Unfortunately, the weeping cherry tree in our front yard peaked while were having the heavy rains earlier this week. Its delicate blossom petals were quickly pelted by the rain, covered our driveway, and were washed away.

The cherry trees in the backyard still have full blooms. The odd weeping tree (which we don't know the name of) has small purply-red blossoms on it. The flowers which the contractor planted when our house was built are also in bloom. Spring abounds in Sterling, VA...

d'Oh! Sorry about that last post. Kinda screwed the pooch formatting that one. :)

Here's that last post, again, with a readable IRC log: http://www.hiptop.com/hiplog/read/4/185/2003/04/#1050056668

(After the rain, we had heavy winds last night which was causing the Starband dish to shake ever so slightly, but still lose the sync and connection to the satellite. When the wind died down, we had heavy rain... I didn't have a chance.:P )

[20:07:55] * Prometh^ (~Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) has joined #sidekick [20:09:01] * Prometh^ (~Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) Quit (Read error: 131 (Connection reset by peer)) [20:15:00] * Prometh^ (Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) has joined #sidekick [20:15:50] [20:12] you almost look old in that pic ;P [20:16:40] * Prometh^ (Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) Quit (Read error: 131 (Connection reset by peer)) [20:16:47] ha [20:16:51] welcome to starband [20:17:41] 'can you hear me now?" [20:20:08] * Prometh^ (~Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) has joined #sidekick [20:21:52] * Prometh^ (~Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) Quit (Read error: 131 (Connection reset by peer)) [20:21:53] how's starband [20:21:57] lol n/m [20:32:15] * Ziral (~xyzzy@cblmdm205-162-222-164.buckeye-express.com) has joined #sidekick [20:41:48] * Prometh^ (~Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) has joined #sidekick [20:43:35] * Prometh^ (~Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) Quit (Read error: 131 (Connection reset by peer)) [20:58:40] * Prometh^ (~Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) has joined #sidekick [20:58:44] he's on IRC too... dev|null on EfNet [20:59:35] actually that was a NevDull [20:59:37] sorry [21:00:16] * Prometh^ (~Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) Quit (Read error: 131 (Connection reset by peer)) [21:00:37] it must be foggy over Prometh's house... or perhaps there is a fluffy cloud [21:00:46] (note he can still connect) [21:00:55] * Prometh^ (Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) has joined #sidekick [21:00:56] he's near DC, right? Dulles? [21:01:52] storms over DC [21:02:00] Prometh - can you hear us? [21:04:54] * Prometh^ (Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) Quit (Read error: 131 (Connection reset by peer)) [21:05:12] whoa, i'm getting 299kB/s download total from DC++ with my load balanced dsl+cable [21:05:26] gotta love ip route add default equalize [21:05:44] hahaha and my upload is 590bytes/s [21:05:48] hahaah [21:08:35] you have dsl and cable? [21:08:49] hah [21:08:56] that's nuts [21:09:11] yeah [21:09:12] you could get starband too [21:09:13] i have both [21:09:15] i get 40K/s on a good day [21:09:17] why? [21:09:20] man [21:09:22] how much do you spend/month on internet service [21:11:24] * Prometh^ (Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) has joined #sidekick [21:11:28] haha [21:12:13] * Prometh^ (Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) Quit (Read error: 131 (Connection reset by peer)) [21:14:53] * Prometh^ (Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) has joined #sidekick [21:15:02] pro [21:15:08] you stuck in a storm? [21:16:39] * Prometh^ (Prometh@vsat-148-64-151-56.c005.g4.mrt.starband.net) Quit (Read error: 131 (Connection reset by peer))

Vicky and I owe $1280.00 in taxes this year, down from $4000.00 we owed last year. We got a really good CPA this year who helped us itemize and deduct the interest from our new house. She's helping Vicky set up a tax with-holding account for her multiple part-time jobs.

After visiting the CPA, we did dinner at the Dulles Towne Center followed by Ben & Jerry's for dessert... :D

My wife and I hope to finish our pre-approved car loan today, and haggle with the Nissan dealers this weekend. All going well, we'll have a 2003 Nissan Xterra in the garage next to my 1997 Jeep Wrangler Sport by next week. :)

I woke up at 3:30 this morning. I've been wide awake since. It's going on 5am now, so I decided to play on the Sidekick and the computer.

Good morning! (Who all's awake at this ungodly hour? Who all's going to bed?? :D )

I went to University of Maryland, College Park, over ten years ago. It had just over 28,000 students while I was there. The number of students attending says a lot about a school. Expect filled-auditorium classes of several hundred students, expect an 80% failure rate as students progress from 100, 200, to 300 level courses.

I did an internship on summer at American University, and I've taken classes there. Nice school.

"Truly, what can be more heartwarming than a mother-son moment? Thankfully, I was able to capture this tender moment of an Iraqi mother and her son, together... Fear not, little babe, we shall liberate you soon." (Deep Thoughts by Dick Cheney)

As much as I wish it might be a rock lobster tail steamed, split, and drowning in butter, my office koosh is definitely *not* a lobster.

(but should I get lucky)