Yesterday I downloaded Movabletype 4.01 and installed it. It went from this to the much more standards xhtml and css compliance this. (YES that means you folks using IE to access this site). The new blog should be faster and leaner since there are now simpler ways to do things. It was fun although I wouldn't recommend working on an upgrade moments before you're supposed to go to sleep. I'm sure the color scheme will change...or make that needs to change but alas that is for another day.

New site. New laptop. New tires. (Edited: I actually returned the Lenovo laptop and am seriously considering the MacBook Pro. One day I'll be able to say, "Hi I'm Mac." We'll see...)

I also drew something for my sister's catering restaurant 3 Chives, (not to be confused with her other restaurant Goomba in Cupertino) which she will hopefully use for her takeout menus. We'll see....I'll see if I can upload to flickr.

So much time on my hand now, more time yet to get more stuff done—like work on my very old portfolio site! Woot!

The old site will be phased out eventually. Time to move on!

If anyone wants computer parts, send me an email at mikelang at gmail dot come and I will give it to you. Actually they are two desktop PCs, one is a P4 and the other is a Dell Xeon dual processor with plenty of HD, memory, and other niceties. Both are running WinNT 2K servers but you could use it for Ubuntu and such...

If you know of how I could donate these, to a school perhaps, let me know, too.

Oh hopefully you'll lemme know soon since I'm planning to haul it to the Sunnyvale dumpster this Sat.

Thanks

So I finally took the plunge and purchase a Lenovo laptop. I think I'll enjoy using it. I have been thinking about it for several weeks, but when it comes down to it I just wanted something reliable to replace my Dell. I compared Apple, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. Dell and HP are okay. So it actually was a decision between Apple and Lenovo. After talking to several people at church my decision was made. I think I made the right choice. Apple is still such a luxury item I think and the limited softwares totally pushed me towards the Lenovo. My only concern now is Vista but oh well, let's give it a try.

I heard on the drive back from work yesterday of the story of the real Delilah. So apparently the song "Hey There Delilah" is written after the songwriter was introduced to a girl named Delilah. He thought she was really cute and wanted to get to know her. She, however, has a boyfriend. So he went home, threw some chords together, wrote a song for her--"Hey There Delilah."

The story continues. Delilah would go to the gym and the song would play on the loud speakers. Half of her wanted to admit that the song is about her and let the whole world know about it. The other part of her was so sick of hearing the song and regret ever meeting the guy.

Kinda romantic, though if only they actually end up together because he wrote a song for her. I really like the song and the story behind it. Haha.

My friend Heather is doing a Hike for Discovery. She is normally very reserve and not at all a marketing/promo type but it is pretty obvious she has a lot of passion for this cause. I know from talking to her that she cares a lot about the subject of cancer, and leukemia in particular.

In a nutshell, the Hike for Discovery is to raise research and awareness for the LLS (Leukemia and Lymphoma Society). The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society uses the funds raised to cure Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and Myeloma. The Society also gives help and support to over 712,000 Americans battling these blood cancers.

Part of why she is so compelled to do this is that her grandmother was recently diagnosed with leukemia. I can imagine also how cancer will affect beyond her grandmother as I witnessed first hand those effects on my mom when she fought and loss to brain cancer.

So if you ever wanted to have a positive impact on the fight for cancer, take this time to donate to Heather's Hike for Discovery. Click http://www.active.com/donate/hfdsvmb/hfdHBedy to donate NOW!

There's also the chance that your company will match each contribution. Finding the cure is worth asking your HR department the question! Remember all your donations are tax-deductible :)

For more info please contact Heather at lazzeedazees@yahoo.com. Oh and please help spread the word about Heather's Hike for Discovery.

Thanks!

Not much going on here except to say that the Sunday was spent with my brothers and their friends watching Super Bowl (a Lang tradition), in between rounds of poker games. I didn't play but ended up missing much of the football game to watch these "rounders".

This morning I got an email from my friend in SoCal regarding our old stomping ground at UCLA. We both worked at two places there to make ends meet. On his recent trip back for a work-related review, the place he used to work at is gone, replaced by a Taco Bell. I used to go see him at work to get "discount" pizza, with lots of extra toppings. He would visit me at Jimmy's/LuValle Commons where I'd make him omelettes with extras stuff. Sad to see that the Coop Pizza in Ackerman Union exist "NO MORE". Not sure what the reason was to replace that with, of all thing, Taco Bell. Anyway, progress is inevitable, I guess. Good bye Coop Pizza. Thank you for always welcoming us hungry students into your dark and mysterious underground. You will be missed!

Now an email regarding yesterday's Super Bowl, specifically of Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy's character. Imho, these are two fine coaches that really does exemplify humility--witness the playing the 4th down instead of kicking the field goal on Tony Dungy's part.

"I tell you what. I'm proud to be representing African-American coaches, to be the first African-American to win this. That means an awful lot to our country. But again, more than anything, I’ve said it before, Lovie Smith and I, not only the first two African-Americans, but Christian coaches, showing that you can win doing it the Lord’s way, we’re more proud of that."

It's character, not color, that separates Smith, Dungy
Dungy, Colts, reign supreme
First Black Super Bowl Coaches Say 'The Lord Set this Up'
Super Bowl coaches Dungy, Smith known for Christian testimony
At top of game, Dungy, Smith still feel higher calling
Character, not color, defines Dungy, Smith

Lastly, what was your favorite Super Bowl commercial?
My coworkers at work liked these:
- Oprah/Letterman "dating", watching the game
- Garmin-Monster-"Ultraman"
While I liked the Bud Light "Rock, Paper, Scissor", and the Bud Light classroom..."Me no speak English."

WSJ's poll has the Bud Light's classroom as their top commercial. Worst: Snickers and Garmin. (WSJ, subscription)

This is the best thing...EVER.

It's priced at $499-$599 and is available through Cingular, which means the iPhone may not be for you if you are making indoor calls. But who cares when you can get the NYTimes like this.

Is that Jonathan Ive, famed Apple designer's actual cell/work phone? (I tried calling the work one and got a voicemail of Apple, the second one was a general voicemail. Haha. Umm ahem: Please do not try this at home kids.)

Until my current Verizon phone runs out, I'll continue to pull along this bag of bricks, "my fivers": 20 gig iPod (non video), 5 gig iPod Nano, Palm V, LG vx8300, Dell Inspiron m600 laptop, Canon SD630 camera optional.

Psst...really, these all-in-one devices are highly overrated anyhow.

Show of hands who's buying one?