I’m proud to announce my latest creation…burnmage.com! It’s just a crazy awesome site featuring reviews of music, video games, and the latest in what’s cool in the tech/web arena. You’ll also find a number of music videos hanging out for good measure.
Why? Well, first of all, I enjoy writing. Second, I’m vain enough to think that my opinion on things I’m interested in should be heard by the masses. Third, I might actually be able to make a little money from doing this. And fourth, why not? I just get a kick out of pulling up BURNMAGE…and knowing that it is mine.
So, be sure to bookmark it and check it out regularly. My goal is to have new content posted up daily, and that will happen once I’ve disciplined myself enough to do so…which will be soon…I promise…
Ok, let me give you a little example of how weather operates in the area I live…
I’m situated on the coast of Washington state. There are beaches, but the water is far too cold for my liking. The temperature is pretty mild year round, usually staying between 50 and 80. Once it starts to get over 80, you start to hear all the locals talking about how hot it is (which makes me laugh a little on the inside).
So, it’s currently in the middle of summer. Earlier today, I had to make a trip out to one of our branches to install a couple of PCs. The location of this particular branch is a little over an hour almost due east. It was a bright, sunny day, and I knew that it was going to get pretty warm outside. When I finished at the branch at around 5:30, the temperature was showing as 93! At that time, I began my trek home. At 45 minutes into the journey, the temperature had fallen to 66…20 minutes later it was down to 61. For those who are keeping track, that’s a difference of 32 degrees! Usually it takes flying somewhere to produce that sort of temperature change…I can do it with an hour in my car.
It’s about time! I think Sonic has pretty much covered all the country now, because I believe that Washington was probably the last holdout. Now, it’s still located about an hour and a half away in Puyallup, but that just seems so much closer than the next closest one in Vancouver (just across the Oregon border and an hour further away). Plus, business regularly takes me into that area…so, now I can take a (probably much needed) break from Wendy’s “Baconator”!
When I showed up the first time, the place was packed and there were 9 cars in the drive-thru. I decided to wait and try back later. So, a couple of hours later, it was still just as busy, but I lucked out in getting the one available parking spot. Was it worth the wait? Absolutely! Now, I just gotta find another reason to head back up to Puyallup…soon…
Ok, that was lame.
I reported for my jury duty today (remember how excited I was?). Unfortunately, I did not get selected to sit for the trial. I didn’t even get questioned by any of the lawyers, and I only got to raise my hand once (actually, twice if you count getting sworn in).
Now, what kills me is this one gal who did get selected. One of the lawyers for the defense was questioning her on how she planned on determining who was speaking the truth and who was lying. Then he asked her if she felt that there could be a degree of guilt, enough to be able to find the defendant guilty in the case. For instance, if there were 9 pieces of evidence pointing to “guilty” and 1 piece of evidence pointing to “not guilty”, would that be enough to find the defendant guilty? Her reply was, “Yes.”
What?! Maybe my mindset is just a little too mathematical to comprehend what just happened. I think we all agree that the defendant is “innocent until proven guilty”. In mathematics, it only takes one (just one) exception to disprove a theory. So, in essence, there is no way on God’s green earth that I could declare someone guilty if there is one (just one) piece of evidence to the contrary.
Maybe it’s a good thing I wasn’t chosen to sit. After all, compromise is not a particularly strong suit of mine…
How excited was I today when I got my postcard in the mail telling me that I had been summoned to report to jury duty? Pretty dang excited! This will be my first time serving in the state of Washington, and I’ve never sat on a jury for a trial. As lame as it is, I guess this is actually a “bucket list” item for me. The higher profile the case, the better!
The only other time I had to serve was about 10 years ago back in Kentucky. I was (luckily, in my opinion) chosen as the 12th member of the grand jury. I got to serve for a period of 3 months, and we met a total of 3 days. We would be presented with evidence for each case in an attempt to decide whether or not there was enough evidence to justify an indictment. We would hear 30-40 cases each day, and I am almost ashamed to admit that there wasn’t a single case that did not receive an indictment. Unlike with a trial jury, only a majority vote is needed from a grand jury for an indictment. There were several cases where I had to argue my side and vote against the majority. The scary thing was that the prevailing thought of the session (which was often repeated out loud) was, “Better safe than sorry…let them decide it in court.”
So, remember, an indictment is nothing more than at least 7 people agreeing that a person should probably go to trial to sort out matters.
I am now certified! After much study, and I mean a lot, I finally got around to passing my CCNA certification exam. “Cisco Certified Network Associate”, better known by the acronym “CCNA” is the first of a number of professional certifications I plan on securing over the next couple of years. I’m going to go ahead and knock out my A+ and probably a couple of the Microsoft certs. That will give me a bit of a break before I try to tackle the CCNP (”Cisco Certified Network Professional”), the next step up at Cisco.
If you know me, you know I’m not one to ever get very excited about clothes. I’m a guy, right? But those who do know me know that I’m a sucker for a sweater…in particular, sweater vests. So, as summer begins to roll around, it’s a bit of a sad time since I have to eschew my warmer wear for something a little more climate friendly. Well, let me tell you what I found! Yesterday afternoon, my wife and I stopped by Macy’s so she could pick up something. I’m not much of a shopper when it comes to clothes, but I’m more than willing to tag along and hope that there’s a chair by the fitting room.
We enter directly into the men’s department, and there, in all it’s majestic glory, was a polo shirt with an argyle print over the body, but not on the sleeves…so it gave the illusion of a sweater vest without the sweater vest! Thank goodness the thing was on sale because I would never pay what they had it listed for originally, no matter how cool it was. Just another one of those ideas that you’re just like, “Duh! Why didn’t I think of that?!”
Heck, yeah! I stopped by the post office on lunch and got a little present…a jury summons from Grays Harbor County! I guess I’m slated to possibly serve sometime in the month of July. I’m pretty excited! This will make the second time I’ve been called. The first time was about 12 years ago back in Ohio County, Kentucky. I was picked to sit on the grand jury for a period of 3 months, which in reality, was only 3 court dates (but each day we indicted 35-40 people). So, this time, it looks like I’ll actually get to sit for a trial. Let’s just hope that it’s something substantial.
…but, this is ridiculous. A week or so ago, my daughter, who happens to be a freshman at Hoquiam High School, told me about one of her teachers who has Pop-Tarts for sale in class each day. I guess he brings in quite a few and sells each pack (containing two Pop-Tarts) for $1 to any student willing to shell out the dough. So, if a box containing 4 packs is purchased for $2.50, this guy is easily pocketing $1.50 per box (not a bad profit at 60%). Now, to me this seems like setting up a private enterprise in a public school…something I’m not so sure is kosher since it’s actually being done by a teacher.
Apparently, yesterday another teacher has gone into the “sales” business and was selling popsicles to students. I’d love to see some enterprising DECA or FBLA students put these teachers out of business. Where are you guys? There’s money to be made!!!
Congrats to Kris Allen for taking the crown in American Idol Season 8! If you happened to miss the season finale, here’s a few things that I picked up during the broadcast:
1. Kiss will never be “not cool”.
2. Cyndi Lauper doesn’t age.
3. I should listen to more Lionel Richie.
4. Steve Martin is a musician? And plays the banjo?
5. Rod Stewart is really old.
6. Paula needs to find a new gig as bad as Randy needs to find a new suit.
7. They should have Queen in every Idol finale.
8. Justin Guarini is still alive? They showed close-ups of him at least twice.
