Category: garden

05/18/14 08:28 - ID#58994

Yard clean up

After getting home from work, (e:paul), (e:terry) and I worked on getting the garden beds cleaned up and ready. Terry mowed the lawn and trimmed the huge plant in the backyard, and Paul and I tilled and weeded the raised beds. We used the chipper to chop up the branches - it was fun.

Paul saving the baby lettuce

Terry tearing it up

We accidently uncovered a rabbits nest in one of the beds. I was so afraid we were going to find a baby rabbit massacre nearby. Thankfully they've already moved somewhere else in the yard.

Permalink: Yard_clean_up.html
Words: 114
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 05/19/14 09:22

Category: buffalo

05/18/14 08:27 - ID#58993

Church of the Ascension doors

(e:Paul) noticed the doors on the church of the Ascension turned red recently. They got rid of the nice solid hardwood doors and now are plasticy and red. Were they sold? What's left?

Permalink: Church_of_the_Ascension_doors.html
Words: 40
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 05/18/14 08:27

Category: programming

05/16/14 12:58 - ID#58984

Programming x in y

I found a really good resource for learning new languages, and getting a quick rundown on syntax, operands, logic etc with an example of each. I used it yesterday when I needed to write a Perl script for AutoCAD, but I found it really useful for getting a better hand on javascript.

Learn X in Y Minutes

The weirdest language I've ever seen is on there. It's called brainfuck

. Everything in brainfuck with only 8 commands is done by manipulating a pointer over a 30,000 cell array. The compiler for it can be only 200 bytes. Why does it exist? Keine Ahnung.

This, for example, will print out the letter A:

++++++ [ > ++++++++++ < - ] > +++++ .

Permalink: Programming_x_in_y.html
Words: 114
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 05/16/14 01:16

Category: work

05/15/14 07:50 - ID#58983

Watching mud dry

Yesterday I had to watch a mud puddle for an hour.

Work had me go out to some sprawly street in Hamburg for a septic system perc test. Basically, you dig holes in the ground, fill them with water, and measure how fast the water is absorbed, so you can design how big the septic system needs to be. It's as interesting as it sounds.

When I got there, the contractor was being a dick to me, for riding a bike there (I was early), for not knowing where to test (my boss said the contractor should know) - but I talked to him for a while, he got much nicer and apologized for being rude before.

On the positive side, I got to leave the office to ride my bike for 16 more miles, making 34 for the day). The weather was amazing. I still want another job.

Permalink: Watching_mud_dry.html
Words: 155
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 05/16/14 12:58

Category: bikes

05/15/14 07:47 - ID#58982

Bike week lunches

Every morning this week, Rick's, Campus Wheelworks and Sweetness 7 have been giving away bagged lunches for bike week. Very awesome. The Rick's bag reminds me of an elementary school lunch. The sandwich is a PB&J on a hamburger roll.

They also give you a coupon for a dollar off of anything at Cafe 59 for each day you get a lunch.

Permalink: Bike_week_lunches.html
Words: 67
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 05/15/14 09:38

Category: cars

05/13/14 12:59 - ID#58975

Goodbye car

Goodbye to this fucking car. I put about 1500 miles on it, 176 this year. my sister will use it more, but maybe I can get her on a bike.

Midnight took a visit.

After the car was gone, (e:terry) and I went out to go see Erica at Nietzchie's. We ended up missing her, but heard a few good people anyway plus the croaky frog lady.

I was talking to some guy named Miles, who when he heard the name Visco, immediately brought up estrip. Apparently he had gone to high school with (e:mike) (he always thought Mike had the hottest friends) and knew about (e:strip) because someone had posted about him 10 years ago. Small world.

Terry and I talked a lot about what other things I want to do. I still don't know but I do know I want to try something else.

Permalink: Goodbye_car.html
Words: 155
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 05/14/14 09:23

Category: house

05/12/14 12:19 - ID#58974

Amish life

(e:paul) got a little obsessed with the Amish while were down in Brushwood. Apparently Pennsylvania Dutch really means German, and they have their own crazy bastard dialect. Paul thinks we can learn it to profit off of the massive Amish economy. I'd like to get hoch Deutsch down first.

Sponsored by Monster?

When we got home we had our own Amish experience. The power went out on at least three different circuits in the back of the house, including the kitchen, living room and stove. Flipping the breakers did nothing, so who knows what is going on with the wiring. Getting ready for Mother's day was so fun with a fridge full of spoiled food, a dead dishwasher full of dirty dishes, and no oven or microwave, but we managed to pull it off.

Permalink: Amish_life.html
Words: 140
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 05/12/14 01:18

Category: deutsch

05/12/14 12:09 - ID#58973

Hörspiele

I've been trying to do immersion with everything German to practice my Deutsch,. I've been using these "Hörspiele" or radio plays from Tim Staffel. (e:paul) and (e:terry) met him at Paul's school in Jena, and had one of his CDs "Stopper". I did some googling and found another called "CB-Funker"

I can't always understand every word, so I last week I wrote him and asked for the texts to the ones I had. Awesomely, he wrote me back with both transcripts and his newest play.

It's crazy to think how accessible the internet makes language learning. Even 20 years ago I think your only resources for self-taught language learning was the library, and whatever media you could order in the mail. Now I can write a German author about a play he wrote 15 years ago and get the transcript of it almost immediately.

He wrote back:

Lieber Joe Herzig,
es freut mich sehr, dass Ihnen meine Hörspiele gefallen. Ich erinnere mich auch gut an Paul und Terry und denke sehr gern an sie zurück. Vielleicht können Sie sie ganz herzlich von mir grüßen.
Ich schicke Ihnen gern die Texte; sie sind urheberechtlich geschützt.
Der 'Stopper'-Text stimmt wahrscheinlich nicht gänzliich überein mit der Hörspiel-Version.
Ich schicke Ihnen noch ein zusätzliches Stück - Das verlorene Paradies - vielelicht gefällt es Ihnen auch. Das Hörspiel schicke ich via WeTransfer.
Ihr Deutsch ist super - 10x besser als mein Englisch ...
Herzlichen Gruß, Tim

Dear Joe,
I am very happy to hear that you like my radioplays. I remember Paul and Terry well and like to think back on them. Maybe you can give them my regards.
I am gladly sending you the texts, they are protected by copywrite. The "Stopper"-text is probably not the same as the radioplay version.
I am sending you an additional piece - Paradise Lost - maybe you like it too. That radioplay I send via WeTransfer.
Your German is super - 10x better than my English.
Best Regards,
Tim

Permalink: H_rspiele.html
Words: 355
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 05/12/14 02:59

Category: family

05/12/14 12:05 - ID#58972

Mother's Day dinner

After rushing back from camping we had to get ready to have Mother's Day dinner. We thought we just had to clean the messy house, but it turns out, the power in the kitchen and living room went out. Candlelight dinner anyone?

Luckily (e:mike) had bought the food and prepared some of it at his house, and we still had a stove. He definitely saved the day on that one.

(e:Paul) and Mike's parents came, and so did mine, plus Emily and Daniel. Everyone seemed to have a really good time. I was really happy at how great our familes got along.