Productivity today was partially scrapped in favor of seeing the new Star Trek movie. Yes, I know...opening weekend...I said Shar wouldn't want to...I was wrong. I was wrong about several things.

I was really hesitant - really, really, really hesitant - about this movie. I figured I'd end up seeing it because Shar wanted to and I do like Trek, but I really expected it to suck. Even after hearing my friends tell me that it was amazing. I expected iTrek, Wormhole Xtreme, Galaxy Quest with a good effects budget...I expected it to suck and be a horrible revision of my youth.

Oh my god was I wrong. I was so very very wrong.

By the time the credits rolled I was honestly speechless. I'm still not quite sure what to say about it. It was...just...WOW. WOW.

And for the record, it truly scares me how similar Sylar and Spock really are - not just because the same actor has done both roles, but because if Spock were a homicidal maniac, he'd be Sylar.

Also, Zachary Quinto...really hot.

The group got together last night to see Watchmen. Thanks to gwenrose's kind loan, I was able to read the graphic novel this week before seeing the movie, which helped since I knew NOTHING about the story. (Although the two or three people in our group who hadn't read it before the movie didn't seem to have much trouble following the action.)

Without giving any spoilers, it was a remarkably faithful rendition of the main story line of the graphic novel, with the exception that I'm not sure how I feel about how they modified ... well, I guess that would be a spoiler. :P
( Continued rambling... )

For the mathematicians, physicists and other calculus using nerds in my life...

( Calc-zilla! )

Hey leiland...does this look familiar?

WHEE!

As always, I have more to say about BayCon and what a wonderful weekend it was than I could possibly ever fit into one post - which is probably just as well, since some things should just stay at BayCon. :D

It was the usual fantabulous weekend of geekery and good times. As in years previous, I was traveling with the incomparably fun and beautiful redminx and va_peterson, and Ms. Vicki's boy K as well. This year, dalisair was along for the ride as well, and I was blessed with poeso, cjl101, gwenrose, jeebachu and adnate coming out for the first time and stride and snoopyh42 making a return visit. I also got a couple of drive-bys on fallen42 on Friday night and got to see a good cross section of the Sta Maria crew, which is always nice. (chelleann77's ring is really gorgeous...if you haven't seen it yet, you really should.)

And this year, unlike prior years, there are already pictures up! Yay! (Thank you Snoopy and Dalisair!)

The Minx, Ms. Vicki and I decided to do a trio of Gotham City's bad girls this year for our Saturday evening costumes - Minx was Poison Ivy, Ms. V was Harlequinn and I reprised my Catwoman costume from Halloween. We also had Ms. V's man and cjl101 as not one, but TWO Jokers, which didn't bother Harlequinn one bit. And on the "good girl" side of the comic book, poeso was a SMOKING hot Zatanna and stride turned heads as Dark Phoenix.

Captain Tightpants, aka waywardbound, joined us for much of the weekend as well, which was tons of fun as always. I think Poe charmed him, but Gwen and I made sure to properly abuse him so he wouldn't get a swelled head or anything. Wouldn't want this BayCon to be any different for him than prior years. =)

And I owe him big time for one of the highlights of my weekend...turning Stride into an elder god. *grins like a maniac* The man is the (proud I hope!) owner of the original Illyria costume from Angel. I was in a state of hyper fan-girl squee for most of Sunday afternoon. (Still am really...and I'm absolutely holding you to that t-shirt promise from ComicCon! ;P)

Other highlights -- school girl night was fun, as always. I even found out that I'm not really as horribly awful at swing dancing as I thought I was, and I have decided that I really enjoy having bows on my stockings. (Now I just need cuter panties if I'm going to be picking up people's keys in that skirt.)

I gave in to temptation and picked up a third corset, because apparently I don't _need_ a velvet corset...I must.have.one. - because it's a _moral imperative_. And because, as I said any number of times this weekend, it's so _f&&king PETABLE_! (Mmm...velvet...mmm...fondling velvet...mmm...clothes that beg to be touched...)

Other lessons of BayCon:

- lipstick makes a pretty good imitation of leaving marks, without leaving marks
- spandex may be a privilege for most people, but the committee has voted and for some folks, it really is a right
- life continues to be good in the Ottoman empire
- it is still possible for me to be stunned by my own reflection...which sounds really arrogant (and probably is) but it's nice to occasionally look at myself and think, "Holy shit! I actually AM hot..."

Further notes:
-- redminx...thank you again for organizing the rooms, sharing your booze and for getting me into the BayCon experience to begin with. I have never failed to have a wonderful weekend and not the least of that is due to the pleasure of your company. *hugs*
-- waywardbound, if they get the Companion's Guild off the ground, let me know. I spent my entire drive to work thinking about how to build an Inara costume around that new corset!
-- poeso...we need to do the Firefly costumes again some year. See above comment to WaywardBound re: Inara. I have IDEAS! *plot plot plot* (and I think you might not object if the last few of your garnets went into jewelry for such an outfit? *grin*)

Now...I'm supposed to be working. But first, must go add a couple people to my f-list. *waves at dalisair*

So...over on her LJ, stride asked, "Anyone else know anything about our $600 "tax rebate" being a loan against our 2008 tax return?"

This of course got the nerdy attorney part of me going, and I did some digging...and thought I'd share what I came up with over here for anyone who's interested or knows something different and can educate me...

[Copied from my comments to Stride's post - with some editing to make it flow better in this format]
The Senate description of the package can be found here: http://www.house.gov/jct/x-8-08.pdf

Within that description, the key bit to this question would be:

"Most taxpayers will receive this credit in the form of a check issued by the Department of the Treasury.2 The amount of the payment will be computed in the same manner as the credit, except that it will be done on the basis of tax returns filed for 2007 (instead of 2008). It is anticipated that the Department of the Treasury will make every effort to issue all payments as rapidly as possible to taxpayers who timely filed their 2007 tax returns. (Taxpayers who file late or pursuant to extensions will receive their payments later.)

Taxpayers will reconcile the amount of the credit with the payment they receive in the following manner. They would complete a worksheet calculating the amount of the credit based on their 2008 tax return. They would then subtract from the credit the amount of the payment they received. For many taxpayers, these two amounts would be the same. If, however, the result is a positive number (because, for example, the taxpayer paid no tax in 2007 but is paying tax in 2008), the taxpayer may claim that amount as a credit against 2008 tax liability. If, however, the result is negative (because, for example, the taxpayer paid tax in 2007 but owes no tax for 2008), the taxpayer is not required to repay that amount to the Treasury. Otherwise, the checks have no effect on tax returns filed in 2009; the amount is not includible in gross income and it does not otherwise reduce the amount of withholding."

What that says to me is that the refund would not have to be repaid to the government. It also tells me:

The amount of your check mid-year is going to be determined by your 2007 income, but is actually a credit against your tax liability for your 2008 income.

So, you file your tax return this spring. The IRS looks at the taxable income reported for 2007. Based on that taxable income amount, you get a check in May-ish. (Assuming you don't make more than the income cap for the checks.)

Next spring, when you file your taxes, you look at your taxable income for 2008 (which if you're lucky will have gone up from 2007!) and calculate the amount of check you _would_ have received if you'd made that amount in 2007.

You subtract the check _actually_ received from what you would have received (it should be the same unless you jump out of the bracket for the full payment), and the difference (if it's positive - ie you would have received a larger check) is a deduction from what you would owe in taxes for 2008. If it's a negative difference, it doesn't have to be repaid but also doesn't benefit you on the 2009 tax filing for the 2008 tax year.

Of course this rambling probably makes no sense to anyone but me....and I should be out getting some physical exercise, not mental! =)

I decided a friend of mine needs some sparkle for her birthday, so I pulled together a necklace and some earrings for her. I was going to do a bracelet too, but I ran out of the green seed beads I was using and don't think I'll be getting to the store before her birthday.

Did a little more playing around with spiral stitched seed beads for these, similar to the blue bracelet I posted a picture of last week. (Hey Zhan...*tempt*tempt*tempt* ;P )

( Pictures under the cut )

Still need to adjust the blue bracelet down about 3" in size (Lady J has TINY wrists!), but I'll probably work on that today. Keeps my hands and mind occupied, which is a good thing. And I have an idea for something to do with some "free with purchase" whatzits that I got from FMG with one of my various orders that would use some of the Chinese knotting techniques that I haven't played with in a while.

Need to get dressed and do the grocery shopping first though...and I think I'm going to just give up and take my bike down to the local shop and get them to do some work on it -- on closer inspection, it really needs new tires, and possibly new wheels as well (though I'm hopeful the spokes can be tighten appropriately to take out the wobble). They don't charge ridiculous amounts for service work, and I think it's worth my money to save me some time. I'm not in the mood to do the repairs myself (have the tools and the skill, but running low on patience at the moment) but I want to get the bike in shape because I _really_ need to get some more exercise and I feel the need to start doing that right now.

And there was another errand I was going to run....what was it...*wracks brain* ... OH RIGHT...was thinking about upgrading my cell phone. The old one's been a little glitchy lately and I'm really sick of the flashy little status light on the outside.

Ok...been up for an hour and a half...time to get motivated.

OH! And for punning_pundit and snoopyh42 -- 1) thanks again for the muscle relaxing on Friday and 2) hebetudinous == slothful (esp. mental lethargy). Guess I was feeling kind of sloppy at the time we made that card. =)

I just spent three very happy hours on a wooden bench, so utterly entranced with what I was watching below me that I didn't even notice my backside going numb.

Every fiber of my being that loved my English Lit studies or my Shakespeare class or my Chaucer class or ever wanted to be a theatre major or ever loved a good British or Scottish accent was swooning with pleasure. Every bit of me that's been to faire and listened to costuming gossip/wisdom was thrilled. Every nerdy, geeky, pentameter loving bit of me was utterly consumed with the masterpiece unfolding on stage before me.

This was Shakespeare on a level that I have never seen it performed before.

Amazing, period accurate costuming. Skillful and expressive acting. ALL THE MUSICAL CUES from the original script! Singing, dancing, audience participation...it was...indescribable. *swoons*

I am filled with jealousy for every person who lives in or near London and has the opportunity to see this every summer. If/when I'm ever back here, a performance at the Globe will be on my agenda, no matter what they're playing.

( Lest I gush you to death )

Today's Bunny comic references, as they sometimes do, an external article that inspired or underlies the days strip. Usually these are news articles and quick to read, but today's is an article in The New Yorker discussing work in the Amazon with a tribe that could be the exception to currently accepted theories of human linguistics. I'm fascinated - but realized that I had been reading for a while and only got about half way into the article. I've printed it to read on my lunch break and thought I'd pass the link along to the other nerds out there who might be interested.

Ok, this was too good to not steal and re-post: Smart Guys Date in Parallel

*CAUTION: Geek Content*

(And the writer is correct - fathers are wonderful. Without my dad and a class in differential equations, that would only be half as funny to me. *grin*)

I punched "'Dungeons & Dragons' diety thief" into Google (don't ask) and got Things you CAN'T Do During an RPG as one of my first 5 results.

Being a curious monkey, I cliked through and was sufficiently entertained that I had to share:

1. Cannot base characters off the Who's drummer Keith Moon.
2. A one man band is not an appropriate bard instrument.
3. There is no Gnomish god of heavy artillery.
4. My 7th Sea character Boudreaux is not 'Southern' Montaigne.
5. Not allowed to blow all my skill points on 1pt professional skills.
6. Synchronized panicking is not a proper battle plan.
7. Not allowed to use psychic powers to do the dishes.
8. How to serve Dragons is not a cookbook.
9. My monk's lips must be in sync.
10. Just because my character and I can speak German, doesn't mean the GM can.
( 290 things to not do in your tabletop RPG )

keshian ... it's your fault I found this (no really...), but since I did, you might want to note the very last one on the list. ;)

Ganked from booda




No offense to deviant, fraggle42 and rasharmyr, but our percussionists in high school were never this good...

We went to see Superman Returns yesterday.

It was pretty good. I laughed, I cried…

No really.

( No spoilers...I just ramble )

I'm sure by now everyone has seen the IQ Bunny show up on their friend's page a few times...

most of us have taken the associated IQ test and many have posted the results. Current theory seems to be that the test gives you a score (possibly inflated) and then the code for the image shows some ridiculously low score to your friends (unless you "cheat" like Romeo did)...

so I'm curious about a few things -- for those of you who took the test, whether you posted the results or not:

1) Did ANYONE get a score lower than 130?

2) Did the score you got correlate with other IQ tests you've taken, either online or "legitimate" tests for school/Mensa/fun/etc.?


I love you all and truely believe that my friends are some of the smartest in the world, but 130+ is a minimum of 2 standard deviations above the mean for a properly conducted IQ test...which means that only 2.5% of the human population will fall in that range. It stands to reason that at least one person who can see this post should be less than 130...even in a self-selecting sample of really bright people, they're not all going to be in the top 2.5%. Or at least, I wouldn't expect it.

If everyone scored at 130+, then the score is probably hyper inflated. If more than 5 people (maybe 10 - I do have smart friends after all) scored above 145, I'm almost certain it's inflated. If more than 3 scored above 160, I'm absolutely willing to claim the test is broken and it's a joke both ways.

The only reason I'm not convinced that the joke is more than the "dunce" score shown to your buddies is that the IQ score I came up with actually does correlate to other tests I've taken online. (Side notes: no, I don't feel the need to share my score and no this is not sour grapes over not scoring "high enough"...)

And no - I really don't know why I care enough to make an entire post out of it, but now that I have, I probably ought to get back to work.

I would like to preface this with the warning that I am SUCH a nerd...

So we moved our offices about, annexed the suite next door and suddenly I'm much further from EVERYTHING than I was before. This makes me curious, and so using the Extremely Non-Scientific "Number of Steps" Measuring System (tm)**, I've come to the following conclusions:

* It is roughly .07 of a mile to get from my desk to the bathroom and back - if I average 4 trips per day, that's about a quarter mile of walking. Add in the trips to and from the elevator (which is facing the entrance to the ladies room) when I come in in the morning, go out for lunch and leave in the evening, and my total average walking comes to about 2/5 of a mile in all. One extra trip to the bathroom (or down to the reception area even) and I'm up to a 1/2 mile per day in a full day of work.

* Today I did a half mile just hauling boxes from the area we were storing them. Half of that was walking with a loaded hand-truck.

* Dropping off documentation with the audit team (halfway down the old hallway) is just over 1/10th of a mile round trip. Going all the way down to our CFO's office is probably almost 1/5th of a mile round trip.

Just goes to show you...don't let me think too much while I'm walking. Of course, if I were going for geek points, I'd try to establish a) how many calories that burns and b) how much force it took to move 27 boxes this morning based on estimated weight per box, angle of the handtruck, height of the handle and estimated walking pace. And if I wanted extra nerd points, I'd figure out how far I was walking from my old office to get to the bathroom, etc. and determine how much more I'm walking these days.


** The system involves counting the number of steps, assuming that each step is roughly 2' and then multiplying. The 2' estimate is derived from knowing that my stride when I was 12 years old (about 4" shorter than my current height) was 2' if I stretched it a bit, and that my current stride is somewhat truncated when walking in heels (which I am)...so it should average out. I'm not going for exact measurement here -- that would ruin the name of the system! :)