I never thought I would say this, but I miss running. I was a good runner. I could keep up with the sprinters and did okay with the distance people. I made for a good 400 and 800 runner in High School, and did well enough at college that I was asked to join the team. Not sure why I didn't.
There was a freedom to running. It was something that was all about you, and your shoes, and the road on which you ran. I actually earned a letter in track and field by running. I don't think anyone actually knows I lettered in track.
The arthritis makes it hard to walk, let alone run. With the new meds I'm on, most of my pain is gone. However, the damage done to the bones in my hands and feet is pretty bad, and you need your feet to run. Does not matter how good your shoes, there is a certain amount of stress forced on them by pounding the trail when running.
I had to give up softball, the last activity in which I could run, because of the pain. That still frustrates me. I wasn't that great at softball-- good at defense and pretty quick around the diamond, but just couldn't hit worth beans. But I did it with passion and exuberance and I got to run. And I was somewhat infamous for making circus catches in the outfield nearly every game. King of the snow-cone catch. I hated giving that up.
A new High School was built across the street from me. This HS has a track that would be easy to get to. I have to admit, I have frequent fantasies of buying a new, good pair of running shoes and hopping that fence some night and seeing how far I can run. The kid in me wants to know if I can still get around that track. He wants to see if I can reach that point I hit too few times where you feel like you can run forever.
But my intellect kicks in. It knows that is the last type of activity these poor feet need right now. Let the new meds do some work and hopefully repair some of the damage done. And even if the knees can take it, my practical mind tells me, can my battered knees keep up? They are shoddy construction at best. Been ridden hard and put away wet, so to speak.
I worry sometimes that my illness and my life and my job and my responsibilities are killing that kid inside who just wants to run once more around the track.
So, if you're driving on Bryant and you see some guy struggling to run around the track at the new High School, you can pull over and even watch. But don't interrupt him. No matter the pain or the fatigue, he's Peter Pan once more, taking one last flight around Neverland.
-
You were bored and searching for something to read when serendipity brought you to my blog. Many blog responses and emails later, things see...
-
Today was Halloween, M's favorite (nonreligious) holiday. The house was decorated, the pumpkins were carved, and the candy was purchased...
-
Apparently our viewing public is avid for some sort of update. I guess we have both been somewhat quiet since Tucson, but I’ve received some...
September 27, 2005
September 25, 2005
To Whom It May Concern
I don't appreciate you calling at 3 am. What's more, I don't appreciate you calling at 3 am, not getting an answer, waiting a half-hour, and calling back.
The phone is a convenience. I will answer it, therefore, when it is convenient to me. This means that I may be standing right next to it with nothing to do and still will not answer the phone because I do not chose to.
I have an answering machine. Leave a message. If it is important, I will call you back. If I hear your voice on my answering machine and recognize it, I may pick up right then.
What were you thinking calling so late? I stay up late, yes, but not that late. Give me a break!
So don't call so late (or early, I guess). If you do, leave a message so I know who it is and whether it is important. Otherwise, get the hell off my phone line and don't call me again.
John
The phone is a convenience. I will answer it, therefore, when it is convenient to me. This means that I may be standing right next to it with nothing to do and still will not answer the phone because I do not chose to.
I have an answering machine. Leave a message. If it is important, I will call you back. If I hear your voice on my answering machine and recognize it, I may pick up right then.
What were you thinking calling so late? I stay up late, yes, but not that late. Give me a break!
So don't call so late (or early, I guess). If you do, leave a message so I know who it is and whether it is important. Otherwise, get the hell off my phone line and don't call me again.
John
September 21, 2005
Children's Movies Today
I've blogged multiple times on movies in general. Here's a guy who I can see eye to eye with and agree 100% with his analysis. Take a read:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-1786879,00.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-1786879,00.html
Nephew's Birthday
So I’m searching for stuff for my nephew’s birthday (he’s turning 8 October 2). The only item I have been informed of is a wacky food thing that allows the child to make their own food treats.
In looking on Amazon for this toy, I stumbled across some really neat toys. A company called Wild Planet has created spy toys that mimic the favorite tools you see in cartoons, TV, and movies. One is a Spy Pen that can turn into a motion detector, a magnifying glass, and has a secret storage compartment. Another is a Spy Kit that includes a long-distance listening device and a telescope.
Now this is something Uncle John can get into giving to his nephew! It does two things that I always liked in toys when I was a young boy growing up: enhanced my level of play with cool extras but did not get in the way of my own imagination.
I look at so many of the toys today and I wonder where the imagination has gone. The toys do everything for you, it seems. Many of the video games and similar electronic toys do most of the work for the child. I am noticing the action figures do more and more—and require more and more “upgrades” and accessories to even work to full potential.
Some of the most fun I had as a child was taking my (copious quantities of) Hot Wheels out into the backyard, scooping sand around and using water to make roads and jumps and such, and playing with my cars. I remember using Lincoln logs, Lego blocks, and erector sets to build things of my own design. I often built my own toys out of knick-knacks around the house—I still remember when I cobbled my flashlight, a clear plastic tube, some green cellophane mom had lying around, and a large amount of duct tape into the first “lightsaber” seen on the block. And how all the other children came running out as I ran down the street swinging it. By the next weekend every kid had made something similar and we were having epic battles.
I feel strongly that children need to have tools and toys that allow them to stretch their mind, be inquisitive, and learn as they go. They should even have a slight element of danger to them, so kids can learn that metal can be sharp, not to eat the small plastic pieces, and that you really can put an eye out if you try hard enough. Some of my best lessons were learned as I sat crying on the floor as mom got out the Bactine, hydrogen peroxide, and bandages to patch me back together from yet another unsuccessful stunt.
My poor nephew probably thinks I’m a bit weird. He’s received books, educational toys, and even a Learning Frog toy from me that was probably 3-4 years ahead of his learning curve at the time. The last thing I sent was about geology from a science-oriented online site. He probably would love it more if I’d just send him gift certificates, clothes, or more simple toys.
I’ve also got a special piggy bank that is designed with multiple slots so you can decide whether to put money into savings, for a special item, for charity, etc. and it stores the money in easier and harder to open areas. He’s 8! Time to start learning fiscal responsibility and that charity begins at home, right?
Oh well, I’m okay with being the weird “educational” uncle. I sort of pity my own children if/when I have them-- but I'll sure be having fun!
In looking on Amazon for this toy, I stumbled across some really neat toys. A company called Wild Planet has created spy toys that mimic the favorite tools you see in cartoons, TV, and movies. One is a Spy Pen that can turn into a motion detector, a magnifying glass, and has a secret storage compartment. Another is a Spy Kit that includes a long-distance listening device and a telescope.
Now this is something Uncle John can get into giving to his nephew! It does two things that I always liked in toys when I was a young boy growing up: enhanced my level of play with cool extras but did not get in the way of my own imagination.
I look at so many of the toys today and I wonder where the imagination has gone. The toys do everything for you, it seems. Many of the video games and similar electronic toys do most of the work for the child. I am noticing the action figures do more and more—and require more and more “upgrades” and accessories to even work to full potential.
Some of the most fun I had as a child was taking my (copious quantities of) Hot Wheels out into the backyard, scooping sand around and using water to make roads and jumps and such, and playing with my cars. I remember using Lincoln logs, Lego blocks, and erector sets to build things of my own design. I often built my own toys out of knick-knacks around the house—I still remember when I cobbled my flashlight, a clear plastic tube, some green cellophane mom had lying around, and a large amount of duct tape into the first “lightsaber” seen on the block. And how all the other children came running out as I ran down the street swinging it. By the next weekend every kid had made something similar and we were having epic battles.
I feel strongly that children need to have tools and toys that allow them to stretch their mind, be inquisitive, and learn as they go. They should even have a slight element of danger to them, so kids can learn that metal can be sharp, not to eat the small plastic pieces, and that you really can put an eye out if you try hard enough. Some of my best lessons were learned as I sat crying on the floor as mom got out the Bactine, hydrogen peroxide, and bandages to patch me back together from yet another unsuccessful stunt.
My poor nephew probably thinks I’m a bit weird. He’s received books, educational toys, and even a Learning Frog toy from me that was probably 3-4 years ahead of his learning curve at the time. The last thing I sent was about geology from a science-oriented online site. He probably would love it more if I’d just send him gift certificates, clothes, or more simple toys.
I’ve also got a special piggy bank that is designed with multiple slots so you can decide whether to put money into savings, for a special item, for charity, etc. and it stores the money in easier and harder to open areas. He’s 8! Time to start learning fiscal responsibility and that charity begins at home, right?
Oh well, I’m okay with being the weird “educational” uncle. I sort of pity my own children if/when I have them-- but I'll sure be having fun!
September 18, 2005
The Other Days
Day 2
We visited a desert museum in the Saguaro National Park which, while interesting, was not what we thought it was. Turned out there was more than one desert museum in the park! The one we visited was filled with many dead, stuffed critters, which was sad, but did have a live tarantula in an enclosure. So she got to at least see that while in Tucson. :-)
After this museum we found the visitor’s center, met a park ranger who was from Bangor, Maine and knew the Saint John area, and then went for a walk in the park. I’ll leave it to her to tell you exactly what she said, but I’ll say this: we found a temperature that is “too hot” for the lady who loves hot weather. And make sure she shows you the picture of the “park;” any concept of grass, trees, and nicely placed walking paths are wrong!
Shopping—and then some! We hit a variety of stores and I got to experience “the look” firsthand that she gets in her eyes while “on the hunt.” I stood out of her way and in awe of her prowess, even if her main focus, Halloween decorations, were a bit of a disappointment. We did find some good things in Wal-Mart. We did see an entire store dedicated to Halloween, but never fit in a trip there.
We were supposed to go to karaoke that evening, but I was exhausted from an incredibly poor night’s rest the prior night. She could have pushed it and I would have gone, but she thought we should try again the next night instead. We instead spent quality time together that night talking, watching a little TV, and just continuing to figure each other out.
She opened the birthday gift I brought along. I’m happy to say she liked it.
Day 3
Continued some shopping, had to return a purchased item from the day before, and then planned to go to church and then to karaoke afterward. However, due to continued exhaustion problems, we decided to take a nap prior to church. Separate beds, people! Take your mind out of the gutter. Unfortunately, she didn’t awaken until about 5:10 and I didn’t until about 5:30. Since this is a Catholic Church, she knew showing up late wouldn’t really work, so she let me sleep a little longer. I feel like a real heel for that; as I was really looking forward to seeing her at church and gaining some insights into her through her connection to church and her religion.
So, although I apologized in person, here’s a written one for the entire world to see: I’m sorry we missed church.
She had to go to an initial meet-n-greet for the conference she was officially there to attend, so off she went. I ran some errands and then returned for some further conversation when she was done.
Because of the continued exhaustion issues—while it seems to have worked for us, I don’t recommend having two people meet in a strange city after each surviving many hours of travel to get there—we said good night and tried for a better night’s rest before our last little bit of time together.
Day 4
The conference started at 9am and I needed to get on the road for the long drive home, so we only had a short time in which to say farewell. What could have been a tearful event was, I think, a more positive one as we both focused on the future and other vacations together.
The drive back was a sad one. I didn’t want to leave! I could have stayed the whole week with her, had I the time off, and permission, from work to do so! What an incredible woman.
Still tired, even with a better night’s rest, the drive back was dangerously monotonous. Luckily, my mom’s house is on the way, so I stopped there for an early supper and a little breather before making the final hour and half to home.
My cat is still living—looks like I guessed correctly on the amount of food and water to put down for her as she still has plenty of both left over. She is even not being grouchy with me as she came out almost immediately for some ear scratching.
----
So, here I sit, utterly exhausted and wonderfully happy. I had a fabulous time and look forward to the next vacation we can manage—even if it involves… *shudder*… a plane ride. :-)
For those to whom it applies: we have to go to karaoke as a group. No excuses! But remember, I go as a listener and a cheering section; I don’t sing. At all. Ask anyone, it is not pretty when I do. And I look forward to going to church with her at her own hometown church.
We visited a desert museum in the Saguaro National Park which, while interesting, was not what we thought it was. Turned out there was more than one desert museum in the park! The one we visited was filled with many dead, stuffed critters, which was sad, but did have a live tarantula in an enclosure. So she got to at least see that while in Tucson. :-)
After this museum we found the visitor’s center, met a park ranger who was from Bangor, Maine and knew the Saint John area, and then went for a walk in the park. I’ll leave it to her to tell you exactly what she said, but I’ll say this: we found a temperature that is “too hot” for the lady who loves hot weather. And make sure she shows you the picture of the “park;” any concept of grass, trees, and nicely placed walking paths are wrong!
Shopping—and then some! We hit a variety of stores and I got to experience “the look” firsthand that she gets in her eyes while “on the hunt.” I stood out of her way and in awe of her prowess, even if her main focus, Halloween decorations, were a bit of a disappointment. We did find some good things in Wal-Mart. We did see an entire store dedicated to Halloween, but never fit in a trip there.
We were supposed to go to karaoke that evening, but I was exhausted from an incredibly poor night’s rest the prior night. She could have pushed it and I would have gone, but she thought we should try again the next night instead. We instead spent quality time together that night talking, watching a little TV, and just continuing to figure each other out.
She opened the birthday gift I brought along. I’m happy to say she liked it.
Day 3
Continued some shopping, had to return a purchased item from the day before, and then planned to go to church and then to karaoke afterward. However, due to continued exhaustion problems, we decided to take a nap prior to church. Separate beds, people! Take your mind out of the gutter. Unfortunately, she didn’t awaken until about 5:10 and I didn’t until about 5:30. Since this is a Catholic Church, she knew showing up late wouldn’t really work, so she let me sleep a little longer. I feel like a real heel for that; as I was really looking forward to seeing her at church and gaining some insights into her through her connection to church and her religion.
So, although I apologized in person, here’s a written one for the entire world to see: I’m sorry we missed church.
She had to go to an initial meet-n-greet for the conference she was officially there to attend, so off she went. I ran some errands and then returned for some further conversation when she was done.
Because of the continued exhaustion issues—while it seems to have worked for us, I don’t recommend having two people meet in a strange city after each surviving many hours of travel to get there—we said good night and tried for a better night’s rest before our last little bit of time together.
Day 4
The conference started at 9am and I needed to get on the road for the long drive home, so we only had a short time in which to say farewell. What could have been a tearful event was, I think, a more positive one as we both focused on the future and other vacations together.
The drive back was a sad one. I didn’t want to leave! I could have stayed the whole week with her, had I the time off, and permission, from work to do so! What an incredible woman.
Still tired, even with a better night’s rest, the drive back was dangerously monotonous. Luckily, my mom’s house is on the way, so I stopped there for an early supper and a little breather before making the final hour and half to home.
My cat is still living—looks like I guessed correctly on the amount of food and water to put down for her as she still has plenty of both left over. She is even not being grouchy with me as she came out almost immediately for some ear scratching.
----
So, here I sit, utterly exhausted and wonderfully happy. I had a fabulous time and look forward to the next vacation we can manage—even if it involves… *shudder*… a plane ride. :-)
For those to whom it applies: we have to go to karaoke as a group. No excuses! But remember, I go as a listener and a cheering section; I don’t sing. At all. Ask anyone, it is not pretty when I do. And I look forward to going to church with her at her own hometown church.
September 16, 2005
The Farter
Forgot to mention one of the funnier moments. We had finally gotten squared away and were almost back to her resort when she suddenly said, "Did you see the back of that truck?"
I said, "No."
She said, "I think it had a sticker that said 'I Love Farting.' I was hoping for confirmation."
At the next intersection we pulled up behind the same vehicle. Sure enough, a large sticker spanning the back of the window on the SUV said in big, red letters for all to see:
I Love Farting!
You never have a camera in hand quite when you want it.
I said, "No."
She said, "I think it had a sticker that said 'I Love Farting.' I was hoping for confirmation."
At the next intersection we pulled up behind the same vehicle. Sure enough, a large sticker spanning the back of the window on the SUV said in big, red letters for all to see:
I Love Farting!
You never have a camera in hand quite when you want it.
Day 1
The drive went better than I expected. Except for a creepy feeling at the rest stop I paused at about halfway (why do only the weird ones stop at rest stops… wait, what does that say about me?), the drive went smoothly. My Saturn VUE, on its first long trip, held up admirably. I made it nearly 400 miles before I chickened out on the far side of Phoenix and gassed up for the last 90 miles. I’m still not sure it wouldn’t have made the majority of that, but I was in the final 1/8 of a tank of gas and didn’t want to do something stupid. Not today!
And I know everyone is reading the blog to know about the drive. Yeah, right.
:-)
The Date
We met about 4:30pm after both showering and getting dressed for the date. After a long travel day, you need to refresh!
She was wearing a devastating blue dress and looked absolutely smashing. We found an Olive Garden at which to eat (and noted Target on the way—she needs Halloween adornments so that will be a must-stop location either tomorrow or Saturday). We ate more than I thought we would, which is to say not much. But the conversation seemed to flow easily and we were able to talk about the same wide range of topics as we do nightly. I felt it went pretty well. My tongue was only tied for about the first hour! ;-) She has a beautiful smile and a great laugh.
The adventure really began as we tried to find our way back. We were in conversation and I missed the first turn and we didn’t realize it until we were pretty far up. From there, we had to break out the map and use her excellent navigation skills to get us back on track. The streets in Tucson have a bad habit of not being contiguous, so we managed to be on the wrong part of Magee twice, on La Cholla going in wrong direction once, we ran by, through, and on Ina more times than I can count, and finally found the correct portion of Shannon to lead us back to her resort. The fact that the only map we after both of our attempts to procure one was a crappy one that didn’t even label all the streets didn’t help. But she was more than up to the task and we made it safely.
Of course, that left me to navigate back to my hotel alone. I made it and even found the back entrance to the hotel that deposits me right at my door!
We plan to head to Saguaro National Park, possibly to that Target for some shopping, and maybe to karaoke. For those who know me, you can rest assured: she has promised not to make me sing. No point in subjecting the good people of Tucson to that!!
I had a blast with her. I absolutely cannot wait for tomorrow.
And I know everyone is reading the blog to know about the drive. Yeah, right.
:-)
The Date
We met about 4:30pm after both showering and getting dressed for the date. After a long travel day, you need to refresh!
She was wearing a devastating blue dress and looked absolutely smashing. We found an Olive Garden at which to eat (and noted Target on the way—she needs Halloween adornments so that will be a must-stop location either tomorrow or Saturday). We ate more than I thought we would, which is to say not much. But the conversation seemed to flow easily and we were able to talk about the same wide range of topics as we do nightly. I felt it went pretty well. My tongue was only tied for about the first hour! ;-) She has a beautiful smile and a great laugh.
The adventure really began as we tried to find our way back. We were in conversation and I missed the first turn and we didn’t realize it until we were pretty far up. From there, we had to break out the map and use her excellent navigation skills to get us back on track. The streets in Tucson have a bad habit of not being contiguous, so we managed to be on the wrong part of Magee twice, on La Cholla going in wrong direction once, we ran by, through, and on Ina more times than I can count, and finally found the correct portion of Shannon to lead us back to her resort. The fact that the only map we after both of our attempts to procure one was a crappy one that didn’t even label all the streets didn’t help. But she was more than up to the task and we made it safely.
Of course, that left me to navigate back to my hotel alone. I made it and even found the back entrance to the hotel that deposits me right at my door!
We plan to head to Saguaro National Park, possibly to that Target for some shopping, and maybe to karaoke. For those who know me, you can rest assured: she has promised not to make me sing. No point in subjecting the good people of Tucson to that!!
I had a blast with her. I absolutely cannot wait for tomorrow.
September 11, 2005
Countdown
Okay, I admit it: I'm feeling the countdown. Thursday cannot come soon enough. I'm excited and nervous. I can't wait, but at the same time I need way more time to get ready.
I'll be fine once I'm there. But all the energy up until then will be hectic!
Plus, let's be honest: no matter how maturely we approach things, expectations are high. Hopefully not too high and hopefully we'll relax and let things flow naturally. But the expectations are bound to be there. Just have to take it slow. This doesn't have to be the end-all, be-all. Maybe it is just the first of many smaller steps.
And there is still so much to do before then; maps, directions, lists, packing, breathing. Yeah, can't forget to breath. Very important.
Oh yeah, I'm just a little excited and nervous.
I'll be fine once I'm there. But all the energy up until then will be hectic!
Plus, let's be honest: no matter how maturely we approach things, expectations are high. Hopefully not too high and hopefully we'll relax and let things flow naturally. But the expectations are bound to be there. Just have to take it slow. This doesn't have to be the end-all, be-all. Maybe it is just the first of many smaller steps.
And there is still so much to do before then; maps, directions, lists, packing, breathing. Yeah, can't forget to breath. Very important.
Oh yeah, I'm just a little excited and nervous.
September 6, 2005
The Land of Cubes
In my previous job I was in a two-person office. While it was true on occasion we grated on each other’s nerves, for the most part we got along just fine and I spent nearly 6 years with that roommate.
When I came to my present employer, I entered the land of cubes (cubicles). Initially, I found myself in locations that weren’t too bad; fewer cubes total, fewer people in the region in general, and the people with whom I worked were pretty conscious of the others around them.
I have since moved upstairs, where the concentration of people is greater, the cubes smaller and closer together. While most seem to be concerned with noise and their neighbors, it does not matter; I am now privy to the ins and outs of many lives. And some people are just naturally noisier people. You can hear phone conversations and listen to work conversations.
This company has done something right; it provided us with the taller cubicles. While sitting, you cannot see out of your cube. Many places get the short cubicles that mean that each person can see everything going on in the cubes near them.
I am still not sure what my feelings about the cubes are. On the one hand, it does seem more conducive to work. You know that everyone around you can see and hear your business, so you keep that business about the job. But we are also human beings; things go on in our lives with which we must deal, even if that is at work. We cannot work 100% of the time we are at work, we need to take those 10 minute stretch breaks and think about something else. Cubicle land is not conducive to that; I cannot help but feel guilty when I take a mental vacation. I even feel guilty when I eat lunch at my desk and choose to cruise the internet or read personal emails during that time.
Cubicles also seem somewhat fascist to me. It makes me feel like it saps my individuality and freedom of expression in favor of stark conformity. I am at my best when I can follow my ideas and be creative in my thought processes. I feel stymied, at times, being in my cubicle.
But I have Fred, my potted plant, and George, my self-sustaining terrarium made inside an old 100-CD plastic container. I have pictures of my family and magnets of some favorite super-heroes. I have an MC Escher mouse pad to boggle my mind.
My individuality refuses to die in the land of cubicles. Vive la resistance!
When I came to my present employer, I entered the land of cubes (cubicles). Initially, I found myself in locations that weren’t too bad; fewer cubes total, fewer people in the region in general, and the people with whom I worked were pretty conscious of the others around them.
I have since moved upstairs, where the concentration of people is greater, the cubes smaller and closer together. While most seem to be concerned with noise and their neighbors, it does not matter; I am now privy to the ins and outs of many lives. And some people are just naturally noisier people. You can hear phone conversations and listen to work conversations.
This company has done something right; it provided us with the taller cubicles. While sitting, you cannot see out of your cube. Many places get the short cubicles that mean that each person can see everything going on in the cubes near them.
I am still not sure what my feelings about the cubes are. On the one hand, it does seem more conducive to work. You know that everyone around you can see and hear your business, so you keep that business about the job. But we are also human beings; things go on in our lives with which we must deal, even if that is at work. We cannot work 100% of the time we are at work, we need to take those 10 minute stretch breaks and think about something else. Cubicle land is not conducive to that; I cannot help but feel guilty when I take a mental vacation. I even feel guilty when I eat lunch at my desk and choose to cruise the internet or read personal emails during that time.
Cubicles also seem somewhat fascist to me. It makes me feel like it saps my individuality and freedom of expression in favor of stark conformity. I am at my best when I can follow my ideas and be creative in my thought processes. I feel stymied, at times, being in my cubicle.
But I have Fred, my potted plant, and George, my self-sustaining terrarium made inside an old 100-CD plastic container. I have pictures of my family and magnets of some favorite super-heroes. I have an MC Escher mouse pad to boggle my mind.
My individuality refuses to die in the land of cubicles. Vive la resistance!
August 31, 2005
Mentoring
So, after finishing the Fantasy Football draft, I decided to log on to City of Heroes for a little while. Maybe run a mission. While on, a group asked for help, and I obliged. This group was not so great, with two guys who didn't understand tactics, another who kept running away at the slightest sign of danger, and a third who kept "helping" me by knocking everything away from me (I need things in close).
I finished the mission, said my goodbyes, and moved on.
As I was heading back to where I had been, I saw a poor lowly blaster about to get killed. I grabbed her aggro, allowing her to flee. She came back and blasted the two villains. We chatted, and she mentioned that she had died so many times tonight that she was well in debt and frustrated. I asked her to team with me on one of my high-level missions, and then mentored her on the game.
This person did not know what Dual or Single Origin enhancements were, where any stores were located, that Council mobs sometimes turn into Werewolves (it was fun to see her reaction), or really how to use her contacts or even powers to full effect.
I guess I have a little teacher in me. Even though I was exhausted, it was well past midnight, I couldn't help but stay online and explain all this to her, show her where the stores in Steel and Talos are, explain how to use enhancements (I couldn't explain combining, just too difficult this late!), and how to make the most of her powers and contacts. I then gave her a ton of high-level enhancements to sell to boost her Influence in the game.
She was thrilled. Not only did I clear over a nice chunk of her debt (unfortunately, I think she was at the cap, as she still had 19,000 debt after that!), but I showed her how to use her powers, how to successfully team, and how to have fun in the game.
And I got a hearty thank you and added to her Friends list.
After my rather disappointing teaming experience with the group before, it was nice to end the evening on a positive note.
Have fun and stick with it! There are good teammates out there! If your first team isn't the greatest, just say goodbye at a good moment (not in the middle of combat!), and start looking for another. Eventually you'll find a good fit and be happy.
Game on!
I finished the mission, said my goodbyes, and moved on.
As I was heading back to where I had been, I saw a poor lowly blaster about to get killed. I grabbed her aggro, allowing her to flee. She came back and blasted the two villains. We chatted, and she mentioned that she had died so many times tonight that she was well in debt and frustrated. I asked her to team with me on one of my high-level missions, and then mentored her on the game.
This person did not know what Dual or Single Origin enhancements were, where any stores were located, that Council mobs sometimes turn into Werewolves (it was fun to see her reaction), or really how to use her contacts or even powers to full effect.
I guess I have a little teacher in me. Even though I was exhausted, it was well past midnight, I couldn't help but stay online and explain all this to her, show her where the stores in Steel and Talos are, explain how to use enhancements (I couldn't explain combining, just too difficult this late!), and how to make the most of her powers and contacts. I then gave her a ton of high-level enhancements to sell to boost her Influence in the game.
She was thrilled. Not only did I clear over a nice chunk of her debt (unfortunately, I think she was at the cap, as she still had 19,000 debt after that!), but I showed her how to use her powers, how to successfully team, and how to have fun in the game.
And I got a hearty thank you and added to her Friends list.
After my rather disappointing teaming experience with the group before, it was nice to end the evening on a positive note.
Have fun and stick with it! There are good teammates out there! If your first team isn't the greatest, just say goodbye at a good moment (not in the middle of combat!), and start looking for another. Eventually you'll find a good fit and be happy.
Game on!
August 28, 2005
True Bachelorhood Rears Its Head Again
I am sitting here eating (original) Kraft Mac and Cheese, with some lemon pepper on it, plus 3 Kosher dill pickles... because you should eat something green with "dinner."
This would make a lot more sense if I had remembered to thaw the steak in my freezer.
*Sigh.
I am such a bachelor!
This would make a lot more sense if I had remembered to thaw the steak in my freezer.
*Sigh.
I am such a bachelor!
August 27, 2005
Moving On
I found your picture and some letters today. Beyond the fond memories I have of those times, I felt nothing for you. You did your best to keep me hanging on by never allowing me closure to our time together. You knew me well enough to know that the lack of closure would keep you in my thoughts.
You knew I was one to hold things inside; to internalize my feelings and bottle them up. You used that to your advantage and I cannot blame you. I held you inside for much longer than even I thought I would, or could. Each letter and picture over the years, each word you use to dredge up the past and keep me locked in our little drama, was a great play on your part. You always were one to live in the past. Every step you took and every ploy you used was a masterful stroke in our little vignette. I give you one final bow, acknowledging the expert way in which you played me.
I’m happy to say, I’ve moved on. It took time, effort, and a lot of personal changes to start the process. Finally, it took meeting someone amazing to finish it. But I have moved on.
You taught me a lot. I look for very different things now. And I’ve found them in someone new. Even if we take not one step further in whatever it is we currently have, she has changed me for the better. That was the one thing you could never do; change me. I was the rock against which you broke yourself and, in breaking yourself, wounded me. Where you were difficult, she is challenging. Where you tried to wound, she nurtures. Where you spoke, she listens.
I am happy for your life. I hope the new location and people in your life suit you. I’m glad I knew you and I will treasure the time we had together. But now my sights are set on a new horizon, and one with unlimited choices and freedoms.
Enjoy the life you made for yourself. I am putting those letters and photos away. I’m cinching up the baggage in my heart that is you and placing it on the shelf. On the shelf, it can remind of those times so I never repeat them, but it can also safely gather dust in the dark.
I’m turning to a new page, grabbing an unused pen, and beginning to write new and exciting chapters to my life.
Goodbye.
You knew I was one to hold things inside; to internalize my feelings and bottle them up. You used that to your advantage and I cannot blame you. I held you inside for much longer than even I thought I would, or could. Each letter and picture over the years, each word you use to dredge up the past and keep me locked in our little drama, was a great play on your part. You always were one to live in the past. Every step you took and every ploy you used was a masterful stroke in our little vignette. I give you one final bow, acknowledging the expert way in which you played me.
I’m happy to say, I’ve moved on. It took time, effort, and a lot of personal changes to start the process. Finally, it took meeting someone amazing to finish it. But I have moved on.
You taught me a lot. I look for very different things now. And I’ve found them in someone new. Even if we take not one step further in whatever it is we currently have, she has changed me for the better. That was the one thing you could never do; change me. I was the rock against which you broke yourself and, in breaking yourself, wounded me. Where you were difficult, she is challenging. Where you tried to wound, she nurtures. Where you spoke, she listens.
I am happy for your life. I hope the new location and people in your life suit you. I’m glad I knew you and I will treasure the time we had together. But now my sights are set on a new horizon, and one with unlimited choices and freedoms.
Enjoy the life you made for yourself. I am putting those letters and photos away. I’m cinching up the baggage in my heart that is you and placing it on the shelf. On the shelf, it can remind of those times so I never repeat them, but it can also safely gather dust in the dark.
I’m turning to a new page, grabbing an unused pen, and beginning to write new and exciting chapters to my life.
Goodbye.
August 26, 2005
Single and (not) loving it
I had an epiphany at the grocery store just now. I am a single man and I'm not happy about it.
On my way home from work I stopped by the Postal Annex in the grocery store mall to send a gift to a friend. After the woman behind the counter remarked how amenable I was to all her suggestions on the best methods and packaging for said gift (to which I just smiled and said "thank you"-- I couldn't help but think, 'why argue or discuss something so trivial?'), I was walking back past the grocery store when I realized two things; my cat needed a new bag of food and I was jonesing for some ice cream.
So I heading in and bought... cat food and ice cream.
I had three separate women and two couples give me that patronizing smile as they saw me walking through the grocery store with cat food and ice cream. The disparity in the items and the fact that those were the only things I was purchasing just screamed "Single Male" to the world. I then compounded it by going to the self-check out counters (another single male bastion, although others are starting to use it finally). I even got an "Aww" from one girl who was walking past me to the next self-check counter with her boyfriend and their bag of ice. At first I thought she might be saying it about some baby someone had in my area. Nope. Then I hoped she saw the cute kitty on the bag. No, that was on the other side. She was looking straight at me and giving me that same, rueful smile and shake of her head. Her boyfriend just sort of grimaced at me.
When women go into the store and buy what I would consider odd combinations of items, why don't we give them the same patronizing smiles and rueful head shakes? Why is that reserved for men? Are we really that inept in our lives? (don't answer that)
*sigh
I don't want to be single any more. I want to be in a relationship, preferably a long-term one. I don't want to be the 3rd, or 5th, or 7th wheel at friendly gatherings. And, frankly, I'm tired of being the one who can drop everything and go out with my friends because I'm unattached. I want to complicate the hell out of my life and have someone to share it with.
I'm not rich, but I make a solid living. I tell good stories, I am usually pretty funny, and I'm attentive and interested. I'm pretty adaptable. I've got skills, and tools, and the brains to use them. Looking for a woman who wants someone with the above qualities. Must be a non-smoker and non-drinker (or light drinker) preferred.
On my way home from work I stopped by the Postal Annex in the grocery store mall to send a gift to a friend. After the woman behind the counter remarked how amenable I was to all her suggestions on the best methods and packaging for said gift (to which I just smiled and said "thank you"-- I couldn't help but think, 'why argue or discuss something so trivial?'), I was walking back past the grocery store when I realized two things; my cat needed a new bag of food and I was jonesing for some ice cream.
So I heading in and bought... cat food and ice cream.
I had three separate women and two couples give me that patronizing smile as they saw me walking through the grocery store with cat food and ice cream. The disparity in the items and the fact that those were the only things I was purchasing just screamed "Single Male" to the world. I then compounded it by going to the self-check out counters (another single male bastion, although others are starting to use it finally). I even got an "Aww" from one girl who was walking past me to the next self-check counter with her boyfriend and their bag of ice. At first I thought she might be saying it about some baby someone had in my area. Nope. Then I hoped she saw the cute kitty on the bag. No, that was on the other side. She was looking straight at me and giving me that same, rueful smile and shake of her head. Her boyfriend just sort of grimaced at me.
When women go into the store and buy what I would consider odd combinations of items, why don't we give them the same patronizing smiles and rueful head shakes? Why is that reserved for men? Are we really that inept in our lives? (don't answer that)
*sigh
I don't want to be single any more. I want to be in a relationship, preferably a long-term one. I don't want to be the 3rd, or 5th, or 7th wheel at friendly gatherings. And, frankly, I'm tired of being the one who can drop everything and go out with my friends because I'm unattached. I want to complicate the hell out of my life and have someone to share it with.
I'm not rich, but I make a solid living. I tell good stories, I am usually pretty funny, and I'm attentive and interested. I'm pretty adaptable. I've got skills, and tools, and the brains to use them. Looking for a woman who wants someone with the above qualities. Must be a non-smoker and non-drinker (or light drinker) preferred.
August 25, 2005
A Stitch in Time
I don't understand clothing manufacturers and thread. Every single one of my pants, no matter how high or low quality I purchase, needs to have the stitching on the buttons replaced regularly. Luckily, I have some needles and thread and can accomplish this, but I hate that I have to.
A friend of mine has a good theory: manufacturers need to cut costs wherever they can. The thread used is one of the few areas where they can do this. And, think about it, the amount and quality of thread used to make clothes adds up.
I think she's on to something.
If you have a standardized process by which a sewing machine makes one hundred stitches in order to hold a button on a pair of pants with your average type of thread, then, if you cut the quality of the thread or the number of stitches, the savings per button sewed could equal inches of thread saved. Those inches of thread are then available for another button. Over the course of a day's work, this could add up to industrial-sized spools of thread saved for the next day.
I am sure it is acceptable to them that their wearers have to have alterations done after a shorter period of time. It is not them, after all, who has to make these alterations; the seller of the pants (if a higher-end place) or the owners make these changes. Or the owner goes and buys a new pair of pants. Either way, I guess, is good for the pants business in the long run.
However, I keep getting stuck on this end result: I have to buy pants and immediately add a few dozen passes with my own needle and thread, or pop a button after only a few washes and wears!
A friend of mine has a good theory: manufacturers need to cut costs wherever they can. The thread used is one of the few areas where they can do this. And, think about it, the amount and quality of thread used to make clothes adds up.
I think she's on to something.
If you have a standardized process by which a sewing machine makes one hundred stitches in order to hold a button on a pair of pants with your average type of thread, then, if you cut the quality of the thread or the number of stitches, the savings per button sewed could equal inches of thread saved. Those inches of thread are then available for another button. Over the course of a day's work, this could add up to industrial-sized spools of thread saved for the next day.
I am sure it is acceptable to them that their wearers have to have alterations done after a shorter period of time. It is not them, after all, who has to make these alterations; the seller of the pants (if a higher-end place) or the owners make these changes. Or the owner goes and buys a new pair of pants. Either way, I guess, is good for the pants business in the long run.
However, I keep getting stuck on this end result: I have to buy pants and immediately add a few dozen passes with my own needle and thread, or pop a button after only a few washes and wears!
August 13, 2005
And the Cleaning Continues...
I'm still cleaning, trying to whittle my life down to just those items I need. Today I managed to clear the black, four-shelf bookcase inside the front door. I walked it down to the garbage and threw it away. No remorse.
I have yet another bag of garbage ready to throw out and I managed to convince myself to get rid of three pairs of shoes that I haven't worn in at least a year. I can actually step into my tiny walk-in closet in the bedroom, but there are still miles to go before that is finished. And don't ask about the closet just inside the front door.
Now to figure out what to do with the old receiver, double-cassette player, George Foreman grill (with waffle maker), Canon ink-jet color printer, and cd player. To the best of knowledge they all still work. Maybe I can put a "Please Take Me" sign on them at work?
I'm starting to wonder what else I will find in this apartment.
The one bad thing is that I a) keep finding more and more comics hidden everywhere that need to be bagged and boxed somewhere and b) more and more old paperwork that should be shredded. If I could convince myself to just toss the paper without shredding, I would be closer to finishing this task. But the papers have names, addresses, and other personal information on them and I can't bring myself to toss them without shredding first-- even if the addresses are from 10 years ago and the personal information just isn't valid any more.
I'm fairly certain I've decided to stay in this apartment. I have a lot going on the last couple of weeks in September, right when I would need to be making plans for any move. And, as I look through Rent.com, et al, and call around, I'm finding that any place I move will be more expensive than where I am, even factoring in the increase I am forced to take here. So, here I will stay.
Just means it is more important that I get this place ship-shape, right?
I have yet another bag of garbage ready to throw out and I managed to convince myself to get rid of three pairs of shoes that I haven't worn in at least a year. I can actually step into my tiny walk-in closet in the bedroom, but there are still miles to go before that is finished. And don't ask about the closet just inside the front door.
Now to figure out what to do with the old receiver, double-cassette player, George Foreman grill (with waffle maker), Canon ink-jet color printer, and cd player. To the best of knowledge they all still work. Maybe I can put a "Please Take Me" sign on them at work?
I'm starting to wonder what else I will find in this apartment.
The one bad thing is that I a) keep finding more and more comics hidden everywhere that need to be bagged and boxed somewhere and b) more and more old paperwork that should be shredded. If I could convince myself to just toss the paper without shredding, I would be closer to finishing this task. But the papers have names, addresses, and other personal information on them and I can't bring myself to toss them without shredding first-- even if the addresses are from 10 years ago and the personal information just isn't valid any more.
I'm fairly certain I've decided to stay in this apartment. I have a lot going on the last couple of weeks in September, right when I would need to be making plans for any move. And, as I look through Rent.com, et al, and call around, I'm finding that any place I move will be more expensive than where I am, even factoring in the increase I am forced to take here. So, here I will stay.
Just means it is more important that I get this place ship-shape, right?
August 9, 2005
Depressed Box Office
Today I saw not one, not two, but three different articles deploring the state of the box office this year. Each of them asked why such "sure-fire hits"” as The Island or Stealth have done so poorly at the box office.
Each of these articles talked with "industry insiders,"” heads of studios, and theater owners. Each postulated on why these and other movies have been less than successful.
In all of these articles I didn'’t see the most obvious two things mentioned: ticket prices and the glut of movies.
Ticket Prices
Four years ago I could go to the matinee at the theater across the street for $6.50. This seemed pretty reasonable; more than a video rental, but I was getting the benefit of the bigger screen, the better sound, and the group environment. I rarely went if it was after 5 pm, as the $8.50 they charged then seemed too much.
The last movie I went to see, Fantastic Four, was a decent movie, with okay special effects and a fairly generic story and acting. The difference? The ticket cost me $8 for the matinee. Nearly the same cost as the full-price just a few years ago. So, if a family of four wants to go see a matinee movie of a passable but not spectacular movie, it is going to cost them $32 before any snacks. Add in a big tub of popcorn and a couple of beverages, and the family is out well over $40 for 2 hours of entertainment. If they go after the matinee prices, the cost is upwards of $60.
I own a decent sized television screen, a pretty good surround sound system, and a fairly cheap subscription to Netflix. For $14.95 a month, I can watch as many movies as I can rent, watch, and return in a month. Most months I can watch around 10-12 movies. That averages out to about $1.25 a movie. I am in the comfort of my own home and I do not have to deal with the crowds or a talking patron who forgets to turn off his cell phone.
This huge difference in price makes it hard to justify going to the theatre to watch a movie.
The Movie Glut
A few years ago as the first signs of today'’s box office morass were being seen, the studios correctly guessed that the sheer volume of movies they were unleashing on the public was partly to blame for the lower box office take of all but the most successful movies. I recall reading an article that said that some of the largest companies were going to cut their movie slate by up to 10%. At that time, the average slate was around 120 movies a year being put into production. By cutting this by 10%, they could focus on just the best of their slate and realize more value by their production.
Since then, the slate of movies being produced has actually risen” from 120 to about 132 (most recent stat I could find). This increase means that more movies make it through production, more movies vie for the fickle public'’s valuable dollar, more money must be spent on advertising all these movies, and the production dollar must be spread over more productions, inevitably lowering the value of the majority of the slate.
I, like most movie-goers, am a pretty stingy viewer. There are only about four movies in any given year I feel are "must see."” That means that the five major studios' slate of 132 movies each is vying for just four paid performances. Outside of these four "must see" event movies, I may decide to see 2-4 more movies on speculation or due to friends recommendations or persuasive advertisements.
Once upon a time, when production companies release far fewer movies, you could have a movie released and leave it out in front of the viewing public long enough for people to make up their minds and decide it was worth one of their precious few "“must see"” movie dollars. There is a tale of the movie Bonnie and Clyde. It was not immediately successful, but Warner Brothers kept the movie out there and, as the audience found it and critics started to rave about it, the studio re-released it to theatres and it became a success. That would not happen today. If a movie does not "open"” well, it is yanked and another of the 132 films is put in its place.
This huge slate also ensures that every single week of the year, but especially during the ultra-competitive summer months, there are multiple "must see"” movies being released. If I have four paid performances I'm will to see, and there are twelve weekends during the summer months each with at least 2 "big"” movies, some twenty movies are going to get the shaft. I just don'’t have the time, the patience, or the money to spend on each one of these releases.
The Solution(s)
In order to turn around the current box office woes, the studios need to cut way back on the movies they produce. They need to really review the scripts and the budgets and try to make the best films they can. Instead of having two or more big releases every week, there needs to be not more than four big releases in a month. This provides two values: the studio has a better shot at getting some of my viewing dollar and a movie has more time to find its "“legs."” Movies make money on repeat visits. If there is always something new the next week, people don'’t go back to a film, even one they enjoyed.
Secondly, the theatres need to cut prices. Make it a cost-effective night out for that hypothetical family of four. If that family can go out to a matinee showing for under $30 dollars, they are more likely to increase the number of films they will see in a year. The theatres benefit by having that family attend their facility (and all the beverages and popcorn those repeat visits bring in-- where the real money is for a theatre) and the studios benefit by getting more dollars from that family.
Each of these articles talked with "industry insiders,"” heads of studios, and theater owners. Each postulated on why these and other movies have been less than successful.
In all of these articles I didn'’t see the most obvious two things mentioned: ticket prices and the glut of movies.
Ticket Prices
Four years ago I could go to the matinee at the theater across the street for $6.50. This seemed pretty reasonable; more than a video rental, but I was getting the benefit of the bigger screen, the better sound, and the group environment. I rarely went if it was after 5 pm, as the $8.50 they charged then seemed too much.
The last movie I went to see, Fantastic Four, was a decent movie, with okay special effects and a fairly generic story and acting. The difference? The ticket cost me $8 for the matinee. Nearly the same cost as the full-price just a few years ago. So, if a family of four wants to go see a matinee movie of a passable but not spectacular movie, it is going to cost them $32 before any snacks. Add in a big tub of popcorn and a couple of beverages, and the family is out well over $40 for 2 hours of entertainment. If they go after the matinee prices, the cost is upwards of $60.
I own a decent sized television screen, a pretty good surround sound system, and a fairly cheap subscription to Netflix. For $14.95 a month, I can watch as many movies as I can rent, watch, and return in a month. Most months I can watch around 10-12 movies. That averages out to about $1.25 a movie. I am in the comfort of my own home and I do not have to deal with the crowds or a talking patron who forgets to turn off his cell phone.
This huge difference in price makes it hard to justify going to the theatre to watch a movie.
The Movie Glut
A few years ago as the first signs of today'’s box office morass were being seen, the studios correctly guessed that the sheer volume of movies they were unleashing on the public was partly to blame for the lower box office take of all but the most successful movies. I recall reading an article that said that some of the largest companies were going to cut their movie slate by up to 10%. At that time, the average slate was around 120 movies a year being put into production. By cutting this by 10%, they could focus on just the best of their slate and realize more value by their production.
Since then, the slate of movies being produced has actually risen” from 120 to about 132 (most recent stat I could find). This increase means that more movies make it through production, more movies vie for the fickle public'’s valuable dollar, more money must be spent on advertising all these movies, and the production dollar must be spread over more productions, inevitably lowering the value of the majority of the slate.
I, like most movie-goers, am a pretty stingy viewer. There are only about four movies in any given year I feel are "must see."” That means that the five major studios' slate of 132 movies each is vying for just four paid performances. Outside of these four "must see" event movies, I may decide to see 2-4 more movies on speculation or due to friends recommendations or persuasive advertisements.
Once upon a time, when production companies release far fewer movies, you could have a movie released and leave it out in front of the viewing public long enough for people to make up their minds and decide it was worth one of their precious few "“must see"” movie dollars. There is a tale of the movie Bonnie and Clyde. It was not immediately successful, but Warner Brothers kept the movie out there and, as the audience found it and critics started to rave about it, the studio re-released it to theatres and it became a success. That would not happen today. If a movie does not "open"” well, it is yanked and another of the 132 films is put in its place.
This huge slate also ensures that every single week of the year, but especially during the ultra-competitive summer months, there are multiple "must see"” movies being released. If I have four paid performances I'm will to see, and there are twelve weekends during the summer months each with at least 2 "big"” movies, some twenty movies are going to get the shaft. I just don'’t have the time, the patience, or the money to spend on each one of these releases.
The Solution(s)
In order to turn around the current box office woes, the studios need to cut way back on the movies they produce. They need to really review the scripts and the budgets and try to make the best films they can. Instead of having two or more big releases every week, there needs to be not more than four big releases in a month. This provides two values: the studio has a better shot at getting some of my viewing dollar and a movie has more time to find its "“legs."” Movies make money on repeat visits. If there is always something new the next week, people don'’t go back to a film, even one they enjoyed.
Secondly, the theatres need to cut prices. Make it a cost-effective night out for that hypothetical family of four. If that family can go out to a matinee showing for under $30 dollars, they are more likely to increase the number of films they will see in a year. The theatres benefit by having that family attend their facility (and all the beverages and popcorn those repeat visits bring in-- where the real money is for a theatre) and the studios benefit by getting more dollars from that family.
August 7, 2005
Ramblings about Shopping
If I am going to the store, I usually know which store and what product I’m going there for. If I’m grocery shopping, I usually have a list and I only get those things that are on the list. Even when I don’t have a particular goal in mind, I still try to remain courteous to my fellow patrons as I move around the store. I actually don’t mind shopping in general when those around me treat me the way I treat them.
I seem to be developing intolerance for those who don’t know where they are going or why they are there. And don’t get me started on those who exemplify a lack of courtesy. I just spent an hour plus walking around the Marketplace in Tustin/Irvine. I was looking for a specific product, knew of three stores in which I could find that product, I walked directly to those stores, and, if I didn’t readily see where the product was located within the store, I asked an employee of the store. While doing this walking around, I was constantly hindered by rude, inconsiderate people who didn’t know why they were there, didn’t know what they were looking for, or were as discourteous as could be in line cutting, aisle behavior, and idiocy.
Correct me if I’m wrong on this one, but it strikes me as rude that you would stop your cart cattycorner across one of the three main aisles in the store, blocking foot and cart traffic in both directions while you ponder the topology of your navel (or whatever the hell you were gazing down at your stomach for). When there is a line, it strikes me as inconsiderate to cut all the way to the front of the line to ask a question—what, the rest of us aren’t as important as you? And, once you have found an item for which you were looking and you are browsing through the aisle while comparison shopping for the device, don’t stop your fat ass in the middle of the aisle. Stand back and allow others to move around you. Don’t glance up, annoyed, when I say, “Excuse me” in a polite tone because I want to get to the product on the other side of you. And, frankly, your phone conversation with your boyfriend does not need to take place in the middle of the store at full volume and with wild gesticulations. Take it outside.
People often ask me why I dislike Christmas. The season has turned into a cut-throat, shark-infested feeding frenzy of holiday shopping. The behaviors I mention here are personified and glorified to the point where:
• You see fist-fights between mothers trying to get the latest fad toy for their child.
• You see people crushed and trampled in the rush to enter a particular store.
• You see tug of wars between otherwise rational people who grabbed the same product at the same time.
• You hear cursing and see rude gestures in every parking lot and every store.
I may not be the most church-going of people, but doesn’t the Bible teach peace, love, and hope? Where the hell does that go when people start shopping?
I implore you to be courteous even to those who aren’t courteous to you, to be considerate of the shoppers around you, and to please take a minute to think about why you are there before entering the store. You just might find that your shopping experience is smoother, more fun, less hectic, and takes much less time.
Oh, and the product for which I was shopping? Only one store had it and they only had the display model. So I could have saved myself the time and aggravation by just shopping online for it.
Live and learn.
I seem to be developing intolerance for those who don’t know where they are going or why they are there. And don’t get me started on those who exemplify a lack of courtesy. I just spent an hour plus walking around the Marketplace in Tustin/Irvine. I was looking for a specific product, knew of three stores in which I could find that product, I walked directly to those stores, and, if I didn’t readily see where the product was located within the store, I asked an employee of the store. While doing this walking around, I was constantly hindered by rude, inconsiderate people who didn’t know why they were there, didn’t know what they were looking for, or were as discourteous as could be in line cutting, aisle behavior, and idiocy.
Correct me if I’m wrong on this one, but it strikes me as rude that you would stop your cart cattycorner across one of the three main aisles in the store, blocking foot and cart traffic in both directions while you ponder the topology of your navel (or whatever the hell you were gazing down at your stomach for). When there is a line, it strikes me as inconsiderate to cut all the way to the front of the line to ask a question—what, the rest of us aren’t as important as you? And, once you have found an item for which you were looking and you are browsing through the aisle while comparison shopping for the device, don’t stop your fat ass in the middle of the aisle. Stand back and allow others to move around you. Don’t glance up, annoyed, when I say, “Excuse me” in a polite tone because I want to get to the product on the other side of you. And, frankly, your phone conversation with your boyfriend does not need to take place in the middle of the store at full volume and with wild gesticulations. Take it outside.
People often ask me why I dislike Christmas. The season has turned into a cut-throat, shark-infested feeding frenzy of holiday shopping. The behaviors I mention here are personified and glorified to the point where:
• You see fist-fights between mothers trying to get the latest fad toy for their child.
• You see people crushed and trampled in the rush to enter a particular store.
• You see tug of wars between otherwise rational people who grabbed the same product at the same time.
• You hear cursing and see rude gestures in every parking lot and every store.
I may not be the most church-going of people, but doesn’t the Bible teach peace, love, and hope? Where the hell does that go when people start shopping?
I implore you to be courteous even to those who aren’t courteous to you, to be considerate of the shoppers around you, and to please take a minute to think about why you are there before entering the store. You just might find that your shopping experience is smoother, more fun, less hectic, and takes much less time.
Oh, and the product for which I was shopping? Only one store had it and they only had the display model. So I could have saved myself the time and aggravation by just shopping online for it.
Live and learn.
August 3, 2005
July 31, 2005
Pack Rat
I am on a cleaning kick. My lease is up at the end of September and I have decided to clean now like I am moving. This involves making the tough decisions on what to throw away and what to keep.
As I move through my apartment, I am surprised at what I find. Sitting on the floor near my working PC is another PC that just needs to be plugged in to function. I open my closet in my bedroom and there are two more PC cases with most, if not all, the requirements to be working PCs. In the coat closet inside the front door are two boxes with enough parts in them to make each of the other PCs function (if they donÂ’t currently) and likely at least one more PC out of scrap parts. I am fairly certain I have at least one skeletal PC case down in my garage into which these scrap parts could go.
I have, so far, given away four large trash bags of old clothes that I no longer wear. I have sitting beside me right now two smaller bags of clothes to take in to the nice girl whose mother cleans and mends the clothes, then takes them to missions and donates them in Mexico to the poor.
I have shredded three large trash bags full of old bills and other documents that are 7 or more years old. Why am I keeping this? Does anyone care that I can produce every electric bill to the apartment I lived at on Kendall in San Bernardino in 1993? I doubt it. So, away with it! And, not to scare you, but this is just the stuff in my current files. I have yet to clean out my bedroom closet enough to get to the four-drawer metal filing cabinet in there that has even older stuff in it. I would not be surprised if that cabinet has every pay stub I received working at RoleplayerÂ’s Comics and Games when I was in High School (in case that makes no impression, I graduated in 1989). So, even more shredding to go.
I still have over 100 VHS tapes on shelves. How many of these am I going to keep? Those that I really want I will purchase in DVD and store long-term that way. At least when I do that, I know I can take them into work and leave them on an open table with a “Take Me” sign on them and they will all make it to a nice home where they will be viewed and enjoyed. Should I do the same with those I will not replace?
Inside my front door I have two bookcases and a three-shelf rolling storage unit. Today I was able to find other locations for, or throw away, everything on the three-shelf storage unit. So as not to just fill it up again, I have thrown away the unit. That has freed up a spot inside my door approximately three feet long by two feet wide by three to four feet tall.
In the back of my mind is the shelf in the garage. Beyond the PC case, what other “treasures” remain to be found? Of course, I only have the very end of the garage as storage, so there is not really a lot there. I do know I still have my old, broken lounge chair in the garage. Only reason is because I couldn't lift it to get it into the trash bins at the complex. However, unlike so many of my neighbors, I actually use my garage for parking, so most of it is empty for my vehicle. Whew!
By the time October rolls around, I should know whether I truly need a bigger apartment or if I can just make enough room here that I am once more comfortable. Then, if I do decide I need to move, IÂ’m one big step closer to doing it. If I decide to stay put, IÂ’m a ahead of the game and have more room and less crap littering my life.
As I move through my apartment, I am surprised at what I find. Sitting on the floor near my working PC is another PC that just needs to be plugged in to function. I open my closet in my bedroom and there are two more PC cases with most, if not all, the requirements to be working PCs. In the coat closet inside the front door are two boxes with enough parts in them to make each of the other PCs function (if they donÂ’t currently) and likely at least one more PC out of scrap parts. I am fairly certain I have at least one skeletal PC case down in my garage into which these scrap parts could go.
I have, so far, given away four large trash bags of old clothes that I no longer wear. I have sitting beside me right now two smaller bags of clothes to take in to the nice girl whose mother cleans and mends the clothes, then takes them to missions and donates them in Mexico to the poor.
I have shredded three large trash bags full of old bills and other documents that are 7 or more years old. Why am I keeping this? Does anyone care that I can produce every electric bill to the apartment I lived at on Kendall in San Bernardino in 1993? I doubt it. So, away with it! And, not to scare you, but this is just the stuff in my current files. I have yet to clean out my bedroom closet enough to get to the four-drawer metal filing cabinet in there that has even older stuff in it. I would not be surprised if that cabinet has every pay stub I received working at RoleplayerÂ’s Comics and Games when I was in High School (in case that makes no impression, I graduated in 1989). So, even more shredding to go.
I still have over 100 VHS tapes on shelves. How many of these am I going to keep? Those that I really want I will purchase in DVD and store long-term that way. At least when I do that, I know I can take them into work and leave them on an open table with a “Take Me” sign on them and they will all make it to a nice home where they will be viewed and enjoyed. Should I do the same with those I will not replace?
Inside my front door I have two bookcases and a three-shelf rolling storage unit. Today I was able to find other locations for, or throw away, everything on the three-shelf storage unit. So as not to just fill it up again, I have thrown away the unit. That has freed up a spot inside my door approximately three feet long by two feet wide by three to four feet tall.
In the back of my mind is the shelf in the garage. Beyond the PC case, what other “treasures” remain to be found? Of course, I only have the very end of the garage as storage, so there is not really a lot there. I do know I still have my old, broken lounge chair in the garage. Only reason is because I couldn't lift it to get it into the trash bins at the complex. However, unlike so many of my neighbors, I actually use my garage for parking, so most of it is empty for my vehicle. Whew!
By the time October rolls around, I should know whether I truly need a bigger apartment or if I can just make enough room here that I am once more comfortable. Then, if I do decide I need to move, IÂ’m one big step closer to doing it. If I decide to stay put, IÂ’m a ahead of the game and have more room and less crap littering my life.
July 26, 2005
Self-Image
I am not sure in which class I picked up the following idea, because I am fairly certain it is not unique to me, but I have used it to great effect and the people who have tried it have had moderate to profound results.
Get a timing device, a mirror big enough so that you can see your entire face, a well-lit room, and a comfortable place to sit. Set timing device for three minutes. While sitting in well-lit room in comfortable location, spend the three minutes looking at yourself in the mirror. By looking at yourself, I mean try to look yourself in the eye but, if you find this uncomfortable, then move your eyes across the rest of your face and back to your eyes. The point is to look yourself in the eyes for as long as possible until the three-minute timer goes off. This is not a staring contest, so remember to blink.
Simple, right? Wrong.
This exercise is designed to break down your self-image and rebuild it with truth. Most people seem to have a mental image of themselves at what they think was/is their peak. The image may include various times in their lives; the jocks body they had in High School, the cool hair they had during college, the great attitude they had two years ago. But they are currently overweight and out of shape, losing their hair, and coasting through life with a laissez-faire attitude.
On their first attempt, most people cannot look themselves in the eyes for much more than about 30-45 seconds of the three minutes. Many people find that they cannot spend more than a few seconds looking themselves in the eyes. Your mileage may vary.
I first did this exercise early in college. I was amazed by what I saw in myself, and a little worried. I saw an angry guy staring back at me; someone who had closed himself off from those around him. Someone who would rather manipulate the events and people around him than just enjoy them for what and who they are. After a few more exercises, I started to rebuild my self-image as one who was more genuine, caring, and concerned. While this metamorphosis still is occurring today, I feel I have reached a point where “Evil John” is a distant memory and “Good John” is the reality. As an aside, I was also able to recreate a self-image that involved the “follicle-challenged” hairline that is my reality. My previous self-image always had the near-mullet I sported through most of high school. Hey, don’t laugh, it was in fashion then!
I have recommended this action to many people. I did not always hear back from people if they tried it or what their results were if they did. A small sampling of responses I did get: one woman was surprised to see an attractive, confident woman staring back at herself; her self-image was meek and unattractive due to life events that had ruined her ego and destroyed her confidence. Actually, this is a frequent response from women, as we tend to constantly assail women with the idea they are not pretty enough, good enough, smart enough. One man was surprised to find a sad boy staring back at him. He had always overcompensated for losses in his early life with boisterous behavior and a “jock” mentality. By learning of the sadness he had inside, he was able to come to terms with it and move in different directions.
Breaking down your self-image is not for everyone. Some people will not like what they see staring back at themselves. And you should never force this exercise. It is not a contest and there are no winners. It is about learning more about yourself, and possibly coming to terms with who you are as compared to who you present yourself to be. Once you have this knowledge you can set about enacting changes and maybe move a little closer to who you want to be.
I wonder what you’ll find staring back at you?
Get a timing device, a mirror big enough so that you can see your entire face, a well-lit room, and a comfortable place to sit. Set timing device for three minutes. While sitting in well-lit room in comfortable location, spend the three minutes looking at yourself in the mirror. By looking at yourself, I mean try to look yourself in the eye but, if you find this uncomfortable, then move your eyes across the rest of your face and back to your eyes. The point is to look yourself in the eyes for as long as possible until the three-minute timer goes off. This is not a staring contest, so remember to blink.
Simple, right? Wrong.
This exercise is designed to break down your self-image and rebuild it with truth. Most people seem to have a mental image of themselves at what they think was/is their peak. The image may include various times in their lives; the jocks body they had in High School, the cool hair they had during college, the great attitude they had two years ago. But they are currently overweight and out of shape, losing their hair, and coasting through life with a laissez-faire attitude.
On their first attempt, most people cannot look themselves in the eyes for much more than about 30-45 seconds of the three minutes. Many people find that they cannot spend more than a few seconds looking themselves in the eyes. Your mileage may vary.
I first did this exercise early in college. I was amazed by what I saw in myself, and a little worried. I saw an angry guy staring back at me; someone who had closed himself off from those around him. Someone who would rather manipulate the events and people around him than just enjoy them for what and who they are. After a few more exercises, I started to rebuild my self-image as one who was more genuine, caring, and concerned. While this metamorphosis still is occurring today, I feel I have reached a point where “Evil John” is a distant memory and “Good John” is the reality. As an aside, I was also able to recreate a self-image that involved the “follicle-challenged” hairline that is my reality. My previous self-image always had the near-mullet I sported through most of high school. Hey, don’t laugh, it was in fashion then!
I have recommended this action to many people. I did not always hear back from people if they tried it or what their results were if they did. A small sampling of responses I did get: one woman was surprised to see an attractive, confident woman staring back at herself; her self-image was meek and unattractive due to life events that had ruined her ego and destroyed her confidence. Actually, this is a frequent response from women, as we tend to constantly assail women with the idea they are not pretty enough, good enough, smart enough. One man was surprised to find a sad boy staring back at him. He had always overcompensated for losses in his early life with boisterous behavior and a “jock” mentality. By learning of the sadness he had inside, he was able to come to terms with it and move in different directions.
Breaking down your self-image is not for everyone. Some people will not like what they see staring back at themselves. And you should never force this exercise. It is not a contest and there are no winners. It is about learning more about yourself, and possibly coming to terms with who you are as compared to who you present yourself to be. Once you have this knowledge you can set about enacting changes and maybe move a little closer to who you want to be.
I wonder what you’ll find staring back at you?
July 23, 2005
Vacation
My mother left for PA today for a nice long visit with my sister and her family. They both made comments that it would be nice if I could join them. Man, that would be nice!
I love where my sister lives. It is verdant and bucolic. There are enough big cities that you can do serious shopping yet pastoral enough that you can drive for miles in nothing but wooded valleys and hills. They have real seasons and the people tend to be more small-town minded.
Where I live is part of one great big megalopolis. From San Diego to the north of Los Angeles (and beyond), and as far east as San Bernardino, there are few places left with actual Nature visible and untamed. You can drive most of the trip on the 5 freeway and rarely will you be out of sight of buildings and humanity's urban sprawl. While it is true that there are many advantages to living in such a mega complex, there are drawbacks too; increased crime, increased pollution, increased prices, increased distance from the natural world.
I have not gone anywhere else except to my sister's for vacation in about 10 years. I only seem to manage it once every other year, but I treasure that time immensely. She likes it, too, because I am one of the few people she doesn't have to "plan" for. She knows I am just as happy sitting on her couch as I am trying to take in the sights. We usually manage a trip to the Renaissance fair (last time we went in costume even! What fun!) and she usually takes a day off so I can go see some history I haven't yet seen (last time was Washington DC, which was fun but a day-trip is just not enough). This year was to be my trip back east, but my health has been less than stellar so far, and I'm not sure I can afford the days off. I hate that my health can dictate something like that to me, but I live with it. My sister will happily wait and hope I can make it next year.
However, I am planning a small vacation in September to a neighboring state, toward which I am really looking forward. On tap already is a trip to one of the nature parks in that area, which will allow me to connect with the ... well, "nothing" ... that is so breathtaking and beautiful in the desert. I hope to see it through new eyes and a fresh perspective. I also should have some people to see. A friend who just this month moved to that area has even offered her home to me as a place to stay-- and said she will make Enchiladas! I love enchiladas. It will be nice to see her husband, with whom I played softball for many years, with whom I can talk football, and who is a generally great guy. I can also see the new baby and the older children.
So, I sit here in my megalopolis, thinking of my mom, flying back east, my sister in her little piece of paradise, my small vacation in two months and the friends I will see then, and I can be at peace at least a little. Sometimes even a mental vacation is enough to tie you over until the real thing comes around.
I love where my sister lives. It is verdant and bucolic. There are enough big cities that you can do serious shopping yet pastoral enough that you can drive for miles in nothing but wooded valleys and hills. They have real seasons and the people tend to be more small-town minded.
Where I live is part of one great big megalopolis. From San Diego to the north of Los Angeles (and beyond), and as far east as San Bernardino, there are few places left with actual Nature visible and untamed. You can drive most of the trip on the 5 freeway and rarely will you be out of sight of buildings and humanity's urban sprawl. While it is true that there are many advantages to living in such a mega complex, there are drawbacks too; increased crime, increased pollution, increased prices, increased distance from the natural world.
I have not gone anywhere else except to my sister's for vacation in about 10 years. I only seem to manage it once every other year, but I treasure that time immensely. She likes it, too, because I am one of the few people she doesn't have to "plan" for. She knows I am just as happy sitting on her couch as I am trying to take in the sights. We usually manage a trip to the Renaissance fair (last time we went in costume even! What fun!) and she usually takes a day off so I can go see some history I haven't yet seen (last time was Washington DC, which was fun but a day-trip is just not enough). This year was to be my trip back east, but my health has been less than stellar so far, and I'm not sure I can afford the days off. I hate that my health can dictate something like that to me, but I live with it. My sister will happily wait and hope I can make it next year.
However, I am planning a small vacation in September to a neighboring state, toward which I am really looking forward. On tap already is a trip to one of the nature parks in that area, which will allow me to connect with the ... well, "nothing" ... that is so breathtaking and beautiful in the desert. I hope to see it through new eyes and a fresh perspective. I also should have some people to see. A friend who just this month moved to that area has even offered her home to me as a place to stay-- and said she will make Enchiladas! I love enchiladas. It will be nice to see her husband, with whom I played softball for many years, with whom I can talk football, and who is a generally great guy. I can also see the new baby and the older children.
So, I sit here in my megalopolis, thinking of my mom, flying back east, my sister in her little piece of paradise, my small vacation in two months and the friends I will see then, and I can be at peace at least a little. Sometimes even a mental vacation is enough to tie you over until the real thing comes around.
The Hazards of Work
So, I agreed to get a project done, all five documents, by July 22, even though this was a very aggressive due date. This would give my resources a few days to review the docs and me a few days to make edits and get the manuals published before the client's drop-dead due date of August 1.
Well, I managed to get over 300 pages of documents written, with first edits from another resource included, and compiled by July 18! I had to ignore many requests and secondary work, and work like a fiend, but I did it.
On Friday (the day this work was actually due), I get an email from my main contact with the department with which I am working. She provides me some edits on three of the five documents and then says she would forward the other two docs to others to review while she is gone on vacation next week. What? Excuse me? You are on vacation next week, the only week you originally had to edit all of this work?
This is very frustrating. First, because I bent over backward, ignored many other tasks and personal things (like this blog) and worked a lot of overtime to not only meet her requested due date, but even to beat it and get it done early. I had even asked one of my pals from IT to stop by my home and set up my network with the much faster and more secure connections so I could do some work at night. Second, at no time in the three weeks since requesting this document set and Friday had this woman informed me she was out on vacation during the pivotal review process. Lastly, my boss, Renee, is also completely swamped and is need of my assistance. I could have been doing more to help her if we could have negotiated more reasonable due dates on this project!
So, I have edits on the smallest of the docs in the set, and none for the actual User's Guide or the Model Reports Guide, the two largest and most involved. I will do these edits and I will hope for the best that her accomplices will do her edits for her. But if they do not, who gets the blame if we cannot meet our client's hard deadline of August 1?
Well, I managed to get over 300 pages of documents written, with first edits from another resource included, and compiled by July 18! I had to ignore many requests and secondary work, and work like a fiend, but I did it.
On Friday (the day this work was actually due), I get an email from my main contact with the department with which I am working. She provides me some edits on three of the five documents and then says she would forward the other two docs to others to review while she is gone on vacation next week. What? Excuse me? You are on vacation next week, the only week you originally had to edit all of this work?
This is very frustrating. First, because I bent over backward, ignored many other tasks and personal things (like this blog) and worked a lot of overtime to not only meet her requested due date, but even to beat it and get it done early. I had even asked one of my pals from IT to stop by my home and set up my network with the much faster and more secure connections so I could do some work at night. Second, at no time in the three weeks since requesting this document set and Friday had this woman informed me she was out on vacation during the pivotal review process. Lastly, my boss, Renee, is also completely swamped and is need of my assistance. I could have been doing more to help her if we could have negotiated more reasonable due dates on this project!
So, I have edits on the smallest of the docs in the set, and none for the actual User's Guide or the Model Reports Guide, the two largest and most involved. I will do these edits and I will hope for the best that her accomplices will do her edits for her. But if they do not, who gets the blame if we cannot meet our client's hard deadline of August 1?
Football
I am SO ready for some football!
With most teams reporting and starting their practices over the next two weeks, the smell of football is in the air.
Of course, as a life-long Detroit Lions fans, I have high hopes and low expectations. Can Harrington come through with all the weapons he has now? Have they improved the defense enough? Will the so-rightly named "Black and Blue" division once again knock each other around and wind up missing out on the playoffs?
Will this be the year they make it back to the Big Show (they last won a title in 1957-- before the creation of the Super Bowl)?
And why can't Barry Sanders stay young and playing for the team forever?
With most teams reporting and starting their practices over the next two weeks, the smell of football is in the air.
Of course, as a life-long Detroit Lions fans, I have high hopes and low expectations. Can Harrington come through with all the weapons he has now? Have they improved the defense enough? Will the so-rightly named "Black and Blue" division once again knock each other around and wind up missing out on the playoffs?
Will this be the year they make it back to the Big Show (they last won a title in 1957-- before the creation of the Super Bowl)?
And why can't Barry Sanders stay young and playing for the team forever?
July 14, 2005
Thursday Thoughts
Many non-artistic types think that artists have control over what they do. An artist wants to paint, so he picks up a brush and applies paint. He wants to write, so he picks up a pen (or fires up the word processor) and begins to deliberate. An actor picks up his script and starts to memorize lines and blocking. A musician strums a few bars. As far as it goes, that is true. But the art has a say in the matter too. And the art can sometimes take the artist to unexpected places.
I have had an idea for a poem floating around in my head for awhile now. In my mind’s eye, this was a bucolic poem filled with pastoral scenes of a wood nymph dancing around her tree and captivating those who see her. Not my usual arena, but the image stuck with me and kept solidifying. For whatever reason, the seed of that poem finally germinated long enough that I began to write it last evening.
The first two stanzas turned out the way I expected; pleasant and pastoral. Even the desire to go with a meter and rhyme scheme was working (I’m more well known for my free-verse). Great, just as I expected and exactly what I kept seeing in my mind.
Stanza three took an unexpected turn, though. This bucolic scene started to show some shadows. From that point on, the poem devolved from my original intent into a strange land of darkness and frightful imagery. The protagonist of the piece winds up trapped and alone with a feral creature rather than the beautiful nymph he set out to visit.
I cannot explain or justify what happened there. My path appeared clear and unblemished when I began, and I tried to hold true to that need. The poem, the art, and my subconscious mind enacted in a strange and powerful way to force the effort in another direction. As I was writing it, I could see what I was typing as a neutral observer and was amazed at where I was going.
It is the same with other arts, I’m sure. A polished actor, lines memorized and blocks known, will sometimes find he is uttering new lines and going in new directions as the scene and the character grab hold and will not let go. Or an artist will sit down to paint a nice family portrait and wind up hours later staring at an impressionistic image of a matador spearing a bull. Musicians thrive on the "jam session" because of the unexpected directions the music sometimes goes.
It is a strange and wonderful feeling to have the art take over and to be a passenger on the ride to the discovery. But it can be a little frightening as well. I honestly do not know if I birthed this poem or if it sprang from my head on its own. I do know that it is finally out of my mind and the real work of hammering it into its final form is all that is left to do.
I have had an idea for a poem floating around in my head for awhile now. In my mind’s eye, this was a bucolic poem filled with pastoral scenes of a wood nymph dancing around her tree and captivating those who see her. Not my usual arena, but the image stuck with me and kept solidifying. For whatever reason, the seed of that poem finally germinated long enough that I began to write it last evening.
The first two stanzas turned out the way I expected; pleasant and pastoral. Even the desire to go with a meter and rhyme scheme was working (I’m more well known for my free-verse). Great, just as I expected and exactly what I kept seeing in my mind.
Stanza three took an unexpected turn, though. This bucolic scene started to show some shadows. From that point on, the poem devolved from my original intent into a strange land of darkness and frightful imagery. The protagonist of the piece winds up trapped and alone with a feral creature rather than the beautiful nymph he set out to visit.
I cannot explain or justify what happened there. My path appeared clear and unblemished when I began, and I tried to hold true to that need. The poem, the art, and my subconscious mind enacted in a strange and powerful way to force the effort in another direction. As I was writing it, I could see what I was typing as a neutral observer and was amazed at where I was going.
It is the same with other arts, I’m sure. A polished actor, lines memorized and blocks known, will sometimes find he is uttering new lines and going in new directions as the scene and the character grab hold and will not let go. Or an artist will sit down to paint a nice family portrait and wind up hours later staring at an impressionistic image of a matador spearing a bull. Musicians thrive on the "jam session" because of the unexpected directions the music sometimes goes.
It is a strange and wonderful feeling to have the art take over and to be a passenger on the ride to the discovery. But it can be a little frightening as well. I honestly do not know if I birthed this poem or if it sprang from my head on its own. I do know that it is finally out of my mind and the real work of hammering it into its final form is all that is left to do.
July 13, 2005
Worst Fears
I used to lean Republican, but am now definitely in the middle with some strong Liberal as well as Conservative leanings depending on the subject. I am not a fan of the current President, but I realize he will be out of office soon, never to return thanks to our two-term limit on that office.
However, I am very afraid of President George W. Bush getting to elect even one Justice to the Supreme Court-- probably the most important body in our country-- let alone two. With Justice O'Connor's shocking resignation and now Justice Rehnquist's failing health, President Bush may be able to stock two ultra-conservative leaning Justices on the Court for years and years to come.
Justice O'Connor was a pivotal swing vote for many issues I lean to the left on, women's rights, the environment, etc. Justice Rehnquist is one of our best judges in that he can divorce himself from his own politics and rule without much bias on many issues.
My one hope is that most judges seem to understand the weight of the responsibility that comes with being a Justice in the Supreme Court. Justice Scalia, for example, was considered something of a maverick and a fairly "political" choice when he got in. Yet his rulings, while maybe not as unbiased as the two I mentioned, have been surprisingly moderate and without overt bias. I can only pray that the new judges nominated by President Bush will likewise grow to understand the weight of their new position and will put aside their own biases and beliefs and make their rulings as justly as possible.
This is a time to comment to your lawmakers, though. Make sure your advocates in the House and Senate know where you stand on this issue. Congress cannot capitulate if they feel the nominees President Bush presents are the least bit unfit for duty in the Supreme Court. I urge everyone to pay close attention to these hearings once annoounced as they could change the legal landscape for decades to come. Yes, it is that important.
And, if things go poorly, or bad Justices get in and the laws start changing-- there is always Canada. I hear they only have 32 million people or so. I think one more could fit right in. I don't drink beer and am not a huge fan of ice hockey, but I'm willing to try poutine. That has to count for something.
However, I am very afraid of President George W. Bush getting to elect even one Justice to the Supreme Court-- probably the most important body in our country-- let alone two. With Justice O'Connor's shocking resignation and now Justice Rehnquist's failing health, President Bush may be able to stock two ultra-conservative leaning Justices on the Court for years and years to come.
Justice O'Connor was a pivotal swing vote for many issues I lean to the left on, women's rights, the environment, etc. Justice Rehnquist is one of our best judges in that he can divorce himself from his own politics and rule without much bias on many issues.
My one hope is that most judges seem to understand the weight of the responsibility that comes with being a Justice in the Supreme Court. Justice Scalia, for example, was considered something of a maverick and a fairly "political" choice when he got in. Yet his rulings, while maybe not as unbiased as the two I mentioned, have been surprisingly moderate and without overt bias. I can only pray that the new judges nominated by President Bush will likewise grow to understand the weight of their new position and will put aside their own biases and beliefs and make their rulings as justly as possible.
This is a time to comment to your lawmakers, though. Make sure your advocates in the House and Senate know where you stand on this issue. Congress cannot capitulate if they feel the nominees President Bush presents are the least bit unfit for duty in the Supreme Court. I urge everyone to pay close attention to these hearings once annoounced as they could change the legal landscape for decades to come. Yes, it is that important.
And, if things go poorly, or bad Justices get in and the laws start changing-- there is always Canada. I hear they only have 32 million people or so. I think one more could fit right in. I don't drink beer and am not a huge fan of ice hockey, but I'm willing to try poutine. That has to count for something.
July 10, 2005
July 8, 2005
Ordained Minister
Okay, I admit it. I’m a loon. I’m crazy. Anyone who knows me well will give me that patient smile and slow shake of the head I’ve gotten so used to seeing when they read this one. I’m sure mom will have some interesting comments as well.
Awhile back, I stumbled on a web site that proclaimed it would legally ordain me as a clergy person for their church for free. For some reason at that time, I thought that was cool. So I filled everything out and expected to hear back immediately from them (they claimed “instant ordainment” after all). Nada. Nothing. Zilch. That was long ago enough that I had forgotten all about it.
Today, as I’m sitting at work, I get an email notification. I open it and it is from the church. I have now been ordained by the Church of Spiritual Humanism to perform religious rites and ceremonies including marriage, baby naming, funeral services, invocations, and holiday ceremonies as permitted by the laws and regulations of my state and country. Not valid in Canada (they wouldn’t approve the church’s request) or the UK.
And I am ordained for life!
Apparently, the tenets I am supposed to espouse as a clergy member are reason and deliberation. I am to peacefully follow the proper course of action and to avoid infringing on the rights of others. I am to denounce the irrational and subjective.
While this church does not specifically espouse Christian tenets, I am allowed to incorporate any belief systems from external sources that do not infringe on the basic tenets of reason and deliberation.
----
So, you all now know an ordained clergy member (OCM) for the Church of Spiritual Humanism.
How funny is that?
Awhile back, I stumbled on a web site that proclaimed it would legally ordain me as a clergy person for their church for free. For some reason at that time, I thought that was cool. So I filled everything out and expected to hear back immediately from them (they claimed “instant ordainment” after all). Nada. Nothing. Zilch. That was long ago enough that I had forgotten all about it.
Today, as I’m sitting at work, I get an email notification. I open it and it is from the church. I have now been ordained by the Church of Spiritual Humanism to perform religious rites and ceremonies including marriage, baby naming, funeral services, invocations, and holiday ceremonies as permitted by the laws and regulations of my state and country. Not valid in Canada (they wouldn’t approve the church’s request) or the UK.
And I am ordained for life!
Apparently, the tenets I am supposed to espouse as a clergy member are reason and deliberation. I am to peacefully follow the proper course of action and to avoid infringing on the rights of others. I am to denounce the irrational and subjective.
While this church does not specifically espouse Christian tenets, I am allowed to incorporate any belief systems from external sources that do not infringe on the basic tenets of reason and deliberation.
----
So, you all now know an ordained clergy member (OCM) for the Church of Spiritual Humanism.
How funny is that?
July 6, 2005
Movie Music
There are certain songs that cause an urge to watch the film in which the song is found. This urge becomes a compulsion that is hard to ignore.
For example, every time I hear Fiona Apple singing “Across the Universe,” I need to seek out my copy of Pleasantville and watch it. Hearing the Beatles performing that song does not trigger the same need; only Apple’s version does it. Luckily, the DVD has the video for the song— sometimes I can get away with that instead of watching the whole film. Phil Collins’ “Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)” results in a strong desire to watch Against All Odds. Did Rachel Ward ever look better than when she is standing there at the end, looking at Jeff Bridges as she cries? I think not. “Wind Beneath My Wings” makes me pull out my battered copy of Beaches. I always immediately think of when Bette Midler is jokingly saying that her memory is long and she remembers everything and Barbara Hershey turns away and whispers, “I’m counting on it.” Hearing the beautiful, plaintive voice of Jane Siberry singing “It Can’t Rain All The Time” invariably makes me watch my copy of The Crow. Why did Brandon Lee have to die during filming? He was showing such talent. I think nothing of watch the entire movie just to get to the song in question.
Some songs are indelibly linked to certain movies or specific scenes, even if I don’t feel an overriding desire to watch the entire movie. Interestingly, the songs are not always linked to the scene in which they play during the movie; most of the time, but not always. Evanescence’s “My Immortal” doesn’t force me to watch Daredevil, but I do think of Jennifer Garner’s face illuminated by the raindrops for blind Matt Murdock at the cemetery before she hides under the umbrella and takes her leave. The Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris” always makes me think of City of Angels (namely the scene where Meg Ryan rides her bicycle down the mountain road). Matter of fact, City of Angels has a great soundtrack; good stuff from a variety of artists.
Then there are the “classics.” Films such as Dirty Dancing, Lost Boys, Apocalypse Now, and The Big Chill are almost as well known for the great music they have as for the quality of the film. Almost any song from one of those will make me remember scenes from the movie. Sometimes I pull it out and watch, sometimes I don't.
Of course, there are the ubiquitous songs, too. Titanic and Celine Dion’s “My Heart Goes On,” The Bodyguard with Whitney Houston doing “I Will Always Love You,” or Queen singing "Bohemian Rhapsody" and Wayne's World. I don't have to watch the movie again, but I cannot help but think of it when I hear that song!
Do you have certain songs that trigger a strong desire to watch a particular film? Are certain songs linked forever in your mind to a scene in a favorite movie?
For example, every time I hear Fiona Apple singing “Across the Universe,” I need to seek out my copy of Pleasantville and watch it. Hearing the Beatles performing that song does not trigger the same need; only Apple’s version does it. Luckily, the DVD has the video for the song— sometimes I can get away with that instead of watching the whole film. Phil Collins’ “Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)” results in a strong desire to watch Against All Odds. Did Rachel Ward ever look better than when she is standing there at the end, looking at Jeff Bridges as she cries? I think not. “Wind Beneath My Wings” makes me pull out my battered copy of Beaches. I always immediately think of when Bette Midler is jokingly saying that her memory is long and she remembers everything and Barbara Hershey turns away and whispers, “I’m counting on it.” Hearing the beautiful, plaintive voice of Jane Siberry singing “It Can’t Rain All The Time” invariably makes me watch my copy of The Crow. Why did Brandon Lee have to die during filming? He was showing such talent. I think nothing of watch the entire movie just to get to the song in question.
Some songs are indelibly linked to certain movies or specific scenes, even if I don’t feel an overriding desire to watch the entire movie. Interestingly, the songs are not always linked to the scene in which they play during the movie; most of the time, but not always. Evanescence’s “My Immortal” doesn’t force me to watch Daredevil, but I do think of Jennifer Garner’s face illuminated by the raindrops for blind Matt Murdock at the cemetery before she hides under the umbrella and takes her leave. The Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris” always makes me think of City of Angels (namely the scene where Meg Ryan rides her bicycle down the mountain road). Matter of fact, City of Angels has a great soundtrack; good stuff from a variety of artists.
Then there are the “classics.” Films such as Dirty Dancing, Lost Boys, Apocalypse Now, and The Big Chill are almost as well known for the great music they have as for the quality of the film. Almost any song from one of those will make me remember scenes from the movie. Sometimes I pull it out and watch, sometimes I don't.
Of course, there are the ubiquitous songs, too. Titanic and Celine Dion’s “My Heart Goes On,” The Bodyguard with Whitney Houston doing “I Will Always Love You,” or Queen singing "Bohemian Rhapsody" and Wayne's World. I don't have to watch the movie again, but I cannot help but think of it when I hear that song!
Do you have certain songs that trigger a strong desire to watch a particular film? Are certain songs linked forever in your mind to a scene in a favorite movie?
July 5, 2005
Quizzes
I liked these.
You are Kermit the Frog!! You are loyal to your
friends and don't really know how to say No.
No matter what you were doing, you would drop
it in a second if a loved one was in trouble.
You are also a born star. Everyone loves you!
Which Muppet are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
---------------------
Morpheus
?? Which Of The Greek Gods Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla
You are Kermit the Frog!! You are loyal to your
friends and don't really know how to say No.
No matter what you were doing, you would drop
it in a second if a loved one was in trouble.
You are also a born star. Everyone loves you!
Which Muppet are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
---------------------
Morpheus
?? Which Of The Greek Gods Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla
July 3, 2005
Birth Year
| You Were Actually Born Under: |
 (Though you have been known to have a healthy appetite!) You are highly intelligent - forever studying and gaining knowledge. You have a heart of gold and you are appreciated by many. You are most compatible with a Rabbit or Goat |
I chose to eliminate the "Year You Should have been Born Under" section.
June 30, 2005
Moving Day (again)
I've worked for my current employer for about 4.5 years (hired January, 2001). This Friday I need to pack up my cube for my 5th move. For the first time, I'm going upstairs. (Feels like being called to the Majors or something)
It's a good move because we will be closer to Product Management and Programming, but farther away from Product Support.
I do find it amusing that my boss and I have been requesting this move for over a year now and there has been "no availability" each time we have asked. This time, one of our senior execs asks us to be moved and ... surprise surprise ... there suddenly are a couple of choices of offices and cubicles into which we can move.
It's a good move because we will be closer to Product Management and Programming, but farther away from Product Support.
I do find it amusing that my boss and I have been requesting this move for over a year now and there has been "no availability" each time we have asked. This time, one of our senior execs asks us to be moved and ... surprise surprise ... there suddenly are a couple of choices of offices and cubicles into which we can move.
June 28, 2005
A Small Effort
Bliss
Sensual lips
Soft caresses
Strangers kiss
Sinful excesses
Summer bliss
Sensual lips
Soft caresses
Strangers kiss
Sinful excesses
Summer bliss
----
As always with my poems, do not use or copy without permission of the author-- me.
June 23, 2005
Preoccupations
I've been preoccupied the last two weeks. It is funny, though, because most of the time I'm preoccupied it has adverse side effects on the rest of my life. So far my current adversities include:
- Watching very little TV
- Reading more
- Cleaning my apartment more conscientiously (still in process)
- Writing more (blogs, emails, and my own stuff)
- Doing more at work, and faster, so I can get home
- Volunteering more at work for new assignments
- Even delaying reading comic books, because some things are actually more fun than comic books (did I write that? Who am I? and what happened to John??) ;-)
I guess, in the end, it depends on the preoccupation? The right one can drive you forward, the wrong one can hold you back.
June 22, 2005
Follow up to the Follow up
It was nice to see mom post she has the same problem with her body going all wonky with insomnia. Maybe my semi-annual insomnia-fest and lack of eating is a genetic thing? Of course, since she indicates she still experiences it, that means I may get to experience this for my whole life. Oh joy!
Anyway, sure enough, I went to bed about 10 pm last night, very early for me, and was asleep by 10:30 or so. My alarm startled me awake at 7:15. So I good a good, healthy amount of sleep. Feel great today.
And the hunger issue is gone, as well.
Happy happy joy joy.
(imagine very white man, with no inherent rhythm or dance skills, cabbage-patching and duck-walking around-- hmmm, better yet, don't) ;-D
Also, I'm very glad for another reason-- Insurance Man (Alan) is coming to apartment today so we can discuss investments, retirement savings, house buying, and my insurance/ death/ disability requirements. Yes, I'm only 34 and I have an Insurance guy. You should too! Give him a little $$ now and you'll have a lot when you need it in 30-40 years. Wait, why are you still here reading this--- get off your ass and get going! Scoot!
Anyway, sure enough, I went to bed about 10 pm last night, very early for me, and was asleep by 10:30 or so. My alarm startled me awake at 7:15. So I good a good, healthy amount of sleep. Feel great today.
And the hunger issue is gone, as well.
Happy happy joy joy.
(imagine very white man, with no inherent rhythm or dance skills, cabbage-patching and duck-walking around-- hmmm, better yet, don't) ;-D
Also, I'm very glad for another reason-- Insurance Man (Alan) is coming to apartment today so we can discuss investments, retirement savings, house buying, and my insurance/ death/ disability requirements. Yes, I'm only 34 and I have an Insurance guy. You should too! Give him a little $$ now and you'll have a lot when you need it in 30-40 years. Wait, why are you still here reading this--- get off your ass and get going! Scoot!
June 21, 2005
Follow up
Well, I barely slept at all last night. Was up until almost three, then fell into a light, fitful sleep. Was awakened around 4 by neighbor opening garage (right beneath me) and working on motorcycle for about half hour, then letting it idle for another half hour while he finished tinkering. Then Calypso decided to start chasing a big pile of nothing in the middle of the floor and then running and leaping onto the bed with me. This amused her for quite awhile. Cat came close to reincarnation.
Slept for another half hour or maybe forty-five minutes at six, and then was pretty much awake until the alarm went off at 7:15.
However, this is all a good thing. I am certain I will sleep well tonight.
And, on way into work today, I get peckish and stopped at store and picked up some water, chocolate milk, and a morning snack item. So the hunger issue looks to be heading back to normal.
All in all, except for the deep bags under my eyes, it is a good day.
Sometimes you just have to empty your cache and reboot the system from scratch.
Slept for another half hour or maybe forty-five minutes at six, and then was pretty much awake until the alarm went off at 7:15.
However, this is all a good thing. I am certain I will sleep well tonight.
And, on way into work today, I get peckish and stopped at store and picked up some water, chocolate milk, and a morning snack item. So the hunger issue looks to be heading back to normal.
All in all, except for the deep bags under my eyes, it is a good day.
Sometimes you just have to empty your cache and reboot the system from scratch.
Lon McCallister
Before logging off to read, I happened to see this article. What an amazing life. I love the attitude of this man and how he stuck to his guns, even when he was enjoying all that success. There's a lesson to be learned there.
If he were a star today, he wouldn't go gracefully out while on top... he would fade into bad TV pilots and "reality" TV shows designed around celebrities.
If he were a star today, he wouldn't go gracefully out while on top... he would fade into bad TV pilots and "reality" TV shows designed around celebrities.
1 am and all is well
Had a great time today, chatting. It is a rare gift when two people can just... chat. About any and everything. Thanx.
I am juiced. For whatever reason, my body is undergoing its semi-annual metamorphosis. This means I am no longer hungry and cannot seem to get to sleep. Usually takes about two weeks and I snap back into a normal food/sleep pattern. I have been going through this since at least high school. I have no idea what triggers it and it happens usually not more than twice in a year, frequently only once.
So, for example, I just didn't eat today. I finally thought about going to lunch at about 2 pm, but then wasn't really hungry. My boss came to me with a new problem she wanted me to work and that took my mind off it entirely, so I never even left. So, since Saturday morning I've eaten an omelette (around 9 am), a bowl of pasta with some Ragu poured over it on Sunday (around 12:30 pm), and nothing today. I am hopeful tomorrow will be a hungry day. Least I never lose my thirst-- that would be bad.
As to sleep, I am granting that there has been a wonderful outside distraction to keep me awake later, but I wouldn't be sleeping anyway. Got a solid 4 hours on Saturday evening, just under 4 on Sunday evening (and woke up Monday morning early, but very pleasantly). And it is now 1 am, I am tired, but can't sleep once more. The worst is when you finally think, "This is it, I'm tired and can rest." Then you lay your head on the pillow and your eyes snap wide open and your brain kicks in. Most sleep aids involve alcohol or other drugs that I cannot have, even in small quantities. So I just let nature take its course.
The good thing is I get stuff done. I have cleaned three piles of paperwork that desperately needed it. Only reason I stopped is because I have another good sized pile to shred and I figure my neighbors will hang me if I do. Unlike the 3 am vacuumer (who finally moved out!), I do think of my fellow apartment dwellers sometimes. I've written some personal, non-blog stuff, always good. Edited a couple of things previously written. Tried to get my scanner working, realized it was hopeless (one of the belts is broken and it is not worth it to fix), and put it in the newly created "Throw away or give away" pile in my kitchen.
I'd like to pick up and continue Da Vinci, but I told someone I would wait so we could read it together and discuss. So back to either "Once..." (James Herbert) or "Something Wicked This Way Comes" (Ray Bradbury). Maybe some of my left over comics... something more fun than comics has come up lately. ;-)
Now that I think about it, I still have a ton of shirts I could go through and give to that girl at work. She gives them to her mom, who takes them to Mexico and provides them to deserving, poverty stricken people. Some sort of church program. Happy to help.
However, I do not care how late it gets-- I am NOT folding that damn pile of clean clothes. They can sit there lurking smugly at me all they want. I refuse. I hate folding clothes. Don't mind ironing, but hate folding... go figure. If I don't do it immediately after the dryer or hanging, it doesn't happen.
It is funny, though. Calypso doesn't like it when I'm in these phases. Every time I move, she gets excited and runs to my bed thinking it is bed time. Poor kitty, I'm ruining her routine.
I get a sense that this phase will be shorter. Not sure why, but I feel that it will end this week or by the weekend at the latest. The food thing started last Tuesday and the sleep shortly afterward on Thursday night (5 hours). So tomorrow (today) is week one. Hmmm... maybe not shorter after all.
Well, I'm off to either read or sort shirts. Sorting shirts feels to close to folding and putting away. Reading it is.
I am juiced. For whatever reason, my body is undergoing its semi-annual metamorphosis. This means I am no longer hungry and cannot seem to get to sleep. Usually takes about two weeks and I snap back into a normal food/sleep pattern. I have been going through this since at least high school. I have no idea what triggers it and it happens usually not more than twice in a year, frequently only once.
So, for example, I just didn't eat today. I finally thought about going to lunch at about 2 pm, but then wasn't really hungry. My boss came to me with a new problem she wanted me to work and that took my mind off it entirely, so I never even left. So, since Saturday morning I've eaten an omelette (around 9 am), a bowl of pasta with some Ragu poured over it on Sunday (around 12:30 pm), and nothing today. I am hopeful tomorrow will be a hungry day. Least I never lose my thirst-- that would be bad.
As to sleep, I am granting that there has been a wonderful outside distraction to keep me awake later, but I wouldn't be sleeping anyway. Got a solid 4 hours on Saturday evening, just under 4 on Sunday evening (and woke up Monday morning early, but very pleasantly). And it is now 1 am, I am tired, but can't sleep once more. The worst is when you finally think, "This is it, I'm tired and can rest." Then you lay your head on the pillow and your eyes snap wide open and your brain kicks in. Most sleep aids involve alcohol or other drugs that I cannot have, even in small quantities. So I just let nature take its course.
The good thing is I get stuff done. I have cleaned three piles of paperwork that desperately needed it. Only reason I stopped is because I have another good sized pile to shred and I figure my neighbors will hang me if I do. Unlike the 3 am vacuumer (who finally moved out!), I do think of my fellow apartment dwellers sometimes. I've written some personal, non-blog stuff, always good. Edited a couple of things previously written. Tried to get my scanner working, realized it was hopeless (one of the belts is broken and it is not worth it to fix), and put it in the newly created "Throw away or give away" pile in my kitchen.
I'd like to pick up and continue Da Vinci, but I told someone I would wait so we could read it together and discuss. So back to either "Once..." (James Herbert) or "Something Wicked This Way Comes" (Ray Bradbury). Maybe some of my left over comics... something more fun than comics has come up lately. ;-)
Now that I think about it, I still have a ton of shirts I could go through and give to that girl at work. She gives them to her mom, who takes them to Mexico and provides them to deserving, poverty stricken people. Some sort of church program. Happy to help.
However, I do not care how late it gets-- I am NOT folding that damn pile of clean clothes. They can sit there lurking smugly at me all they want. I refuse. I hate folding clothes. Don't mind ironing, but hate folding... go figure. If I don't do it immediately after the dryer or hanging, it doesn't happen.
It is funny, though. Calypso doesn't like it when I'm in these phases. Every time I move, she gets excited and runs to my bed thinking it is bed time. Poor kitty, I'm ruining her routine.
I get a sense that this phase will be shorter. Not sure why, but I feel that it will end this week or by the weekend at the latest. The food thing started last Tuesday and the sleep shortly afterward on Thursday night (5 hours). So tomorrow (today) is week one. Hmmm... maybe not shorter after all.
Well, I'm off to either read or sort shirts. Sorting shirts feels to close to folding and putting away. Reading it is.
June 20, 2005
Batman Begins
I have been a Batman fan for many years, owning probably around 1000 comics starring the character, spanning from the 1970s through today.
The 1989 Batman with Michael Keaton and directed by Tim Burton was good. It was dark, moody, and gave us the “Dark Knight” for the first time on the screen. I enjoyed it. However, each sequel got a little worse, with the two Joel Schumacher movies killing the franchise with the poor choices the director made.
Memento is now one of my all-time favorite movies. Insomnia was insightful and intriguing, even if I did not ultimately like it. Christopher Nolan is someone I really respect. Upon hearing that this man would take over the relaunch of the Batman franchise, I was ecstatic.
As I watched Batman Begins, I kept thinking, “This is what I’ve been waiting for.” Although Act 1 was a little long, and I hated the use of flashbacks (and some in the audience became a little confused by them… just put the flashbacks at the beginning as actual story, and go from there!), it gave us a concrete background and foundation for this self-made hero. It was not word-for-word what I know from the comic’s history, but that is fine. They tied aspects together in a coherent fashion that made sense within the world Nolan depicted.
Once Wayne first dresses in a prototype costume (not involving bat paraphernalia yet) and meets with Jim Gordon for the first time, the movie really takes off.
As a geeky fan boy, the scene where Wayne initially wears his bat costume and attacks a gang of thugs in a container yard had me on the edge of my seat. It was like watching the first part of Jaws, where you never see the shark, only the effect it has on the world around it. Like Jaws, you only see flashes and glimpses of Batman as he takes the men down one by one at first, using many different tricks and subterfuges. Finally, when you are envisioning that the remaining group members have all stained their shorts and have ganged up, Batman jumps into the middle of the group and thrashes them all as only Batman can.
Now this is BATMAN! This scene could have been ripped right from any Detective Comics or Batman issue and it felt so true to the spirit of the character.
Christian Bale was inspired casting, the first actor to really show the dichotomy of the Wayne and Batman personas. In one scene he is interrogating someone for information. The anger and hatred that Bale is able to convey is so right on I smiled broadly and actually clapped my hands together. Later, when he acts like a drunken boor as Wayne at a party thrown in his honor, Bale once again shows that he gets it. Bruce Wayne died shortly after his parents did and is now the mask. Batman is the real person. Everything he does as Wayne is an affectation; a means to an end. Batman is his reality now. Surrounding Bale are stalwarts of cinema; Morgan Freeman is perfect as Lucius Fox, Michael Caine plays a very affable and sincere Alfred, Rutger Hauer is great as the CEO of Wayne Enterprises, Cillian Murphy made a very good Scarecrow, Liam Neeson is powerful as Henri Ducard, and special cudos go to Gary Oldman for his turn as Jim Gordon (it is nice to see him playing a good guy again). Katie Holmes didn’t seem to be doing much more than an older version of Joey Potter, but she looked good and didn’t take anything away from the movie with her presence. The role called for heart, and Katie delivered that.
This movie will quickly be considered one of the all-time great comic book adaptations. Outside of this, it is a very well done action adventure movie for those who do not normally see a “comic book movie” because they think they won’t get it or follow along. It is an adult story, with a lot of violence and some scary scenes and I would not allow a child under the age of 10-12 to see, and certainly not without supervision.
The 1989 Batman with Michael Keaton and directed by Tim Burton was good. It was dark, moody, and gave us the “Dark Knight” for the first time on the screen. I enjoyed it. However, each sequel got a little worse, with the two Joel Schumacher movies killing the franchise with the poor choices the director made.
Memento is now one of my all-time favorite movies. Insomnia was insightful and intriguing, even if I did not ultimately like it. Christopher Nolan is someone I really respect. Upon hearing that this man would take over the relaunch of the Batman franchise, I was ecstatic.
As I watched Batman Begins, I kept thinking, “This is what I’ve been waiting for.” Although Act 1 was a little long, and I hated the use of flashbacks (and some in the audience became a little confused by them… just put the flashbacks at the beginning as actual story, and go from there!), it gave us a concrete background and foundation for this self-made hero. It was not word-for-word what I know from the comic’s history, but that is fine. They tied aspects together in a coherent fashion that made sense within the world Nolan depicted.
Once Wayne first dresses in a prototype costume (not involving bat paraphernalia yet) and meets with Jim Gordon for the first time, the movie really takes off.
As a geeky fan boy, the scene where Wayne initially wears his bat costume and attacks a gang of thugs in a container yard had me on the edge of my seat. It was like watching the first part of Jaws, where you never see the shark, only the effect it has on the world around it. Like Jaws, you only see flashes and glimpses of Batman as he takes the men down one by one at first, using many different tricks and subterfuges. Finally, when you are envisioning that the remaining group members have all stained their shorts and have ganged up, Batman jumps into the middle of the group and thrashes them all as only Batman can.
Now this is BATMAN! This scene could have been ripped right from any Detective Comics or Batman issue and it felt so true to the spirit of the character.
Christian Bale was inspired casting, the first actor to really show the dichotomy of the Wayne and Batman personas. In one scene he is interrogating someone for information. The anger and hatred that Bale is able to convey is so right on I smiled broadly and actually clapped my hands together. Later, when he acts like a drunken boor as Wayne at a party thrown in his honor, Bale once again shows that he gets it. Bruce Wayne died shortly after his parents did and is now the mask. Batman is the real person. Everything he does as Wayne is an affectation; a means to an end. Batman is his reality now. Surrounding Bale are stalwarts of cinema; Morgan Freeman is perfect as Lucius Fox, Michael Caine plays a very affable and sincere Alfred, Rutger Hauer is great as the CEO of Wayne Enterprises, Cillian Murphy made a very good Scarecrow, Liam Neeson is powerful as Henri Ducard, and special cudos go to Gary Oldman for his turn as Jim Gordon (it is nice to see him playing a good guy again). Katie Holmes didn’t seem to be doing much more than an older version of Joey Potter, but she looked good and didn’t take anything away from the movie with her presence. The role called for heart, and Katie delivered that.
This movie will quickly be considered one of the all-time great comic book adaptations. Outside of this, it is a very well done action adventure movie for those who do not normally see a “comic book movie” because they think they won’t get it or follow along. It is an adult story, with a lot of violence and some scary scenes and I would not allow a child under the age of 10-12 to see, and certainly not without supervision.
Closer
Closer, the movie starring Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, and Jude Law, is a beautiful piece of shit.
The direction is superb and understated. The acting is spot on and powerfully real. The sound and cinematography are sublime. The score is worth the listen.
The story, however, had no focus. All the movie shows us is the banality of life. The lowest of the low decisions people make. At each opportunity that the characters have to turn back from the train wreck that is quickly becoming their lives, they choose the poorest option. The repetition of these poor decisions is so consistent as to be absurd. Pure random chance would cause some of this story to turn out better than it did.
Closer is about four people whose lives commingle in such a way so that everyone’s life is lost in the banal.
Movies can be about real life, and I have enjoyed films that are. Films can be about common people making common decisions, and they can be good. But in these cases they usually hold a mirror to our own lives, have a cautionary tale to tell, or a moral judgment to make. In Closer, every time it seems like a comment is forthcoming, or a moral, or something, the story shies away. At first I thought this might be about the duplicity we all bring to relationships. Next I figured it was cautioning that too much truth can hurt as much as it heals. I also flirted with the notion the movie was warning against mistaking passion or lust for love. Lastly, I thought maybe it was saying that people by their very natures are spiteful.
Closer shied from each of those, just as it had the chance to score the point. So in the end, I am left choosing between one of two morals to this story: People are stupid, which I already knew, and that relationships are a lie, which I refuse to believe.
A slice of life only works if you comment on it. Otherwise, the viewers could be living their own lives rather than watching what the filmmaker chooses to show them. This beautiful piece of shit enthralled me with its beauty, but, ultimately, left me unfulfilled.
The direction is superb and understated. The acting is spot on and powerfully real. The sound and cinematography are sublime. The score is worth the listen.
The story, however, had no focus. All the movie shows us is the banality of life. The lowest of the low decisions people make. At each opportunity that the characters have to turn back from the train wreck that is quickly becoming their lives, they choose the poorest option. The repetition of these poor decisions is so consistent as to be absurd. Pure random chance would cause some of this story to turn out better than it did.
Closer is about four people whose lives commingle in such a way so that everyone’s life is lost in the banal.
Movies can be about real life, and I have enjoyed films that are. Films can be about common people making common decisions, and they can be good. But in these cases they usually hold a mirror to our own lives, have a cautionary tale to tell, or a moral judgment to make. In Closer, every time it seems like a comment is forthcoming, or a moral, or something, the story shies away. At first I thought this might be about the duplicity we all bring to relationships. Next I figured it was cautioning that too much truth can hurt as much as it heals. I also flirted with the notion the movie was warning against mistaking passion or lust for love. Lastly, I thought maybe it was saying that people by their very natures are spiteful.
Closer shied from each of those, just as it had the chance to score the point. So in the end, I am left choosing between one of two morals to this story: People are stupid, which I already knew, and that relationships are a lie, which I refuse to believe.
A slice of life only works if you comment on it. Otherwise, the viewers could be living their own lives rather than watching what the filmmaker chooses to show them. This beautiful piece of shit enthralled me with its beauty, but, ultimately, left me unfulfilled.
June 16, 2005
Another Earthquake
Hmm... we just had a >=5.0 earthquake that lasted about 10 seconds (which is pretty long for an earthquake). This one was located in Yucaipa, which is very close to Irvine. That's two of similar magnitude near Yucaipa in less than 1 week. Plus the one just the other day at >7.0 up north of San Francisco. You have to wonder.
Actually, our building is still moving from aftershocks, too. Just felt another shift and roll.
Gotta love it.
Actually, our building is still moving from aftershocks, too. Just felt another shift and roll.
Gotta love it.
Thursday Thoughts
Three best “love” scenes in cinema (in no particular order):
- The trunk scene in Out of Sight. George Clooney kidnaps Jennifer Lopez and they escape in the trunk of a car driven by Clooney’s companion. During the drive, and the ensuing conversation, sparks fly. Note Clooney’s hand as he ever so gently touches her arm, hip, and waist with his fingertips.
- Shaving scene from Phenomenon. John Travolta has finally reached his “quiet place” and is learning to deal with the strange new thoughts and lack of sleep. He decides to go speak at a local event so that people won’t be afraid of him. Kyra Sedgewick visits and gives him a haircut and a shave to help him prepare for his presentation. Note how she is continually brushing against him, touching his neck and back, and, at the end, presses her cheek to his.
- The Player. Tim Robbins is having sex with Greta Scacchi. On screen, Robert Altman (the director) chooses to show only their faces in front of a fireplace. Without showing any overt actions, strictly through great acting, dialogue, and facial expressions, you see their vulnerabilities and passion.
Notable mention:
- Pump Up the Volume. After finding out who Hard Harry is, Samantha Mathis waits for Christian Slater near school. As he nears, she moves and they start circling each other, smiling and glancing at one another. Their circling gets closer and closer until they kiss. This circling theme is repeated a couple of times in the movie, to great effect.
- Titanic. Leonardo DiCaprio drawing Kate Winslet wearing the necklace (and nothing else). Yes, it has become cliché and often mocked, but it was still a great scene, much better than the one in the car.
- Pottery scene in Ghost. Another cliché and oft-mocked scene, it was pretty big in its day.
None of my best “love” scenes involve anything overtly sexual (and most of them don’t even involve nudity). A good love scene is so much more than nudity and blatant actions. Wish more filmmakers would learn that lesson.
What is your top love scene in a movie? And what constitutes a good love scene in your mind?
June 15, 2005
Censored
I started this blog so I could stand naked on my metaphorical mountaintop, flipping the bird to the world. I needed a place where I could vent all of the shit that goes through my head at work and at 2 am on those (many) sleepless nights. Some of my closest friends are quite happy that I started this, because they were tired of listening to my wild conjectures, lengthy discourses on comic books and movies, and weird political ideas. I honestly believed for the longest time that no one would read it or that they would stop in once and move on, never to return. I certainly never expected the response I have received!
One of my best and oldest friends reads this regularly. His girlfriend reads it. My mother is a faithful reader and commenter. An intriguing new female friend and her compatriots have become regular readers. Other friends and coworkers are at least semi-regulars. My ephemeral anonymity is gone. Many of these people see me often and know me well.
This is a good thing; it allows them to know what is going on with me without having to guess or make arrangements for lunch or dinner. They need not write an email or pick up the phone. Sometimes, what I share prompts them to contact me because of the severity of what I write or a need they sense. All very positive and I have grown because of it.
The crux of the problem is that I am finding it harder to continue posting here without censoring myself. Sometimes I want to post things that happen as they relate to my group of friends. At least two of them are regular readers and would instantly recognize themselves or others of the group if I did this. Would they be offended? Would it prompt discussion? Would I be blacklisted with the rest of the group for negative comments? Would I or they be embarrassed by the positive comments? And that intriguing female friend I mentioned—would she be embarrassed if I posted the glowing things about her that I would like to? Her friends read this too, remember, and they will quickly guess about whom I am posting. What about family issues? Will I offend, embarrass, or just annoy my mom by posting such things? What about my sister’s opinion, an infrequent visitor to this blog?
These thoughts have been weighing more heavily after two recent events, both dinners with friends.
First, I had a dinner get-together with a good buddy, Evan, whom I have known for about eight years now. Evan is one of the smartest and most unique individuals I know, and I value his opinion. He mentioned that he is amazed at what I am willing to post to my blog. He was astonished I would share so many intimate things. He will probably be surprised that I post this.
Secondly, about a week after dinner with Evan, I was invited up to a spontaneous dinner/movie night at Chris’. The participants were Chris, his girlfriend Cynthia, and me. This was one of a handful of times I have been around Cynthia in person. Maybe because of the few times we have met in person, I was surprised by how confidently she spoke with me on certain topics. Of course, as a frequent reader of my blog, she knows many more things about me than I do about her. My knowledge is limited to the info Chris chooses to share and what I have learned in the limited personal contact I have had with her so far. Do not mistake me; I am happy she feels she knows me well enough from my blog to talk with me about such topics. But I was caught a little off-guard at her openness toward me and realized it came from her “knowing” me better than I knew her.
The easiest solution I can see is to anonymously start a new blog. Do not share it with my cadre of friends or my family and go on posting. But this seems false to me. It seems like a concession that I am saying things I somehow should not be or that I am doing something wrong. Plus, I honestly feel and believe the things that I post or I would not type them. It is cathartic to know people who care about me are getting the information that I may not necessarily share if we were face to face. It is not that I would not tell them if they asked, but that I may not think to share such things (and they may not think or know to ask).
I am generally well spoken in conversation, however, many times I need to write something out before I can wrap my head around it or get comfortable with it. That act of assaulting the blank page helps me to think things through and come to conclusions better than almost anything else. It slows down my rapid fire thoughts and allows a whole to coalesce from the pieces in my mind.
And, in the end, that is why I am making this post. I need to wrap my head around this conundrum and come to a decision. Do I continue posting here, for all to see? Do I censor myself on those topics I think may cause issue (good or bad) for myself or others? Do I start a new blog and keep it to myself?
Hopefully a solution will resolve itself in my mind soon.
One of my best and oldest friends reads this regularly. His girlfriend reads it. My mother is a faithful reader and commenter. An intriguing new female friend and her compatriots have become regular readers. Other friends and coworkers are at least semi-regulars. My ephemeral anonymity is gone. Many of these people see me often and know me well.
This is a good thing; it allows them to know what is going on with me without having to guess or make arrangements for lunch or dinner. They need not write an email or pick up the phone. Sometimes, what I share prompts them to contact me because of the severity of what I write or a need they sense. All very positive and I have grown because of it.
The crux of the problem is that I am finding it harder to continue posting here without censoring myself. Sometimes I want to post things that happen as they relate to my group of friends. At least two of them are regular readers and would instantly recognize themselves or others of the group if I did this. Would they be offended? Would it prompt discussion? Would I be blacklisted with the rest of the group for negative comments? Would I or they be embarrassed by the positive comments? And that intriguing female friend I mentioned—would she be embarrassed if I posted the glowing things about her that I would like to? Her friends read this too, remember, and they will quickly guess about whom I am posting. What about family issues? Will I offend, embarrass, or just annoy my mom by posting such things? What about my sister’s opinion, an infrequent visitor to this blog?
These thoughts have been weighing more heavily after two recent events, both dinners with friends.
First, I had a dinner get-together with a good buddy, Evan, whom I have known for about eight years now. Evan is one of the smartest and most unique individuals I know, and I value his opinion. He mentioned that he is amazed at what I am willing to post to my blog. He was astonished I would share so many intimate things. He will probably be surprised that I post this.
Secondly, about a week after dinner with Evan, I was invited up to a spontaneous dinner/movie night at Chris’. The participants were Chris, his girlfriend Cynthia, and me. This was one of a handful of times I have been around Cynthia in person. Maybe because of the few times we have met in person, I was surprised by how confidently she spoke with me on certain topics. Of course, as a frequent reader of my blog, she knows many more things about me than I do about her. My knowledge is limited to the info Chris chooses to share and what I have learned in the limited personal contact I have had with her so far. Do not mistake me; I am happy she feels she knows me well enough from my blog to talk with me about such topics. But I was caught a little off-guard at her openness toward me and realized it came from her “knowing” me better than I knew her.
The easiest solution I can see is to anonymously start a new blog. Do not share it with my cadre of friends or my family and go on posting. But this seems false to me. It seems like a concession that I am saying things I somehow should not be or that I am doing something wrong. Plus, I honestly feel and believe the things that I post or I would not type them. It is cathartic to know people who care about me are getting the information that I may not necessarily share if we were face to face. It is not that I would not tell them if they asked, but that I may not think to share such things (and they may not think or know to ask).
I am generally well spoken in conversation, however, many times I need to write something out before I can wrap my head around it or get comfortable with it. That act of assaulting the blank page helps me to think things through and come to conclusions better than almost anything else. It slows down my rapid fire thoughts and allows a whole to coalesce from the pieces in my mind.
And, in the end, that is why I am making this post. I need to wrap my head around this conundrum and come to a decision. Do I continue posting here, for all to see? Do I censor myself on those topics I think may cause issue (good or bad) for myself or others? Do I start a new blog and keep it to myself?
Hopefully a solution will resolve itself in my mind soon.
Idle Thought, Appropos of nothing
Time and distance suck.
Specifically 4 hours and approximately 3350 miles (or around 5400 kilometers).
(cracks open a book on wormhole theories)
Specifically 4 hours and approximately 3350 miles (or around 5400 kilometers).
(cracks open a book on wormhole theories)
Tsunami in California?
With the huge destruction of life and property in the Indian Ocean still fresh in mind, it came as quite a shock to have the Emergency Broadcast System interrupt my TV viewing last night with a tsunami warning for the west coast of America.
I have lived in California all my life and earthquakes are a fact of life. Having the rational knowledge that earthquakes in the sea floor are the number one reason for tsunami creation does not necessarily translate to real-world expectations, however. From what I can see, the last tsunami to really hit this coast was back in 1964. That is prior to my birth and outside of my experience.
Secondly, I have only lived near the coast for a little over 4 years now. I am around 8 miles inland and live on the second floor, which should mean I am safe from the vast majority of tsunami effects. Because the coastal region in California has a number of challenges, including floods, liquefaction, mudslides, earthquakes, storms, and fires, tsunamis become something that happens in other regions, not here. There is enough to deal with already.
The amount of stress and anxiety that I experienced after the EBS broadcast its warning seemed out of context with the threat level. I attribute this to the images from December of people getting washed away in the floods. And all of the stories the news repeated during the first few days of the hundred who were missing and presumed dead.
The wakeup call was probably good. Today I am reading articles about areas that got to practice their emergency response systems (many failed), dry-run their evacuation techniques (many were successful), and got to see how certain infrastructures supported the emergency (phone lines clogged and became unusable in many areas, but other services seemed to hold up to the sudden strain).
Now for the real question on many minds: is this a precursor to more movement of our tectonic plate, or is this it for the near future? This makes two quakes above 5.0 in the last week with numerous 3s and 4s as aftershocks to those two.
I have lived in California all my life and earthquakes are a fact of life. Having the rational knowledge that earthquakes in the sea floor are the number one reason for tsunami creation does not necessarily translate to real-world expectations, however. From what I can see, the last tsunami to really hit this coast was back in 1964. That is prior to my birth and outside of my experience.
Secondly, I have only lived near the coast for a little over 4 years now. I am around 8 miles inland and live on the second floor, which should mean I am safe from the vast majority of tsunami effects. Because the coastal region in California has a number of challenges, including floods, liquefaction, mudslides, earthquakes, storms, and fires, tsunamis become something that happens in other regions, not here. There is enough to deal with already.
The amount of stress and anxiety that I experienced after the EBS broadcast its warning seemed out of context with the threat level. I attribute this to the images from December of people getting washed away in the floods. And all of the stories the news repeated during the first few days of the hundred who were missing and presumed dead.
The wakeup call was probably good. Today I am reading articles about areas that got to practice their emergency response systems (many failed), dry-run their evacuation techniques (many were successful), and got to see how certain infrastructures supported the emergency (phone lines clogged and became unusable in many areas, but other services seemed to hold up to the sudden strain).
Now for the real question on many minds: is this a precursor to more movement of our tectonic plate, or is this it for the near future? This makes two quakes above 5.0 in the last week with numerous 3s and 4s as aftershocks to those two.
June 12, 2005
Flows like Water
Well, I took some advice from Chris and once again took a stab at fixing my overly complicated DVD, VHS, Receiver, TiVo, TV setup. I picked up some S-Video cables recently, and used that to link to my receiver. I have everything running through the receiver and out to the TV now, which means I got rid of two cables and the entire switch box I was using before. The only thing sound-wise not going through the receiver is my TV. This is good because the cable signal, for some reason, winds up a half-second behind the display when I run the TV through the Receiver. It shouldn't, but does, so every show is like watchng Kung Fu Theatre on Saturday morning. This is bad because one of the speakers on the TV has a small short in it and sometimes gets real quiet. Best to just ignore the receiver and use the speakers. It's not like I watch a lot of TV without the TiVo anyway.
The other bad thing is that I had to take the VHS out of the loop for now. I couldn't get it to display and have sound at that same time. I think I may have just been tired, and I'll look at it again today sometime. It's only noon, so I have time to review today.
Dad, as an electrician, telephone guy, and teacher of electronics on the Marine Corps base, insists that electricity should flow like water. As long as you use that analogy and install your cables accordingly, everything should work and the signal/sound should "flow" from one device to the next in perfect harmony. My only response to this: I must not know how water flows. I do some sort of overly complicated version that usually ends up working, but uses about ten more cables, a couple of switch boxes, and duct tape in order to get the same result. Reminds me of those cartoons-- can't remember the cartoonist, but he was famous for presenting overly complicated devices to do simple things. Many of the Tom & Jerry cartoons used this same principle when demonstrating how to catch the mouse.
BTW, I've tried several of the $15-40 "universal" remotes and they all suck. I saw one recently that looked like a Palm Pilot, was about $150 and actually was truly programmable and you could download new devices through a USB cable and an internet connection. Anyone have an opinion on their successful use? I am, frankly, willing to pay this kind of money if I can truly have one remote that will actually run every device (and all the little features). Post a response with your opinions, please!
The other bad thing is that I had to take the VHS out of the loop for now. I couldn't get it to display and have sound at that same time. I think I may have just been tired, and I'll look at it again today sometime. It's only noon, so I have time to review today.
Dad, as an electrician, telephone guy, and teacher of electronics on the Marine Corps base, insists that electricity should flow like water. As long as you use that analogy and install your cables accordingly, everything should work and the signal/sound should "flow" from one device to the next in perfect harmony. My only response to this: I must not know how water flows. I do some sort of overly complicated version that usually ends up working, but uses about ten more cables, a couple of switch boxes, and duct tape in order to get the same result. Reminds me of those cartoons-- can't remember the cartoonist, but he was famous for presenting overly complicated devices to do simple things. Many of the Tom & Jerry cartoons used this same principle when demonstrating how to catch the mouse.
BTW, I've tried several of the $15-40 "universal" remotes and they all suck. I saw one recently that looked like a Palm Pilot, was about $150 and actually was truly programmable and you could download new devices through a USB cable and an internet connection. Anyone have an opinion on their successful use? I am, frankly, willing to pay this kind of money if I can truly have one remote that will actually run every device (and all the little features). Post a response with your opinions, please!
June 11, 2005
Working on a Saturday
I became a technical writer for many reasons. Some of those reasons are that it is a generally low-stress, don't have to work much overtime, never get paged in the wee-hours of the morning type of job.
So here I am, at work on a Saturday, wondering where I went wrong. Now, I don't mind the occasional overtime; it comes with the job (any job, for that matter). But this is already the third time this year I have felt the need to work on a weekend to stay caught up. Frustrating.
The good thing about it is that you can get so much more done without the constant bustle and distraction of the other people with whom you work. In only a couple of hours today I have managed to do about the same amount as I can on a work day. My email hasn't twitched once since coming in this morning. My phone has only sounded once, and that is my friend with whom I arranged to have lunch today. The rest has been music-turned-loud, nose-to-the-grind-stone get stuff DONE time.
And, I think I have done enough that I do not need to come back after lunch or tomorrow. I feel good about my Friday deadline and that I can get everything else ready by then-- and maybe earlier. Think I will shoot for Wednesday. ;-)
So here I am, at work on a Saturday, wondering where I went wrong. Now, I don't mind the occasional overtime; it comes with the job (any job, for that matter). But this is already the third time this year I have felt the need to work on a weekend to stay caught up. Frustrating.
The good thing about it is that you can get so much more done without the constant bustle and distraction of the other people with whom you work. In only a couple of hours today I have managed to do about the same amount as I can on a work day. My email hasn't twitched once since coming in this morning. My phone has only sounded once, and that is my friend with whom I arranged to have lunch today. The rest has been music-turned-loud, nose-to-the-grind-stone get stuff DONE time.
And, I think I have done enough that I do not need to come back after lunch or tomorrow. I feel good about my Friday deadline and that I can get everything else ready by then-- and maybe earlier. Think I will shoot for Wednesday. ;-)
Shave or not to Shave
I've been letting my hair, such as it is, grow out. Now I am sitting here debating on whether to shave it bald again. It's been warm enough to handle the shaved head (you would be amazed at how cold you get without any hair at all!), but I've had it so short or shaved for so long I've been toying with the idea of growning it out again.
Pic of me on the side is with head shaved bald. Decision will be made tomorrow morning, so comment before then if you want to weigh in on the debate.
Pic of me on the side is with head shaved bald. Decision will be made tomorrow morning, so comment before then if you want to weigh in on the debate.
June 10, 2005
New TV
I need to buy a new television. I would like to get one that fits into my current cabinet, which limits the sizes I can purchase. I currently have a 27" TV with about 4-5 inches to spare in my cabinet, so up to around 30" is likely doable (yes, I need to measure exactly; I'm getting there!).
Whatever I get MUST play DVDs as clearly as possible. I have some 120 DVDs (and counting), and equal number of VHS, and am a Netflix whore. Which means I'm leaning toward a TV with the nice digital connectors for DVD and VHS players. I also have a surround sound receiver and speakers to which I would want to connect the TV (which I cannot do with my existing TV).
Do I stay with a standard TV picture tube? Should I look long-term at a rear projection TV or a flat-panel TV of some sort? Should I get the movie aspect ratio screen (16:9) or a standard square picture?
I am constantly reading about the changing standards in TVs and in the broadcast signals which makes the decision more difficult. Apparently, a new law was just passed that will stop manufacturers from making TVs with analog receivers starting in about a month. Everything is being forced to digital. First, why is the government passing laws over such stuff and, second, digital receivers are much more expensive than analog receivers (typically by one to two hundred dollars).
There is always the great High Definition tuner debate raging in my head. Should I get a set without HD (much lower cost). Should I get one that is "compatible" (higher cost, but still requires a separate tuner). Should I get one that is fully compatible (has all equipment). If I go this route, will I actually sign up with an HD provider? Or will I be paying for something I will never use.
If I do get a digital TV tuner, will I actually upgrade to a digital tuner from my cable provider? Or will I stick with the no thrills service I have now? I am leaning toward the digital tuner even now, so I would likely upgrade at least that portion.
I cannot watch TV without my TiVo anymore. When friends suggested it would change the way I watch TV, I scoffed. But they were absolutely right. You get used to being able to pause live TV, rewind, schedule it to record things from work when a work-mate suggests a show you might like, etc. So, I have to make sure that the new technology I get does not interfere with my TiVo, DVD player, etc.
I live upstairs. Most of the 27" or bigger TVs I would be interested in weigh in at 100 lbs or more. I have to get that thing up the stairs and into the cabinet and my current TV down those stairs. Should I pay for delivery and/or set up?
Lastly, where do I put my current TV. It still works and could make someone a nice starting TV for whatever years it has left in it. It is feature poor and has two small burn spots starting in it (the main reasons I want to replace it), but someone who cannot normally afford a TV would probably be thrilled to get it. Is Goodwill a good idea? Should I try to give it away? What about trying to sell it cheap?
I hate these mid-range decisions. They are expensive enough you want to think them through, yet low-cost enough that all this planning and thinking seems strangely useless. In some ways the big purchases (like a car) are much easier.
Decisions, decisions.
Whatever I get MUST play DVDs as clearly as possible. I have some 120 DVDs (and counting), and equal number of VHS, and am a Netflix whore. Which means I'm leaning toward a TV with the nice digital connectors for DVD and VHS players. I also have a surround sound receiver and speakers to which I would want to connect the TV (which I cannot do with my existing TV).
Do I stay with a standard TV picture tube? Should I look long-term at a rear projection TV or a flat-panel TV of some sort? Should I get the movie aspect ratio screen (16:9) or a standard square picture?
I am constantly reading about the changing standards in TVs and in the broadcast signals which makes the decision more difficult. Apparently, a new law was just passed that will stop manufacturers from making TVs with analog receivers starting in about a month. Everything is being forced to digital. First, why is the government passing laws over such stuff and, second, digital receivers are much more expensive than analog receivers (typically by one to two hundred dollars).
There is always the great High Definition tuner debate raging in my head. Should I get a set without HD (much lower cost). Should I get one that is "compatible" (higher cost, but still requires a separate tuner). Should I get one that is fully compatible (has all equipment). If I go this route, will I actually sign up with an HD provider? Or will I be paying for something I will never use.
If I do get a digital TV tuner, will I actually upgrade to a digital tuner from my cable provider? Or will I stick with the no thrills service I have now? I am leaning toward the digital tuner even now, so I would likely upgrade at least that portion.
I cannot watch TV without my TiVo anymore. When friends suggested it would change the way I watch TV, I scoffed. But they were absolutely right. You get used to being able to pause live TV, rewind, schedule it to record things from work when a work-mate suggests a show you might like, etc. So, I have to make sure that the new technology I get does not interfere with my TiVo, DVD player, etc.
I live upstairs. Most of the 27" or bigger TVs I would be interested in weigh in at 100 lbs or more. I have to get that thing up the stairs and into the cabinet and my current TV down those stairs. Should I pay for delivery and/or set up?
Lastly, where do I put my current TV. It still works and could make someone a nice starting TV for whatever years it has left in it. It is feature poor and has two small burn spots starting in it (the main reasons I want to replace it), but someone who cannot normally afford a TV would probably be thrilled to get it. Is Goodwill a good idea? Should I try to give it away? What about trying to sell it cheap?
I hate these mid-range decisions. They are expensive enough you want to think them through, yet low-cost enough that all this planning and thinking seems strangely useless. In some ways the big purchases (like a car) are much easier.
Decisions, decisions.
June 2, 2005
Thursday Thoughts
It is funny how much reinforcement can make the difference. At work, I was slacking a bit. I had a project that I did not care for, and was working with a group of people who were difficult at best. Because of this, I was not giving one hundred percent and knew it. My boss sensed it and she took me into her office and basically said, “John, I know you can do more and can work harder than this. How can I help?” We worked out some ways in which I could be better motivated to do those tasks and, when it recently came time for my mid-year review, I was given a good mark to go with what I had accomplished since that little talking to.
So, my boss gave me some reinforcement by suggesting I was not working as hard as I could and helping me to reconstruct my priorities so that I could, and followed it by giving me the at-a-boy I deserved for kicking it back into gear and getting back on top. Now I want to continue on this trend so I can continue to succeed.
I play a cooperative game called City of Heroes. Many people are down on “pick-up groups” because you never know what you are going to get when you throw your lot in with a bunch of strangers. My last pick-up group wound up being a very good one, and I got a lot of compliments because of the quality job I did in helping everyone out. I raced around making sure that anyone who got attacked was safe, I ‘aggroed’ as much to me as possible (even though I was not the tank of the group) so that those who were more easily hit and killed within the game did not have to suffer defeat. Not only did a few people publicly state that they thought I did a good job, but they also asked if they could put me on their friends list and team with me in the future. What great reinforcement and I am much more likely to team with those people again if they ask me for help.
When I am Dungeon Master for my group of friends, I like to provide additional awards to people when I feel they did a particularly good job roleplaying their characters. This positive reinforcement, I feel, makes them want to do that same good job again and those who do not get the award want to follow suit next time so they can get the bonus award. In this way, I get players who want to play the game the way in which I want to DM it.
If IT does something to help me out, I like to say “Thank you.” Many people do not, as they assume that IT is ‘just doing their job.’ That may be true, but if they do it well, quickly, and with patience, why not say “Thank you” or “You do really good work” to the person? It makes them feel good about helping you, reinforces their perception of themselves and the job they do, and is polite.
Compliments are also another way to provide reinforcement. When someone is looking particularly good or fashionable, I like to tell them so. By complimenting them, I am reinforcing their ego and their decision to go with that style choice. It makes them feel good.
I also find that when I genuinely reinforce someone else, I tend to perk up and feel better too. I do not get this boost if I reinforce someone insincerely, which leads me to compliment, thank, and reinforce only when I truly mean it.
So, my task to you in this Thursday Thoughts is to find someone who you feel genuinely deserves some reinforcement and give it to them. Compliment someone on his/her choice of clothing, hairstyle, or other notable change. Thank your teacher or your boss for helping you learn and grow. Thank that person who just helped you do something faster or better. Compliment that man who wore a tie today, or that woman who put on her business suit and looks snappy. Show your appreciation to your parents, children, or neighbors. Thank someone for the job they did well, even if it does not relate to you or what you do in the least.
I think you might just find that you feel even better about yourself and your day will breeze on by.
So, my boss gave me some reinforcement by suggesting I was not working as hard as I could and helping me to reconstruct my priorities so that I could, and followed it by giving me the at-a-boy I deserved for kicking it back into gear and getting back on top. Now I want to continue on this trend so I can continue to succeed.
I play a cooperative game called City of Heroes. Many people are down on “pick-up groups” because you never know what you are going to get when you throw your lot in with a bunch of strangers. My last pick-up group wound up being a very good one, and I got a lot of compliments because of the quality job I did in helping everyone out. I raced around making sure that anyone who got attacked was safe, I ‘aggroed’ as much to me as possible (even though I was not the tank of the group) so that those who were more easily hit and killed within the game did not have to suffer defeat. Not only did a few people publicly state that they thought I did a good job, but they also asked if they could put me on their friends list and team with me in the future. What great reinforcement and I am much more likely to team with those people again if they ask me for help.
When I am Dungeon Master for my group of friends, I like to provide additional awards to people when I feel they did a particularly good job roleplaying their characters. This positive reinforcement, I feel, makes them want to do that same good job again and those who do not get the award want to follow suit next time so they can get the bonus award. In this way, I get players who want to play the game the way in which I want to DM it.
If IT does something to help me out, I like to say “Thank you.” Many people do not, as they assume that IT is ‘just doing their job.’ That may be true, but if they do it well, quickly, and with patience, why not say “Thank you” or “You do really good work” to the person? It makes them feel good about helping you, reinforces their perception of themselves and the job they do, and is polite.
Compliments are also another way to provide reinforcement. When someone is looking particularly good or fashionable, I like to tell them so. By complimenting them, I am reinforcing their ego and their decision to go with that style choice. It makes them feel good.
I also find that when I genuinely reinforce someone else, I tend to perk up and feel better too. I do not get this boost if I reinforce someone insincerely, which leads me to compliment, thank, and reinforce only when I truly mean it.
So, my task to you in this Thursday Thoughts is to find someone who you feel genuinely deserves some reinforcement and give it to them. Compliment someone on his/her choice of clothing, hairstyle, or other notable change. Thank your teacher or your boss for helping you learn and grow. Thank that person who just helped you do something faster or better. Compliment that man who wore a tie today, or that woman who put on her business suit and looks snappy. Show your appreciation to your parents, children, or neighbors. Thank someone for the job they did well, even if it does not relate to you or what you do in the least.
I think you might just find that you feel even better about yourself and your day will breeze on by.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)