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Courtesy of del.icio.us, Dave Winer whines about the open source software developed by Dean and Clark campaigns to run their online campaigns.

Winer’s key quote: “How sad to see two leading Democrats fall for, even feed the lie that they can create user-oriented software for free.” I don’t know, but I think that (for one), deanspace seems to be an example of that. Come to think of it, my own blog runs on blosxom – which I find easier to use and maintain than my last (nonfree) blogging software (by which I mean, there’s no money made directly from blosxom, while MT requires purchase of a commercial license for nonpersonal use).

Apparently, the campaigns should use american-made commercial software, because it’s good for american companies. But, why not use american-made free software? And, if Manila is so amazing, why is it worried about something free?

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I just found “Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Total Body Workout” on Apple iTunes. It’s basically an Arnold work out tape, where he exhorts you to “concentrate on that tricep,” “squeeze! crunch! crunch,” “and make your thighs burn!” to such classics as “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “867-5309,” “Let Your Body Rock,” and (my personal favorite) “It’s Raining Men.”

Luckily, I was able to restrain myself from buying it (only $9.99!)

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About every other week I realize I know about 1% of everything I want to know, and I’ve been to about 1% of all the places I’d like to go.

On occasions such as these, I ponder dropping everything I’m doing and becoming a wandering historian. Except, I probably don’t have anything to say but what’s been said. It is, I’m gathering, something of a pipedream – a very attractive pipe dream. My other dream of owning a used bookstore/cafe/hangout in canada is midly more realistic.

Mildly. This is not to say that I’m not enjoying what I’m doing (when you take away the stress, and not inconsiderable amounts of sleeplessness) – I am. If I were to be doing one of those other things, I’d certainly bemoan the fact that I wouldn’t have any time to catch up on the things going on in the field.

That leaves me at something of an impasse, I’d say.

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I was in Heinen’s today doing some grocery shopping, when my eye was caught by a plain looking bottle of eggnog. I stopped to look at it, when a passing employee said, “That’s really good eggnog! If you ask me, it’s the Posrche of eggnogs! Though his statement didn’t include a hyperlink, I couldn’t help wondering what type of Porsche. This, I could deal with. Or maybe even these or (dare I say it) that! on the other hand, I’d be less impressed if it was an SUV. Anyway, here’s a link to the eggnog I bought that was a wee bit on the expensive side, and apparently very fast. Or.. Umm. quality. Or… something.

You’re probably wondering what the eggnog tastes like, aren’t you? Well… it’s certainly tasty eggnog. Probably more of a 911 than anything else. What, you ask, does that mean? I have no earthly idea. Let’s just say it’s damn tasty eggnog.

That just leaves one question: In ohio, is it pronounced “Wooster” or “Woostah?” One of my Ohioan readers might be able to tell me that. At least, I’m figuring that since I’ve been corrected on the pronunciation of places like Lebanon and… umm. Other places. Cleveland? No… that’s pretty easy to pronounce.

Right. So, I went grocery shopping (if you hadn’t guessed it already) and primarily bought beverages. Lots of beverages. Like, a shitload of juice, some tea, some gatorade. I had been through three different beverage aisles before I thought, “I should buy food, too!” This is all Becky’s fault, really: She’s always telling me, “when you’re sick you should be peeing every twenty minutes!” When we were undergrads, she’d check too:

me: I’m sick
becky: are you peeing every twenty minutes?
me: checks watch… more like 25, I think
becky: you’re not getting enough fluids!

OK, I’m pretty sure that’s a mild exaggeration, but it’s mostly true. So, now, I’m sick and thinking “I need fluids!” But, water gets boring after a while, right? So I spice it up with tea! and gatorade! and juice (it’s got vitamins! and minerals!)! And I bought soup (but only one can). Anyway who knew me back in ’97 or ’98 knows how much it pains me to buy soup when I’m sick. And, if you haven’t, just understand: it’s a lot.

Which brings me to item #3 (is it… 1. eggnog, 2. grocery shopping, 3… yeah – that works): I’m sick! That’s probably not entirely worthy of an exclamation point exactly. Still, I’m sick. I hate it. My best guess is I got it by sitting next to 9 for 2.5 hours during a final a few days ago. This observation has provoked a few snide remarks from unnamed parties, but we’ll let that go for now.

It just hit me that apparently when I’m sick, I write lots in my blog. That leads me to one of two things:

  1. That’s actually only a single datapoint, you’ll need more to prove your hypothesis.
  2. It’s kind of like giving a program the “-v” option.

OK. I’m heading to bed now, before I say anything else that confirms that I’m a dork.

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My todo list did get done. I had a duplicate on my whiteboard. Things got crossed off there.

Incidentally, I think they all went well. Now, there’s new stuff on the list, but things aren’t so rushed.

I’m still a little worried about 1 class – I did well on the final, but there’s still a project left.

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The semester ended yesterday. Everyone seems to be glad of that. I’d have to agree – this semester has been pure hell in some respects. I got a lot of work done, though – and hopefully next semester will be a little calmer.

We kicked off the end of the semester with a party at nein09‘s. I got really drunk, and passed out on her futon (funny, that). It was a good time – I needed to unwind (boy howdy, did I need to unwind).

Tomorrow, I need to do some cleaning and some grading and some work. I guess the semester isn’t over, really, but most of the big deadlines have passed. As E mentioned hearing that the first semester is the toughest: I hope so too. I feel mashed for want of a better word.

God, I’m rambling. I was thinking of starting a support group: “Remaining Grad Students Together.” It would involve coffee, and beer, and work, and cinnamon rolls.

It seems like there’s only time for so much, and if I had one extra day, I’d have time for it all – all the little zany ideas I have that never seem to get started, the instrument sitting in the corner, the writing wandering around my head, reading.