Builder James, reporting for duty

Send Dad home: Check
Shop both Muji and Container Store: Check
Complete Bed setup: Check
Complete Shoe Rack: Check
Rearrange Kitty's World, Inception Style: Check
Back on the treadmill, gear for Warrior Dash: Check
Munch on some KyoChon and Jamba Juice: Check (mmm)

What a day!

Kudos to Jamie for helping with most of the above

The day my blog died

You know how sometimes you might've forgotten about something and you just know it has started dying/decaying?  Like when you suddenly remember you left some food in your backpack and you just can't bear to clean it out?  That's kinda how this blog felt for some time.

But, as always, we must face up to the things we own and show some proper respect.

Blog, I'm sorry.  I should've paid more attention to you.  It was the five books I had to read.  It was the five games I had to play.  Heck, it was the five drinks I had to drink.  And the five trips I had to take.

I can go on for awhile, but blog, just know that I'm sorry.  I'll update you more often.  Promise.
Also, "more often" is completely subjective.

For now, I'll just post more pictures and news about things I like, but can't be bothered to write into my physical journal.  Yes, I'll need to make a lengthy apology in that journal too.  Dear god, I need a secretary that I can just dictate to writing entries for me.

Shiny pictures because my words are dull today:

War Machine Cap that I would wear if I wore caps

Korean Soccer Graphics that make Japanese tourist say kawaii

Latest cops: Lebron 7 P.S

Jordan 2010 Black University Blue

Asics saves a trip to the podiatrist

Wanna take a look at my incredibly flat feet?  Ta~da!

So my feet are a little below average in length, a little above average in width, and super duper flat!

My heel angles are pretty severe too, with the average being +/- 3 degrees and mine are close to +/- 6 degrees.

And my gait analysis is also surprising.  I had severely sprained my right ankle a few years ago and it's never healed properly.  So I always assumed that my right gait cycle must be atrocious.  Turns out, I might be over compensating with my left instead.  The analysis is that I have neutral pronation on my right and overpronation on my left. 

Both my stride and frequency are average although I always suspected my stride to be a bit short.  I guess all the stretching and raising of the knees helped a bit.

Overall, Asic's Foot ID analysis was pretty informative and gave me useful data that I can focus on when I'm reading Runner's World or other related articles.  Of course, this guilt tripped me into buying a new pair of running shoes and some new insoles, but I would still highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know their body better.

For my three readers, who are all luckily on the east coast, there is an Asics store with Foot ID in New York on 42nd St and 6th Ave.  My analysis had a fee of about $10 Taiwan and I'd recommend calling the store ahead of time to check availability (212) 354-1908).

I've also heard of other running specialty stores/podiatrists who examine other aspects of your running such as upper body posture, spine position, head/neck movement, etc.  If anyone has more info, let me know!

Abnormally Attracted to Sin (Album)

This photo of Tori Amos evokes Robert A. Heinlein.  Time to read.

Almost forgot: talk deeply, be happy.

Where is my mind?

Some days, I'm this guy:




Oh yeah.


And then, suddenly:



Feels like ... I'm standing in a Timeless Dream ...
of Light Mists ... of pale amber rose
Feels like ... I'm lost in a Deep Cloud of Heavenly Scent
Touching ... Discovering You ...
Those days ... of Warm Rains come rushing back to me
Miles of windless ... Summer Night Air ..
Secret moments ... shared in the heat of the afternoon
Out of the Stillness ...
Soft spoken words ...

I Love You Always Forever Near or Far Closer Together
Everywhere I Will Be With You Everything I will Do for You (Repeat)

You've Got ... the most unbelievable Blue Eyes I've ever seen
You've Got ... me almost Melting Away
As we Lay There ... under a blue sky with Pure White Stars ...
Exotic Sweetness ... a magical time ...

CHORUS

Say you'll Love, Love Me Forever
Never Stop, Not for Whatever
Near and Far and Always and Everywhere and Everything
Say you'll Love, Love Me Forever
Never Stop, Not for Whatever
Near and Far and Always and Everywhere and Everything (Repeat)
I love you always forever near and far closer together everywhere I
will be with you
everything I will do for you ...


o.O?

Overdownloading

While downloading has infiltrated our lives to the point where it's practically second nature, the ubiquity and ease of access has subtly changed our consumer mentality.  I'm not talking about the ethics of piracy, but the way piracy has affected our ability to decide what we want to consume.

Choosing entertainment used to be a very deliberate process.  Take for example buying CDs.  Back in the day, people probably bought one CD or less a week.  You heard the one hit song on the radio, you saw the music video, and there's an off chance you read a written review on it.  If your friends had it too, then the purchase might've been a safe one.  Even if all the tracks on the CD weren't particularly good, chances were you probably listened to all of them a few times cause you already made the commitment through the purchase.  And in this process, the bond between you and the artist became stronger.  Through thick and thin, the experience was complete.

Nowadays, when people hear a song they like, they generally grab the entire album or even the discography.  Their ability to consume and absorb material is completely disproportionate to the speed at which they're downloading.  This results in a fast food, scatter shot approach to finding what appeals to us.  While some may argue that sampling everything buffet style certainly sounds better than a limited menu, the price we pay is that we often consume without tasting.  We're under constant pressure to try the newest and latest, it's easy to sometimes fall victim to our love/hate instincts.  If a song doesn't hook us or have meaningful lyrics within the first or second listen, then it's just "okay."  Snap judgments are made so we can move on and find what we really want.

Lately, I've been limiting the number of impulse buys/downloads, especially when I still have unfinished material.  I try to slow down and research the background and it's allowed me to appreciate each line, color, and design more.  I'm not sure if this way is better, but with the amount of data threatening to overflow unchecked, I need to portion myself even if it means I won't have it all.

My life & the Imbalisk

Karune: Are there any other units or anything that the public hasn’t already seen as far as with Starcraft 2?

Dustin Browder: That they haven’t seen yet? Well I think we’ve been talking about the giant voltron unit made of all of the vehicles; and units of the entire Terran race. Is that right Sammy?

Sam Didier: Yeah see that’s more of a designer thing. Personally, guys on the forums, I don’t think that would work so you know if something like that gets in where every single unit on the Terran side turns into a giant robot, that’s probably not anything to do with my decision. It’s probably Dustin’s.

Dustin Browder: What about the flying two headed ultralisk that breaths fire? I thought we were going to do that one as well.

Sam Didier: Yeah I think that one could work

Dustin Browder: That’s probably what’s coming up next: the flying two headed ultralisk that breathes fire will be on the website next.

Sam Didier: You’ll be seeing those in single player only probably.

That Chumbawamba song comes to mind: "I get knocked down, but I get up again, you're never gonna keep me down (Pissing the night away, Pissing the night away)"