Hope y'all had a Merry Christmas! I have over an hour of Vlog footage to sift through, so that is what I am doing today so hopefully it shall be done and ready for upload by its normal Friday time. When I finish I shall come back and type a more detailed update.
Random Fact: The highest point in Pennsylvania is lower than the lowest point in Colorado.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Saturday, December 21, 2013
12-21-2013: This is the Last...
Time you will see the title in this format. To show my support for the adoption of a universal date-display, I shall, from this day forth, be using the format I have discovered to be much more practical and good -- at least on projects I am the head of. Also, the Vlog is a couple of days late this week due to a thing I had yesterday which I shall talk about on said Vlog. It should be up by tomorrow or Monday at the latest (assuming the Internet holds up)
Random Fact: I'm sure most of you are aware that apple seeds contain cyanide. But did you know that Almonds are also packed with it? Heating the almonds removes the poison, so anything cooked is ok, but don't go eating them off of trees.
Random Fact: I'm sure most of you are aware that apple seeds contain cyanide. But did you know that Almonds are also packed with it? Heating the almonds removes the poison, so anything cooked is ok, but don't go eating them off of trees.
Monday, December 9, 2013
12-9-2013: Catching Up
So I am currently trying to finish updating The William's Road Trip blog. Check it out!
Random Fact: I just had an epiphany: Pop music is like Pop corn: Almost all b(r)ands that came out before the 1960's are great, and may be consumed without regret. Although there are some post-60's b(r)ands that are awesome, and some that are pure poison, most range from pretty good to kind of bad, but can be consumed in moderation. For some it takes hours, for others minutes, but either way, if you consume too much you will spend the rest of that day wishing you had never heard of Pop and/or on the toilet. In extreme cases you can actually die.
Random Fact: I just had an epiphany: Pop music is like Pop corn: Almost all b(r)ands that came out before the 1960's are great, and may be consumed without regret. Although there are some post-60's b(r)ands that are awesome, and some that are pure poison, most range from pretty good to kind of bad, but can be consumed in moderation. For some it takes hours, for others minutes, but either way, if you consume too much you will spend the rest of that day wishing you had never heard of Pop and/or on the toilet. In extreme cases you can actually die.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
12-8-2013: Fun stuff
So the Vlog has taken up all my time this week, so here's a quick post telling y'all to watch the Vlog. Hopefully I can adjust to this between-NaNoWriMo world soon so I can get up earlier and do more things.
Random Fact: The least financially successful Harry Potter film made more money the most successful Twilight film.
Random Fact: The least financially successful Harry Potter film made more money the most successful Twilight film.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
11-30-2013: It is Finished...Kind of
Well, today is the last day of NaNoWriMo, and I hit 50,000 a couple of days ago, but my novel only about halfway finished. I'm going to try and stick to schedule of posting on this blog every Saturday in the month of December, and see if that works out. Now that NaNoWriMo is over, I might actually start doing things again and have something to write about!
Random Fact: A 2012 Gallup Poll concluded that the most despised country in South Korea is Japan, with 44.1% of people surveyed putting it at the top of the list. North Korea only topped 11.7% of the Koreans' list of disliked countries. South Koreans also have bullfights, but their's pit bull against bull in an epic fight until one of them surrenders. read more about it here
Random Fact: A 2012 Gallup Poll concluded that the most despised country in South Korea is Japan, with 44.1% of people surveyed putting it at the top of the list. North Korea only topped 11.7% of the Koreans' list of disliked countries. South Koreans also have bullfights, but their's pit bull against bull in an epic fight until one of them surrenders. read more about it here
Sunday, November 24, 2013
11-24-2013: Trust me...
This novel will be awesome.
Random Fact: The original Play Station had only 2 MB of RAM -- but that is still 512 times the amount of in Apollo 11's guidance computer. In other words, it takes more than 500 times the memory to play Final Fantasy VII than it took to get to the moon -- and that is still less than 1% of the memory required for modern video games.
Random Fact: The original Play Station had only 2 MB of RAM -- but that is still 512 times the amount of in Apollo 11's guidance computer. In other words, it takes more than 500 times the memory to play Final Fantasy VII than it took to get to the moon -- and that is still less than 1% of the memory required for modern video games.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Friday, November 8, 2013
11-8-2013: Did I say Daily...?
I meant weekly....Check out the VLOG!
Random Fact: At Marineland in Ontario, Canada, an Orca taught itself to catch seagulls by barfing a fish out onto a nearby ledge, then hiding underwater until a gull came to eat said fish. Then the whale would jump out and consume the bird. Not only has this Orca begun to hunt airborne creatures, it also taught all the other Orcas in the facility to do the same thing! More awesome Orca facts can be found here.
Monday, November 4, 2013
11-4-2013: I May Just Do It This Time Around....
After nearly three months, I have finally returned to the text-based blogosphere.
Since August, I have made several big(ish) changes. First and foremost, I decided not to go to Film School, because after further research I confirmed what I was somewhat worried about: that you do not really learn anything in film school that ye cannot teach yourself on the outside for much cheaper -- that is, if ye are dedicated enough to learn, and if ye are not dedicated enough, ye probably would not succed in the biz anyway. The only real advantage to going to school is the contacts you make, but there are really only two types of contacts: the ones that ye go to class with, and the ones that will give ye an "in". These latter types are almost always only found at the big schools like UCLA, and meeting them really only prepares ye for about a dozen years of slaving away in the lower levels of LA before getting a chance to move up in the Hollywood machine. They are *usually* of no help in independent film-making, which is what I want to do -- except in the gathering of experience, but that comes at the cost of sacrificing your time and/or soul to Hollywood. The former type of contacts -- your classmates, people that will be probably close to you and learning skills that you can later put to use making films in the real world -- are very useful, but with the internet and time I can find good people to work with without spending nearly $60,000 to do it.
But I had already lined everything up to leave Wal-mart before coming to this decision, so that led to the second major change. Even though I had decided not to go to film school, I went ahead and left Wal-mart's employ. I just got really tired of it so since I had everything set up to quit anyway, I went ahead and left. I do still have some plans though:
NOW my plan was to apply and go get a Master's Degree in Engineering, but I have nowhere near the requirements for that, so I settle for a second Bachelor's. I was thinking of doing Engineering from the beginning, but went with the Humanities because is a much easier degree to complete quickly, then I figured with my degree I could get a job and just learn more on the side. That failed. To get almost all of the jobs I wanted, they wanted you to either have a degree, or several years of experience, so I guess I have to get the degree. So I was going to apply this month so I could start in September of 2014, but I have to take additional SAT tests before applying, and I will not be ready to take these tests in time to apply before the January deadlines. Therefore, I am going to spend this next year doing Maths and Science stuff so I can take the SAT's hopefully in May 2014, then apply around September so I can get in the Fall of 2015.
Because I now have about 2 more years of free time, I am probably going to go back on the RV trip after Thanksgiving, and maybe do some other stuff as well. Besides schoolwork, for November I am participating in NaNoWriMo. The National Novel Writing Month is a time when you are encouraged to write at least 50,000 words of a brand new novel. So I am trying -- and so far succeeding in -- that quest. I also recently started a weekly Vlog. I will be filming Week #3 today, and I try to post them on Tuesday, but last week my editing software was giving me issues, so exact dates may vary. Thirdly, I have finally broken down and gotten a Twitter account, which ye can check out by clicking here, BUT BE WARNED! Your perfect image of me as a rational human being may be forever lost upon observing such drivel as I post there.
All this productivity has been a result of the establishment of my Schedule, which was made possible by my no longer having such odd work hours due to my job. Although the schedule has not been 100% kept every day, it has generally helped me to stay on track and has increased overall productivity by at least 75%, therefore I should now be able to post at least a short blog post every day, since I have incorporated this time into my daily routine, but we shall see.
Random Fact: The combined RAM of the 61,900,000 Nintendo Entertainment System units sold, is about 118 GB, or the equivalent of 59 Wii U's. The combined weight of all these NES's is roughly equal to that of 448 blue whales. [source]
Since August, I have made several big(ish) changes. First and foremost, I decided not to go to Film School, because after further research I confirmed what I was somewhat worried about: that you do not really learn anything in film school that ye cannot teach yourself on the outside for much cheaper -- that is, if ye are dedicated enough to learn, and if ye are not dedicated enough, ye probably would not succed in the biz anyway. The only real advantage to going to school is the contacts you make, but there are really only two types of contacts: the ones that ye go to class with, and the ones that will give ye an "in". These latter types are almost always only found at the big schools like UCLA, and meeting them really only prepares ye for about a dozen years of slaving away in the lower levels of LA before getting a chance to move up in the Hollywood machine. They are *usually* of no help in independent film-making, which is what I want to do -- except in the gathering of experience, but that comes at the cost of sacrificing your time and/or soul to Hollywood. The former type of contacts -- your classmates, people that will be probably close to you and learning skills that you can later put to use making films in the real world -- are very useful, but with the internet and time I can find good people to work with without spending nearly $60,000 to do it.
But I had already lined everything up to leave Wal-mart before coming to this decision, so that led to the second major change. Even though I had decided not to go to film school, I went ahead and left Wal-mart's employ. I just got really tired of it so since I had everything set up to quit anyway, I went ahead and left. I do still have some plans though:
NOW my plan was to apply and go get a Master's Degree in Engineering, but I have nowhere near the requirements for that, so I settle for a second Bachelor's. I was thinking of doing Engineering from the beginning, but went with the Humanities because is a much easier degree to complete quickly, then I figured with my degree I could get a job and just learn more on the side. That failed. To get almost all of the jobs I wanted, they wanted you to either have a degree, or several years of experience, so I guess I have to get the degree. So I was going to apply this month so I could start in September of 2014, but I have to take additional SAT tests before applying, and I will not be ready to take these tests in time to apply before the January deadlines. Therefore, I am going to spend this next year doing Maths and Science stuff so I can take the SAT's hopefully in May 2014, then apply around September so I can get in the Fall of 2015.
Because I now have about 2 more years of free time, I am probably going to go back on the RV trip after Thanksgiving, and maybe do some other stuff as well. Besides schoolwork, for November I am participating in NaNoWriMo. The National Novel Writing Month is a time when you are encouraged to write at least 50,000 words of a brand new novel. So I am trying -- and so far succeeding in -- that quest. I also recently started a weekly Vlog. I will be filming Week #3 today, and I try to post them on Tuesday, but last week my editing software was giving me issues, so exact dates may vary. Thirdly, I have finally broken down and gotten a Twitter account, which ye can check out by clicking here, BUT BE WARNED! Your perfect image of me as a rational human being may be forever lost upon observing such drivel as I post there.
All this productivity has been a result of the establishment of my Schedule, which was made possible by my no longer having such odd work hours due to my job. Although the schedule has not been 100% kept every day, it has generally helped me to stay on track and has increased overall productivity by at least 75%, therefore I should now be able to post at least a short blog post every day, since I have incorporated this time into my daily routine, but we shall see.
Random Fact: The combined RAM of the 61,900,000 Nintendo Entertainment System units sold, is about 118 GB, or the equivalent of 59 Wii U's. The combined weight of all these NES's is roughly equal to that of 448 blue whales. [source]
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a free-thinking human being, unfettered by the chains of Corporate America, and therefore is no longer in need of a disclaimer.
Monday, August 12, 2013
8-12-2013: Back News
Well....
I have not exactly been good about keeping this up have I? But here is the news since last I wrote:
I transferred from Truth or Consequences back to Temecula, so I am back in my old house. The Walmart here is very different from the other and not really in a good way. Firstly, all the registers are the newfangled touch-screen kind, which are nice because they list the items rung up on the screen so I do not have to print a receipt every time a customer has a question or I wonder if I accidentally rang something twice. On the other hand, the large computer screen gives me a headache when I wear my glasses, which I have to do to read the screen well unless I get real close and look like a weird hunchback, and they have this one stupid and somewhat dangerous feature: On the older registers like the majority of the ones in T or C, when the transaction is done the person can pay with Credit, Debit, Cash, Check, et cetera, but they do not have to put the full amount on one tender, i.e. they could put like $10 on one debit card, $10 on another, and the rest in cash. They can still do this on the touch-screen kind, but I have to be careful because I have to make sure to hit the button for Credit/Debit under the OTHER tab instead of the one that is on the main tab! Even if I type in that the customer wants to pay $10 on Debit, if I accidentally hit the Debit on the main tab instead of the other tab, it will charge the full amount to the Debit card instead of just the $10. This could potentially overdraft their account and that is not good. WHY DOES IT DO THIS?!?
Also the WIC stuff works differently here in California, or at least at this Walmart. In T or C, when a customer pays with WIC -- a government program that allows women with children under 5 to get certain foodstuffs for free -- all they have to do is insert their card, I hit the WIC button, then the computer takes all the eligible items off their total. It can be problematic because the parameters of what is and is not eligible are very strict (e.g., they can get a gallon of milk, but only if it is certain brand, and they can get bread, but only whole wheat of certain brands and sizes), and it sometimes takes a while for me to deduce which items did not work when the customer does not have any actual money and therefore only buys WIC stuff, but all in all it is very simple. Here the WIC is still on paper. This means that I have to take the paper from the person, check to insure that all the items match those that are on the list, make sure to hit the WIC button BEFORE scanning anything, scan the things, then hit the WIC button again, then write the date & total on the WIC check, then put it in the check machine like a normal check. CALIFORNIA! WHY U SO OLD FASHIONED?!?! On top of the extra steps, unlike in NM where it will take the eligible items off then make the customer pay for the rest, it SAYS it pays for the entire order, and the customer gets everything for free, but when the Walmart people send the checks into the government to get reimbursed, the government does not pay for the ineligible items and we just have to take the loss. Apparently, this is a big problem here as several cashiers mentioned getting lectured on letting people out with the wrong things.
Apart from those two big complaints, the store is pretty much the same except that I get little to no cell service in the break room, so I cannot call anybody while on lunch unless I go outside and there are so many more people, and it is like actually working for a big company because there are so many rooms in the back room and the managers do not seem as nice, though the Personnel people do seem nicer than the previous one, who was already pretty nice. But I am closer to (almost) everybody I know, and there is much more stuff that needs doing in this town and around this house, so when I am not at work it is altogether better. Perhaps once I get to know some people and adjust to the ridiculous registers it will be better, but only time will tell.
Random Fact: White Castle is America's oldest & 1st Hamburger joint.
I have not exactly been good about keeping this up have I? But here is the news since last I wrote:
I transferred from Truth or Consequences back to Temecula, so I am back in my old house. The Walmart here is very different from the other and not really in a good way. Firstly, all the registers are the newfangled touch-screen kind, which are nice because they list the items rung up on the screen so I do not have to print a receipt every time a customer has a question or I wonder if I accidentally rang something twice. On the other hand, the large computer screen gives me a headache when I wear my glasses, which I have to do to read the screen well unless I get real close and look like a weird hunchback, and they have this one stupid and somewhat dangerous feature: On the older registers like the majority of the ones in T or C, when the transaction is done the person can pay with Credit, Debit, Cash, Check, et cetera, but they do not have to put the full amount on one tender, i.e. they could put like $10 on one debit card, $10 on another, and the rest in cash. They can still do this on the touch-screen kind, but I have to be careful because I have to make sure to hit the button for Credit/Debit under the OTHER tab instead of the one that is on the main tab! Even if I type in that the customer wants to pay $10 on Debit, if I accidentally hit the Debit on the main tab instead of the other tab, it will charge the full amount to the Debit card instead of just the $10. This could potentially overdraft their account and that is not good. WHY DOES IT DO THIS?!?
Also the WIC stuff works differently here in California, or at least at this Walmart. In T or C, when a customer pays with WIC -- a government program that allows women with children under 5 to get certain foodstuffs for free -- all they have to do is insert their card, I hit the WIC button, then the computer takes all the eligible items off their total. It can be problematic because the parameters of what is and is not eligible are very strict (e.g., they can get a gallon of milk, but only if it is certain brand, and they can get bread, but only whole wheat of certain brands and sizes), and it sometimes takes a while for me to deduce which items did not work when the customer does not have any actual money and therefore only buys WIC stuff, but all in all it is very simple. Here the WIC is still on paper. This means that I have to take the paper from the person, check to insure that all the items match those that are on the list, make sure to hit the WIC button BEFORE scanning anything, scan the things, then hit the WIC button again, then write the date & total on the WIC check, then put it in the check machine like a normal check. CALIFORNIA! WHY U SO OLD FASHIONED?!?! On top of the extra steps, unlike in NM where it will take the eligible items off then make the customer pay for the rest, it SAYS it pays for the entire order, and the customer gets everything for free, but when the Walmart people send the checks into the government to get reimbursed, the government does not pay for the ineligible items and we just have to take the loss. Apparently, this is a big problem here as several cashiers mentioned getting lectured on letting people out with the wrong things.
Apart from those two big complaints, the store is pretty much the same except that I get little to no cell service in the break room, so I cannot call anybody while on lunch unless I go outside and there are so many more people, and it is like actually working for a big company because there are so many rooms in the back room and the managers do not seem as nice, though the Personnel people do seem nicer than the previous one, who was already pretty nice. But I am closer to (almost) everybody I know, and there is much more stuff that needs doing in this town and around this house, so when I am not at work it is altogether better. Perhaps once I get to know some people and adjust to the ridiculous registers it will be better, but only time will tell.
Random Fact: White Castle is America's oldest & 1st Hamburger joint.
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Friday, July 19, 2013
7-19-2013: Transfer News
Yesterday I put in my transfer request. She said that it should be approved by my manager(s), and then it will be up to the stores that I applied to to decide if they want me, then it will be done. Today I shall be making some calls so I can tell the stores which jobs I would prefer. But now I must go to work, so we shall see what happens.
Random Fact: If ye folded a piece of standard paper 42 times, the stack would be high enough to reach the moon. (Ye can try it if you want, but They tell me it is impossible to fold a piece of paper in half more than 7 times.)
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Random Fact: If ye folded a piece of standard paper 42 times, the stack would be high enough to reach the moon. (Ye can try it if you want, but They tell me it is impossible to fold a piece of paper in half more than 7 times.)
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
7-18-2013: GAH!
Funny how the moment I give out the address to this blog, I stop posting and forget to do so for nearly a fortnight. Some news: Earlier this week I had a three-day weekend, so Mum and I went up north to see some sites. I will be posting those on the Other Blag as soon as I get around to it. Also, I am (hopefully) going to be transferring to a different Walmart soon, and will be setting that process in motion today. Somewhere around the Temecula area, but not sure exactly where or it any of them will take me. Other than that I have just been working and eating and sleeping mostly, watching Nexflix & Youtube in spare times -- trying to keep up with my Bible reading as well. And I have also written a few stories for my Film School application, as I have to send in a creative portfolio along with all my other stuff. If ye want to read my stories, leave me a comment and I shall send them to ye. I also may post them on here when they are all finished up, but that depends on how much I like the finished products.
Random Fact: I every person on Earth moved to South Africa, the population density would still be less than the present density of Tokyo. Or, they could all move to West Virginia and cause a population density roughly equal to present-day Tokyo. HERE are some interesting maps if ye are interested in seeing some more density comparisons.
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Random Fact: I every person on Earth moved to South Africa, the population density would still be less than the present density of Tokyo. Or, they could all move to West Virginia and cause a population density roughly equal to present-day Tokyo. HERE are some interesting maps if ye are interested in seeing some more density comparisons.
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
7-6-2013: Day Off
Today was one of my days off and so I Skyped with friends and cleaned, then went to bed early.
Random Fact: Today I started a new blog that shall exist alongside this one. The new blog mostly concerns the crazy stuff I create in the kitchen, but also handles other topics as well. It will not be regularly updated, so if it interests ye, please subscribe so ye will not miss an update.
Random Fact: Today I started a new blog that shall exist alongside this one. The new blog mostly concerns the crazy stuff I create in the kitchen, but also handles other topics as well. It will not be regularly updated, so if it interests ye, please subscribe so ye will not miss an update.
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Friday, July 5, 2013
7-4-2013: Book Review #2: Michael Strogoff, by Jules Verne
Michael Strogoff: The Courier of the Czar is the story of Michael Strogoff, who is a courier of the Russian Czar Alexander II, and his perilous journey across Siberia. At the opening of the story, the Tartars are rebelling against the powers in Moscow. Irkutsk, the capital of Western Siberia, is in danger of siege from the Tartar armies. Although Irkutsk is a fortified city that is built to withstand long sieges, there is another danger: A Russian army officer has turned traitor and joined the Tartars. The Czar knows this, but the governor of Irkutsk has no knowledge of the fact. Therefore, the Czar must get a message across the nearly 3,000 miles of wilderness separating Irkutsk from Moscow -- but the advancing armies have cut the telegraph lines! Enter the courier: a man described as having coolness, intelligence, and courage. A man who can "bear cold, hunger, thirst, fatigue, to the very last extremes." With a "frame of iron" and a "heart of gold" Michael Strogoff sets off to warn Irkutsk of its impending doom. As he journeys he meets many interesting characters and faces many perils. I will not spoil the surprises, but I highly recommend this book.
As a word of warning: Jules Verne never went to Russia, but the descriptions of Russian life and geography are very accurate -- for the most part. The Tartar rebellion of the mid-1800's is totally fictional, as Moscow had solidified its power quite securely by the end of the Middle Ages. Also, a few details -- such as the size of the oil industry around Irkutsk, are exaggerated. Despite these inaccuracies, it is still a very entertaining and education work
In my final assessment, I have placed this book as tied for my Top Fictional Literature Work of All Time (Read Since 10-1-2008), but unlike the other two books tied with it, I recommend Michael Strogoff to all who enjoy tales of adventure. (I say it that way because when recommending my other two favorite books, I have to say "I recommend Moby Dick & Robinson Crusoe, but Melville takes these random tangents from time to time, and Defoe describes some of the routines in such excruciating detail, they nearly triple the length of the book, and those hoping for a straight up tale may become bored.)
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
7-1-2013: RAINSTORM
Today was pretty much uneventful and normal except for two things: First, they had me help unload one of the trucks again, and second there was a considerable thunderstorm. There was a thunderstorm yesterday, but it was just an average thunderstorm where it rained off and on for a couple of hours and then stopped. Today's storm was amazing. It started like normal and then, suddenly and without warning, the rain begin to deluge down from the heavens. Wind was blowing and the rain was coming so hard that the Walmart's doors went into lock-down, and ye could not even see out of them because the rain was coming down so thick and hard. It only lasted about ten minutes, but in that time about an inch of water seeped through the doors and into the entry way -- and that was with the doors shut! It also knocked out the power, so for a while the registers and main lights did not work. It was cool.
Random Fact: The state of Wyoming is named after the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania. Also, in an average lifetime, a person will walk a distance approximately equal to walking around the equator of the Earth -- five times.
Random Fact: The state of Wyoming is named after the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania. Also, in an average lifetime, a person will walk a distance approximately equal to walking around the equator of the Earth -- five times.
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Friday, June 28, 2013
6-28-2013: Book Review No. 1
Today I though it would be a good idea to do book/movie reviews for anything I read/watched. Therefore, although they are technically two books, I shall do a review of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, which I finished recently. Both of the books were written by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson -- a.k.a. Lewis Carroll -- and follow the adventures of the child Alice in strange and fantastical worlds. Although they are about the same girl, there is really no connection between the events of the first book and the events of the second.
I think for these book reviews I shall not dwell to long on the plot (for reasons a) there was not really a plot for the first book, and b) Spoilers), but I shall give a brief, non-spoiling summary. Alice in Wonderland is about when Alice follows the White Rabbit down a hole and has a bunch of weird adventures. As I mentioned above, there is really no plot other than "Ohh, what's over here?" It was alright and neat, but it seemed to me boring and not that interesting or funny, but I could see a child enjoying it.
Through the Looking Glass was, in my opinion, better. It has Alice enter a strange world -- never was it implied to be the same one from the other book -- and have more strange adventures. It actually had a discernible plot, as this world is a sort of chessboard, and Alice is trying to cross it. I found it the funnier and more enjoyable of the two.
As a final assessment, I put Alice and Through at #53 & #47 of my "Top 100 Fictional Literature Works of All Time (Read Since 10-1-2008)" List. Now I am reading Michael Strogoff, by Jules Verne, and I shall review that when I finish.
Random Fact: On August 12th, 2007, the home of the historic Mary Sawyer was burned by an arsonist. She is the person that the rhyme "Mary had a Little Lamb" is based on.
I think for these book reviews I shall not dwell to long on the plot (for reasons a) there was not really a plot for the first book, and b) Spoilers), but I shall give a brief, non-spoiling summary. Alice in Wonderland is about when Alice follows the White Rabbit down a hole and has a bunch of weird adventures. As I mentioned above, there is really no plot other than "Ohh, what's over here?" It was alright and neat, but it seemed to me boring and not that interesting or funny, but I could see a child enjoying it.
Through the Looking Glass was, in my opinion, better. It has Alice enter a strange world -- never was it implied to be the same one from the other book -- and have more strange adventures. It actually had a discernible plot, as this world is a sort of chessboard, and Alice is trying to cross it. I found it the funnier and more enjoyable of the two.
As a final assessment, I put Alice and Through at #53 & #47 of my "Top 100 Fictional Literature Works of All Time (Read Since 10-1-2008)" List. Now I am reading Michael Strogoff, by Jules Verne, and I shall review that when I finish.
Random Fact: On August 12th, 2007, the home of the historic Mary Sawyer was burned by an arsonist. She is the person that the rhyme "Mary had a Little Lamb" is based on.
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
6-27-2013: Inventory Day!
I have been working some overtime lately as today was inventory day and everything needed to be neat. I have just been working and reading and stuff, so nothing really to report.
Random Fact: If written out as a single line in 12pt. font, the Game of Thrones books would cross the English Channel.
Random Fact: If written out as a single line in 12pt. font, the Game of Thrones books would cross the English Channel.
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
6-22-2013: All is Quiet
I keep forgetting to blog because nothing out of the ordinary has happened at work, so I usually just go to bed. Yesterday we went and saw Monster's University at the local movie theater: El Cortez. Although we did see another movie here, I did not mention it before and I want to tell ye about it. It was built in the 1941 and is as if it has never been remodeled, even though it was when it re-opened in 1995 after many years of being shut down. It has a capacity of 580 in the only one theater. This is a little misleading, as there are less than 200 actual seats -- everyone else just sits on the floor or stands in the back. It also only has four showtimes a week: 1900 Friday, Saturnday, Sunday, and 1400 on Saturnday. It shows a different movie every weekend. El Cortez is run by a guy & his wife, and they -- with help from two children who I assume are theirs when the crowds get big -- do all the work. It seems an interesting anachronism in this day and age, but I think it is cool that these sort of places still exist.
Random Fact: Although this is not really something I learned just today, I was thinking and it hit me and seems really weird: Due to the fact that we do not begin storing memories until about age 4.5, and due the fact that the September 11th attacks happened in 2001: The majority of 15 year-old children have no memory of 9/11.
Random Fact: Although this is not really something I learned just today, I was thinking and it hit me and seems really weird: Due to the fact that we do not begin storing memories until about age 4.5, and due the fact that the September 11th attacks happened in 2001: The majority of 15 year-old children have no memory of 9/11.
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
6-18-2013: YAWN
Sorry about that. Just as I was adjusting to the new hours, they started switching them up, so I have been rather tired. For instance, today I work 1400-2300 again, but tomorrow I work 0600 to 1400, so I will be lucky if I can get a decent sleep. The job itself is not too bad, and I can take a nap during my lunch break, but still I am tired when I get up and want to sleep as soon as I get back. Hopefully I can adjust to having less than five hours of sleep soon so I can continue to blog on a regular basis.
Random Fact: Liquid tungsten is so hot, if you dropped into a lava flow, the lava would freeze the tungsten.
Random Fact: Liquid tungsten is so hot, if you dropped into a lava flow, the lava would freeze the tungsten.
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
6-13-2013: Technically, this is a Post for the Twelfth
The Human Mind is a weird thing. They rescheduled me, so that instead of working 0800-1700, I worked 0900-1800. Although I got an extra hour of sleep, I had to go to bed an hour later the night before due some things i had to get done, so I got the same amount of sleep. Despite this fact, I felt much more refreshed waking up at 0600 than waking up at 0500. Anyhow, I worked another uneventful day, then they told me to come in from 1400-2300 today, and every day through Saturnday, so today -- and probably for the rest of the week -- I shall be posting the post for the day before the morning after, capite?
By the by, according to a recent study, 52% of Americans believe that doing one's taxes is easier than figuring out how to eat healthy. Perhaps it is because some healthy foods like the Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad -- which is worse for you body than having a Big Mac with a medium Coke -- and Yoplait yogurt -- which has approximately twice as much sugar per serving than Lucky Charms -- is a LIE. Also, the Twinkies "cream" filling is mostly made from Crisco and paper cuts can be healed by applying chap-stick.
By the by, according to a recent study, 52% of Americans believe that doing one's taxes is easier than figuring out how to eat healthy. Perhaps it is because some healthy foods like the Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad -- which is worse for you body than having a Big Mac with a medium Coke -- and Yoplait yogurt -- which has approximately twice as much sugar per serving than Lucky Charms -- is a LIE. Also, the Twinkies "cream" filling is mostly made from Crisco and paper cuts can be healed by applying chap-stick.
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Monday, June 10, 2013
6-10-2013: My Weekend in Summary
Yesterday and today were my days off and Mum went to work, so I hung out and worked a little on my math, but mostly just hung around the RV. I was very tired, as evidenced by the fact that I slept through my alarm on Sunday and was not up in time for church! I did a little cleaning and some mathematics work, but mostly just relaxed in the heat and tried to catch up on some of my TV shows and finish all the perishable foods.
Random Fact:
Today is the anniversary of the 1977 debut of the Apple II. With a price tag of $1,298 for a 1 MHz processor, 4 KB of RAM, and a built-in audiocassette interface, it was one of the first successful "microcomputers". For comparison, the iPhone 5 has a price of around $200 for a 1,000 MHz processor and 1,048,576 KB of RAM. 36 years is a very long time to computers.
Random Fact:
Today is the anniversary of the 1977 debut of the Apple II. With a price tag of $1,298 for a 1 MHz processor, 4 KB of RAM, and a built-in audiocassette interface, it was one of the first successful "microcomputers". For comparison, the iPhone 5 has a price of around $200 for a 1,000 MHz processor and 1,048,576 KB of RAM. 36 years is a very long time to computers.
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
6-8-2013: Saturday at Wal-Mart as a Chashier -- Oy Vey
Apparently, Saturday is the day everybody comes to Wal-Mart in Truth Or Consequences. I did not have a single break in the customers until my lunch at 1155. After lunch it began to slow down so they had me round up carts from the parking lot. This made me very hot, but they had some chilled water for us afterwords. Then I finished up the day at the register and came back to Pampero.
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Friday, June 7, 2013
6-7-2013: My REAL Real First Day!
This was the first day that I actually used a cash register, so it was sort of my REAL first day, even though I have be accruing pay since Tuesday. I think it went well; no one got very mad and some people complimented my service and 'stache. My lower shoulders are a little sore still, and my feet feel like I have been standing around for eight hours, but other than that I am good. I think I will like this, but it remains to be seen if it will be merely tolerable or actually enjoyable.
Random Fact: Officially, the Penny is called the "One-Cent Piece". We call it a penny because that was the British term for the coin, and the newly freed colonists just kept calling the one-cent piece "Penny" out of habit. The first American pennies were about the size of today's half-dollar and were made from solid, 100% copper.
Random Fact: Officially, the Penny is called the "One-Cent Piece". We call it a penny because that was the British term for the coin, and the newly freed colonists just kept calling the one-cent piece "Penny" out of habit. The first American pennies were about the size of today's half-dollar and were made from solid, 100% copper.
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
6-6-2013: My First Real Day at Work -- It was alot less tiring than yesterday.
Today I went to work, but spent all day completeing Computer-Based Learning modules, and therefore did little in the way of 'real' work. The CBL's were tiring though, because they were audio based and the people spoke rather slowly. Had they been text based, I could have been done before lunch with time to spare, but as it stands it took me all my eight hours to do them, and I may have to do some more tomorrow. We shall see.
Random Fact: The word "Baroque" -- as in Baroque music or architecture -- comes from the Portuguese term for a misshapen or irregular pearl.
Disclaimer: The above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
6-5-2013: Weary and Footsore, our Hero Returns to a Well-Earned Rest.
Good day world! Although yesterday was the first I went to my work, it was just my orientation; I did not actually do any work. It was fun, but most of the excitement would be lost in the translation from reality to text. Today was also not (technically) my first day of work -- that will be tomorrow -- but they are so short-staffed that they asked if all the new hires would come in and help out today, so I did. I mostly bagged groceries, but also helped the Back Room Boys unload a shipment. It was fun, but rather tiring. My shoulders are sore from bagging, but it is not too bad. My co-workers seem fun and nice, and I think it will be an enjoyable experience. Then I came home and now I am going to eat and go to bed early for my first real day at work.
Random Fact: According to Forbes, the U.S. manufactures more goods than China. The reason that we see more stuff labeled "Made in China" is because the stuff America builds are things like supercomputers, jet planes, and other hard-to-build items that most people do not buy on an everyday basis.
P.S.: According to a paper I signed yesterday I am now legally required to say that the above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Random Fact: According to Forbes, the U.S. manufactures more goods than China. The reason that we see more stuff labeled "Made in China" is because the stuff America builds are things like supercomputers, jet planes, and other hard-to-build items that most people do not buy on an everyday basis.
P.S.: According to a paper I signed yesterday I am now legally required to say that the above is the opinion of a single Wal-Mart Associate, and not the opinions of the company as a whole.
Monday, June 3, 2013
First Post! An Introduction to Vigilia Vidrio!
[Update: As of the 2014-4-7 Blog Realignment, parts of this post are no longer valid (including the fact that the name of the Blog changed). See THIS POST for more information]
Greetings. I am S. E. Vidrio, and this is my blog, but if you are reading this I suppose ye already knew that. Some of ye may be familiar with my writing from THIS previous blog about the journeys of my Mum, brother, and me through the United States. Vigilia Vidrio is unrelated, except that it is written by me. The purpose of this blog to chronicle my life as a sort of public journal. Therefore, it will not be packed to bursting with my trademark historical analysis and gut-busting humour. Those will be present, but I will not be trying as hard to come up with something that is entertaining and informative, I shall just be writing about life, the universe, and everything as I see it. That said, I believe that some -- especially if you have actually met me -- will find this entertaining and feel free to invite you friends to read it.
I will TRY to update it every day or two. Those of ye who followed the Williams Road Trip are probably all, "yeah -- every day. Like that'll ever happen." Perhaps ye are right. Often circumstances have intervened that prevent me from doing anything non-taskish for several days, but this blog should require much less time and infinitely less thinking than that other one.
I decided to start this blog now -- well, I will not be writing anything exiting until tomorrow, so technically it is starting tomorrow -- because today (tomorrow) is my orientation to my first real(ish) job: a cashier at Wal-mart. So, even though I shall still be living with my mother, it is sorta/kinda the beginning of my existence as an independent organism. Also, I do not think that I could manage two blogs at once, and since I will no longer be (technically) on The Trip, I can actually stand a chance of keeping a consistent blog. Fans of TWRT do not fear! I shall catch The Trip blog up to the present and will probably add in any other mini-road trips I take with my Mum et/aut brother as time goes by, but it shall cease to be a commitment that takes up almost all of my non-veg internet time.
As to the format of this blog, I shall just be winging it, so expect no consistently and expect to read my favourite words many, many, many, many, many, many times. Sometimes I shall post pictures, sometimes nothing, and sometimes -- if it has been an especially free time -- a video. I shall try and give a random fact that I learned either that same day or the day prior, and a joke at least once a week, but may fall out of that habit before too long.
That said: Apparently, all U. S. Presidents are descendants of King John of England -- the King from Robin Hood who signed the Magna Carta -- except for Martin Van Buren, who was Dutch.
Greetings. I am S. E. Vidrio, and this is my blog, but if you are reading this I suppose ye already knew that. Some of ye may be familiar with my writing from THIS previous blog about the journeys of my Mum, brother, and me through the United States. Vigilia Vidrio is unrelated, except that it is written by me. The purpose of this blog to chronicle my life as a sort of public journal. Therefore, it will not be packed to bursting with my trademark historical analysis and gut-busting humour. Those will be present, but I will not be trying as hard to come up with something that is entertaining and informative, I shall just be writing about life, the universe, and everything as I see it. That said, I believe that some -- especially if you have actually met me -- will find this entertaining and feel free to invite you friends to read it.
I will TRY to update it every day or two. Those of ye who followed the Williams Road Trip are probably all, "yeah -- every day. Like that'll ever happen." Perhaps ye are right. Often circumstances have intervened that prevent me from doing anything non-taskish for several days, but this blog should require much less time and infinitely less thinking than that other one.
I decided to start this blog now -- well, I will not be writing anything exiting until tomorrow, so technically it is starting tomorrow -- because today (tomorrow) is my orientation to my first real(ish) job: a cashier at Wal-mart. So, even though I shall still be living with my mother, it is sorta/kinda the beginning of my existence as an independent organism. Also, I do not think that I could manage two blogs at once, and since I will no longer be (technically) on The Trip, I can actually stand a chance of keeping a consistent blog. Fans of TWRT do not fear! I shall catch The Trip blog up to the present and will probably add in any other mini-road trips I take with my Mum et/aut brother as time goes by, but it shall cease to be a commitment that takes up almost all of my non-veg internet time.
As to the format of this blog, I shall just be winging it, so expect no consistently and expect to read my favourite words many, many, many, many, many, many times. Sometimes I shall post pictures, sometimes nothing, and sometimes -- if it has been an especially free time -- a video. I shall try and give a random fact that I learned either that same day or the day prior, and a joke at least once a week, but may fall out of that habit before too long.
That said: Apparently, all U. S. Presidents are descendants of King John of England -- the King from Robin Hood who signed the Magna Carta -- except for Martin Van Buren, who was Dutch.
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