Failure Pile in a Sadness Bowl

Watched the movie "Codebreaker" on Netflix last night. Fantastic. If you're at all interested in how the age of computing commenced, then you might be fascinated by this film. It's about a British man named Alan Turing, and it begins with his breaking the code for the German Enigma machines during WWII. Without this advantage, Hitler's Luftwaffe and U-boat forces would likely have poured into Great Britain and D-Day might have been a failure in Normandy. This guy was a mathematical genius, and he literally gave us the construct for modern computing back in 1936. Every smartphone, every computer, tablet, laptop, mainframe, etc, still employs these very basic principles. Without this highly intelligent Brit's phenomenal work, history could have taken a much darker path.

There is a shameful element in the story of Alan Turing, however. The British government treated this hero horrifically, due to his sexual orientation. I commend them for eventually apologizing to the man after his death, but they literally wasted an unbelievable asset to mankind. Very sad.

I've been feeling the itch to get back on the motorcycle lately. There are 56 more days until spring, and it can't come soon enough. I need my 2-wheeled therapy.

After work yesterday, I decided to get a long-overdue oil change. My sexy 2005 Ford Freestyle with sheepskin seat covers had been neglected. Not only was I a couple thousand miles past the limit, the heater in my car was not working very well ever since this last cold snap. Sure, it would get a little warm  when I was cruising at about 72mph, but in the city, I was freezing my balls off. My feet would feel like two throbbing ice blocks by the time I reached downtown Madison from Columbus. I went to Super-Lube in Sun Prairie for the service. I got the usual upsell shit that they always try to pull, but then the technician came over to me with my air filter to show me how filthy it was. It was covered in hair and leaves, and it looked like something was nesting in the air intake. No mention of that was made, but they did recommend replacing it. I agreed, and they proceeded to put in my new air filter. They guy then reaches into the air intake, and pulls out THE REST of the nest. Yes, I had a mouse nesting in my engine's air intake chamber. Fantastic. Low and behold, my fucking heat works again. Woot-woot!

Lori and I have been stalking a mid-century modern home that was built in 1950. We're in the process of getting all of our ducks in a row so we can make a formal low-ball offer. I. must. have. this. house. It just needs a little love and care, and it would be one sexy mutherfucker of a home. We've started referring to it as "cool ranch". Here's a picture of the back of this Frank Lloyd Wright inspired property:

We'll see how things pan out, but I really want to bring this property back to its proper condition. The exterior is gorgeous, and the interior has great bones. We will do it justice....I promise.

I think that's all I have time for today, folks. I should really start earning my paycheck. I will leave you with this little nugget that left Lori and I giggling last night. Patton Oswalt is my new all-time favorite comic right now. Enjoy: