Thoughts while I sit here in the computer lab:

• Was the sky just a little bluer this morning if you were a Bama fan, or was that just me?
• Is it okay to be happy with a 68 on a test if the class average was 50?
• You know, even though I haven’t used it all that much, I’m really glad I’ve got my cell phone.
• It’s almost November, and to me that signifies one big thing, at least: I can start listening to Christmas music again without feeling self-conscious.
• My sister and best friend are about to get their own houses, and I’m really having trouble not breaking the 10th commandment.
• The Burger King by the BCM is now closed down, and I am somewhat saddened by this.
• Then again, that means a lot more free parking for us for a while, anyway…
• In my free time (hah!), I’ve been working on making the site skinnable again…check out the ongoing process. Click one of the pictures at the top to change the skin.
• One of my term projects for a class is to make a four-player online Boggle game. I can’t tell you how much happier this makes me than the command-line editor project that we have in another class.
• Hasn’t the semester just flown by?

Why? Because the population of tiny lizards here is incredible. I see at least three of them run across the sidewalk as I ride my bike. My mom wouldn’t be able to keep her feet on the ground.

OutputStream consciousness = new OutputStream(Brandon);

• Here’s one that’ll keep you up at night, raised by a friend: when is one’s soul created?
• You know, Georgia’s a pretty good ball club this year.
• You know, Florida’s not.
• Brandon’s really simple weight loss plan: ride a bike for 30 minutes every day out of necessity.
• It was nice to clean my apartment this afternoon and see exciting sights again, like my couch and my living room floor.
• All right, I’ll ask: if Shaun Alexander got to play on ESPN Sunday night every week, wouldn’t he have every record in the book by now? Someone needs to make this happen.
• If you’d have told me that Bama would be 4-2 this year, with the losses coming to the #2 and #5 teams in the country by a total of 12 (and should really be 5) points even with the loss of our starting quarterback and running back and the looming sanctions, I’d have told you that Coach Fran should be a candidate for coach of the year. And yet I bet he doesn’t get a vote.
• My car’s coolant system is the worst EVER.
• Speaking of which, sign #134 that I’m getting old: my car’s 10 years old now, but when I say “a 1992 Blazer”, it doesn’t seem like it’s that old to me.
• I fully believe that unless you’re sick or injured, if you don’t intend to stay the entire game, even if your team is losing by 29 points in the fourth quarter, you don’t need to bother showing up in the first place.
• In the past two weeks, I have learned more about Java than I ever knew in the three and a half years previous.
• I haven’t played bridge in over a year, and I’m slowly going mad inside.
• The new NFL fantasy league commercial may be one of the funnier ones I’ve seen. “The perfect fantasy team. All kickers, baby!”
• I still can’t bring myself to wear an orange-based T-shirt yet. I don’t know if I ever will be able to.
• It’s down on the list, but one of the things that I miss about living with family is that the refrigerator’s never empty.
• My new front-runner for best purchase that I’ve made in the past year (edging out my $10 rainsuit): a new printer. It’s already paid for itself compared to the printing fees that I would have owed the CISE department had I printed everything I have in the labs…
• Get ready, Tennessee. The Tide’s coming to town on the 26th…after we take care of a little business at home.
• Much as I like wearing shorts and a T-shirt just about every day, I miss seasons. The high is less than 70 tomorrow in Tuscaloosa. Sigh…

One thing that I have a healthy respect for is the world of art. I’m not talking about actually understanding the meaning behind some of the pieces that have been created, although given enough time I can give you something more meaningful than the faux-classic “x, yet y” line that you always hear regarding the subjects of art and wine: “Bold, yet understated.”

I’m talking about just having the talent to draw the subjects in the first place. Whether it be a masterpiece or a comic strip, still life or portraits, city skylines or rustic scenes, it’s all amazing to me. Of course, I couldn’t draw my way out of a paper bag; maybe that has something to do with it.

There aren’t too many things that are more entertaining on television today than The Joy of Painting. Bob Ross is still the man.

They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. – John 16:2

Birmingham is one of a very few cities (Seattle’s the only other one that I can think of) that looks better under gray skies.

In no particular order of importance, just based on things that I’m thinking about right now:

• Fall foliage is God’s answer to fireworks. A much better answer, I think.
• One of the advantages of being unemployed is getting to learn so much new stuff. I’ve been learning XML and Javascript, and I’m actually helping Mozilla along by testing it some.
• The previous statement is not an indicator that I enjoy being unemployed.
• One of life’s certainties: when rounding a steep curve or crossing a narrow bridge, there will be a car coming in the opposite direction, passing you at the most dangerous point.
• I think that God’s lesson to me this fall has been patience. I’m pretty sure of this, actually.
• Alabama is a much better 3-4 team this year than last year, if that makes any sense.
• I miss my friends.

Okay, I’ve wondered this for at least four years now, since the movie Masterminds came out.

Who sings that song “Baby I’m Ready To Go”? Can anyone help me out with this one?

Seen on a gas station marquee on the road traveling home today:

“When the pressure’s on…press on!”