May 23 I like nicknames. I like giving them to all types of people. I’ve found that it helps to break many initial layers of ice that might exist when you’re first getting to know people. The real key, in my opinion, to nicknames is that they create a bond between the person with the nickname and others.
I guess that there are also different types of nicknames. I don’t mean derogatory, kind, or funny. I mean there are nicknames that everyone calls someone by and then there are nicknames that only exist between the nickname giver and the nickname recipient. I like the latter.
Instead of discussing all of the nicknames that I’ve given, though, I’d like to now list all of the ones that I’ve received. The interesting list includes:
- JQ - It stands for Johnny Quest. I don’t even know why I got it.__
- T-man - This is actually a funny story. So in college I met a couple of girls at an event. And then I met them again. And again. And finally one time when they asked me what my name was, I got tired of it so I just told them it was Mr. T. As in the A-team guy with the gold chains. Haha and they thought to call me T-man. After that, they sure remembered who I was!
- Deek - I don’t even know why the girl who gave me this one did. I think it’s pretty strange. Just like the nickname giver. :P
- Darkwing - Okay this is a strange one because it’s half given by myself. In the cartoon Darkwing Duck, the theme song has a line “when you’re in trouble you call DW.” So I think that someone called me Darkwing Duck when I was a little kid because of the song. And then I made up an AIM screen name using it. And then someone started using it (but only on rare occasions).
- Dirk - I suppose that this one makes sense because of how similar it sounds to my name. If only I played like Mr. Nowitzki. Well not so much in the playoffs this year. But all of the rest of the time that’d be awesome.
- reDERKulous - I think that this is an awesome nickname. I got this nickname when someone was making them up to input as our bowler names. I appreciate the creativity, and I’ve used this as a screen name in video games (namely Halo 1 and 2). Of course, since I made the name I had to live up to it and truly be reDERKulous. :)
- DT - This is an obvious one since my middle initial is T. The one who gave me this one doesn’t use it too often, though.
- Drek - Another obvious one, but it shows how the giver is very unique and unlike others. Plus it just sounds amusing in her voice, like a little kid who can’t entirely say a word.
- Derek Wong-a-long - I got this in high school. Haha I have no idea why. It doesn’t mean anything (meaningful or perverted).
- Ricardo - HA this one is so random. I actually don’t even remember HOW the person who gave this one to me got it.
- junny - I only got this one because I made one up for this person that had to do with their Korean name. It’s an amusing one, though because it is seemingly a name for a 13 year old.
- derekson - I think that the person who gave me this name just likes to append different endings to people real names to come up with a nickname.
- muga - This one was definitely in response to me giving someone the nickname “muha”. Nonetheless it’s an amusing one.
- d-d-d-d-derek - I don’t even know how she came up with this. But she did.
Okay that is all just a sample of the different nicknames that I’ve received. There are definitely others (some of which I have likely forgotten forever). There are others that I’m not eager to share and have thus kept them to myself. And then there is one of my very favorite: derekudarkwingduckingofthejungle. Well it wins for longest, that is for sure. And it is one of the most original. My very amusing friend Melissa Tong is the very originator of this nickname. Haha how awesome is that?
Coincidentally, she would also appreciate a post about her. ;-) I hardly ever write about actual people that I know, instead prefering to focus on ideas and topics. However I will make an exception in this case (and possibly others in the future). Anyways, I realized while talking to her that something cool that she does is give people amusing nicknames! I really enjoy that her nicknames, although perhaps not stemming from an event but rather their actual name, are still original and humorous. Plus they’re usually corny. And that says a lot about the person that she is. Well seeing as how I told her that someday I’d write about her, I considered many other amusing things to talk about instead of just the fact that she gives out lots of nicknames. Some of the other considered topics and quotes are more funny, but I decided to refrain on my better judgment.
All in all, nicknames are fun. I like giving them, and I like getting them. However I must admit that they require some real perseverance if you want them to stick. Oh and I don’t really like mean-spirited ones because they detract from the previously mentioned bond between giver and recipient.
May 22 So another advantage to hosting my own blog (okay it’s not just limited to hosting yourself) in addition to other costs and benefits of running your own server is that you get to see statistics. You can install any type of tracking system. I personally am using Statcounter and Google Analytics, but there are a plethora of options out there.
In any case I’d like to share what some amusing searches on my site have been:
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**pastor “Derek Wong” **- Say whaaatt? Haha
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siafu ant - One would think that I would get no hits on the Siafu Ants since there are other much more reputable sources than my blog on a species of ant. Oh well.
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**tweedle dee tweedle dumb **- Apparently nobody writes about Alice in Wonderland anymore.
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how to use gimp to make a passport photo - I would guess that someone could arrive at my site on this because it’s a pretty specific topic that I wrote a post about.
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**Jennifer Shih facebook **- Now that’s just strange. Quit it stalker kids. Or rather, quit it stalker boys. :P
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**amazing gross photos **- I think that’s awesome that they could arrive at my site on these keywords! Of course I probably disappoint because I don’t exactly have amazingly gross photos.
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**wong way poet **- That seems pretty specific to me. You’d think that they could just remember “goingthewongway” if they can already remember “wong way.” Or maybe there is just some poet out there named wong who is writing about the way. I bet he wants my domain name. :P
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**california dmv temporary-operating-permit **- I’m very happy that I can provide the answer to this. I know that I would have wanted to happen upon the answer in a quick search!
Okay that is just a taste. And considering that some of these searches are old, I make no guarantees that you will still find me indexed for these keywords. I just wanted to share how amusing it is for me to see these things.
May 21 Well I suppose that there aren’t too many original ideas out there. Nevertheless, when I happened upon a piece of software called Budget while I was reading through my feed reader this morning, I had to take a second look. Why? Well because I wrote (and am in current development of) The Budgeteer!
There were notable differences, obviously. Comparing the two programs, here is what I noticed:
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Budget deposits absolute amounts into each sub-account (represented as envelopes) whereas the Budgeteer deposits percentages into each sub-account. I recently thought about this difference actually. It would be nice to have options to do both/either. My original approach of percentages allows for things such as taking 10% off the top for tithe, but it has pitfalls such as having to specify a percentage for each sub-account. Granted of course you can play around with them over time such that they will approach what you actually need/want/use.
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Budget is much prettier. Both their Windows and Mac executables look better than my Python GUI. Granted, I haven’t been trying to make it beautiful or anything. And it is essentially the same functionality (clicking on different buttons, etc). Nevertheless, that is a plus that Budget has.
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Obviously Budget is production software that is being sold whereas the Budgeteer is something that I wrote up in a week and have since played with only a little bit. Budget also costs 30 bucks, and (when the time comes) the Budgeteer will not.
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The Budgeteer has a cooler name.
All in all, I would like to think that Budget and the Budgeteer are similar. However, I must concede that they are not even close to similar. Budget is much more polished, and I am now more determined to develop the Budgeteer!
I’ve changed the name of the program to Budgeteer. I don’t know why I need so many e’s.
May 21 [kuhl-p_uh_-b_uh_ l]
Definition:
Rightfully deserving of blame or penalty
Example of usage:
Planning and scheming for those many weeks was harmless fun, but once the thieves stepped onto the property of the bank that fateful night, they were culpable for their crimes.
This is a fairly oft-encountered word I think. It’s definitely not used all of the time (because of its definition). However there aren’t too many words that could take its place. And thus if you ever need a word with a definition like this word’s, you need to know this one.
May 21 Read through old notes from those that might or might not have been interested in you. Find out both how weak the writing skills of young people can be as well as how strange you must have been to have thought it personally normal to interact with people in this way.
Watch videos of yourself as a kid that show that you had the makings of who you are even back then. Even if that means that you were one who found humor in bullying others.
Flip through some pictures that will make you laugh and some that will make you grimace.
It’s amusing to look back, wouldn’t you say? Even though junk is not something that I’d prefer to keep around in general, you also have to know what to save. A box full of memories is something that everyone would do well to keep. Just think about how it can be used for instant fun when you can’t think of anything else. Or like when you can’t think of anything to blog about.