The Taste of Betrayal

Carob chips were the 1980s anti-chocolate health craze, a mother's tool for disappointment dressed up as nutrition. Some sites still insist they deserve a spot in your pantry. No. No they do not.

Mapping

Rendering a map always starts out fun and easy, and then suddenly I'm reading about the Visvalingam-Whyatt simplification algorithm. The rub: simplify each state's polygon for a better frame rate and the borders stop lining up with their neighbors.

Unlimited PTO

As a contractor with zero paid vacation, I barely took time off. Now I can watch my PTO accrue at a glance, and somehow being given a specific limit makes me feel trapped by it. Human psychology is weird.

Alice Roosevelt: Paris Hilton of the 1800s?

Alice Roosevelt's father once said, "I can either run the country or I can attend to Alice, but I cannot possibly do both." In fifteen months she attended 407 dinners, 350 balls, and 300 parties. Why do I think Paris Hilton of the 1800s? Also: defenestration. Good word.

Kids & Personal Space

The baby drools like a fountain on one arm, the four year old has turned my legs into a jungle gym, and the six year old has claimed the rest of me. Kids help cure you of your silly need for personal space.

Happy Birthday!

My six-year-old wanted ice cream for her birthday, with a notary and UPS Store stop along the way. At both, strangers wished her happy birthday and she ate it up, gliding out with a polite "thank you." Who knew running errands could be so impactful?

Two Months of Blogging

Seven hundred posts over twenty years, several long hiatuses, and now two months back at it with a daily weekday habit. The goal is simple: keep it going for at least a year. If Roman Atwood can post daily, I can manage a paragraph with a moral.

Roast Duck

Roast duck isn't quite as spectacular as smoked, but it's still worth the effort. The real trick is finding a source for ducks big enough to make it pay off.

Elderly Programmer

A research project wants programmers over 35 to come forward. The premise lands a little too close to home. Ha ha ha ugh.

Caustic Realtors

Hunting for a rental, I called about a house vacant for months. The realtor barely answered, demanded I move in immediately, snapped "I bet you would!" when I offered to sign at once, then canceled our meeting with no explanation. I cannot figure out why this house hasn't rented.