Sixty minutes ago, I finished my fourth quarter of graduate school, and it nearly wrecked me. Oh, the classes were tough, there’s no doubt about that. The real reason though was that I wanted to amplify the difficulty for better learning opportunities. I was amazingly successful.
Don't let anyone ever tell you that college is easy or hard. College is whatever you make of it and can afford. For most in the U.S., college is the first self-designated educational experience. College is not compulsory. Therefore, college can be an experience in which you skate and make a good enough grade to qualify for graduation, or it can be a wonderfully enlightening struggle. Some will pay for the best schools in the country, some will pay for something less, but wherever you go, you get to decide what you will personally take away from the effort.
I put off my Masters degree for quite a while. Partially I realized that it was going to be expensive, and I wanted us to be in a place where we would be able to pay. We make enough that I wouldn't qualify for any worthwhile financial aid, and I also believe that we make enough that scholarships should be presented to less fortunate students. Money was definitely a good reason to set the goal aside.
The primary issue, however, was that I knew that if I was going to take on a degree program, I would get every last ounce of benefit possible. This would mean pouring myself into every single assignment, and striving for a sense of personal achievement with each experience. I wanted to walk away from the program with much more than a degree, I wanted to be reforged into something that would better myself, my family, and my employer.
We are now halfway through the experience, and I can report that I am succeeding in my goal. I see myself making connections, synthesizing new data, and performing tasks that I would have found nearly impossible a year ago. Granted, they are being performed in the safe confines of an academic setting, but the program is designed in such a way that the assignments are truly translatable into real-world aptitude.
Why am I successful? A lot of the reason comes from my professors and program faculty. In several cases, they push for excellence, and provide outstanding constructive criticism. Having received my undergraduate degree from a college that does not offer traditional grades, I have always placed more credence in the comments on papers than the point value. Additionally, these people often offer the opportunity for stretch goals. I could receive a lower grade for less quality in my work, but they entice the best possible performance through making the learning process itself attractive.
Part of the reason, of course, is my own personal drive for excellence. I am paying a very large amount of money for my experience, as is my employer. The two of us deserve to see the best fruits for our investment. I don't like the cheated feeling that results from performing inferior work. What learning did I miss by cutting corners?
Like I said above, college is what you make of it. Since it is the best single opportunity for intellectual improvement that you will have in your adult life, I encourage you to take the bull by the horns, get beyond the grades, and learn. That, after all, is what the education process is about.
Want to see what kind of work I do in my program? Click here to link to my portfolio of work.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Tripping Down a Slippery Memory Lane
It’s been a while since I dedicated an entry to the boys in copper and blue.
This afternoon, while the kids are learning how to use a mouse and the wife is out….ugh, shopping…I’m reading back over blog posts from the run-up in 2006. I usually read a couple of blogs. Today it’s “Black Dog Hates Skunks”. Pat’s a bit blue (not work safe), but he’s incredibly funny, heart-warming in an odd way, and he’s an Oiler glass-half-full guy. That makes him refreshing to read.
Reading back over his posts for the run-up is bringing a bit of a tear to my eye. I remember those last ten games as well. I remember how every game it appeared that the Oil were on the bubble, never doing what they needed to get ahead, but doing what they had to to stay alive. They would win to stay in contention, and then completely blow themselves up the next game. In many ways the run-up was worth watching even more than the actual playoffs, except for the last series of course.
Contrast that with this year where illness, management, and God knows what else have contrived to give us a team that might as well dive the remainder of the season to get a good draft pick. Word out just last Friday that Hemsky will be out for months, the biggest pickup of the offseason with a hurt back, and our dark horse candidate down with asthma of all things! Sorry folks, but they don’t even let you in the dance for Lord Stanley if you ice a team of wannabe NHL’ers.
With that all said, crying for then and crying for now all done, I’m ready for the next game. Fortunately it’s in 22 minutes and there is plenty of cold beer in the fridge. Now, who do we play…The Redw...Oh God help us!
This afternoon, while the kids are learning how to use a mouse and the wife is out….ugh, shopping…I’m reading back over blog posts from the run-up in 2006. I usually read a couple of blogs. Today it’s “Black Dog Hates Skunks”. Pat’s a bit blue (not work safe), but he’s incredibly funny, heart-warming in an odd way, and he’s an Oiler glass-half-full guy. That makes him refreshing to read.
Reading back over his posts for the run-up is bringing a bit of a tear to my eye. I remember those last ten games as well. I remember how every game it appeared that the Oil were on the bubble, never doing what they needed to get ahead, but doing what they had to to stay alive. They would win to stay in contention, and then completely blow themselves up the next game. In many ways the run-up was worth watching even more than the actual playoffs, except for the last series of course.
Contrast that with this year where illness, management, and God knows what else have contrived to give us a team that might as well dive the remainder of the season to get a good draft pick. Word out just last Friday that Hemsky will be out for months, the biggest pickup of the offseason with a hurt back, and our dark horse candidate down with asthma of all things! Sorry folks, but they don’t even let you in the dance for Lord Stanley if you ice a team of wannabe NHL’ers.
With that all said, crying for then and crying for now all done, I’m ready for the next game. Fortunately it’s in 22 minutes and there is plenty of cold beer in the fridge. Now, who do we play…The Redw...Oh God help us!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
A little while ago, I posted that I have a light dislike for Halloween. On the other hand, I have previously posted about my love of Christmas. Shoot, I’ve even blogged about Easter. We’re rounding out the holiday posts today with a little bit about Thanksgiving.
The main reason that I love Thanksgiving is that it is not overly commercialized like to many other holidays. Halloween is quite possibly the worst, as it has no other redeeming qualities, and Christmas unfortunately falls pretty deep into the category. Thanksgiving, on the other hand, is mostly commercialism free.
Some will argue that parades on Thanksgiving are all about commercialism. After all, why would the mega stores sponsor a parade if they didn’t expect it to be good advertising? To this I offer a simple response: I don’t watch parades very much. Since they are not part of my tradition, that means that they don’t impact my holiday.
Secondary to this lack of marketing comes the fact that Thanksgiving is all about family. (Or, at least it has been historically. The family will be mostly separated this year.) I remember Thanksgiving when I was a kid. We would sit around card tables, at counters, and (for the elders) an actual dining room table. My maternal side is quite large, so eating space was always at a premium. Foods were the typical American fair of yams, stuffing, fruit salads, and turkey.
Always there was an absolutely huge bird (typically in the twenty-pound range). Of course that bird would go into the oven no later than 6:00 AM. We heard every year that turkey cooking must be done early and thoroughly to make it good. It took me a while as an adult to realize that turkey is actually quite a moist bird. It also took me a while to realize that Thanksgiving dinner didn’t have to occur at 2:00 PM.
Not that I’m complaining, mind. Somewhere up in the clouds is a kindly old woman who would gladly send a spiritual spoon to wrap my knuckles if I appeared to be ungrateful.
After dinner there was plenty of digestion time (2:00 PM, remember). Cards would slide across the table, adults would drink beverages, and football would wrap up on the television. Eventually we would get to the second feast, which contained something like sixty-five pies. Eating in our family was a very serious affair. The best recipes were passed on, and we remembered the women that had died by their prowess in the kitchen.
Full to the point of bursting, bored with playing inside, and without the raft of technological gizmos that help parents today, we children would often drop off the map at around 7:00. After all, one could sleep happily knowing that a day of leftovers was coming. (Note, we did not madly rush out to stores for the best deals.)
Honestly, despite the pre-meal Grace, thanks were never a large part of our Thanksgiving. We were grateful to those that did the cooking, but the purification of the holiday by spiritual improvement was very understated. Sure, everyone was thankful for the four days off of work, but they got just as excited about Labor Day.
For me, the idea of giving thanks has never been associated with Thanksgiving. We have enough, and are thankful for that fact throughout the year. We use the day of Thanksgiving for a family event and tournament eating. Christmas and Easter are the spiritual holidays in the year.
Here’s to a happy Thanksgiving in the way that you choose to celebrate it. I will be smoking a kosher brined turkey, and will undoubtedly love it.
Why Thanksgiving is Great!
The main reason that I love Thanksgiving is that it is not overly commercialized like to many other holidays. Halloween is quite possibly the worst, as it has no other redeeming qualities, and Christmas unfortunately falls pretty deep into the category. Thanksgiving, on the other hand, is mostly commercialism free.
Some will argue that parades on Thanksgiving are all about commercialism. After all, why would the mega stores sponsor a parade if they didn’t expect it to be good advertising? To this I offer a simple response: I don’t watch parades very much. Since they are not part of my tradition, that means that they don’t impact my holiday.
Secondary to this lack of marketing comes the fact that Thanksgiving is all about family. (Or, at least it has been historically. The family will be mostly separated this year.) I remember Thanksgiving when I was a kid. We would sit around card tables, at counters, and (for the elders) an actual dining room table. My maternal side is quite large, so eating space was always at a premium. Foods were the typical American fair of yams, stuffing, fruit salads, and turkey.
Always there was an absolutely huge bird (typically in the twenty-pound range). Of course that bird would go into the oven no later than 6:00 AM. We heard every year that turkey cooking must be done early and thoroughly to make it good. It took me a while as an adult to realize that turkey is actually quite a moist bird. It also took me a while to realize that Thanksgiving dinner didn’t have to occur at 2:00 PM.
Not that I’m complaining, mind. Somewhere up in the clouds is a kindly old woman who would gladly send a spiritual spoon to wrap my knuckles if I appeared to be ungrateful.
After dinner there was plenty of digestion time (2:00 PM, remember). Cards would slide across the table, adults would drink beverages, and football would wrap up on the television. Eventually we would get to the second feast, which contained something like sixty-five pies. Eating in our family was a very serious affair. The best recipes were passed on, and we remembered the women that had died by their prowess in the kitchen.
Full to the point of bursting, bored with playing inside, and without the raft of technological gizmos that help parents today, we children would often drop off the map at around 7:00. After all, one could sleep happily knowing that a day of leftovers was coming. (Note, we did not madly rush out to stores for the best deals.)
But Where’s the Thanks?
Honestly, despite the pre-meal Grace, thanks were never a large part of our Thanksgiving. We were grateful to those that did the cooking, but the purification of the holiday by spiritual improvement was very understated. Sure, everyone was thankful for the four days off of work, but they got just as excited about Labor Day.
For me, the idea of giving thanks has never been associated with Thanksgiving. We have enough, and are thankful for that fact throughout the year. We use the day of Thanksgiving for a family event and tournament eating. Christmas and Easter are the spiritual holidays in the year.
In Conclusion
Here’s to a happy Thanksgiving in the way that you choose to celebrate it. I will be smoking a kosher brined turkey, and will undoubtedly love it.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Why the last eight hours didn't suck!
Just a quick one this morning folks, as I’m awaiting the next disaster.
The past eight hours haven’t been a treat, but I’m going to try to put a positive spin on them. After all, my troubles are trivial compared with others.
Problem 1: Jonah awakes at 2:10 AM. He cries for twenty minutes, which is our key to go in and get him. He is then awake for the next hour.
The Positive Spin: Mommy is a shining star. She gets the boy milk, comforts him, and even lets him sleep on her side of the bed. 3:30, we all go back to sleep.
Problem 2: Berta decides to puke at 4:00 AM. Just as I’ve gotten back to sleep, the tell-tale noise cuts into my subconscious. Race down stairs, but it’s to late, and I get to clean the carpets.
The Positive Spin: It was a pretty easy clean-up, I think. We’ll see what D thinks of the carpets this morning. Trouble is that now I’m totally awake, and won’t be sleeping again, despite getting back to bed. Ultrapositive spin is that the boy doesn’t wake up.
Problem 3: The second shower at 6:45 AM. Now I’m up, I’m dressed, and I’m at the bus stop. It’s been raining like crazy all night long, and the storm drains are completely flooded, which means lots of standing water on the roads. A car whizzes by, hits the huge puddle in front of the bus shelter, and I’m soaked from head to knees. Poor Berta cut the wave off with her body, keeping my shins dry.
The Positive Spin: It’s Washington, I’m going to get wet from time-to-time. And, it’s quite warm out, so I don’t freeze.
Problem 4: The dead laptop at 7:05 AM. I walk in the door to my laptop blue screened again. *sigh* Where’s tech support?
The Positive Spin: Easy fix, I just reboot the stupid thing.
Now, if you will excuse me, I have extra strong coffee brewing.
The past eight hours haven’t been a treat, but I’m going to try to put a positive spin on them. After all, my troubles are trivial compared with others.
Problem 1: Jonah awakes at 2:10 AM. He cries for twenty minutes, which is our key to go in and get him. He is then awake for the next hour.
The Positive Spin: Mommy is a shining star. She gets the boy milk, comforts him, and even lets him sleep on her side of the bed. 3:30, we all go back to sleep.
Problem 2: Berta decides to puke at 4:00 AM. Just as I’ve gotten back to sleep, the tell-tale noise cuts into my subconscious. Race down stairs, but it’s to late, and I get to clean the carpets.
The Positive Spin: It was a pretty easy clean-up, I think. We’ll see what D thinks of the carpets this morning. Trouble is that now I’m totally awake, and won’t be sleeping again, despite getting back to bed. Ultrapositive spin is that the boy doesn’t wake up.
Problem 3: The second shower at 6:45 AM. Now I’m up, I’m dressed, and I’m at the bus stop. It’s been raining like crazy all night long, and the storm drains are completely flooded, which means lots of standing water on the roads. A car whizzes by, hits the huge puddle in front of the bus shelter, and I’m soaked from head to knees. Poor Berta cut the wave off with her body, keeping my shins dry.
The Positive Spin: It’s Washington, I’m going to get wet from time-to-time. And, it’s quite warm out, so I don’t freeze.
Problem 4: The dead laptop at 7:05 AM. I walk in the door to my laptop blue screened again. *sigh* Where’s tech support?
The Positive Spin: Easy fix, I just reboot the stupid thing.
Now, if you will excuse me, I have extra strong coffee brewing.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
366 Days Later
I had intended to write this on the actual anniversary of this blog’s opening. Intended, failed, oh well. It’s a day late, live with it. For those that are curious, my original post is available here.
Over the past year, I have reflected quite a lot on the idea of blogging. I find it interesting that people have this urge to present the privacy of their lives out to the Internet population. For example, reading over this blog, one could learn quite a bit about me:
Rush fan? Check.
Hockey fan? Check.
Two children? Check.
Married? Check.
…And so on.
I think of this publishing of a life as a bit of a drug. You start with a blog, in which you control content due to the infrequency of time available to write long entries. It’s not all cherries and loving comments (haven’t gotten any). No, there is real work involved in writing one of these entries. I actually have to think about the structure, proper wording, and such.
Next down the path to Internet publishing addiction is the social networking sites such as Facebook. This is still connectionless communication, but there is a closer sense of authorship to readership. These sites flourish through the ability to comment on other people’s content. Content is usually very simple to create, and long entries are discouraged. Facebook “status Updates”, for example, generally are between 15 and 100 words.
Next down the path we come to the microblogging sites. These are sites like Twitter, on which it is expected that you will push pretty much constant “tweets” to a hoard of avidly waiting friends. Spending much time in this sort of environment will ultimately lead to either madness or complete Internet addiction.
Finally we have the actual chat sites. This can be as simple as virtual rooms of individuals typing to each other in real-time, or as advanced as multipoint video conferencing. However you do it, a constant diet of chat means that you really do have a problem, need to unplug, and possibly find a low-tech hobby. I recommend guitar.
I’ve happily walked down the path to phase two, and that’s plenty far enough for me. You can expect to keep getting these blog entries infrequently throughout the year, and I’ll keep posting Facebook status updates. Just don’t ask me to sign up for Twitter, or I’ll flash the sign of the evil eye at you.
One final note: I’m typing this in Word. Spell-check is giving me a Flesch-Kincaid rating of 6.1. After a day in which I spent no less than six hours writing at a Flesch-Kincaid of 13+ I must admit to feeling a bit refreshed.
Over the past year, I have reflected quite a lot on the idea of blogging. I find it interesting that people have this urge to present the privacy of their lives out to the Internet population. For example, reading over this blog, one could learn quite a bit about me:
Rush fan? Check.
Hockey fan? Check.
Two children? Check.
Married? Check.
…And so on.
I think of this publishing of a life as a bit of a drug. You start with a blog, in which you control content due to the infrequency of time available to write long entries. It’s not all cherries and loving comments (haven’t gotten any). No, there is real work involved in writing one of these entries. I actually have to think about the structure, proper wording, and such.
Next down the path to Internet publishing addiction is the social networking sites such as Facebook. This is still connectionless communication, but there is a closer sense of authorship to readership. These sites flourish through the ability to comment on other people’s content. Content is usually very simple to create, and long entries are discouraged. Facebook “status Updates”, for example, generally are between 15 and 100 words.
Next down the path we come to the microblogging sites. These are sites like Twitter, on which it is expected that you will push pretty much constant “tweets” to a hoard of avidly waiting friends. Spending much time in this sort of environment will ultimately lead to either madness or complete Internet addiction.
Finally we have the actual chat sites. This can be as simple as virtual rooms of individuals typing to each other in real-time, or as advanced as multipoint video conferencing. However you do it, a constant diet of chat means that you really do have a problem, need to unplug, and possibly find a low-tech hobby. I recommend guitar.
I’ve happily walked down the path to phase two, and that’s plenty far enough for me. You can expect to keep getting these blog entries infrequently throughout the year, and I’ll keep posting Facebook status updates. Just don’t ask me to sign up for Twitter, or I’ll flash the sign of the evil eye at you.
One final note: I’m typing this in Word. Spell-check is giving me a Flesch-Kincaid rating of 6.1. After a day in which I spent no less than six hours writing at a Flesch-Kincaid of 13+ I must admit to feeling a bit refreshed.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
I hate you, Halloween!
It’s true. I really do. I’m sorry, but you have to understand that you are the stupidest holiday we have. Let’s count up the ways that you are terrible.
1. No day off work. Now, I can’t think of a reason to have Halloween off, but just the fact that no one has ever tried tells me that it is not a worthwhile holiday. Even Presidents’ Day ranks above you, Halloween. Not only is it a day off work, but it is often my birthday and usually includes some great History Channel specials! What do you have, Halloween?
2. You don’t even have good food to eat. Go ahead, name me a Halloween-specific meal, and roasted pumpkin seeds aren’t a meal (though they are tasty). I am a big squash lover, and so pumpkins carved into jack-o-lanterns look like a lot of wasted food to me. Easter has ham, which is just wrong, but you can’t even boast a morally incorrect meal.
3. Trick-or-treating Part I: Speaking of bad meals…Actually going to people’s houses, demanding candy, and then dragging your loot back home is a terrible idea. First, a few of my neighbors really get into Halloween, and that’s mildly disturbing. Second, several of my neighbors aren’t courteous enough to even say hello when we pass, but I want my children to take candy from them? And finally, the neighbors that I would want to converse with never light their porches. Oh, and did I mention the cold?
4. Trick-or-treating Part II: The candy gathered is a problem for many reasons. First, though my children profess to love candy, they hardly ever eat it. Second, when they don’t eat it, I do. Third, there is candy that not even I will eat! This sorry mass of disgustingly flavored rejection sits on top of the fridge until next Easter, when we get tired enough of it that we toss the lot. Candy…Boooo!
5. Trick-or-Treating Part III: The kids that come to the door annoy the heck out of me. The little ones are very cute, and I appreciate their happiness and awkward shyness. Then the night wears on, and the older kids start to come out. When a thirteen-year-old rings my bell at 8:00, I’ve had just about enough. “Here, kid, take this candy that somehow survived the Easter purge.” Oh yes, the main reason I hate this part of trick-or-treating is the fact that my doorbell rings. Unannounced company never makes me happy.
6. As if buying and then figuring out how to dispose of candy wasn’t enough, you give me an extra shot of commercialism in the costume and decorating madness. Everyone points a finger at the commercialistic modern Christmas, but you, Halloween, are completely based on merchandising products that I don’t need. And yet I am required to buy them! For stealing the most unnecessary money from my wallet of any holiday, I hate you, Halloween.
You are morally wrong, environmentally insensitive, fiscally annoying, and generally a detriment to society. I hate you, Halloween.
1. No day off work. Now, I can’t think of a reason to have Halloween off, but just the fact that no one has ever tried tells me that it is not a worthwhile holiday. Even Presidents’ Day ranks above you, Halloween. Not only is it a day off work, but it is often my birthday and usually includes some great History Channel specials! What do you have, Halloween?
2. You don’t even have good food to eat. Go ahead, name me a Halloween-specific meal, and roasted pumpkin seeds aren’t a meal (though they are tasty). I am a big squash lover, and so pumpkins carved into jack-o-lanterns look like a lot of wasted food to me. Easter has ham, which is just wrong, but you can’t even boast a morally incorrect meal.
3. Trick-or-treating Part I: Speaking of bad meals…Actually going to people’s houses, demanding candy, and then dragging your loot back home is a terrible idea. First, a few of my neighbors really get into Halloween, and that’s mildly disturbing. Second, several of my neighbors aren’t courteous enough to even say hello when we pass, but I want my children to take candy from them? And finally, the neighbors that I would want to converse with never light their porches. Oh, and did I mention the cold?
4. Trick-or-treating Part II: The candy gathered is a problem for many reasons. First, though my children profess to love candy, they hardly ever eat it. Second, when they don’t eat it, I do. Third, there is candy that not even I will eat! This sorry mass of disgustingly flavored rejection sits on top of the fridge until next Easter, when we get tired enough of it that we toss the lot. Candy…Boooo!
5. Trick-or-Treating Part III: The kids that come to the door annoy the heck out of me. The little ones are very cute, and I appreciate their happiness and awkward shyness. Then the night wears on, and the older kids start to come out. When a thirteen-year-old rings my bell at 8:00, I’ve had just about enough. “Here, kid, take this candy that somehow survived the Easter purge.” Oh yes, the main reason I hate this part of trick-or-treating is the fact that my doorbell rings. Unannounced company never makes me happy.
6. As if buying and then figuring out how to dispose of candy wasn’t enough, you give me an extra shot of commercialism in the costume and decorating madness. Everyone points a finger at the commercialistic modern Christmas, but you, Halloween, are completely based on merchandising products that I don’t need. And yet I am required to buy them! For stealing the most unnecessary money from my wallet of any holiday, I hate you, Halloween.
You are morally wrong, environmentally insensitive, fiscally annoying, and generally a detriment to society. I hate you, Halloween.
Friday, October 9, 2009
The Sporting Life
Most of my blog entries have something to do with personal views or happenings. This time you get a bit of the randomness that comes out of my head. But first, our typical diversion.
Some people sing in the shower, some shave in the shower, some even try to get clean in the shower. I do a couple of those, but they are sideline entertainment. My main goal in the shower is to process information. I often say that I do my best thinking in the shower. And why do I mention that here? Partially to make you afraid of reading any future posts I might type up. Primarily, however, it’s a lead in to this statement:
Before I really launch into this, I want to define a few things:
• A game is a competition between opposing parties who attempt to achieve a goal.
• A sport is a game that includes athletic competition between opponents that can modify their play to impact others.
Pretty simple, right? Gaming is the overall category. Sports are a subset of games that contain specific characteristics. And, for the record, those definitions are mine, not some dictionary's (I thought of them while shaving).
And with those two definitions, we can start to think about what a sport is, and why people might appreciate watching one sport over another. For example, why is soccer immensely popular world-wide, while American football is quite limited? Why do we call baseball “America’s game”, when it’s obviously a sport?
The answer to the latter question is easy. Baseball is a game because sports are a subset of all games. Calling baseball “America’s game” just gives it a more generic title. Baseball, however, is the sport that I tried the hardest to bracket out of the subset. I’ll watch baseball, but I won’t go out of my way to buy a ticket. I struggle with dignifying the seven guys randomly standing around while the batter, pitcher, and catcher actually play a game to be a team sport. Baseball created some of the more specific characteristics in my definitions.
So, let’s examine a few games, and identify whether they are sports or not. Why? Because I have the time:
• Golf – It won’t be surprising to most that golf is not a sport. It is, of course, a game, and it does include the athletic characteristic of a sport. However, my play does not directly impact your score; therefore golf is not a sport.
• Boxing, fencing, martial arts, etc – All of the one-on-one competitive fighting games are obviously sports. They require athleticism, while also pitting the skills of one opponent directly against those of another.
• Fishing and Hunting – Sports…I struggled with this for a couple of seconds, until I realized that the prey was just another type of opponent. Unfortunately, in this sport if the prey loses it becomes dinner. The fisherman chooses the rod and tackle that s/he thinks will attract the fish. The fish decides whether it is going to take the bait. If it does, its individual strength is tested against the equipment and fortitude of the fisherman. Incidentally, this means that commercial net-based fishing is not a sport.
• Skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, etc – All games. With apologies to those that say that they compete in extreme sports…you’re wrong. You compete in extreme games. Until such time as we have two people skiing a slope at the same time, it’s just a game. A very athletic game, of course. Incidentally, figure skating and curling go into this category as well. In fact, most winter games do. I guess it’s more difficult to convince competitors to play at the same time when it’s below freezing.
• Racing – Be it in a car, on a bike, or simply with your own two feet, races are natural sports. I could probably find resources that site races as the first of all sports, but I won’t even try. In a race I am competing against a personal clock, but I usually am also competing against others in my heat. And, for those that wonder about car racing being athletic, you try to control a very powerful vehicle at over two-hundred miles per hour for five-hundred laps. We’ll see how many calories you burn.
• Weightlifting – One of my favorites. I love weightlifting. No, not to watch (that’s just stupid). I love to personally lift weights. There’s no doubt about it, weightlifting is very athletic. Fortunately, though, competition lifters can not influence the ability of opponents, therefore weightlifting competitively is a game.
• Poker – Just putting this one in as we see it all the time on ESPN. Poker is not a sport. It is filler that allows ESPN to not run half-hour long commercials. Poker requires the utmost in skill competition between opponents, but it is in no way athletic.
With all of the above stated, I find it interesting that the most popular sports in the world are either individual sports, or team sports in which any person on the field can be a star. I don’t mean to imply that team sports are less popular than individual sports (Hello! Soccer and baseball!) Instead, I see popularity in the sports that allow the individual to rise above the team while functioning within parameters.
Let’s look at American football for a minute. Football is certainly a sport, but (despite every attempt by the NFL) it simply isn’t very popular outside North America. Football definitely has its stars, but they are from specific positions. It is very rare that you see a lineman (defensive or offensive) become a true star, and they count as up to forty percent of a team’s regular downs contingent (9/22). Toss in the tight end and the problem just gets worse. These are guys that play every single down, take the most physical punishment, but get very little love on the highlights reel.
Conversely, let’s look at soccer. There are 11 guys on that field. Every single one of them has a chance at any particular moment to do something spectacular. An amazing save, a goal, a perfect pass, and it’s all there for the fans to enjoy.
Baseball is the ultimate example of this. Every single pitch in baseball requires the utmost in fan attention, because you never know where that ball will go. Maybe baseball can only loosely be labeled as a team sport, but it wins the prize for building anticipation throughout the game. In what other sport do you have over three-hundred identifiable unique points for potential greatness? That next pitch may go wild, be a strike, result in a routine fly ball, or just bend around the fair side of the foul pole. You never know, and that’s why people love baseball…damn them.
Other sports are popular for the same reason. Who will win the race because the opponent just didn’t have enough gas? Who will tip the puck into the unprotected side of the net (ubiquitous hockey reference,)? Who will dive onto the hard court to save the ball? We love the sports that allow the individual, as well as the team, to win.
Did you enjoy that little exploration into what goes through my mind while I shower? Seriously, it all happened today. Want to contest any of the above? Go ahead and comment, but you'll be wrong.
What do you do in the shower?
Some people sing in the shower, some shave in the shower, some even try to get clean in the shower. I do a couple of those, but they are sideline entertainment. My main goal in the shower is to process information. I often say that I do my best thinking in the shower. And why do I mention that here? Partially to make you afraid of reading any future posts I might type up. Primarily, however, it’s a lead in to this statement:
So I was thinking about sports in the shower today.
Before I really launch into this, I want to define a few things:
• A game is a competition between opposing parties who attempt to achieve a goal.
• A sport is a game that includes athletic competition between opponents that can modify their play to impact others.
Pretty simple, right? Gaming is the overall category. Sports are a subset of games that contain specific characteristics. And, for the record, those definitions are mine, not some dictionary's (I thought of them while shaving).
And with those two definitions, we can start to think about what a sport is, and why people might appreciate watching one sport over another. For example, why is soccer immensely popular world-wide, while American football is quite limited? Why do we call baseball “America’s game”, when it’s obviously a sport?
The answer to the latter question is easy. Baseball is a game because sports are a subset of all games. Calling baseball “America’s game” just gives it a more generic title. Baseball, however, is the sport that I tried the hardest to bracket out of the subset. I’ll watch baseball, but I won’t go out of my way to buy a ticket. I struggle with dignifying the seven guys randomly standing around while the batter, pitcher, and catcher actually play a game to be a team sport. Baseball created some of the more specific characteristics in my definitions.
So, let’s examine a few games, and identify whether they are sports or not. Why? Because I have the time:
• Golf – It won’t be surprising to most that golf is not a sport. It is, of course, a game, and it does include the athletic characteristic of a sport. However, my play does not directly impact your score; therefore golf is not a sport.
• Boxing, fencing, martial arts, etc – All of the one-on-one competitive fighting games are obviously sports. They require athleticism, while also pitting the skills of one opponent directly against those of another.
• Fishing and Hunting – Sports…I struggled with this for a couple of seconds, until I realized that the prey was just another type of opponent. Unfortunately, in this sport if the prey loses it becomes dinner. The fisherman chooses the rod and tackle that s/he thinks will attract the fish. The fish decides whether it is going to take the bait. If it does, its individual strength is tested against the equipment and fortitude of the fisherman. Incidentally, this means that commercial net-based fishing is not a sport.
• Skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, etc – All games. With apologies to those that say that they compete in extreme sports…you’re wrong. You compete in extreme games. Until such time as we have two people skiing a slope at the same time, it’s just a game. A very athletic game, of course. Incidentally, figure skating and curling go into this category as well. In fact, most winter games do. I guess it’s more difficult to convince competitors to play at the same time when it’s below freezing.
• Racing – Be it in a car, on a bike, or simply with your own two feet, races are natural sports. I could probably find resources that site races as the first of all sports, but I won’t even try. In a race I am competing against a personal clock, but I usually am also competing against others in my heat. And, for those that wonder about car racing being athletic, you try to control a very powerful vehicle at over two-hundred miles per hour for five-hundred laps. We’ll see how many calories you burn.
• Weightlifting – One of my favorites. I love weightlifting. No, not to watch (that’s just stupid). I love to personally lift weights. There’s no doubt about it, weightlifting is very athletic. Fortunately, though, competition lifters can not influence the ability of opponents, therefore weightlifting competitively is a game.
• Poker – Just putting this one in as we see it all the time on ESPN. Poker is not a sport. It is filler that allows ESPN to not run half-hour long commercials. Poker requires the utmost in skill competition between opponents, but it is in no way athletic.
With all of the above stated, I find it interesting that the most popular sports in the world are either individual sports, or team sports in which any person on the field can be a star. I don’t mean to imply that team sports are less popular than individual sports (Hello! Soccer and baseball!) Instead, I see popularity in the sports that allow the individual to rise above the team while functioning within parameters.
Let’s look at American football for a minute. Football is certainly a sport, but (despite every attempt by the NFL) it simply isn’t very popular outside North America. Football definitely has its stars, but they are from specific positions. It is very rare that you see a lineman (defensive or offensive) become a true star, and they count as up to forty percent of a team’s regular downs contingent (9/22). Toss in the tight end and the problem just gets worse. These are guys that play every single down, take the most physical punishment, but get very little love on the highlights reel.
Conversely, let’s look at soccer. There are 11 guys on that field. Every single one of them has a chance at any particular moment to do something spectacular. An amazing save, a goal, a perfect pass, and it’s all there for the fans to enjoy.
Baseball is the ultimate example of this. Every single pitch in baseball requires the utmost in fan attention, because you never know where that ball will go. Maybe baseball can only loosely be labeled as a team sport, but it wins the prize for building anticipation throughout the game. In what other sport do you have over three-hundred identifiable unique points for potential greatness? That next pitch may go wild, be a strike, result in a routine fly ball, or just bend around the fair side of the foul pole. You never know, and that’s why people love baseball…damn them.
Other sports are popular for the same reason. Who will win the race because the opponent just didn’t have enough gas? Who will tip the puck into the unprotected side of the net (ubiquitous hockey reference,)? Who will dive onto the hard court to save the ball? We love the sports that allow the individual, as well as the team, to win.
In Conclusion
Did you enjoy that little exploration into what goes through my mind while I shower? Seriously, it all happened today. Want to contest any of the above? Go ahead and comment, but you'll be wrong.
Monday, September 28, 2009
You're Counting Down to What?
There are a few things that annoy me about my nightly commute. For the record, it’s not that horrible. I have a seven minute bus ride, followed by a ten minute walk. Not to shabby, as commutes go. And yet, there are still frustrations. Tonight, for example, I experienced the following:
1. Played chicken with the bus schedule – My crazy work day threatened not to end as I saw the time to leave approaching. It was another extended hour day, so an extra half-hour was not going to be welcome.
2. Rain – I work in the Pacific Northwest, which means that I experience a rainy commute often. It still isn’t one of my favorite things.
3. Long walks – Sure, these are great for fitness contemplation, and romance, but when the bus doesn’t stop (despite repeated cord pulls) it just becomes irritating.
4. Enroute potty breaks – Not me, stop that! Every guide dog handler has experienced a time when the dog just tells you that it’s time to do some business. Some dogs are fast, some dogs are Berta. Did I mention the rain yet?
All-in-all not a list of my favorite things.
Right, okay, enough of that! Rant over!
Facebook allows one to put up a “status” message. These things are usually a quote, tidbit about what the person is doing, lyric from a song, or links to external sources of information. For the past month, I’ve been posting a countdown in my status, and it has garnered a bit of confusion.
For those that haven’t figured it out, the countdown is to this Saturday, October 3. The Edmonton Oilers kick off their season with a game against the Calgary Flames in the first of several “Battle of Alberta” contests. I will be watching the game, as it’s actually going to be televised.
Now, I live no where near Alberta, hang out with no one else that loves hockey, and generally expect that I’ll get no takers, but I’ll toss this out anyway. If anyone wants to stop in, drink beer, and assist in screaming at a television, you’re welcome to come over. The grill will be going, so bringing the flesh of some unfortunate animal (no, not a Leaf fan) is encouraged. A few rules will be enforced:
• An explanation of how the game functions will be provided when possible. Answers to questions may be delayed.
• Flames fans are welcome to attend. They will be allowed to watch from the back patio, where they will grill everyone else’s meat, and pass beer inside.
• Canuck fans will be sent on beer runs for the most obscure (aka, impossible to find) options. That will probably keep them away for the rest of the night.
• Leaf fans must provide their own handkerchieves . They will not be allowed to cry in the presence of others.
Silly? Yes. Pointless? Yes. But hey folks, I’ts hockey season. Drop that puck.
G’oilers!
1. Played chicken with the bus schedule – My crazy work day threatened not to end as I saw the time to leave approaching. It was another extended hour day, so an extra half-hour was not going to be welcome.
2. Rain – I work in the Pacific Northwest, which means that I experience a rainy commute often. It still isn’t one of my favorite things.
3. Long walks – Sure, these are great for fitness contemplation, and romance, but when the bus doesn’t stop (despite repeated cord pulls) it just becomes irritating.
4. Enroute potty breaks – Not me, stop that! Every guide dog handler has experienced a time when the dog just tells you that it’s time to do some business. Some dogs are fast, some dogs are Berta. Did I mention the rain yet?
All-in-all not a list of my favorite things.
Right, okay, enough of that! Rant over!
Like sands through an hourglass…
Facebook allows one to put up a “status” message. These things are usually a quote, tidbit about what the person is doing, lyric from a song, or links to external sources of information. For the past month, I’ve been posting a countdown in my status, and it has garnered a bit of confusion.
For those that haven’t figured it out, the countdown is to this Saturday, October 3. The Edmonton Oilers kick off their season with a game against the Calgary Flames in the first of several “Battle of Alberta” contests. I will be watching the game, as it’s actually going to be televised.
Now, I live no where near Alberta, hang out with no one else that loves hockey, and generally expect that I’ll get no takers, but I’ll toss this out anyway. If anyone wants to stop in, drink beer, and assist in screaming at a television, you’re welcome to come over. The grill will be going, so bringing the flesh of some unfortunate animal (no, not a Leaf fan) is encouraged. A few rules will be enforced:
• An explanation of how the game functions will be provided when possible. Answers to questions may be delayed.
• Flames fans are welcome to attend. They will be allowed to watch from the back patio, where they will grill everyone else’s meat, and pass beer inside.
• Canuck fans will be sent on beer runs for the most obscure (aka, impossible to find) options. That will probably keep them away for the rest of the night.
• Leaf fans must provide their own handkerchieves . They will not be allowed to cry in the presence of others.
Silly? Yes. Pointless? Yes. But hey folks, I’ts hockey season. Drop that puck.
G’oilers!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
The Beauty of Fall
Warning! I'm now officialy between quarters, so these posts will probably be more frequent for a few weeks...Aw, who am I kidding? They will be as inconsistent as the Oilers have been since June 2006...But this isn't a hockey post.
Seeing as it's nice and blustery today, with a bit of sun and cloud, I figure it's a great time to lay out what I like most about autumn. After all, there has to be something good about a season that ushers back in the rain.
Another brief update to close out this entry. Bakc in February I discussed my three-pronged self-improvement effort for 2009. Here's an update on each:
Enjoy your cooling months, everyone! Its just a few months and we'll be deep in winter again.
Seeing as it's nice and blustery today, with a bit of sun and cloud, I figure it's a great time to lay out what I like most about autumn. After all, there has to be something good about a season that ushers back in the rain.
- Food - Summer, fall, and winter all have their special foods. Spring gets the short end of that stick, but we don't care at that point as we have been eating heavy all winter. Fall gives us some outstanding produce (only second to summer). Fall mixes good produce with good meats. Turkey and sweet potatoes or buffalo and squash, fall has the balanced diet down solid. Fall is heavy and earthy, where winter is heavy and sweet. Fall is warming meals, in contrary to summer's cooling.
- Beginnings - While the calendar officially starts in January, and the liturgical calendar starts in December, there's an argument for new beginnings in Fall. It probably goes back to school days, when every September marked the beginning of classes. Fall will always seem like a genesis point to me.
- Weather - Fall has the weather thing perfect. Warm days and cool nights. Nice during the day, while we are outside, cool at night so we don't have to run the AC. Rain and sun, snow if you are back in Alaska. Wind and calm. Fall is the mixed bag that makes me want to look outside once every 15 minutes.
- Parties - Some of the best I've been to take place in Autumn. It's like everyone is trying to get one last gasp of summer before it leaves us, so they pull out all the stops. Socializing in the Fall is always interesting (see weather above), but very worth it.
- Sports - When I was a football fan this was more evident. Fall is the main football season. Now, however, football is out (I'm going on two years without watching a game). And so, it takes until September for me to start to get excited. Hockey starts in October!
Another brief update to close out this entry. Bakc in February I discussed my three-pronged self-improvement effort for 2009. Here's an update on each:
- Mental - Easiest one. School has this one easily in hand. I'm learning theories, adapting practice, and pushing my own envelopes.
- Physical - Stalled. I've even quit the gym. The combination of classes, extremely long work hours, and my ankle injury back in April squashed this one. I'm at least trying to eat better.
- Spiritual - Strong. I don't believe in putting everything out here, but I will note that D and I have put a lot into the dedication of our time, talent, and treasure this year, both inside and outside the church. We had an opportunity just recently to very well cover the treasure base, and I'm happy to say that we both stepped up to the plate in a big way. I think that both of us have been successful in growing spiritually, which means that the kids have as well.
Enjoy your cooling months, everyone! Its just a few months and we'll be deep in winter again.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Facebook, Sheesh
After finishing a major paper and two discussion questions tonight, I'm in a writing mood. Stand back, here it comes!
I was reading through my own posts last night, and I saw myself gag on a reference to Facebook. Unfortunately I have joined the zombie army of socialites. and I kind of like it.
I can't believe how I've fallen!
So what does this mean? First, it means that I can't exactly expect that you are a nonexistant reader. Though I still don't have any comments on these postings on either FB or Blogspot, I have to assume that someone is checking into what I read. Mom's not on FB yet, so I'm safe...For now.
Summer was a problem for us in many ways. First, the optomism that I had around TNS has pretty much evaporated. No, it's not because they are a bad company, just that they didn't live up to promises made in the beginning. I went through quite a bit of the summer feeling hurt, rejected, and generally irritated with work.
Second, the weather was all wrong. Western Washington during July equates to mid 70s and rain, while August is 80+. This year, July was August and August was July. that threw me off. And now, a third of the way through September, I'm sitting outside after a 80+ day! Go figure! The result was that we changed our air-conditioning schedule quite heavily. I didn't write about it here, but we bought another AC unit back in Spring, and it was essential for this summer. 100+ temps, Denise's condition, and our home layout don't mix. fortunately, we made the right choice, and she hasn't shown any ill affects of the heat.
Finally, summer equates to no hockey. (Get it, heat, no ice, bleh). I tried really hard to stay in touch with the Sounders, and make soccer my summer game. Unfortunately, distractions, a general disinterest in watching the game, and an inconsistent TV schedule have caused me to leave it. Now, however, we're in September. The first game is less than a month away, and the Oilers are making a few late moves. It's time to be watching pucks on ice!
I was thinking this morning about my waning interest in sports. I'm pretty convinced that my dissatisfaction with baseball and football stems from being involved in fantasy leagues. Because I was trying to focus on the player, I lost track of the love of the sport. Numbers became the emphasis, not the pure love of watching plays develop. Additionally, I was trying to keep to many teams in mind. I wasn't focused on a specific team, which meant that I knew how well individual players were doing in the season, but not actual teams. And, in most sports, it is the team that matters!
So, I'm deciding that I won't fantasize hockey anymore. I won't focus on the players, I'll keep my interest on a team. One particular team that, according to my tags, should be obvious. I don't want to spoil my obsession with what is wrong with players today. I just want to love a team. I want to live and die by each game. I want to feel a sense of excitement with the beginning of each season. I want to be interested in the playoffs only if my team is playing.
I think I've finally wrote myself out for one night. I should probably talk about the boy, and our continued efforts to get him to talk (he isn't, yet), the fact that I've left the gym, and our search for a larger place to live, but it's time to put the kids to bed. Besides, I haven't checked the comments on Facebook in 15 minutes!
Rehash
I was reading through my own posts last night, and I saw myself gag on a reference to Facebook. Unfortunately I have joined the zombie army of socialites. and I kind of like it.
I can't believe how I've fallen!
So what does this mean? First, it means that I can't exactly expect that you are a nonexistant reader. Though I still don't have any comments on these postings on either FB or Blogspot, I have to assume that someone is checking into what I read. Mom's not on FB yet, so I'm safe...For now.
Problems with Summer
Summer was a problem for us in many ways. First, the optomism that I had around TNS has pretty much evaporated. No, it's not because they are a bad company, just that they didn't live up to promises made in the beginning. I went through quite a bit of the summer feeling hurt, rejected, and generally irritated with work.
Second, the weather was all wrong. Western Washington during July equates to mid 70s and rain, while August is 80+. This year, July was August and August was July. that threw me off. And now, a third of the way through September, I'm sitting outside after a 80+ day! Go figure! The result was that we changed our air-conditioning schedule quite heavily. I didn't write about it here, but we bought another AC unit back in Spring, and it was essential for this summer. 100+ temps, Denise's condition, and our home layout don't mix. fortunately, we made the right choice, and she hasn't shown any ill affects of the heat.
Finally, summer equates to no hockey. (Get it, heat, no ice, bleh). I tried really hard to stay in touch with the Sounders, and make soccer my summer game. Unfortunately, distractions, a general disinterest in watching the game, and an inconsistent TV schedule have caused me to leave it. Now, however, we're in September. The first game is less than a month away, and the Oilers are making a few late moves. It's time to be watching pucks on ice!
I was thinking this morning about my waning interest in sports. I'm pretty convinced that my dissatisfaction with baseball and football stems from being involved in fantasy leagues. Because I was trying to focus on the player, I lost track of the love of the sport. Numbers became the emphasis, not the pure love of watching plays develop. Additionally, I was trying to keep to many teams in mind. I wasn't focused on a specific team, which meant that I knew how well individual players were doing in the season, but not actual teams. And, in most sports, it is the team that matters!
So, I'm deciding that I won't fantasize hockey anymore. I won't focus on the players, I'll keep my interest on a team. One particular team that, according to my tags, should be obvious. I don't want to spoil my obsession with what is wrong with players today. I just want to love a team. I want to live and die by each game. I want to feel a sense of excitement with the beginning of each season. I want to be interested in the playoffs only if my team is playing.
Nothing Else
I think I've finally wrote myself out for one night. I should probably talk about the boy, and our continued efforts to get him to talk (he isn't, yet), the fact that I've left the gym, and our search for a larger place to live, but it's time to put the kids to bed. Besides, I haven't checked the comments on Facebook in 15 minutes!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Drumstick Anyone?
This could be another post about the Bradley...And now that I mention it, why don't I give an update on that!
Must say that I think I'm in love with the Bradley Smoker. Simple, controlable, great food, and yet it still provides everything a classic smoker does (mouthwatering cooking smells). Over the summer we easily used the Bradley twice as much as the grill. Cheese, roast, corn, steak, chicken, and ribs have all gone in plain and come out delicious. I'm still a huge fan of finding the cheapest meat possible and turning it into something beautiful! And, with our high temperatures this summer, the challenge has been to not overcook the food, as opposed to my experiences with the vertical water smoker.
But I digress, because this post is about drumsticks!
No, not the kind you eat. I mean, sure, hickory smells nice if burnt at low temperatures, but these things have paint and varnish on them.
That's right. I took up the drums over the summer. While D was spending way to much money on concert experiences, I was spending to much on a new musical instrument hobby. I'm sorry to say that my Breedlove has stayed in its case for quite a bit of the summer as I've wielded sticks instead of picks.
I personally think I'm showing a bit of aptitude with the drums. Guitar has always been a bit of a struggle. Even after a few years of playing, I'm still not able to simply pick up the guitar and play a song flawlessly (except something like "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" or "Wild Thing"). The drums, on the other hand, I can plug in my Zune, and instantly start playing along with the songs. The rhythms and stick patterns just come into my hands. And, while I'm definitely not good, I at least can usually mimic what I'm hearing by the end of the song. For the ability to simply sit down and start playing along with a band, I can't beat the drums.
Of course, a drumline on its own sounds like...Well, kind of like a looping pedal. Drumming is terribly repetitive, so playing by yourself (with no Zune) is somewhat boring after a few minutes. Add a backup band, and it's extremely fun!
Must say that I think I'm in love with the Bradley Smoker. Simple, controlable, great food, and yet it still provides everything a classic smoker does (mouthwatering cooking smells). Over the summer we easily used the Bradley twice as much as the grill. Cheese, roast, corn, steak, chicken, and ribs have all gone in plain and come out delicious. I'm still a huge fan of finding the cheapest meat possible and turning it into something beautiful! And, with our high temperatures this summer, the challenge has been to not overcook the food, as opposed to my experiences with the vertical water smoker.
But I digress, because this post is about drumsticks!
No, not the kind you eat. I mean, sure, hickory smells nice if burnt at low temperatures, but these things have paint and varnish on them.
That's right. I took up the drums over the summer. While D was spending way to much money on concert experiences, I was spending to much on a new musical instrument hobby. I'm sorry to say that my Breedlove has stayed in its case for quite a bit of the summer as I've wielded sticks instead of picks.
I personally think I'm showing a bit of aptitude with the drums. Guitar has always been a bit of a struggle. Even after a few years of playing, I'm still not able to simply pick up the guitar and play a song flawlessly (except something like "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" or "Wild Thing"). The drums, on the other hand, I can plug in my Zune, and instantly start playing along with the songs. The rhythms and stick patterns just come into my hands. And, while I'm definitely not good, I at least can usually mimic what I'm hearing by the end of the song. For the ability to simply sit down and start playing along with a band, I can't beat the drums.
Of course, a drumline on its own sounds like...Well, kind of like a looping pedal. Drumming is terribly repetitive, so playing by yourself (with no Zune) is somewhat boring after a few minutes. Add a backup band, and it's extremely fun!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
The reMastering Process
First, let me say that I haven't blogged since April. Yes, I realize I've lost out on the summer, and you shouldn't expect this to be a catch up entry. I'll leave that for a night with more time and calmer children.
While doing homework tonight, which is the first part of the remastering process, I'm listening to Rock 101.1 out of Vancouver. They are playing selections off the remastered Beatles release. The DJs are making a big deal about "Hey, this sounds so much better."
News flash, boys! You are over FM radio! The stuff sounds the same as it has for the past forty years!
Now, admittedly I'm not a huge Beatles fan to begin with, so I probably wouldn't pick up the nuances that mark a remastered work. However, something has to be said for the communication medium. Saying something sounds better, then broadcasting it in standard formats just sounds like marketing dribble.
Thanks, I'll go plug in my Zune now.
Oh yeah, and the Oilers are doing rookie camp this week!
While doing homework tonight, which is the first part of the remastering process, I'm listening to Rock 101.1 out of Vancouver. They are playing selections off the remastered Beatles release. The DJs are making a big deal about "Hey, this sounds so much better."
News flash, boys! You are over FM radio! The stuff sounds the same as it has for the past forty years!
Now, admittedly I'm not a huge Beatles fan to begin with, so I probably wouldn't pick up the nuances that mark a remastered work. However, something has to be said for the communication medium. Saying something sounds better, then broadcasting it in standard formats just sounds like marketing dribble.
Thanks, I'll go plug in my Zune now.
Oh yeah, and the Oilers are doing rookie camp this week!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Easter Treats, or How to Smoke a Bunny
With apologies to all those Rocky and Bullwinkle fans out there. If you are one, the title will make sense. If you aren't, Check out Hulu for some great old-fashioned fun.
And no, I am not smoking rabbit for Easter dinner. It's game hens for tonight. Just keep thinking about the chicken coming after the egg.
It would be nice to smoke when it isn't raining. The weather is definitely not agreeing with my outdoor activity for today. It's warmish (high of 50), but pouring like crazy. Poultry wants to dry out in the smoker, especially after being brined. A high relative humidity does not help in the least.
Much more adult than what is in Caelyn and Jonah's baskets, I get to enjoy my own Easter treats this year. That's right, folks, Lent is officially over! And so, bring on the coffee, the beer, the scotch, the dinner wines!
Excuse me while I refresh my coffee.
The Sounders are now 3-1, with only one goal against. A shut out loss last night, as Keller got a red card about thirty minutes in, but it was still a great game. I'm seriously getting into soccer, and will be happy to have it as my summer sport to fill the hockey gap.
Speaking of hockey, the Oil ended their season by splitting a back-to-back Battle of Alberta weekend. They are done for the next six months, and I'm happy. They have some bright spots that could be the future, but the team needs a retooling.
For me, hockey is pretty much done. I'll watch the Cup, because I don't have any choice, but with the Oilers out, I don't have any particular leanings. The Canucks did beat out the Flames to win the northwest, thanks to the Oilers and Avalanche. Neither NW team will make it out of the second round, so who really cares. Just another banner for GM Place.
Happy Easter, everyone! Enjoy your treats, no matter what they are, and stay tuned for our next episode entitled "One in the Hand, or How to Cure a Hangover."
And no, I am not smoking rabbit for Easter dinner. It's game hens for tonight. Just keep thinking about the chicken coming after the egg.
It would be nice to smoke when it isn't raining. The weather is definitely not agreeing with my outdoor activity for today. It's warmish (high of 50), but pouring like crazy. Poultry wants to dry out in the smoker, especially after being brined. A high relative humidity does not help in the least.
A List of Treats
Much more adult than what is in Caelyn and Jonah's baskets, I get to enjoy my own Easter treats this year. That's right, folks, Lent is officially over! And so, bring on the coffee, the beer, the scotch, the dinner wines!
- Coffee - Already have a cup in me, and it's not yet 6:00 AM. I had to get up early to brine the birds, and you wouldn't expect me to start the day off on the wrong foot.
- Beer - First church, then a little pick-me-up to start off the afternoon. After all, I haven't yet had a beer while anything has been in the Bradley! Recent weeks have seen me almost crying when I see a Sam Adams commercial. I can't hear "Who do you Love" without getting excited.
- Scotch - A glass before dinner, because it has been a while. Erik and Christy got me a very nice bottle for my birthday. I had one glass, before the lockout.
- Wine - Mom and dad are over for dinner, which means that I must impress with the selection. Denise has been wanting me to partake in a bottle over the past couple of weeks, so I will definitely indulge all of them tonight. Must remember to find the perfect wine and start preparing it before church.
Excuse me while I refresh my coffee.
Sports, sports, sports!
The Sounders are now 3-1, with only one goal against. A shut out loss last night, as Keller got a red card about thirty minutes in, but it was still a great game. I'm seriously getting into soccer, and will be happy to have it as my summer sport to fill the hockey gap.
Speaking of hockey, the Oil ended their season by splitting a back-to-back Battle of Alberta weekend. They are done for the next six months, and I'm happy. They have some bright spots that could be the future, but the team needs a retooling.
For me, hockey is pretty much done. I'll watch the Cup, because I don't have any choice, but with the Oilers out, I don't have any particular leanings. The Canucks did beat out the Flames to win the northwest, thanks to the Oilers and Avalanche. Neither NW team will make it out of the second round, so who really cares. Just another banner for GM Place.
Happy Easter, everyone! Enjoy your treats, no matter what they are, and stay tuned for our next episode entitled "One in the Hand, or How to Cure a Hangover."
Thursday, April 2, 2009
What's this pain?
Growing up I did a bunch of crazy things, considering I was a blind kid. Riding my own bike down back woods trails, jumping off of tall snowpiles, you get the idea. I am still astounded that I never broke anything. Sure, I cracked ribs once, bloodied my nose several times, suffered numerous bruises and scrapes, and even knocked loose the strip of cartilage that covers the collar bone. I twisted ankles, pulled muscles, and still have pencil lead somewhere in my right hamstring. Nothing majorly serious.
Until this morning! Thirty-two sucks! I step onto the bus, heading to work. Big day, dressed nice, thinking about everything that awaits me in the next ten hours. Unfortunately, the bus driver hadn't pulled into the curb as closely as usual, I miss the step, and sprain my ankle.
Sure, it feels fine until I get to work. I walked up a hill with no problems. A few hours later and I can't stand on it. Walking is pure pain, but I'm not swelling, and the color is still good. A couple of hours more and every step is pure agony. I can take pain, but this is just stupid!
So here I am, writing a blog entry, laying in bed with my foot elevated. Pain killers are setting in, I just finished a simply fantastic soup*, and the Oil are deciding that the playoffs aren't really worth it. If only I had some homework to pass the time...
I haven't mentioned my Lenten fast yet, mainly because I didn't think I could pull it off. Now, with Holy Week to go, I am the little engine cresting the mountain. "I knew I could."
For this year, with the thought to improving spirit and body, I decided to get rid of chemicals. So I dropped coffee, soda, and alcohol. It hasn't been easy. I've essentially missed the last twenty games of the hockey season because it just isn't the same to sit down and watch a game without a beer.
Easter cometh!
Jonah's communication is getting much better! He is saying some words consistently, pointing and gesturing, and engaging us when he wants something. I see the light at the end of the tunnel, though it's still far away.
We continue to separate from VeriSign. Hopefully we'll be closing this month, and I'll start a new chapter. To say that I am excited about the work prospects over the next couple of months would be wildly understating things.
The grades are in for my first quarter of graduate school. I achieved one-hundred percent in two classes, and ninety-six percent in the third. Not bad, not bad! This next quarter has only two classes, which will be good, considering the work situation. I've announced to Denise that I won't be seeing her much until June.
I've stalled in my exercise regiment, and will probably be switching it up once my ankle heals. I finished with the following:
Alright, this entry is getting long enough, and I haven't qualified my asterisk above. So I'll sign off.
* The soup Denise made was based on the remains of the brisket that I smoked on Sunday. Veggies, tomato base, and smoked brisket. Fantastic!
Until this morning! Thirty-two sucks! I step onto the bus, heading to work. Big day, dressed nice, thinking about everything that awaits me in the next ten hours. Unfortunately, the bus driver hadn't pulled into the curb as closely as usual, I miss the step, and sprain my ankle.
Sure, it feels fine until I get to work. I walked up a hill with no problems. A few hours later and I can't stand on it. Walking is pure pain, but I'm not swelling, and the color is still good. A couple of hours more and every step is pure agony. I can take pain, but this is just stupid!
So here I am, writing a blog entry, laying in bed with my foot elevated. Pain killers are setting in, I just finished a simply fantastic soup*, and the Oil are deciding that the playoffs aren't really worth it. If only I had some homework to pass the time...
A Change of Subject
I haven't mentioned my Lenten fast yet, mainly because I didn't think I could pull it off. Now, with Holy Week to go, I am the little engine cresting the mountain. "I knew I could."
For this year, with the thought to improving spirit and body, I decided to get rid of chemicals. So I dropped coffee, soda, and alcohol. It hasn't been easy. I've essentially missed the last twenty games of the hockey season because it just isn't the same to sit down and watch a game without a beer.
Easter cometh!
And while I'm catching up on my writing:
Jonah's communication is getting much better! He is saying some words consistently, pointing and gesturing, and engaging us when he wants something. I see the light at the end of the tunnel, though it's still far away.
We continue to separate from VeriSign. Hopefully we'll be closing this month, and I'll start a new chapter. To say that I am excited about the work prospects over the next couple of months would be wildly understating things.
The grades are in for my first quarter of graduate school. I achieved one-hundred percent in two classes, and ninety-six percent in the third. Not bad, not bad! This next quarter has only two classes, which will be good, considering the work situation. I've announced to Denise that I won't be seeing her much until June.
I've stalled in my exercise regiment, and will probably be switching it up once my ankle heals. I finished with the following:
- Squat - 145 5x5, stalled
- Bench - 110 5x5, stalled
- Overhead - 80 5x5, stalled
- Deadlift - 175 2x5, rising
Alright, this entry is getting long enough, and I haven't qualified my asterisk above. So I'll sign off.
* The soup Denise made was based on the remains of the brisket that I smoked on Sunday. Veggies, tomato base, and smoked brisket. Fantastic!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Smoking Bradley
A very early Father's Day present arrived via UPS yesterday. My new Bradley smoker is supposed to make smoking easier, particularly through regulated heat. Now, so long as I have a grounded outlet, I can smoke anywhere without worry about inconsistent heat, flair ups, dying fires, and the other frustrations I've had with my vertical water smoker.
Setup was a breeze, and I was pleasantly happy with the smoke produced during the seasoning process. Denise had visited Costco earlier in the day, and so I had a choice for my first smoke. I've been smoking a lot of beef lately, so I decided that the five pound whole chicken needed to go in.
Gutted and separated, brined, washed, dried, and into the smoker at 12:50 this afternoon. During preheating the smoker reached 250, despite our 37 degree rainy day. In fact, it would snow as the afternoon went on! A couple of hours in hickory smoke, then a couple more slow cooking. We finished it in the oven, just to get to dinner faster.
I have enjoyed some good meals in my time. I don't remember the last time that a meal didn't even make it to the table! Denise and I tore into the chicken like barbarians. Knives and fingers, grease and juice. Fantastic flavor, moist, and wonderful texture. We finally gave up on the idea of plates and ate over the sink! It was the best chicken I've ever had, and that's coming from a person that doesn't like chicken.
We ended up eating well over half of the bird right down to the bones. The rest is in the fridge, awaiting its sentence as a salad topping. Tomorrow I get back to beef. A brisket is sitting in the fridge!
For ease of use, nice design, and set-and-forget cooking technique, I love my Bradley. I can't wait for summer!
Setup was a breeze, and I was pleasantly happy with the smoke produced during the seasoning process. Denise had visited Costco earlier in the day, and so I had a choice for my first smoke. I've been smoking a lot of beef lately, so I decided that the five pound whole chicken needed to go in.
Gutted and separated, brined, washed, dried, and into the smoker at 12:50 this afternoon. During preheating the smoker reached 250, despite our 37 degree rainy day. In fact, it would snow as the afternoon went on! A couple of hours in hickory smoke, then a couple more slow cooking. We finished it in the oven, just to get to dinner faster.
I have enjoyed some good meals in my time. I don't remember the last time that a meal didn't even make it to the table! Denise and I tore into the chicken like barbarians. Knives and fingers, grease and juice. Fantastic flavor, moist, and wonderful texture. We finally gave up on the idea of plates and ate over the sink! It was the best chicken I've ever had, and that's coming from a person that doesn't like chicken.
We ended up eating well over half of the bird right down to the bones. The rest is in the fridge, awaiting its sentence as a salad topping. Tomorrow I get back to beef. A brisket is sitting in the fridge!
For ease of use, nice design, and set-and-forget cooking technique, I love my Bradley. I can't wait for summer!
Monday, March 16, 2009
The Dog Days of Winter
It has been a while since writing on here, mostly due to excessive amounts of classwork and job-related things. A few brief updates below:
* It was just a few months ago that the winter wonderland excited me. I remembered my childhood of freezing weather and white stuff. But now it's March, and those of us at sea level should not be getting snowed on! March in Washington is wind and rain...except when the temperatures are still below freezing! A couple of weeks ago we actually hit 55 and I was ecstatic.
* My first quarter back in class is closing this week. If there is one major reason that I have not written here it would be because I end up writing so much in my classwork. After writing pages upon pages for a grade, writing on a blog just doesn't sound like fun. I would rather have a guitar on my lap or my son on my back.
On a positive note, though, the classes are showing immediate benefits. I am more conscious of my day-to-day interactions with others, am drawing big-picture connections again, and experimenting with new philosophies.
* Finally, on March second VeriSign announced that the Communications business was being sold to TNS. Unlike other blog entries I've read, I won't bash VeriSign. This company has been very generous to me, and has dedicated a lot into my development, not to mention helped me out a lot financially. When I look back in thirty years on why I can retire, VeriSign will be a big piece of the puzzle.
Yes, I will look back on my VeriSign years with fondness, but I am ready for the TNS years to begin. We have waited for fifteen months to have this deal announced, and now that it finally is going through I am happy. It does, however, mean a lot of work, particularly for my crew. We have planned, tested, and interviewed customers for months. Now it is finally time to implement.
And so, with apologies to my nonexistant reader for my lack of posts, I look forward to spring break. Not that I'll be watching barely clad girls on a Mexican beach while drinking massive amounts of beer. No, I don't need that kind of lifestyle anymore. I'd be happy to just write something personal and creative while sitting outside in shorts weather.
* It was just a few months ago that the winter wonderland excited me. I remembered my childhood of freezing weather and white stuff. But now it's March, and those of us at sea level should not be getting snowed on! March in Washington is wind and rain...except when the temperatures are still below freezing! A couple of weeks ago we actually hit 55 and I was ecstatic.
* My first quarter back in class is closing this week. If there is one major reason that I have not written here it would be because I end up writing so much in my classwork. After writing pages upon pages for a grade, writing on a blog just doesn't sound like fun. I would rather have a guitar on my lap or my son on my back.
On a positive note, though, the classes are showing immediate benefits. I am more conscious of my day-to-day interactions with others, am drawing big-picture connections again, and experimenting with new philosophies.
* Finally, on March second VeriSign announced that the Communications business was being sold to TNS. Unlike other blog entries I've read, I won't bash VeriSign. This company has been very generous to me, and has dedicated a lot into my development, not to mention helped me out a lot financially. When I look back in thirty years on why I can retire, VeriSign will be a big piece of the puzzle.
Yes, I will look back on my VeriSign years with fondness, but I am ready for the TNS years to begin. We have waited for fifteen months to have this deal announced, and now that it finally is going through I am happy. It does, however, mean a lot of work, particularly for my crew. We have planned, tested, and interviewed customers for months. Now it is finally time to implement.
And so, with apologies to my nonexistant reader for my lack of posts, I look forward to spring break. Not that I'll be watching barely clad girls on a Mexican beach while drinking massive amounts of beer. No, I don't need that kind of lifestyle anymore. I'd be happy to just write something personal and creative while sitting outside in shorts weather.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Reflecting for the sake of Reflection
I find it interesting that only three months ago I was very cynical about the idea of blogging. Why would anyone want to put the intimate details of their life on the Internet for all to read? It doesn't make sense, especially with the graphic nature of many blogs. Do I want a future employer to see the fact that I swear like a sailor? (For the record, I don't.)
I took up blogging at the right time, though. I find myself committing more thoughts into written word now than I ever have before. I was not a journal-keeper, though I took copious notes during classes. The return to a structured educational program has words flying out of my fingers more than ever. My output here may be slower, but that is not a proper indicator.
So why do I write? Mainly for myself. I refer to my nonexistant reader, but the reality is that I am my own reader. I have a terrible memory for events. Concepts and ideas seem to stick well, but not their context. I write so that I remember. I write so that in two months/years/decades I can look back and remember, reflect, learn. Where was I then, and where am I now? What should I fall back on to regain who I was? Most importantly, how have I improved?
I have decided that improvement is the theme of the year. I will use 2009 to improve in three different areas that should not be surprising. I write them here to formalize their focus:
Spiritual - I will follow God more closely. I will strengthen my spirit so that I am worthy of His love.
Physical - I will strengthen my body for better health and self-confidence. Most importantly, I want a challenge for more than my brain and heart.
Mental - I will learn, develop ideas, draw connections between concepts, and strengthen my intelectual abilities.
I am already walking down this self-improvement path. Now it is formally and publicly defined so I can keep myself acountable and measure progress.
I took up blogging at the right time, though. I find myself committing more thoughts into written word now than I ever have before. I was not a journal-keeper, though I took copious notes during classes. The return to a structured educational program has words flying out of my fingers more than ever. My output here may be slower, but that is not a proper indicator.
So why do I write? Mainly for myself. I refer to my nonexistant reader, but the reality is that I am my own reader. I have a terrible memory for events. Concepts and ideas seem to stick well, but not their context. I write so that I remember. I write so that in two months/years/decades I can look back and remember, reflect, learn. Where was I then, and where am I now? What should I fall back on to regain who I was? Most importantly, how have I improved?
I have decided that improvement is the theme of the year. I will use 2009 to improve in three different areas that should not be surprising. I write them here to formalize their focus:
Spiritual - I will follow God more closely. I will strengthen my spirit so that I am worthy of His love.
Physical - I will strengthen my body for better health and self-confidence. Most importantly, I want a challenge for more than my brain and heart.
Mental - I will learn, develop ideas, draw connections between concepts, and strengthen my intelectual abilities.
I am already walking down this self-improvement path. Now it is formally and publicly defined so I can keep myself acountable and measure progress.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Smoke This!
Three pounds of pot roast goes into the smoker, and I start to get excited. We are trying two new things this time, and both seem to be working out quite well.
First, Denise got tired of my Kingsford charcoal complaints. So instead she bought Kingsford charwood. I've never played with charwood before, and I was skeptical after reading reviews. Even Kingsford says that the stuff typically burns to hot for slow cooking. Fortunately, I know a little chemistry.
You see, if you want to slow a fire, you simply restrict the oxygen. The less fire, the lower heat. The real key with slow cooking is the bed of coals. So the magic seems to be in the fast kickoff of the charwood, letting it burn down, then managing your heat by opening or closing the coal bed. We are an hour into cooking and my theory is holding up nicely.
One more note about the charwood, I like the smoke that comes off of it. It seems a lot more woody, and should impart some excellent flavor to the meat. I am still adding wet chips to augment smoke.
The second change is the addition of a talking thermometer. Oregon Scientific makes a wireless thermometer with some speaking functions. It is a great accessibility boost. A complaint is that there is no function to read the current temperature of the meat (you get a visual indicator only). It does, however, provide presets for different types of meat and doneness, and speaks when the meat is almost or at the target temperature. This thermometer was a Christmas gift from mom and dad, thanks!
So now I sit in the house, and have no worries about overcooking the meat. I walk out every so often, lay a finger on the lid to check the temperature, add charwood or play with the fire if necessary, and check the water. It does get easier than this, but easy isn't always fun.
Time to think about which wine to open.
First, Denise got tired of my Kingsford charcoal complaints. So instead she bought Kingsford charwood. I've never played with charwood before, and I was skeptical after reading reviews. Even Kingsford says that the stuff typically burns to hot for slow cooking. Fortunately, I know a little chemistry.
You see, if you want to slow a fire, you simply restrict the oxygen. The less fire, the lower heat. The real key with slow cooking is the bed of coals. So the magic seems to be in the fast kickoff of the charwood, letting it burn down, then managing your heat by opening or closing the coal bed. We are an hour into cooking and my theory is holding up nicely.
One more note about the charwood, I like the smoke that comes off of it. It seems a lot more woody, and should impart some excellent flavor to the meat. I am still adding wet chips to augment smoke.
The second change is the addition of a talking thermometer. Oregon Scientific makes a wireless thermometer with some speaking functions. It is a great accessibility boost. A complaint is that there is no function to read the current temperature of the meat (you get a visual indicator only). It does, however, provide presets for different types of meat and doneness, and speaks when the meat is almost or at the target temperature. This thermometer was a Christmas gift from mom and dad, thanks!
So now I sit in the house, and have no worries about overcooking the meat. I walk out every so often, lay a finger on the lid to check the temperature, add charwood or play with the fire if necessary, and check the water. It does get easier than this, but easy isn't always fun.
Time to think about which wine to open.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
All-Star Break, I Hate You
No hockey in over four days is driving me nuts! It's like the summer, only more agrevating as the typical Oilers blogs don't shut down to off-season rates. No, they have to stay in their game, so they churn out material related to statistics, probabilities and next season projections.
and who really cares about the All-Star game! So long as no one gets hurt, and Roloson gets to rest his thirty-nine-year-old body, the rest of the break is pointless!
Just an observation...I'll go get ready for church now.
and who really cares about the All-Star game! So long as no one gets hurt, and Roloson gets to rest his thirty-nine-year-old body, the rest of the break is pointless!
Just an observation...I'll go get ready for church now.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Workout Update
As I've noted before, I'm working on a strength training regiment picked up from StrongLifts.com. This sort of post is worthless for anyone except me, but since I'm my only reader I think I can post what I want.
Remember that I started this all off with an empty bar, with the focus being to learn technique, and progressively add weight. Additionally, I did have the few weeks off due to the holidays and the KC trip. All that being said, here's my current successes after yesterday's workout:
Included, but not documented, is rows, crunches, pullups and chinups. The points to remember are that I haven't been near failure with any lift yet, except squat at 85. As evidenced by last night, I've blown past that 85 pound problem. Also, last night's successes came only 36 hours after donating blood.
Remember that I started this all off with an empty bar, with the focus being to learn technique, and progressively add weight. Additionally, I did have the few weeks off due to the holidays and the KC trip. All that being said, here's my current successes after yesterday's workout:
- Squat: 100 5x5
- Bench: 75 5x5
- Overhead: 65 5x5
- Deadlift: 115 1x5
Included, but not documented, is rows, crunches, pullups and chinups. The points to remember are that I haven't been near failure with any lift yet, except squat at 85. As evidenced by last night, I've blown past that 85 pound problem. Also, last night's successes came only 36 hours after donating blood.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Pace yourself there, boy!
Two blog posts in a day? Sheesh.
I'd call this a pretty good evening. The Oil pick up two points by sacrificing the Blue Jackets on the altar of Hemsky! There's no doubt about it, #83 has hit a hot streak! Four goals and an assist in two games.
Spent the early part of the evening entertaining the children, doing housework, and eating dinner while discussing Obama with Denise. Watched a technically awkward, but oddly touching bit of the new president talking to a select group of soldiers in Afghanistan from one of the inauguration balls. Technically awkward due to satelite delays. Touching because they were all from the Chicago area, and Barak really seemed to be having fun talking to them.
And then it was off to do homework. About halfway through a chapter on Action Learning Teams, I wondered at the application of this sort of theory in parenting. Could I, when the kids are a bit older, use a system of question asking and reflection to foster learning and action thinking? If so, what kind of kids would I have? Always outside the box, they might have that jump over others that is so critical. The difficulty would be that, according to definitions, action learning teams are most affective when the answer is unknown.
And then, to cherry off the sundae, both kids were asleep, in beds, by 8:30. Part of me says, "That's what no naps will do." The other part just giggles and chants "Hemsky, Hemsky, Hemsky..."
I'd call this a pretty good evening. The Oil pick up two points by sacrificing the Blue Jackets on the altar of Hemsky! There's no doubt about it, #83 has hit a hot streak! Four goals and an assist in two games.
Spent the early part of the evening entertaining the children, doing housework, and eating dinner while discussing Obama with Denise. Watched a technically awkward, but oddly touching bit of the new president talking to a select group of soldiers in Afghanistan from one of the inauguration balls. Technically awkward due to satelite delays. Touching because they were all from the Chicago area, and Barak really seemed to be having fun talking to them.
And then it was off to do homework. About halfway through a chapter on Action Learning Teams, I wondered at the application of this sort of theory in parenting. Could I, when the kids are a bit older, use a system of question asking and reflection to foster learning and action thinking? If so, what kind of kids would I have? Always outside the box, they might have that jump over others that is so critical. The difficulty would be that, according to definitions, action learning teams are most affective when the answer is unknown.
And then, to cherry off the sundae, both kids were asleep, in beds, by 8:30. Part of me says, "That's what no naps will do." The other part just giggles and chants "Hemsky, Hemsky, Hemsky..."
What have I done?!
Oh gentle nonexistant reader,
You may have noticed that I haven't written anything for some time. I would love to blame the holidays, work schedule, an excess of winning lottery tickets. Unfortunately, the reality is much longer lasting, and makes me think that I've bitten off a little to much.
I have, after ten years of sloth, gone back to school. I enrolled in City University's Masters of Information Technology Management program. Last week was a flurry of reading, answering discussion questions, researching the use of class websites, and interacting with professors. It was good to see that I can hold my own with others in the program, but wow does it require a lot of time!
At the end of the week, however, I felt quite satisfied. The first week experience was good, and made me optimistic that I'll make it through the next couple of years without succumbing to insanity or alcoholism.
It helps, of course, that I am very interested, and have a daily engagement in, the coursework. I would have less success in a general MBA.
--
I'll admit that the holidays did keep me away as well. Lots of travel, lots of weather, and a business trip to Kansas City to start off the year. At least Oilers fans are getting a bit of a New Year's present in a positive streak leading up to the All-Stars game.
--
The astute will notice the date of this posting, and expect something related to the Obama inauguration. I'll say that I am positive and excited about the possibilities of the change of power. On the other hand, my cynical side requests that I pause in evaluations and exaultations until the first one-hundred days pass. Will Obama be a political animal like all of the rest, or will he pull a FDR on us?
You may have noticed that I haven't written anything for some time. I would love to blame the holidays, work schedule, an excess of winning lottery tickets. Unfortunately, the reality is much longer lasting, and makes me think that I've bitten off a little to much.
I have, after ten years of sloth, gone back to school. I enrolled in City University's Masters of Information Technology Management program. Last week was a flurry of reading, answering discussion questions, researching the use of class websites, and interacting with professors. It was good to see that I can hold my own with others in the program, but wow does it require a lot of time!
At the end of the week, however, I felt quite satisfied. The first week experience was good, and made me optimistic that I'll make it through the next couple of years without succumbing to insanity or alcoholism.
It helps, of course, that I am very interested, and have a daily engagement in, the coursework. I would have less success in a general MBA.
--
I'll admit that the holidays did keep me away as well. Lots of travel, lots of weather, and a business trip to Kansas City to start off the year. At least Oilers fans are getting a bit of a New Year's present in a positive streak leading up to the All-Stars game.
--
The astute will notice the date of this posting, and expect something related to the Obama inauguration. I'll say that I am positive and excited about the possibilities of the change of power. On the other hand, my cynical side requests that I pause in evaluations and exaultations until the first one-hundred days pass. Will Obama be a political animal like all of the rest, or will he pull a FDR on us?
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