Sniffle... cough...

I've been sick for the last 4 days now, going on 5. Technically I've been fighting something off for the last month or two, but I don't think that counts, despite what Shannon tries to tell me. Denial is a wonderful and horrible thing, isn't it?

So last week, on Thursday, I start feeling really bad. Bad enough to leave work early, which I'm reluctant to do under most circumstances. It started with the aches and then moved on to a fever. It took me 3 times of using the "bundle-up-like-a-burrito-and-sweat-it-out" technique in order to break the fever, leaving me very weak and tired and still aching.

On top of all this, I was supposed to be getting things ready for Rece's birthday party. I swear, if it weren't for Shannon, it wouldn't have happened. She not only went out of her way to play nursemaid to my sick (and whiney) ass, she also dug in and helped get things organized for his party. She went way above and beyond the call of duty this time! She so rocks!

So yeah, sick... I was sick all the way through Rece's party on Sunday, but finally caved in and went to the doctor right after it was over. Feeling like crap, I called in sick on Monday and I called my boss just an hour ago to let him know that I wasn't going to be coming in Tuesday either. I feel much better, but I need to rest and let the antibiotics do what they need to do.

Sleep isn't in the cards for me at the moment, as I've been sleeping so much since this bug invaded and took over my body. At the moment, I'm a sleepless and phlegmy mess, but on the way towards recovery.

One cool thing about all of this is that my voice sounds awesome. So I've been doing all sorts of voices that I am unable to make while healthy. Hey, it keeps me entertained!

This entry brought to you by BANG BANG, you're dead!

A night at the Opera

More good news in the world of web browsers (since the release of Firefox, that is). Opera, an innovative software maker of web browsing software have finally realized the folly in charging for their web browser software. Until recently, you either had to put up with ad banners in the software or pay for the browser. I never understood why anybody would pay, when Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Netscape, and other browsers were offered for free without annoying ads. Sure the browser had many advanced features, like tabbed browsing, but after the release of Firefox, which has many of the same features - for free - I can't see how they could still expect users to pay for their browser.

I think this is a very smart move on their part. Hopefully this will up the ante in the browser market, leading to more competition and innovation.

This entry brought to you by the geek within.

A pirate's life fer me!

Surprise, surprise! Today be the Official International Talk Like A Pirate Day! Tis a wonderful day to be liken the speak of the most wickedest, dirtiest scoundrels ever to sail the high seas! Why just this weekend I fought off a pack of angry merchants. Why they be angry? I was making off with their goods and women, of course! ARRR!

Be ye a pirate? Learn your pirate name as I have...

My pirate name is:

Mad James Bonney

Every pirate is a little bit crazy. You, though, are more than just a little bit. You can be a little bit unpredictable, but a pirate's life is far from full of certainties, so that fits in pretty well. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.

This entry brought to you by AHRRRG, lass, shiver me timber!

Wise words

I read a poem today that sparked my mind.

How many things in our life do we do this to? How often do we take things and over-complicate them, thinking that we can do it better? I know I'm guilty of doing this many times over. Sometimes the best thing one can do is just leave things alone.

Jessica Stover's site is a cool place that I check out daily. If not for something profound or encouraging, I find humor and introspection. Check it out when you get a chance, you might be surprised.

This entry brought to you by my complicated and bewildering mind, or something.

Battle

Rece made a video this past weekend that I forgot to post about here (seeing as how some readers don't visit my site unless my blog points them there). I'm proud of his efforts and it made for a very cute and funny movie.

Rece and my dad's 3 year-old adopted daughter were playing around while my dad's wife was filming them with a digital camera. I briefly showed Rece how to edit the movies on the computer and he really got creative with the footage. The results speak for themselves:

Battle (Windows Media format)

I only made a couple minor modifications, one cut for pacing, another for funny effect, and then helped him with the credits at the end. The concept, flow and editing were all Rece's doing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

This entry brought to you by The Pirate Monkeys.

Mmmm, brains...

My brain is fried. This week started off with a 3-day weekend, turned into a 4-day weekend by taking Tuesday off as well. I hit the ground running when I got to work on Wednesday (yesterday) and it hasn't stopped since! If I didn't take a break to write this, I think my head might have exploded.

I coined a new word last night: zombilingus. Not much to say about it, except that it lead to nearly uncontrollable laughter. Creating new words is fun!

This entry brought to you by Igor.

Helping others

Hurricane Katrina has done a lot of damage to areas of the south, which has spurred many people into action to help. Some of this help has been in the form of what the non-profit world calls "in-kind" gifts. These are donations of physical goods/items, typically food/toys/ clothing, to charitable organizations. The Red Cross is a wonderful organization that helps people in times of emergency, but they are not set up to take these in-kind gifts. The Red Cross can make the biggest impact by working closer to where the problem is and get the best bang for the buck to help the most people possible by taking donated money and using it to purchase necessary items locally (and/or getting help through corporate partners). So if you'd like to help, the donation of money is the best way to help people that are not local to you.

Working for Orange County United Way has given me a lot of insight into how human service charities operate, and much of it was a surprise to learn. The best way you can give, in order to have the most impact, is to give money - at least in most cases. Organizations such as Goodwill and The Salvation Army are set up to take physical items, as that is a good portion of their business (of course you can still donate money to them, too). These types of charities help more on a local level, meaning people that live in your area. Donate items to these places, but also remember that other charities/organizations exist that need your financial support as well (Boys & Girls Clubs, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, etc) - not to mention volunteers to help bring services to those that need it.

My point in writing this is is to help people understand some of the differences in charities and human service organizations. There are many people who need help, so be generous - listen to your heart. If you want to help with a disaster, do so by giving above and beyond what you already give locally - as your local community organizations still need your help.

Make giving a constant thing, not just when a disaster occurs.

This entry was written in hopes that people will
give whatever they can to help others in need.