In the Shire, today is Mid-Year’s Day. The summer solstice. A special holiday. Go out and enjoy it. I don’t know where you, dear readers, are, but today looks to be gorgeous here in Charm City. Party like it’s 1420! Party like you’re a Hobbit!
Author Archives: Allyn
On Word Macros
I’ve written my first Microsoft Word macro since, let me think, 1999. I’ve recorded macros to do repetitive tasks, but for work I needed something a little more… robust. Yeah, robust. That’s a good word. Robust. Wait. What was I saying? Oh, yes. There’s a process I have to run once a month. I ranContinue reading “On Word Macros”
On Salman Rushdie, Knighthood, and Fatwas
Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie is soon to be knighted for his contributions to English literature. Not being a British subject, I don’t care who the Queen knights. It doesn’t affect me, it’s not my call. I’ve never read any of Rushdie’s work–no, not even The Satanic Verses–but if the Queen believes his work isContinue reading “On Salman Rushdie, Knighthood, and Fatwas”
On Retail Musings
Yesterday afternoon I went out and had my head shorn. I needed it. At thirty-three I have very little hair on the top, and what I have on the sides and back grows long, shaggy, and ridiculously curly. Also, I have a lot of grey; I started turning grey at sixteen. So, I handle myContinue reading “On Retail Musings”
On a Doctor Who Blurb
Or rather… the Doctor Who blurb. The BBC posted information on the season finale of Doctor Who recently, and fandom’s holding its collective breath. I read the blurb. My first thought, “Wow. That sounds cool!” My second thought? “Wait a second. That sounds like…” Let’s go behind a spoiler/speculation cut.
On an Unfortunate Note…
…I’ve had too much coffee today. I’ve got the shakes.
On Captain Jack Harkness
When last we saw Jack Harkness he’d just gone Gandalf on a Balrog and died, only to return to life after seven days. Then, wandering through the Torchwood Hub, a peculiar wheezing, grinding sound was heard, a wind rushed through the Hub, and Jack Harkness was gone. Tonight, Captain Jack Harkness returns. And there areContinue reading “On Captain Jack Harkness”
On a Cool Judge
When I was in college I’d play a little game with the papers I’d write–I’d sneak in Beatles lyrics. Sometimes it was a little challenging to find the right lyric to fit a paper on, say, the SDI ballistic missile defense program. Sometimes it would work. Sometimes it wouldn’t. But it was a game, andContinue reading “On a Cool Judge”
On Green Day's "Working Class Hero"
I have a few John Lennon tribute albums. One came out about ten years ago, an album called Working Class Hero. Q did one in honor of John’s sixty-fifth birthday. Neither could I recommend. There’s something about John Lennon’s solo music that doesn’t lend itself to cover versions. Some have said that Lennon did theContinue reading “On Green Day's "Working Class Hero"”
On the Latest Search Phrase News
Since I had to go onto the server last night, I did a search phrase dump. I have to tell you, there’s nothing surprising about the search phrases the last two weeks. Honestly, the top twenty are the same sorts of things I’ve written about before. No, Stephen Fry still isn’t writing a Doctor WhoContinue reading “On the Latest Search Phrase News”