nick's site

thanks TMBO.

Our staff is busy planning the next MPCon and subsequent events.  We’re putting processes and documentation in place to make this event better and smoother than ever before.

• July 24-26 2009
• EMU Student Center
• 320 people
• some tournaments yet to be announced
• you should go

I’m excited. 🙂

yeah, there is a lot to do before 5/1.  (5/1 is still 5.)

basement:

1. mount & wire a GFI box for the sump pump, thus removing more cotton-wrapped wiring and two prong extension cords
2. mount & wire a box for home network rack (switch, router, server, etc)

kitchen:

1. procure a gas stove
2. replace electric range with a gas unit to free up a circuit for #2 above
3. “while it’s apart,” install an over-range microwave/fan unit, which should include running fresh Romex for the range and microwave

study for finals.  a lot.

schedule and attend a cable-tv install

terminate cat5e runs on plates and a patch panel

recaulk the bathtub

get fitted for a tuxedo

4/15 – hopefully something awesome to hopefully be described at a later date

4/18 – bachelor party

4/19 – quick ‘mpcon’ staff meeting

4/22 – linear algebra final exam

4/25 – move

4/28 – physics final exam

4/30 – wedding rehersal

5/1 – wedding, speech, avoiding puking on rented shoes

5/2 – “relax”

yes, it’s eight pages. yes it’s long. yes, it’s worth it.

rolling stones article about how, financially and politically, we got where we are over the last fifteen years.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/26793903/the_big_takeover/1

yeah, we bought a house.  it needs some work and that starts this weekend.  hope to be moved in by 5/1.

• 1929 bungalow
• 1250 sq ft, city lot, full basement
• 2 bedrooms
• 1.5 baths
• den
• small balcony
• fireplace
• omg shed 😛
• newer kitchen
• came with appliances
• updated plumbing
• half-updated electrical
• new windows
• new roof
• half-replaced chimney

i haven’t taken any pictures yet. here are some from the listing.

my wife threw me a surprise birthday party for me, with 30 of my closest friends.  she asked my mother to make a cake for it.

on it was billy’s balloon. many didn’t get the reference so here’s a link to where it can be found online.  support the artist, don hertzfeldt

youtube link – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpc5vgi9zbM

xvid+ac3 avi – http://tinyurl.com/acop2r
(if you wanna add this to your video collection)

many thanks to everyone who showed up to help me celebrate my birthday.  it really means a lot to me.  🙂

i spent my birthday at school; attending class and with the tutors working on physics and math.

amanda got me four cupcakes and card for my birthday.  it seems the temptation was too great.  when i got home, there were three cupcakes. 🙂

note: amanda’s never met a cupcake she didn’t like.  especially chocolate ones.  they’re her krypton, her weakness.  one of the many things that make her adorable.

25 things about me.  tag, you’re it.

1. i drive my second dodge neon, both second-hand
2. i don’t like getting up early, never have
3. i listen to public radio when i can.  marketplace(.org) is one of my favorite evening programs
4. my job is challenging in many ways
5. sushi is good
6. i quit drinking when i was 16
7. i hate going to the dentist
8. we have 3 “indoor” cats.  i hate the youngest one. if he got out, i wouldn’t chase him down
9. my brother and i got in many fights when we were kids.  i won once.
10. i hated playing baseball as a kid
11. i drink a lot of coffee
12. i procrastinate.  a lot
13. my arithmetic is horrid
14. most of the classes i have left to take are math
15. i barely graduated highschool
16. i have a dark sense of humor and am tempted to laugh at inappropriate times
17. many of my friends have moved away or died
18. grateful for friends, new and old
19. grateful for those who put up with me
20. i’ve never had anchovies on pizza but i’m not opposed to it
21. i don’t make enough time to play games
22. i hate law & order
23. i have everything i need and a lot of what i want
24. i like taking pictures. friends inspire me to try new things with different tools
25. i don’t have much to hide so ask if you want to know

thanks to tmbo (ITO) for pointing me to the idea

The best strategy I have seen banks do is to foreclose on the house, then rent it back to the borrowers with an option for them to buy it back at market value once they get back on their feet. The borrowers tend to take better care of it than just any renter, as the bank sits on the house for a couple of years to see if the market will come back. WIN/WIN.

supposedly sourced from a NPR story, i can’t find it now.