January 02, 2008
Kate writes:
I'm gonna make a list of 10 characters, it is a secret list. If you want, comment to this post with a question like, "2 and 8 have a dance off, who wins?" and then I answer them in a seperate post and it is the most fun meme ever. And you can ask as many questions as you like.
This is a fun game, wholly supported and endorsed by the Average-Bear Coalition for Crumbcake Research. Go over there and help me figure out her list.
Posted by Doyce at 12:07PM, 01. 2.08 • Comments (1)October 17, 2007
Bonnie sent me this via email, but she complains I don't post enough, so I'll answer it all here instead:
Two Names I Go By:
1. Doyce
2. Bear (or some variation thereof)
Two Things I Am Wearing Right Now:
1. black leather work shoes with 'hiking boot' treads
2. a pair of my nigh ubiquitous, just-over-the-ankle, black Goldtoe brand socks
Two Things I Would Want in a Relationship:
1. smiles
2. juuuuust enough time apart to be happy to be back together (I have an embarrassment of riches in this department right now. :( )
Two of My Favorite Things to do:
1. be with friends
2. play games
Two Things I Want Very Badly At The Moment:
1. to head home
2. to accelerate our 'moving to Denver' timeline
Two things I did last night:
1. fed a Dragon (eight of them, actually -- video games are neat)
2. caught up on Chuck
Two things I ate today:
1 Nutrigrain apple cinnamon breakfast bar (x2)
2. A blueberry bagel.
Two people I most recently talked to:
1. an ignorant homophobe from South Africa
2. a coworker would will probably leave my department soon, but can't talk about the details
Two things I'm doing tomorrow:
1. Picking up Kate from the airport!
2. Packing for a weekend in Utah
Two longest car rides:
1. Vermillion SD to Eugene OR for Spring Break of 1992. 36 hours, solo, nonstop. Both ways.
2. Denver to Miller, SD. Overnight, nonstop, with Kate and Kaylee last February
Two Favorite Holidays:
1. Thanksgiving
2. Valentines Day/Kate's birthday
Two Favorite Beverages:
1. Coke Zero
2. Magner's Irish Hard Apple Cider
Two Things you may not have known:
1. When entering a new area (buildling, whatever) bereft of any obvious signs or directions, I will turn left.
2. I invariably smell Pam Cooking spray immediately after I sneeze, every time.
Two jobs I have had in my life:
1. Tech support at a PC company.
2. Training and Change management.
Two places I have lived:
1. Denver, Colorado
2. Vermillion, SD
Two of my Favorite Foods:
1. Hot ham and cheese sandwich
2. Burger and fries
Two Places I'd rather be right now:
1. At home
2. New York
August 20, 2007
Four Jobs I Have Had in My Life:
1. Cooking/cleaning/serving at a Mexican restaurant
2. User support for a PC manufacturer.
3. Technical trainer for a major Colorado hospital network.
4. Training and change management specialist for a large Colorado-based beverage company.
Four Places I Have Lived:
1. In the wilds of rural South Dakota.
2. Vermillion, SD
3. Lakewood, Colorado
4. Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Four of My Favorite Foods:
1. Burger King whopper
2. Subway's chicken breast on Honey Oat, with pepperjack, lettuce, tomato, and jalapenos.
3. Ham and cheese on Oroweat "Health Nut."
4. Honey Bunches of Oats cereal.
Four Places I’d Rather be Right Now:
1. With Kate
2. With Kaylee (usually the #1 spot, but I haven't seen Kate in a month and a half)
3. Sleeping
4. Screwing around on my computer... at home, I mean. Not here.
Four Movies I Can Watch Over and Over:
Historically, these have proven to be...
1. Hudson Hawk
2. Army of Darkness
3. Blood of Heroes
4. Curious George, the movie
Four TV Shows I Like to Watch:
I dunno if I have four that are one the air anymore.
1. Heroes
2. Battlestar Galactica (oh how I envy Kate rewatching all of them right now)
3. Doctor Who (though I never remember to catch them -- thank goodness for the internets)
4. Dri-- oops. I mean Firef-- oops. Hmm. Don't think I have four.
Four Websites I Visit Daily:
1. WoW Insider
2. Boing Boing
3. BigRedKitty
4. Whedonesque
Four Early Musical Influences:
1. Neil Diamond
2. Rolf Harrison
3. Prince
4. Dire Straits
Four Computers I’ve Owned:
1. IBM 286 all in one. 20 meg harddrive (doublespaced to 40megs later), 1 meg of memory (upgraded to 3 megs later), and an aftermarket 2400kb modem to get onto the school's internet, but still not man enough to run Windows.
2. Gateway 386sx25. Too many modifications and add ons to list, and far more than were really electrically responsible or safe in that tiny little low-profile case.
3. Dell Inspiron, running Ubuntu Linux. My current portable machine, and with which I am much enamored.
4. Mac Powerbook Pro-- oh, wait. I haven't bought that... yet.
August 04, 2007
 | You scored as Albus Dumbledore, Strong and powerful you admirably defend your world and your charges against those who would seek to harm them. However sometimes you can fail to do what you must because you care too much to cause suffering.
Your Harry Potter Alter Ego Is...? created with QuizFarm.com |
July 02, 2007
So I've been tagged for 8 Random Facts about Me, which wins the award for Most Annoying and Obtuse Instructions Ever. Seriously, they were almost stupid enough to make me ignore the whole bloody thing.
1. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts. 2. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves. 3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules. 4. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. 5. Don’t forget to leave them each a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
Right. I'm not tagging anyone, because I hate that habit. If you wanna go answer these questions on your blog, fire away, but I'm not dictating it, so 'rules 3, 4, and 5 can bugger off and die.
Now then.
1. Habit: I eat breakfast before I do anything else (other than biological necessities) in the morning...
2. Habit: I usually check email while eating said breakfast, to multi-task and (allegedly) save time...
3. Habit: Nekkid. Because what's the point in getting dressed if you're just going to jump in the shower when you're done eating?
Now that we all have THAT mental image...
4. Fact: I've been working on Hidden Things for almost five years now. (Will be five in November.) I would very much like to be done with that.
5. Fact: I have never named any of my cars. That said, Kate and I call my Toyota Matrix "Mr. Anderson," because it's like... you know... a Matrix, but not the cool part.
6. Fact: I played my first DnD game when I was about 10, in my basement, with my sister and my friend Chris. My folks got me the rules from a Sears catalog for Christmas. Chris played a fighter named Conan. I don't know what Bonnie's character was named. It was the only time I ever tried to get her to play, I think. This year, I'll make a nice chunk of change doing editing work for role-play gaming projects. It's been three years since I've played or run DnD, though I play other games all the time.
7. Fact: I'm out of tissues at work, and have been for awhile, despite the fact that my allergies are killing me. I 'borrow' from the boxes of people at nearby desks, while they're off at meetings.
8. Fact: I'm getting tested for a hearing aid next month. Well, no: I'm getting tested for hearing loss in my left ear, which I believe will require some kind of cyborg contraption to fix. While you can make all the 'getting old' jokes you want, the fact is I've been partially deaf in that ear since I was 12.
Posted by Doyce at 01:07PM, 07. 2.07 • Comments (1)June 25, 2007
Via What Was I Thinking? - Would You Like To Take A Survey?
I haven't done one of these in awhile, and I rather liked the questions, so here we go:
WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
I was named after a guy my dad knew, not particularly well, in college.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Not ashamed to admit it was while Kaylee was crying about her hurt arm today. Was breaking my heart, I tell you.
DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Not particularly. It's legible (especially when compared to some) but somewhat messy and without any specific flavor.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Virginia smoked ham, deli cut, from Safeway.
DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
One. She is amazing.
IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Mmmmmaybe? But probably not close friends. We'd argue to damn much.
DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Not as much as I used to -- it never seems to accomplish what I'm aiming for, and usually just pisses the intended target off. It's fundamentally easier than other, wittier things I can say, with a predictable decay in quality as a result.
DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yup. Knock on wood, but I've never been 'cut on' in any significant way.
WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
No. Thank you, but no.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Honey bunches of oats, with almonds.
DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Nope, despite the fact that I have to then untie them when I put them back on.
DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
I am strong enough; I can carry my loved ones as far as I need to carry them. I would like to actually do a little free weight work for my shoulders and back and stomach, however, mostly to keep myself from injury.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Cold Stone Strawberry with chocolate chips and strawberries mixed in.
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
Where they are looking. (Ironic, since I usually let my eyes wander into the middle distance during any conversation.)
RED OR PINK?
Red on a sweatshirt. Pink on Kaylee.
WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
My gift for procrastination.
WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
Virg.
WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
"Faded army green" cargo shorts... and some brown leather sandals are nearby.
WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
A chick-fil-a spicy chicken wrap. (Eight points.)
WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
A garbage truck going by outside. My hearing causes me more and more difficulty when trying to pick out one sound in noisy surroundings (having on ambient music during social gatherings such as gaming pretty much ensures I won't hear half the people talking), so I have background music on less and less, out of habit.
IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Kaylee is not quite two, so to me, there are only eight crayon colors. I'm purple and orange scribbles.
FAVORITE SMELLS?
Grilled burgers. Toast. Vanilla. Sunscreen and salt water. Kaylee. Kate's hair.
WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Kate.
FAVORITE SPORTS?
Softball. Flag football. Golfing. I think I'd like soccer.
HAIR COLOR?
Darkish blonde, getting 'lighter' every year.
EYE COLOR?
Blue.
DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Never. In fact, I only rarely wear corrective lenses and, thanks to my weird eyes (one is near-sighted, one is far-sighted, basically) they will probably never become necessary.
FAVORITE FOOD?
Chicken rolls (sort of a chicken calzone about as big as a footlong hotdog, only available in NYC pizzerias) with Kate.
SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Scary movies ... are tough for me to sit through. Blair Witch gave me nightmares. The Ring messed deeply with my head.
LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Mission Impossible III -- People should stop thinking of it as a Tom Cruise vehicle and go for some excellent Bad Guy from Phillip Seymour Hoffman. *shudder*
WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Black. Quel suprise.
SUMMER OR WINTER?
Fall. Just like Dad.
HUGS OR KISSES?
Kisses! (Hugs are good too, though.)
FAVORITE DESSERT?
Pie. Apple. Strawberry rhubarb, or maybe something like key lime if it's good. (I've had both good and not-good ones, recently.)
WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Zelazny's Sign of the Unicorn. Damn, he could write.
WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
This, in gray.
WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT?
There's nothing on TV to watch right now.
FAVORITE SOUND?
Kaylee laughing.
ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
I don't particularly like either of them, actually.
WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Prague or Frankfurt or... Venice. Whichever of those is furthest.
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
I have no idea. Babble.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
South Dakota. YES, in a hospital; they do HAVE those, you know.
June 08, 2007
Via De
Posted by Doyce at 10:55PM, 06. 8.07 • Comments (0)February 05, 2007
Via everywhere on the internet: Instructions: Use your media player set to random to answer the questions with random song titles.
The World I Know (Well, that's a comfort.)
Short Skirt, Long Jacket -- Cake (There is just... no bad there.)
Return to Sender -- Elvis (Ahh... symbolic.)
Jungle Boogie (Hmm... no, but I should.)
Always in My Head -- India Aria (Hmm... well, there are MANY worse options.)
More than Fine (That works.)
Here Without You -- Eve Six (Not my favorite saying, but possibly something I say more than anything else. :( )
Everywhere (Heh.)
Missing You (awwwww)
Call Me, Call Me -- Cowboy Bebop (Heh... this is right on so many levels. :)
Jackson -- Johnny Cash and June Carter (Umm... I don't think they mention any drugs in there -- unless "Pepper Sprout" counts.)
Cleaning Out My Closet -- Eminem (Yes, as a matter of fact, that does sum things up nicely.)
Intermission -- Linkin Park (No comment.)
Swamp Thing -- Juno Reactor (Again, no comment. I'll be glad when the suns comes out more.)
Good News for People Who Love Bad News -- Modest Mouse (Well... it seems I'd be missed, I guess. :)
Far Far Away from My Heart -- The Bodeans (Again, Awwwwwwww... There are far worse options.)
Here Comes Everybody -- Autolux Posted by Doyce at 09:54AM, 02. 5.07 • Comments (0)
January 10, 2007
Kate writes: "After the last list of books I mostly haven't read, De suggested I share my own list of favorites. And so, after an exhausting survey of my bookshelves and memories, I'm happy to present my favorites."
I'm going to perform the same exercise on this list as I did the last one -- if only to prove that, once again, I've read 'some' of pretty much any list you care to put up, but not enough. Bold means I read it. * means I liked it. Italics mean I never finished it, and a strikethrough means I didn't like it a'tall.
1. Adventures in the Screen Trade, William Goldman
2. And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie
3. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank
4. Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery *
5. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
6. Charlotte's Web, E.B. White
7. The Club Dumas, Arturo Perez-Reverte
8. Confessions of An Ugly Stepsister, Gregory Maguire
9. The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
10. Dracula, Bram Stoker
11. The Eight, Katherine Neville
12. Emma, Jane Austen
13. The Eyes of the Dragon, Stephen King *
14. The Eyre Affair, Jasper Fforde
15. Fatherland, Robert Harris
16. The Fionavar Tapestry, Guy Gavriel Kay
17. The Forever King, Molly Cochran & Warren Murphy
18. Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
19. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, E.L. Konigsburg
20. Girl With A Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier
21. The Good Master, Kate Seredy
22. Good Omens, Nel Gaiman & Terry Pratchett *
23. The Gypsy, Megan Lindholm & Steven Brust
24. The Hero and The Crown, Robin McKinley
25. In a Sunburned Country, Bill Bryson
26. Intimations of Immortality, Piers Anthony
27. Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott O'Dell
28. James and The Giant Peach, Roald Dahl
29. King of the Wind, Marguerite Henry
30. Kissing in Manhattan, David Schickler
31. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
32. The Man Who Was Thursday, G.K. Chesterton
33. The Moonstone, Wilkie Collins
34. Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck
35. The Once and Future King, T.H. White Sorry, I just didn't find it enjoyable.
36. The Phantom of the Opera, Gaston Leroux
37. The Princess Bride, William Goldman ***
38. The Quality of Mercy, Faye Kellerman
39. A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
40. The Tao of Pooh, Benjamin Hoff ***
41. The Thief Lord, Cornelia Funke
42. Time And Again, Jack Finney
43. Tomorrow, When the War Began, James Marsden
44. Sabriel, Garth Nix *
45. Sandman, Neil Gaiman *
46. The Scarlet Pimpernel, Baroness Orczy
47. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
48. Whose Body?, Dorothy L. Sayers
49. Winter's Tale, Mark Helprin
50. The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Elizabeth George Speare
51. A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle *
And there you have it -- somewhat less impressive coverage than the last list, but more books I really truly adore on it. Also, a lot of books really would LIKE to read.
Posted by Doyce at 12:59PM, 01.10.07 • Comments (0)December 19, 2006
Getting caught up on a lot of important stuff after being out of town this weekend (in NYC with Kaylee!), and of course one of those things is blogging random questionaire memes.
Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate. Egg nog was never very big at my house growing up or as an adult, I didn't care for it when I was introduced to it, and I still really don't see the point.
Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa doesn't make you unwrap his gifts. You get up, you go out to the tree, and you can see RIGHT AWAY what he brought you! THAT'S THE BEST PART!
Colored lights or white on tree/house? I like single-colored on the house. White, or I saw some really light blue ones this year that I liked. On the tree, either is fine.
Do you hang mistletoe? Nope. Never have, honestly, nor did my family (my mom's family had one up sometimes, plastic, but I haven't seen that in years. I didn't see any hanging up at Kate's family's this weekend either, but as everyone greets and says goodbye with what I've dubbed the East Coast Cheek Kiss, there's really no point.
When do you put your decorations up? Umm... after Thanksgiving sometime? This year, I didn't put any up, because I and Kaylee really won't be here at all.
What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Stuffing. Next question.
Favorite holiday memory as a child? Probably those times we got to go sledding on the day-of with my cousins. Maybe. I don't like being cold, much, and didn't like it as a kid, either.
When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Oh, probably around first or second grade -- I just did the math and figured out it was impossible, even taking time zones into account -- though I do distinctly remember telling my Mom that, since the time zones meant he didn't have to be EVERYWHERE at the same time, it made it SLIGHTLY more believable.
Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve/Early? Nope. Not unless the gift giver is particular impatient. :)
How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Bring up from basement. Assemble. String lights. String silver tinsel garland. Put up 'cool' ornaments, fill in blank spaces with colored glass balls.
Snow, love it or dread it? Love it. Dreading it is pointless -- a Christmas without snow feels like a bit of rip-off, really.
Do you know how to ice skate? Barely. I don't enjoy it much. Falling hurts.
Do you remember your favorite gift? Easy. A photo album of our Prague trip that Kate got me this year.
What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Seeing family. It's also the biggest pain to manage.
What is your favorite holiday dessert? Pumpkin rolls. I'll post the recipe here sometime.
What is your favorite holiday tradition? Playing Uno at my mom's family's place after dinner.
What tops your tree? A multicolored, lit-up star.
Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving, I think. I'm vaguely aware that I'm hard to shop for sometimes, unless someone's trying to tell me something. :) Generally I like getting something for people that makes them happy. Or laugh. Better: both.
Favorite Holiday Song? Let it Snow
Favorite flavor of Candy Canes? There is only one flavor of Candy Cane: Peppermint.
Posted by Doyce at 10:38AM, 12.19.06 • Comments (0)December 07, 2006
Via ***Dave -- a bunch of random questions.
Top 5 things wrong in my field of vision right now:
1. Someone needs to mess up that Rubicks cube.
2. A framed nature picture of a polar bear gutting a walrus in extremely bloody close up. It's wrong on so many levels, but I like it because it's honest. Also, it's not my picture.
3. If I don't go get something to eat in about two minutes, I won't have time to until 2.
4. I really should look at that CD full of Process Maps from the Financial Department... except... man that sounds boring.
5. That guy's wall calendar is still on October.
Name four things you wished you had:
1. A letter of confirmation for the paperwork I sent out yesterday.
2. Reliably regular games/get-togethers going on.
3. About 30 thousand more frequent flier miles with Frontier.
4. A little more liquid cash (Christmas is, for me, the worst time for Christmas to happen, every year).
Name four smells you love:
1. Vanilla Bean lotion (seasonally available from some girly lotion store)
2. Grilled burgers
3. Post-bath Kaylee
4. Fresh bread
Name four things you are thinking about:
1. Emailed update to team members Real Soon Now
2. Three Writing Deadlines: Storyball, Hidden Things revisions, and the Paranormal short story anthology.
3. Do I have any other Christmas presents to buy?
4. I've got some crazy-difficult travel plans coming up over the next three weeks.
Name four things you did today:
1. Took Kaylee to daycare.
2. Rode the light raill downtown.
3. Read some posts for the Mountain Witch game.
4. Called Kate, thus reassuring myself that there are lots of people who are currently a LOT busier than me.
Top song of the right now:
"Waiting On The World To Change" -- John Mayer
Last thing you:
* Did: Gave a weekly status update at the Team Lead meeting.
* Read: Part Three of The Thousandshrine Warrior, by Jessica Amanda Salmonson
* Watched on TV: Studio 60 and the Sunset Strip (Monday)
Who do you want to:
* Kill: Nobody, personally.
* Hear from: I managed to miss a call from Scott H. yesterday, and I'm bummed about that, so hopefully we can actually stop playing phone tag soon.
* Look like: Me, pretty much, but with better hair.
* Be like: Slevin Kelevra (No, not really)
Last time:
* Last song you heard: "The Suits Are Picking Up The Bill", by the Squirrel Nut Zippers
* Last movie you saw: The Specials
* Last movie you saw on the big screen: Casino Royale
* Last thing you had to drink: Hot Caramel Apple Cider
* Last thing you ate: A chocolate chip cookie (yeah... can't you see why I'm losing weight?)
* Last time you cried: Week to 10 days ago, regarding something I can't even recall now -- and THAT is the truly sad thing
* Last time you smiled: This morning, on the phone with Kate
* Last time you laughed: This morning, Kaylee did a Sword In the Stone impersonation with a toilet plunger
* Last time you danced: Tuesday night, for about 3 hours
* Last person you hugged: Kaylee, this morning
* Last thing you said: "I'm everywhere."
* Last person you talked to online: IM from Lori.
* Last thing you smelled: Hot Apple Cider
* Last car ride: Driving to the park and ride after dropping Kaylee off
* Last CD played: A collection of swing dance tunes
* Last item bought: A *bunch* of christmas gifts, including a (requested) Gamecube game, and a (not requested) "Band in a Bag" for my nephew and niece, respectively
Albums playing on the regular right now:
That swing CD mentioned above, and a companion one with even more swingy goodness on it.
September 19, 2006
House of the D.: Question of the Day.
Name five books, music CDs, or movies, if any, that would you rather buy someone a copy of rather than loan out your last copy.
1. The Sandman Series. Someone 'borrowed' them before my move to Colorado and I spent about three years repurchasing all of the collections.
2. My *last* Firefly collection. My second-to-last is a loner copy and specifically intended to be shared out.
3. Amelie (*stares pointedly at Dave*)
4. Alias, Season Two (*stares pointedly at Dave, again*)
5. Deadwood (I'm SORRY, Lee! I'll remember em next time, I promise!)
August 09, 2006
I actually had this exercise finished earlier today (and also a few years ago, with slightly different rules), but somehow I got distracted from the actual posting by... oh, I dunno... work?
Anyway:
- Grab the nearest book.
- Open the book to page 123
- Find the fifth sentence
- Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions
Don't you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest, then tag three people.
Oh, believe me, this sucker's about as far from 'cool' as you can get. Here's what *I* had, close to hand:
2. Divide the total number of words in the passage by the number of sentences; this gives the average sentence length of the passage.3. Count the number of words with three syllables or more per 100 words; this gives you the percentage of hard words in the passage.
4. To get the fog index, total the two factors just counted and multiply by 0.4; the final total is a reading grade equivalent for the test.
-- from Langenvin's "Workshops for Trainers", which I reference a lot at work, further cited from Robert Gunning's The Technique of Clear Writing, which I reference, sometimes, at home.
Edit: And I tag... umm... De, Lee, and Stan.
January 24, 2006
Give me a good t-shirt quote for Valentines Day -- I wanna make some new stuff for the Cafepress store, since everything with Serenity on it got banned :P
Posted by Doyce at 08:34AM, 01.24.06 • Comments (13)January 18, 2006
Kate did this a few days back, and I've been carrying my version of it around in a text file for a few days, looking for just the right obscure writing style to use...
So, finally, my Mad-Blog-Libs profile "The Artist".
Doyce Testerman is a Abraham Lincolnian artist and poet with an intuitive appetite favoring stone, a fusion of gesture and words, the shivering map of the teabag, the evolution of a paragraph or a poem, and the exquisitely prisprequendalianistic archetypal thump into the funny.
A graduate of the Hagbard Celine School of Art, Belize, Doyce has spanked in one-man shows, vilphori and juried group sheep, authored pop-up books and velvety non-fiction, and published articles and essays. Pole vaulting and writing Gayatri Meter are currently his main artistic focus.
Posted by Doyce at 03:17PM, 01.18.06 • Comments (4)January 10, 2006
The blogosphere's been inundated with "# of things about me" fads, which I generally ignore, but then this one came along. I was tagged for it, I like the idea, and it has a 5 in it. Clearly, the stars are right, so...
"Five weird things about me.*"
i - I'm 34 years old and I'm still playing role-playing games. Maybe not a ton right now, due to other (incredibly cute) time considerations, but I am doing so -- I spent a lot of time just this last week, setting up to run not one but two different games this week while Aaron and Kate are in town at at the Casa. I love the creativity of it, I love playing around with other smart folks, and I love having an excuse to babble excitedly for hours. Face to face RP games are one of the most social and friendly and fun activities I can think of off hand. Even RP via the internet (on an MMORPG or Chat or IRC or whatever) captures a great deal of that.
ii - I've never seen Casablanca. I've never seen It's a Wonderful Life. In fact there are a ton of classic films for which I couldn't even summarize the plot.
iii - I'm left-handed for everything but writing/mousing. Shooting pool, shooting a gun, hiking a football, et cetera. I was trained to be right handed, but I'm pretty sure I was a natural lefty, once upon a time. I blame Mom.
iv - Vacuuming or mowing the lawn relaxes me: I find it a meditative, calming activity (though, like meditation, I don't do it often enough :). Ironing clothes is much the same, if I have a good sturdy ironing board to use.
v - I have pet peeves about word pronounciation. It's 'supposedly, people; not supposably. That may not be weird -- the near-nervous tic that ensues when confronted by such things (especially when it's your BOSS and you can't in good sense correct them), probably is.
* - Wierd, according to the midwest bible belt.
I'm supposed to tag Five people for this, so...
Ana-thema, Madeleine, Jon, Virg, and... since it's a "Five", I'm going to say Malcalypse :)
Posted by Doyce at 07:39AM, 01.10.06 • Comments (9)January 03, 2006
I realize this is a bit redundant with the four-some thing I did already, but I got tagged, and as the tagged, I must post, so...
Seven Things to Do Before I Die:
1. Get published.
2. Learn a foreign language. Well.
3. See a book I wrote published in a language I don't speak.
4. Visit Alaska
5. Get published some more
6. Visit China
7. Get a Doctorate
Seven Things I Cannot Do:
1. Do that really loud whistle with your fingers in your mouth.
2. Roll my tongue.
3. Unplug.
6. Spell, on the first try, occaissionally. Occassionally. Occasionally?
4. Stop thinking my wife is dead sexy.
5. Eat beef (without getting very sick).
7. Get in an out of a bookstore 'in a sec'.
Seven Things I Say Most Often:
1. Baby.
2. Anyway...
3. [Insert cussing here.]
4. Hi boo.
5. Whaddup? (yes, I'm aware)
6. Bottom line is this...
7. C'mere a second.
Seven Things That Attract Me To People:
1. Wit. Yah gotta be able to keep up.
2. Humor. Yah gotta be able to keep up laugh.
3. Love. For others, but also for yourself. You can't be loved if you hate yourself.
4. Lack of affectation. Be you. I like *you*.
5. Shared Interests. Geeks of the world, unite!
6. A great laugh. (Or several of them.)
7. A nice butt. (What? I'm a guy, sue me.)
Seven Books (or Series) I Love:
1. 'Neverwhere' by Neil Gaiman
2. The Dark Tower Series by Steven King
3. The four 'Pooh' books by A. A. Milne
4. 'The Phoenix Guard' by Steven Brust
5. 'Lord of Light' by Roger Zelazny
6. 'The Tao of Pooh' by Benjamin Hoff
7. The Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay
Seven Movies I Can Watch Over And Over:
1. Grosse Pointe Blank
2. Ground Hog Day
3. Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back
4. Army of Darkness
5. Lord of the Rings
6. The Princess Bride
7. Serenity
Seven Places I’d Rather Be:
1. Home
2. London
3. Wales
4. At the Consortium
5. The Land's End Hotel and Resort (yeah, still... :)
6. At the movies
7. Traveling with friends and family
--Optional--
Seven Favorite Comicbook Series:
1. 'Usagi Yojimbo' by Stan Sakai
2. 'Midnite Nation' by Joe Straczynski
3. 'Strangers in Paradise' by Terry Moore
4. 'Sandman' by Neil Gaiman
5. 'Hellboy' by Mike Mignola and others
6. 'The Authority' by Warren Ellis
7. 'Astro City' by Kurt Busiek
Seven Favorite Anime:
1. El Hazard
2. Slayers
3. Record of the Lodoss War
4. Appleseed ( the new movie )
5. Cowboy Bebop
6. Gunslinger Girl
7. Helsing
Seven Favorite Smells (again)
1. Vanilla
2. Jackie's hair
3. Oranges
4. Clean Dog
5. Kaylee
6. A barbeque
7. Baking things when I walk in the house.
Seven People I Want To Join In On This:
1. Jackie (So she's tagged twice)
2. Lori
3. Bonnie (Again!)
4. Ana
5. ***Dave (tag-teamed with Hythian)
6. Clovis
7. Anyone who feels like it.
Foursome
Tagged by ***Dave :: Four things
Four jobs you’ve had in your life: Convenience store clerk; librarian; PC support phone tech; training developer/project manager.
Four movies you could watch over and over: The Lord of the Rings (chearer! yes, I'm a cheater), Groundhog Day, Grosse Pointe Blank, and god-help-me: Little Mermaid.
Four places you’ve lived: Miller, South Dakota (give or take 30 miles).; Vermillion, South Dakota; Lakewood, Colorado; Highlands Ranch, Colorado. (Which, in fact, constitutes a list of ALL the places I've EVER lived.)
Four TV shows you love to watch: Right now, I'm not watching any shows regularly, but I'm going to go with the 'would if I could' list. Gilmore Girls, Lost, Alias, and How I Met Your Mother (I think is the name -- sounds funny).
Four places you’ve been on vacation: The Bahamas; London; Wales; San Diego, California.
Four websites you visit daily: ***Dave Does the Blog; KTBuffy a Go-Go; The City of Heroes LiveJournal Group; gmail.com. (And many more thanks to RSS.)
Four of your favorite foods: Jackiecookies :); Jackie pork chops; Kung Pao Chicken; Chicken and Mushroom Pizza.
Four places you’d rather be: Home. London. Wales. The Land's End Hotel and Resort (or some pale reflection thereof).
Four albums you can’t live without: Meteora, Linkin Park (sue me); Liz Phair, “Liz Phair”; Les Miserables, London Cast Recording; "Once More with Feeling" soundtrack.
Hard question, that.
Four magazines you read: Does not compute.
Four cars you’ve owned: ‘70 Chevelle Malibu. ‘84 Camaro. ‘97 (I think) Dodge Dakota. ‘95 Saturn SC2.
(and added by me)
Four smells you like: Oranges; Vanilla; Jackie's hair; Eternity perfurme.
And I suppose I should tag forward four people … hrm … okay, let’s make it Jackie, Stan, Bonnie, and Lori -- nice and ecclectic mix. Anyone else who feels the need should drop theirs in the comment box as well.
Posted by Doyce at 09:14AM, 01. 3.06 • Comments (12)August 09, 2004
I have been infected by like this meme: What Are You Wearing?
At the moment: Plum polo shirt, tan khakis with a black belt, Columbia 'quadensity' shoes and Champion-brand ankle-socks (comfortable feet are important). A $30 Casio 'Forester' analog watch that some of my students bought me a few years ago -- I've worn through two wristbands on it so far and it still runs pretty darn well.
Let's hear it, people.
Posted by Doyce at 12:22PM, 08. 9.04 • Comments (9)June 07, 2004
You are Spike! Or, Type Seven of the Enneagram's
personality structure: THE GENERALIST. You are
accomplished, impulsive, excessive and manic.
Which Buffy & Enneagram's 9 Personalities Are You?
impulsive, excessive and manic -- I don't know what they're talking about. *halo*
Posted by Doyce at 12:13PM, 06. 7.04 • Comments (5)May 22, 2004
Haven't done one of these in awhile.
LAYER ONE: On the Outside
Name: Doyce Testerman
Birth date: February, 1971
Birthplace: Huron, SD
Current Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: Short
Height: 6''1
Righty or Lefty: Righty
Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
LAYER TWO: On the Inside
Your heritage: Scotish/British
Shoes you wore today: Gym shoes
Your weakness: OCD
Your fears: Drowning
Your perfect pizza: mushroom/chicken/extra cheese
Goal you’d like to achieve: Oh, I've got a few. Let's say "publish stuff"
LAYER THREE: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
Your most overused phrase on IM: N/A
Your thoughts first waking up: "Is Justin up yet?"
Your best physical feature: I've got a good mouth, I think. I smirk well. I've got dimples.
Your bedtime: After 10, before 2.
Your most missed memory: College.
LAYER FOUR: Your Pick
Pepsi or Coke: Diet Coke
McDonald’s or Burger King: Burger King
Single or group dates: Group
Adidas or Nike: Adidas
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Murrough's Welsh
Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate
Cappuccino or coffee: Tea
LAYER FIVE: Do You?
Smoke: No
Cuss: Fuck no.
Sing: Every day.
Take a shower everyday: Once at least. More often, twice.
Have a crush(es): Not on people I know, and not only on people.
Think you’ve been in love: Yes
Liked high school: Not exactly
Want to get married: Thanks, I'm full...
Believe in yourself: Absolutely
Get motion sickness: No
Think you’re attractive: I don't freak people out unless I just shaved my head.
Think you’re a health freak: A little bit -- at least compared to other Americans
Get along with your parents: Absolutely
Like thunderstorms: I like rain
Play an instrument: Used to. Sometimes I get it out make sure I still know where everything goes, including my fingers.
LAYER SIX: In the past month have you…
Drank alcohol: About five minutes ago, actually.
Smoked: No
Done a drug: No
Made Out: Yes, yes indeed
Gone on a date: No
Eaten an entire box of Oreos: No
Eaten sushi: Yes
Been on stage: Not in the last month, but I was a theatre major. Loved that.
Been dumped: No
Gone skating: No, but I've been eyeing my rollerblades lately.
Gone skinny dipping: Nope
Dyed your hair: Nope, not in years. Currently, there's nothing there to dye.
Stolen anything: Nope.
LAYER SEVEN: Ever…
Played a game that required removal of clothing: Yep.
Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: Ohhellyeah.
Been caught boinking: I don't... think so.
Been called a tease: Yep
Gotten beaten up: No
Shoplifted: Yeah. Not my proudest moments.
LAYER EIGHT: Getting Older
Numbers and Names of Children: 1 - Justin, nephew
Describe your dream wedding: One that's over.
How do you want to die: Smiling and ready
LAYER NINE: In The Numbers…
Number of drugs taken illegally: 3 - That includes alcohol when I was a minor
Number of people I could trust with my life: 5
Number of CDs that I own: Less than the number of DVDs I own
Number of tattoos: None. You can't land a plane in a forest, kiddo.
Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper?: A bunch. In high school I was in a crapload of activities and we won a lot of stuff.
Number of scars: 6 or so, maybe.
Number of things in my past that I regret: It all started when I was in sixth grade...
Via Brian
Posted by Doyce at 06:09PM, 05.22.04 • Comments (2)January 14, 2004
Via ***Dave:
Take the following list of movies (IMDB's top 100)and boldface the ones you’ve seen.
1. Godfather, The (1972)
2. Shawshank Redemption, The (1994)
3. Godfather: Part II, The (1974)
4. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003)
5. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002)
6. Casablanca (1942)
7. Schindler’s List (1993)
8. Shichinin no samurai (1954) (The Seven Samurai)
9. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
10. Citizen Kane (1941)
11. Star Wars (1977)
12. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
13. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
14. Rear Window (1954)
15. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
16. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
17. Memento (2000)
18. Usual Suspects, The (1995)
19. Pulp Fiction (1994)
20. North by Northwest (1959)
21. Fabuleux destin d’Amelie Poulain, Le (2001) (Amelie)
22. Psycho (1960)
23. 12 Angry Men (1957)
24. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
25. Silence of the Lambs, The (1991)
26. Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il (1966) (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly)
27. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
28. Goodfellas (1990)
29. American Beauty (1999)
30. Vertigo (1958)
31. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
32. Pianist, The (2002)
33. Matrix, The (1999)
34. Apocalypse Now (1979)
35. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
36. Some Like It Hot (1959)
37. Taxi Driver (1976)
38. Paths of Glory (1957)
39. Third Man, The (1949)
40. C’era una volta il West (1968)
41. Fight Club (1999)
42. Boot, Das (1981)
43. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001) (Spirited Away)
44. Double Indemnity (1944)
45. L.A. Confidential (1997)
46. Chinatown (1974)
47. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
48. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
49. Maltese Falcon, The (1941)
50. M (1931)
51. All About Eve (1950)
52. Bridge on the River Kwai, The (1957)
53. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
54. Se7en (1995)
55. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
56. Cidade de Deus (2002) (what is this?)
57. Raging Bull (1980)
58. Wizard of Oz, The (1939)
59. Rashemon (1950)
60. Sting, The (1973)
61. American History X (1998)
62. Alien (1979)
63. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
64. Leon (The Professional) (1994)
65. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
66. Vita bella, La (1997) (Life Is Beautiful)
67. Touch of Evil (1958)
68. Manchurian Candidate, The (1962)
69. Wo hu cang long (2000) (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon)
70. Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The (1948)
71. Great Escape, The (1963)
72. Clockwork Orange, A (1971)
73. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
74. Annie Hall (1977)
75. Amadeus (1984)
76. Jaws (1975)
77. Ran (1985)
78. On the Waterfront (1954)
79. Modern Times (1936)
80. High Noon (1952)
81. Braveheart (1995)
82. Apartment, The (1960)
83. Sixth Sense, The (1999)
84. Fargo (1996)
85. Aliens (1986)
86. Shining, The (1980)
87. Blade Runner (1982)
88. Strangers on a Train (1951)
89. Duck Soup (1933)
90. Metropolis (1927)
91. Finding Nemo (2003)
92. Donnie Darko (2001) (actually on my Amazon want-list
93. Toy Story 2 (1999)
94. Princess Bride, The (1987)
95. General, The (1927)
96. City Lights (1931)
97. Lola rennt (1998) (Run Lola Run)
98. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
99. Notorious (1946)
100. Sjunde inseglet, Det (1957)
Fifty-two, barely half. I've italicized those I've actually been intending to watch.
Posted by Doyce at 03:02PM, 01.14.04 • Comments (10)December 30, 2003
A top five addition inadvertently suggested by Dave:
Stuff I'll remember (or should) from this year:
- Vacation to the UK
- Sold the truck
- New Job
- Finished up two ongoing games, and almost done with another one
- Justin hits Junior High (or what I call Junior High, anyway)
- Jadyn born
December 12, 2003
Top 5 things wrong in my field of vision right now:
• Marks on the wall where a marker blew up and sprayed green ink everywhere.
• Intercom on the wall that doesn't work and never has in anyone's memory.
• A bunch of code numbers on a whiteboard that should work and don't.
• A half-dozen inspirational posters hanging on the walls. Framed.
• The room itself. More on that later.
Name four things you wished you had :
• 1 Gb SD card for my Palm.
• A laptop.
• More time.
• A copy of X-Com Classic that runs on XP.
• The guts to add the 30 thousand words to Hidden Things that I think it needs. :P
Name four smells you love:
• Vanilla
• (god help me) That cedar-scented perfume... Eternity? Something like that.
• Leather
• Hazelnut
• Dog.
Name four things you are thinking about:
• Christmas presents for this weekend and the trip to SoDak.
• The trip to SoDak with Justin.
• Hidden Things rewrites
• Wild Boars (long story)
Name four things you did today yesterday:
• Watched Firefly, Serenity, with the commentary on.
• Went christmas shopping with Justin.
• Drove to Colorado Springs.
• Corrected about two dozen tests from various students. Three had failing scores.
Top 5 songs of the right now:
• "Favorite" -- Liz Phair
Last thing you:
• Did: Fixed someone else's computer.
• Read: King Rat by China Meiville
• Watched on TV: The Gauntlet on MTV, a couple nights ago.
Who do you want to:
• Kill: No one in particular at the moment. Stay the hell out of my way on the drive home, though.
• Hear from: Scott
• Look like: L.L. -- that boy is CUT.
• Be like: Me. The real me, all the time.
Last time:
• Last song you heard: Liz Phair, Little Digger
• Last movie you saw: The Last Samurai
• Last movie you saw on the big screen: The Last Samurai
• Last thing you had to drink: Diet Coke, 20oz bottle.
• Last thing you ate: Slimfast Meal Bar: Chewy Chocolate-chip granola... breakfast of champions.
• Last time you cried: During Last Samurai, like a tubby bitch, as they say.
• Last time you smiled: Whenever I think about watching more Firefly. Specifically, last night while watching Firefly.
• Last time you laughed: When Joss Whedon's commentary revealed the Wash was miming a control stick during one flight sequence, because they couldn't get the joystick in the shot, and that noone ever noticed.
• Last time you danced: When the Firefly DVDs showed up.
• Last person you hugged: Justin, this morning.
• Last thing you said: "Heh." (Yes, I say that in real life too.)
• Last person you talked to online: I don't chat online. I sent an email to Stan yesterday I think.
• Last thing you smelled: Orange-flavored cough drops... they made me hungry.
• Last car ride: Jackie's Forerunner
• Last CD played: Liz Phair
• Last item bought: Diet Coke, 20 oz bottle. Last night: Courtney Crumrin, 2nd collection. First couple issues are online for free here and here.
Albums playing on the regular right now ::
• 6gb of various mp3's. I've been playing alot of classic music at home lately.
December 08, 2003
Congratulations! You're Merry!
Which Lord of the Rings character and personality problem are you?
October 18, 2003
Fun at the Titty Twister.
Which B-Movie Badass Are You?
I might as well enjoy it, since Jackie will never forgive me for taking her to see Dusk til Dawn on Valentine's Day/Opening night.
Posted by Doyce at 12:17AM, 10.18.03 • Comments (3)October 08, 2003
Your life has no direction. You run around and around and around, passing through many of London's tourist attractions, mainline stations and interchanges: as a result you are often overrun by tourists and accordion players. It takes you an hour to do one 14-mile round trip, passing through 27 stations. You are bright, cosmopolitan, and somewhat jaded, and you like accordion music.
You know, I do like accordian music! (No comment on other similarities.)
(via Dave) Posted by Doyce at 04:38PM, 10. 8.03 •September 10, 2003
My inner child is sixteen years old!
Life's not fair! It's never been fair, but while adults might just accept that, I know something's gotta change. And it's gonna change, just as soon as I become an adult and get some power of my own.
How Old is Your Inner Child?
(via SfAD)
Posted by Doyce at 03:04PM, 09.10.03 • Comments (6)August 27, 2003
You belong in the Cat Who Walks Through Walls. You
are creative and cunning. Your works often
feel empty to you, though others love them.
You suspect that the universe and everyone in
it are just characters in someone else's story.
Which Heinlein Book Should You Have Been A Character In?
August 12, 2003
I'm sure it's no big surprise to you that your romance is The Princess Bride. A heartwarming tale of "Twue Wuve" that has giants, Spainards and swashbuckling. You really do think that love can overcome anything. You may be a touch naive but your heart is certainly in the right place. You've probably got one of those relationships where proper nouns have been replaced with "Snookums" and "Pookie Pie". Eww. Beware a cuteness overload.
What Romance Movie Best Represents Your Love Life?
Actually, our pets names do replace proper names, but they aren't exactly... cute.
(Via ***Dave) Posted by Doyce at 03:28PM, 08.12.03 • Comments (2)May 12, 2003
1. When did you first connect ("go online"), and how?
Hmm. That would be... [does math] somewhere around 1991 I think. Maybe 1990. South Dakota wasn't really the hub of internet savvy in those days, so access was through the University and was mostly just checking email and printing stuff off of mailing lists until one of us found Battletech MUSE and our grades steadily went to hell.
2. What was your first communications program?
ProComm for DOS. Dialed into USD's server and log into the VAX server. A few months later someone introduced me to the wonder of the Unix server and some mail program called "pine" and I was home. :) I still have a few emails saved from that era.
3. When did you first chat over the internet, and how?
That would be Battletech MUSE, which was more random virtual gunfire interspersed with chatting. In retrospect, I've never just logged onto something for the purposes of simply talking -- it's always been combined with some online game or another. The only exception to that was the three months when I moved to Denver and Jackie hadn't come out here yet. We wrote a little chat client that you could log into with a telnet client and talk over.
4. What chat type program(s) do you use now?
As previously stated, none. (Though sometimes I wish Jackie had something set up from our respective work machines.)
5. Who was your first service provider?
The University of South Dakota. Thus, free. The first one I paid for was in Colorado -- dimensional.com.
6. Did you ever use AOL?
Nope. On two much-regretted occaissions, I tried to set it up for people as their internet service, since they were novices. I've rarely regretted something more.
7. Do you admit using AOL in public?
See above.
8. Who is your current ISP?
QwestDSL. My website is hosted by the always-sterling hostingmatters.com.
9. What was the first computer that you used to access the 'net?
An IBM 286, with a 20 meg HDD, 1 meg of memory, and 3.5" floppy; the monitor and motherboard were all in one case. I installed the 2400 baud modem after I got to college and found out it was sometimes handy, and a 2 meg memory simm upgrade myself (my first tech work). The original machine cost us 1700 bucks, but only because I got a discount for being a full-time college student.
I upgraded when I found out I simply couldn't get Windows to run on the hardware I had.
10. What computer do you use to access the 'net today?
P4, 2.56ghz, 60gig HDD, CD-R, DVD, 256 megs of ram. Without the rebate and with a monitor, it would have run just about the same as my first machine. I've found that, regardless of what year it is, a "very good" desktop machine runs about 1600-1700 bucks.
11. What was your first 'net handle?
Umm. dtesterm, probably. For email.
12. Did you use any other handles for any length of time? If so, what were they?
On Btech it was 'Jansen' for reasons that escape me and somewhat later I defaulted to "Jared" on most online sites, which was the name I gave clients when I started working on a HelpDesk (Doyce took too long to explain). My current email name and the domain to go with it didn't come about until I got to Colorado.
13. What 'net handle do you normally use now?
You're looking at it.
May 06, 2003
You are Anthony Hope, the hot-blooded sailor boy.
You're a true friend to Sweeney, even if he
takes advantage of it. Your passionate love
for Johanna, even if it's a bit sudden and
shallow, will lead you to do anything (even
kill?) to save her. Still, you come about as
close as anyone to living happily ever after,
at least as far as the play goes.
Which Sweeney Todd Character are You?
brought to by ***Dave himself!
Well, I'm not THAT damned... :)
The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Second Level of Hell!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:
| Level | Score |
|---|---|
| Purgatory (Repenting Believers) | Low |
| Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers) | Low |
| Level 2 (Lustful) | Very High |
| Level 3 (Gluttonous) | Very Low |
| Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious) | Very Low |
| Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy) | Low |
| Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics) | Low |
| Level 7 (Violent) | Moderate |
| Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers) | Moderate |
| Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous) | Low |
Take the Dante's Divine Comedy Inferno Test Posted by Doyce at 09:51AM, 05. 6.03 • Comments (9)
May 01, 2003
Haven't done one of these in awhile, but I caught the questions on SfAD and thought "those look interesting", so...
1. For yourself, what truths are absolute? Are there any absolute truths in the Universe?
a. Evil can be opposed by Good.
b. Good can be defined as 'buying a little girl an ice cream cone'.
c. That's it, though, nothing else; the only thing that counts as Good is 'buying a little girl an ice cream cone.'
Okay, seriously. Let's see, absolute truths...
How about this: "When you harm something, you lessen yourself."
Not saying that it's always avoidable -- some people need a good harming -- but that doesn't alter the truth of the basic statement.
2. Do you believe that you are still "teachable?"
a. Provided that I'm the one doing the teaching, yeah.
b. I am as teachable now as I ever have been (granted, I'm a horrible student).
c. I can be taught by given something new to do.
3. To do something well, in most situations, requires study and practice. What's the most recent thing that you have done well as a result of study and practice.
*cue seventies fuzz guitar soundtrack*
Oops. TMI. Right.
The work I'm doing right now (and doing well I've been told), is a direct result of years of accumulated study and practice. Sorry I don't have anything more solid as an example.
4. If you had the time/money, what do you want to lean how to do more than anything?
If I had that kind of time/money, I think it's obvious that I've already learned some pretty damn cool things.
I'd like to get letters in front of my name, I guess. "Ph.D." or "AKA" or something.
5. Tell me about a recent situation where you had a decision to make, and those around you tried to influence or direct you. Were they successful? Was that "help" welcomed?
I canvas my phone list for opinions all the time. My last big one was probably regarding how to deal with the Palm frying in England -- drastic over compensation or just letting it slide. I think my friends wisely kept their opinions to themselves for the first part of my internal debate, knowing hoping that I'd be sane about the whole thing, but more than willing to offer support for the better decision when it came, to strengthen my resolve.
Their self control is better than mine -- if roles are reversed, I offer lots of unsolicited thought.
6. Things are much easier to accept when they are given by invitation rather than being forced upon us. When was the last time you rejected something because it was forced on you? How did it happen? Did you hold a grudge about it? Was it ever resolved?
I've turned down two job offers in the last two weeks, I guess. Since I don't 'have' to look right now, their attitude of doing me a favor by calling me was grating.
7. Are you the sort of person who questions everything, or are you able to accept things without someone providing you tangible proof?
Well, that's a complicated mix. On the one hand, I'll argue just for the sake of playing devil's advocate (or to keep from getting bored). On the other, I've noticed that I do have weakness for a cogent argument -- if it happens to be something I don't feel strongly about, then I'll happily make note of the argument and regurgitate it later. Even if I do feel strongly about something in the opposite direction, I've found that a well-spoken argument the other way will make my reconsider, or reevaluate at least. My mind habitually wants to weigh all sides equally, even if they don't deserve it.
Posted by Doyce at 09:42AM, 05. 1.03 •March 26, 2003
This-or-That: The Arts Edition
1. Poetry or prose?
Prose. Poetry generally leaves me cold.
2. Funky modern art or the older, "classic" variety?
Tate Britain over Tate Modern any day of the century.
3. Sculptures or paintings?
I like both, but I guess paintings win, since painting prints look much more like the original than sculpture prints :P
4. Theatre: exuberant musical or serious drama?
I really like musicals more, but there are any number of serious plays I'd like to see right now.
5. Ballet or modern dance?
I'd say Ballet simply because I haven't been before and I'd like to simply to form a proper opinion.
6. Movies: major studio or indie?
Indie stuff rarely covers the genres I enjoy.
7. Authors: Shakespeare or Dr. Seuss?
I love my Willy.
8. TV: PBS or A&E?
A&E. I got my fill of PBS by age 8.
9. Music: Beethoven or Beatles?
Beatles, but only because there isn't a Big Head Todd & the Monsters option.
10. You are a contributing member of your favorite art museum, and visit on a regular basis. They announce a new, temporary special exhibit by an artist surrounded by controversy...this person's work and/or political views offend you. Do you stop supporting the museum, or just stay away during the time the exhibit is there?
I'd just stay clear -- I have a right to not give them money, but I did give them money -- at that point the museum has a right to spend the money supporting or hosting whatever tour they think will reach the largest audience... I don't need to be in 'the majority' for every art show... by definition, there's already enough people for that, so I understand.
If they continue to host show after show that leaves me cold, however...
Posted by Doyce at 02:04PM, 03.26.03 • Comments (2)March 07, 2003
Take a WORD, and try to make a word from each letter and create a fairly good sentence.
Examples:
FIREFLY Fanbase Is Robbed, Eager For Lost Yarns.
-or-
FARSCAPE Flatulent Alien Rygel Seen Continually Acquiring Powerful Enemies
Next Word:
SERENITY (I'm a fan-boy, sue me)
February 19, 2003
I know I am, but what are you?
Posted by at 08:54AM, 02.19.03 •February 18, 2003
February 18, 2003: Potpourri 1. Black or white? Black.
2. Plaid or stripes? Stripes.
3. Paperback or hardcover books? Hardback.
4. Color or B&W printer? Color.
5. Golden oldies or the newest tunes? Depends on my mood.
6. Ice cream: in a cone or a dish? At home dish or carton, hot summer day…cone.
7. Bath or shower? Shower.
8. Are you outgoing or shy? If I don't know the people or the social situation I will hold back for a bit and observe.
9. Answer the phone when it rings, or screen calls? Answer when it rings unless I'm reading or watching a movie.
10. VCR or TiVO? VCR, but I wish I had a TiVO.
February 17, 2003
Unfortunately, the test was skewed by too many questions concerning getting into Padmé's pants to be a truly accurate reflection of how jedi I am.
Posted by at 08:18PM, 02.17.03 • Comments (3)Perfect quiz for today
You are a Dubliner.
What's your Inner European?
brought to you by Quizilla
Sadly, this quiz had nothing to do with a deep love of redheads...
Posted by at 02:46PM, 02.17.03 • Comments (4)February 15, 2003
1. Super Bowl or World Series? Super-bowl, baby.
2. Winter or summer? Fall
3. Look up numbers in the phone book, or call directory assistance? Call and pay the piper... I'm lazy.
4. Mashed potatoes or French fries? Red Robin Steak Fries and chipotle mayo.
5. Hand-code your website, or use an editor (such as Front Page)? Used to be option Two, but now it's mostly option One.
6. Freeway or winding country road? Getting somewhere: freeway. Driving for the fun of it: country road.
7. Star Wars or Star Trek? Star Wars. Even after the last movie, god help me.
8. Disney or Warner Brothers cartoons? WB.
9. When it feels chilly in the house: crank up the heat or put on a sweater? Sweater and a space heater next to my computer.
10. CBS or PBS? These are my only two choices? I don't know when I last watched a show on either network.
February 14, 2003
We're off in Wales, but somehow I'm still posting. It's magic! Stuff from Dave's Thurday Thumb-twiddler (only two weeks and a day late):
1. When was the last time you ever walked out of a movie while it was still playing on screen? Or have you ever?
Here's a confession I'm glad I'm not actually back in the States when I make: the last movie I walked out of in the middle was The Ring -- not because it was bad, but because it was goddamn scary and I was there alone and NOT enjoying myself. I don't even think I made it halfway... more like a half hour.
ANYWAY, I skulked around like a little bitch, hating my chicken-souled self for a couple weeks, then I went back and tried it a second time. I made it... barely.
Good Movie.
2. What sort of things would you do if you could be as outgoing and uninhibited as you wish?
Error. Does not compute. If I got to have the time to do whatever I wanted, I'd play in a band. I miss that.
3. In an expensive restaurant, after a very nice, enjoyable meal, the waitress brings you your check. You notice you didn't get charged for one of the items. What, if anything, do you do?
Honestly? I'd confer with my lovely wife. Were it just me, I'd probably point out the error, cuz I like it when the waitstaff thinks I'm some sort of saint -- at least that way someone does.
Posted by Doyce at 11:52PM, 02.14.03 • Comments (1)Friday Five
1. Explain why you started to journal/blog.
Because Doyce went on vacation.
2. Do people you interact with day to day or family members know about your journal/blog? Why or why not?
No clue. Well…ok. They know who they are!
3. Do you have a theme for your journal/blog?
Nothing that offends the host. Funny things, or items that amuse me.
4. What direction would you like to have your journal/blog go in over the next year?
Eight days from now Doyce can give his all to Bears-Cave.
5. Pimp five of your favorite journals/blogs.
Thats all from Pimp Daddy Boulder Dude
Posted by at 07:55AM, 02.14.03 • Comments (1)February 11, 2003
1. Kleenex or tissue?
2. Soda or pop (or tonic or whatever)?
3. A sandwich on a long roll: sub or hero (or hoagie or grinder, etc)?
4. Glasses or spectacles?
5. TV or television (or boob-tube, or telly, for our friends across the pond)?
6. Movie or film?
7. Sofa or couch?
8. Stove or range?
9. Remote control or clicker?
10. Supermarket or grocery store?
1. Kleenex or tissue? Paper towels from the kitchen. I'm a big guy and I blow my nose like a big guy.
2. Soda or pop (or tonic or whatever)? I used to say 'pop' when I lived in South Dakota, but now it's "soda", though I said it like I'm from South Dakota (which is to say with a long O and an accented 'dah' at the end. Good norwegian boy, donchaknow.)
3. A sandwich on a long roll: sub or hero (or hoagie or grinder, etc)? Sub.
4. Glasses or spectacles? Glasses
5. TV or television (or boob-tube, or telly, for our friends across the pond)? TV or idiot box.
6. Movie or film? Both. Movies are the word for blockbuster-type things, while film is the word I reserve for artistically good cinema... the movies I like the best are the ones that are also great films, obviously (and vice versa).
7. Sofa or couch? Interchangeable.
8. Stove or range? Stove.
9. Remote control or clicker? "The Boat." -- It's a long story.
10. Supermarket or grocery store? Grocery store.
Posted by Doyce at 11:41PM, 02.11.03 •February 10, 2003
Boulder Dude - Guest Blogger
I know several people who would disagree with this assessment of me...
Via the lovely people over in the Buffy-Verse live Jounal's
How evil areyou?
February 08, 2003
I'm off to England, so let's play Saturday Scruples:
You suspect another parent at a co-op daycare of stealing $20 from your coat. This person is made treasurer. Do you alert the board?
Suspect? No, based off only my suspicions, I wouldn't make any official outcry. I would, however, have a private discussion with one or two board members whom I trusted, just to give them a heads up.
You're well-to-do. Your children, ages 24 and 26, ask you to settle part of their inheritance now. Do you?
Depends. Are they trustworthy? Reliable? Responsible? And what do I think they want the money for all of a sudden? If it's cash to start up a personal business endeavor and they're a visionary sort, sure ... if they're bankrolling some start-up they aren't even directly involved in, I think not.
You've accepted a date to a movie when someone you really like asks you to a concert on the same night. Do you try to get out of the first date?
Given that movies can be seen any time and concerts are a 'one time only' deal, I'd probably try to reschedule the movie, but if I really dug the person in question, I would let them know why.
Posted by Doyce at 08:35AM, 02. 8.03 •February 02, 2003
So I to the What Poetry Form Am I? quiz and it was a tie between the Obsessive/Compulsive Triolet:
|
And the Heroic Couplet:
|
So I'd say it's a pretty accurate test.
Also, cool.
(via Neil Gaiman) Posted by Doyce at 11:25PM, 02. 2.03 • Comments (3)October 28, 2002
I have a lot of frustration.
October 24, 2002
October 03, 2002
1. An eccentric millionaire offers to donate a very large sum to a charity of your choosing (other than you) if you'll step, completely naked, out of a car onto a busy city street, walk four blocks through the noontime traffic, and climb back into the car. Knowing that you would be in no physical danger, would you do it?
I'd be more likely to do it in, say... anywhere but Denver, but sure. It'd be nice if "physical danger" included "featured on evening news", however.
2. As a follow-up to the above, how would you rank the follwing in terms of relative unpleasantness -- (a) a nude stroll in public, (b) being spat upon by a crowd of people, (c) being arrested for shoplifting at a crowded store, (d) begging for money in a public place.
c - shame via a choice I made of my own free will
d - shame via a situation larger than myself
b - ewww.
a - unpleasant for whom?
3. Enough unpleasantness. If you could travel back in time to meet anyone in your family's history, who would it be?
Nathan Hale (father's side, via his mother).
Posted by Doyce at 01:06PM, 10. 3.02 •September 20, 2002
1. Would you say that you're good at keeping in touch with people?
God no. I'm awful at it. I barely write an email every two months (if that) to people I'm not often in touch with, and only very rarely am I moved to contact those I haven't seen in a long while. (I take the lazy way out: have a website anyone can find, and let them email me.)
2. Which communication method do you usually prefer/use: e-mail, telephone, snail mail, blog comments, or meeting in person? Why?
I'd say email. Snailmail is the absolute arena of last-resort, as far as I'm concerned.
3. Do you have an instant messenger program? How many? Why/why not? How often do you use it?
I do in theory -- both ICQ and AIM, but I never use them and doubt I have them installed on any of the machines I'm currently using. I tried them for awhile, but frankly I like being unavailable sometimes -- it's the best argument I have for getting caller-id for the home phone.
I like people, just not all the time.
4. Do most of your close friends live nearby or far away?
Nearby. Friends of mine who were emotionally close aren't as much now, mostly in direct proportion to their physical distance. This is one of the reasons I find moving to a new area (for myself or someone else) very traumatic.
5. Are you an "out of sight, out of mind" person, or do you believe that "distance makes the heart grow fonder"?
In short doses, absence is probably refreshing. Long doses are not good for me, and I don't care for them one bit, thanks.
Posted by Doyce at 01:18PM, 09.20.02 •September 19, 2002
1. If, by sacrificing your life, you could contribute so much to the world that you would be honored in all nations ... (a) would you be willing to do so? (b) would you be willing to do so if someone else you thoroughly despise would get all the credit while you went unrecognized?
This doesn't make me a good person, but (a) probably not, but maybe and (b) hell no. At least I know this about myself. I'll work my ass off for a project, but by god I want the work acknowledged (if not directly, then by witnessing the enjoyment of those who benefit, that is truly thanks enough).
Doing all the work and letting someone else take the credit? (Especially someone I didn't like?) Thanks but no.
2. You discover, unexpectedly, that a former friend (who you no longer like) has given your name as a character reference for a job application. The ex-friend is qualified for the job, but do you give them an honest thumbs-up?
Liking doesn't come into it. Are they qualified for the position? I will withhold my personal reservations and supply the facts ("He is a good tech, and very focused on tasks. She works quickly.")
Hopefully, they won't ask if I like (or trust) them, or why.
3. If you could write a sequel to any movie you wanted, what movie would it be?
Hmm, there's a couple.
Tremors. Great movie, horrible sequels. I had this whole plot worked out in college set in a major city before there were sequels.
Oh, how about this one?
Willow, the trilogy that Lucas never finished.
The Shadow: really fun movie, successfully captured the feel of the original material, ripe for multiple stories.
The Phantom: see above, although they sort of wrapped up a lot of story elements in that one, so, like the Mummy sequel, you'd end up with a much less interesting husband/wife team. (There's a reason the original pulps (and adventure fiction in general) didn't have husband/wife teams.)
Posted by Doyce at 09:11AM, 09.19.02 • Comments (5)September 16, 2002
Only a few days late: the friday five.
1. What was/is your favorite subject in school? Why?
English, that catch-all for 'creative writing' and 'literature study'.
2. Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
Ms. Radigan, my academic advisor in college and the Honors Program administrator who taught the first two English courses I took in college. That I liked her immensely did not hurt my study habits one whit.
A close second: my english teacher in Junior High who, only five years later and only in his early thirties, died of a stroke.
3. What is your favorite memory of school?
Playing in the pep band for basketball games and other sporting events... one of my many extra-curriculars, but easily the one I enjoyed the most.
4. What was your favorite recess game?
Four-square. By Junior high, we only had a small 'recess' area that was all concrete, so this became the game du ans.
5. What did you hate most about school?
Lectures. I've never been good at learning through straight lectures. Very few classes have been so interesting that a straight lecture could hold my interest. The situation has not changed as I've aged.
Posted by Doyce at 11:04AM, 09.16.02 •September 12, 2002
Tired of being underappreciated and manipulated by powerful "others," you fight back. Though possesssing a cold, violent outside, you have a soft, sentimental inside. You love your partner, you cherish family heirlooms, and you want nothing more than to be geniunely happy -- but you don't mind having to kill a couple of nimrods who happen to clutter your path. |
Thinking Thursday
1. If you knew that in one year you would die, suddenly, how would you change anything about the way you are now living?
I'd stop buy things for me and put everything 'extra' that I had into safe monetary investments. I'd spend every waking moment I had with my wife and kid (well, moreso).
Sad that the first of these things would be something of a change for me, but there it is.
2. Your father-in-law is foreign-born, and you've just learned that he was an agent of long-standing for a nation that is very unfriendly toward yours. Do you report him to the authorities? Is your answer any different if he's still acting as an agent?
A man's past is his own. Still an agent? Well, that's not the past, now, is it?
3. If you could stand at the pinnacle of any man-made or natural object, what would it be?
If this were a magical wish to be fulfilled, then the World Trade Center, let's say Tower 1, on 9/12/01.
If it's merely a desire, I'd point out that I really don't like heights much.
Posted by Doyce at 10:31AM, 09.12.02 • Comments (1)September 04, 2002
Today is my third wedding anniversary*, so lets go with a theme for these Two Words.
With only two words, cover these topics:
Wedding days:
Wedding cakes:
Hotel rooms:
Beach dunes:
Football games:
Hurricanes:
Wedding days: Just Survive.
Wedding cakes: Best kind.
Hotel rooms: Strangely Familiar.
Beach dunes: Afternoon Snorkle.
Football games: Stadium cheers.
Hurricanes: Neatly avoided.