I went to Roanoke yesterday…
2 minute read
June 14, 2006, 7:38 PM
I went to Roanoke yesterday, and it was an interesting trip. I don’t find Roanoke to be nearly as fun as Washington DC, but it was still pretty good.
The trip down was via the Blue Ridge Parkway for the most part, taking Indian Ridge Road (a local road from Stuarts Draft to Greenville that roughly parallels US 340) to US 11 to US 60 at Lexington to the Blue Ridge Parkway at Buena Vista. Then I took the Parkway down to US 460.
I took my iPod with me on this trip, and it did fairly well. The iPod’s battery lasted all day, and all was well. However, my FM transmitter didn’t do quite so well, as I had to change the batteries on it twice. I think I need to get a car adaptor for it, since I burned through four AAA batteries over the course of the day.
The Roanoke Star seemed to be having a rough night, though, as two sections of red went out.
Continue reading…Categories: Blue Ridge Parkway, Computer, Gas prices, Roanoke
By the way, this is the other side of the sign…
< 1 minute read
June 13, 2006, 12:48 AM
Categories: Waynesboro Outlet Village
My new DVD/VCR combo unit seems to work!
< 1 minute read
June 12, 2006, 12:40 AM
Tonight, I bought a new DVD/VCR combo unit to replace my old VCR, which died a while back. I figure I got my money’s worth out of the old one. It was a cheap VCR that I bought eight years ago, and it’s served me well. Now, it’s in the trash, as it would no longer play anything. It would start up, show a still image for a few seconds, power off, and then spit out the tape.
I was originally going to go with another cheap VCR, but the only cheap VCR that Wal-Mart had was one that I’d seen come back a lot. Basically, enough times to where one could figure out that the product is crap. I asked the associate to open the box for me so I could look at the remote, and that’s when I realized exactly what VCR it was. I’d seen that interior before, as I’d fished through that model’s box before at the Service Desk looking for all the right material.
So I went a notch up and bought a combo DVD/VCR. I ended up getting a Magnavox this time around (the old VCR was an Orion). Oooooooh.
I also took the opportunity to rearrange all of my wires for the cable, TV, VCR, Super Nintendo, and TV card. The old setup received interference from one of my computer monitors, which created weird effects in the TV picture. So yanking out all the cords worked out. This new setup receives no interference, and the picture is GREAT.
Categories: Products
The “No Armageddon” rally went well, and now I’m watching The Blues Brothers
2 minute read
June 8, 2006, 2:28 AM
The “No Armageddon For Bush” rally went quite well, as DAWN really put on a good show. It was also strange seeing David Barrows dressed up in religious robes:
Categories: Anti-war
Gas at Martin’s… I heard back from my comment to Giant’s corporate office.
< 1 minute read
June 6, 2006, 2:31 PM
I recently put in a comment with Martin’s (a division of Giant Food of Carlisle, Pennsylvania) through their Web site regarding the gas station out front. Currently, it’s not available overnight – only until 10 PM. And considering all the late hours I’ve been working lately at Wally World, late-night gas from Martin’s would be quite handy. And I pay with my debit card, so it’s not like I’d need the attendant there.
My suggestion was to have the gas station open 24 hours, even if overnight is cards-only. Here’s what I got back:
Dear Mr. Schumin,
Thank you for contacting us regarding our store in Waynesboro. We do appreciate your comments and feedback.
I have followed up with our Gasoline Department and was informed that they will take your suggestion into consideration, however, at this time, there are no immediate plans to change to a 24-hour operation at the gas station in Waynesboro.
We value your business and look forward to continuing to serve your shopping needs.
[name]
Consumer Affairs Representative
GIANT Food Stores/MARTIN’S Food Markets
So there you go. Maybe something will come of it. Anyone else in Waynesboro who thinks Martin’s should keep its gas pumps running all night should also consider dropping them a line (hint, hint).
Categories: Martin's
Funny what one finds online sometimes…
< 1 minute read
June 6, 2006, 1:15 AM
Sometimes it’s interesting what I find online. Check this one out:
The Smirking Chimp: Two activists arrested protesting torture at the Supreme Court
This is the same event I photographed in Confirmation Demonstration on the Web site. It’s always neat to see the different photos of stuff. And the person in the orange jumpsuit laying on their side in one of the pictures is my friend Rose.
It’s also funny… I was trying to describe the demonstration at work to a coworker in the breakroom one recent day, and ended up demonstrating the position that the participants were in. So I got on my knees, leaned slightly forward, hands clasped behind back, and head down. “That’s what I’m talking about!” is what I said.
The coworker said to me, “Seeing you on your knees in a submissive position just doesn’t look right.” And I will admit it’s a little out of character for me, since I’m as you’d expect – outgoing, and very much a hiya-hiya-hiya-how-ya-doing kind of person.
All in all, it’s kind of interesting.
Categories: Activism
Going to DC on 06-06-06…
2 minute read
June 5, 2006, 11:35 PM
I’m going to Washington DC this Tuesday – June 6. That would be June 6, 2006. 06-06-2006. In other words, the date is basically 666, the so-called “number of the beast”.
Members of the DC Anti-War Network (DAWN) are staging a rally at Lafayette Park from 6-8 PM on Tuesday called “No Armageddon For Bush” (a play on the whole “666” thing), and I’m going to go. I’ve been to two DAWN events in the past. The rally and march from Malcolm X Park to McPherson Square on J20 event was put on by DAWN, and the street theater event in front of the Supreme Court that I documented as Confirmation Demonstration was also a DAWN event.
It also seems like 2006 is becoming the year of the night protest, as the World Bank demonstration this spring was at night (the photo set for that event is on its way), and now this one is going to be in the evening (though it won’t be all the way dark when it’s all over).
Gaaaaa! Get me to my vacation!
< 1 minute read
June 5, 2006, 2:08 AM
All I have to say is please, please, please let June 27 come here soon. That’s my last day at work before I take nine days off for a vacation. Because let me tell you – I need this vacation badly. I’m so in need of time off that I’m dreading coming to work each day. Yeah, it’s that serious.
And what’s funny is that I don’t even have anything major planned for this little vacation. The key is just getting away from Wal-Mart for a while. I did make sure to carefully plan the timing on this, though. June 28 through July 6 was chosen specifically to avoid two really busy periods – the first of the month, and the July 4 holiday.
The only plan I have thus far is to go to Washington DC for the Fourth of July, because Metro runs a special service pattern on that day, and I’m going to experience it for the first time in person. Otherwise, I’m open. We’ll see what I come up with.
What a wonderful dinner!
2 minute read
May 31, 2006, 11:17 PM
What a wonderful dinner we had at O’Charley’s! Dad met us up there, since it made more sense for him to meet us up there than go back home. So Mom, Sis, and I went up to Harrisonburg in the Sable via Route 11 (the scenic route through several small towns) and then cut through JMU to get to Harrisonburg Crossing.
Everything went well. The only point where things went slightly awry was when all the staff came out to wish some other customer a happy birthday. Sis mentioned how good of an idea it would be to mention it to our server that this was my birthday dinner. Then our server came out, and Sis mentioned it to her. My exact response was, “Don’t even think about it.” It worked out, though. Our server said she’d bring out a cake without the fanfare. And it was a nice cake.
Still, like I need the sugar and calories in a cake.
Categories: Birthdays, Family, Myself, Schumin Web meta
My 25th birthday went quite well!
2 minute read
May 31, 2006, 2:09 AM
My 25th birthday, unlike my 24th birthday, did NOT suck.
I was off work, and with Sis in Blacksburg and the parents at their own workplaces, I had the day to myself. I got up, I ate something, and then went to work on the Web site. I got the upcoming Outlet Village photo set very close to completion, with the goal of releasing it on May 31.
I got the photos whittled down to 65, prepped them, and placed them all on a blank Schumin Web template. All I have to do is arrange them like I want, determine a “break point” to split the set into two parts, and I’m done. I chose May 31 for a release date, because that’s the day that the Outlet Village closes for good. Thus after we won’t be able to see the Outlet Village live and in person anymore, at least we’ll still have the memories.
The goal of my day was to finally renew my driver’s license. See this entry and this entry for more information on my license renewal ordeal. This time, though, I was successful, and I got another great license picture. The only difference between my old license and my new license besides the photo is the license number. The old license had my Social Security Number as the license number. I now have one of those “T numbers” on there (e.g. T00-00-0000). So all in all, good deal.
Memorial Day weekend…
2 minute read
May 28, 2006, 11:07 PM
One thing you just have to love is Memorial Day weekend. People come in and buy hamburgers, hot dogs, buns, and beer. And some people are nice to their dedicated Wal-Mart cashiers who have to work the entire holiday weekend, while they’re eating and boozing it up. And then some people are crabby. The crabby ones are the ones you just want to strangle, because they make an unpleasant weekend even worse. Add to that the fact that I have a crummy schedule for the next three bloody weeks, and it’s just not fun. I have NO early mornings all three of these weeks. The earliest I come in is 9 AM. My usual schedule is coming in at seven, and out by four.
Otherwise, my birthday is this Tuesday. This year, I’m taking it kind of nonchalantly. No huge celebrations, but then again, I’m not rebelling against it this year like I did in 2005, where I wanted nothing to do with it at all. The only celebrating that I want is to go to dinner, and I haven’t even picked the restaurant yet.
I do know one thing, though – it’s not going to be T-Bone Jacks in Waynesboro. There was a fire there in the wee hours of Saturday morning, which basically gutted the place, and caused the roof to collapse in one place. They say it’s not arson, according to news reports. They say it started as an electrical fire in a back office. Most you can see from Lew Dewitt Boulevard is yellow caution tape all around the building and lots of smoke damage. Smoke seems to have come out of every possible opening based on the marks on the building. It even came out in between the individual sections of wood on the side. I figure when you consider the damage to the building, they’ll probably demolish the building and rebuild at the same location. I just hope they had insurance.
Categories: Birthdays, Holidays, Virginia local news, Walmart, Waynesboro
Mobile Web just got a shot of Schumin…
< 1 minute read
May 25, 2006, 5:27 PM
What can I say? I’m tickled. I just completed a version of my Journal that’s optimized for display and navigation on a Web-enabled cell phone. I call it “The Schumin Web Mobile Edition”.
And why only the Journal? Because the whole thing is database-driven, and thus it’s easy to convert. No having to do any reconfiguring on the regular site at all. I just created a second interface for it from scratch and ta-da. It looks like crap on the regular Web, but it looks fine on the phone.
Compare what we see on the Web using a real computer…
Categories: Schumin Web meta
Well, that’s a relief!
< 1 minute read
May 25, 2006, 1:51 PM
I went and had that eye exam today, and there were no surprises there. When they checked me, they even admitted that it was really strange that I failed the test at the DMV office. Indeed, with glasses on, I have perfect vision. So $90 later, I passed the vision test with flying colors.
It’s funny, though, regarding getting to the appointment. I went to what I thought was the office on the first floor of the Medical Office Building, which is a wing of the Augusta Medical Center building. I get there, and I see something that’s definitely not Augusta Eye Associates. I’m like, What in the heck? I caught the nearest person with an AMC identification, and asked what happened to Augusta Eye Associates. As it turned out, they moved across the street to a new building. Very nice, too. Well-decorated, and so spacious.
And I absolutely love that “new building smell” that the office had. I absolutely love that smell.
Categories: Myself
Some people have no consideration…
< 1 minute read
May 22, 2006, 10:13 PM
I can’t believe what happened today after work at the gas station in front of Martin’s. I was waiting in line for the pump, and this old man in a white Honda Accord went forward out of the pumps and rammed me.
Why was forward a bad move? It’s because I was already occupying that position and his clear space was behind him. My gas tank is on the right, and so I sometimes have to make some odd maneuvers.
So this man didn’t even think to look behind him for the clear area to leave. Instead, he tried to go forward past me in a very tight maneuver that he didn’t have the room to make. So in going out, he hit my Sable. In the end, he left some paint from his car on my front bumper, and a small scratch on my car.
Here’s what happened:
Categories: Martin's, Mercury Sable, Some people
“The platform elevators at Crystal City is out of service. Shuttle bus service is available from Pentagon City.”
3 minute read
May 20, 2006, 5:46 PM
Yes, that’s an actual line from a Metro train operator that my friend Tristan and I encountered on a Blue Line train to Pentagon City on Tuesday. Note “The platform elevators at Crystal City is out of service. Such hideous grammar…
Now, though, it’s Saturday, and I’m in DC again. There was an ANSWER Coalition rally and march related to Latin American issues that I covered strictly as a photographer. Thus, I didn’t participate directly, nor did I march the route. I took the Metro to the ending point. The opening rally was at Malcolm X Park, and the closing rally at Lafayette Square. So all in all, fun.
It’s funny, though… the first protest I ever went to was an ANSWER event. Now, though, they seem to have gotten so “out there” that I understand why so many people don’t want to associate with them. ANSWER does best when they attack issues like the Iraq War. This one didn’t draw the same kind of crowd (and certainly not the Infoshop crowd), and seemed a little bit “out there” politically.
I was amused, though, that ANSWER gave me press credentials for the event. Seriously. I have a badge from ANSWER that says “Media” on it. I didn’t wear it (no one’s going to stop me from photographing an event on public property), but it’s a souvenir of the day. So I kept it. I’ll post it on here later on.