I didn't watch the Super Bowl game last week. I'm not really a big footbal fan. I did, however, watch almost all the good Super Bowl commercials the day after on the Internet. The above one is among the best of the bunch.
I managed to get almost nothing done at work today. Wait, before anyone says it, I'll say it for you, "How's that different than any other day for you Erwin?" Well, I'll tell ya.
This might get boring for most of you so feel free to skip today's post. Our team is moving a distributed build system for both Xbox 360 and PS3... wait, no one wants to read that. I'll cut to the chase... I have all kinds of broken software on my work computer now which means I can't write any new code nor can I run the game properly.
I did, however, read some pretty interesting technical articles on our internal network. I also read the paper in our lounge and cleaned up my desk a bit.
Tomorrow, some guy named Nick Burns is coming down from IT to fiddle with my computer. It's going to take several hours to fix.
In the last six months, it seems like everyone I know is having or had a baby. David and Abigail. Nic and Marcia. My friend Pam and her husband. Two people at work. A third co-worker looks like she'll be giving birth any day now. Sarah O is also pregnant now. Babies abound.
Is it because I'm getting to that age where people are having babies? I don't know.
The biggest development in my life is that I now own two video game consoles. Maybe I'll go adopt a kid next week. If I get a kindergartner I'll be ahead of everyone else.
I received an e-mail from the facilities manager today informing that there will be a Wii waiting for me at company store tomorrow. It's my choice whether or not I buy it. Almost ashamedly, I am going purchase it.
Why the shame? I just got my Xbox 360 less than three months ago. Mind you, I got it free but I still shelled out some cash to get a new LCD, a VGA cable, Xbox Live account, and four games (all substantially less than retail). I feel lucky just to own one next-gen console and here I am about to get another.
As kick-ass as my LCD is, I pointed out in a previous post that there's no way to connect a Wii to it. My LCD has every high-def connection known to civilization, except for component, which is the only high-def connection the Wii has. I'll be playing it on a 4:3 standard-def 28" TV until I figure something out. I know this sounds petty but once you've seen 480p gaming and above, it's hard to go back.
So why am I getting it then? Well, everyone that has one has told me it's a lot of fun. I can believe it too. I've played it a few times at work. The most important reason behind the purchase is that the Wii just makes for more active gaming. I sat for 1.5 hr tonight playing 360. While it was entertaining, I sat here like a slug. With the Wii, you're swinging and moving around. People have documented real weight loss because of owning a Wii.
On the off-chance that I just find the Wii boring and that I prefer my 360, there's also a silver lining. I've decided I won't sell my Wii, I'm going to give it away to the BC Children's Hospital or Canuck Place. Actually, that's pretty dumb. If I keep my Wii, I'm going to make a charitable donation to either place because now I'll feel guilt if I keep it. Wait, did I just think aloud and write it all down in the last paragraph.
So, I'm getting a Wii tomorrow. Ok, so it's not the best way to spend $180 but oh well.
I had a bento box for dinner at work tonight. I left the takeout container on my desk. There were three people left working in my area when I went home. The lid is closed but I hope it doesn't smell.
Remaining in the box was a piece and a half of tempura, one California roll, some rice with teriyaki sauce on it, and some green salad. I wonder if this is gonna be a problem when I come in tomorrow morning.
I've been trying to debug an online problem in our game for the last three work days. I finally solved the problem today with the help of a guy that's about ten years younger than I am and about 10x as smart as I am. Turns out the problem was pretty stupid. I still feel like an idiot. Wait, am I even supposed to tell you the game is going to have online features?
I had to sit next to an older woman on the bus today. She smelled like a medicine cabinet. My patience is wearing thin with regard to my suburban bus route. Having to spend almost an hour a day in crowded bus full of seniors is getting old fast, no pun intended. Sometimes I look around and wonder if the bus is actually going downtown or we going to down to the casino down in Tulalip. Maybe up to Canada for cheap drugs? Oh wait, we're already in Canada.
I work with a guy who was the digital effects supervisor on The Chronicles of Naria. There are a lot of talented people on my team. I feel pretty lucky for a guy who grew up in Coquitlam and went to elementary school next to a trailer park.
Someone on my team just came back from vacation in New Zealand. I jokingly told her before she left that I wanted some macadamia nuts. On my desk this morning was a box of chocolate covered macadamia nuts. She bought them in the airport in Hong Kong. I'm gonna ask her to bring me back a large sum of money next time she goes on vacation.
Apparently, the White Spot restaurant along Georgia near GM Place is undergoing renovations. That's too bad since I was looking forward to have a BC burger platter.
This weekend featured a decent Saturday Night Live telecast. Hosting was Drew Barrymore, now a member of the five-timers club. Had Will Ferrell and Rachel Dratch been there, I am sure we would have seen a return to the Weshly Arms Hotel and the "hot-tub".
Instead, we were treated to some strong performances from Amy Poehler. She channeled Dakota Fanning in one skit. My favourite though was her potrayal of Jo-Jo, the scrappy country club valet who wanted to juggle Mrs. Sanderson's boobs. Too soon Jo-Jo! You can watch the skit here.
Finally, the show featured two marvelous musical performances from British artist, Lily Allen. The video above shows her singing Smile, which topped the charts in her native UK.
In my previous post, I'm attempted to elicit opinions on what to do with my EA stock once I get my first set of shares at the end of February. I got two answers from current EA stockholders, both of which told me to hold onto the shares for as long as possible.
I understand the holding on part but why for as long as possible? Wouldn't it make more sense to sell the shares once the stock price reaches an advantageous level? If I buy at $45 and the stock prices rises to $75, why wouldn't I sell? Unlike a savings account, shares can go up and down in value over time. The power of compounding interest and time doesn't factor into stocks. What about holding onto stock makes it better than selling when the price is high? Let's say I do hold onto my shares until I want to buy some property. What if at that time I need lots of money but my shares are actually worth less than what I paid for them?
I wish I had started to learn this stuff when I was in my early 20s.
