20120418

slatternly typing

I just invented a new term to go along with loose typing and strict typing: slatternly typing.

You heard it here first, unless you heard it somewhere else before.

20090515

tabs

Federico, give Tab Mix Plus a go. It lets you do what you're asking about, and more besides.

20081113

closest book meme

  • Grab the nearest book.
  • Open it to page 56.
  • Find the fifth sentence.
  • Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
  • Don’t dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.
The following comes the book that, I think, was closest to me at the time, although it was hard to tell for sure since there tend to be books strewn around my apartment:

"Taking Burgundy and Provence peaceably by marriage, he proceeded to make Italy the fulcrum of his new empire."

The quote comes from
A Mighty Fortress: A New History of the German People A Mighty Fortress: A New History of the German People by Steven Ozment.

20080728

well, that went by fast

I arrived in Mexico City, to live, four years ago to the day. These four years have been a lot better than the preceding four were, and, the occasional grumble notwithstanding, I would be lying if I said that this place hasn't treated me pretty well overall.

20080619

20080527

virtual kidnapping

I just received a phone call. Here's a transcript, translated into English:

"Dad?"

"Who is this?" [I don't have any children, so I assumed it was just another wrong number. I get lots of those.]

"Dad? [crying] Two men kidnapped me. [crying] Dad?"

Realizing that it was a scam, I hung up.

Fake calls like these are common in Mexico, although I'd never received one until today. My wife's uncle received one a few months ago; unfortunately he was taken in.

Quite chilling, even though nothing happened—to me. I hope the people with the adjacent phone numbers weren't duped.