Type D, Type!
[2005-11-17 18:00]
I've considered starting a blog for quite some time, seeing as how my website has been stagnant for several years. I haven't had the time to update it, but I've thought I might be able to manage a blog. But, because I'm slow, lazy and uncool, I haven't done so... before now.
A report about people with a Type D personality made the rounds in many of the news outlets, recently. Type D, it turns out, is much different from Type A. A whole two letters different. People with a Type A personality tend to be brash, outgoing, imposing. Guess what Type D people are like!
Thankfully, MSNBC and Newsweek have a test you can take to determine your D-ness. Whattya know. I'm a D! All D, all the time. Maybe that's why I've been avoiding this -- I'm too D to blog.
But given that I'm D and have been trying to come up with a witty nom de blog, "Type D" sounds a little like a command. So here I am.
At first, I thought I'd blog under this new guise, entirely different from my old one. But, like I said, I'm lazy. And for better or worse, I've already established a presence in Google under the old handle. So, now I'm just attaching this to the old site. Maybe some day I'll get around to updating the whole thing.
But, this is now and this is it. And it's been 5 years since I've done any Landscaping. So, here's a run-down of what's happened in the last 5 years, in no particular order:
Martina Hingis became the #1 ranked player in women's tennis but retired in 2002 (however, according to the WTA (www.wtatour.com), it appears she played a tournament in 2005 -- welcome back, Martina!)
Anna Kournikova became the sexiest player in women's tennis but never won and has not competed since 2003
somehow Paris Hilton has become famous; Madonna is still annoying and has been joined by Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera and the Duffs, the Lohans, the Simpsons (Jessica and Ashley, not Homer and Marge)... when will the pain stop?
Peter Jackson has become a huge success directing the Lord of the Rings trilogy; go Pete go!
Sam Raimi has enjoyed success directing the Spiderman movies
Samantha Fox is all but forgotten
Morgan Freeman has won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in Million Dollar Baby. Hooray!
There have been two more Blade movies starring Wesley Snipes
The Red Dwarf series is being released on DVD; the cast commentaries are a hoot; Danny John Jules (who plays the Cat) also had a part in Blade II; and Chris Barrie (Rimmer) has been seen in the Tomb Raider movies
Sky Cries Mary have been inactive for quite awhile, but Anise and Roderick Romero have each worked on separate projects; Anisa has released Omen under the band name Hana, which I enjoy quite a bit; Sky Cries Mary fans probably will like this album
I've discovered the joy/genius that is Modest Mouse
The X-Files are gone, replaced by Lost; Xena is also gone, but both X shows are being released on DVD
Gillian Anderson has moved to England and most recently has worked in a series called Bleak House
All three Star Wars prequels have been released. Both Liam Neeson and Samuel L Jackson had roles.
Jennifer Connelly has become an acclaimed actress and has won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in A Beautiful Mind. Unfortunately, she's also become very thin, like all Hollywood actresses. Damn you Hollywood!
Technology has advanced so much as to make the few missives I wrote about it amusingly antiquated
I've voted. Specifically, I voted in the 2004 election. It didn't make a difference in the Presidential race, but the Governor's race was decided by only 42 votes. Coincidentally, that's how many times I voted in this election so it was all my fault.
Wizards of the Coast released version 3.5 of the Dungeons & Dragons rules, which has made the character record sheet I developed obsolete. Thankfully, another enterprising fellow has updated it for the 3.5 rules. Search the web for it.
I've wasted far too much time playing The Sims 2 and Neverwinter Nights.
The dot-com bubble burst. And because I did not understand the tax laws well enough, I'm now in tax debt up to my eyeballs and will be paying the Intestinal Revenue Service most of my earnings for 7 more years. Alternative Minimum Tax indeed.
Blogs have replaced e-zines as the favored medium for amateur (and even professional) Internet content providers
I've bought an Apple computer. Specifically, a PowerBook G4 with Mac OS X. It rocks. My cousin would be thrilled to know that I've finally seen the light.
I bought a new car. I dig my RAV4 because it's short and boxy, like me. It only gets around 20+ miles per gallon, but I've only racked up 6000 miles in the 5 years I've owned it so I don't consider myself a threat to the environment.
I have a new job. And I hate this one too. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
I've visited New Orleans. It was not during Mardi Gras, so I didn't see many boobs. But it was before the Katrina disaster.
Hurricanes and tsunamis swamped the southeast (both US and Asia). And we thought it was going to be California that fell into the ocean.
Arnold Schwartzeneggar became Governor of California.
9/11
The US invaded Iraq.
A lot of restaurants and favorite hang-outs are gone. There was even a McDonald's in the University District that went under. Can you believe it? A McDonald's! There is hope for the world after all... But Ezell's still has the best fried chicken, Vivace's the best coffee, and Noble Court has the best dim sum. And Speakeasy is taking over -- good for them!
World population has increased to almost 6.5 billion; US debt has increased to over $8 trillion (now about $1230 worth of debt per person on the planet)
McDonald's cheeseburgers no longer cost 29 cents
I've gotten a lot of comments about my interpretation of Ockham's Razor. One of these days, I'll revise that observation -- I still believe it's wrong and/or misleading, but mostly wrong and/or misleading in the way it's been used
A bunch of other stuff happened