tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71099988202257420132024-08-29T08:28:59.728-05:00Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-12791806967132445592014-02-03T16:56:00.001-06:002014-02-03T16:56:46.710-06:00

Thinking i might start fresh...  http://michael-faith.tumblr.com/

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-90140810606522396412014-01-29T05:07:00.002-06:002014-01-29T05:15:58.185-06:00

New blog coming soon...

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comAustin, TX, USA30.267153 -97.74306079999996729.828484 -98.388507799999971 30.705822 -97.097613799999962tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-88589655423991679472010-06-12T08:24:00.000-05:002014-01-29T05:14:08.085-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I took advantage of the long memorial day weekend to finally rebuild my computer, which I had put off for about a year.  Partly the wait was for Windows 7 to get some feet under it, and part of it was just my not having the time to actually do it. So about three weeks ago I ordered all of the parts I knew I was going to need from newegg.com and went about installing the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2McKinney, TX, USA33.1972465 -96.63978220000001332.984697499999996 -96.962505700000008 33.4097955 -96.317058700000018tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-63967437484438923952010-05-21T18:13:00.003-05:002010-05-21T18:13:00.493-05:00

As requested by Mom from my last origami post, here is my latest creation: origami bulldog.  Now you have to give him a name. Cheers.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-18933394860322891742010-05-15T08:26:00.001-05:002010-05-15T08:48:11.750-05:00

I figured I would update you all on the status of my aquarium.  Eric and I took the remaining fish to Plano Pets a couple of weeks ago, and I began the process of converting the tank. This being the first time since I've had the tank that I've had a chance to completely clean it, I want to make sure and do it as thoroughly as possible before I begin fixing it up for the salamandar. I

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1McKinney, TX 75070, USA33.1788163 -96.717290733.1069788 -96.834020200000012 33.2506538 -96.6005612tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-84514320032706742112010-04-30T16:23:00.000-05:002010-04-30T16:23:27.765-05:00

Not much to post today.  But here is the two newest origami. This one I made a couple of weeks ago: Squirrel And Here's the one Mom requested: Dachshund Cheers, m.f

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-32271508285215305462010-04-25T16:08:00.002-05:002010-04-25T16:13:27.800-05:00

There's something I've been pondering over for a bit of time now.  I guess it all started when I had so much trouble with the whole breeding debacle a couple of months ago, but really it's been a long time coming.  Ever since I've had my aquarium set up, it has always been used as a freshwater aquatic environment.  I've never done anything besides that with it.  Many of you

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-71586258282607659462010-04-17T17:00:00.001-05:002010-04-17T17:01:03.972-05:00

Here's some new origami I've done since my original origami post. Hippo: Crow: And my favorite. Orangutan:

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-89843836592945670792010-04-10T09:14:00.011-05:002010-04-16T05:58:48.910-05:00

 After a two week delay due to an outrageously unseasonal snow event, as well as my own health problems, This past Saturday my father, a friend, and me planted a brand new fig tree in my backyard!  Huzzah!  It really is sort of interesting how this all came about in the first place, as I really had no plans to plant a tree in my backyard until about a month and a half ago. When I

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0McKinney, TX 75070, USA33.1799688 -96.695893933.108132299999994 -96.8126234 33.2518053 -96.5791644tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-6412272852704337382010-04-03T12:55:00.002-05:002010-04-03T12:58:11.552-05:00

Needless to say there has been a lot going on and I haven't posted here in a while. So here goes.  In addition to my weekly online Chinese lessons, I've taken up the beautiful Japanese art of paper folding.  There is a great site that has tons of diagrams and animations: Origami Club.  I've only done a few so far with varying success.  Here are a few of them. I plan to

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-78834048123645906482010-01-30T08:16:00.004-06:002010-01-30T08:41:30.625-06:00

Big Jack The Ripper and his little dame Jackelyn have done it yet again. After the last event, the signs were rather apparent ahead of time. Knowing that a little brood was on the way, I took the opportunity to snap a couple of photos of them. Normally they are too timid to get the chance. One thing to notice is how considerably darker little Jackelyn is compared to Big Jack. This seems to

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-40699193284417048402010-01-16T08:10:00.001-06:002010-01-16T08:16:07.649-06:00

There was quite a lot of interesting aquarium-related activity last weekend. In retrospect, though, I guess I noticed some general behavioral changes a week or two prior. There seemed to be an unusual amount of gravel rearranging, plants being uprooted, and a general reforming of the floor of the aquarium. What used to be a nicely sloping gravel floor was become rather mountainous and hilly.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-12141522984851783252010-01-09T08:39:00.005-06:002010-01-09T08:58:16.607-06:00

Just after Christmas, I had a bit of credit that had accumulated over time in my Amazon account. Some of it was from promo stuff I had done. Some of it was from refunds on items that had dropped in price. A lot of it was from a gift that my sister gave me for my birthday that I ended up returning.Well, after all of the gift exchanging had happened for the holidays, I decided to use that credit

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-82851889959512162912010-01-01T08:36:00.004-06:002010-01-01T08:56:43.917-06:00

Well, the time has finally come! I have passed the construction site every day for the past year or so and waited for its completion with bated breath...haha. A little over dramatic maybe, but que cera. Anyway, the project is finally complete and the new library down the street from my house, literally walking distance (on a warm day...), is open for business!!! Before now the only branch of

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-9024981089801172982009-11-28T08:20:00.001-06:002009-11-30T05:38:28.522-06:00

I am pleased to report that my final (for now) ceiling fan installation went off without a hitch. Huzzah! With the aide of my father I was able to finish up the second of my recent ceiling fan upgrades. If you recall from an earlier post, I had replaced the ceiling fan in my bedroom when I moved in 2 years ago. I replaced the ceiling fan in my library a few months ago with a fan almost identical

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-34271523761474989832009-11-07T08:11:00.006-06:002009-11-07T08:51:28.609-06:00

I've been meaning to discuss my long anticipated pair of ceiling fan replacements for a while now. However, as you see from my previous posts, a lot has come up unexpectedly that redirected my attention. Well, after a few nice weekends, I finally have a chance to make this post.Basically, a couple of months ago I purchased 2 ceiling fans from Lowe's with the anticipation of replacing 2 fans

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-5656454298039358482009-10-31T08:43:00.002-05:002009-10-31T08:53:09.698-05:00

Well my hopes seem to have been fulfilled, as the last couple of weekends have been 'event free' and extremely peaceful. Needless to say, a huge relief considering the back to back to back awful weekends I had before. I didn't post anything until now, so as to avoid jinxing anything. So, I'm hoping for a three-peat this weekend to match the three-peat of awfulness prior. Again, I almost did

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-30532168403737200002009-10-13T09:27:00.001-05:002009-10-14T09:07:59.318-05:00

So much for the last of my weekend woes... The weekend of peace and restfulness I hoped for in my last post came true...almost. Again, at the very end, just like the weekend before, things just seem to always take a big dump on my. This time it took the form of me waking up Monday morning to counter top and nearby floor puddled in water. This is after running the dish-washer overnight. Can I

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-73432010630555102352009-10-11T08:36:00.009-05:002009-10-13T09:45:57.687-05:00

I had a bit of bumpy week this past week. It all worked itself out by Wednesday evening, and gave me some peace, but it was certainly a stressful time. It all began, literally at the very end of a great weekend last Sunday. So, after finally getting to a state of peace and resolution with regards to my aquarium situation and stresses involved with that, and a couple of weeks after my whole

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-60186558123671887512009-10-02T08:06:00.003-05:002009-10-03T11:41:42.761-05:00

In my previous post I discussed one of the two major headaches that I've been trying to fight for a few months with regard to my aquarium: my high rate of plecostomus turnover. The other headache involved the attempted capture of my last remaining convict cichlid. Well, along with my renewed efforts to keep a longer living pleco in tact I also found some resolution on the second front: I

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-69384697461393876652009-09-27T08:08:00.008-05:002009-09-27T10:20:11.355-05:00

When I first set up my 46 Gallon tank years ago, I started off with the easiest to maintain population of fresh water fish: community fish. These are non-aggressive easy-to-care-for fish that are most suitable for beginners. And as this was my first tank, it was the obvious choice. However, the selection for these types of fish can become a bit on the mundane side, and the majority of breeds

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-55803729575962035782009-09-19T17:45:00.002-05:002009-09-19T17:49:18.208-05:00

After last weekends near mental break down when my much-loved microwave suddenly went dead, I can finally drink my tea in peace once again. What an ordeal! My new one came in on Thursday, and my colleague and friend Eric was kind enough to help me mount it in place this morning. After a quick setup I was happily microwaving anew. Yay!

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-44640866266409964592009-08-22T05:45:00.011-05:002009-09-10T16:17:23.473-05:00

After my groundbreaking (for me at least) decisions that prompted the last post, I informed a few close, and very trusted people to see what they thought of it all. Overall, the response was encouraging and positive. I felt extremely relieved by the feedback I heard. Obviously there was some concern that if I chose to do something like this, that it's for the right reason. I truly think it is.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109998820225742013.post-43728310810135028502009-08-15T08:11:00.009-05:002009-09-10T16:19:02.927-05:00

In the past week, I had a revelation of sorts. I started to think about what in the world I would do if the unthinkable occurred and I lost my job at Oracle. I guess this is a somewhat understandable train of thought considering the state of today's economy, but it isn't anything I'd invested much thought in before. I have long had good relationships with my colleagues and in particular my

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0