Forbidden Planet

Saw this neat DNA Personality test over at lunafish's blog (who is an Animanted Inventor) and decided it was worth taking (MIO has also taken it and she is a Benevolent Idealist). I think it categorizes me pretty well Reserved Experiencer . I was a little surprised to discover that 80% of people (who took the test) have more confidence than me because I have always had a very strong sense of self. However, perhaps self identity and confidence are different things ... hmm ... something else to think about. Other interesting personality oddities include being more open than 92% of people, but less trusting than 96%. As well as, I am, apparently, more spontaneous than 70% of people, but less extroverted than 84%. You can mouse over the coloured squares to get some little popups indicating what each on means. Reserved Experiencer You can read more here . Other choice tidbits include: At times other people's feelings are puzzling to you, and you wish that people were more rational...

I spoke with my mother last night for the first time in two weeks (I had been speaking to my dad though). She thanks everyone for their prayers, which she says have helped. After her autologous stem cell transfer, she developped a fever (as expected) and was moved into the hospital where she was on continuous monitoring and medication. She said that she spent a lot of her time dreaming or hallucintating. A large part of that time was spent imagining she was sleeping with Tania and Jason on either side of her. She gave the hospital staff a scare last week when her blood pressure suddenly dropped to 54/44 and her pulse shot up to 160. Fortunately, additional fluids helped restore balance. She described the cancer ward as a not very happy place with people crying or screaming from pain. For herself, while it was bad, she simply took it one day at a time. Last night she was released from the cancer ward, but still needs to go for daily visits for the next two weeks or so. The first year is...

"It is your assumption that we are entitled to it as well that is irritating." Blake's Seven, Bounty (exchange between Vila and Avon)

I picked up this book about a year ago because I was interested to read what Richard Lewontin (and others) had to say refuting genetic determinism (at around that time I underwent a fairly drastic shift in perception as I began to question the validity of free will). So, I was hoping they could provide me with good counter arguments to determinism. I only recently finished the book. You see Sofia and I play a game, I start reading something and then put it down as I something else draws my fancy. Sofia then picks up the book and puts it away causing me to (1) become disoriented, since my environment has changed unexpectedly, (2) forget about it, since it is no longer within my ordered space, (3) grief as I foolishly try to discover where she has put it. Anyway, it finally turned up again a few weeks ago. So I finished reading it. I have to say that the book is very disappointing. I really was expecting better from Richard Lewontin. I had listened to (and bought the book) of his lectur...

Picked up a very nice magazine the other day called Shop Notes . Unlike many magazine it is not a high gloss one, nor is it printed on low quality "newsprint" style paper. It also is not crammed with 3 ads for every page of article. It has lots of pictures, but does not overwhelm you. Finally, it comes prepunched with 3 holes for easy insertion into a binder. While not everyone may be into woodworking, I find this magazine and its layout to be very comforting and practical. To bad more magazine don't try to be more useful rather than flashy. As well, I find the quality of magazines to be going down (at least the computer ones). Used to love a magazine called Computer Language , sadly it is now defunt. They used to have the neatest cover pictures of any magazine. Then there was the C Users Journal (later C/C++ USers Journal) - which recently closed its doors. But, for the last decade or so, it had been a pretty mediocre shadow of its former self. Byte has been dead for a...

Seven years ago, my firstborn came into the world. The joy and pride I felt cannot be described except to say that I finally understood the elation of creation. Tania (meaning Fairy Princess) was the only girl born that day at the hospital - mirroring my own birth where I was the only boy born among girls.

Once again, in lieu of any real content, I post another silly blog test with flattering results. Your Values Profile Loyalty: You value loyalty highly. You're completely devoted to your friends and family. Even if they totally screw up, you're still there for them. Just make sure they're equally loyal to you! Honesty: You value honesty highly. You're unflinchingly honest, even when it's not easy. For you, integrity is very important - in yourself and others. People may not always like what you say, but they know they can trust it. Generosity: You value generosity a fair amount. You are all about giving, as long as there's some give and take. Supportive and kind, you don't mind helping out a friend in need. But you know when you've given too much. You have no problem saying "no"! Humility: You value humility highly. You have the self-confidence to be happy with who you are. And you don't need to seek praise to make yourself feel better. You...