A Few Disparate Links

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Ida Mae Russell Sills: Rest in Peace (and laughter)

Various sites on the internet are proclaiming this to be the best obituary ever written. Here’s a choice excerpt:

Ida developed a cold that progressed into pneumonia. Now Ida was a smoker. She said “to quit smoking well that’s easy. I ought to know. I have done it a thousand times” but the years of smoking left Ida’s lungs damaged and beyond repair. On this Good Friday March 21, 2008, Ida Mae Russell Sills slipped away and joined her beloved daughter in Heaven. Fortunately her husband Albert preceded her and joined his mother in a much warmer climate.

Despite the Onion-like quality, this is a real obituary.

Vital Statistics

Bike odometer: 596 miles
Weight lost: 49 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 9
Hours billed last week: 39.5
Current reading: The Prince by Machiavelli, Against All Enemies by Richard A. Clarke, 2107 Curious Word Origins, Says & Expressions by Charles Earle Funk
Recent listening: Two Lane Highway by Pure Prairie League, Infected by The The, Thick as a Brick by Jethro Tull, Necktie Second by Pete Droge
Recent viewing: The Daily Show, Wisconsin at Iowa, Suns at Bucks, Suns at Cavaliers, Classic Albums: Nevermind, Countdown
Recent playing: Bust-A-Move
Recently accomplished: Dropped van at mechanic, mouse hunting, bike maintenance, new tubes and tire for bike, cardboard recycling, Sunday dinner (hot dogs & sweet potato fries), cleaned and disinfected CPAP parts, paid bills
Imperative To Do: RMA old Tivo drive, vacuum van carpet
Cool Link: The CIA and Saddam Hussein: A Short History by Juan Cole

Vital Statistics

Bike odometer: 519 miles
Weight lost: 49 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 10
Hours billed this week: 39
Current reading: The Prince by Machiavelli, Against All Enemies by Richard A. Clarke
Recent listening: Essential Ten Years After by Ten Years After, Corinne Bailey Rae by Corinne Bailey Rae, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb by U2, Last Mango in Paris by Jimmy Buffet
Recent viewing: The Dead Zone, Stargate: SG-1, Countdown, The Colbert Report, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Dr. Who, CSI: Miami
Recent playing: ExciteTruck
Recently accomplished: Pinewood Derby weights and sanding, paint, wheels and axels; acquired Crazy Monster Truck
Imperative To Do: Two Pinewood Derby champions, call mechanic, RMA old Tivo drive, vacuum van carpet
Cool Link: Why I don’t wear a suit by Mark Cuban

Vital Statistics

Bike odometer: 505 miles
Weight lost: 48 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 8
Hours billed this week: 8
Current reading: The Prince by Machiavelli, Against All Enemies by Richard A. Clarke
Recent listening: Sings Some Ol’ Songs by Victoria Williams, Broken Boy Soldiers by The Raconteurs, Welcome to Woody Creek by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Recent viewing: My Name Is Earl, The Office, CSI: Miami, Heat at Suns, AFC Division Playoffs, NFC Division Playoffs, 24
Recent playing: Wii Sports, ExciteTruck, Elebits
Recently accomplished: Re-partitioned Thomas’ hard drive, completed Super Excite Platinum cup, Pinewood Derby cutouts & shaping
Imperative To Do: Pinewood Derby sanding, Pinewood Derby weights, Pinewood Derby paint, Pinewood Derby axels & wheels, call mechanic, RMA old Tivo drive, vacuum van carpet, ride more/snack less, Super Excite Diamond Cup
Cool Link: Top Ten Myths About Iraq by Juan Cole

Vital Statistics

Bike odometer: 483 miles
Weight lost: 49 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 9
Hours billed last week: 20
Current reading: The Prince by Machiavelli, Against All Enemies by Richard A. Clarke
Recent listening: Recent Tracks from last.fm
Recent viewing: Chiefs at Colts, Spartans at Hawkeyes, Kingdom Hospital, Man vs. Wild
Recent playing: Wii Sports, ExciteTruck
Recently accomplished: Best of 2006, cleaned and lubed bike, re-installed applications on Graham’s computer, added memory to Tina’s computer, a little garage cleaning, dried most of the van carpet
Imperative To Do: Pinewood derby cars, call mechanic, RMA old Tivo drive, re-partition Thomas’ hard drive, finish drying van carpet, vacuum van carpet
Cool Link: History of Religion (in 90 seconds)

Vital Statistics

Bike odometer: 478 miles
Weight lost: 50 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 7
Hours billed this week: 0
Current reading: The Prince by Machiavelli, Against All Enemies by Richard A. Clarke
Recent listening: Corinne Bailey Rae by Corinne Bailey Rae, Coverville
Recent viewing: Countdown, Alamo Bowl, Dolphins at Colts, Rose Bowl, 20/20
Recent playing: Wii Sports, ExciteTruck
Recently accomplished: Tree recycling (for Cub Scouts), cleaned and lubed bike, cleaned contacts on stove burners, Best of 2006
Imperative To Do: Best of 2006, call mechanic, RMA old Tivo drive, re-partition Thomas’ hard drive, re-install applications on Graham’s computer
Cool Link: No Wii for Christmas (comic strip by Joy of Tech)

Vital Statistics

Bike odometer: n/a
Weight lost: 51 lbs.
Hours of sleep last night: 5
Hours billed this week: 21
Current reading: The Prince by Machiavelli
Recent listening: Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, Coverville, various Christmas songs
Recent viewing: Sportscenter, Everest: Beyond the Limit, It Takes A Thief
Recent playing: Sketchfighter
Recently accomplished: Waited in line, dried van carpet, paid bills
Imperative To Do: Buy Wii, finish garage, finish old blog entries, call mechanic, build new computer for Thomas, rake, clean garage, fix laundry room door, RMA old Tivo drive, Best of 2006
Cool Link: Pandora: Discovering more music you like