New blog home

I'm now blogging at dcbigmike.wordpress.com.

DC is quite a change from Bozeman. I miss the mountains, but I am really enjoying life in the "big" city.

Did you know that the 2008 Capitol Christmas tree was harvested in the Bitterroot National Forest?

Moving on...

I will soon be an Operations Research Analyst (GS-1515-12) with the Energy Information Administration in Washington, DC. I start in a couple of weeks!

Bozeman has been great, but DC will be fun, too.


(I'll start a new blog once I get settled in DC...)

ADDED 10/2: SOLD!

Minimalist house

Nice.

Absaroka - 1939

From the great blog Strange Maps:

Coincidence?

I found an old pair of tights when I cleaned out a closet today...

Virgin Engineering

From the internets:



(Yes, I "R" an engineer.)

Just call me Moneybags

My blog is worth $6,209.94.
How much is your blog worth?

Stigmata

The stigma of the never-married man

(yikes)

Some MT photography blogs

A few I've recently discovered:

Montana Photography (Bozeman)

pjfinn's montana photography (Missoula)

Half and Half?

Using your browser URL history to estimate gender

Here are my results:

* Likelihood of you being FEMALE is 50%
* Likelihood of you being MALE is 50%


Huh?

I sold my motorcycle

Just wasn't using it enough.

Here's a pic from 5 years ago:

Show tunes

Earlier, I showed my prowess in identifying composers of Impressionist music. Now, I've proven I can identify female singers of show tunes.

Yellowstone Public Radio has a program on show tunes every weekend. I was able to identify Ethel Merman and Angela Lansbury.

How is it possible??? - Well, the tunes are different, but I recognized Ethel Merman from "Airplane!", and Angela Lansbury from "Beauty and the Beast".

It's a small world

Ted Stevens, the recently indicted senator from Alaska, spent some time as a cadet at MSU according to Wikipedia.

Karnival Kafe

A few minutes before opening time at the 2008 Gallatin County Fair. (I returned later and got a funnel cake - a once-per-year indulgence.)

Rooster

I saw this fellow at the 2008 Gallatin County Fair.

Bananarific

Gros Michel

Meese

Sprinkler fun.

(h/t Trish)

Hay

Anybody wanna buy my mattress? I have a replacement in mind...

Happy Birthday to Me

43 years old!

Videomania

I can sing along to 98% of these (yikes):

Whitewater

My family visited Bozeman over the 4th. Four of us went rafting down the Gallatin. We all had a great time (I was in the front and must have drunk a couple of gallons of whitewater ;-).

Montana Whitewater Raft Comapny

Piano Puzzler (!)

I amazed myself by correctly guessing today's composer for Performance Today's Piano Puzzler. (PT is American Public Media's classical music radio program).

(I admit that I am easily amazed ;-)

Ouch

I spy... a bird!

Mad skilz

Practice makes perfect - I can now shave the back of head without using a mirror.

Spin me right round, baby

Anybody ever done this in Montana?

Gull

I saw two gulls today at the Hastings parking lot. I think they were ring-billed gulls, but my bird identification skills are (unfortunately) very low.

Western Tanager

I saw a Western Tanager today! (in a clump of pine trees near the university)

June snow

Accents

The Seattle accent seems the most neutral to me -- really no accent at all. However, the Texas accent sounds pretty atrocious to this native Texan.

(I love the "Hey Vicki" and "south of England" asides.)

Bozeman weather report

Cold and wet.

Ain't nice when you're with a lady; ain't no fun when you're in the jungle.

40 WPM

Well, almost ;-) http://www.typeonline.co.uk/typingspeed.php

Soap craft

Click on the photo for a description.

I did this craft project approximately 35 years ago in elementary school. Time to throw it on the de-clutter pile!

I voted in the Primary

Woo-hoo! ;-)

Political yard & window signs

On my evening constitutional around the neighborhood, I saw two Obama signs, one Ron Paul sign, zero Hillary signs, and zero McCain signs.

Richardson's Ground Squirrel

Currently Meara's prey of choice.

AAUW Book Sale

AAUW book sale this Saturday 5/31 at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds. I donated five boxes of books, so go buy them.

Bigger Mike

I hit the cookies pretty hard during the recent long, hard winter. Now I'm trying to hit the gym even harder -- to avoid Dunlap's Syndrome (that's when your belly has done lapped over your belt).

(I appreciate zaftig, but it's not a look I care to sport myself ;-)

I will derive!

Head Bangers Ball

Techno-lust 3: env phone

I recently got an LG ENV phone. It has a keyboard that is just large enough for my big fingers.

Now I need to figure out what do with my old (circa 2005) Samsung phone.

Techno-lust 2: Asus Eee PC

Asus Eee 4G-Galaxy 7" PC -- $400.

Techno-lust 1: Sony Reader

I played with a Sony Reader at Border's today ($300). Very nice. I like its form factor better than the Kindle. You have to jump through some hoops to get it to work with a Mac, unfortunately.

It's supposed to work fine with Project Gutenberg. That is a real plus for me, since I enjoy reading "classics" but am trying to drastically reduce my book clutter.

Only 68% (!)

68% Geek

I was stimulated...

by the US Treasury ---- $600.

An engineer's guide to cats

Review: Forgetting Sarah Marshall

A great comedy about people getting out of ruts in their lives. Ebert's review.

Another "credit cookie"

Iron Man has a nice credit cookie for those who read a lot of comics back in the day.

city-data.com

They have a forum for Montana: http://www.city-data.com/forum/montana/

Like NetFlix, but for books

I've never used this service, but it looks interesting: Paperspine.

Of course, the library stocks plenty of books. Then again, the library also stocks DVDs - but people still pay $ to NetFlix... It offers more convenience and selection (no driving to the video store, etc).

--
From the comments: Also, see BookSwim

Clutter control

Has your stuff become clutter? Here are some suggestions:

1. Give stuff away via Freecycle. It's an excellent way to get rid of stuff that's not trash, but that's not useful to you.

2. Read Unclutterer Blog for inspiration.

3. Be thankful clutter is not controlling your life, as it does for some people.

Full frontal movies

"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" has a semi credit cookie: don't leave until you've seen the "Animal Instincts" scene.

"Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay" has an NPH credit cookie.

Let's go for a walk

Yikes!

Cell phone

Maybe I'll upgrade to an LG 9900.

Bozeman bumpersticker

Liopleurodon '08

Prediction for last snow day

I asked an old-timer to predict when will be the last snow day this season. Reply: June.

That's a relief

Gypsy curse lifted from Montana.

Home decorating

heh

Hey, big spender!

I spent $98.07 at the supermarket today.

Ski 20

pow-pow

Porkchop recipe

Recommended: Itailian breaded pork chops

epodunk

epodunk on Bozeman

Well I'll be jiggered

I cuss, you cuss, we all cuss for asparagus...

Jordan almonds

Someone (I lost the email) asked where to find Jordan Almonds in Bozeman.

Smith's (on 19th) - aisle 14, bulk.

Mukluks

Lately, I've noticed more Bozeman women wearing mukluks.

I know my car keys are in here somewhere!

Ski 19

I got lost on "Bucks Run" today...

No TV

I sold my home theater last Sunday. No withdrawal symptoms - yet.

Marriage in Montana

No bride or groom needed

1/20

I have only one of Rolling Stone's 20 Most Annoying Songs on CD. My only defense is that it was part of a pop anthology CD:

Review: The Bank Job

Starts out as a caper story but then turns hard-boiled. Highly recommended.

Ski 18

Today was the last day of the Eagle Mount ski season at Bridger Bowl. I'm a bit sad - I really enjoyed helping disabled skiers this season. The other volunteers were great, too. Every one was a good skier and eager to help the participants.

Yum

Let's go make natural-snow snow cones!

Jeep Liberty

That's what I'm driving while my Subie is in the body shop. I want my Subaru back, of course, but the Liberty does not seem as bad as reported by Consumer Reports.

Acid test

I've been off my feed for a few days. So - I forced down a couple of slices of mall pizza this evening. That should fix me up, right?

Ski 16

Another good day at Bridger Bowl (would have been nicer if I had taken my long fet skis). I had a great crash at the end of Upper Thunder Road. "Great" because it was acrobatic, but I didn't get hurt.

My regular Eagle Mount client couldn't make it today, so I was "third wheel" on another volunteer crew. Note: it is easier to lift a teenage girl riding a mono-ski than a 30ish man riding the same equipment.

---
Update (the next morning) - I am stiff all over. Wish I had a live-in masseuse.

Holey-Moley

In my quest for anti-packrattery and general self-improvement, I've been tossing out every sock that has a hole in it.

LJBF

LJBF is easiest when it's a mutual decision, in my experience.

Wake Up!

Cool videos and games

Maniac World

Review: Spiderwick Chronicles

A fun fairy-tale movie (might be upsetting to bird-lovers).

Ski 15

A great weekend at Bridger Bowl, but I'm banged up and worn out from falling down and falling over.

Another campus massacre

I have a friend who teaches at Northern Illinois University.

I guess the higher-ed community is small enough that
every such event will affect people I know.

Happy V-Day

A couple of songs in the spirit of Valentine's Day:

1. Muskrat Love

2. Hamster Love

Ski 13

I ruled the slopes this morning ;-) I skied only blacks in the morning (Three Bears, Brush Hog, and in the trees), then volunteered with EagleMount in the afternoon.

Montana Tendergroin

According to Wikipedia, Montana Tendergroin is another name for Rocky Mountain oysters. Live and learn.

Teepee

1. buzzfeed

2. Bozeman teepees

3. 1:36 - "it's better in a lot of ways"

Review: Sweeney Todd

Sweeney Todd traces two psychopaths' rapid descent into criminal insanity. The main supporting character is a sociopath. Kinda Grand Guignol for the movie-goer's soul. Not quite my cup of tea, but you might like it if you enjoy slasher pics.

I sincerely hope this is the bloodiest movie I see in 2008.

"Handimals"

Cool WWF ads.

Ski 8

Lotsa powder at Bridger Bowl today, though kinda chilly (<0 degrees F). I was able to ski some new terrain in a semi-graceful manner: Southern Drawl, Teacup, 3 Bears (middle run).

Ski cartoon

Review: Tarantino's Pizza

Tarantino's Pizza is located in an interesting building on the NW corner of Main and Rouse in downtown Bozeman, Montana. They serve a great pizza and I encourage you to visit.

Depending on your preferences, you can combine your visit to the pizza place with other nearby attractions such as Soroptimist Park, the Salvation Army church, or the Zebra Cocktail Lounge.

Review: Overland Express

The Overland Express restaurant located in the Gallatin Field airport serves a great stack of blueberry pancakes.

In accordance...

... with little-followed blogging rules, "enjoy":

Free Motorola cell phone stuff

Anybody need a charger or car charger for a Motorola cell phone? Free...

Domesticated

I bought a one-year Costco membership today.

Happy New Year!