Cats in the House

Scooter and Terrapin have been allowed back into the house finally from their month or two in the garage.

Depression

I have hinted about my difficulties with depression in prior blog postings. Over the last month, I have been "outing" myself to loved ones.

I found this picture by Vincent Van Gogh and it truly represented how I have felt over the last few months.

I am not going to go into personal details at the moment except to say my depression is about everything and nothing. Things that should be easy in my life is hard.

If you can relate to the picture in any fashion, search out help. I have made the first step and am glad I have.

You don't have to feel like the person in picture.

House 99% Back to Normal

The baseboard were caulked and nails covered today.

All that is left is the door for the family room closet. It had been damaged a few years ago. Figured I would get it taken care of as well. The new door should be installed next week.

Monkey Fu (monkey)

Enjoy the "Monkey Friday" video!

Skidboot the Amazing Dog

Unfortunately not many things are making me smile lately... but this one did. btw: I am getting help starting today, I need and want to smile again 99% of the time.



Found via Neatorama.

High Cholesterol Benefit??

I have read in the past, articles that talked about side benefits of statins (cholesterol lowering drugs such as lipitor).

Here is the blog posting that describes a couple of side benefits to the usage of statins:

Statins Prevent Lung Damage?

Nature News reports on a preliminary study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians. The study indicates that the cholesterol-lowering drugs in the statin family may protect against lung damage caused by cigarette smoking.

The study, presented by Walid G. Younis, MD, consisted of data analysis of results from a survey done on 485 smokers and ex-smokers. They found that those who took statins had much less lung damage.

The rest of the article can be found at:
http://scienceblogs.com/corpuscallosum/2006/10/statins_prevent_lung_damage.php

I find the below section from the article odd...

"Of course, the real solution to preventing lung damage in smokers is for them to quit smoking. But for those who appear to be unable to do so, this could present an opportunity for harm reduction. That, of course, tends to be a highly controversial subject. Many addictionologists are philosophically opposed to harm reduction strategies."

I find it odd, since statin usage can also allow individuals that have very poor eating habits to continue those habits while reducing the harm. I have been exposed to the idea and believe that food addiction is real therefore shouldn't addictionologists also be philosophically opposed to the use of statins in many cases to lower cholestrol??

I am not convinced that exercise and great diet will lower my cholesterol to normal level, but I am also not driven to confirm or deny my belief due to my usage of lipitor.

Bang!

Danielle (the most prevalent none Everett family comment leaver) and I plan to participate in the April 28th 2007 BANG! (Bay Area Night Game). I am looking forward to it!

BANG is the Bay Area Night Game, started in November of 2002 by David Alyea. The first ever BANG race was held in the Presidio in San Francisco, and 10 teams on that night solved 10 puzzles while traversing a 7 mile course in near pitch black conditions. Along the way, they climbed through equipment in children's playgrounds, deciphered perl code, visited the pet cemetery, and even stopped to bowl at the Presidio Bowling Alley.

Since the first BANG race, the event has swelled to include fields of 30 or more teams. And, the puzzles have gotten harder. Still, at the core, BANG is meant to be a night-time only game played outdoors in which teams traverse by foot the entire course, carrying game supplies, flashlights, and plenty of extra clothing to stay warm into the night.

The following are all the BANG races held so far. (You can read more about past BANGs)

* BANG 1: The Presidio
* BANG 2: BANG Harder - Stanford
* ( BANNG - GPS game in Berkeley )
* BANG 3: Eyes Wide Open - UC Berkeley - Walkthrough
* BANG 4: City Lights (Union Square)
* BANG 5: Fisherman's Wharf
* BANG 6: Tall Tree - Downtown Palo Alto
* BANG 7: Nontrivial Pursuit - Google campus
* BANG 8: Bang H8! (as in: "the Haight")
* BANG 9: Sealed with a BANG - Stanford (a Valentine's Day BANG)
* BANG 10: Big Bang - Google campus
* BANG 11: Castro St. (Mountain View)
* BANG 12: What's Your Sign? (Downtown San Mateo)
* BANG 13: Trick or BANG - a Hallowe'en BANG (San Francisco Union Square)
* BANG 14: Hail to the BANG (Downtown San Jose)

By now, some traditions have arisen around BANG. Each team is required to bring a prize valued between $5 and $15 to go into the prize pool, and you can also expect one puzzle per BANG to feature a physical challenge or some sort of game. Past BANGs have included pinball, darts, disc golf, and even exercise ball golf!

Underlying Depression (lyrics)

Underlying Depression by Van Morrison

Underlying depression, have to crawl into my room
Underlying depression don’t want to know about the moon in june
Outside there’s a cavalcade of clowns but they`re bringing me down
With underlying depression

Underlying depression and it’s starting in my backyard
Underlying depression, and these times ain’t even so hard
Lord I was born with the blues and my blue suede shoes
And underlying depression

Underlying depresslon and there’s just nowhere to turn
Underlying depression and things just seem to turn in on one
Sometimes I’m stuck in the corner just like little jack horner
With underlying depression

Underlying depression and I just can’t get it right
Underlying depression I’ve got to fight it with all of my might
Right now I don’t want to be alone
Get my baby on the telephone
Underlying depression

Have to make some concessions when everything is working right
Have to count my blessings, helps me make it through the night
I’ve got love in my life as well as trouble and strife
And underlying depression

Underlying depression, underlying depression, underlying depression
Ain’t nothing but the blues
Underlying depression ain’t nothing but the blues
Underlying depression, ain’t nothing but the blues
Underlying depression

Sky Blue & Black (lyrics)

Sky Blue & Black ~ Jackson Browne

In the calling out to one another
Of the lovers up and down the strand
In the sound of the waves and the cries
Of the seagulls circling the sand
In the fragments of the songs
Carried down the wind from some radio
In the murmuring of the city in the distance
Ominous and low

I hear the sound of the world where we played
And the far too simple beauty
Of the promises we made

If you ever need holding
Call my name, I'll be there
If you ever need holding
And no holding back, I'll see you through
Sky blue and black

Where the touch of the lover ends
And the soul of the friend begins
There's a need to be separate and a need to be one
And a struggle neither wins
Where you gave me the world I was in
And a place I could make a stand
I could never see how you doubted me
When I'd let go of your hand

Yeah, and I was much younger then
And I must have thought that I would know
If things were going to end

And the heavens were rolling
Like a wheel on a track
And our sky was unfolding
And it'll never fold back
Sky blue and black

And I'd have fought the world for you
If I thought that you wanted me to
Or put aside what was true or untrue
If I'd known that's what you needed
What you needed me to do

But the moment has passed by me now
To have put away my pride
And just come through for you somehow

If you ever need holding
Call my name, I'll be there
If you ever need holding
And no holding back, I'll see you through

You're the color of the sky
Reflected in each store-front window pane
You're the whispering and the sighing
Of my tires in the rain
You're the hidden cost and the thing thats lost
In everything I do
Yeah and I'll never stop looking for you
In the sunlight and the shadows
And the faces on the avenue
That's the way love is
That's the way love is
That's the way love is
Sky blue and black

Jumpin' Jive

Cab Calloway and the Nicholas Brothers - Enjoy!!

Orangutan (monkey)

#@%#$!!

I would have dropped many "f bombs" if it was me...

Picasso dream painting in nightmare scenario
Vegas casino magnate accidentally pokes hole in artist's ‘Le Reve’ work

Picasso’s famed “Dream” painting turned into a nightmare for Las Vegas casino magnate Steve Wynn when he accidentally gave the multimillion dollar canvas an elbow.

The rest of the article can be found at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15310601/

Lasers (monkey)

I can't believe I almost forgot "Monkey Friday". Enjoy!!

Time After Time (lyrics)

Randy's "breakup" song via My Name is Earl

Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper

Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick,
And think of you
Caught up in circles confusion
Is nothing new
Flashback warm nights
Almost left behind
Suitcases of memories,
Time after

Sometimes you picture me
Im walking too far ahead
Youre calling to me, I cant hear
What youve said
Then you say go slow
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds

If youre lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you Ill be waiting
Time after time

If youre lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you Ill be waiting
Time after time

After my picture fades and darkness has
Turned to gray
Watching through windows youre wondering
If Im ok
Secrets stolen from deep inside
The drum beats out of time

If youre lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you Ill be waiting
Time after time

You said go slow
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds

If youre lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you Ill be waiting
Time after time

If youre lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you Ill be waiting
Time after time

Time after time
Time after time
Time after time

Haiku T-Shirt

Very cool T-shirt design via Threadless T-Shirts



Haikus are easy but...

Most Important Holiday

I hope everybody had a grand Columbus Day.

I wore my Columbus Day hat all day. I am looking forward to the traditional Columbus Day dance, followed by that yummy Columbus Day wienerschnitzel.

Ok... one of the very few days that I have to go to the post office, and it is closed!!

Sorry Christopher, I am not quite sure why your day is a holiday. Yeah you sailed the ocean blue in 1492...

San Jose Sharks Game Recap

Steve and I went to our first "ten pack" game of the year tonight.

Final score: 2 to 0, Sharks win

Tim's Recap (list form as usual)

- Parked in the "gun play" lot
- Dinner at the Tied House, Salmon for cholesterol boy (Tim) and a dark beer (btw: recent cholesterol check: 249, bad and basically back to where I was two years ago, back on medicine)
- Sitting in the seats, received the text message "In Sharks!" (inside joke but for those text messaging savvy, you should be able to figure it out)
- Had a couple of good friends at the game, though could only text message to one of them due to text messaging issue that I am having with non-Verizon customers. (Look for a separate posting about that experience in working to get the problem solved)
- First "Go Smitty" yell from Steve for the season at the 12 minute mark of the second period
- The dude next to me (not Steve, the other side) was passed out for pretty much the entire third period
- The "Wave" made an appearance tonight. First wave that I have ever seen at a hockey game. The passed out dude and I did not participate.
- Drive home was slowed down due to preparation for the "Rock and Roll" marathon in San Jose
- Drive home was also accomplished without the use of speedometer due to the intermittent lack of instrument lights in the Civic

Update:
- The new music played to celebrate a Sharks' goal (Holiday - Green Day) is not so good. Prefer the old song though playing the music of a convicted pedophile probably really isn't a good choice either...

My Middle Name is Wayne...

so watch out! Read the below blog posting from the Freakonomics Blog

The next time your daughter brings home a new boyfriend, be sure to ask his middle name

I get a lot of interesting letters in the mail. (To those of you who send me things, I apologize that I so rarely respond. If you want to hear from me, your odds are better—but still not great—on email.)

I got a package recently, however, that really stood out. It came from Ms. M.R. Stewart, who is a proud mother, as well as being grandmother to four pit bulls.

Ms. Stewart has an unusual hobby: clipping newspaper articles of a particular ilk. She sent me xeroxs of her most recent finds. All of these clippings were from The Dallas News, from February 2006 to the present. The articles had two things in common: (1) all of them were stories reporting on crimes, and (2) the perpetrator’s middle name was “Wayne.”

The rest of the article can be found at:
Next Time Your Daughter...

Happy (quote)

Man is the artificer of his own happiness ~ Henry David Thoreau

Baby (monkey)

It is that time again? What time you might ask?

MONKEY FRIDAY

Almost Done

The house work is almost done. The last piece that needs to be done is baseboards. They will be installed tomorrow.

Call Me Squinty

Picture from San Francisco Giant baseball game.

First sign of Christmas??

I just got an email telling me about James Taylor at Christmas album being released on 10/10/06.

That is just wrong. I haven't even seen the TWE offical sign of Fall yet, the switch from A/C to Heat in the house.

Flooring Update

Here are the new floors... I decided to go with just "blue".

Ok, ok... the work has just started. The "blue" stuff is concrete sealer. The wood installation starts tomorrow.

Progress

Two visits to Gold's Gym this weekend. Working out has definitely improved my emotional state. Not quite ready to strike out the working out item on my "Life List", but maybe soon.