(For you Pi Kapps, I saw a car with a sticker in the window that read:
"Powered by Deez Nutz". Really.)

Email account is now set up. If y'all really dislike hotmail.com, I can now be
reached at [email protected], or alternately [email protected]
...both end up in the same mailbox. Also, I got my address book moved over
to the web-based version of Hotmail, so hopefully this will still work.

Anyhow, I was informed on the LokiHack mailing list that accepting a job
as a developer in California, statistically speaking, reduces my chances
of mating. Seeing as it's too late to quit, I figure I'll just have to
forage on in my new role as the geek who makes other people look more
attractive.

As far as daily events go, I woke up (to screaming hellspawn children
downstairs) around 8:00a.m., read some more of Cryptonomicon, hopped in
the shower when it became available, and was off to Loki. The basic gist
is that I spend about half my day playing video games, and half reading
email.

...and I get paid to do so. Oh, yes.

But finally I got set up with the code for the Might and Magic III
editor...it's relatively clean, surprisingly, but it's all crufty MFC
code, which means that all the cleanliness in the world won't change the
fact that I'll have to rewrite most of it from scratch. Joy.

Anyhow, I made a first stab at apartment hunting today. Found a studio
apartment EXACTLY one mile from the office for about 700 bucks a month,
which for the record, is about 50 bucks more than I was paying in
Charlotte, so it's not as bad as it sounds.

Oh, by the way, don't be fooled. California isn't nearly as expensive as
you think. It's a little more pricey than, say, Charlotte, but it's not
rediculous.

Still, Andrew Henderson (another LokiHacker from Atlanta) just signed
papers to work here, so I might wait to see if he wants to split an
apartment...oh, wait. He's bringing his fiancee...that won't work.

Anyhow.

I really wanted to discuss my eating habits. Mostly I'm on what I've
termed the "Friends and Family" diet, which basically means that I eat
only when those around me are footing the bill. Good for weight loss,
especially in foreign cities like Tustin. So after spending the better
portion of the day eating (free) stale pretzels and communal coke, I
finally broke down and went to find food. Sam pointed me towards a
Persian restaurant, so I figured if I'm going to try something new, I
might as well go all the way.

Every play Russian Roulette Dining?  It's fun. Basically, you find a
restaurant you've never been to, go in, and point to some items on the
menu. Don't even read it. Get your food to-go. When you get back to your
house, or office, open the box and see what you selected. This works best
in chinese restaurants.

I ended up with some sort of chicken kabob with rice and a real thin
torilla-wrap. It was delicious. I could have just as easily ended up with
dog, but that's a chance you take when you live on the edge like me.  :)

Sam squashed some more SDL bugs...mouse grabbing now works in all sorts
of wierd configurations.

Found out that Disneyland is a little closer than I thought. Roughly five
miles (not a typo) from here. Sweet.

Got invited to a Jewish Casino Night. That just begs to be a good
story. I'll keep y'all posted.

It is confirmed, I'll be in New York from January 1st through the 5th (that
should actually read "February". --Ed.), shlepping Quake 3 at LinuxWorld expo
for a few days. Come visit if y'all get a chance. General expo passes are free
from http://www.linuxworld.com/

Alright, going home. Sam's locking up. See y'all.

--ryan.