Unseen Review: Black Snake MoanToday I begin a new feature of this blog: Unseen Reviews. In an "Unseen Review", I review a movie I haven't actually seen, based only on what I've been able to figure out about the movie from the trailer and movie ads.
Black Snake Moan looks to be, and I say this completely without any exaggeration whatsoever, the greatest movie EVER.
It appears to be a movie where the plot revolves entirely around Christina Ricci spending the entire movie chained up in her underwear. I mean, what more do you need to know to realize that this is pure cinematic genius? The only thing that could be wrong with this movie would be if it's too short. Clearly this is something that I must see on the Big Screen...
To tell the truth, I'm actually surprised that Hollywood hasn't thought of this concept earlier. I'm hopeful that it turns into a whole series. Just imagine the sequels: Jennifer Garner Spends an Entire Movie Chained Up in Her Underwear, Jessica Biel Spends an Entire Movie Chained Up in Her Underwear, Elisha Cuthbert Spends an Entire Movie Chained Up in Her Underwear, Jessica Alba Spends an Entire Movie Chained Up in Her Underwear... The whole idea is pure box-office gold.
For a movie I've never actually seen, I have to give Black Snake Moan 5 out of 5 stars...
 A New Year, A Clean Sweep, and A Request for HelpA New Year
First, the obvious: Hello, and welcome to 2009. Happy New Year to you and yours.
A Clean Sweep
Two things I'm doing to get ready to face 2009:
- I'm going to stop taking posting to LiveJournal so damn seriously. I have all these ideas I keep thinking about posting, but then I never do because I have this idea in my head that I need to write it all out very thoroughly and well-developed. I don't know why I think this - I mean it's not like this is a professional blog (like the internal one I'm starting up at work, or the possible public one that might be coming soon (more on those later)). LiveJournal (for me anyway) is about staying in touch and having fun. So, I officially give myself permission to post short, off-the-top-of-my-head stuff when it occurs to me. If I come up with a better thought-out version later, I can always post a follow-up.
- I'm getting really organized and disciplined on my 3x5 card tracking system. When I use it, it works. When I don't, things slip through the cracks. I've been pretty good about it the past couple months, but I want to kick it up to the next level. I'm up to too much stuff that I have no intention of dropping and given a choice, I'd prefer to excel at all of it. :-) (I'll post more later about why I, one of the more High-Tech geeks I know, has chosen to go so Old School for this.)
A Request for Help
To really put number 2 into effect, and to start making the card catalog functional rather than decorative, I need to find a hole punch that will put a 3/8-inch hole in standard index cards.
It turns out that your "standard-size hole punch for three-ring binders, etc. punched a 1/4-inch hole. That's big enough to allow the metal guide in the catalog drawers to go through the cards, but not to allow them to be flipped through. With a 3/8-inch hole, the cards can stay secured in the drawer and be flipped through easily.
Now, I know for a fact that, at some point in time, people manufactured 3/8-inch hole punches. As proof of this, I point to every library card catalog that was ever easy to use, and well as the measurement I took of the hole in the cards that came in one of the drawers of my card catalog. So, logically, there must be some out there somewhere.
I, however, have had exactly zero luck finding one. I've tried every office supply store I know in the area. I've searched online. I've called all the big chain office supply places I could think of. I've called Staples' specialty store (did you know Staples had a specialty store? I didn't before this search).
So, I appeal to y'all in the hopes that someone has better luck with search engines than me, or just that someone might know where to find one. Ideally, I'm looking for two different things:
- A small hand-held 3/8-inch single-hole punch for doing one card at a time.
- Something that will let me punch a 3/8-inch hole in multiple 3x5 cards at once (I've thought about using a drill press to put a hole through an entire 100-pack of cards before I use them, but I don't know if this would work and I don't own a drill press).
Any pointers to where I might acquire either (or especially both) of the above will earn not only my eternal gratitude and esteem, but also, upon successful acquisition, a Bonus Point. :-)
Happy 2009 everyone, and best of luck on your own quests in the new year....Art Quiz ResultsI saw ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) remcat's results, so here are mine:
Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test... Conscientious, Fulfilled, and Spiritual26 Renaissance, 19 Islamic, 20 Ukiyo-e, -35 Cubist, -40 Abstract and 18 Impressionist! 
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that profoundly affected European intellectual life. Beginning in Italy, and spreading to the rest of Europe by the 16th century, its influence affected literature, philosopy, religion, art, politics, science, and all other aspects of intellectual enquiry. Renaissance artists looked at the human aspect of life in their art. They did not reject religion but tended to look at it in it's purest form to create visions they thought depicted the ideals of religion. Painters of this time had their own style and created works based on morality, religion, and human nature. Many of the paintings depicted what they believed to be the corrupt nature of man. People that like Renaissance paintings like things that are more challenging. They tend to have a high emotional stability. They also tend to be more concientious then average. They have a basic understanding of human nature and therefore are not easily surprised by anything that people may do. They enjoy life and enjoy living. They are very aware of their own mortality but do not dwell on the end but what they are doing in the present. They enjoy learning, but may tend to be a bit more closed minded to new ideas as they feel that the viewpoint they have has been well researched and considered. These people are more old fashioned and not quite as progressive. They enjoy the finer things in life like comfort, a good meal, and homelife. They tend to be more spiritual or religious by nature. They are open to new aesthetic experiences. Take What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test at HelloQuizzy Busy WeekendSo, I haven't posted in a while, in part, I think, because I have this idea in the back of my head that my postings should be well thought-out and have some sort of profound point. Well, this one meets neither of those criteria.
Near Hallowe'en, things always get busy for our family, and this year was no exception, but this time I took more pictures.
Friday there was a Hallowe'en party at ATA and then ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) pokerclub.
Saturday Clone #1 had a soccer game, then we drove up to Maine for a Hallowe'en party with letterboxers that remcat knows.
Sunday Clone #2's Cub Scout Den had an outing for which I ran the game.
Outside of the activities I managed to accomplish a few of the things I had wanted to this weekend, including applying my CDO to my Flickr sets and collections. Poker Club Returns!For those of you who don't follow pokerclub, click here to view the announcement of the upcoming tournament.
Lots more to write about. Traveling to Orlando tomorrow for a work conference. Will try to post on some between-session downtime. My Most Recent Acquisition I spent most of Friday evening with my friend Mario and his pick-up truck. We drove to Watertown and picked up the beautiful piece of furniture you see in the picture.
Yes, those of you born before 1980 will recognize that as an actual library card catalog. This one was originally in a library at the Harvard Business School.
I've wanted one of these since I was a child. Some people will get this idea immediately, others won't, and those born later than 1980 are still wondering what this thing is and why it needs 72 drawers...
If you're in the group that gets it, well, I need say nothing more. But, if you find yourself in one of the other two groups, I'll try to explain.
First, you have to remember that there was a time when there was no Wikipedia, there was no Google, personal computers were not everywhere, and, in fact, there was no Internet.
OK, sorry, I should have warned you, or at least built up to that more slowly.
 Anyway, back then if you wanted to know something, you couldn't just look it up. You had to go to the Library, and then you could look it up. Libraries were the Storehouses of All Knowledge, and (it feels to me anyways) contained even more books than they do today.
Of course, since there weren't PCs or workstations everywhere, you couldn't just walk up to a screen and type what you were looking for and have it tell give you a recommended list of books along with reviews and feedback and "X number of people found this book useful in answering questions similar to yours".
Well, how did you you find the knowledge you were seeking then?
The card catalog.
If the library was the storehouse, the treasure trove of all knowledge, well, then the card catalog wasn't just a map -- it was the keys to the kingdom.
 Within those drawers were hand-typed 3x5 cards that listed the books according to the Dewey Decimal System. You could look up these cards by title, by author, or by subject matter.
The Dewey Decimal number on the card you found would lead you to the correct section of the building, like a clue on a treasure hunt. It'd lead you to the right aisle, or if you were really lucky even to the correct bookcase. You'd still have to scan the shelves to find the exact book yourself -- and even then it wasn't certain that that particular tome would contain the exact knowledge you were seeking, which would mean another trip back to the card catalog -- but that was part of the fun.
Maybe you know someone who can always find things on Google. They've perfected the art of not only narrowing down the search criteria, but also of finding other ways to phrase it so that the search returns effective results. Working a card catalog well was like that, only it was hands-on.
If you were experienced, you'd look things up 3 or more ways up-front, scribbling your titles and Dewey Decimal numbers on slips of paper the library provided so that you had you first best guess and 2 or more contingencies ready, saving yourself the return trip to the catalog, as it was likely to be centrally located, but the shelves you would be searching might not be.
Combination Treasure Map and Keys to the Kingdom of the House of All Knowledge. Who wouldn't love one of these things?
MIT Update and ask for helpIt's been a while since I revealed the Secret Plan, and I figured that some of you are probably wondering, "So what's Dave's status with MIT?"
That, plus I could use some help.
Ironically, the fate of my re-admission to MIT is being determined by an anonymous group, known only to me as "The Committee". The Committee has decided that, before they allow me back into a degree program, they'd like to see how I perform in an academic setting -- just elsewhere. Course VI (EECS (the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department)) has more or less said, "as far as we're concerned, if there was a course you could take here that started tomorrow, we'd camp out overnight in order to reserve you a front row seat."
Now, I can understand the Course VI point of view on this. I am, after all, an accomplished Geek who speaks nearly fluent Human, and, once in a while, has been known to pass as Human (briefly (in the right lighting)) while maintaining my Geek sensibilities. Plus, I'm just generally a good guy to have around.
On the other hand, if I'm willing to be objective, I can also understand The Committee's point of view. It has been.... (let's see: it's now June of 2008, and I was last in an actual class at MIT in December of 1986, so that means...) well, let's just say it's been a while.
So I understand that they not only want to ensure that I'm serious about this, but that they don't want to see me set myself up for failure by going back in before I'm ready.
That said, it's a little annoying. You see, 6.01 (the Institute Lab course that is a foundation to any Course VI degree) is only offered in the Fall. So that means that if I don't want to delay things for another year, I need to find, take, and pass with at least a B grade two courses this summer.
Oh, yes, 2. (I'd mentioned 2, right? I meant to say 2....) You see, The Committee would like to see my performance in courses, not in a course.
So, here's the part where I ask for help.
I need help finding, local to the Boston/Worcester area, summer courses that teach:
- Something equivalent to 18.06 (that's Linear Algebra to you folks who went someplace that likes words better than numbers).
- The python programming language.
The thoughts being that:
- 18.06 is a prerequisite for the degree I'm going for and although Course VI won't accept transfer credit from other schools, Course XVIII (the Mathematics department) will.
- Apparently knowledge of python will prove useful in other courses, and they aren't going to let me get away with taking a course in a language I've coded in previously.
So, please, if anyone can help me find courses that meet either of the above criteria, or can point me in the direction of something that will help narrow my search, I will not only award a Bonus Point, but also put you on the Dave's Graduation Party Planning Committee (plus, I'll be, like, all really, really thankful and stuff).
Thanks!
I'm Back!Great trip, majority of the pictures posted here - still a few more to upload. More detailed trip reports to follow.
It's just before 6AM, and I really should be sleeping, given how exhausted I am, but my body thinks it's nearly 11AM and woke me up... Hopefully I'll be able to get back to sleep. Hey, Look at me! I'm in GermanyIt's 1:30AM local time, so I'm off to crash after I hit "post", but here I am in Germany.
The first set of pictures has been uploaded. You can see them on my Germany Trip Flickr set. I don't have descriptions up yet -- I'll be posting descriptions and a travelogue later. (I'll post again when that's done to save your continually checking back...)
Anyway, even without description, the pictures are still nice. Hmm. Maybe two things require context: - There was a street fair going on in Munich when we arrived there.
- We had dinner at a relative of Stefan's in the heart of Bavaria.
Anyway, sleep for me. I think I present tomorrow.Off to Germany!Hey!
In about two hours, the car comes to pick me up and take me to Logan Airport. From there I board a plane and fly over the Atlantic to Munich, Germany, where work is sending me for a week. I return on Friday 13 June.
During that time, I will not be reachable via phone (although remcat does have emergency contact info for me if necessary. I will have at least daily access to email, so you can still reach me that way, but keep in mind that the time difference will skew response time, etc.
I've promised to take lots of pictures, and intend to put them up on a photostream on my Flickr account. I'll post something here when I get them there.
See you in a week! Twitter?After having heard about it for some months now, I finally decided to check out Twitter. Haven't decided what I think yet. Is anybody else playing with this? If you are, shoot me an email with your username and I'll contact you over there.
For those who don't know, Twitter calls themselves a "micro-blogging" site, which allows only short entries (140 character max) from web, text messages, or IM. In their own words (from their FAQ:
Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing? Bloggers can use it as a mini-blogging tool. Developers can use the API to make Twitter tools of their own. Possibilities are endless! They Appreciate Us! They Really, Really Appreciate Us!Today's mail brought an envelope addressed to me, Clone #1, and Clone #2. The return address looked familiar.
Turns out it's an invitation to the Tewksbury Public Library's Volunteer Appreciation Night.
A very cool gesture. I mean, we do Chess Club for fun, but it's still nice to be appreciated. Martial Arts Update: FreestyleI was down in the great state of North Carolina for work last week, which, coincidentally was also testing week at ATA. (Clones #1 & 2 passed last week.)
So, tonight, after a week and a half away from class I got up and demonstrated the forms for this test. Normally, testing like this has several people going in succession, but tonight it was just me up there alone in front of everyone.
Fortunately, I was born without the "Fear of Public Speaking/Performance" gene, so no problem.
While I was away, I practiced the form, plus I demonstrated it in a tournament Saturday, so no problem there. The tougher part of the test was the weapons form. You see, I'd thought about, then decided against, bringing a weapon on the trip with me. So I felt less-practiced there, but only because I was...
Then Mr. G. said, "OK, the form is where we get to see your memorizations, but freestyle is where we get to see who's really mastered the techniques. Let's see your freestyle."
I'd forgotten about freestyle.
"Freestyle" is basically you and a weapon and 20 seconds to show what you can do. Normally, folks prepare their own personal "mini-form" that they've practiced. This makes sure you've got your technique down, and avoids the whole "Um, what do I do now?" problem.
Well, as I mentioned, I'd forgotten that freestyling would be part of the test, so I just went out there and faked it.
Long story short, I passed, but pretty much by the narrowest margin I have so far. But, on Friday, just before Poker Club, the Clones and I should be moving from 5th to 4th (they count down from 9th (white belt) on the way to black belt - once you have a black belt, they count up for degrees), green belt to purple belt.
In what world is purple logically next after green? In the same one where camouflage is logically next after yellow, of course.... :-) A Secret Revealed + Bonus Points!This post serves three purposes:
- It breaks my posting dry-spell.
- The Secret Plan has advanced far enough, that there's no reason to keep it secret any longer.
- It's time to award more Bonus Points.
Setting the StageLife is about change.
Things are constantly changing around us, and one of the challenges we're faced with is adapting to those changes. Of course, the bigger challenge is changing ourselves.
Self-change is interesting. Sometimes, when it moves us forward, it's growth. Other times, when it sets us back, it's self-sabotage. Still other times, it's simply change.
Some self-change is so gradual that we don't notice it -- even as we're changing -- the rate of change is so small we only notice upon reflection back to a point far enough in the past. Some self-change is so sudden that it's almost as if we woke up one morning a different person -- this is the kind of change that scares our friends and families -- even if it's growth.
Sometimes self-change is deliberate, something we set out to achieve. Other times it just seems to come about almost on its own -- most often as a side-effect of something else. Some self-change seems more like a natural progression, some self-change catches even the person who's changing by surprise.
Most change has a catalyst, some trigger-event that helps to bring it about. Some triggers are obvious, others less so.
The most interesting self-changes, though, are the ones we thought we'd never make.
The Expected ChangesFatherhood changes men. It's certainly changed me.
The biggest change? My life has become more deliberate.
I think things through more. I think about the effect my words and my actions might have. I schedule days off months in advance.
I think about how I want life to be. I think about how I want my sons' lives to be. I think about the lessons I've learned -- especially the ones I learned the hard way. I think about what I want to teach them. For example, I recall conversations I've had with the Clones about it being important to finish what you start.
None of these changes are surprising, really. They're changes you'd not only expect, but even hope for, in a man who's become a father.
The Catalysts of a Surprising ChangeLooking back, I see it's been building up for a while, but when the change occurred it seemed to come about all at once.
The catalysts? A few things, really:
- My job. I've found something I'm not only really, really good at -- but also something I'm actually having fun doing. It feels like I've "arrived" career-wise.
- Martial arts. Yes, it's cliche that practicing the disciplines of the martial arts contributes to clarity, focus, and self-esteem -- but sometimes things are cliche because they're true.
- Leadership. My involvement in Bushido has had a definite impact on me. (Note to self: write more about that later.) I'm spending a lot of time and effort to push men to realize their full potential, to be their best -- some of that seems to be rubbing off on me.
- Fatherhood. Perhaps another cliche, but there's nothing in my life that's truer. In particular, it was the conversations about finishing what you've started that had me first think of my own unfinished business.
The Surprising ChangeWell, it surprised me, anyway.
What was this big change I've made you wade through all that stuff above to finally read? Simply this:
I am no longer satisfied with identifying myself as a college drop-out.
The Secret PlanWell, of course, now that I'm telling you all about it, this is really the last time I can accurately refer to it as "The Secret Plan", but that's what it's been called while I did the groundwork to find out if it even be possible to do what I want to do.
Turns out, it looks like it might just be.
The idea of finishing what I've started has made it important to me that I not only get my degree, but that I get it where I started it.
It is with that in mind that, after a 21-year hiatus, I have embarked upon a quest to regain undergraduate student status at MIT.
Final Surprises (or not)It turns out that not only is MIT very open to the idea, they're also willing to be very helpful in making it happen. I hadn't expected that. I don't know why -- they are, after all, an institution of higher learning dedicated to just that sort of thing.
It also turns out that a 21-year hiatus is not even in the running for "Longest Break from Working on an MIT Degree". Again, shouldn't be a surprise.
The final unsurprising surprise? When I last left MIT, I was working on a Course II/Course XXI double-major (that's Mechanical Engineering and what they used to call "Humanities" (in this case, Creative Writing) for the non-MIT folks in the crowd). Well, given where my career is now, and all the changes in both fields, it turns out that it would not only take less time but makes a lot more sense for me to go Course VI (6-3 even) rather than Course II (Course VI is EECS (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science). 6-3 is the Computer Science end of that spectrum.).
Oh, and the unsurprising surprising thing about being on campus for the interviews? (Yes, interviews.) I expected to find myself uncomfortable being there again. Instead, it felt like coming home.
Where Things Stand NowI've had an initial interview with Student Support Services. I've interviewed with Course VI. And, I've spoken with my original freshman advisor (and I mean original advisor, you know, from my first freshman year (there are several long stories in there, but they can wait)).
Getting a 6-3 degree part-time (which is the only way I could do it right now) will take 4 or so years. The EECS department has said that they'd be willing to accept me into their degree program it MIT accepts me as a student (having a department ready to take me was one of the requirements I needed to meet).
The Dean I've been talking to in Student Support Services gets back into the office Wednesday. I'll be calling him tomorrow to update him on my conversations with EECS, work, and my former advisor. I'll find out the next steps then.
Nothing's definite yet, but it's entirely possible that this Fall I could be taking my first-ever Course VI class (6.01) and be looking at receiving my Bachelor's as early as 2012.
It feels right. It's time to do this. Time to finish what I started.
I'll keep y'all posted on progress.
Bonus Points!In the meantime, here's what you've been waiting for: MIT-themed Bonus Points!
Thinking about getting to graduate from MIT reminds me of other MIT graduations past. I've attended more than one of them since I arrived at MIT back in the Fall of 1984. Who's graduations did I go to? I'll award one Bonus Point for each graduate named. (And, yes, I know that there were a lot of people at each graduation I attended -- I mean that, in order to get the points, you need to name the individual who was the reason I was at that particular graduation...) Again, there's more than one Bonus Point available here, but I won't get more specific yet in case that gives away any hints.
Aliiiens Iiinfiiiltrate Briiitiiish MediiiaAliens Seize Control of Daily Telegraph... Cub Scouts: Hockey OutingFriday night was Scout Night at the UML (University of Massachusetts at Lowell) Riverhawks hockey game. Tickets for the Scouts were covered, additional tickets were $5 apiece. We had awesome seats - 4th row right near one of the goals.
My Flickr set of pictures from the evening can be found here:
http://flickr.com/photos/davehenry/sets/72157603846775757/ Project 366: Day 27, Sunday 27 January 2008
2008-01-27
Originally uploaded by d_m_henry.
Day 27, Sunday 27 January 2008
The Clones gave me this Super-Homer figure a few years ago. The close-up photo makes it clear that he's a little worse for wear, but when you're a toy that gets played with and chewed on by the Clones, well, that happens to you... Project 366: Day 26, Saturday 26 January 2008
PD-2008-18
Originally uploaded by d_m_henry.
Day 26, Saturday 26 January 2008
Here's Clone #1 Dressed up in his uniform, ready to head out the door to the Pinewood Derby. Project 366: Day 25, Friday 25 January 2008
2008-01-25
Originally uploaded by d_m_henry.
Day 25, Friday 25 January 2008
As we were cleaning up in preparation for Poker Club, I took my camera out of my coat pocket before I hung my coat up. Clone #3 saw me, so I pointed the camera at him. He mirrored my gestures, and this was just too hilarious for me not to take a picture of. Project 366: Day 24, Thursday 24 January 2006
2008-01-24
Originally uploaded by d_m_henry.
Day 24, Thursday 23 January 2006
I pulled out the camera at the dinner table and Clone #3 asked me to take his picture. Of the Clones he's currently the most-interested in being the subject of pictures.
I love how genuine his grin is. What a happy kid. Project 366: Day 23, Wednesday 23 January 2008
PD-2008-08
Originally uploaded by d_m_henry.
Day 23, Wednesday 23 January 2008
We needed to be able to file the car down to smooth out some rough spots left by the cutting of the Pinewood Derby car.
Home Depot had this file set for sale for $10. All the files I'm likely to need any time soon... Project 366: Day 22, Tuesday 22 January 2008
2008-01-22
Originally uploaded by d_m_henry.
Day 22, Tuesday 22 January 2008
Here's a picture of a critical piece of the organizational system I've been experimenting with. (I'll be posting more about it as I refine it.) Yep, I'm going old school here. Back to basics, and my old reliable friend, the index card. High tech is fun, but when you complete a "to do" item, it's very satisfying to tear its associated 3x5 card in half...
After reading David Allen's Getting Things Done, I thought I'd try adapting his tickler file ideas to the index cards. I've been reading some blog posting by folks who use similar systems, and several of them swear by their label makers, saying it really makes a difference vs. hand-labeled tabs. For a long time I was skeptical, but recently a friend who had borrowed my label maker returned it, and I figured it couldn't hurt to try. I gotta tell ya, the labels make a difference. Can't explain it, but it feels more like I'm a pro now.
This picture brought two of my rules in conflict with each other:
1. Post my Project 365 pictures unmodified.
2. Don't post about work on a personal blog.
In this case, the second rule won out, and I blanked out the absolute minimum. Project 366: Day 21, Monday 21 January 2008
2008-01-21
Originally uploaded by d_m_henry.
Day 21, Monday 21 January 2008
Something about the pattern of the Magnetix and their primary colors caught my eye. Pinewood DerbyPack 49's Pinewood Derby was today. It was a lot of fun.
A Derby photostream, including pictures of the building of the car can be found at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/davehenry/sets/72157603753475052/ Project366: Day 20, Sunday 20 January 2008
PD-2008-06
Originally uploaded by d_m_henry.
Day 20, Sunday 20 January 2008
Here's Clone #1 using the coping saw on the car body in the improvised vise-thing. He's working on the angle-cut that will have the front of the car slope down.
The camoflage is the Christmas Eve pajamas.
|
