Still waiting

I'm still waiting to hear back from Answers in Genesis. I thought that I would hear before this, after they told me about training starting next week. But I haven't heard anything since my interview on Wednesday. :(

~Matt

Once was lost

But now found...Everything just showed up again this morning. I'd still like to know what happened, but I'm also happy to see everything restored.

~Matt

Google's Vanishing Act

When I woke up this morning and logged onto Google to take a look at my homepage there, all my settings were gone!  Then when I started to change things back the changes didn't save properly.  They were there for a bit, then disappeared again.

I've always enjoyed working with Google, because they do great work.  I wish I knew what had happened here.  I didn't have anything vital in my homepage--I usually just use it to take a quick glance at things.  But I don't remember where I got all of the widgets I had installed there.  :(

I just hope that nothing happens to my Google Reader settings.  I would be lost without all of my blogs and podcast feeds aggregated there.  And no, don't suggest some program, I use too many computers to use a program (I tried it).  And I don't have an iPod (and hate iTunes anyway).

I found a thread in one of Google's forums where many other people complained of the same thing today--so it wasn't just me.  At this point I just wish one of the Google blogs I read would mention the problem so I would know I wasn't truly crazy or alone.

~Matt

PS I'm still waiting to hear back from Answers in Genesis, though my second interview did go very well.

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

A recent conversation

Matt: [content redacted to prevent severe bodily harm to self]
Julie: [content redacted to prevent severe bodily harm to self]
Matt: [content redacted to prevent severe bodily harm to self]
Julie: thank you!
Matt: [content redacted to prevent severe bodily harm to self]
Julie: [content redacted to prevent severe bodily harm to self]
Matt: [content redacted to prevent severe bodily harm to self]
Julie: gasp!
Matt: What?
Julie: [content redacted to prevent severe bodily harm to self]
Matt: [content redacted to prevent severe bodily harm to self]
Julie: [content redacted to prevent severe bodily harm to self]
Matt: [content redacted to prevent severe bodily harm to self]
Julie: [content redacted to prevent severe bodily harm to self]

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Sounding better

I just got a call back from Answers in Genesis.  I'm to go in for a second interview tomorrow at 16:00.  It will be squeezed in between my two jobs, but the guy I just talked to did mention that training would start soon and that they would want to get me in (assuming they make me an offer).  I think I'll leave a note for my manager at bigg's tonight letting him know that I'm seriously looking for work and may be leaving there soon.  My other job I'll wait to talk to them as I want to wait until I have something definite.  I'm just not sure about timing and the traditional two week notice.  Technically I don't have to give it with a temp job, and I may have to go that route--but I'm not sure.  I'm not even sure I'll get a good offer at this point, so I just need to wait and see.

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

In Which I Borrow a Car

Doesn't that sound like a good episode or chapter title? Unfortunately it is true to life. My car wasn't doing so well as I started to drive home, with the brakes acting a bit strange. I called my brother-in-law for advice and he said to go ahead and come home, just go slow and keep back from other cars. I did this, but was still a bit nervous.

Today I borrowed his mom's car, and she said I could also use it tonight to get to bigg's. I'm not yet sure what tomorrow holds. I could borrow my brother-in-law's truck if I could drive stick, but unfortunately I cannot, and I don't really have enough time to learn. He did say that he would try to arrange for the repair shop he uses to take a look at my van. It has been abused greatly and I feel horrible for how it looks now compared to how nice it looked when my parents owned it.

Granted, it hasn't all been my fault, but still, I can't help but feel guilty, especially for the bit of damage I did cause by scraping the wall of my garage. But as my mom reminded me last night this is why I have a savings account. Of course unless you're saving for something special or a vacation you don't really want to spend that account--but sometimes you need to, and this will probably be one of those times.

~Matt

How high can you ply?

I'm just guessing here, but Sheryl Crow must not use one-ply toilet paper. She claims to have a great new idea to combat global warming. Here she is in her own words:

"I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting..." using "only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where two to three could be required."

Hmmm...right, and in which universe does Sheryl live? I can only assume that she must be talking of 15 or 20 ply paper here, but how would that be more environmental than using more squares of one or two ply?

This is just absurd! I did see this article directly on the BBC, but thanks to Michelle Malkin for bringing the news to my attention first.

~Matt
--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Divorced from the reality of math

Here is an article from Reuters on the rising use of British private eyes by those involved in divorce proceedings. Apparently marriage laws in the UK are much more lax than those in the US. As far as I can determine not only men and women are involved in these marriages. I don't know who or what the other parties are, but they must be there somewhere if the math is to be believed.

Of those who used a private investigator, 30 percent were women, while 19 percent were men, the survey shows.

If we take those numbers at face value only 49% of those involved were men OR women! I'd really like to know what the other 51% were!

~Matt

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Cravings of Normalcy

Could this day actually be normal? I'm not sure, but I hope that it turns into such. I was quite relaxed today--I even slept in. My nephew and I went to second service, as well as one other nephew that wanted to stick around for a second Sunday school class.

Then I spent the rest of the day enjoying myself, including fixing more strawberry shortcake for the rest of my sister's family and watching a movie with the nerfs (Flushed Away). Of course I'll have to do laundry tomorrow, but I am baking my bread right now and so things aren't that bad off.

For now I cry pardon for the lateness and brevity. I must needs slip off to bed. Thankee, sai.

~Matt

PS The Dark Tower? Why would you ask? You thinking I'm reading the comic series "The Gunslinger Born" to get back into the world of the Tower? Would I do such a thing?

Resistance is Futile

One of my nephews is spending the night tonight at my apartment. I always enjoy having time for this, though I had to work at bigg's last night so I had no chance then. Whenever my job situation improves I hope to have most nights free.

I told him that we could cook whatever dessert he could find in one of my cookbooks. It is an old alphabetical cookbook from Gold Medal Flour. I did deny one request to make a cake. Then he choose gingerbread cookies. I would have, but I noted that the dough had to set for 1-2 hours before you could continue--that was enough for him.

Finally he settled on strawberry shortcake. If I was in California I would probably have some fresh berries, but alas I did not. Therefore we drove to the nearest Kroger where I procured said berries along with a couple of other supplies. Then I came home, cooked the shortcake and we enjoyed a delicious dessert. Oh, just to whet your appetites here is a picture. Enjoy!

~Matt

Where was this when I was in college?

Inventors have created a soap infused with caffeine which helps users wake up in the morning.

The soap, called Shower Shock, supplies the caffeine equivalent of two cups of coffee per wash with the stimulant absorbed naturally through the skin, manufacturers say.

"Tired of waking up and having to wait for your morning (coffee) to brew?" ask the makers, thinkgeek.com.

Scented with peppermint oil, each bar is designed to provide a stimulant boost within five minutes.

- Reuters

This would have been great (minus the peppermint scent)!!  You could sleep in a few more minutes if you knew that your shower would wake you up that much faster!  ;-)

~Matt

--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero

Interview

Today I ventured out to the Answers in Genesis Creation Museum (nearing completion) for an interview. I think it went rather well for an initial interview. I have hopes that I'll be called back in for a second interview. I don't want to say too much (be too optimistic), but I'm quite hopeful now. Now to just pray that this is the open door God would have me go through (or that if it is to close I could at least avoid it hitting me in the face as I readjust, ;-)).

~Matt

Victory for life!

Thankfully the Supreme Court has upheld the Congressional partial-birth abortion ban!!

Observers say the decision reflects the recent addition to the court of two conservative justices appointed by President Bush.

Wonderful! Sounds great to me. Now if we can only get rid of Ginsberg and/or Stevens and replace them with more people that actually respect the Constitution.

The Bush administration has defended the law as drawing a line between abortion and what they say is infanticide.
But abortion rights groups say the decision is a blow that could threaten most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy.
They say the procedure is sometimes the safest for a woman.

Cry me a river. I hope it does threaten more abortions! They are ALL murder. But this is a good first step down a long road. Hopefully we can keep momentum going.

It is good to see some good news to balance out the horror of the Virginia school massacre. Of course when you look at things objectively I'm sure far more than 32 babies were mercilessly butchered on that same day in just the state of Virginia. So as much as I might dislike judicial review in practice this one instance is good in that the Court has given some power back to the rightful purview of the legislature.

~Matt

Assuming the worst

Reading named worst for families

When I saw the preceding headline by the BBC I immediately assumed the worst, that they were claiming that reading was bad for families.  Then I reconsidered and wondered if it was something that families weren't doing enough of (I'm sure that is true) and that thus current conditions were bad for families.

Then I started to read the article and it all made sense.  I do enjoy reading Commonwealth (UK, Australia, New Zealand) news, but some things do trip me up because I'm not familiar with them.  Place names are one of those, especially on a local level.  I know Manchester, or London, or Canberra, but smaller locales aren't quite so familiar.

A Berkshire town has been named the worst place in Britain to bring up a family, according to a new survey.
The Reader's Digest poll asked 1,000 parents to list the things that make for a family-friendly environment.
The researchers then ranked places on how they scored against the criteria - which included crime rates, good local hospitals and affordable housing.
Reading was last in 408th place, while Oxford was 399th. The Scottish district of East Dunbartonshire came top.

~Matt


--
"A room without books is as a body without a soul." -Cicero