What is making you happy right now

[Timbuk2]

Indeed it does, Tomas.

[RandBlade]

It's Christmas Eve

Here's a modern season's greeting to you all:
From us ("the wishor") to you ("hereinafter called the wishee"),
please accept without obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes
for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, politically
correct, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the
winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable
traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular
practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular
persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to
practice religious or secular traditions at all... and a financially
successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated
recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2012,
but with due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures or
sects, and having regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical
ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform or dietary
preference of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting you are bound by these terms that-

* This greeting is subject to further clarification or withdrawal

* This greeting is freely transferable provided that no alteration
shall be made to the original greeting and that the proprietary rights
of the wishor are acknowledged.

* This greeting implies no promise by the wishor to actually implement
any of the wishes.

* This greeting may not be enforceable in certain jurisdictions and/or
the restrictions herein may not be binding upon certain wishees in
certain jurisdictions and is revocable at the sole discretion of the
wishor.

* This greeting is warranted to perform as reasonably may be expected
within the usual application of good tidings, for a period of one year
or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever
comes first.

* The wishor warrants this greeting only for the limited replacement
of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the
wishor

* Any references in this greeting to "the Lord", "Father Christmas",
"Our Saviour", or any other festive figures, whether actual or
fictitious, dead or alive, shall not imply any endorsement by or from
them in respect of this greeting, and all proprietary rights in any
referenced third party names and images are hereby acknowledged.

[Bitter Jeweler]

I finished up my last job for xMas at 5:30 yesterday. I beat last years numbers for Dec, and worked less hours!
The year as a whole was better than last as well. This makes me very happy!


Happy Holidays everybody!

[Veldan Rath]

Too bad according to some that is because you were just lucky.

I think it is because of a little luck, and a lot of hard (and skilled) work.

Anyhoo, congrats! I'm always cheered hearing of the success of a small business! How long have you been doing business for yourself again?

[Aimless]

So, has RB been supremely unlucky or extremely careless/lazy/incompetent this year?

[Veldan Rath]

Why? Have I missed RB having a bad time about something?

[RandBlade]

So, has RB been supremely unlucky or extremely careless/lazy/incompetent this year?

Neither.

If you're writing about the rant I put in the private forum, I don't want that discussed in public please. None of that was due to 'luck' though.

Just as I am an atheist and I don't think God plays a role in our lives, there is a rational explanation for everything.

[Aimless]

Are you suggesting luck is irrational or defies causality and post hoc explanations? Well no wonder you don't believe in luck

[Nessus]

Too bad according to some that is because you were just lucky.

[RandBlade]

Are you suggesting luck is irrational or defies causality and post hoc explanations? Well no wonder you don't believe in luck

I'm saying if luck is rational or has causality and/or post hoc explanations then it is possible to change your own luck.

[Nessus]

Too many variables to be reasonably informed to make rational choices at all times

[RandBlade]

Indeed, nobody makes perfectly rational choices at all times. If you did you might get a perfect outcome. But it is possible to make somewhat more better choices some of the time.

[Aimless]

I'm saying if luck is rational or has causality and/or post hoc explanations then it is possible to change your own luck.

Of course it is, you just have to tell the story differently

[Nessus]

What a wonderfully vague wisdom

[Aimless]

[Nessus]

It was aimed at the guy above you

[Loki]

Too many variables to be reasonably informed to make rational choices at all times

Rationality means using the information available to you, not having perfect information. It's certainly not rational to seek out information when its cost is higher than the benefit of possessing it.

[Catgrrl]

I love how dentists are the polar opposites of doctors, appointment-wise. My original date I scheduled for a 6 month checkup wasn't until the end of next month. The receptionist calls me today to let me know that there was a cancellation and they could fit me in Thursday if I was available. Thank goodness too, because the day after I scheduled the original appointment, my tooth started to hurt. I'm hoping it's a bad cavity versus a cracked tooth. Goddamn Harry and David's and their delicious Moose Munch popcorn.

Anyway, happy that I can get this looked at Thursday instead of having to use tooth meds for a month.

[Nessus]

Rationality means using the information available to you, not having perfect information. It's certainly not rational to seek out information when its cost is higher than the benefit of possessing it.

Thank you professor Science, the point was that

You know what, you don't even care, do you? Just sign the checks out to cash, we're in between banks right now

[Aimless]

After four months and much hassle and despair and gnashing of teeth I may, through a stroke of luck, soon finally get my hands on an HP Touchpad. The 32 gb model for almost the same price as that I'd set for the 16 gb one. Selling the nook tomorrow, prolly will be able to pay for the touchpad with that money. Will miss the little one sorely... have used it for hours each day since getting it, and I don't think the touchpad will be as convenient or comfortable. But I think this will be all right, and it will def. be better for reading pdfs.

Of course considering the amount of time i've put.into this hunt, this may in fact be the most expensive tablet ever

[Ominous Gamer]

One of my presents this Christmas was an exercise ball. One of the huge ones that you usually see in youtube videos knocking the shit out of some unexpecting kid.

I absolutely love it.

Except I'm not using it to exercise. Its my new chair. Most comfortable and adjustable chair I've ever used.

[Khendraja'aro]

Okay, decided to upgrade my PC a bit.

Went from a AMD X2 6000+ with 4GiB to a water cooled i5-2500K with 8 GiB and also installed a SSD (128GB) to boot Windows 7 and some of the more hard disc thrashing programs on. On the desktop, the CPU is at ambient temperature - I'll have a look later how hot it gets when I run all 4 cores through a prime test.

The whole thing flies now and is quieter than before. Next two steps will be the replacement of the case (which has accompanied me since ~1999) and the GPU.

[termite]

One of my presents this Christmas was an exercise ball. One of the huge ones that you usually see in youtube videos knocking the shit out of some unexpecting kid.

I absolutely love it.

Except I'm not using it to exercise. Its my new chair. Most comfortable and adjustable chair I've ever used.

One of the guys in our phone sales department uses the exercise ball as his office chair because he had issues with his back and was also gaining weight until he swapped to the ball - he has actually lost weight and sorted out his back just by sitting on a frigging ball.

[Nessus]

Today, I visited the liquor store. This is somewhat of a usual quest for me, as my life-style demands certain amounts of alcohol. Which the good state of Finland has decreed may only be obtained at set times, from set locations. It is something I can accept, for the state of Finland has bestowed on me many good things.

In the liquor store, there was an old man. I say old, based on his appearance, but it is possible he was younger than my father. I do not know. The old man asked the security girl, and I say girl, because she looked young, but she may have been older than me, the old man asked her how her day was going. She said it was alright. Nothing out of the ordinary.

The girl, to me, looked like a moon rock. She had put on far too much, is it foundation in English? She had too much spackle on her. I think many a young man would do combat for her affections. Her affections would make many a man happy. Her face looked like moon rocks...

The old man then apologized. For rambling at her. For so viciously stealing her attentions. She granted him a pardon. Her face, like the moon. And the old man, with the white beard.

When I left the alcohol selling establishment, to my surprise there was the old man. We had left at the same time. We had visited different queues, you see.

The old man told me of what an adventure he'd just had. He had visited the establishment intoxicated. Now, this means that, by the rules and regulations of the free, fair state of Finland, he should not have been allowed to purchase alcohol. Nonetheless he had managed this task. I suspect it was this success that had made him so happy, so as to talk to a stranger. So he told me what a dastardly deed he had managed. I told him, "as did I", for I was also inebriated when visiting the alcohol-selling store. I do not think he understood what I had said, so excited he was about what had just transpired in his life. We smiled at one another. Then he wished me all the best. And I told him I wished also upon him all the best.

I immediately formed, in my mind, a camaraderie with the old man. I understood him. The happiness of what his life was. I felt that upon him, I truly wished all the best, all the very best this little world of ours had. I do not think he remembers what I look like, now let alone tomorrow.

In his wish, for me, to have all the best, I think I saw the possibility that this old man had not, not even once, dreamed of committing mass murder. That not even once had he considered, with all the implications, of murdering hundreds. Thousands. So sincere, I felt, was his well-wishing.

It was that possibility that made me weep silently, as I walked back home from the alcohol-selling establishment.

[Ominous Gamer]

...
...


Yes on the foundation question

[GGT]

I Nessie



My kid had his name printed in a German magazine, with his comment about The White Rose/Weisse-Rose-Stiftung project (Nazi resistance in Germany during WWII). He thought it was pretty cool to see his name in print like that, even if the quote was just a one-liner taken from a guest book of HS students.

[agamemnus]

This:

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/c..._america_.html

[Wraith]

One of the guys in our phone sales department uses the exercise ball as his office chair because he had issues with his back and was also gaining weight until he swapped to the ball - he has actually lost weight and sorted out his back just by sitting on a frigging ball.

Several of the guys in my office have that. It's supposed to burn calories and strengthen back muscles from the slight amount of work it takes to stay balanced on it.

[Ominous Gamer]

I use it to slop slouching. This is literally how I used to sit at home, and usually at my desk at work (random bing image):



I don't even notice the effort I put into staying balanced. I'm only about 120lbs, and I'm on tiled floors, but the ball sticks in place pretty well. I still fidget in it, and it does give some, but I don't think I've risked having it roll or squeeze out from under me yet.
Brandy uses one now at her little laptop desk in the playroom.

I could feel it in my lower back for the first couple of days, but not anymore.

[Aimless]

after much angst the touchpad is finally in my hands cue MORE hassle