Oh happy day!

That nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach...
That notion that you have forgotten something big...
Something, monumental...

Well don't worry, it has not passed yet, but you better start making preparations, because March 4th, 2007 is a big day.

You still have time to get you cards and presents in the mail...
You still have time to decorate...
You still have time to commemorate...

For those of you who have not yet guessed it, Sunday is my 10,000th day. Yes, I will have been on this planet for, count 'em, 10,000 days since my birth on October 17, 1979. Now I know that tradition calls for sending a dollar for each day that the person has been alive, but this is completely unnecessary as a Starbucks' gift card, a star in my name or a charitable donation would all suffice as reasonable 10,000th Day gifts.

Random Quotes from Random Emails

I know, I know, I have been an absentee blogger lately, for that, dear reader, I apologize. I will offer a full explanation in a later blog post, but right now I am trying to clear out two very full inboxes. So, I thought I would include some random quotes I have written -- they are from some random emails as I engage in The Great Inbox Cleanup of 2007.

"Old and odd... true, but really, who doesn't like fists of spaghetti?"

"Damn painted clowns! They are like bowls of fruit without the banana."

(No, they aren't supposed to make sense, they are taken out of context, that is where the humor is derived from...)

"...so I decided NO WORK last night and took advantage of Mr. Tivo."

"...and if we can think of 6 more [songs] and we can make a 10 track Top Alternative Covers of Rap CD!"

"We have attached this year's ballot, fill it out before you come and bring it -- the person who gets the most correct will win bragging rights and a big kiss from Asia."

"Does Papa John put nuts in his Pizzas?"

Saving you money

This seems like a pretty good idea -- it is a program that logs onto your cell phone account and tracks/informs you of your minutes used/left in the month.

Now you will be able to afford to take me out to dinner instead of paying overages on your phone bill.

http://www.watchmycell.com/

This will blow your mind...

From the Sweet Links department:
Here is your Quantum Physics lesson for the day, in cartoon form, for everyone's enjoyment. Trust me on this, it is five minutes well spent. (Double slits will never be the same for you again).

A few of my favorite podcasts

If you have an iPod or similar digital audio player you should be listening to podcasts. Free audiso content on the web — it is what we were all looking for back in the days when illegally downloading music was still legal.

Below I have listed a few of my favorite podcasts with a link to their homepage and a link to iTunes so you can subscribe yourself:

• This American Life
  
  If you have not heard This American Life, it is quite possibly one of the greatest radio programs ever. Each week host Ira Glass picks a topic and does a number of stories on that topic talking to interesting people from all over the country.
  


• Grammar Girl's Tips for Better Writing
  
  Everyone can benefit from a tip to improve their writing abilities, and Grammar Girl has come to the rescue.
  
  
• Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
  
  The weekly news quiz from NPR. A great way to catch up with the weeks news and enjoy a little academic humor at the same time.
  


• And of course there is the the Princeton Review's Vocab Minute which I wrote about here.
  

Professor Livingston, I Presume...

When I was in college I took a personal finance class... I was a senior and I needed to take an elective that would not be too demanding. Despite the fact that I majored in business and took plenty of 400 level classes in the subject, I still learned one of my most valuable lessons in Professor Livingston's Business class for English majors. I now pass her advice onto you:

Do not use a credit card for anything that you will not have at the time that the bill arrives.

When you are in college and have no income, this advice seems inapplicable and possibly even impossible. But once I was out in the real world, I realized that this was some of the best personal finance advice out there. Not using your credit card on things that are immediately used up or consumed automatically makes you more financially responsible, and in a world where credit card companies are consistently trying to get you to open a new account, a little responsibility with revolving credit is a good thing.

This means that you should not use your credit card for eating out, bar bills, or gas. Vacations and groceries are out too... Think of it, all of a sudden this one little piece of advice forces you to live within your means.

In addition, when you do restrain yourself to only using your credit card on things that you will have when the bill comes, you have some flexibility if you ever get in a financial bind. You may be able to return the item that you should not have purchased in the first place or you could sell it on eBay. Either way, if you still have the item when your credit card bill comes it still has value, the same can't be said for that round of drinks you bought at Lazy Larry's 'British' Pub.

Should I Upgrade to Windows Vista?

I have been asked by quite a few people lately if I thought it was a good idea to upgrade their computer systems to Windows Vista. My thoughts on the subject:

Windows Vista is the newest major operating system release from Microsoft. The last major release was Windows XP in October 2001. Before that was Windows 98 in June (surprise) 1998. So they do not release these things too often. So, if you run Windows, you will probably end up running Vista sooner or later (you buy a new computer, a new piece of hardware or software requires it, etc.).

So my two assumptions are that that Vista will be the primary operating system for computers for the next 4-6 years and that eventually you will be running Vista. So, why not start now and get the benefits of the whole life span of Microsoft's next gen OS?

So now that you have decided to run Vista, the next question is, should I upgrade my computer or should I buy a new one with Vista pre-installed?

My advice to people with computers more than a year old... buy a new computer with Vista pre-installed. If you try and upgrade your older computer it will probably go something like this:

1. Buy Windows Vista ($100-$260) depending on the version (more on this later)
2. Upgrade video card to support Vista ($89-$250)
3. Upgrade RAM and/or hard drive to support Vista ($50-$150)
4. One year later: Encounter some kind of problem due to old hardware, old software, etc.
5. Decide to buy a new computer with Vista pre-installed

Sure, if your existing computer is working flawlessly and you have no problems or concerns in the world, there is nothing wrong with waiting to get a new computer, but you don't need to upgrade either. That would be a waste of time and money.

If, however, your computer is less than a year old (or you have a powerhouse from a little over a year ago), then run the Microsoft Upgrade Advisor and see what you will need to do to your computer to get it ready to run Vista. Chances are you will not need to change much (maybe you will need to swap out the video card).

Oh, and as some people have noticed, there are quite a few versions of the new Vista OS, for most standard home users, I would suggest Home Premium (upgrade: $159).

Lost in Translation

So when I was in Mexico a while back, I was looking at the DVDs on sale at the grocery store and I noticed Sofia Coppola's movie, Lost in Translation. However, since I was in Mexico the title was in Spanish, Perdidos en Tokio. Wait a second, that translates to Lost in Tokyo.

Maybe it is just me, but I find the fact that the title of the movie Lost in Translation was actually lost in translation. I suppose you could say that Ms. Coppola asked for it?

Ladies and gentlemen, the Human Sling Shot

I don't know why, but this video just cracked me up...

I'm the lead writer of my blog, baby!

So when I was trying to come up for a name for my blog I considered all the options... OK, so really all that I could think of was "Trevor's Blog" and "You Wanna Know What I Think?" Obviously, the latter won out... The title was actually favored to win all along, namely because it was the title of my column when I was the Editor for my high school's student paper.

As easy as it was for me to come up with a blog title, it was a bit more challenging to find a suitable URL for my blog. You see, http://trevor.blogspot.com was already taken, as were most other variations on my name. And, although http://youwannaknowwhatithink.blogspot.com was available, it seemed a bit too long.

So I decided to get clever (where my logic normally diverges from the rest of the world's) and I thought about what would most people first think when I asked them the question, "You wanna know what I think?"

"Not really, Trevor"

Thus my blog's URL was born, http://notreallytrevor.blogspot.com.

(This posting was written in order to explain where the "not really Trevor" came from and possibly offer some insight on my humor. As for the title of this post, it is a play on the lyrics of a song, but we can save that for another day.)

Polythelia

Random fact of the day: Polythelia is the medical term for the condition of having more than two nipples. Here is the article in Wikipedia for your educational enjoyment.

Start looking for a job 24 Hour Fitness counter boy

So I went to the gym tonight and at the entrance there was a new turnstile and biometric reader (read: fingerprint pad) where there had not been a turnstile or biometric reader before. It turns out that from now on, instead of being welcomed by two or three 24 Hour Fitness employees, I will simply press my thumb down on the pad, type in my phone number -- and presto: access granted.

I am sure many of the muscle endowed counter personnel think this is a wonderful stress-relieving, load-lightening new technology... but the wiser among them can probably see the writing on the wall: start looking for a new job, the day is coming when we will be (as they say in England) made redundant.

It's always sunny in San Diego

Today

Sunny High 79°F Precip 0% Wind: NNE 6 mph Max. Humidity: 16% UV Index: 3 Moderate Sunrise: 6:52 AM PT Avg. High: 66°F Record High: 78°F (1983)

Scouring the internet so you don't have to...

In case you haven't noticed the Interesting Stuff from 'Blogs I Read' box on the left hand side click here for a well put together page (thanks Google) of some of the things I find on the internet and think are the most interesting.

Congratulations!

As some of you may know my brother and sister are graduating from high school this year... the implications of this event are numerous and I probably won't post much about their personal lives. However, a little recognition never hurt anyone. Recently Heather was accepted to the University of Portland and Tyler was informed that he would be receiving a Sequoia Award and scholarship.

I don't know if either of my siblings read my blog, but if they do: I am very proud of and excited for both of you, I am sure this is the beginning of many more great things that will happen this year.

Pedometer

Many of you may not realize this, but I really like Rice Krispies, made by the good people at Kellogg. This evening, while I was pouring myself a bowl of Krispie goodness, out of the box fell a plastic-wrapped digital pedometer (we have come a long way from secret decoder rings). Along with the pedometer there was the instruction sheet that I have included for you below.

I think that instructions 1-6 are pretty good pointers on the use and opperation of . However, I do think "instruction" 7 is a little odd: "The battery is not replaceable or rechargeable." I must say that if you are going to make something digital, replaceable or rechargeable batteries does not seem like too much to ask for, but I suppose it was free...

"Instructions" 8 and 9 were the ones that really caught me off guard:

"8. Participants take part in exercise at their own risk"
"9. Kellogg's will not be held responsible for any illness or injury that is incurred while using the pedometer"

I know there are some that accuse the populous of the United States of being too litigious, but come on, this is just ridiculous... "Really? I exercise at my own risk?" I almost wonder if the lawyers wrote this line to give people ideas on what they could in fact sue Kellogg for.

As for "instruction" number 9, I understand that if I break my arm while using the pedometer Kellogg does not wish to be held responsible. However, what if the non-replaceable, non-rechargeable battery inside the pedometer blows up on me. I think, in this case, Kellogg should be held responsible for my injury -- no matter what a little piece of white paper says.

Thus, I call "instructions" 8 and 9 bunk. And, sadly, instruction number 4 is probably necessary for many people to figure out how to make their pedometer work.

Coca-Sony

Q: What do Sony and Diet Coke have in common?
A: They are both the topic of this trivial blog post.

Below are a couple things I learned over the holidays that I wanted to share...

The first Sony product was a rice cooker, and as the Sony website states, "tasty rice was a rarity." In fact not only would the cooker under and over cook the rice, but it was also rumored to have spontaneously combusted on some occasions, not unlike some of their more recent products.

My good friend Brandon reported to me last week that the 12 ounce, 20 ounce, and 32 ounce varieties of the popular beverage, Diet Coke list the number of calories to be zero. I also discovered that the 64 ounce size (commonly known as a 2 liter bottle) of Diet Coke lists the caloric content per serving to also be zero. However on a single-serving 42 ounce Diet Coke, the caloric content is listed as 5 calories. This seems to be a an incredible feat of Coke's mathematicians or chemists... for the same Diet Coke that is packaged in a 32 or 64 ounce bottle has zero calories, but in a 42 ounce container it has five calories.

A quick look at Wikipedia and explanation is offered -- FDA guidelines allow any serving containing less than five calories to be listed as calorie free. In actuality all Diet Coke contains calories, probably somewhere around 0.10 calories per ounce. However, because the 64 ounce bottle has multiple servings in it, pursuant to FDA guidelines, they can list it as a zero calorie product. And, single serving sizes smaller than 32 ounces also contain less than 5 total calories, and once again, according to the FDA <5=0. Only the 42 ounce king size Diet Coke tops the calorie scales and must report the horrible truth: even diet soda contains calories.

Y2K7

Happy New Year!

I hope that everyone had a blast this evening wishing 2006 a fond farewell and welcoming 2007 with excitement and expectation... and if you are feeling a little nostalgic for times gone by, don't forget what actually happened in 2006*.

As for me, I am hanging with the family (less one) in Palm Desert, California. Yeah, I decided to forgo some of the crazy parties I was invited to (OK, crazy parties that I am sure I would have been invited to...) to chill with the 'rents and my Bro -- the four of us had a good time. We went and saw The Good Shepherd and then had cheesecake before heading back to the hotel to watch the Waterford Crystal Ball fall on New York (what an odd tradition). And speaking of that tradition, this was the first year that the previously mentioned ball was lit with LEDs as opposed to halogen lights... interesting, huh?

Well whether or not you are into ball lighting technology or not, have a very happy 2007 -- I wish you and all those that are important to you a very special new year.

*may not be safe for work -- probably depends where ya work...

Nerdy Comics

The holidays have caused me to be negligent in my blogging duties. To all my loyal readers and those just passing through, I apologize. I am going to try to remedy this situation as part of my 2007 New Year Resolutions. I resolve to blog more and procrastinate on blogging less.

While I enjoy the last couple days of 2006 and hence blogging laziness, I would like to suggest a great site, XKCD, that a few of you may have noticed on my "Interesting Stuff..." column. They have some of the most wonderfully nerdy comics I have ever seen, and they definitely deserve some recognition. I have posted a few of their comics and then feel free to check them out!

Great Scott!

When I was younger I used to think that the Back to the Future trilogy was the definition of perfection in cinematography. Robert Zemeckis was the greatest director in history and Spielberg was only significant due his role as Executive Producer of the film. Michael J. Fox was not only the best Canadian actor ever, but rather he was the greatest actor, period. I was never saw the original movie in the theater (I was only 5 after all), but I can still remember seeing Part II at the old Hillsdale theater (next to Bay Meadows, most recently home to Organized Living before its departure) with my dad.

I was really into this series of movies: I would draw pictures of hovercrafts in my spare time, my favorite CDs were the Back to the Future soundtracks (mostly musical scores by Alan Silvestri), I did a school report on John DeLorean, I would write trivia books and fictional stories relating to the characters from the movies... so when I say I was into Back to the Future, I mean it.

I don't know why, but recently the internet has erupted in Back to the Future fever... perhaps it has something to do with Bravo recently showing the prolific trilogy, or maybe it has to do with Michael J. Fox's recent involvement in the mid-term elections. Whatever the reason, I have come to realize that my hovercraft drawings and trivia books were not even the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Back to the Future mania.

For starters check out this recently posted and extremely detailed Wikipedia entry on all the timelines from the trilogy. Then, there is this extremely realistic Back to the Future DeLorean replica that went on sale at ebay last month (the bidding got up to $51k, but the reserve was not met). Of course there is this petition for Nike to make the shoes Marty McFly wore in Part II. And, apparently I am not the only one that enjoys writing Back to the Future trivia -- the blog of my favorite magazine, mental_floss, just posted their own version of trivia relating to Marty and Doc. My drawings of hovercrafts couldn't compete in the internet age, they would be the laughing stock of the Back to the Future fan club. However, when I think about the joy and entertainment that the movies brought me (and considering the crap that Hollywood is currently producing ::cough::Man of the Year::cough::) maybe, in its own special way, Back to the Future really was cinematographic perfection.