The other night, Esther and I were perusing the ringtones available for our new phones. She found literally everything. Law and Order, Star Wars, everything… Except a normal ringer. The phone comes with two and they aren’t really good to begin with. Why is it that I have to pay 2.99 for a small part of a song that is pretty unintelligable. I don’t own it, can’t listen to the rest of it, and definately can’t burn it to CD. Ringtones are a rip-off. How did this even become a part of the telecommunications industry? Are we really that stupid? I guess so, next time you hear a guy with some gangsta rap ringtone, remember: He was stupid enough to pay 3 dollars for 15 seconds of a rap song that you can’t even understand.

Esther and I have broken down and gotten cellphones. We have been “mooching” off of my parents plan for the past two years. Just before we left for VA they got cellphones with an additional line so that I could call home if needed. When Esther started her masters, we decided that when she’s on the road back and forth she should have the cellphone, incase she ever breaks down, etcetera, etcetera. With my parents plan running out and them wanting to get a different plan, we were forced out of the nest, order our own cellphones last week. After ordering over the internet, we got the phones yesterday and after letting them charge over night, we are now cell-totting hooligans members of society.

The only thing that really bugs me is that they cripple everything on the phone to make a buck. There is a voice dial feature on the phone but there is some confusion whether it must be paid for or if that’s for the “voice dial” from Cingular… GRRR.

I have been intrigued by the concept of Coca-Cola Blak from its first announcement. How can you combine a sweet syupy cola flavor with the bitterness and strength of coffee? Before I continue with the review a brief interlude. While living in Europe, I came across a great little stop, the Baeren-Treff, a purveyor of fine gummy bears. One of the most unique flavors that they carry is a coffee flavored gummy. A slightly different flavor that what I was used to, the coffee gummies became my favorite very quickly. Enough coffee flavor with enough sweetness.

… continuing the Coca-Cola Blak review. The drink is a liquid coffee gummy. It has struck a good balance in flavors, althought the carbonation is a little off putting. The initial smell is overly sweet and when the coffee flavor hits you, you might be a little dumb-founded. The flavor is good, but I don’t think that Coke can go up against Starbucks like they were planning. The fizz doesn’t do it for me.

Esther, after tasting it found the perfect use for the drink. Ice cream floats! That is the most perfect idea/use of the sode ever! A little dollop of vanilla would make the cola and coffee flavors dance. I will try it tonight. Outside of the odd flavor and limited use, the only “real” gripe that I have is the price. At nearly $5.50 for 4, it is along the lines of a Frappachino 4-pack, but not nearly the same volume. That’s a little bit of a disapointment, but overall it’s not too bad of a drink.

I have been helping with a computer art class at the University. They really want to have it be a graphics class, but that’s considered “vo-tech” and doesn’t hold curry with the leaders.

In working with the professor and talking with her about the students and the computer art class, she has alluded to a creation of a few classes that would be graphics based.

These two points and working with the students, I think I have found my true career path. I want to teach. I know that the saying is: “Those who can’t, teach.” I don’t want to stop doing design in the working world, but I do want to teach. After Esther finishes her PhD, I am going to go back to school and get a Masters in design. That will either reinvigorate my want to design or prepare me for sliding into part-time teaching.

It’s amazing that my 150th post was about Cilantro…

Esther loves cilantro. I could take it or leave it … but I may have found kinship.

I love Lox.

The perfect Lox and Bagel.

From Merlin Mann: an excellent way to maintain focus. He has worked out a series of programs that help block out the rest of the world (i.e. the desktop, all the other programs that are running).

Read about it at 43folders

I have been waiting for Riya to become a public beta. Riya is a facial recoginition software that will automatically tag faces in photos. I uploaded all 1250 photos from our wedding as a test and for the most part, I am very impressed.

I have heard on several podcasts that it is like a two-year old. It can recognize alot of faces, but it has a hard time finding differences between family members. Sometimes it’s choice in what a face is can be a little odd.

It’s not perfect, but it’s helping me get through the photos a whole lot quicker.

The weather on Saturday was horrible. A rainy morning and horrible heat/humidity made it impossible to go on a bike ride. We instead went around the malls and shops. Esther bought a pair of pants and a shirt. I needed to replace/supplement a pair of black pants for work.

(by the way… what’s up with a pair of pants. Is a pant the single leg? Hmm…)

We were going to go to the movies, but nothing was really appealing. It was nice just to relax.

Sunday. We set the dog out in the yard early in the morning and after Esther woke up, we went on a 22 mile bike ride.

The weather was awesome! Low humidity, the temperature was just right, just before a thunderstorm (luckily it held off most of the day).

After we got home and cleaned up Esther and I just bummed around the house. Esther made scones and a lamb ragout (pronounced: ragu). A very delicious dinner and dessert and the end to a good day.