Earth's Mightiest Linux Distros

Wow, it's been a long time since I've updated, hasn't it? Since my last post, I've started my sabbatical, bought a sweet new Apple computer set-up (which I'll blog about soon), learned that an ibuprofen-vicodin-melatonin-nap cocktail works great for killing migraines, and came across this in the latest issue of Marvel's The Mighty Avengers (#4):



Wait a minute. Is that...? Look a bit closer...



That's right, nerds! Lithuania's Plokstine Missile Base uses Ubuntu Linux. On the one hand, this is awesome publicity and just plain fun to see. On the other hand, with the speech balloon "Someone's hacked right into the system," maybe it's not such great publicity after all. ;)

Fortified With Eleven Essential Vitamins And Nutrients

I have certain friends who keep bitching about the fact that I never update my blog.

Now, were I a lesser man, I'd leave this post at that, and chuckle to myself at how funny I am. Instead, I'll tell you that my nose is healing nicely, I got a lovely 10% raise at work, and they now make Diet Coke that is good for you.





For those wondering, it tastes to me very much like normal Diet Coke. A little different, texture-wise; my friend Ed called it "smoother." It's as good a word as any.

I can BREATHE!

Only through my right nostril so far, though. I think those doctors are sitting on some crazy good decongestant sprays.

I even managed to sleep a more or less full night last night. Color me heartened! And, happily, still no pain. :)

Septa and turbinates and nasal valve repairs

Strangely, I'm feeling basically no pain, although I do have a lovely prescription for Vicodin. Mostly I'm just dribbling blood and unable to breathe through my nose, although the latter seems to be abating slightly -- hopefully entirely, soon. No pics, I'm afraid...just the hope that all this will turn out to have been worthwhile. The doctor said everything went perfectly, so my fingers are crossed!

Surgery and Sabbaticals

So, I've finally bitten the bullet and (tentatively) scheduled my septoplasty...I go under the knife on Friday, March 2. After that, I get a whole week off of work (woo-hoo) during which I can feel like crap. Oh, well. I'm still looking forward to being able to breathe properly.

In brighter news, I've also (nearly -- still need to turn the form in to HR) scheduled my sabbatical! July 2 through August 10. No idea what I'm going to do with it. I'm sure I'll spend some time with family, some time with friends, and some time slacking off all on my own and doing nothing. I should fly myself to Vegas or something for a week or two of debauchery. ;)

From the Makers of Willie's Angry Chicken comes...

...Willie's Angry Beef!



I thought I had chicken, but I was wrong. So, I cut up a couple of steaks and threw it in my wok with a truckload of veggies. I have never used so many veggies for this recipe in my life. The photo really doesn't do it justice. I had to improvise with making more sauce to cover it all, since I felt too lazy to measure everything out. A splash of soy sauce here, a few squirts of chili sauce there, and another generous splash of chili oil...and it worked out very well! Go me!

And now I'm stuffed and have a couple of meals' worth of leftovers. Couple this with my having actually gotten to the gym today (gasp!), and I've had a pretty productive day!

Deviant septum

Wow...it's been a while, huh? Sorry about that. I've never been good at keeping up with stuff like this. Oh, well!

So, the most recent big news with me: I've been diagnosed with a deviated septum. Fun! For those of you not in the know, the septum is the part of your nose that separates your two nostrils. Sometimes it becomes deviated, such that it horns in on one or the other of your nostrils, making it tough to breathe through your nose. I had a nasal endoscopy done the other day, wherein a small camera mounted on a thin tube was threaded up my nose, into my sinuses, and down my throat, all of which felt about the same way it sounds. Thanks to the monitor that was in front of me, I also know it's one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen.

Then, I got a CT ("cat") scan done today, which is kind of awesome, because now I know what my skull looks like. I think I can see my BRAIN. Check it.