Beowulf is better!

Beowulf is now sporting a beautiful new screen! Yay! I must say though, the guy only took 20 minutes to complete the task, and for all he did, I could have easily done it. It would have been a lot faster, and a lot cheaper for Dell to just send me the screen, and let me put it in myself. But oh well, not everyone would be able to do that themselves. Either way, Beowulf is pretty, and working. And the LCD screens are freakin' awesome, and I know how to take apart my computer with out guessing now. (Muhha hahahhahaha! And there are no 'void warranty' stickers on it at all.) In the mean time though, while it is still under warranty, I will let them deal with it. (The parts are free that way, and I'm getting the labor I paid for in that stuff.) Anyhow, so happy day.

I'll catch you all later.
MEO

Beowulf & strep

Okay, so I'm still on the antibiotics for strep (yay!) for another like week or something like that, but it's definately not contagious anymore. Serious Yay! there. So, more or less, I am free to interact with society again. That is good, because I hate being home all the time.

In the mean time, on Tuesday morning, I managed to accidentally kick my computer, off of my night stand, where it sets during the hours that it is not in use, and destoy the screen on it. Not yay. So, either way, I have accidental injury on it, and 3 year warranty, and all that good stuff that cost an arm and a leg. At this point in time, I'm actually happy that I spent that additional like 300 bucks to make sure they will fix it for me when I do stupid stuff like this. Knowing myself and that there would undoubtedly be some time that I do something like this is useful. I have dropped it before, but it's never hurt it then.

Anyhow though, so the accidental injury is the only sort of insurance thing that covers the screen, and man, and I glad that I have it now. So I called up Dell, and said, I broke my screen! Help me! They said, (this was a little girl most likely in India, with a thick accent) let me check to see that you have the proper stuff that we can help you. Her: Oh, I see here that you do in fact have the proper stuff (that's right, she's said 'stuff' twice now) to, so that we can do help you (no joke with the to, do help all that stuff). So anyhow, she gives me a 'case number' they ship out a new LCD screen to this company apparently near by, and some guy is supposed to call me to set up an appoint me to come fix Beowulf by noon on wednesday.

Having just gotten past the whole contagious bit the day prior, and having to take Hazel into the vet to get her teeth trimmed again (which, by the way, they offered me her teeth, the onces they'd just trimmed off, in a medicine bottle to keep --- gross!!!!!!!), I decided to stay home from work. (a great comfort to the elderly ladies I work with, I garuntee you.) So anyhow, I stay home, waiting for this one stupid phone call. About 2 o'clock, I decide it isn't going to come. So I call up the new number that they gave me to get a hold of them (Dell) with, and I give them the walk through, and they said they'd talk to the people again, and looked up where the screen was, and couldn't find where the screen was, and pretty much, they were completely lost on the whole thing. During the all of the encounters with Dell support, they continue to ask, "I'm just going to look up your account here quick, and review it. Will you please hold for 3-5 minutes," or "I'm going to call the company quick. Elizabeth, will you please hold for 10-13 minutes." etc.
They would also ask for my name when ever I was transferred to a different person. it was kindda eerie like.

Either way, so the next day, today, Thursday, I get a call in the morning, and set up an appointment with the guy to come and replace my screen. He says he's going to be here, at my house, between 1:30 & 3:30. So I wait around all day, for him to show up, and fix my computer. At about 4:15, I've given up on him, and I call Dell again, who proceeds to tell me that they have sent me an e-mail summarizing my case to me. I'm thinking, how the hell does that help me? I can't even get on the computer to check my e-mail, because I don't have a freakin' workin' screen. Anyhow, so they continue to tell me that they can't do anything about it, and that I should call back the person who is supposed to be coming to my house. So I call him back, and get voice mail. I leave a message. Yay! There is all sorts of fun. Anyhow, so I left for school, and by the time I'd got back, he wants me to call him back, and arrange another time that he can come by and fix my computer, I'm thinking, what, so you can just ignore it again? But anyhow, so it sounds like I won't have Beowulf all fixed again for a little bit longer still.

Anyhow, it is dinner time, so I will catch you all later. Bye, have a good day,
Elizabeth.

calc notes & Richard gets back soon!!!!!!

yay, just some calc notes from last thursday... I inverted the colors, because they're easier to read that way.

On a much happier note, my boyfriend gets back tomorrow!!!! Yeah, or at least, I think it is tomorrow, but it's either tomorrow or Sunday, either way, it is soon!!!! Richard time! So, here's the deal, I left for Florida on the 12th of July, and he left for Louisiana on the 17th of July. I got back from Florida on the 18th of July, just missing him, how sad is that? Well, I think it is sad. But anyhow, so here it is, now the 22nd of July, and he is going to be back tomorrow or the day after, so I haven't seen him, or actually verbally talked to him for about 2 weeks. But he will be back soon!!! And the Elizabeth rejoices!! Yay!!!! (If you can't tell, I've kindda missed having him around. Norman is alright without him here, but not nearly as fun, and unfortunately, Florida wasn't really fun at all, but I think it would have been better with him there. Anyhow, so that's enough from me, I figure I ought to finish Harry Potter before game night tomorrow, so I'm gonna go work on that.

Later,
Elizabeth

I have a robot army!!!! Muhhahahhahaaaaa!!!!

Okay, so maybe they aren't quite robots yet, but as you can see, we got in our XBC version 2s from Charmed labs recently, and are preparing/currently upload(ing) the firmware on to each and everyone one of them, before we upload and run the test program, also on every one of them. On each shelf, there are half a dozen XBCs. As you can see, in the bottom right of the picture, this requires quite a bit of charging, and power. There are 6 power stips there, each with 3 of their power adapters on them. So, the visions hold true, I am creating an army of robots, and if that holds true, so will the fact that Richard will have a gay boy flute player, who isn't really gay, just really fruity. (Richard, I would suggest you lean him towards peaches, or strawberries, everyone likes those.) Another important thing to note about this photo, is that it was taken in our conference room... we have taken over our conference room, so we can charge XBCs enough to download the firmware onto them. Matthew had his laptop there today to use for the downloading, and I will have mine there tomorrow. (I finally downloaded IC onto it... that may prove useful.) For all of you non-technical people out there who have no clue what I'm talking about, the XBC is a combination of three things: a Gameboy Advanced, a Xport board (the one that acts as the cartridge that you put into the GBA), and the XBC board (this board is plugged into the xport board, and is where you plug all the sensors, the camera, and motors into). It's a really nifty device. I'm happy to annouce that the XBC version 2 is alot better than the XBC version one; it has a better battery enclosure, one that you can actually connect legos to, it has a better battery, it has a much better power adapter & power system altogether, you can actually run it while charging it now.

Thus far, I have avoided the XBC altogether, beyond the testing and rebuilding/building/fixing of it that we have done in the lab. I have not written any code for it at all, I have not even worked on any of the code. I feel inspired by the funness that is this better board to now attempt to play with it some. I know that I can't break it because, well, because I have fixed almost all of them that have come back broken. Short of scratching up the actual board, or breaking it over my knee, there really isn't anything that can go wrong with it that I can't fix anymore. (We've had to fix so many of these, that we got to the point where we could direct people how to fix it themselves over the phone, and know exactly what was wrong with it.) But anyhow, so I'm sure that this is boring most of you to tears, but just wait until tomorrow, when I post some of my calculus notes on here.

It really is a fun course, but not because of what we are being taught, simply because of who I am taking with. (Oh, and I got an 85% on that last test I took the Monday before I had to leave!!!! I'm amazed, I would have guessed about a 72% on that one. But this means that I only need a 74% with the bonus points I already have to make an A in the class!!!! Yay!!! No more calculus!!!! Woot!)

Anyhow, so I'm gonna get back to reading Harry Potter, which, I'm quite sad to say, I haven't gotten very far into yet, and let you all get back to doing something more fun.

Catch you later, Have a good day,
Elizabeth

this last week...

first off, I'm sorry that I didn't get around to posting a blog yesterday. You must understand though, when you're too tired to read Harry Potter, you should be asleep. As a result of my post-ponement of posting earlier, I'll have you all know, that I am currently not reading Harry Potter, just so that i can post this for you.

(In other words, you'd better enjoy it.)

The basics of the trip... it was generally good, a few incidents with highschoolers hazing middle schoolers, and theft and stuff like that, all of which were easily, and quickly solved. I hope none of you were expecting me to bring you anything, because I did not see anything asside from the college, and the airport, food, and the bed. I was hoping to make it over to the college bookstore, but alas, did not have a chance to. Anyhow, so there are no goodies from Florida, I'm sorry. (I didn't even see the beach.)

I did meet a couple of really cool guys while I was there though, Ed and John. They're twins about our age. They represented the University of Maryland in the beyond botball portion of the week. They're both pretty technical, and very nice. Anyhow, so they very successfully lead their UMD straigt into the loser's bracket, and out of the tournament, but they did score points for DOL (Andy, Patrick, and Matt's team). Either way, they had a really nifty robot; it used mouse traps to launch empty pop cans half way across the playing field. Nifty awesome. I have a picture of the other robot, which is in this.

Anyhow, so Ed is the one with the blonde hair (left), and John (right) has the darker hair. Next year, they will be competeing on different teams (or so I am told), and the tournament will be held here in Norman. The general point of this being that if you live in or near Norman, I will probably be hitting you up to help lower the costs for these two and their team members (should they have any) come tournament time. But they are both really really really nice, and fun, and face it, you'd love to have them around for a week next summer. ** Special note, Martin took these photos, so I'm sorry, but I not expecting him to do so, unfortunately, they're alot better for this purpose than any of the awards photos turned out.

All said and done, although it was not at all relaxing, or even really a vacation, it was alright, and I believe I can say that I had a good amount of fun, at least, considerably more than I was expecting to have, knowing that I was going with a bunch of people who have kids my age.

Anyhow, so now, it is time to sleep,
goodnight, sweet dreams, take care, sleep well,
Elzabeth

quick

Norman High Placed 1st in Double elimination, second in seeding, and first overall.
Los Altos got first in seeding.

Congrats to all those NHS botball peeps.

Things I'm glad are here that I really missed:
my pillow
my car
the tv.
my bed as a whole
no humidity
my down comforter
a shower with a good shower head
classic 50s
my bank
my music
etc. etc.
(and Richard if he were here, but alas, he is not.)
other friends.
bed
pillow
shower
razor
bed
pillow
shower (you get the point)

I will go more into the details of the whole trip tomorrow, and tell you all more about John and Ed. (Uber cool guys ya'll) Right now, it is time for sleep, so goodnight, sleep well sweet dreams, take care. Later, MEO

James Mclurkin

Alrighty, so tonight, after dinner, we had our first guest speaker, James Mclurkin. He has these little robots he builds with his team. Either way, he's freakin' awesome. James brought with him some of his little swarmbots, which you see in the back ground here. He's a pretty cool guy, really eneregtic, and fun. He just graduated from MIT, and now works for iRobot. (the company, not the movie) You may have heard of iRobot from their very useful bots including roomba, and pacbot. James, however, is working on these wonderful little robots called swarmbots. They are really cool, and quite nifty. They do all sorts of fun things, and what not, but they make noise (sing) and even light up, follow the leader, disperse, come together, and orbit. But they look nifty when they are like live and what not. Anyhow though, so I'm very tired, and I think I've given you plenty to chew on here. So I hope you all enjoy this, and I wish to make it known that his webpage is not really finished, and he said that he would add video of the swarmbots in action before too long. So, you might want to check back there sooner or later.
Anyway, I have to sleep now, so goodnight, sleep well, sweet dreams, take care, and yeah, just be happy. Later, MEO

PS - tomorrow (friday) is the seeding for regular botball, and all of beyond botball. 1:30 - 5:00, they will have a live webcast going to show the entire seeding rounds here. I'm sorry, but they aren't showing the beyond botball on there at all. They will also show the regular botball double elimination rounds on Sunday, from 1:30-5. So, I would suggest that you also check that one out. It should be pretty cool. Later, Elizabeth. bye

Hey all. Today, is practice, registration, robot olympiad, and finally the openning session and gues speaker. It doesn't sound too bad, ut it si still very busy, with lots of trouble shooting. For the most part it seems that my job today will be to stay where I'm supposed to be from now on. This morning was kindda hectic, lots of replacing of the electronic parts that people have dropped, or destoryed, or burnt up, or zapped too long, or something of the sorts.

the situation as it is currently

From earlier today >>>>
/*The situation as it stands currently, at 9:13 in the AM; I’m in the Houston International airport. Let’s see… what is there to mention? Oh yes, my flight doesn’t start boarding until 9:50, and I am bored. I read some more of Hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy on the last flight. Whoo! I can read!!! That in itself is exciting. Uhmm… there is wireless here, but they’re charging $10 for 24 hours, and there is no way I’m going to use 24 hours of wireless in this airport, even on the way back. I don’t think I even come back through this airport on the way back. I don’t remember though, I’ll look it up later. I’m sure that Rodney would be able to figure out how to get into it anyhow for free, but I don’t really feel like stealing internet right now, or like using my brain at all. Besides, I was told that we have wireless access at the homestead, and at the convention center, so most likely, that is where this will be posted from. So far into the trip: I love flying. I really really love flying. It is soooo much fun. I love taking off, not so much landing, but not because I’m scared something will go wrong, but because of the ear popping on the way down. (for some reason, it seems to be worse on the way down.) I got to see the sun rise this morning in Oklahoma. Well, but rise, I mean, I went from not being able to see it to being able to see it during our take off in the airplane. Other thought: I miss my coffee boy. I found a Star Bucks here in the airport. I was told there is a Border’s here as well, but I didn’t find it until after I’d given up and gotten a chai and scone from Star Bucks. The chai does not taste like chai. The only reason I still believe it to be chai is simply that it has the slightest scent of chai to it. Very sad. Crazy me, trying to wake up with tea. Oh well. I don’t know why I even tried, I mean, I am in an airport, and they tend to not have quite so good food. The Atlanta International airport has a Burger King in it, and that is the best burger I have ever had. I’m not sure if they made it better or something, or if it was just better because I hadn’t had a burger in so long, but there is the exception.

Ooooo! All call for Lafayette, LA. Maybe I should go visit my town of origins. Then again, maybe not. I’ve driven through once since we left (when I was like 6 weeks old), but I’m in no real hurry to go back. Who knows, it might surprise me when I decide to return finally, but until then, I’m gonna continue to ignore the fact that I was born in any particular place. (Chalk that up as a thing that doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of life.) Anyhow, so this doesn’t seem to be helping me get unbored, and there are people around, who can see my screen, so I shouldn’t attempt anything that might get me into trouble, even though I probably couldn’t figure it out anyhow. So, I think I’m gonna stop writing, and go back to reading before getting all giddy about going on another airplane. (Man, I love to fly, this doesn’t even seem like a work trip right now, flying means fun!) Anyhow, I’m getting off of this thing. Bye.*/

From now: >>

Well, keeping with typical Florida, it has been raining, on and off, and hot, and sticky, and just really gross. I hate humidity. My hair has pretty much doubled in size, not cool. Not cool at all. Anyhow, so we pretty much know our way around our little corner of Jacksonville now. It has been all sorts of funness, and turn arounds, and what not, but we have two of the three people that we are supposed to get checked in to the dorms tonight checked in. The last person we're supposed t0 go pick up at the airport at 10 something. I'm really kindda bored. We've been doing alot of running around, and not really accomplished anything, but we now know where everything on campus is, and how to get to campus, and where the food around us is. We've found 2 Quizno's, 3 Starbucks, a handfull of assorted grocery stores, a few different chinese restraunts, a McDonalds, a Burger King, and everything else we can possible ever need, including the printers, the sign makers, and a Krystal's, which we ate at for lunch, has free wi-fi, and seems to be an imitation of White Castle, with the tiny burgers and all.

We are free and clear of all of the storms here. If we do catch one, it will be when we're supposed to be flying out.

Our room is really nice, we have two rooms to make up our suite. One with a kitchen area, and bar, and sitting area w/tv, and fold out couch, and bathroom; the other with the two beds, and tv, and bathroom & desk. We have a pretty sweet deal going for us here. We've got our fridge stocked with juice, and cokes, and our wireless access which is better than dandy. We have our own separate bathrooms (how sweet is that?). It's about the same cost as the dorms, and is only 5 minutes away.

Anyhow though, so I should be wrapping this up, it's like a mile long, I'm sorry everyone, or anyone who is still reading this. Have a good day, later, Elizabeth

I'm here!!

In Jacksonville, eating. We're gonna do some running around, then I'll post some more.

Later, MEO

Era 3: A new home

How sad is this? Richard and I just went to Kendall's tonight for dinner, the best chicken fried steak ever. But we got there, and they were taking their fun photos and stuff off of the walls. Not cool. So, what's up you ask? Kendall's is moving to their new home in Purcell. How sad is this? On other points of interest, Richard finally got pulled over by a cop! And a new Zorro has taken control of the post on the little white Nissan Stanza. The era has begun. May it be good, and entertaining, and awesome.

Later, and happy new era,
Elizabeth

Richard!!!!!

Meagan: You're going 40 in a 25 zone.
Richard: (points ahead) It's 30 up there.

Today was good, & I have the greatest boyfriend.

I got paid today! Whooo! That's freakin' awesome. So what do I do when I get paid? I immediately get gas, and CDs. That's right, I got two CDs, and they make me happy, well, yeah, whatever. I got the new Coldplay album, and The Fall Out Boys album. I dig them. Yeah, that's right, I paid money for the CDs, crazy huh? I think they deserve it though. So, yay!

Nifty funness: They [work] gave me money to spend when I need to buy anything in Florida - food, drinks, anything like that, just not like personal spending. It is freakin' awesome! I didn't even know they would do that. It makes me happy. :) They actually trust me. Well, I knew that some of them did, but now I know that they all trust me. It's really like a business trip. It's gonna be fun. If nothing else, it looks good on the resume.

Not so nifty or funness: I got all not feeling well this afternoon, not good. I had to leave work an hour early. Well, a little over an hour early. I kept trying to wait it out, and it just didn't work, so whatever. I came home, took a bath, and went to sleep. I like sleep.

On the rebound: I woke up around 5:10 ish or so in the evening. so, I slept for like two hours or something like that. But either way, I then proceeded to getting the CDs, and gas and stuff, and got my parents to buy dinner. That's a plus. then, we fed the animals at the duck pond, and got another duck to jump, and even Richard got Earl to jump. Earl is cool, he rocks. Uhm... yeah, then we went and saw a dollar movie: A lot like Love. It was really good. I enjoyed it alot. It was funny, and cute, and had <3 <3 Ashton Kutcher <3 <3 in it. Negligible in the long run, since I went with Richard, but it was an awesome movie. Oh yeah, somewhere in all of that, we went to Petsmart, and got rabbit food, and litter for while I'm gone. I'm trying out this new 'fresh scent' litter that they have, since I'm gonna be gone for like a week. It is stinking up my whole room. I think I almost prefer the rabbit smell. But whatever. My head is killing me, so I'm gonna call this a post.

Later, have a good evening/day/morning,
Elizabeth.

Tabs and I went to the duckpond, and we caught some little fishies for her kids at work. The water smells really really bad. There is black mold, the toxic kind growing on the half of the pond just south of the stone bridge with the big turtles under it. The fish are really stupid though, we started by baiting them into the net with some bread, but quickly realized that they're dumb as can be, and that you can catch them simply by waving the net around in the pond. I'm convinced it's all the toxic mold getting to them, kills their brain cells. But anyhow, while there, we got really close to the turtles, because they were getting close to us to eat the bread, he was like 6 inches away at one point, snapping at the bread. It was nifty. Also, a duck tried to attack Tabs. She fended it off with her handy dandy net. Oh yeah, and I got Earl to jump for me today, appearantly, ducks really like corn cereals. Today we fed them Corn Pops, they seem to really enjoy them.

I finished the fileboxes, and everything else that needed to be done for our Nationals. Everything is boxed up, and ready to be shipped. Whoo! Work was long, but uneventful, almost monotonous. But I'm kindda looking forward to going to Florida. I will have a couple of half days off here and there, nothing much, but enough to have a bit of fun. I'll be mostly on my own. I get meals with the other staff, and I'm gonna stay with the other staff members, and I have to work the conference. But asside from that, I'll be on my own if I want to have fun for a half day or two. Also, I'm the only one really working the conference who is under like 30. It will be kindda boring.

Oh well. the major plus: it is being held on the campus of Florida University, Jacksonville, so I will have wireless the whole time, and our 'homestead' will have wireless the whole time. That will be good. I will be able to keep in some sort of contact with everyone here. Still doesn't fix the fact that I'll be all Richardless for extended periods of time, but cest la vie.

I think that just about covers everything for today, tomorrow is pay day. CD splurge day!!! Buy rabbit food and stuff day, get tag renewed day, possibly fix hair day, etc. General get ready for trip day. Whoo. i have to work shortly though, so I'm gonna get some sleep.
Goodnight, sleep well, sweet dreams, take care, goodnight.
Elizabeth

It is sleep time, so I'm going to try to make this quick

Few fun things I've learned/heard today:
Richard's shorts are frontin'
The turtle is eating the sheit!
Craig Ferguson is appauled by Regis's impression of his accent.
Oh yeah, and my tag expired in June.

Okay, I think that's all for today, if you want to know more of what I learned, you can check out Rodney's blog, it is quite facinating.

A quick look into the future:

Tuesday, at the butt crack of dawn, I leave for Florida, I won't be back until like 4 in the afternoon on the following Monday. Whoo! My first 'business' trip. I know that probably doesn't mean a whole lot, but I'm kindda hoping to get to go to Hawaii with them one of these years, because that would be incredibly awesome. It's incredibly awesome that I'm going this time actually. I mean, they're paying for my food, and my hotel room, and the rental car (since I'm not yet old enough to rent one) is my boss, and it's gonna be fun, I hope. But either way, it's an experience, that will look good later on in life. Plus, I'm hoping to do a good enough job at it, that they 'need' me to go to others in the future. What can I say? I love airplanes, and I love to travel. The one big down side to this all, is that I'm going to miss out on all the fun that you guys are having around here for a week, including Tuesday lunchday, and as I understand it, I'm gonna miss Richard, Alex and Sheena for a grand total of two weeks, since they are to be leaving just before I am arriving. It is sad, I know. I'm gonna be all like boyfriendless for two weeks. But he will be having fun, and that's definately a good thing. I will hopefully be having fun while I'm not working, also a good thing, and definately be sleeping more, a wonderful thing as well. In the end, I don't know if this is gonna be as fun as I hope it will be, since I'm the only one under 30ish who will be there working, and not on a team, but it will definately be an experience, and it will be not OK. And I'm gonna miss Richard, but don't tell him that.

Anyhow, it is time for me to sleep, gotta be at work bright and early at 9 am tomorrow morning. Goodnight, sleep well, sweet dreams, take care. Bye, MEO

PS. I'm sorry it was so long, it was alot longer than I intended it to be.

Duck pond!

Have you ever noticed how great the duckpond is? No matter how out of it, or whatever you are, you can go there, and throw some bread in the water, and suddenly it feels alot better. It is just soo relaxing. Whooo! I love the duckpond!!! Oh yeah, and I saw a cop in the duck pond today/this evening I guess. It was getting to be quite dark, and he was just walking through. He was really nice. He said 'hi', and asked how I was doing and everything. I was kindda expecting him to tell me that the park is closed after dark, or how I shouldn't be out there alone after dark or something like that. But he didn't. He seemed in a good mood, and kindda to be in a hurry. But it made me happy. Conclusion: the duck pond is really peaceful, the only cop I've seen there is really nice, and it's the next best thing to camping.

Over and Out, MEO

words can never hurt me.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me. Funny how false that is, huh? You know what's even more funny though? How the lack of any action can be worse than a bad action.

Later,
Elizabeth.

Happy Fourth & the duck I call Earl!!!!

Okay, so today was kindda alot of driving around and everything. Just alot of bored, what the hell is there to do in Norman. Anyhow, somewhere along the way, we ended up at the duckpond with corn flakes. We were planning on just feeding the turtles with it, but then, the ducks just came up, and they looked so hungry we had to feed them. We're trying to let them off easy, so tabs holds a bit above them, and this little duck, the one that first saw us and came running, does a little hop for it. It was really funny, so we tried it again, and he did it again, he was really funny lookin'. He was great though. I named him Earl. He's fun. He can also catch corn flakes in his beak. He rocks my world, and sparklers, illegally burnt on the fourth of july also rock my world, and drawing on the sidewalk with chalk on the fouth of july rocks my world. Just so many things that rock my world, so few that send it crashing to the ground. It is a good thing. but as for me, now, I really, really must sleep, I'm really tired, and exhausted. so goodnight, sleep well, sweet dreams, take care, and goodnight. Elizabeth.

Marvin the Duck

Marvin the Duck... what to say? we met him only briefly, and decided to name him Marvin, or at least, I decided to name him Marvin. So, it's hot out, we decide to go for a swim, so we're swimming around, for a good 40 minutes or so, and in flies this little brown duck. He's not fat, but he's full grown. We look at it, it looks at us, as if to say, "Duck off, and get out of my swimming area." It starts quacking at us, "quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, quack, QUACK, QUACK, QUACK, QUACK, QUACK!" What an incessant little bugger. So anyhow, we get out, to try to coerce it into getting into the pool, since that's what we assumed it wants anyhow. He just continues to look at the pool and quack. We slowly make our way around him, behind him, towards him. He freaks out, and up and flies away. Poor duck. To Marvin, whereever he should be, come back, and you can swim in the pool.