Lefthandedlayup

The Pauso Train keeps on a-chuggin'. Beef Stew is on the menu today, and this time, I think I really hit on a winner.

Keep reading →

Ok here's what happened. I downloaded the xubuntu Alternate ISO which I installed via torrent. This is after I decided to use xubuntu, a kind of lite version of Ubuntu for either weak (old) PCs or people who want it to run extra fast on new PCs, such as moi.

There are two types of iso files to choose from, an 'Alternate' and a 'Desktop'. Alternate is the 'lite' installation method, while the 'Desktop' is the bells and whistles version, but only on a graphical scale as they both do the same thing. For example, while the Partition editor on Alternate looks like this:

Keep reading →

Ok last night I wailed about * Scout's (the name of my MSI Wind U100x) minor current of electricity emanating from the VGA port issue which I'm glad to report has dispersed as quickly as it appeared, indicating that it might merely be a static electricity situation as I was using it on my bed (the location of which may or may not be relevant but I suppose is worth noting anyway).

At any rate, said issue is gone now, with no small measure of relief. This prompts me to proceed with discussing the unboxing and preparation of said Scout. First off, le box unwrapped:

Keep reading →

Alright, first off, I haven't reported on this blog yet that I am now the proud owner of an MSI Wind U100x Netbook I've lovingly called 'Scout'. I blogged about her here, and a month or so after, I finally have her.

And now comes the 2nd part of this report, which is to sadly document a problem. Shockingly (and I kid not), there is a minor current of electricity emanating from the VGA port on the right hand side, between the LAN and fan ports.

Keep reading →

Just a quick note on why I hate Flash, for my reference whenever I get into an (occasionally heated) discussion on why I.. well, hate Flash:

• Nice looking graphics get old quickly anyway - After seeing the graphics load, no matter how fancy, it becomes a pain to watch it load again - and again - and again, everytime you go back to the website. I don't care how pretty it is. Unless you have the memory of a goldfish, after the first ooh and ahh you're likely sated and ready to move on.
• It's a heavy download - This is fairly obvious. That's why Flash designers create all sorts of fancy loading images and hour glass / hour clocks to entertain you whilst you waste away precious moments of your life waiting for the $*#$! site to load. As far as I'm concerned, everytime you put a loader in front of a website visitor there is a 30% to 50% chance he's gonna lose interest and go elsewhere. That alone, to me, is unacceptable.

Keep reading →

I finally got to watch Burn After Reading. One of the reasons why I hate Twilight so much is that I suspect BAR was shown for only a week in the theatres to make way for it, aside of course from the fact that its cheesy drivel, and probably pales in comparison to Frank Langela's original Dracula from waaay back. But then again I haven't watched it so I know not from where I speak. I doubt I ever will however, as the mere need to compare the two does not weigh enough on me to subject myself to what, from all angles, looks like idiocy.

At any rate back to BAR. Here we have the Coen brothers doing what they do best. Investigating the downward spiral of seemingly ridiculous yet absolutely real characters some of which, as in the case of Frances McDormand's Linda Litzke, reminds me terribly of someone I know. A woman so blinded by a perceived notion of what she should be and the kind of lifestyle she should have that she neglects the here and now. The result is an emotional wreck and what appears as the start of a bigger one, pending planned cosmetic surgery she feels will solve her problems.

Keep reading →

Hot on the heels of my Pauso Chicken* last week, I cooked my Pauso Menudo today.

Pauso Menudo

Recipe:

Keep reading →

The big issue about my consulting gig continues to be the terrible commute. At times, and due to the fact it's Christmas, I spend up to 3 hours or more going just one direction, and it is very tiring. There is no way I will bring Joe (my car) with me because I'm positive it'll take longer, and besides I've not been happy with him recently due to his high maintenance ways. Bad bad Joe.

In other news, last night was our first basketball game for our HS league, and I think I logged 1 rebound in, oh probably 2.5 minutes of playing time. I think I can really say I've come full circle now. There was a time I couldn't keep track of how many leagues I was playing in (some of which stretch on for months), and I'd play either until my lungs would burst or my knees would give out. Now I can't even get playing time on a team of mid - 30 year old dads.

Truth is though, I've realized it's all good. A few months ago when I was coaching the village kids, I felt I had the experience of a lifetime. Me and my boys went on the roller coaster ride that is Philippine Liga Basketball, held all over our islands from Aparri to Jolo. I had sleepless nights thinking things over and over so much that I was well and truly obsessed.

Keep reading →

For some odd reason I can't concentrate on getting any work done on my sites, and keep gravitating towards playing COH (again). But since I finished two skirmishes at extra hard setting this morning (which I'm saying not because I wanna show off but because I want to emphasize I play this game waaay too much), I gotta pull myself away from it. 3rd option therefore is to blog, and so here I am. Besides, I actually have new stuff to write about.

2 days every week starting this week I now consult for a company that's making a ton of websites for itself, its branches and all its affiliate smaller companies, totalling approximately 44 in all. So I go there every Monday and whichever other day there's a meeting, do my thing, then in theory, hop and skidaddle off home afterwards. That's the theory however, but in practice, the place is a good 2.5 hours of commuting away, so going to and back takes up half a day.

Keep reading →

KE gave me a gift already, reaching 1k hits last night, the 2nd time this month.

Keep reading →