As demonstrated by the "graphical improvement" that my friends and co-workers have orchestrated to this site, today is in fact my 30th birthday. Here's some things I've learned in that time:

• If you ever have the opportunity to teach someone Photoshop. Don't.
• Change passwords regularly. Hourly, if need be.
• Lock your computer when you're not using it. In fact, carry it around with you. (Laptop or desktop, it doesn't matter.) And you probably want to just go ahead and take it home every night.

Thanks, guys!

My pictures from the Tennessee Renaissance Festival.

I'm really thinking I overpaid for gas.

Every morning for the last two weeks my cable box has locked up during the night. I don't know if there's some update that the box is getting that it doesn't like, or if it freezes up downloading new programming information. All I know is that it happens every night at 4:20. Perhaps it's the munchies?

Really, when I get my cable bill each month and take a look at what they charge me I always wonder what they are smoking. This confirms that for me.

Abbydog had surgery last Thursday morning to remove a bladder full of Struvite (or Oxalate) bladder stones. (It all just looks like pea gravel to me. HA! Ba-boom-ching)

Patient is recovering quite nicely, though she doesn't understand why she can't jump on the couch.

I personally can't wait for Cinco de Mayo.

The residents of Overhill Drive in Green Hills have added another "traffic calming device." This time rather than signs or pavement markings or speed humps they've installed two of these:



I know you've seen these as portable units, I have always found them to be quite fun. Now there are two always ready and waiting to help you calibrate your speedometer.

So in an effort to promote traffic safety here in Green Hills, I'm proposing a game.

Lowest Speed Wins

Contestants should drive carefully and slowly along Overhill taking a picture of the flashing radar speed sign. Contestants should then should post their winning photo to Flickr, tagging the photo as "overhill-lowest-speed" or email it to me. (Photoshopping your own original photograph is allowed.)

The sign turns itself off if doesn't sense motion, so good luck. And drive slow.

Winner will receive a free oil change at the Valvoline Instant Oil Change at the corner of Hillsboro and Overhill.

(Contest ends April 1, 2006)

I'll say I'm a fan of the new Tennessee state license plates. But there seems to be a manufacturing defect in many of the inital runs as best I can tell. It looks like the machine that stamps the watermark also has a wheel or a sprocket or something that got the shiny reflective lacquer on it, leaving a DNA shaped line from the top to the bottom.

I have found it to be very distracting driving around. Of course that could just be me being gunshy from rear-ending someone in Decemeber.

At least that's what I'd like to believe.

Deep down I think it's a part of a vast government consipracy to encode a DNA fingerprint on everyone's license plate. They're tracking you, and they can do it without you even getting out of your car.

My license plate expires this month, but I tell you I'm not going to be part of some DNA database without a fight. I'm getting Abby to lick the return envelope.

I'm going to go find my tinfoil hat now.

Not that I'm looking to buy a firearm, but I did find this ad very appealing.

Looks like someone has re-evaluated his priorities.

Who was the last sitting Vice President to shoot a man, while not actively serving in the military?

Aaron Burr, perhaps?