Just a thought... don't know how many people read this blog regularly, but I do have something to ask. So check out the poll question in the side-bar to the right.
I ask because I'm on a forum where the question came up in the general-topics board. And a lot of people (especially younger members) seem to get confused with what "street-smarts" are. One of the people is a born-again Christian and posted about how God has asked her to put others before herself so that means street-smarts isn't something that she needs because she feels that she doesn't need to get ahead. (I'm paraphrasing here, but you get the picture).
Well, instead of responding on the board (which I already have twice) with my opinion - I feel I've already expressed myself plenty and decided to take here to my own blog. And trust me, I know damn well I may step on a few toes: but that forum member is being a little more than naive, IMHO.
Trying to get ahead doesn't make one a selfish person. I'm all for treating your fellow person with fairness, but that doesn't mean you need to sacrifice your own chances in life. Doesn't part of making the world a better place for everyone include making it better for yourself too? By giving that up, clearly this member is demonstrating a severe lack of "streetsmarts."
So the rundowng goes like this:
Streetsmarts - the ability to deal with life; identify your options and workarounds in real-world situations.
Booksmarts - knowing stuff; trivia; and how things work.
Having clarified these terms and establishing that neither of these facets of life involve harming anyone else for your benefit, which do you think is more important to getting around?
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Monday, May 29, 2006
Inspired: "Fast Forward" gear
Maybe it was nice weather, maybe it was the ING Ottawa Marathon this weeekend, or maybe it really had to do with the fact that I'm running regularly now (about twice a week). Got this on the weekend... Fast Forward T-shirt.
This is actually my second Fast Foward shirt (third if the count the long-sleeved version I use in the winter for skating). The first is one the old maroon with black shoulders and had a pale blue stripe across my chest (I hate it; doesn't look particularly masculine). This one is a bright blue with a charcoal highlight... It actually does have the same pale blue stripe but it's not as obvious because it's no longer running across my chest; and it's subtle because it's blue on blue).
It matches my shoes... ^_^;
This is actually my second Fast Foward shirt (third if the count the long-sleeved version I use in the winter for skating). The first is one the old maroon with black shoulders and had a pale blue stripe across my chest (I hate it; doesn't look particularly masculine). This one is a bright blue with a charcoal highlight... It actually does have the same pale blue stripe but it's not as obvious because it's no longer running across my chest; and it's subtle because it's blue on blue).
It matches my shoes... ^_^;
Friday, May 26, 2006
D.O.M.5
Labels:
Idol
Nigaki Risa was all of 13 years old when she auditioned for and joined the Morning Musume group (5th gen.) back in late 2001. Of the 4 newest members she distinctly looked the most like a kid (I still remember her shell-shocked face the first time she was caught on the Mecha-Mechaike Okajo comedy show; what a cutie).
But of all the members, the one thing that sticks out in my head is that she looks remarkably unchanged over the years... I was watching the Hello Project spring concert DVD for 2006 and thought - wow, I still think I need to wrap her up and cuddle for a little while. (ugh! fundamentally wrong somehow).
Anyway, here're some pics stolen from a fan-site...
On the left is a 2002 photo (or thereabouts) ...and on the right is a photo from the latest souvenir tourbook...
But of all the members, the one thing that sticks out in my head is that she looks remarkably unchanged over the years... I was watching the Hello Project spring concert DVD for 2006 and thought - wow, I still think I need to wrap her up and cuddle for a little while. (ugh! fundamentally wrong somehow).
Anyway, here're some pics stolen from a fan-site...
 |  |
On the left is a 2002 photo (or thereabouts) ...and on the right is a photo from the latest souvenir tourbook...
Thursday, May 25, 2006
GBP1S and a tatoo-removed
Firstly, I almost had a freakin' heart attack today when I thought my funky case I love so much started to smell lemony... the LEDs on the front panel didn't light up when I turned it on tonight. (A reboot later solved the problem although I'm not sure if the fact that I connected the panel's lead into another power supply cable had anything to do with that).
So anyway, here's my fancy new accessory set that goes on a 1/48 scaled VF-1 Valkyrie...
Before (in it's "Super" getup):
And After (had to remove the rifle because as it turns out, the marketting materials used a bit of trick photography never revealing the fact that although he can hold it, it's actually all crooked when he does):
Anywho, I've decided to put up with the nakedness. That being I haven't applied any decals... I'm holding out for a set of amateur fan-produced ones because quite frankly, the ones supplied stock ...well... they suck.
Well onto topic2 for this post. I'm happy to report that I've managed to rid myself of that "anti-piracy" tatoo taking up all of 1/4 of an inch on my screen real-estate. No, I won't tell you how I did it. Look it up yourself. Besides, there's no room for laziness in the warez game.
So anyway, here's my fancy new accessory set that goes on a 1/48 scaled VF-1 Valkyrie...
Before (in it's "Super" getup):
And After (had to remove the rifle because as it turns out, the marketting materials used a bit of trick photography never revealing the fact that although he can hold it, it's actually all crooked when he does):
Anywho, I've decided to put up with the nakedness. That being I haven't applied any decals... I'm holding out for a set of amateur fan-produced ones because quite frankly, the ones supplied stock ...well... they suck.A couple more pics with the missile-hatches opened up:
Well onto topic2 for this post. I'm happy to report that I've managed to rid myself of that "anti-piracy" tatoo taking up all of 1/4 of an inch on my screen real-estate. No, I won't tell you how I did it. Look it up yourself. Besides, there's no room for laziness in the warez game.
rant: international tracking #s
But first, as aside:
Since the last post I've been informed that the boxed set marked BSG Season 2.0 is actually the first half of the second season. The production continued after a winter haitus with a "second half" in January. Still, I'd rather have waited until June for a DVD set if I could've had all of it in one go.
Back to the topic at hand - even thought I really ought to be excited. If I do the math, a small package shipped from Hong Kong should take about a week to reach my door here in Canada. Most often it works out just fine. In fact, I'm expecting my GBP-1S set to arrive today (seems like truck deliveries of this sort always arrive on Thursdays).
But what gets under my skin is the uncertainty of it all. By default, Hong Kong's equivalent of "express mail" (whatever that really is) assigns a tracking number. You don't really pay extra for it (as far as I know, anyway) and it's sort of nice to have. Unfortunately the only thing it's good for is to know when it left Hong Kong. That is, the number is only recognized by the original carrier.
In the case of a typical order from my favourite overseas e-tailer, I can use the on-line facility at the Hong Kong post office to see when the package was dropped off at their local outlet, when it was processed (in my case, for Canada), when it was put on a plane, and when it arrived in Canada... Specifically, I know that my GBP-1S set arrived 4 days ago... but I have not idea where (can only assume it's sitting on a Canada Post truck by now). But the fact is, I really have no idea where it's been for the better part of a week.
Somehow I just wish everyone would use a standard tracking number system. I mean, they all look the same for cryin' out loud. They have 13 digits, 2 letters in the front and 2 at the end and numerics in between. The Canadian and American number systems look remarkably similar and you can't tell me there's no correlation between the two last letters on my number being "HK" and the fact that it's coming from Hong Kong, right? OK, whatever.
Since the last post I've been informed that the boxed set marked BSG Season 2.0 is actually the first half of the second season. The production continued after a winter haitus with a "second half" in January. Still, I'd rather have waited until June for a DVD set if I could've had all of it in one go.
Back to the topic at hand - even thought I really ought to be excited. If I do the math, a small package shipped from Hong Kong should take about a week to reach my door here in Canada. Most often it works out just fine. In fact, I'm expecting my GBP-1S set to arrive today (seems like truck deliveries of this sort always arrive on Thursdays).
But what gets under my skin is the uncertainty of it all. By default, Hong Kong's equivalent of "express mail" (whatever that really is) assigns a tracking number. You don't really pay extra for it (as far as I know, anyway) and it's sort of nice to have. Unfortunately the only thing it's good for is to know when it left Hong Kong. That is, the number is only recognized by the original carrier.
In the case of a typical order from my favourite overseas e-tailer, I can use the on-line facility at the Hong Kong post office to see when the package was dropped off at their local outlet, when it was processed (in my case, for Canada), when it was put on a plane, and when it arrived in Canada... Specifically, I know that my GBP-1S set arrived 4 days ago... but I have not idea where (can only assume it's sitting on a Canada Post truck by now). But the fact is, I really have no idea where it's been for the better part of a week.
Somehow I just wish everyone would use a standard tracking number system. I mean, they all look the same for cryin' out loud. They have 13 digits, 2 letters in the front and 2 at the end and numerics in between. The Canadian and American number systems look remarkably similar and you can't tell me there's no correlation between the two last letters on my number being "HK" and the fact that it's coming from Hong Kong, right? OK, whatever.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
