Yes, in a few hours I shall be in Longview. 'Few' meaning 'around 4:30 or so'.
EDIT:
Contrary to popular opinion, I actually did not change the post status from 'draft' to 'Official Posted Post'. So sad. Anywho, as I am currently typing this from the labs in Longview Hall, I imagine I made the plane trip rather safely.
I am currently watching one of CBS's new shows this year: Threshold.
Why, you ask? Because it is a sci-fi show, and I was curious. Also because I wasn't doing anything particularly exciting. I give this show a rating of Horrible. Let me add it up, with a starting high score of 100. It's like grading a test.
1) The entire show is based on the theory that a particular alien sound can infect people and change their DNA. *bzzzt* Subtract 50 points for completely ignoring the fact that DNA replicates/changes through chemical interactions and sounds don't actually play a part in this process. Last I checked, playing Mozart to your petri dish doesn't make it smarter.
2) This sound is also capable of infecting various electronic devices. Including cell phones and credit cards with computer chips inside them. Subtract a further 25 points for ignoring the fact that computer chips take input only through electrical signals. Or, in some very rare occasions, electromagnetic signals. Unless you wired a microphone to your credit card and gave it the programming necessary to interpret sounds, it wouldn't matter what kind of alien sounds you played in its presence. You just wouldn't get any reaction. Cell phones, even if programmed for voice-activated commands, certainly wouldn't react to alien sounds any more than they would to static.
That leaves us with a grade of 25. It probably doesn't deserve that much, but I don't plan on watching any more to see.
See, I can watch Andromeda and be entertained. While it may be weird and off-the-wall, at least it's not set on current-day Earth. And even that show tries to make some sort of internal sense. And doesn't try to pretend that sound waves are Magic and can Do Anything. Yes, actually, that's the underlying problem with Threshold. Magic with no underlying myth.
On the bright side, the guy who played Data on ST:TNG is on the cast list.
Also, during the typing of this post, I typed 'DNS' when trying to type 'DNA' approximately 85% of the time. XD
What exactly is it about the words "I'm not interested" that telemarketers don't understand? Do they have a different definition of 'not', for instance? Or perhaps 'interested' really means 'tired of listening to you'?
Tonight I got a call from MCI. Another frustrating thing about telemarketers is how they tend to YELL INTO THE PHONE AS IF IT WILL MAKE YOU MORE EAGER TO BUY THEIR PRODUCT. Annoyed yet? Yes, so was I. I could hear her quite clearly holding the phone 6 inches in front of my face. With the television on.
MCI Courtesy Caller: "Hi, I'm from MCI, we now offer local service in your area. I see you're now with Qwest. You phone bill runs about $40-50 a month, right?"
Stop right there. One of my pet peeves is people assuming things about me. Especially financial things. From people who don't know me from that maple tree over there. I suppose it's possible that the average phone bill is $40-50 a month. Unfortunately for telemarketers, I'm not average.
Me: "No, it's actually much lower than that."
*insert evil grin here*
See, I only have local service. I use my cell for the rare long-distance calls I make, and I have an answering machine. The only reason I have local service is for the DSL.
*short pause*
MCI Courtesy Caller: "Oh, well, we now offer local service in your area, and we'd like to offer you... blah... blah... for $35 a month..."
I was tempted to say something to the effect of:
Me: "Whoops. Still off by about $15. Bye-bye now."
But I didn't. I was nice.
Me: "I'm sorry, I'm not interested."
Not to be discouraged:
MCI Courtesy Caller: "Well, that's why we're offering you a free month, so you can see what it's like..."
Yes, and then bill me the instant my month is up. No thanks very much. I've got my bills all sorted out now, I'd like to keep them that way.
Me: "I'm really not interested."
What, victim on the end of the line hasn't hung up yet? Obviously they're still interested...
MCI Courtesy Caller: "It's a free month, you have nothing to lose..."
This was where she started trying to sound like anybody who wouldn't take this amazing offer was a moron. I don't like people who don't know me implying I'm a moron. It's annoying. Besides, I was trying to watch TV.
Me: "I'm. Not. Interested."
*short pause*
MCI Courtesy Caller: "Oh. Well, thank you."
Me: "Yep."
--Click--
I should really be in bed right now; I have to work tomorrow. However, I'm not sleepy enough yet, so, first, a few highlights from my day:
-- It is always too early in the morning to wake up. Evenmoreso when the days get shorter, and it becomes Always Dark at 6:45 in the morning.
-- Leftovers in the fridge make the bestest lunches ever. 10 seconds to pack, warm food from the office microwave later.
-- Physics Forums. I may have posted this a year ago or so, I don't remember. It is now required lunch-break reading, so I can get my fill of amusing Global Warming, Relativity, and Are Nuclear Power Plants Really Dangerous? arguments. Most entertaining.
-- It was a little too warm and humid today. I'm ready for fall, and I'm looking forward to cooler temperatures later in the week. Especially since the heater in my car works really well.
-- Homemade applesauce is lovely. Even more lovely heated up when it's raining outside.
-- I put a lot of pieces together in my 2000-piece jigsaw puzzle today. That made me happy.
In short, I had a good day today. Most of my days are good now. It's a nice change of pace.