iPods

So, I have a question for all my readers.  You may remember (if you read my blog, which you obviously do) that I recently got an iPod.  I also have a $10 iTunes gift certificate.  So, for my readers with iPods (or with friends with iPods), what apps would you buy for a total of less than $10?  Leave it in the comments or drop me a line some other way.  I'm curious what you guys think.

Being President

It must be hard being President of the USA.  I think this Onion article sums it up pretty nicely.

WASHINGTON—Despite being constantly tempted by the seductive power of having an apocalyptic arsenal at his fingertips, President Barack Obama somehow made it through another day Tuesday without unlocking the box on his desk that houses "the button" and launching all 5,113 U.S. nuclear warheads.

Though the president confirmed his schedule was packed with security briefings, public appearances, and cabinet meetings, he said he couldn't help but steal a few glances at the bright red button, which is "right there, staring at [him], all the time."
Tuesday marks the 841st-straight day Obama has withstood the button's powerful allure.

The whole article is pretty good.

Dr. Lucky beware!

Well, dear readers, I thought this day would never come. But it has. But it has.

Cheapass games (or as we sometimes call them to avoid saying "ass" in front of Dad, Chiapas Games) has reopened their doors.  Well, I guess since they are an online store, they've opened...some other metaphor.  Like servers.  Or whatever.  The point is, James Earnest has started making games again.

For those of my readers who might be unfamiliar with Cheapass games (which is relatively few, since my main readership is blood relatives, in-laws, and Joleen), they make extremely fun and extremely cheap board games.  Things like Kill Dr Lucky (which is basically a game set an hour before you start playing Clue- a bunch of strangers are stuck in a weapon-filled mansion with a guy they all want to kill), The Big Idea (where you try to sell products like Chocolate Penguins or Glass Orchestras or Explosive Sushi), and Captain Park's Imaginary Polar Expedition (where you try to convince your friends that you've gone on fantastic adventures by buying trinkets from pawn shops and making up stories). 

These games are super-fun.  Kate and I probably have 15 of them.  I was heartbroken when they stopped making new games a few years back.  They sold off all their old titles, some of which have been turned into $30 board games, missing the entire point if you ask me.  But I expect that their new stuff will be more in the old style of clever and fun and cheap. 

I hate to sound like a shill, but I am talking good about them for two reasons.  One, I really enjoyed their games and am genuinely happy to see them back.  Two, they have free games on their website, and asked that people who downloaded them either donate some money or tell some friends.  Clearly, I am doing the latter.  So, if you want to see what I am talking about, just click the link and check them out.  Of the free games, I have personally played Agora and Deadwood, and both are really fun.

Let this stand as my official declaration that a Cheapass game is always a good present for the Michigan Paynes.  Especially for Kate's birthday- I love it when she gets stuff I like.

Happy happy birthday, David

Well, it's birthday report time. Before I forget it all.

Last Tuesday I turned 26. It's the first in a long stretch of boring birthdays. 18 you get to vote, 21 you are considered an adult in some other important ways (like gambling and booze), 25 you get cheaper car insurance and can rent a car. And the next big event is when you turn 60 and get a senior discount at the movies. So from 26 to 59 not much happens.

Since Kate was working on Tuesday, we decided to spread my birthday out over the whole week.

Monday we went to Walmart to pick up a gift from Mom and Dad. I love the internet- Mom and Dad bought a present online, and we got to go pick it up at our store here in Ypsi. No wait for shipping, nothing. They got me an iPod, which is really fun. I've done facetime with them and with John, and one of these days I will add Sara and Adam and Sam and Mollie so I can facetime with the kids. Nothing solidifies you as best uncle like some video chatting.

Tuesday was my actual birthday. Rachel (the tech in my lab) brought in a delicious cake she had baked- it was like a Snickers ice cream cake. Peanuts, vanilla ice cream, caramel, and chocolate. Yum.

Wednesday the labs went out for a fun lunch. It was a place called Mark's Carts here in Ann Arbor. Basically, some guy bought a vacant lot and rents out space to 5 or 6 people who bring in food carts. Because this is Ann Arbor, it was all organic and sustainable and all that (which, as I learned from Jim Gaffigan, is just another term for "more expensive"). It was really fun, but probably expensive enought that I wouldn't eat there except on special occasions (but not too special...they are food carts after all).

Thursday was my "birthday" in that it was when Kate and I went out and had a special dinner. That makes it a birthday, right? We went to a barbeque place in Willis called Bone Heads. Their logo is a flaming skull and crossbones with a chef's hat. I kind of expected a divey-scary biker bar, but when we walked in, it looked like something between Grandma's house (not my Grandma, just a Grandma) and an old west saloon/brothel. The Barbeque itself was pretty good, but it's hard to please a couple kids from Texas with Yankee barbeque. The sides were fantastic. We got some delicious home made mac and cheese (with some special cheese, but I can't remember what), fries (which tasted pretty much like fries), cornbread (in the shape of a skull to go along with the theme) and the best fried pickles I've ever had. They were something else. On weekends, there is a live band at Bone Heads, and I can only describe it as "lounge blues." It was just a guitar, bass, and drums, no vocals, and they played sort of light bluesy-jazzy music. It was really fun and the guitarist was quite good.

And that was my big, fun birthday week. I miss anything big, Kate?

Addendum: Swedish Chefs part II

There is a very important Swedish chef I left off my last post. Probably because I found it last night. This will only be funny AFTER watching the Regular Ordinary Swedish Meal Time.



I wish I had Swedish kids. They'd be so cute.

Swedish chefs

Well, it was my birthday this week. At some point I may or may not get around to talking about it. It was pretty fun.

Until then, I just wanted to talk about Swedes. Do you remember the Swedish chef?




Well, Swedish chefs have changed a bit since I was a kid.



Actually, with all the unintelligible yelling, the hitting stuff with stuff...maybe they haven't changed at all.

Video Dump

Well, life has been pretty busy lately and I've been neglecting you, dear readers.

So, to make it up to you, here are some of the youtube videos that have kept me busy.  Enjoy!