Asymptomatic

There must be intelligent life down here

Get a Great Headshot!
April 26, 2006

I’ve been envying some of the great headshots that people have out on the web. Even people who are not traditionally “pretty” can have headshots that flatter their facial features. Why can’t I have a headshot that looks as good as some of these?

After long last, I have discovered how to get the best headshot possible for publication on your web site. It doesn’t take a lot of effort, and you can do most of it yourself at home, provided you have the right materials at hand. You might even be able to produce a better headshot than the fantastic self-made ones you see online! Here’s how it works…

Find Me a Router
April 25, 2006

Well, I’ve had enough. I’ve got a stack of routers in my little home network area, and none of them performs like I want.

Currently, my home network serves approximately 12 devices (computers and computer-like appliances), and provides telephone service via Vonage VoIP. Not all of the devices are used simultaneously, and not all of them are in locations convenient to the router. I have always-on needs for the telephone and for at least two of the connected PCs, which serve files and function as my desktop when I’m connected remotely. I often find myself at less able and lower powered computers than my home PC, so using Remote Desktop to access my home desktop is quite handy.

Somewhere on the network there is a printer, which I have no intent of attaching to any specific PC, whether it’s on continuously or not.

The trouble is that no router I’ve found has the reliability and features that I need. Perhaps I need a combination of devices to build me network. But I’m pretty frustrated with what I have now.

Abby's Birthday Weekend
April 24, 2006

After Abby’s ballet class on Saturday, at which they handed out their recital costumes, we all went on a little outing for Abby’s birthday.

The rain killed our idea to go to the zoo, since we didn’t want to be outside in the rain. Instead, we offered Abby the choice of several places to go - The Aquarium, The Franklin Institute, The Please Touch Museum. In the end, she chose the Oasis Family Fun Center.

We’ve been there a couple of times before, which I have written about. Both she and Riley seem to like it enough to make it memorable. This adventure, though, the toddler area was partially closed off. Perhaps there was a roof leak or something?

Abby and Riley crawled around in thetunnels and slides for an hour or so. Berta and I followed Riley around to keep the big kids from trampling him. Near the end of our visit, he became interested in a little red-headed girl, and started doing things to “impress” her, like pressing his face against the playground netting and smooshing up his nose in a funny way. She was not impressed, turning her head away in an exasperated expression. Riley didn’t give up, though, and eventually she resisted going off with her parents to play on the playground in lieu of hanging out with Riley. Yeah, he’s a cutie.

We hardly saw Abby. She spent all of her time up in the tubes and sliding down the slides. I had to chase her through the thing to get her to come out when we were ready to go. That was exhausting.

Sunday we had the actual Birthday party. Abby insisted on chocolate cake with chocolate icing. Berta had tried to make a cake on Saturday night, but there were some issues.

Oblivion
April 22, 2006

A couple of weeks ago I got the game Oblivion for the XBox 360, and so far I have been pretty happy with it.

Oblivion is the next game in the series of the Elder Scrolls games from Bethesda Software. I remember the first of these games I played, Arena, back in college on Brian’s computer. Soon after we had finished with it, Amy Bremer started playing and came after Brian in a psychotic rage. Whether this was because of Brian or Arena, who can guess?

Oblivion reminds me of Arena in the way it starts. You are a prisoner at the beginning of the game, and through a fortunate set of events, you are able to free yourself and be thrown into a cataclysmic plot. The initial dungeon you must escape serves as an excellent training ground, one that Morrowind was sorely lacking.