Geek Habitat

I do this occasionally so this shouldn’t come as any surprise. I’ve been a long-time reader of Eka’s (Erika’s) blog since even long before Samson (Sammy) was born in late February 2006; she, Sammy and Jay are my “virtual family” insofar as my family and close friends know them through my conversations. Anyway, Sammy’s heart surgery begins at 7:30 AM Eastern Time on Wednesday so please send your good thoughts, positive energies, prayers and such their way. Sammy, his mom Erika and his dad Jay could all use the extra support these next days and weeks.

Sorry for the absence of posts. I’ve been busy, sick (since Friday) and just generally predisposed to do “micro-blogging” via my Twitter account lately. There you can find me chatting about motherhood, geekery, cycling, hybrid vehicles and who knows what else. Don’t forget my Flickr feed, as well; I generally send at least a few photos to Flickr every day via my cameraphone.

As I said, I’m sick, so if this post is disjointed I blame the NyQuil that is soon to take effect (I hope).

Love this ad campaign -> http://tinyurl.com/55f7fp -> leave it on that page for several minutes. Sound ON!

You have to have watched Mike Rowe on Discovery’s Dirty Jobs to get the dialogue!

If you hover over the neon sign, there’s outtakes. The video shorts are great, too.

Today’s Twitter.com chatter w/pics from our Sea World trip (more to come; only cameraphone pics are in my Twitter feed) -> http://twitter.com/ageekgal

Those wishing to dive straight to the photos (there aren’t really that many; no Shamu, etc.) can also check the usual place -> my Flickr.com feed

I will post a proper entry about Sara’s first trip to Sea World of Texas, and my first visit there in over 10 years, soon. In the meantime, read my tweets on Twitter.com including the one with the GPS ground track of our 5+ mile walk around the park today. Thanks to Justin’s employer (and my former employer) for hosting a free day for families in his department; we bought season passes at a reduced rate and will return.

Yes, we still love our hybrid–a 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid FWD–which we purchased on March 6, 2006.

On the way home from my folks this evening, I refueled the hybrid since it was starting to do its annoying 50 miles to empty periodic buzzer (gotta admit, nothing would be more pitiful than a hybrid stranded on the side of the road, out of gas.) Anyway — 13.37 gal unleaded @ $3.49/gal = $46.77; I got 465 miles on the tank (could be higher) and a tank average fuel economy of 34.8 mpg. Not bad for an SUV, eh? And that’s w/hauling full loads in the cargo area to drop items off at the recycling and donation centers repeatedly (multiple trips), as well as four new tires (non-low rolling resistance, which is what most hybrids use to increase fuel economy by decreasing friction/drag.