williams III
How Lucky Can One Guy Be Indigo Swing
I Can't Help Falling In Love With You Elvis  Excellent
I Feel Good James Brown
I Just Called To Say I Love You Stevie Wonder  This may be too much.
I Knew The Bride When She Used to Rock 'n' Roll Nils Lofgren
I Walk The Line Johnny Cash   Chad's List
I Want To Hold Your Hand The Beatles   Excellent.
I Want to Know What Love Is Foreigner   Perfect cheese.
I Will Always Love You Dolly Parton and Vince Gill (1995 version)  
Chad's
List
I'm Yours Elvis
Ice Cream Sarah MacLachlan FTE   Groovy.
In The Still Of The Night Five Satins
Innamorata Dean Martin
Is This Love? Whitesnake    HAH!
La Bamba Richie Valens
Learning to Fly Tom Petty   Chad's List
Let's Dance David Bowie
Let's Do It Cole Porter
Let's Have a Party Wanda Jackson
Like to Get to Know You Well Howard Jones
Louie Louie The Kingsmen   Chad's List
Louie Louie someone other than The Kingsmen   Chad's List
Love Found Me The Bellfuries
Love Hurts Nazareth   Chad's list
Love Plus One Haircut 100
Love Stinks J. Geils Band   Chad's list
Love Struck Hush
Love You Madly Cake
Lovesong Cure Disintegration
Luckenbach, Texas Waylon Jennings Ultimate Waylon Jennings
Lush Life John Coltrane / Hartman
Milkman of Human Kindness Billy Bragg
Mirror In The Bathroom English Beat
Misty Sarah Vaughn / Ella Fitzgerald Essential-Great Songs (1992) /
Pure
Ella (1998) um, who didn't do it?
Moon River Henry Mancini
Muskrat Love Amos Lee (among others)
My Girl The Temptations
Never Gonna Give You Up Rick Astley
Never Tear Us Apart INXS Kick I had to do it! ;p
One For My Baby Frank Sinatra   Chad's List
Only the Lonely Roy Orbison   Chad's List
Orbit of Me Delerium Chimera
Our Love Is Here To Stay Cole Porter   the Ella version, of course
Play That Funky Mysic Wild Cherry
Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls Book of Love
Rainbow Connection Kermit The Frog
Red Red Wine UB40   Of course.
Ring My Bell Anita Ward
Ring Of Fire Johnny Cash   Chad's List
Rock Lobster B-52s
Running Down a Dream Tom Petty   Chad's List
S' Wonderful Fred Astaire
Satisfaction Rolling Stones   Chad's List
Save The Last Dance For Me The Drifters   Perfect.
Savin' My Love Wanda Jackson
Seven Shells in my Six Gun Fred Eaglesmith
She Loves You Beatles
Shotgun Junior Walker & The Allstars
Show Me Love Robin S
Spanish Harlem Ben E. King
Spark of My Life Mighty Blue Kings
Sparks Coldplay X&Y
Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin   Chad's List
Stand By Me Ben E. King
Strange Currencies REM Monster
Summertime Billie Holiday
Take It To The Chapel The Bellfuries
Take My Breath Away Berlin
Take Your Time SOS Band
Tenderness General Public
Thank You Dido No Angel
The Air That I Breathe K. D. Lang
The Bare Necessities Phil Harris
The Best Is Yet To Come Tony Bennet
The Devil Went Down To Georgia Charlie Daniels   Chad's List
The Gambler Kenny Rogers   Chad's list
The Loco-Motion Little Eva
The Look of Love Diana Krall
The Sign Ace of Base   GAWD.  Good one, though.
There Goes My Baby The Drifters
There is a Light That Never Goes Out The Smiths
There's A Moon Out Tonight The Capris
True Spandau Ballet
Twist and Shout the Beatles   Chad's List
Unforgettable Nat King Cole
Venus Frankie Avalon
Volare Frank Sinatra
Waiting For Somebody Paul Westerberg   Chad's List
Wedding Song Bob Dylan   Chad's List
When You're Smiling Frank Sinatra
White Wedding Billy Idol  unavoidable.
Wishing Well Terrence Trent d'Arby
Witchcraft Edwyn Collins
Wonderful Annie Lennox Bare
Wonderful World (Don't Know Much) Sam Cooke   Chad's List
World In My Eyes Depeche Mode
YMCA The Village People
You've Really Got A Hold On Me The Miracles

Wedding Songs addendum

Every Rose has its Thorn Poison
The Gambler Kenny Rogers

Wedding Songs addendum

Every Rose has its Thorn Poison
The Gambler Kenny Rogers

Bachelor party

This will happen on July 26th, the Wednesday before the wedding.

I don't plan on driving at all. That goes without saying, I think.

There must be at least one stripper. I would really prefer a two girl show.

Since the naked girls part only lasts around an hour, there will be plenty of time for misc drinking and party games.

I better get the groomsmen started on the planning!

Wedding Update

Repeat of Men's Wearhouse info:

Group's Number is 853954

Our fitting deadline is 7/13/06

Our pick up date is 7/25/06


The song list is evolving. I think I'm around 72 minutes. Probably with Nora's ideas, we'll be pretty close.

Ironic Songs
Love Stinks J Geils Band
Love Hurts Nazareth
Satisfaction Rolling Stones
Only the Lonely Roy Orbison
Crazy Patsy Cline / Willie Nelson
Always on My Mind Elvis Presley
I Will Always Love You Dollie Parton & Vince Gill - (1995 version)
One For My Baby Frank Sinatra

Nice Songs
Running Down a Dream Tom Petty
Learning to Fly Tom Petty
Ring of Fire Johnny Cash
I Walk the Line Johnny Cash
Waiting for Somebody Paul Westerberg
Wonderful World (Don't Know Much) Sam Cooke
Wedding Song Bob Dylan

Fun Songs
YMCA Village People
Hey Yah Outkast
Louie Louie Kingsmen
Louie Louie - somebody else
Twist and Shout Beatles
Friends in Low Places Garth Brooks
The Devil Went Down to Georgia Charlie Daniels
Stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin

Songs I'm Not Inclined to Play on our Wedding Day
Every Breath You Take
Everything I Do Bryan Adams
Free Fallin' Tom Petty
Macarena
Hey Jude
anything by Meat Loaf
Smells Like Teen Spirit Nirvana
Unchained Meldoy Righteous Brothers

Geneva Convention takes issue with in-game power-ups

By Aleks Krotoski / controversy February 16 09:10

In one of the more bizarre news items that came out in the week I was away, the Canadian Red Cross has taken umbrage with the red cross emblem that emblazons in-game power ups of many first person shooters and action adventures. From an interview with the Red Cross' head of international law from GamesIndustry.biz:

"We would be willing to work with a videogame manufacturer to produce a game which shows the emblem in its correct use, as a symbol of protection during armed conflict, and where the player is rewarded for using the emblem correctly. Such a game could reward the player for respecting the rules of war and thereby, help the Red Cross Movement with its work to promote such respect," Meyer continued.

According to the humanitarian organisation, using its emblem in a combat situation violates a part of the Geneva Convention.

Super Bowl post mortem

Most of the following was written a few hours after Sunday's game:

Pittsburgh deserved the win, but, it was closer than the score indicated.

The Jackson push off was a bad call. Both players had equal contact both ways, and none of it affected the play.

I think Ben did get into the endzone, by a hair's breath.

The holding penalty that brought back the Jerramy Stevens 1st and Goal was bullshit. But if Stevens had caught the passes he shoulda caught, the game also would have been different.

The Randle El / Hines Ward gadget play took advantage of Etric Pruitt, who was playing for the injured Marquand Manuel. If Pruitt had stayed in coverage instead of biting on the trick, he likely would have broken that pass. Excellent play calling by Pittsburgh.

Shaun Alexander can't catch. We knew that. He had a pretty good game overall though.

The time management issue is interesting, I suppose. At the end of the first half, Hasselbeck was audibling out of a bad play. That burned time. Pittsburgh wisely realized Seattle had made adjustments and called a timeout. I suppose the Alexander run seemed odd, but it was also unexpected and gained decent yardage.

They did fall apart a little at the end because they needed two scores and had no time.

Field position / defensive struggles often seem boring to a lot of people.

*sigh*At least it wasn't embarrasing, and it leaves hope for next year. Hopefully they can buck the recent trend of losing Super Bowl teams having losing seasons.

Project

I've been working on a large project for several weeks. We need to order several large carts for the new building, and the lead time is about 5 weeks. We are now very close to the drop dead order date, and are scrambling to meet with the vendor and send the order.

For weeks I've been immersed in a series of meetings regarding the contents of these carts. The assumption was that we needed to know what would go in them before we could order them.

But really, that was a false assumption. We aren't really using that information to determine the type of cart to purchase. We already had a ballpark idea of how many supplies the carts would hold, and we had access to the space and could find out how large a space the carts have to live in.

The lesson learned is to challenge dependencies. Are they perceived or real? We could have ordered those damned carts a month ago, and that would have freed up a lot of our energy and given us time to prepare the carts prior to move in. Now we're going to be up against it. We already are up against it.

Something I did last spring.

The numbers have changed as time passed, and the formatting didn't work well, but this is still interesting and relevant.

U.S. Military Fatalities in Iraq since 3/03	1,764	http://icasualties.org/oif/
New York, 9/11	2,985	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11,_2001_attacks
Trail of Tears	4,000
Bosnian Genocide	8,000
AIDS deaths, 2004; Middle East and North Africa:	12,000	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aids
AIDS deaths, 2004; North America, Western and Central Europe	15,000	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aids
Iraqi Civilian Deaths since 1/03	22,850	http://www.iraqbodycount.net/
Sumatra-Andaman earthquake	240,000	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake
AIDS deaths, 2004; Asia	350,000	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aids
Rwandan Genocide	937,000
AIDS deaths, 2004; Sub-Saharan Africa	2,100,000	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aids
The Holocaust	11,000,000	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust
AIDS Deaths since 1981	23,000,000	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aids

NFC Championship

I believe Carolina will get two Steve Smith Touchdowns; they will also sneak in either a running TD or a field goal. The Seahawks, therefore need to score more than 17 or 21 points if they are to win. While this is not guaranteed, I believe they'll pull it off and go to Detroit in two weeks.

Limits of Constitution

I've discovered that a few months of continuous stress (work related, combined with holidays, combined with a few other things), plus screaming my lungs out as the Seahawks won their first playoff game in two decades, plus travel, plus drinking at game and while travelling, equals waking up with a 101 degree fever on Wednesday.

I didn't mind taking the eight count, and hanging around for a day with a fever is a little novel in my life. The fever broke during the night, so I returned to work on Thursday.

That doesn't mean I'm well, of course. I have throat / chest congestion, and all the herbal tea I've been drinking has given me heart burn.

I will likely chance an alcoholic beverage tonight, since it is Friday. As soon as I felt it creeping up on Tuesday, I've abstained completely from alcohol, and I'm a person who likes something tasty with dinner, and often after dinner.

I actually had a small fever of 98.7 this morning. Believe it or not, that counts, since I tend to run in the 97 range. Work is at a point where I really need to be there, so I went. If it had been a different circumstance, I would have begged off. Over the next two months, however, 98.7 will not be sufficient.

Chad in 'state of war' with Sudan

Chad says it is in "a state of war" with neighbour Sudan over the security crisis in the east of the country.