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ragamuffinsolo
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Name: Andy
Gender: Male
Interests: mtn biking, hiking, pop culture, film making, photography, Chicago Cubs, Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, www.thehungersite.com, U2, larknews.com
Occupation: Education/training
Industry: Education/Research
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
2/13/2004
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| So as most of you know, we've recently moved to Houston... since moving here, I do a lot more of two things 1.) driving & 2.) walking. Driving is really the bane of all of our common existence in Houston and the common faceless and nameless enemy that we all battle. I have only a 20 minute drive to my office each day, and people respond with "Wow, that's close!" I think in my head "I used to drive 5 minutes. THAT was close." Daily, i threaten drivers that need to be "t-boned". I also used to get frustrated when i had to park somewhere other than the lot next to the student center. Now, i'm happy that i can park on the 7th level of the parking garage instead of the 9th before beginning my 10 minute walk to the office or in the garage next to the student center at rice compared to the football stadium.
We all are having our moments of culture shock here and there with traffic and child care and walking the dog and on and on. At our new apartment, we have to pick up after Bailey does his business or get fined $50. Yesterday while Jen was walking him, he got diarrhea Awesome. Living on the 3rd floor is an adjustment too, but i'm getting more in shape.
I'm loving the students and loving the opportunities and loving not having to drive 84 miles for civilization. Houston is great.
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this picture says it all. happy b-day livvy.
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| Random thoughtsSo, when I went to NYC last fall, I tried to get show tickets for several shows like the Daily Show, Conan, and the Colbert Report (a show that kind of mocks O'reily and other fox news shows). About a month ago I got an e-mail notice that I'd gotten tickets for the February 14 show. Of course, we just don't have the funds to jet to NYC for one night... though it would be awesome, just not feasable. So I made sure to watch it last week, and who is the guest? The greatest Tour De France champion in all of history, Lance Armstrong. Unbelievable. I was nearly brought to tears to know that I'd missed the show, but also a chance to really meet an all time great. I know some of you think his faith and all that is really messed up, but if you know my love of the tour and my respect for watching him ride for 7 Julys and dominate. Heck, I even went to one of the big parties to celebrate with all of Austin. Alas, that is probably as close as I'll ever get. (you can see some great lance footage including the interview at the link for Colbert and maybe a little tear will trickle down your face as it did mine that day.)
I've also decided to get more serious about losing weight, so I started the South Beach diet a few weeks ago. It's really amazing that you can change your diet and lose weight so drastically. Just actually thinking about what I eat regularly has been the biggest change. This diet was created by a heart doc, so I thought i'd see what other results it has. I know most people reading this have already gotten tired head and moved on, but I've gotten some great results on top of just losing weight. My blood pressure has dropped, and hopefully my cholesterol has dropped too... A few weeks ago I helped out with a state BSM retreat room, and as my reward I got a $50 gift certificate to Pizza Hut. Neat. Give the fat guy trying to lose weight Pizza Hut.
I'm excited about the #3 lady jackets playing basketball this weekend! Olivia and I will be front row with our faces painted!
I'm really also excited about Vanderbilt Basketball. Some great videos on You Tube here. Beaten 4 ranked teams this year. Cinderella? I am painting my face for that one too... Remembering the glory days of the great Will Perdue and C.M. Newton.
Good movies I've seen lately. (I know I'm late on most of these... The Departed (violent and language, but best Leo movie I've seen) United 93 (I've never had my heart race like it did at the end of this movie), and Joyeux Noel (french movie about how 3 armies called a truce during WWI for Christmas... amazing, moving, powerful story about humanity and peace vs. war)
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|  | Currently Watching
The Jetsons - The Complete First Season
By Don Messick, Allan Lurie, William Windom, Lennie Weinrib, Jered Barclay, Dick Beals, John Stephenson, Dick Forman, Terence McGovern, Gregg Berger, Jim MacGeorge, Lauri Johnson, Rene Auberjonois, Fred Travalena, Tony Pope, Frank Welker, Selma Diamond, Cliff Norton, Barry Gordon, Phil Proctor
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i love technology... but not as much as you.thanks for all the musical suggestions. I think I downoaded at least one song from all of the groups that were suggested! most of the suggestions seem really mellow... is this a suggestion that i no longer rock? i downloaded a little franz ferdinand and modest mouse too... i know they're not as unknown or indie, but i've been curious a long time
i am truly addicted to technology, and i've been glued to g4tv this week watching the consumer electronics show. i welcome all of the technology age and the ease that it brings to life. this past weekend we embraced tech in a new way by welcoming a robot into our family. i know that some of the techno-phobes out there are anxiously waiting for these to turn the world into some sort of matrix feeding off of humans or terminator apocalypse in which all of the gadgets in our home will unite against us in an unholy war, but i read an article in wired that will help protect me against a robot revolution. I will ride a bike... no technology to be overridden, carry a metal pipe for self defense... again no tech, wear a flowing coat to disguise my size, and welder's glasses to prevent being laser blinded. All of that is a subject for another day...
For mine and Jen's joint Christmas present, we couldn't really think of anything we really needed... years past was some furniture pieces and a tv. This year we got a roomba for our home. I named ours "rosie" after the robot maid in the Jetsons. With one punch of a button, Rosie can clean a whole room thouroughly in about an hour and get under all of the furniture we can't get a vaccum under. I cannot emphasize enough how great this is for everyone. I had coupons and gift certificates from christmas that made it more affordable, but it is worth every penny for those who hate vaccuming. I love it b/c it frees all of us to do other stuff while she cleans our carpets and potentially plots the robot apocalypse.
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