Feeling Less Than Buff
October 19, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
add a comment Categories: Castle, Fitness
Tags: 300, abs, bmi, fat, gym, happiness here i come, nap time, new leaf, the pain
Decided to head to my gym today. Spent some time naked in the microwave oven then hit the machines.
Despite having been hiking nearly non-stop for the week of my vacation, I’m feeling out of shape. It was a short session, on the bike machine then the weights working my abs.
I then proceeded after a shower to grab a hefty helping of bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, toast and coffee. No doubt counter acting the calories I burned.
I’m in desperate need of a nap.
Company Credit Cards
October 18, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
2comments Categories: Squirrels, TimeWaster, Travel, gnash-teeth
Tags: Browsers, Credit Cards, Hiring, Human Resources, IE bites, Incompetent, Rants
I used to work for a company a long time ago where I’d have to make purchases for travel, taking clients and employees out to lunch, things of that nature. I would use my own credit card then file for reimbursement via a painful and long drawn out process where someone who wasn’t my boss would then have to approve the reimbursements. If I was lucky the accounting department wouldn’t screw up and actually pay the right amount.
This company finally decided that they should get me a company credit card. Okay, that’ll make it easier I think, instead of having to use the reimbursement web interface which only allowed Internet Explorer. Well no and here’s why.
- A company credit card is issued in my name.
- The bills come to me, my house.
- I pay the bills.
- The company gets the points / perks.
- I still have to get reimbursed.
If I’m going to have to pay the bills myself I might as well get the points and perks *my* card provides me, instead of having to keep track of yet another bill for no good reason. I recall calling the department of the company who issued me this card, to ask what exactly the convenience or purpose was supposed to be, to which they had no intelligent answer. The only thing I could think of was if my own personal credit was so awful that I couldn’t get my own credit card then this would be handy. I have great credit, so it’s pointless. So I just continued to use my own credit card and never used their card.
Years and years pass…
Today in the mail I get a letter from the credit card company, for the card this employer setup.
Dear Al Castle:
We received a request from your company to close the above referenced *credit card company* account.
For your protection, we ask that you discontinue the use of your card number, destroy your Card immediately, and ensure that all remaining balances are cleared.
[... It continues on with more credit speak....]
Um… way to stay on top of things.
<rant> This is why, if you’re going to have a human resources department you hire competent people from the start. Otherwise you end up with a snow ball effect of every department in the company being filled with people who should never breed and can’t be trusted with the fry station at a fast food chain either. The other important point is to keep the competent people you may have gotten happy by not surrounding them with incompetent co-workers, policies and procedures that make little sense or hinder them from doing good work. </rant>
Anyways, it was amusing to me.
Tired of the McCain Spam
October 17, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
add a comment Categories: Marketing, Puter Stuff, Religion, Squirrels, gnash-teeth
Tags: Marketing, McCain, NOSPAM, Obama, porn, spamming
I’ve been receiving many unsolicited emails (spam) from the McCain camp spammers. First a bit of background so you can really appreciate this as much as I do.
Years ago I created NOSPAM@mydomain.org as an account that obviously was meant for spamming. I only used it once to register for a respected site. Girl on girl porn I think… In any case as a mockery the account is clearly called NOSPAM and was entered in capital letters.
- Obviously the McCain camp has purchased email addresses to spam… or “market to”. Now some of you might not think that’s a big deal. I think, like most intelligent people, that’s not an appropriate method of marketing. Certainly not for a governmental job candidate. Well here is where it gets worse.
- They’re sending spam to someone who isn’t registered to vote. It’s not like they got my name and email address from a valid voter registration list and are reminding me to vote. You still think it’s okay to send me this unsolicited email?
- They’re sending spam to someone who can not vote. That’s right, I’m not allowed to vote. (Weird rules about killing a roomful of Nuns making me a felon or some such nonsense.)
There’s only one job I’ve been at where the marketing was done this poorly. Why bother to actually know your customer base when you can use the buckshot-spaghetti method. Shoot often and see what sticks.
Well in this case it’s not sticking no matter how many emails you send me.
Note: This post wasn’t an endorsement for either presidential candidate nor does it reflect anything other than my contempt for people that fancy themselves as “marketers” and for those that hire them in the private and non-private sectors.
Wordpress iPhone App
October 12, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
2comments Categories: Puter Stuff, Techy, Web Design & Dev, iPhone
Tags: iPhone Apps
Just installed the Wordpress iPhone application, free via the App Store.
Configuration was straight forward - URL, username & password. It allows me to select my categories, enter tags, add photos, and preview the post. Not too shabby.
The menu functions at the bottom of the screen disappeared and the buttons at the top of the screen to save didn’t appear. Which prevented me from saving this post. I exited and then restarted the application, the app had saved/recovered the post for me and now the appropriate buttons are displaying. Well done.
Trying to upload a picture from my iPhone timed out, second time the app became unresponsive and I had to restart it. This however appears to have been caused by my wifi connection being dropped.
[this is a picture of two sign letters from a previous company I hung on the wall of my office]
And there you go, my first post with this app.
Buddy Trip 2008 - The Last Days
October 11, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
2comments Categories: Castle, Fitness, Friends, Squirrels, Travel
Tags: Arm Wrestling, Buddy Trip, Burnt Forest, Death Hike, JD Ross, Mazama, Methow Valley, Off Roading, The Gun Show
When last we left my fearless band of merry men, we were somewhere around the Sauk river hiking the mountains and staying at Freds Cabin. On the third day it was time to pack up and hit the road. We were headed to Mazama on the other side of the great mountains.
It was a bit of drive, we stopped a few times to catch the view, had to go through some border patrol checkpoint and did a little site seeing including checking out JD Ross’s crypt (of Ross Lake fame).
The cabin we rented in Mazama was really pretty nice, with TV, stereo, DVD/VCR, a ton of pirated movies on DVD & VHS, all new appliances, jetted tub, etc. You can check out the cabin’s online reservation page here. My only word of warning and complaint is the web page says it has a BBQ, when in fact it has a sad little charcoal grill that can cook a single small chicken breast on.
We went exploring by vehicle and hiking mountains each day, like the previous three days. The views around where we were at are far better. I believe it was our first night there I had the brilliant idea for nachos, which turned out quite tasty. In the morning Travis made egg, ham, and cheese english muffin sandwiches, quite tasty.
We traveled to Winthrop for groceries and one night we went to Twisp, hitting a few bars. This is the good part of the story. The first bar we ate burgers, had drinks and played pool - I paid. Then we headed across the street and down a block to the more happen’n bar. As we sat down we decided it was Jason’s turn to pay. After a few shots of tequila and beers it was time to pay the tab. At this point there was a bit of disagreement as Jason believed it was my turn to pay. I decided to settle this like men. I challenged him by way of arm wrestling. Now he’s going to hate this part when he reads it, but I can’t help it. So we lock arms and at first I think he’s just toying with me - it feels like I’m arm wrestling a little girl. (Sorry man, but it’s true.) I give him a chance then my big right gun unleashes the pain.
So he’s convinced I was somehow cheating, though our two other friends were sitting right there watching and telling him that it was fair. When we return to the cabin we sit at the kitchen island and I give him a rematch. He’s holding onto the corner of the counter pulling on my arm, this time it’s at least like a 10 yr old boy I’m arm wrestling with. Then, the bastard must have lifted his legs off the ground putting the massive weight of his bulk on my arm almost breaking it, though never pinning me. I’m sure he’ll deny this to the day he dies. But that’s the story of the Big Right Punishing Gun.
It was a lot of fun to see and hang out with my friends, get off my butt, and get some serious exercise. Next year or the year after we’re thinking about hitting something farther from home, like Argentina. I’m excited to take that trip.
Anyways, that’s about it for me. I’ve just spent a long time organizing, uploading, and putting captions on pictures that Travis and I took from the entire week long trip. For your viewing pleasure here they are broken up into six albums.
http://picasaweb.google.com/alcastle/FredsCabinBuddyTrip2008
http://picasaweb.google.com/alcastle/OffRoadingBuddyTrip2008
http://picasaweb.google.com/alcastle/DeathHikeBuddyTrip2008
http://picasaweb.google.com/alcastle/RoadToMazamaBuddyTrip2008
http://picasaweb.google.com/alcastle/MazamaCabinBuddyTrip2008
http://picasaweb.google.com/alcastle/DeadForestHikeBuddyTrip2008
I’m Advertisment For Macworld Expo
October 8, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
6comments Categories: Castle, Friends, Marketing, OSX, Picture of the Day, Puter Stuff, Travel, Web Design & Dev, iPhone
Tags: Advertisement, Macworld Expo
A friend of mine pointed out that the latest Macworld Conference & Expo emails being sent out showcase a dashing Latino. Second from left (is me) and a friend of mine (far right) along with two guys I met there. See my Macworld post from last year when this photo was taken. I believe I was demonstrating to the lads how to circumvent some sort of authentication or security, who can remember such details.
[Click on the image to see the full size image]
Obviously Steve Jobs is trying to appease the Castle in the hopes I’ll accept a job offer. Keep at it Steve, you’re not there yet.
Buddy Trip 2008 - Off Roading and The Death Hike
October 6, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
4comments Categories: Family, Fitness, Friends, gnash-teeth
Tags: Buddy Trip, Built like the Hulk, Death Hike, Off Roading
For the first three days, each evening we ate pretty well, steak, potatoes, salad one night, asparagus, salmon, salad and French bread another night. We even made pizza on a pizza stone atop the fire, yeah that one didn’t turn out too well. In the mornings of those three days, bagels, eggs and sausage.
[Note: Jason who is on east coast time woke me up extra early. The bastard.]
We had great weather, every day we managed to go exploring, a good portion involved taking Jims Honda where only 4×4 vehicles should be going up the sides of mountains. In some places the “trails” where so overgrown the trees and branches were scraping the side of his car so hard he lost the passenger side mirror and made what he calls Mississippi racing strips on his car. Or was it Missouri racing stripes?
In many places we had to get out of the car to remove trees, large rocks, check the “road” ledge to see if it would support the cars weight instead of falling down a high cliff, and also remove branches that were stuck underneath the car, burning on the muffler.
On Monday I believe it was, Jim wanted to take us to a lake high up in the mountains that he’d been to years before. Nothing too hard for the soft bellied Jason and myself. Well we were out there for hours and hours and miles upon miles, scrambling up and down steep hills at higher and higher elevations. In what was referred to as the Death Hike for the remainder of the vacation, primarily because it was an excruciating hike, I was sweating so bad Jim was worried he’d have to hide my body somewhere.
Jim didn’t “remember” it being this bad, it was supposed to be an easy day hike, so Jason and I only brought one 16 ounce water bottle a piece and no food of any kind. I lost at least 5 lbs in sweat the first hour. Fortunately nature provided for us. Everywhere there was huckleberries and blueberries. I broke off branches full of berries and gnawed at them for the sugar and water. It’s important to note that I don’t like blueberries at all, but this was survival. It was the most brutal terrain and I’m surprised I made it. My brain kept pushing my body, and my body kept telling my brain it was an idiot. That it should lie down and let the scavengers enjoy a tasty Mexican dinner.
I knew we were headed to a body of water, and three times when we stopped for a break it was near a body of water. Yet each time that wasn’t the end of the trail. I was too scared to ask how much farther because it was all I could do to make each foot lift in front of the other. When we finally made it to the lake, which I’ll admit was beautiful I realized we’d have to make it back. I had secretly been hoping Jim would be taking us on a round about way back to where we left the car, that the way back would be easier or perhaps he’d already called for a helicopter, despite that we had no cell phone signal anywhere in this area despite being atop a mountain.
[Note: Most of you who read this know I've been hitting the gym, on the bike machine, tread mill, and crunching weights. Hiking this kind of terrain works muscles machines don't, the high altitude makes it worse and I can say without a doubt gyms are for sissies. Now when I walk down a street I feel like the incredible hulk. I'm consciously careful not to crack the sidewalk with my powerful strides. My legs are things of beauty, muscles rippling like a jungle cats and they're finally, today, not sore anymore.]
That was the worst of the excursions, the rest were certainly hard and at higher
altitudes (7000 or so feet), but we always brought a ton of water and food. When we went through a forest of burnt dead trees, I picked the highest point we could see and we just scrambled up the side of the mountain to reach it. My legs ached and burned, but once we reached the tops of these peaks the view was great.
I’ve got tons more pictures and I’ll upload them to Flickr once I finish going through them all.
Stay tuned for more about the rest of the trip.
Buddy Trip 2008 - Here To Freds Cabin
October 5, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
1 comment so far Categories: Family, Fitness, Friends, Squirrels, Travel, gnash-teeth
Tags: Buddy Trip, Death Cab, Freds Cabin
It used to be that the five of us would manage to get together at least for a few hours around Xmas, but we’re now scattered across the U.S. with families and careers so getting together even for those of us still in Washington is hard. Last Xmas we thought it would be a grand idea to try and do a yearly “Buddy Trip”. To get together for a week on some sort of outdoor excursion. This year marked the first of such a gathering and the planning of the trip, scheduling, arrangements, despite having a year to plan came down to a crunch of only four of us with the final arrangements made only a few weeks ahead of time.
Travis lives in Fall City, Wash. and we’ve been friends and neighbors since kindergarten. I started out by leaving work a little early on Friday to drive down to finally see his house (that he’s had for years), and have dinner with his family.
[Note: On the drive down, I was for the first time in about 8 years pulled over. The overly eager young state trooper gave me a citation for following too closely to the vehicle in front of me. How he 's able to judge this from right behind me I do not know, but he wished me safe driving as I tried to re-enter freeway traffic from a dead stop. Perhaps one of the more dangerous of driving maneuvers. I'm of course going to contest the frivolous $124 ticket.]
His eldest son, a 5 yr old named Tate who referred to me as “Mr. Al” thought I was the cats meow and we had fun playing XBox Lego Star Wars. A giant steak dinner complete with home made apple pie and a whiskey night cap put me right to sleep.
Saturday morning Travis and I left the Benz at his house and drove his Subaru to SeaTac to pick up Jason who had flown the red eye in from Raleigh, North Carolina. I’ve known Jason since high school were we were mostly mischievous youngsters. I’ve been fortunate enough to manage more excursions to see Jason on the east coast than I have the rest of my friends. Go figure.
Next the three man crew headed into Seattle to meet up with the one member who wasn’t going to be able to make it. He had an excellent excuse though. Famed drummer for Death Cab for Cutie had just had his first born, a son, only days before. McGerr and I also have known each other since high school, but we haven’t seen each other in about five years. His recording studio business, band touring and album making has kept him busy, but we managed to sneak in a visit to check out his home that he’s been remodeling and see how the new family was doing. After visiting for an hour or so his mom stopped by and we managed to get a group photo which we haven’t seen yet, but it will be the first group photo in probably 10 years. [Updated: Just added the picture] I’ll post it once I receive a copy (and photoshop my second chin off). He sent us off with his GPS that he knew we’d need and of course copies of all his albums.
We then traveled north and met at a grocery store in Sedro-Woolley the last member of the team. Jim transfered into our elementary school in 3rd grade and we’ve been friends since. He’s also the person I live closest to, but see even less than the others. We did some group shopping for food and headed to the first encampment of the trip. A friend of Jims owns a cabin, Freds Cabin, located right on if not practically in the Sauk River.
[Note: It was decided to keep this initial trip low cost, local and outdoors. It is this last point that had me worried. Jim and Travis are hard core mountain climbing, scuba diving, rugged terrain traveling bushmen. The kind that spend more on the latest, lightest, gear and travel the world with it than they do on techie toys. Travis was in the military and now does something technical, requiring security clearance with nuclear power plants around the globe. Jim owns his own flooring business, a contractor who when not working hard lifting heavy objects is in the Ski-to-Sea, hiking distant forbidding mountains, mountain biking and generally the most active outdoors man of the bunch. Jason and I are techies in the extreme. Although even Jason manages to get off his butt more than I do.]
I’d never been to Freds Cabin, and despite knowing Jim most of my life have never met this Fred fellow. Honestly, after so many years of hearing about both, I kind of assumed Fred was a split personality of Jims and this cabin that Fred 
owned was probably a dumpster behind the Black Cat in Fairhaven. I still haven’t met Fred, but I can attest to having lived in a “cabin” for three days right on the river. A hunting shelter, or perhaps a dilapidated rustic cabin, should bring a better picture to mind. It did have a gas kitchen stove, fridge, what once was a bathroom, a bedroom, loft, deck and a wood burning stove for heat. It was packed with a life time of stuff.
Numerous antlers and fishing thingies hanged on the walls both inside and out. This first part of the trip was about “roughing it”, well compared to sleeping outside and taking our advanced age into account it was roughing it. In any case it definitely made the second cabin that much more appealing and we thank Fred for his kindness in letting us use the place for a few days.
And this brings us to the end of the first leg of the trip. I’ll post more soon.
Time Traveling
August 31, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
4comments Categories: Castle, Friends, Picture of the Day, Squirrels
Tags: 1950s, 1980s, flash apps, yearbook
20_Something posted awhile back about a site called Yearbook Yourself. I finally got around to giving it a try. I used two different pictures of myself, but the app kept freezing up so I’ve only managed to save a handful of pictures for your amusement. (My friends should be afraid of me having more free time as I’ll use your pics to entertain myself.)
(1950) I feel like the Beavers dad.
(1952) I look suspiciously like Ross from friends here.
(1982) Grooovy. And Hyde from That 70’s Show
(1984) I dunno, but that hair is dyno-mite.
Winged Death
August 24, 2008 Posted by Al Castle
1 comment so far Categories: Izzy, Squirrels, gnash-teeth
Tags: bats, i love my cat, near death
Last night a flying rodent, batamus-flyingaroundamus was discovered fluttering about the dining room. WeeWee was on the table taking the high ground, Izzy poised on the ground to pick up where and when WeeWee would surely fail.
As I entered the melee, WeeWee bolted, the coward. Izzy and I girded our loins for the battle. A skirmish really, which would only last 10 minutes, but felt like an eternity.
Looking about for a method to capture the bastard in, I noticed an empty Tupperware container. The problem with this approach was that the creature flew at high speed in an erratic and unpredictable manner. The container was rather small which meant I would have to be quick and make sure to protect my face. Visions of it flying into my mouth or eating my eyeballs while I screamed had to be pushed down.
It took several attempts including a scary bit when the bat crawled under the china hutch and made angry chirping noises at me. Fortunately Sub-Commander Izzy had no qualms about reaching under there. (She received the medal of valor for this.)
I wanted to take a picture of the fangs, which despite the creature only being about 2
inches long with a 6 inch wing span, had fangs at least a foot long, that were stained with human blood and had bits of flesh stuck to them. (Shudder.) Alas, I only had my iPhone on me and due to safety precautions of me and my men I could only indulge in photography after the beast was contained.
After capturing it in the Tupperware, I very carefully slid a paper plate underneath. Izzy was close at hand to shut down any escape attempts. We then proceeded outside and lifted the lid, as the bat took flight, Izzy managed to get a good smack in to remind the little bastard not to ever come back.
