Bob Quinlan's Journal

Interesting Weather

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:44:53 GMT

We did not take any damage from it, but the weather has been interesting tonight. In addition to a non-stop series of severe thunderstorm warnings we had a tornado watch and two tornado warnings in the immediate area. It looks like one of the funnels passed just north of us and the other somewhat further to the south. I don't know if either actually touched down.

Usually Ash has a very rough time during storms, but valkyrie_kitten was smart enough to give him some Benadryl early and by the time the storm arrived he was sleepy and fairly relaxed.

TV Show Meme

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 06:17:40 GMT

Empire Magazine in the UK has revealed its list of the "50 Greatest TV Shows" ever.

Bold the shows you've watched every episode of.
Italic the shows you've seen at least one episode of.
(I've also added strike-throughs to the ones I have never seen.)

50. Quantum Leap
49. ~~Prison Break~~
48. Veronica Mars
47. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
46. ~~Sex & The City~~

45. Farscape
44. Cracker
43. Star Trek
42. ~~Only Fools and Horses~~
41. Band of Brothers

40. ~~Life on Mars~~
39. Monty Python's Flying Circus
38. ~~Curb Your Enthusiasm~~
37. Star Trek: The Next Generation
36. ~~Father Ted~~

35. Alias
34. Frasier
33. CSI: Las Vegas
32. Babylon 5
31. Deadwood

30. Dexter
29. ER
28. Fawlty Towers
27. ~~Six Feet Under~~
26. ~~Red Dwarf~~

25. Futurama
24. Twin Peaks
23. The Office UK
22. The Shield
21. Angel

20. Blackadder
19. Scrubs
18. ~~Arrested Development~~
17. South Park
16. Doctor Who [new one]

15. Heroes
14. Firefly
13. Battlestar Galactica [new one]
12. ~~Family Guy~~
11. ~~Seinfeld~~

10. ~~Spaced~~
09. The X-Files
08. The Wire
07. ~~Friends~~
06. 24

05. Lost
04. The West Wing
03. The Sopranos
02. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
01. The Simpsons

Semi-conscious

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 18:56:23 GMT

Thanks to all for the good wishes! I haven't been taken down that hard by anything in twenty years.

My fever finally broke sometime yesterday. Now my head is clear...well...as clear as usual, anyway, but I still feel tired and weak. Time to find Caspian and curl up for another nap.

Feverish

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 02:48:32 GMT

After my long ordeal yesterday I wasn't feeling good, but I put that down to the combination of physical stress and mental irritation. Wrong! Last night my lungs began to congest and I developed a fever, which made for a very rough night. I slept through a lot of today, but I'm still tired, congested, and intermittently feverish. Bleah!

And to make it worse, valkyrie_kitten seems to be down with the same thing I have, only worse. So there isn't anyone healthy with opposable thumbs to take care of either of us. At least the dogs and cats are doing their best, which really does help.

I can only hope this goes away as quickly as it hit. As it is, there's no way I'm going to work tomorrow.

I do not belong to any organized political party. I'm a Democrat.

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 01:16:56 GMT

Back when I attended the Texas caucuses there was some concern that we might not have enough people willing to be Obama delegates, so I volunteered to be an alternate. I didn't stay until that part of the voting actually took place, almost no one did, but I figured I would check into it before the county convention, which was scheduled for today.

Thursday I received several emails, some from the Democratic party and some from the Obama campaign, urging me to attend the convention as an alternate and providing instructions on the process. I checked the Democratic Party's web site and found myself on the list of alternates for my district. Then I tried to locate my precinct captain and Obama organizer, neither of whom was listed anywhere in the emails or on the various web sites, although I was repeatedly advised to contact them. Calls to the Texas Democratic Party, the state Obama campaign headquarters, and the field organizer listed for my state senatorial district netted me one promise to call me back with information about who I should contact, but no actual information or call backs.

I wanted to know whether they were likely to need me as a delegate, since I had several other things that needed to get done today, but only my precinct organizer, whoever that is, would know. Despite the lack of information, and dire predictions that the convention was going to be a mess this year, I got up painfully early and went off to the convention to support my candidate. I figured that I could make contact with my precinct there and head home if I wasn't needed.

It took me around 90 minutes to get from where traffic was backed up trying to get onto the Expo grounds to an actual parking space (for which I had to pay) half a mile from the building. When I arrived there were dozens of lines outside the building. A reporter I spoke with (informally) estimated that there were around 8,000 people in the lines. And it had taken more than two hours to process credentials for the 4,000 people who were already inside.

There was less than an hour to go before the scheduled start of the convention, but I decided to stay in line anyway. Half an hour later it was announced that registration would be kept open as long as necessary to get everyone credentialed. Meanwhile, I had failed to find evidence of any organizers from my precinct, had to change lines twice as it was discovered that the long tails of the lines were badly jumbled, and gotten to know everyone around me in line.

It took just under four hours for me to get to the head of my line. At that point I discovered that I was not on the master list. Really, truly, several people cross-checked and my name was not there. So I was sent inside to the "credentials committee".

I only had to wait another twenty minutes before someone there was able to help me. And they had chairs to sit in while I waited, which was a huge relief to my throbbing back. A nice woman on the committee found my name quickly enough, but while it was on all of their computerized listings it was not on the handwritten list that had been submitted from our original caucus by my precinct captain. That handwritten piece of paper is the only official basis for providing credentials. Which meant that they couldn't give me any.

Just about everyone on the committee got dragged into the discussion, but the result was a foregone conclusion. They had no idea how that could have happened. They were very apologetic. But I might as well go home. Which I did.

All of that time, effort, and strain accomplished absolutely nothing.

I've spent the rest of the day alternating between anger and depression. I knew going in that my tiny contributions to the cause were not going to be significant in the overall scheme of things, but I was willing to make some sacrifices to do what I could. I wanted to be a part of the process. And, through no fault of my own, I wasn't.

The Booze Test

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 04:00:34 GMT

97%ALCOHOLIC

What makes this funny is that I have never liked alcohol and almost never drink any. My vast knowledge of trivia will apparently allow me to pass as a serious drinker. ...right up to the point where I fall over after one drink.

Voted and Caucused

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 06:38:29 GMT

This afternoon I went to the polls with valkyrie_kitten to vote in the Texas Democratic primary. We stood in line for almost two hours to cast our ballots. The poll watchers gave Willow an "I Voted" sticker to wear on her service dog vest. Then we went home for a brief rest before the caucuses started.

We returned to find the parking lot and street parking badly overflowed, but won the lottery when a car pulled out of a good place just in front of us. Then we went to the back of a block-long line of people waiting to get in to the caucus location. A few minutes later mongo42 and spinsono joined us. Without them I think the wait would have been intolerable.

It took us half an hour to get into the caucus location, a school lunch room, which was already packed. An hour later the Fire Marshall intervened and our district (one of two in the same room) was split off and walked down to the gym. There was plenty of room there, but no seating. (Fortunately we brought a folding stool for valkyrie_kitten.)

We then had to wait for the regular voting to be completed before we could start the caucus. No one was allowed to join the voting line after 7pm, but by that time the line was huge. It took more than three hours to get everyone through. At least we got to know a lot of the folks around us. It was a friendly crowd, despite the frustratingly long wait.

Finally the official paperwork from the polling place arrived so we could begin. Our district went roughly two-thirds for Obama. spinsono, valkyrie_kitten, and I left after registering our caucus votes, but mongo42 stayed around for the actual selection of delegates. He and I both signed on as alternates, just in case there weren't enough.

Since the three of us left early we managed to get home before midnight...

Political Endorsement

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:48:21 GMT

I don't talk about it much here, but over the last half-dozen years I have become a lot more politically active. I write three or four emails to various officials most weeks and I make a few phone calls too.

To stay informed I also read a lot about politics and politicians. Not just in the increasingly propaganda-driven mainstream press but on the web at sites like the Library of Congress (loc.gov) where you can read the Congressional Record online and at the League of Women Voters (lwv.org).

This coming presidential election may be the most important of the last half-century. The current administration has done so much damage to our nation, in so many different areas, that we face a multitude of crises. It will require exceptional leadership to reunite our fractured nation, restore our civil rights, rebuild our economy, and regain our credibility with the rest of the world.

I think that Barack Obama is the right person for the job. He seems uniquely willing to listen to listen and learn from people all across the political spectrum. He has shown an ability to work toward building consensus without compromising his own core principles to political expedience. And he has demonstrated the vision and charisma to not only convince but to inspire people.

Hilary Clinton seems to be a good and capable person who would probably make a fine president, but I think we can do better. The most convincing argument that I have seen in favor of Obama over Clinton is to look at their legislative records. Look not only at their voting records, but at what kinds of bills and amendments each authored. They nature of the legislation they created tells a lot about their concerns and how they seek to address them. My perception is that Obama wrote significant legislation in several different areas while Clinton wrote very little beyond bills naming buildings after people or recognizing the merit of organizations.

I don't expect my endorsement to win any votes for Obama, but I hope you will take the time to do some research of your own. The press seems mostly interested in "keeping score", which really tells us nothing about the merits of the candidates. Looking at their records is probably the best way to find out what they really think and how they are likely to act.

The Great Outdoors

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 05:33:55 GMT

valkyrie_kitten and I had plans to go visit a spectacular local park this weekend, but threatening weather prevented it. Instead we got our taste of the great outdoors by sawing down various tree limbs that are threatening our house and fence. It wasn't quite the same...

I had forgotten how exhausting it is to work a saw for any length of time. Great exercise, which I need, but I think I need to take it in shorter stretches. Or maybe I'll just get a chainsaw. Actually, I should own a chainsaw either way. ;-)

Which Firefly character are you?

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:57:15 GMT

This is interesting because I've taken quizzes like this before and always come up as Mal...

Gakked from teresa_c:

Your results:
You are Wash (Ship Pilot)

Wash (Ship Pilot)		85%
Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command)		80%
Dr. Simon Tam (Ship Medic)		65%
Malcolm Reynolds (Captain)		60%
Derrial Book (Shepherd)		50%
Jayne Cobb (Mercenary)		45%
Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic)		40%
River (Stowaway)		40%
Inara Serra (Companion)		35%
Alliance		20%
A Reaver (Cannibal)		10%

You are a pilot with a good
if not silly sense of humor.
You take pride in your collection of toys.
You love your significant other.

Click here to take the "Which Serenity character are you?" quiz...

TV Show Meme

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 02:05:52 GMT

Borrowed from raykel and others...

Back in the Day: 5 TV Shows You Loved As A Kid

Hawaii Five-O
Maverick
Monty Python's Flying Circus
The Magician
Bewitched (Elizabeth Montgomery was hot!)

Who Would You Do?: 5 TV Characters You Would... Well, It's Self-Explanatory

Willow Rosenberg on Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Samantha Stevens on Bewitched
Veronica Mars on Veronica Mars
Jenny Calendar on Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Juliet Burke on Lost

What? No, No, I Don't Watch That...: 5 Guilty Pleasure TV Shows

None of my current favorites really fall into that category. Maybe I just have no shame, but I respect them as well as like them. On the other hand, if I go back a little further...

Charmed
The Six Million Dollar Man
The Magician
Kung Fu
Spy Game

Wow: 5 TV Moments You Still Remember (And Probably Won't Forget)

Willow and Tara clutching hands as they moved the soda machine in "Hush" on Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Mal shooting Dobson the Alliance agent without even breaking stride (ending the second hostage-taking) in "Serenity" on Firefly
Willow blasting Glory with lightning in "Tough Love" on Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The funniest torture scene ever filmed in "War Stories" on Firefly
Delenn facing down the Earth Alliance fleet to save Babylon-5 in "Severed Dreams" on Babylon 5

"Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs": 5 TV Theme Songs You Know (and Love) By Heart

I don't think Heart has written or performed any TV theme songs, although Nancy Wilson has composed the scores for several movies. ;-)

...but seriously...

Hawaii Five-O
Firefly
The Equalizer
Mission Impossible
Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Eh: 5 Shows You Just Can't Get Into

I Love Lucy
Dallas
Seinfeld
Friends
The Simpsons

The Starting Line-Up: 5 Channels You Go To First When You Sit Down to Watch TV

I can't remember the last time I decided to just turn on the TV to see what was on. I either watch DVDs or recorded shows on our DVR. So the channels mean nothing to me.

This Is An Environment of Welcoming, and You Should Just Get the Hell Out Of Here: 5 TV Characters You Could Do Without

I hate to blow-off two questions in a row, but the shows I like don't generally have characters I can't stand and the shows I don't like I don't watch.

5 TV Characters you adore

Willow Rosenberg on Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Abby Sciuto on NCIS
Kaylee Frye on Firefly
Veronica Mars on Veronica Mars
Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

That's What She Said: 5 Quotes That Still Resonate

"Then talk. Keep eye contact. Funny is good, but don't be glib. And remember, if you hurt her, I will beat you to death with a shovel." pause "A vague disclaimer is nobody's friend. Have fun!" --Willow to Riley in "The Initiative" on Buffy the Vampire Slayer
"Jane, my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle." --Malcolm Reynolds in "Our Mrs. Reynolds" on Firefly
"Do you like my mask? Isn't it pretty? It raises the dead." shakes head "Americans!" --Rupert Giles in "Dead Man's Party" on Buffy the Vampire Slayer
"If you take sexual advantage of her, you're going to burn in a very special level of hell. A level they reserve for child molesters and people who talk at the theater." --Shepherd Book to Mal in "Our Mrs. Reynolds" on Firefly
"I'm going to kill them all. That ought to distract them." --Buffy in "When She Was Bad" on Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Gimme More: 5 Shows You Can Never Get Enough Of

Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Firefly
NCIS
Angel
Heroes

Birthday

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 05:49:53 GMT

Last Tuesday was my birthday. archerrat asked me whether he should reschedule his roleplaying game that valyrie_kitten and I play in, but I decided gaming would be a fun and appropriate way to celebrate. I had a great time!

As it happens, we also had another game on Wednesday, so I got to see a lot of my other friends then. And I finished up the week with a birthday dinner on Saturday night so I could include my few non-gaming friends. I still didn't get to see everyone I would have liked to visit with, but it was a very nice birthday.

Thanks to everyone for the greetings, company, kind wishes, and loot!

Next year I'm going to just declare January "Bob's Birthday Month" and celebrate throughout. ;-)

Work and Shooting

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 07:19:46 GMT

Aren't you relieved to know that those are two unrelated topics? ;-)

Despite it being the first week of January, and not starting until Wednesday, I had a busy week on the job. I had one fire to put out from the holidays and a bunch of ongoing stuff to dive back into. Getting entirely caught up continues to be difficult, but I am making progress in that direction.

On the personal side, it was frustrating to have both of the roleplaying games that were scheduled canceled at the last minute. It's tough when I've been looking forward to a game for several days and don't get to play. On the other hand, allergies, or something like them, was giving me low-level trouble all week, so I can't complain too much about having to stay home.

Today valkyrie_kitten and I went to a nearby indoor range and got in some shooting practice. Neither of us has done that in a long time, and I haven't shot well the last few times I've tried. Having Rox there to watch me and provide feedback made it a lot more fun and a lot more productive. I was shooting much better by the time we finished. Now we just need to get back into the habit of regular practice so I can make those improvements automatic.

Rox is still getting used to her relatively new Glock 26. Her aim improved perceptively over the course of today's target work, but she is still best with her beloved Taurus 617T (a snubbie .357 magnum revolver).

Background Meme

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 06:03:58 GMT

The list is based on an exercise developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. The exercise developers ask that if you participate in this blog game, you acknowledge their copyright.

Bold the ones that are true for you.

Father went to college
Father finished college
Mother went to college
Mother finished college
My paternal grandfather had a Bachelor's. Both of my maternal grandparents had Masters. Both of my parents have Masters. After twenty-five years my father went back to school part-time and got a Doctorate.
Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor I have several who are or were professors in theater, sociology, and architecture.
Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers
Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
Had more than 500 books in your childhood home Probably more than 5000.
Were read children's books by a parent Reading was a major form of entertainment for my parents and they passed their love of literature along to me. I learned to read early and have never stopped.
Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18 swimming, piano, clarinet, bassoon
Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18
Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs Actually my paternal grandfather paid for the majority of my college costs, although my parents helped and I worked half-time through most of college.
Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs
Went to a private high school
Went to summer camp I attended YMCA camp twice and went to a three-week "college camp" once.
Had a private tutor before you turned 18
Family vacations involved staying at hotels We mostly stayed with relatives or friends along the way to wherever we were going.
Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18 I was the oldest, so there weren't any hand-me-downs, but my mother made some of my clothes to save money.
Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them
There was original art in your house when you were a child A few of my relatives painted and my maternal grandparents brought back original sculptures from trips to the middle east.
Had a phone in your room before you turned 18
You and your family lived in a single family house
Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
My father was a Methodist minister, so we always lived in a parsonage while I was growing up.
Participated in an SAT/ACT prep course
Had your own TV in your room in high school
Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college
Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16 I flew a few times while growing up. At 15 I flew without my parents.
Went on more than one cruise with your family
Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up We went to museums fairly regularly. The art museums never did much for me, but I loved the science and natural history museums. The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago was my favorite.
You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family I never knew the details of our family finances.

D&D Character Meme

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 04:52:20 GMT

I Am A: Neutral Good Human Wizard (6th Level)

Ability Scores:
Strength-12
Dexterity-15
Constitution-10
Intelligence-17
Wisdom-15
Charisma-13

Alignment:
Neutral Good A neutral good character does the best that a good person can do. He is devoted to helping others. He works with kings and magistrates but does not feel beholden to them. Neutral good is the best alignment you can be because it means doing what is good without bias for or against order. However, neutral good can be a dangerous alignment because because it advances mediocrity by limiting the actions of the truly capable.

Race:
Humans are the most adaptable of the common races. Short generations and a penchant for migration and conquest have made them physically diverse as well. Humans are often unorthodox in their dress, sporting unusual hairstyles, fanciful clothes, tattoos, and the like.

Class:
Wizards are arcane spellcasters who depend on intensive study to create their magic. To wizards, magic is not a talent but a difficult, rewarding art. When they are prepared for battle, wizards can use their spells to devastating effect. When caught by surprise, they are vulnerable. The wizard's strength is her spells, everything else is secondary. She learns new spells as she experiments and grows in experience, and she can also learn them from other wizards. In addition, over time a wizard learns to manipulate her spells so they go farther, work better, or are improved in some other way. A wizard can call a familiar- a small, magical, animal companion that serves her. With a high Intelligence, wizards are capable of casting very high levels of spells.

Find out What Kind of Dungeons and Dragons Character Would You Be?, courtesy of Easydamus (e-mail)

Car Repairs

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 04:58:51 GMT

Our lovely blue WRX is once again fully functional and legally inspected. It was long overdue for routine service and the brakes have been making scary noises. Now everything is smooth and quiet again. I really enjoy driving that car!

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:24:27 GMT

The article below was originally posted by a user identified as jsm on a the site http://www.adequacy.org/ in response to the destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11th of 2001. The text below is untouched, except for the substitution in two places of the name of this latest tragedy in place of the original, but it remains almost painfully appropriate.

I am as guilty as anyone of seeing in this tragedy the lessons that I am predisposed to see. Reading this scathing indictment forced me to admit that. I'm finding it much more painful to look at this in terms of individual human loss, but I think the victims deserve that respect.

Why the Shootings Mean That We Must Support My Politics

Of course the Virginia Tech shootings are a uniquely tragic event, and it is vital that we never lose sight of the human tragedy involved. However, we must also consider if this is not also a lesson to us all; a lesson that my political views are correct. Although what is done can never be undone, the fact remains that if the world were organised according to my political views, this tragedy would never have happened.

Many people will use this terrible tragedy as an excuse to put through a political agenda other than my own. This tawdry abuse of human suffering for political gain sickens me to the core of my being. Those people who have different political views from me ought to be ashamed of themselves for thinking of cheap partisan point-scoring at a time like this. In any case, what this tragedy really shows us is that, so far from putting into practice political views other than my own, it is precisely my political agenda which ought to be advanced.

Not only are my political views vindicated by this terrible tragedy, but also the status of my profession. Furthermore, it is only in the context of a national and international tragedy like this that we are reminded of the very special status of my hobby, and its particular claim to legislative protection. My religious and spiritual views also have much to teach us about the appropriate reaction to these truly terrible events.

Countries which I like seem to never suffer such tragedies, while countries which, for one reason or another, I dislike, suffer them all the time. The one common factor which seems to explain this has to do with my political views, and it suggests that my political views should be implemented as a matter of urgency, even though they are, as a matter of fact, not implemented in the countries which I like.

Of course the Virginia Tech shootings are a uniquely tragic event, and it is vital that we never lose sight of the human tragedy involved. But we must also not lose sight of the fact that I am right on every significant moral and political issue, and everybody ought to agree with me. Please, I ask you as fellow human beings, vote for the political party which I support, and ask your legislators to support policies endorsed by me, as a matter of urgency.

It would be a fitting memorial.

A happy ending and a happy beginning

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 20:38:13 GMT

merde landed a good tech writing job a few weeks ago, which seems to be working out well. Shortly thereafter she signed the lease on an apartment in south Austin. Today she moved out of our place and into her own.

Six of our friends, in addition to the three of us, managed to complete the move in under two hours. With three cars, two pickups, and a van, we got everything loaded, made one trip, and unloaded it all in her apartment.

I'm sure Meredith will post about it all soon, but her new place won't have internet until sometime tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I'm back home with my feet up and the air conditioner blasting. :-)

Happy Birthday Meredith!

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 17:57:14 GMT

Today is the birthday of the amazing and illustrious merde!

Let it snow!

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 19:37:42 GMT

I am way overdue for an update, and I will try to post a real one soon, but at the moment I just had to say that it's snowing in Austin!

By the standards of my midwestern heritage this barely qualifies as a brisk fall day, but Austin only gets this kind of weather once or twice in a decade. It's 28 degrees and there is white stuff all over the lawn. My company closed the office yesterday morning and is still closed today (although I still have to work from home). The city is mostly shut down.

I'm having a lovely time.

Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 03:48:38 GMT

I have now had three nights with my new CPAP machine.

Night One - I slept quite well until halfway through the night when my sinuses congested. I had let myself be talked into trying a nasal-only mask, so I couldn't use the CPAP for the rest of the night. First thing in the morning I traded it in for a full-face mask. (Sadly, no one seems to make them in glossy black.)

Night Two - The CPAP machine kept shutting itself off at random intervals. Going from high pressure to normal pressure feels like someone has sucked all the air out of your lungs. Not a fun way to be woken up. Grrrrrrrr! First thing in the morning I took the machine in for servicing and got the problem fixed.

Night Three - Everything finally worked the way it's supposed to! It did take me longer to get to sleep than usual. I also woke up a couple of times during the night and had trouble getting back to sleep. Even so, after something like six hours I felt a lot better this morning than I have in a long time.

Tonight I don't have to set an alarm. With any luck I will get my first full night of sleep in...I don't really know, certainly years, possibly more than a decade. Wish me luck.

Welcome to the Machine

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 04:59:23 GMT

...but in a good way. :-) I finally got my CPAP machine today. This is the device that should eliminate my sleep apnea.

I took a two-hour nap to try it out and IT WORKS!

I'm sure it will take some getting used to, but I seem to adjust to it very easily. The pressure doesn't bother me at all and neither does wearing the mask. (Despite wearing a nose-and-mouth mask for my sleep study, the nose-only version seems to work fine for me and is a lot less of a nuisance.)

I have hope that this will change my life for the better.

Computer Success

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 04:52:09 GMT

It has been both expensive, and a lot of work, but Rox's computer is once again up and working. She now has a somewhat better motherboard and a significantly better processor (AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+).

The hardware installation would have been simple enough, except that the front panel leads on her case were different from the connectors on the new motherboard. Finding 2- and 3-pin Molex connectors, pulling the pins from the old ones, and rearranging the wires into the new ones, was a serious pain.

Then I booted it all up...and Windows insisted on being "activated" (even though it had been running on that same hard drive for more than a year). That process involved a phone call to Microsoft, several trips up and down the stairs looking for paperwork, and a lot of reading and typing 50+ character keys. Bleah!

Then I had to install a bunch of new hardware drivers and utilities.

But it finally seems to be back to the way it was before.

Tarot Card Meme

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 04:59:17 GMT

It's been a while since I did one of these, so what the heck...

You are The High Priestess

Science, Wisdom, Knowledge, Education.

The High Priestess is the card of knowledge, instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge. She holds scrolls of arcane information that she might, or might not reveal to you. The moon crown on her head as well as the crescent by her foot indicates her willingness to illuminate what you otherwise might not see, reveal the secrets you need to know. The High Priestess is also associated with the moon however and can also indicate change or fluxuation, particularily when it comes to your moods.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

bquinlan@aslanrefuge.org — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 16:13:22 GMT

Last night, lying in bed, valkyrie_kitten told me, "I just got an email from our kitten. It says:"

IM IN UR BEDZ

STALKING UR FEETZ