The first comic book I ever ordered by mail

and for which I paid more than the cover price was X-Men #2. It's probably no surprise, therefore, that I am way past excited at the prospect of seeing this movie.



Oh, hell, yeah.

How big a geek am I?

My car's been approaching a mileage milestone--all "1"s, 11111 miles--for some time now, and being a numbers geek, I've been unreasonably excited about the prospect. Tonight, as I was driving back from a concert by Sarah's orchestra (more on that tomorrow), I realized the changeover would occur during this trip.

In a flash, I knew I had to photograph the magic moment.

This task was not without its challenges, because it was after 10:00 p.m. and I was going 74 miles per hour on a 65-mph freeway. Nonetheless, I pulled out my iPhone, thumbed up the camera app, and while steering with my knees tried to focus the camera on the odometer.

Yes, you were glad not to be on the highway with me at that moment. Fortunately, few people were.

At this point, Allyn, who was in the car with me, was not pleased with my driving. I suggested that she could improve it by unbuckling, climbing on the hump, leaning over, and focusing the camera on the odometer while I leaned to the left to see around her.

She did not like this idea.

Even when I pointed out that if we were in an accident her death would be a most memorable one as she shot like a rocket through the windshield, she did not like my plan.

I then offered that if her reflexes were fast enough, she could grab my hair on the way through the glass and perhaps either stay in the car or at least scalp me--but still she did not like the idea.

Some people.

Fortunately, the changeover came just after we left the freeway, so I was able to pull over to the side of the road and take this happy snap.




Pretty cool, eh?

Yes, I know: I am a very big geek indeed.

I still think the ride-the-hump-while-taking-the-photo idea could have worked.

What happens when your dad is an electronics geek

Yesterday, per our plan, Sarah and I hit the Best Buy to buy a few key electronics for her dorm room: TV, DVD player, and external hard disk for her notebook. Sarah wanted a small TV that would fit nicely on a dresser, was iffy about the DVD player, and humored me on the external hard disk (which was a wise decision, because backup is good!).

Here are some sample snippets of dialog from our shopping adventure. I think you'll be able to tell which speaker is which.

I could live with a nineteen-inch.

Why don't you look at these twenty-six-inch models? You might want to watch TV from all the way across the room.

I don't think I'm going to watch TV all that often. The twenty-six-inch ones are just too big.

Okay, how about this twenty-two-inch?

I guess. I'm really only getting a TV at all because I promised my roommate I would.

Drat! This twenty-two-inch is an Insignia. A Samsung would be better, but there aren't any twenty-two-inch Samsungs available. There's a good twenty-six-inch Samsung right over there.

The twenty-two-inch Insignia is fine. Let's get it.

The Samsung's not all that much more. I don't mind paying.

No, really, this one is fine.

But it's an Insignia! All your friends will think your father is some cheap hick who doesn't know his electronics.

No, Dad, they won't.

Oh, yes, they will.

No, really, they won't. Let's take the Insignia and go get the other stuff.

A little while later, as we're walking the aisles.

Look! A twenty-two-inch Samsung. It was clearly meant to be. I can take back this Insignia and pick up one of these.

No, the Insignia is fine. The Samsung is forty bucks more, and I don't think I can see the difference.

But the Samsung is better! And the other one is an Insignia! Remember what I said about your friends?

No, really, the Insignia is fine. Let's go get the other stuff.

Do you see my problem? Sure, Sarah is being sensible and reasonable and saving me money--but, come on, we're talking electronics!

In the end, the sensible person--that would be Sarah--carried the day, and I had to slink out of the store carrying the Insignia.

I swear that twenty-year-old guy working security at the exit smirked at me as he checked off the Insignia.