Okay, so I think I emailed everyone, but in case someone got left out of the loop, we're on the West Coast for a further week, as the project launch has been given more time. (It's been making steady, but slow, progress.) We're looking to come home on the 7th now.

Roman Graffiti

It's nice to be reminded that our ancestors were pretty much exactly like us. The graffiti runs the gamut from scatological to philosophical (and is sometimes both) Every modern message board poster type is there, including trolls. I find it all very comforting. And hilarious.

DIY Coasters

I really like the agate coasters you can get from catalogs, but I am not at all fond of the prices. Twelve bucks and up for one coaster? Seriously? So as usual, American Science and Surplus came to the rescue. They sell the agate slices for four bucks a piece, and whatever self-adhesive feet your little heart desires for a couple of bucks, and voila! Agate coasters for a third of retail. You're welcome!

Note: I can't believe I need to write this, but according to reviews on other sites, this is apparently a thing some people don't know. Agate does not absorb water. This is because it's made of stone. I'm not sure why this was such a surprise to people, but there you go.

I must admit, I'm perplexed about all the hate for DNF. Duke was never about innovative gameplay, he was about one-liners and shooting aliens and looking at mostly nude ladies. If the game gives you all of those things, it is a successful Duke Nukem game. That is all one can reasonably expect.

I notice that IGN gave it less of a score than Call of Duty Part Seventy Three, or whatever number they're up to these days. This is unsurprising, as I feel that IGN's reviews are created by monkeys randomly punching the keyboard, but still, if you claim to be into video games, why hate on Duke for doing what he does best? You want him to grow up, IGN? Why? Did middle age hit you so badly you forgot how to laugh at Army of Darkness quotes and giggle about boobs? That says a lot more about you than about DNF.

This was taken by my favorite co-worker and gives you an idea of how big Val really is. He looks like a compact 15.3 in his stall, but once you get him outside, he's obviously a teensy bit bigger than that. I blame the low ceiling in the barn for making them all seem shorter.

Crap. I found my boots, but where the heck are my breeches?

I've got a lesson tomorrow! W00t!

The only plus point to being sick was that I read eight books. However, it took me five days, which, if you are familiar with my normal reading speed, should tell you approximately how sick I was.

Incidentally, H. Rider Haggard's Allan Quatermain series is a lot of fun. Although it makes that terrible 80's film version of King Solomon's Mines even worse in retrospect.

Ummm, what were you saying? I couldn't hear you over the awesome.

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