This afternoon I felt an edge of irritation about me. Wasted some brain cells ruing some past incidents and fretting about some upcoming responsibilities through work and the condo board. Wasted, because as we know... everything's gonna be all right.
It's nice to have schedules in balance. Work is not consuming the evenings. There's enough time for us both to get in sufficient exercise. We've been reasonable in our diets, and looking forward to splurging a bit for a midweek getaway (more to come!). Got to see a movie or two. Had a couple thorough nights of sleep. Lots of activity as volunteers (the condo board's picked up quite a bit lately, and Dena's been busy with the Great Banquet retreat).
We won our soccer game in a shootout, with my penalty kick the winner.
Dena got word that her name was dropped to U.S. Rep. Dan Brady, regarding her availability for graphic design. Sort of like someone giving you a free lottery ticket for this weekend's drawing, exciting even though remote to pay off.
Progress was made in healing my laptop. I may have it back early next week.
Mom's not close to selling her house, but thanks to our friend Rosann she did spy a condo in town that caught her eye, and made contact with a realtor to learn about a couple of others.
Talked to Jack, whose softball team is doing well and has successfully transitioned back to bachelorhood without legal struggles.
In the spirit of adventure, had a super experience with Essentials Day Spa right down the street from our house.
The fantasy baseball teams had a stellar week. Only two teams are out of first, and those two moved closer to the top.
Good to hang with the extended fam this afternoon. Gotta love the efficiency of all-in-one birthday parties. Will give Jane credit for this one, since she just seems the type to devise it.
It is so easy to be thankless for good health. Life is a flawed but bountiful gift, especially with so many winning numbers to cash in!
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Suspected Commune Nestled Deep In Congerville Woods
Local authorities were notified of ruckus in the woods of Congerville on Sunday evening that fueled rumors of a Jonesville-like commune.
A series of vehicles were observed turning onto a gravel road at approximately 5:00 p.m. under cloak of a blinding late afternoon sun before disappearing into the thickets.
Civilians noted the diversity of travelers, sufficient to create a multi-generational cult capable of masterminding unspeakably sinister plans.
"Vanloads of 'em," explained Barely Wettstein. "Musta been twenty kids, buncha grownups, couple grandparent-types."
"Heard some dogs out there," noted Lousy Knapp. "Singing too. Awful nightmare stuff."
"Pretty sure a giant lives out there," added Goferb Rokey. "Seen 'em coming in and out of the woods most ever day."
Police tried to investigate the area, but the driveway was impassably thick with rocks.
"Got within a hunnert yards or so," said Sgt. Cheep Wiegand. "There was this old beat-up hovel on the right side of the road, kind that ghosts might be a-hauntin'. Then I seen these enormous black beasts runnin' around this house out yonder. Ain't worth my momma's hide to go no further."
Later reports describing a post-dusk mass exodus were unconfirmed at press time.
A series of vehicles were observed turning onto a gravel road at approximately 5:00 p.m. under cloak of a blinding late afternoon sun before disappearing into the thickets.
Civilians noted the diversity of travelers, sufficient to create a multi-generational cult capable of masterminding unspeakably sinister plans.
"Vanloads of 'em," explained Barely Wettstein. "Musta been twenty kids, buncha grownups, couple grandparent-types."
"Heard some dogs out there," noted Lousy Knapp. "Singing too. Awful nightmare stuff."
"Pretty sure a giant lives out there," added Goferb Rokey. "Seen 'em coming in and out of the woods most ever day."
Police tried to investigate the area, but the driveway was impassably thick with rocks.
"Got within a hunnert yards or so," said Sgt. Cheep Wiegand. "There was this old beat-up hovel on the right side of the road, kind that ghosts might be a-hauntin'. Then I seen these enormous black beasts runnin' around this house out yonder. Ain't worth my momma's hide to go no further."
Later reports describing a post-dusk mass exodus were unconfirmed at press time.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Top Grossing Movies Of All Time
Toy Story 3 just crossed the $1 billion mark, making it the seventh movie ever to accomplish that feat. Have we seen all the others?
6. The Dark Knight (2008). Check.
5. Alice in Wonderland (2010). Nope.
4. Pirates of the Caribbean (2006). Check.
3. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003). Check.
All of these movies were between $1.0 and $1.2 billion. Then there's this leap:
2. Titanic (1997). Saw it. $1.8 billion. I believe it.
And finally...
1. Avatar (2009). Nope. $2.7 billion!! I've been resisting. But now I might have to give it a try.
6. The Dark Knight (2008). Check.
5. Alice in Wonderland (2010). Nope.
4. Pirates of the Caribbean (2006). Check.
3. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003). Check.
All of these movies were between $1.0 and $1.2 billion. Then there's this leap:
2. Titanic (1997). Saw it. $1.8 billion. I believe it.
And finally...
1. Avatar (2009). Nope. $2.7 billion!! I've been resisting. But now I might have to give it a try.
6 Benchmarks Of The Middle Class
From Yahoo! Finance:
Not so long ago, most people viewed the hallmarks of success as something along the lines of a house, a white picket fence, two weeks vacation, two children and the ability to send those kids to college. Today, the middle class is a vanishing breed according to nearly every survey and statistic on the topic. Its disappearance is of such grave concern to the fabric of American society that the U.S. government launched a task force to explore the issue. Despite all of the attention to the subject, defining "middle class" remains a challenge, as everyone wants to be in the middle regardless of their income. Instead of focusing on the dollars, let's take a look at the lifestyle benchmarks that define middle class status.
Have You Made it to the Middle?
A wide variety of numbers have been thrown around in an effort to define the middle. People earning 20% of the average income and people earning 80% all claim to be part of the middle class. More than a few millionaires make the claim too. While there is no official financial standard, the middle class as defined by the government task force is characterized in terms of six financial aspirations, which we can view as benchmarks.
* Home Ownership
Home ownership remains the American dream. The step up from renting to owning signifies prosperity and achievement. With median home prices ranges differing by so much in different cities across the United States, the ability to achieve this goal varies significantly by geographical location. Someone earning an income in the 50% range in Detroit may not be able to afford even a small house in Los Angeles.
* Automobile Ownership
Owning an automobile provides freedom of movement and the luxury of avoiding the limited schedules and cramped quarters offered by mass transportation options such as buses and subways. Here again, the cost of cars varying widely, as does the kind of automobile required. For one driver, a used Hyundai will do the trick. For another, a new BMW signifies the achievement of this goal.
* A College Education for the Kids
Helping children get ahead in life is a primary goal for middle class families. Paying for a college education for children can cost anywhere from the low tens of thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands. Decisions about which university of college to attend can have a significant impact on the price tag.
* Retirement Security
Retirement is a goal nearly everyone wants to achieve. It demonstrates success and provides a reward for decades of hard work. Once again, definitions make a difference. The amount of gold required to support your golden years will vary significantly depending on whether you want a staff of 10 at your villa in the South of France or a townhouse in Peoria, Illinois.
* Health Care Coverage
The ability to obtain healthcare is an important goal for middle class wager earners and their families. The high and rising cost of medical care and prescription drugs make healthcare coverage an ever-increasing need, as going without it can have serious negative financial implications in the event of a severe illness or injury.
* Family Vacation
The family vacation is a middle class staple. Vacations demonstrate that a family has disposable income and has been successful enough to take time away from work to focus on leisure.
What Happened on the Way to the Dream?
Globalization and technological advances began to reverse the growth of the middle class. The manufacturing base in the United States changed, as good-paying jobs in factories and heavy industries went overseas to lower-paying markets and labor unions lost much of their ability to bargain for high wages and good benefits. Later, white-collar jobs from accounting and data entry to reading medical images and answering telephones in call centers were also sent offshore. Many jobs that remained in the U.S. were eliminated by computers and other technological advancements that increased productivity.
To achieve or maintain a middle-class lifestyle, many households became two-income families. Achieving middle class goals became more difficult as employers eliminated their pension plans and defined-benefit plans, the cost of a college education continued to rise and the cost of healthcare jumped. For most of the 20-year period following 1990, the Commerce Department reports that real median income grew at a rate of about 20%, while the cost of a college education grew between 43% and 60%, the cost of housing rose 56% and healthcare costs jumped by 155%.
How to Get There
Although there are significant challenges to obtaining middle class status, there are some proactive steps that can help make the dream a reality. Budgeting is one of the most obvious. Understanding where your money goes each month can help you determine the exact makeup of the benchmarks you are trying to match. Are you looking for a Hyundai or a BMW?
Planning is another crucial step. Are the kids going to a state university or a private college? Are scholarships an option? Some savvy families find money for college by participating in programs which can aide families with the costs related to sending a child to university.
Working is another one of the requirements. A second job or a side business might be just what you need to boost your income and achieve some of your goals. Putting your money to work is also an important consideration. Investing has helped build wealth for generations. In fact, income earners ranked in the top 1% enjoyed significant increases in wealth even as the middle class fell into decline. Most of that wealth came from investments. Even if you don't have the means to invest for current income, you can take a few dollars from each paycheck and save for your retirement.
The Bottom Line
Don't underestimate the role of hard work and luck. Sometimes being in the right place at the right time or taking one particular course of action over another can make all the difference. So keep watching for opportunities and make the most of them when you find them. As motion-picture mogul Samuel Goldwyn said, "The harder I work, the luckier I get."
Not so long ago, most people viewed the hallmarks of success as something along the lines of a house, a white picket fence, two weeks vacation, two children and the ability to send those kids to college. Today, the middle class is a vanishing breed according to nearly every survey and statistic on the topic. Its disappearance is of such grave concern to the fabric of American society that the U.S. government launched a task force to explore the issue. Despite all of the attention to the subject, defining "middle class" remains a challenge, as everyone wants to be in the middle regardless of their income. Instead of focusing on the dollars, let's take a look at the lifestyle benchmarks that define middle class status.
Have You Made it to the Middle?
A wide variety of numbers have been thrown around in an effort to define the middle. People earning 20% of the average income and people earning 80% all claim to be part of the middle class. More than a few millionaires make the claim too. While there is no official financial standard, the middle class as defined by the government task force is characterized in terms of six financial aspirations, which we can view as benchmarks.
* Home Ownership
Home ownership remains the American dream. The step up from renting to owning signifies prosperity and achievement. With median home prices ranges differing by so much in different cities across the United States, the ability to achieve this goal varies significantly by geographical location. Someone earning an income in the 50% range in Detroit may not be able to afford even a small house in Los Angeles.
* Automobile Ownership
Owning an automobile provides freedom of movement and the luxury of avoiding the limited schedules and cramped quarters offered by mass transportation options such as buses and subways. Here again, the cost of cars varying widely, as does the kind of automobile required. For one driver, a used Hyundai will do the trick. For another, a new BMW signifies the achievement of this goal.
* A College Education for the Kids
Helping children get ahead in life is a primary goal for middle class families. Paying for a college education for children can cost anywhere from the low tens of thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands. Decisions about which university of college to attend can have a significant impact on the price tag.
* Retirement Security
Retirement is a goal nearly everyone wants to achieve. It demonstrates success and provides a reward for decades of hard work. Once again, definitions make a difference. The amount of gold required to support your golden years will vary significantly depending on whether you want a staff of 10 at your villa in the South of France or a townhouse in Peoria, Illinois.
* Health Care Coverage
The ability to obtain healthcare is an important goal for middle class wager earners and their families. The high and rising cost of medical care and prescription drugs make healthcare coverage an ever-increasing need, as going without it can have serious negative financial implications in the event of a severe illness or injury.
* Family Vacation
The family vacation is a middle class staple. Vacations demonstrate that a family has disposable income and has been successful enough to take time away from work to focus on leisure.
What Happened on the Way to the Dream?
Globalization and technological advances began to reverse the growth of the middle class. The manufacturing base in the United States changed, as good-paying jobs in factories and heavy industries went overseas to lower-paying markets and labor unions lost much of their ability to bargain for high wages and good benefits. Later, white-collar jobs from accounting and data entry to reading medical images and answering telephones in call centers were also sent offshore. Many jobs that remained in the U.S. were eliminated by computers and other technological advancements that increased productivity.
To achieve or maintain a middle-class lifestyle, many households became two-income families. Achieving middle class goals became more difficult as employers eliminated their pension plans and defined-benefit plans, the cost of a college education continued to rise and the cost of healthcare jumped. For most of the 20-year period following 1990, the Commerce Department reports that real median income grew at a rate of about 20%, while the cost of a college education grew between 43% and 60%, the cost of housing rose 56% and healthcare costs jumped by 155%.
How to Get There
Although there are significant challenges to obtaining middle class status, there are some proactive steps that can help make the dream a reality. Budgeting is one of the most obvious. Understanding where your money goes each month can help you determine the exact makeup of the benchmarks you are trying to match. Are you looking for a Hyundai or a BMW?
Planning is another crucial step. Are the kids going to a state university or a private college? Are scholarships an option? Some savvy families find money for college by participating in programs which can aide families with the costs related to sending a child to university.
Working is another one of the requirements. A second job or a side business might be just what you need to boost your income and achieve some of your goals. Putting your money to work is also an important consideration. Investing has helped build wealth for generations. In fact, income earners ranked in the top 1% enjoyed significant increases in wealth even as the middle class fell into decline. Most of that wealth came from investments. Even if you don't have the means to invest for current income, you can take a few dollars from each paycheck and save for your retirement.
The Bottom Line
Don't underestimate the role of hard work and luck. Sometimes being in the right place at the right time or taking one particular course of action over another can make all the difference. So keep watching for opportunities and make the most of them when you find them. As motion-picture mogul Samuel Goldwyn said, "The harder I work, the luckier I get."
Friday, August 27, 2010
Naming Right
A friend of mine with a daughter named Michaela once told me that she picked the name thinking that it would be unique, since she'd never heard of anyone else having it. Nowadays there are indeed a few Michaelas to go around, including one that Dena and I saw on T.V. during dinner tonight.
Fortunately we came up with a method for picking children's names that almost guarantees singularity.
We needed a random name length. So we grabbed the Heartland Community College course magazine and scanned it until we came upon the first instance of any of the numbers 5 through 9. Turned out that we saw the number 6 first.
Then we randomly pointed a pen at different places in the book until we'd identified six letters. Fortunately they were a reasonable mix of vowels and consonants:
O N E T L C
Next I wrote down the letters M and F in a random order, and asked Dena to pick a number between 1 and 2. She picked 2, which meant that our child was female.
Then we just rearranged the letters to suit.
Our favorites:
Noclet (pronounced KNOCK-let)
Tolcen (TOLL-sen)
Contel (kon-TELL... this is for the African daughter we adopt)
Cut from the list:
Cloten (KLO-ten)... maybe if it were a boy.
Contle (CON-tle)... too much like a verb.
Clento (CLEN-toe)... for some reason, sounds like a dwarf.
The next sequence of letters was Q A R E T C O.
No matter what we tried, our poor boy sounded like he was fresh off the reservation:
Creatoq (CREE-a-tock)
Tracqeo (tra-KAY-oh)
Treaqoc (TREE-cock)... say WHAT?
America is losing its creative edge. I want to live in a nation where someday my grandchildren can pay a visit to their Aunt Contle and Uncle Treaqoc, or play tag with cousin Gayjone.
Fortunately we came up with a method for picking children's names that almost guarantees singularity.
We needed a random name length. So we grabbed the Heartland Community College course magazine and scanned it until we came upon the first instance of any of the numbers 5 through 9. Turned out that we saw the number 6 first.
Then we randomly pointed a pen at different places in the book until we'd identified six letters. Fortunately they were a reasonable mix of vowels and consonants:
O N E T L C
Next I wrote down the letters M and F in a random order, and asked Dena to pick a number between 1 and 2. She picked 2, which meant that our child was female.
Then we just rearranged the letters to suit.
Our favorites:
Noclet (pronounced KNOCK-let)
Tolcen (TOLL-sen)
Contel (kon-TELL... this is for the African daughter we adopt)
Cut from the list:
Cloten (KLO-ten)... maybe if it were a boy.
Contle (CON-tle)... too much like a verb.
Clento (CLEN-toe)... for some reason, sounds like a dwarf.
The next sequence of letters was Q A R E T C O.
No matter what we tried, our poor boy sounded like he was fresh off the reservation:
Creatoq (CREE-a-tock)
Tracqeo (tra-KAY-oh)
Treaqoc (TREE-cock)... say WHAT?
America is losing its creative edge. I want to live in a nation where someday my grandchildren can pay a visit to their Aunt Contle and Uncle Treaqoc, or play tag with cousin Gayjone.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
An Assistant Coach's Creed
"It seems like you bond with an assistant maybe more than you do a head coach. George was someone who taught me a lot about the game." - Jerry West
Through the years, or at least at this particular life stage, I've come to see myself as a more capable assistant than leader in most endeavors. A good leader needs unflagging passion at all hours to sustain the vision and the troops. An assistant can be committed at a lesser level and apply his skill to fill in the gaps.
Over the summer I've gone back and forth about the challenges involved with coaching at a school that I don't regularly attend. That outsider status that a rookie feels in the early going. The ambiguity of not knowing what type of assistant role I'll be asked to play next year. The catch-up job I'd have to do in terms of seeing the game through a coach's eyes, in a way that I never had to as a player. The thought of donating substantial amounts of time in what amounts to an experiment to see if I can make a real difference or am inconsequential.
On the whole, I have this sense that I should stick with it for a few years, that I have talent that just isn't developed yet and might take years of investment to fully evaluate. Is it worth it?
It's quotes like West's above that help to answer yes, that the journey to coaching competence can have its own rewards. I would imagine that there's a role, even for someone incompetent in coaching a game, to be an encouraging force from the bench to a young man who is underdeveloped himself. An assistant coach provides more personalized attention than a head coach could manage alone. Lessons learned as a starter or sub, of the non-basketball kind, can and do last a lifetime.
I like to think that for a Hall of Famer like Jerry West, George taught him a thing or two about life as well as the game. And that I might be able to do the same.
Through the years, or at least at this particular life stage, I've come to see myself as a more capable assistant than leader in most endeavors. A good leader needs unflagging passion at all hours to sustain the vision and the troops. An assistant can be committed at a lesser level and apply his skill to fill in the gaps.
Over the summer I've gone back and forth about the challenges involved with coaching at a school that I don't regularly attend. That outsider status that a rookie feels in the early going. The ambiguity of not knowing what type of assistant role I'll be asked to play next year. The catch-up job I'd have to do in terms of seeing the game through a coach's eyes, in a way that I never had to as a player. The thought of donating substantial amounts of time in what amounts to an experiment to see if I can make a real difference or am inconsequential.
On the whole, I have this sense that I should stick with it for a few years, that I have talent that just isn't developed yet and might take years of investment to fully evaluate. Is it worth it?
It's quotes like West's above that help to answer yes, that the journey to coaching competence can have its own rewards. I would imagine that there's a role, even for someone incompetent in coaching a game, to be an encouraging force from the bench to a young man who is underdeveloped himself. An assistant coach provides more personalized attention than a head coach could manage alone. Lessons learned as a starter or sub, of the non-basketball kind, can and do last a lifetime.
I like to think that for a Hall of Famer like Jerry West, George taught him a thing or two about life as well as the game. And that I might be able to do the same.
You Know You're 38 When...
...after an hour phone call with the cell phone to your ear, it takes at least two days for the elbow stiffness to go away!
Persistence Pays
I'd looked around town for a different hair salon. There were a couple of places listed in the phone book. Dena recalled another one not far from where we live.
I tried to call that one. The line was busy. Strike one, I thought. Not as a condemnation, mind you - the universe just has a way of sending signals that some things are not meant to be, for some people.
I called one from the phone book, and succeeded in an appointment. The service was good.
Since Dena's recommendation was so close to home, I gave it another try on a later date. Still busy. What are the odds in this day and age to call a service retailer and get a busy signal? Strike two.
Still, something pushed me to keep at it. Why, I'm not sure. Time's precious, and I've gotten pretty responsive to the failure signs, and usually move on quickly. All I know is that the third time I got through. Had an appointment. It was FANTASTIC. The best I've had in the state. I'm set.
Sometimes first impressions are the wrong ones. Persistence pays!
I tried to call that one. The line was busy. Strike one, I thought. Not as a condemnation, mind you - the universe just has a way of sending signals that some things are not meant to be, for some people.
I called one from the phone book, and succeeded in an appointment. The service was good.
Since Dena's recommendation was so close to home, I gave it another try on a later date. Still busy. What are the odds in this day and age to call a service retailer and get a busy signal? Strike two.
Still, something pushed me to keep at it. Why, I'm not sure. Time's precious, and I've gotten pretty responsive to the failure signs, and usually move on quickly. All I know is that the third time I got through. Had an appointment. It was FANTASTIC. The best I've had in the state. I'm set.
Sometimes first impressions are the wrong ones. Persistence pays!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The Expendables
Dena and I cashed in the free movie pass we won for the big screen at Wehrenberg Theater. Fortunately, an action flick was on which made the most of the expanse.
If you caught a preview of it, you probably saw Arnold Schwarzenegger. You may have thought, "Should he be governing his state rather than taking on a movie role?" And apparently even Schwarzenegger agrees... his cameo lasts two minutes, tops. I took it to be a commercial for a future possible presidential bid. In fact, Sylvester Stallone remarks "He wants to be President." In fact, his commercials are probably longer than his on-screen time here.
Ditto Bruce Willis. He appears for about two and a half minutes. All of which was fine by me. Just don't come to the theater based on the ten-second preview clip where all three action heroes are in the same scene, expecting Arnold and Bruce to contribute much more.
Granted I was rebounding a bit from my last two movies, but this one struck the right chord. Dena liked it too, since we were both expecting a shoot-em-up movie.
Plot: A rogue American has risen to power on a tiny Gulf island. The locals are terrorized. Drug trafficking is the economy. A lone beautiful Latino woman stands her ground.
Enter the mercenary Expendables, a tattoo-ridden, swaggering, smirking half-dozen dudes who charge millions per mission and get the job done without fail. We laughed out loud several times, not because of the witty writing (though they tried to be comic) but due to the unbelievable, gotta-be-kidding-me good fortune of the seemingly unhittable heroes. Six guys versus three hundred soldiers, and you just know who's going to win. Personally, my favorite was the ten second sequence where the black guy marches down a soldier-stuffed hall with a mega-cannon in one hand and literally blows guys to smithereens one shot at a time.
Fortunately, there is also no romantic interest here. That is good, because the good guys are all wrinkly.
For a moment, I thought it would be cool that Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago were now on the same team. But then it turns out they're not.
There is some genuine heart here - the principled girl who could've ended the movie in the first half hour if she'd have fled the island. But she chooses to stay - and the Expendables' quest to save her lives on.
If you caught a preview of it, you probably saw Arnold Schwarzenegger. You may have thought, "Should he be governing his state rather than taking on a movie role?" And apparently even Schwarzenegger agrees... his cameo lasts two minutes, tops. I took it to be a commercial for a future possible presidential bid. In fact, Sylvester Stallone remarks "He wants to be President." In fact, his commercials are probably longer than his on-screen time here.
Ditto Bruce Willis. He appears for about two and a half minutes. All of which was fine by me. Just don't come to the theater based on the ten-second preview clip where all three action heroes are in the same scene, expecting Arnold and Bruce to contribute much more.
Granted I was rebounding a bit from my last two movies, but this one struck the right chord. Dena liked it too, since we were both expecting a shoot-em-up movie.
Plot: A rogue American has risen to power on a tiny Gulf island. The locals are terrorized. Drug trafficking is the economy. A lone beautiful Latino woman stands her ground.
Enter the mercenary Expendables, a tattoo-ridden, swaggering, smirking half-dozen dudes who charge millions per mission and get the job done without fail. We laughed out loud several times, not because of the witty writing (though they tried to be comic) but due to the unbelievable, gotta-be-kidding-me good fortune of the seemingly unhittable heroes. Six guys versus three hundred soldiers, and you just know who's going to win. Personally, my favorite was the ten second sequence where the black guy marches down a soldier-stuffed hall with a mega-cannon in one hand and literally blows guys to smithereens one shot at a time.
Fortunately, there is also no romantic interest here. That is good, because the good guys are all wrinkly.
For a moment, I thought it would be cool that Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago were now on the same team. But then it turns out they're not.
There is some genuine heart here - the principled girl who could've ended the movie in the first half hour if she'd have fled the island. But she chooses to stay - and the Expendables' quest to save her lives on.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Punky QB's Great Game
Whether you like former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon or just like to see incredible finishes to college bowl games, pay a visit to BYU vs. SMU in the 1980 Holiday Bowl.
High/Low Week 33, 2010
As you may have been able to tell, my laptop's hard drive crashed this week. Therefore, I'm glad we didn't proceed with the original plan to disconnect the old desktop from the Internet!
In the game of respect and keeping one's mouth shut at the right times, I broke even as far as I know. On one hand, I recall at least twice when I made a less-than-supportive comment about a non-present co-worker, which of late has been vice #1. But later in the week, given two more opportunities to help fuel a similarly negative conversation, I kept tight.
Life's been rolling though. The weather's been summer fabulous. The boss and the direct reports have been doing well, even in the face of a sudden and time-sensitive project. In fact, there was a motivating sequence on Thursday when I got a message indicating that some of our employees were interested in doing some new projects, and later that day a perfect opportunity to pitch in on a department-wide five-alarm theoretical fire appeared.
Dena's in talks about a possible $5,000 graphic design job... thanks to connections through her involvement in Kiwanis. Such as her successful leadership of their annual Peanut Days fund raiser.
Three out of five fantasy baseball teams are in first place.
Read an entire book on Red Grange in one day.
Eight months ago today, I recorded strength levels on various exercises, as follows:
Standing squats - 135 lbs.
Shoulder press - 110 lbs.
Bicep curls - 90 lbs.
Chest press - 160 lbs.
Leg curls - 70 lbs.
Toe raises - 220 lbs. (20 reps)
This week:
Standing squats - 235 lbs.
Shoulder press - 120 lbs.
Bicep curls - 105 lbs.
Chest press - 170 lbs.
Leg curls - 100 lbs.
Toe raises - 290 lbs. (20 reps)
Good times!
In the game of respect and keeping one's mouth shut at the right times, I broke even as far as I know. On one hand, I recall at least twice when I made a less-than-supportive comment about a non-present co-worker, which of late has been vice #1. But later in the week, given two more opportunities to help fuel a similarly negative conversation, I kept tight.
Life's been rolling though. The weather's been summer fabulous. The boss and the direct reports have been doing well, even in the face of a sudden and time-sensitive project. In fact, there was a motivating sequence on Thursday when I got a message indicating that some of our employees were interested in doing some new projects, and later that day a perfect opportunity to pitch in on a department-wide five-alarm theoretical fire appeared.
Dena's in talks about a possible $5,000 graphic design job... thanks to connections through her involvement in Kiwanis. Such as her successful leadership of their annual Peanut Days fund raiser.
Three out of five fantasy baseball teams are in first place.
Read an entire book on Red Grange in one day.
Eight months ago today, I recorded strength levels on various exercises, as follows:
Standing squats - 135 lbs.
Shoulder press - 110 lbs.
Bicep curls - 90 lbs.
Chest press - 160 lbs.
Leg curls - 70 lbs.
Toe raises - 220 lbs. (20 reps)
This week:
Standing squats - 235 lbs.
Shoulder press - 120 lbs.
Bicep curls - 105 lbs.
Chest press - 170 lbs.
Leg curls - 100 lbs.
Toe raises - 290 lbs. (20 reps)
Good times!
"The French Are Still In Shock"
One of the most exciting Olympic events of my adulthood... the famous U.S. 2008 men's 4x100 Olympic relay.
The whole race is here. Watching the entire race, with the backdrop drama created by the French who predicted that they'd "smash" the Americans, builds the celebration to fever pitch.
Without his teammates, Michael Phelps merely ties the Olympic record of 7 gold medals in a single Games. Jason Lezak deserves recognition among the all-time greatest supporting roles.
The whole race is here. Watching the entire race, with the backdrop drama created by the French who predicted that they'd "smash" the Americans, builds the celebration to fever pitch.
Without his teammates, Michael Phelps merely ties the Olympic record of 7 gold medals in a single Games. Jason Lezak deserves recognition among the all-time greatest supporting roles.
"One Bottle A Year" Plan Draws Mixed Response
A recent commercial in support of the environment pointed out that each year Americans use 39 billion plastic bottles. That's enough to wrap around the earth 190 times, and creative visuals showed chains of used bottles lying in a strip of litter through oceans and neighborhoods.
All 300 million U.S. men, women and children would consume 130 bottles per year in order to do their part (a lot to ask of infants unable to support even the weight of their own head).
Meanwhile, a local resident is deep into a plan to reduce waste by making a single, 50-ounce plastic bottle last for an entire year.
The movement began innocently enough when he found the need for a super-dose of water during a Chicago studio recording session. Ambling next door to the discount supermarket with all the bars in the windows, he reached for the largest container he could find - a rainbow-labeled tower of a bottle that quenched the thirst and beyond.
Believing that 100 ounces per day was an ideal personal target, the inadvertent find became a valuable tool in weekend health maintenance once the silly label was removed.
Slender and nearly a foot tall, the bottle is hard to overlook.
"Even though I wouldn't describe myself as a fan of tap water, or water at all, they say that juices and sodas don't necessarily hydrate. So in the morning I try to fill it up so that when I get home from work it's instantly ready to go, washing down dinner and snacks."
Or in some cases, washing down the living room carpet, opponents of the environmental boon are quick to highlight.
"It wobbles too much," noted a local advocate. "The base is misshapen, probably from being exposed to more extreme heat and cold," she detailed accurately. Indeed, there have been multiple flooding incidents since the November launch. "It's tall enough that it's easy to bump over."
The environmental champion readily concedes that spill risk is at its highest when the bottle is rested on the floor, near the sofa or recliner within easy reach. Just slightly easier than, say, the coffee table that's ten inches away.
The man, now an expert in floor mopping, added "It is just water though. Stain-free, easy to clean."
Patrons in each camp marvel at the lack of mudslinging in this debate, as both sides have modeled civility in a political powder keg of an issue.
"At least it has a cap now," she adds, having supplied a replacement for the one he threw away in error.
"I suppose I ought to buy one with a wider base next time," he agreed.
Elsewhere, a group of high school students pledged to consume an additional 129 fun-sized bottles of Gatorade to fill the waste gap.
All 300 million U.S. men, women and children would consume 130 bottles per year in order to do their part (a lot to ask of infants unable to support even the weight of their own head).
Meanwhile, a local resident is deep into a plan to reduce waste by making a single, 50-ounce plastic bottle last for an entire year.
The movement began innocently enough when he found the need for a super-dose of water during a Chicago studio recording session. Ambling next door to the discount supermarket with all the bars in the windows, he reached for the largest container he could find - a rainbow-labeled tower of a bottle that quenched the thirst and beyond.
Believing that 100 ounces per day was an ideal personal target, the inadvertent find became a valuable tool in weekend health maintenance once the silly label was removed.
Slender and nearly a foot tall, the bottle is hard to overlook.
"Even though I wouldn't describe myself as a fan of tap water, or water at all, they say that juices and sodas don't necessarily hydrate. So in the morning I try to fill it up so that when I get home from work it's instantly ready to go, washing down dinner and snacks."
Or in some cases, washing down the living room carpet, opponents of the environmental boon are quick to highlight.
"It wobbles too much," noted a local advocate. "The base is misshapen, probably from being exposed to more extreme heat and cold," she detailed accurately. Indeed, there have been multiple flooding incidents since the November launch. "It's tall enough that it's easy to bump over."
The environmental champion readily concedes that spill risk is at its highest when the bottle is rested on the floor, near the sofa or recliner within easy reach. Just slightly easier than, say, the coffee table that's ten inches away.
The man, now an expert in floor mopping, added "It is just water though. Stain-free, easy to clean."
Patrons in each camp marvel at the lack of mudslinging in this debate, as both sides have modeled civility in a political powder keg of an issue.
"At least it has a cap now," she adds, having supplied a replacement for the one he threw away in error.
"I suppose I ought to buy one with a wider base next time," he agreed.
Elsewhere, a group of high school students pledged to consume an additional 129 fun-sized bottles of Gatorade to fill the waste gap.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Routine Machine
The summer Saturday morning routine was in full swing today.
7:00 Wake up (usually without an alarm, since the body's looking forward to getting up).
Guzzle twenty swallows of water, to get hydration going for basketball (more drinking later). I used to play for hours without a water break, but nowadays my legs feel like jelly unless properly fueled.
Wash face. So that fingers are clean in order to...
Put in contact lenses. And also so that the skin is dry for a good...
Shave.
Brush teeth, because morning breath has no place around others at the...
7:30 Elliptical machine at health club. 30 minutes minimum so legs loosen up for...
8:00 Basketball. For 1.5 to 2 hours. Un-air-conditioned sweatfest. I rarely take practice shots, yet recently they've been falling with astonishing accuracy.
10:00 5-10 minute cool down on the treadmill. Slip out of shoes and socks and into slides. Shirt comes off when I get to the car. Ahhh...
10:15 Clothes banished to the downstairs hamper.
Upstairs to the bathroom scale. Yep, lost about 4 pounds and around 1% body fat (an outright lie, I need a new scale).
Remove contact lenses. These are aggravating in dried-out eyes.
Downstairs to the kitchen. Fill 50 oz. water bottle and start taking a few gulps every few minutes for the next several hours. Otherwise a wicked headache sets in by 2:00 or so. I'll fill up the bottle at least one more time before the day is done.
Pop on "Baseball Tonight" episode on DVR to catch last night's highlights (and get some inside scoop for fantasy leagues). Meanwhile, go through series of stretches for calves, hamstrings, knees and back. I CANNOT overemphasize how beneficial this has been for my sports career. Back and knee pain had me about ready to retire a few years ago. Now I'm a regular early-round selection when teams are picked, and I'm able to work out my legs six days a week.
Special treat: Alternate ice and heat on a jammed pinky finger for a half hour to get the swelling down. Worked like a charm.
11:00 Poolside with a good book (in this case, about famous footballer Red Grange). A half hour on each side, perfect, no burn, all tan. Fresh air, neighborly conversation. Quick refreshing dip.
12:00 Get protein-rich lunch cooking, duck upstairs to clean up.
After a tasty meal, the afternoon is free for whatever purpose. More reading, T.V. watching, fantasy baseball, condo board work, blogging, guitar playing, laundry... Today it was a mix of each, sitting in the recliner to let legs rest with the LLWS on the tube and book in hand. That is, until it was time to give Hidden Bloggers a shout!
7:00 Wake up (usually without an alarm, since the body's looking forward to getting up).
Guzzle twenty swallows of water, to get hydration going for basketball (more drinking later). I used to play for hours without a water break, but nowadays my legs feel like jelly unless properly fueled.
Wash face. So that fingers are clean in order to...
Put in contact lenses. And also so that the skin is dry for a good...
Shave.
Brush teeth, because morning breath has no place around others at the...
7:30 Elliptical machine at health club. 30 minutes minimum so legs loosen up for...
8:00 Basketball. For 1.5 to 2 hours. Un-air-conditioned sweatfest. I rarely take practice shots, yet recently they've been falling with astonishing accuracy.
10:00 5-10 minute cool down on the treadmill. Slip out of shoes and socks and into slides. Shirt comes off when I get to the car. Ahhh...
10:15 Clothes banished to the downstairs hamper.
Upstairs to the bathroom scale. Yep, lost about 4 pounds and around 1% body fat (an outright lie, I need a new scale).
Remove contact lenses. These are aggravating in dried-out eyes.
Downstairs to the kitchen. Fill 50 oz. water bottle and start taking a few gulps every few minutes for the next several hours. Otherwise a wicked headache sets in by 2:00 or so. I'll fill up the bottle at least one more time before the day is done.
Pop on "Baseball Tonight" episode on DVR to catch last night's highlights (and get some inside scoop for fantasy leagues). Meanwhile, go through series of stretches for calves, hamstrings, knees and back. I CANNOT overemphasize how beneficial this has been for my sports career. Back and knee pain had me about ready to retire a few years ago. Now I'm a regular early-round selection when teams are picked, and I'm able to work out my legs six days a week.
Special treat: Alternate ice and heat on a jammed pinky finger for a half hour to get the swelling down. Worked like a charm.
11:00 Poolside with a good book (in this case, about famous footballer Red Grange). A half hour on each side, perfect, no burn, all tan. Fresh air, neighborly conversation. Quick refreshing dip.
12:00 Get protein-rich lunch cooking, duck upstairs to clean up.
After a tasty meal, the afternoon is free for whatever purpose. More reading, T.V. watching, fantasy baseball, condo board work, blogging, guitar playing, laundry... Today it was a mix of each, sitting in the recliner to let legs rest with the LLWS on the tube and book in hand. That is, until it was time to give Hidden Bloggers a shout!
Little League World Series
I tell you, the LLWS got it right.
Sports isn't all about business. The Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA collects top teams from around the globe in a multi-day tournament which crowns the world champion. The games are regularly broadcast on ESPN, and today for the first time I DVR'd a game so that I could watch it later. There are several aspects that grab me:
- The field has a minor-league quality to it in the best sense, with professional appearance yet intimate seating. Beyond the outfield wall it's all grassy hill and blankets.
- The enthusiasm is unmatched. Teams are described by their state, e.g. Ohio versus New Jersey. So there's regional loyalty... but that's nothing compared to the fact that surely a large portion of the gallery consists of the players' families. Speaking of which...
- ESPN seemingly knows where every player's relatives are sitting, because whenever a big play is made there's a shot of exuberant parents, grandparents and/or siblings of that particular player.
- Not only do you get to know the players' families, but you get to know the players. There are baseball stats, sure, but you gotta love it when their favorite major league player, movie or food is shown while they're at bat. Admit it, you'd love to see Albert Pujols batting for the Cardinals while "Favorite Food: Tacos" displays at the bottom of the screen or "Favorite Movie: Schindler's List." Though it could get dicey if it said "Favorite Major League Player: Derek Jeter"
- Though it doesn't have to be this way, the coaches and umpires seem to be enthusiastic, cool customers who behave like father figures. Except for a few episodes of adolescent whining, there's no dirt kicking, ejections, bickering. And arguments are reduced because...
- LLWS uses instant replay, for more than just home run calls. Close play at home? Coach can request a review. There are certain limitations, but in this respect LLWS is miles ahead of its professional counterpart. There's probably little objection to the extra time invested in these double-checks, because...
- The game is fast. Six innings. No pitchers mulling about the mound. No hitters unstrapping and restrapping their batting gloves after every pitch.
- These are kids, and they're cared for like kids. There are pitch count limits so as not to endanger young arms. Players can sub in and out with some freedom. And as amateurs, there wild swings in score, life-changing moments of victory, heartbreaking errors.
Bottom line: It feels like a game, an exciting and unpredictable game with "world supremacy" in the offing and down-home unspoiled goodness in its values.
Gotta go see if New Jersey's making a late-inning comeback...
Sports isn't all about business. The Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA collects top teams from around the globe in a multi-day tournament which crowns the world champion. The games are regularly broadcast on ESPN, and today for the first time I DVR'd a game so that I could watch it later. There are several aspects that grab me:
- The field has a minor-league quality to it in the best sense, with professional appearance yet intimate seating. Beyond the outfield wall it's all grassy hill and blankets.
- The enthusiasm is unmatched. Teams are described by their state, e.g. Ohio versus New Jersey. So there's regional loyalty... but that's nothing compared to the fact that surely a large portion of the gallery consists of the players' families. Speaking of which...
- ESPN seemingly knows where every player's relatives are sitting, because whenever a big play is made there's a shot of exuberant parents, grandparents and/or siblings of that particular player.
- Not only do you get to know the players' families, but you get to know the players. There are baseball stats, sure, but you gotta love it when their favorite major league player, movie or food is shown while they're at bat. Admit it, you'd love to see Albert Pujols batting for the Cardinals while "Favorite Food: Tacos" displays at the bottom of the screen or "Favorite Movie: Schindler's List." Though it could get dicey if it said "Favorite Major League Player: Derek Jeter"
- Though it doesn't have to be this way, the coaches and umpires seem to be enthusiastic, cool customers who behave like father figures. Except for a few episodes of adolescent whining, there's no dirt kicking, ejections, bickering. And arguments are reduced because...
- LLWS uses instant replay, for more than just home run calls. Close play at home? Coach can request a review. There are certain limitations, but in this respect LLWS is miles ahead of its professional counterpart. There's probably little objection to the extra time invested in these double-checks, because...
- The game is fast. Six innings. No pitchers mulling about the mound. No hitters unstrapping and restrapping their batting gloves after every pitch.
- These are kids, and they're cared for like kids. There are pitch count limits so as not to endanger young arms. Players can sub in and out with some freedom. And as amateurs, there wild swings in score, life-changing moments of victory, heartbreaking errors.
Bottom line: It feels like a game, an exciting and unpredictable game with "world supremacy" in the offing and down-home unspoiled goodness in its values.
Gotta go see if New Jersey's making a late-inning comeback...
Bulls High
This is one of my favorite Chicago Bulls' sequences ever. If Charles Smith of the New York Knicks can get the ball in the basket from 1 foot away...
The Knicks go up 3-2 in the playoff series.
Do the Bulls go on to lose the series?
After Michael Jordan retires that summer, does he come back?
That probably overstates the drama of it. But this much is clear: Charles Smith was denied FOUR times from close range, with the entire stadium screaming in support for him to put it in.
Horace Grant blocks the shot, Smith recovers.
Jordan strips the ball loose, Smith recovers.
Pippen blocks the shot, Smith recovers.
Pippen blocks the shot, Bulls recover.
Jordan's legacy was not a one-man show!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRFKhpMKX0E&feature=related
The Knicks go up 3-2 in the playoff series.
Do the Bulls go on to lose the series?
After Michael Jordan retires that summer, does he come back?
That probably overstates the drama of it. But this much is clear: Charles Smith was denied FOUR times from close range, with the entire stadium screaming in support for him to put it in.
Horace Grant blocks the shot, Smith recovers.
Jordan strips the ball loose, Smith recovers.
Pippen blocks the shot, Smith recovers.
Pippen blocks the shot, Bulls recover.
Jordan's legacy was not a one-man show!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRFKhpMKX0E&feature=related
You Raise Me Up
Hard to find a more resounding voice than Josh Groban...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VqRlO3wa1A&feature=search
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VqRlO3wa1A&feature=search
Heart Times
Dena's brother Darren is undergoing surgery to fix the electrical pathways to his heart on Monday. Good luck big guy! We're counting on having you back full strength. And that is a LOT of strength!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Study Links Athletic Performance With Elongated Spelling
Researchers at the Institute for Typically Disassociated Things revealed a study connecting physical skill and unexplainably long misspelled words.
"The findings were accidental in nature," said Dr. Lena Brownberry, ITDT project coordinator. "We were exploring the correlation between athleticism and interpersonal communication and found something completely different."
The study sample was drawn from current and former volleyball players living in central Illinois. Familiar sociological communication themes such as nurtureship, passion/aggression diads, or sympathetics were anticipated. However, the most persistent pattern to emerge was that of letter-repetition.
"u said u would txt me about it the other day..andddddd i never got a txt IDIOTT," shared an up-and-coming Eureka high school setter.
"lol i knoww! crrrap! i forgottt! im sorrry," countered a powerful hitter from Roanoke.
The phenomenon appeared to be intergenerational, though with a smaller sample size.
"Enjoying summer, but going way to fastttt! UGHH!" pronounced a parent and former Southwest Texas State standout.
Experts speculate that the extraordinarily long words may be attributable to enhanced physical stamina, above-average energy levels, or repeated spikes to the head.
To cross-validate the findings, ITDT announced a companion study which will review the Facebook accounts of math club members for evidence of incomplete word fragments.
"The findings were accidental in nature," said Dr. Lena Brownberry, ITDT project coordinator. "We were exploring the correlation between athleticism and interpersonal communication and found something completely different."
The study sample was drawn from current and former volleyball players living in central Illinois. Familiar sociological communication themes such as nurtureship, passion/aggression diads, or sympathetics were anticipated. However, the most persistent pattern to emerge was that of letter-repetition.
"u said u would txt me about it the other day..andddddd i never got a txt IDIOTT," shared an up-and-coming Eureka high school setter.
"lol i knoww! crrrap! i forgottt! im sorrry," countered a powerful hitter from Roanoke.
The phenomenon appeared to be intergenerational, though with a smaller sample size.
"Enjoying summer, but going way to fastttt! UGHH!" pronounced a parent and former Southwest Texas State standout.
Experts speculate that the extraordinarily long words may be attributable to enhanced physical stamina, above-average energy levels, or repeated spikes to the head.
To cross-validate the findings, ITDT announced a companion study which will review the Facebook accounts of math club members for evidence of incomplete word fragments.
Man Apparently Enlists For Marines
On Thursday afternoon an insurance employee was mistaken for a U.S. Marine officer when he emerged from a salon with a garish haircut.
The inadvertent makeover resulted from a miscommunication with a new stylist who interpreted the instruction of "clippers around the side, blend in at the top" to be "clippers all around." When the boisterous woman sheared the razor up from his neck and unprecedentedly close to the crown of his head, he reflexively threw an arm up in the air to deflect the maneuver. The follicular assault was halted, and desperate countermeasures were employed by the stylist to reinforce the damaged front line.
The man's covert "Operation Unseen Skulk To The Car" encountered resistance by a passing troop of Boy Scouts who, at the impromptu request of their misjudging scoutmaster, gave the non-marine a hearty sidewalk cheer of thanks for his non-existent service and swarmed about. When pressed for inspirational remarks, the polo-shirt clad declared "I regret that I have but one life to misgive for my country."
The inadvertent makeover resulted from a miscommunication with a new stylist who interpreted the instruction of "clippers around the side, blend in at the top" to be "clippers all around." When the boisterous woman sheared the razor up from his neck and unprecedentedly close to the crown of his head, he reflexively threw an arm up in the air to deflect the maneuver. The follicular assault was halted, and desperate countermeasures were employed by the stylist to reinforce the damaged front line.
The man's covert "Operation Unseen Skulk To The Car" encountered resistance by a passing troop of Boy Scouts who, at the impromptu request of their misjudging scoutmaster, gave the non-marine a hearty sidewalk cheer of thanks for his non-existent service and swarmed about. When pressed for inspirational remarks, the polo-shirt clad declared "I regret that I have but one life to misgive for my country."
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
A Picture Of Dedication
While I was at the gym today, I saw a man getting off the leg press machine.
He looked 75 years old.
He painfully shuffle-stepped away from the machine, a good ten feet to pick up a spray bottle and towel.
Shuffled back to the machine, and dutifully wiped it off even though he wasn't sweating. No one was nearby waiting to use it. Back again, to return the cleaning supplies.
Took his cane, and headed to the next machine.
The gym is two flights of stairs underground.
I am NOT going to miss a workout anytime soon!
He looked 75 years old.
He painfully shuffle-stepped away from the machine, a good ten feet to pick up a spray bottle and towel.
Shuffled back to the machine, and dutifully wiped it off even though he wasn't sweating. No one was nearby waiting to use it. Back again, to return the cleaning supplies.
Took his cane, and headed to the next machine.
The gym is two flights of stairs underground.
I am NOT going to miss a workout anytime soon!
What's The Word?
In her book Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert talked about cities and people having a single word that describes them. It might be Adapt. Or Love. Food. Sex (Rome, in case you were wondering). Gilbert settles on the Italian word "Antevasin," meaning "one who lives at the border."
Any nominations? I'll self-reflect a while.
Any nominations? I'll self-reflect a while.
Man Completely At Peace About Broken Computer
A Normal man was reportedly upbeat about the justice involved with his crashed computer.
The Macintosh laptop was bought with much fanfare this Spring. A veritable and nearly unanimous avalanche of information from T.V., family and co-workers had touted Macs as superior to PC's.
"My old PC was constantly under attack by viruses," the man said, "so paying for various firewalls and defensive software was as sure as a Sunday offering. The computing speed would slowly sag month by month. About every three years or so, the computer would break and I'd need to buy a new one. And purchase another round of protection. It was time for a change."
The online store PowerMax provided a host of used Macintosh computers, and paradise began. Sentimental blog posts flooded the Internet as the wireless marvel allowed him to scribe oceanside. Critical Excel and Word business files were transferred onto the laptop which became a mobile desktop.
"On Tuesday evening I was working up some documents to send to our condominium association's attorney pronto, as part of an important and time-sensitive financial matter. Suddenly my cursor turned into a spinning rainbow wheel. 'What a fanciful creation we have here!' I thought. Even after several minutes, and despite the fact that the only way to snap out of it is to power the whole thing down, I was fascinated by that wheel. I felt like a kid with a big, free lollipop all to myself! Behind some impenetrable glass, but still..."
After rebooting the computer and losing the work, it flashed signs of life.
"First a flicker of light, than total endless silent blackness. If I were with God just before he made the sun it couldn't have been any more peaceful. I felt so unworthy of that precious moment, I just had to reboot again. This time it made a musical sound like an angel, and then an endless empty blue display. Maybe it was a window into heaven!"
The emotional power of the moment launched a celebration of rebooting, unplugging and re-plugging devices in all manner of combinations, and vigorous shaking and flipping of the machine.
"I let it sit quietly for an hour, and when I returned, it was the very same. As if it were waiting patiently just for me, a puppy on my front porch."
While others analogized a defiant smirking teenager holding the freezer door wide open, he quashed it with unbridled zest for the future. PowerMax backs all purchases with a 90 day warranty. The purchase was 104 days ago.
"I'm just thankful that there's a warranty at all," he said affably. "When you buy a nearly new product, why in the world would you expect it to work at all? It's sad in a way that people are so demanding with companies trying their very best. Even if it were an expensive product it'd be hard to understand. But when you're talking about $700, it's plain silly. I even thought about typing a letter and enclosing a bonus check since it lasted three whole months. But," he added, "I don't have a computer."
Upon researching the problem, he learned that this particular model has a history of problems with hard drives, so much so that a recall offer was in play. At least, it had been until three days before his hard drive shut down.
"Faith moves mountains," he said while heading out to a computer cafe. "Sometimes, right into your path. The path where everyone told you to go because it was mountain-free. It may be a little harder to see the 'No Mountains Here, Seriously!' billboards now, being pinned under the mountains and all, but you know which way mountains point? Up. And that's where my spirits are."
The Macintosh laptop was bought with much fanfare this Spring. A veritable and nearly unanimous avalanche of information from T.V., family and co-workers had touted Macs as superior to PC's.
"My old PC was constantly under attack by viruses," the man said, "so paying for various firewalls and defensive software was as sure as a Sunday offering. The computing speed would slowly sag month by month. About every three years or so, the computer would break and I'd need to buy a new one. And purchase another round of protection. It was time for a change."
The online store PowerMax provided a host of used Macintosh computers, and paradise began. Sentimental blog posts flooded the Internet as the wireless marvel allowed him to scribe oceanside. Critical Excel and Word business files were transferred onto the laptop which became a mobile desktop.
"On Tuesday evening I was working up some documents to send to our condominium association's attorney pronto, as part of an important and time-sensitive financial matter. Suddenly my cursor turned into a spinning rainbow wheel. 'What a fanciful creation we have here!' I thought. Even after several minutes, and despite the fact that the only way to snap out of it is to power the whole thing down, I was fascinated by that wheel. I felt like a kid with a big, free lollipop all to myself! Behind some impenetrable glass, but still..."
After rebooting the computer and losing the work, it flashed signs of life.
"First a flicker of light, than total endless silent blackness. If I were with God just before he made the sun it couldn't have been any more peaceful. I felt so unworthy of that precious moment, I just had to reboot again. This time it made a musical sound like an angel, and then an endless empty blue display. Maybe it was a window into heaven!"
The emotional power of the moment launched a celebration of rebooting, unplugging and re-plugging devices in all manner of combinations, and vigorous shaking and flipping of the machine.
"I let it sit quietly for an hour, and when I returned, it was the very same. As if it were waiting patiently just for me, a puppy on my front porch."
While others analogized a defiant smirking teenager holding the freezer door wide open, he quashed it with unbridled zest for the future. PowerMax backs all purchases with a 90 day warranty. The purchase was 104 days ago.
"I'm just thankful that there's a warranty at all," he said affably. "When you buy a nearly new product, why in the world would you expect it to work at all? It's sad in a way that people are so demanding with companies trying their very best. Even if it were an expensive product it'd be hard to understand. But when you're talking about $700, it's plain silly. I even thought about typing a letter and enclosing a bonus check since it lasted three whole months. But," he added, "I don't have a computer."
Upon researching the problem, he learned that this particular model has a history of problems with hard drives, so much so that a recall offer was in play. At least, it had been until three days before his hard drive shut down.
"Faith moves mountains," he said while heading out to a computer cafe. "Sometimes, right into your path. The path where everyone told you to go because it was mountain-free. It may be a little harder to see the 'No Mountains Here, Seriously!' billboards now, being pinned under the mountains and all, but you know which way mountains point? Up. And that's where my spirits are."
The Blind Boy
Mom forwarded this one along!
A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.
A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.
Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy.
That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"
The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." I wrote:
"Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it."
Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?
Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1,000 reasons to smile.
Face your past without regret.
Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.
The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling…
And even more beautiful, is knowing that you are the reason behind it!!!
If you appreciate this message, please share. You may touch someone's heart today and forever.
A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.
A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.
Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy.
That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"
The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." I wrote:
"Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it."
Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?
Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1,000 reasons to smile.
Face your past without regret.
Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.
The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling…
And even more beautiful, is knowing that you are the reason behind it!!!
If you appreciate this message, please share. You may touch someone's heart today and forever.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
To-Do List
This is a list of things that need repair around the condominium complex:
Railings - Paint and in some cases replace them.
Parking blocks - Remove them?
Perimeter fence - Paint, replace a few
Perimeter sheds - Paint
Cabling - that which leads into the complex is old, gives spotty internet service
For Sale sign - generic one indicating unit for sale, with flyers available within
Pool fence - Repaint
Pool locks - Replace
Sidewalk cracks - Patch/replace
Graffiti - Remove/cover
Life Preserver - Replace
Lounge chairs - Replace
Pool shed - Repaint/replace door
Driveway - Repave
Carports - Replace
Pool signs - Replace
Water fountain - Adjust pressure
Siding - Power wash
Door/window screens - Replace
Gutters by roof, courtyard side between 25 & 26 - Repair
Flood light by roof, by 23 - Replace
Railings - Paint and in some cases replace them.
Parking blocks - Remove them?
Perimeter fence - Paint, replace a few
Perimeter sheds - Paint
Cabling - that which leads into the complex is old, gives spotty internet service
For Sale sign - generic one indicating unit for sale, with flyers available within
Pool fence - Repaint
Pool locks - Replace
Sidewalk cracks - Patch/replace
Graffiti - Remove/cover
Life Preserver - Replace
Lounge chairs - Replace
Pool shed - Repaint/replace door
Driveway - Repave
Carports - Replace
Pool signs - Replace
Water fountain - Adjust pressure
Siding - Power wash
Door/window screens - Replace
Gutters by roof, courtyard side between 25 & 26 - Repair
Flood light by roof, by 23 - Replace
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Intentional Steps
I was invited to play Wiffle Ball in the court yard yesterday. Wiffle Ballers know of the legendary dips and dives that the little sphere takes en route to the plate, making contact a mighty task. My first several at bats registered a weak pop-up, easy grounder and meek strikeout. Standing in the field on defense, I found myself counting down the outs until I could move on to something else. There were simply too many left to just waste in defeat.
The next time up, I made adjustments. Opened my stance a smidge. Gripped the bat more tightly.
Suddenly, the ball started smoking off the bat. By the end, when we were rallying from five runs down and within one during the last inning, the pitcher intentionally walked me with the tying run on third. It became the first time in any bat-related sport when the defense had decided that I was less dangerous on base than at the plate and issued a free pass.
But the point is the temporary nature of failure. How we respond makes the difference. I spent an hour on a blog post last week and then lost it all when the network crashed. I gave it a day off, then recreated it. It felt fine to let things cool down a while. We all lose, but none of us is a loser unless we decide to concede.
The next time up, I made adjustments. Opened my stance a smidge. Gripped the bat more tightly.
Suddenly, the ball started smoking off the bat. By the end, when we were rallying from five runs down and within one during the last inning, the pitcher intentionally walked me with the tying run on third. It became the first time in any bat-related sport when the defense had decided that I was less dangerous on base than at the plate and issued a free pass.
But the point is the temporary nature of failure. How we respond makes the difference. I spent an hour on a blog post last week and then lost it all when the network crashed. I gave it a day off, then recreated it. It felt fine to let things cool down a while. We all lose, but none of us is a loser unless we decide to concede.
Eat, Pray, Love: The Movie
Julia Roberts turns in a solid performance in the book-turned-movie. The role calls for a fair amount of voice-over reading, a flexible enough body to hold meditation poses, and the occasional burst of tears.
Roberts may not be a comic actress, but there was supporting cast in each of the three nations that her character visited to provide the color. Lucca Spaghetti in Italy. Richard from Texas in India. Ketut the medicine man, and his wife, in Indonesia.
Admittedly, as a guy who chooses entertainment for plot rather than art, this review is tainted by having already read the book (see post), so I'll refrain from recommending whether or not you should watch it. What was fun (besides the peerless company) was comparing book and movie.
As would be expected, the book probed more deeply into a couple of relationships. First was the one between Liz Gilbert, the main character, and Ketut's wife... which was healed by a special gift provided by Gilbert. Then there was the relationship between Gilbert and herself, which gradually rose from sickeningly depressed to utterly free. She still makes the ascension here, and with admirable coverage given the limits of the two-and-a-quarter hour time frame. Finally, the medicine woman in Bali proves herself less worthy of a monetary gift in the book than her flawless personality in the flick suggests.
And fortunately, despite some manufactured drama near the end which threatens her happiness, Liz finds her happily ever after.
Roberts may not be a comic actress, but there was supporting cast in each of the three nations that her character visited to provide the color. Lucca Spaghetti in Italy. Richard from Texas in India. Ketut the medicine man, and his wife, in Indonesia.
Admittedly, as a guy who chooses entertainment for plot rather than art, this review is tainted by having already read the book (see post), so I'll refrain from recommending whether or not you should watch it. What was fun (besides the peerless company) was comparing book and movie.
As would be expected, the book probed more deeply into a couple of relationships. First was the one between Liz Gilbert, the main character, and Ketut's wife... which was healed by a special gift provided by Gilbert. Then there was the relationship between Gilbert and herself, which gradually rose from sickeningly depressed to utterly free. She still makes the ascension here, and with admirable coverage given the limits of the two-and-a-quarter hour time frame. Finally, the medicine woman in Bali proves herself less worthy of a monetary gift in the book than her flawless personality in the flick suggests.
And fortunately, despite some manufactured drama near the end which threatens her happiness, Liz finds her happily ever after.
Shaking Hands, Kissing Maybes
It is an important choice of one's personal choices to widen the circle of one's acquaintances whenever one can." - Eleanor Roosevelt
Leadership McLean County was a fantastic way to get to know more than thirty new ambitious, outgoing acquaintances each year. Some of those friendships led to other opportunities. Whether in career or personal life, I believe that meeting people is important.
I made a quick list one day in the chase of my "10 new acquaintances" for 2010 goal:
- New freshman coach of NCHS boys basketball
- Volunteer coordinator for an assisted living facility in town
- Coordinator of Heartland Community College math department
- Members of local rock band
Yes? No? Thoughts keep coming. Already made at least four.
Leadership McLean County was a fantastic way to get to know more than thirty new ambitious, outgoing acquaintances each year. Some of those friendships led to other opportunities. Whether in career or personal life, I believe that meeting people is important.
I made a quick list one day in the chase of my "10 new acquaintances" for 2010 goal:
- New freshman coach of NCHS boys basketball
- Volunteer coordinator for an assisted living facility in town
- Coordinator of Heartland Community College math department
- Members of local rock band
Yes? No? Thoughts keep coming. Already made at least four.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Taking A Bath On Your Pool
From Yahoo! Finance:
You're probably getting a lot of use out of it this sweltering summer. But how much is it really costing you?
If you don't have one you may be wondering -- are they worth the expense or is a pool just a money pit with floating chairs?
"It's definitely not an investment," argues Jim Holtzman, financial planner at Legend Financial Advisors in Pittsburgh. "It's a big liability, if anything."
Elaine Scoggins, a financial adviser with Merriman investment advisers in Seattle, agrees and thinks people tend to underestimate the long-term costs. "They think about a house as a potential money pit, but they may not think about the pool," she says. "I'm not saying don't own a pool, but go into it with your eyes open."
Let's do the math.
First, there's the initial cost. Although this will vary depending on where you live and how big a pool you want, you should probably budget maybe $25,000 to $50,000 for an in-ground pool, say financial advisers.
The "extras" mount up, from the concrete skirt around the pool to the lockable fence. In some states the fence is a legal requirement. Even where it isn't, it makes good sense. (Every year we hear of tragedies involving small children.) There may be landscaping and other work as well.
Even if you maintain the pool yourself and buy your supplies from a discount supply company like Leisure Living's poolsupplies.com, it's going to cost you. Sales director Sean Corrigan says chemicals may run to $500 a year. Dave Cook, group vice-president at Supplies Company Pool Corp. in Covington, La., says it's typically "a range from $500 to $800," but if you live in a northern state and need to open and close the pool at the start and end of each summer, both men said, that may cost you at least another $500.
Then there's the cost of your time and all the hassle of dealing with the pool.
When I was growing up, several of our family friends had swimming pools in their backyard. It always seemed incredibly glamorous. I could never understand why my father refused to get one.
But then I noticed that our friends' pools were almost never in use. "We gotta replace the filters," they'd say, with a shrug. Or: "The pump's broken." I think I saw them spend more time raking leaves out of the water than swimming in it. When we wanted to swim, we'd go to the lake.
Many people save on effort by hiring a pool service company. But then the costs go -- far -- north.
The electric bill for the pumps, heater and so on may cost $100 a month. You may spend thousands of dollars every so often replacing things like the liner and the covers or repairing cracks or leaks.
And you need to check that your household liability insurance covers the additional risks. If neighborhood kids break in when you're away for the weekend and have an accident, you're in trouble.
All in? The financial advisers I spoke to all said that, through long experience, they had learned that pools ended up costing a lot more year to year than you usually expect. Susan Elser, a certified financial planner in Indianapolis ("and a former pool owner," she adds), suggests the ongoing costs can easily run to $3,000 a year, or about 10% of the initial cost. If you hire a pool service company, she says, make that 15%. Jim Miller at Woodward Financial Advisers in Chapel Hill, N.C., says the annual costs can run as high as $5,000 a year.
You may figure that you'll make a lot of this back when you come to sell your home. Advisers doubt it. "I question whether it adds anything to the [sale price]," says Ed Rose, a financial planner at Bayside Wealth Management in Pensacola, Fla. "It may contribute something, but you'll never get your money out of it on the resale." One of his clients recently bought a home with a pool and paid extra to have it filled in. "Many people don't want to buy a house with a pool because they don't want the responsibility," says Jim Miller at Woodward.
Sure, that's going to vary. If you live in the south or southwest, or you are selling a luxury home, some of your potential purchasers may expect a pool. Overall, you should be wary about relying on making some money back on the pool when you sell the home.
Bottom line? If your pool costs $30,000 to install, say $3,000 a year in total running, maintenance and repairs, and you don't get much back when you sell it, how much has it really cost you? Remember you could have invested that $30,000 and earned a return on the money. If you borrowed it, you have to pay interest.
Even if the rate of return is only 5%, that $30,000 pool would actually cost about $4,500 a year in total.
Is it worth it? A pool can be great fun in summer, and maybe it's worth the cost -- if you use it a lot. Up here in the northeast, for example, the summers really aren't reliable enough. Few are like this year. I'm amazed at how many people have an in-ground pool anyway. They could probably make better use of that money. As several advisers pointed out, it may cost a lot less to join a local club with a pool.
In many cases, people get a pool when they have small children, figuring the children will use it. It may not be the right move. "A lot of my neighbors built the pool for the kids," says Elaine Scoggins. "But the kids end up wanting to go to the community pool, because there are more kids there."
You're probably getting a lot of use out of it this sweltering summer. But how much is it really costing you?
If you don't have one you may be wondering -- are they worth the expense or is a pool just a money pit with floating chairs?
"It's definitely not an investment," argues Jim Holtzman, financial planner at Legend Financial Advisors in Pittsburgh. "It's a big liability, if anything."
Elaine Scoggins, a financial adviser with Merriman investment advisers in Seattle, agrees and thinks people tend to underestimate the long-term costs. "They think about a house as a potential money pit, but they may not think about the pool," she says. "I'm not saying don't own a pool, but go into it with your eyes open."
Let's do the math.
First, there's the initial cost. Although this will vary depending on where you live and how big a pool you want, you should probably budget maybe $25,000 to $50,000 for an in-ground pool, say financial advisers.
The "extras" mount up, from the concrete skirt around the pool to the lockable fence. In some states the fence is a legal requirement. Even where it isn't, it makes good sense. (Every year we hear of tragedies involving small children.) There may be landscaping and other work as well.
Even if you maintain the pool yourself and buy your supplies from a discount supply company like Leisure Living's poolsupplies.com, it's going to cost you. Sales director Sean Corrigan says chemicals may run to $500 a year. Dave Cook, group vice-president at Supplies Company Pool Corp. in Covington, La., says it's typically "a range from $500 to $800," but if you live in a northern state and need to open and close the pool at the start and end of each summer, both men said, that may cost you at least another $500.
Then there's the cost of your time and all the hassle of dealing with the pool.
When I was growing up, several of our family friends had swimming pools in their backyard. It always seemed incredibly glamorous. I could never understand why my father refused to get one.
But then I noticed that our friends' pools were almost never in use. "We gotta replace the filters," they'd say, with a shrug. Or: "The pump's broken." I think I saw them spend more time raking leaves out of the water than swimming in it. When we wanted to swim, we'd go to the lake.
Many people save on effort by hiring a pool service company. But then the costs go -- far -- north.
The electric bill for the pumps, heater and so on may cost $100 a month. You may spend thousands of dollars every so often replacing things like the liner and the covers or repairing cracks or leaks.
And you need to check that your household liability insurance covers the additional risks. If neighborhood kids break in when you're away for the weekend and have an accident, you're in trouble.
All in? The financial advisers I spoke to all said that, through long experience, they had learned that pools ended up costing a lot more year to year than you usually expect. Susan Elser, a certified financial planner in Indianapolis ("and a former pool owner," she adds), suggests the ongoing costs can easily run to $3,000 a year, or about 10% of the initial cost. If you hire a pool service company, she says, make that 15%. Jim Miller at Woodward Financial Advisers in Chapel Hill, N.C., says the annual costs can run as high as $5,000 a year.
You may figure that you'll make a lot of this back when you come to sell your home. Advisers doubt it. "I question whether it adds anything to the [sale price]," says Ed Rose, a financial planner at Bayside Wealth Management in Pensacola, Fla. "It may contribute something, but you'll never get your money out of it on the resale." One of his clients recently bought a home with a pool and paid extra to have it filled in. "Many people don't want to buy a house with a pool because they don't want the responsibility," says Jim Miller at Woodward.
Sure, that's going to vary. If you live in the south or southwest, or you are selling a luxury home, some of your potential purchasers may expect a pool. Overall, you should be wary about relying on making some money back on the pool when you sell the home.
Bottom line? If your pool costs $30,000 to install, say $3,000 a year in total running, maintenance and repairs, and you don't get much back when you sell it, how much has it really cost you? Remember you could have invested that $30,000 and earned a return on the money. If you borrowed it, you have to pay interest.
Even if the rate of return is only 5%, that $30,000 pool would actually cost about $4,500 a year in total.
Is it worth it? A pool can be great fun in summer, and maybe it's worth the cost -- if you use it a lot. Up here in the northeast, for example, the summers really aren't reliable enough. Few are like this year. I'm amazed at how many people have an in-ground pool anyway. They could probably make better use of that money. As several advisers pointed out, it may cost a lot less to join a local club with a pool.
In many cases, people get a pool when they have small children, figuring the children will use it. It may not be the right move. "A lot of my neighbors built the pool for the kids," says Elaine Scoggins. "But the kids end up wanting to go to the community pool, because there are more kids there."
High/Low Week 32, 2010
I missed my weight room workout on Friday afternoon. I let myself get too wrapped up in work and let it interfere with that small commitment to health. Then I stayed up later than usual and ate a bit more than I like. Big breakdowns begin with little cracks, but there was no worry here. Slept in a tad later, made the weights instead of hoops, but still got in an hour of basketball. Back on track.
After giving in to temptation of some backbiting last week, this one was improved. Actually caught myself just in time on a couple of occasions, letting a couple of softballs float by instead of swinging. Plate discipline feels good.
We had a tremendous time with Troy and Dona on Friday night, sharing my first experience watching a movie after having read the book. I think I enjoyed comparing the two with Dona as much as seeing the movie itself. Plus we were treated to a mini-guitar concert by Lane, who's got a head start on the skill of picking individual notes off the strings in a way I've never done. It's always fun to double date and catch up with the happenings at Premier Fabrication, Illinois Central College, Eureka school sports and other exciting happenings in Goodfield.
Dena gave herself the gift of a mental health day to celebrate her 40th. She gets better with age!
It was the latest in a string of productive weeks at work. I've never had five employees directly reporting to me before - and they've performed with energy and accuracy. I'm riding high with confidence in them.
After giving in to temptation of some backbiting last week, this one was improved. Actually caught myself just in time on a couple of occasions, letting a couple of softballs float by instead of swinging. Plate discipline feels good.
We had a tremendous time with Troy and Dona on Friday night, sharing my first experience watching a movie after having read the book. I think I enjoyed comparing the two with Dona as much as seeing the movie itself. Plus we were treated to a mini-guitar concert by Lane, who's got a head start on the skill of picking individual notes off the strings in a way I've never done. It's always fun to double date and catch up with the happenings at Premier Fabrication, Illinois Central College, Eureka school sports and other exciting happenings in Goodfield.
Dena gave herself the gift of a mental health day to celebrate her 40th. She gets better with age!
It was the latest in a string of productive weeks at work. I've never had five employees directly reporting to me before - and they've performed with energy and accuracy. I'm riding high with confidence in them.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The Rule Of 72
Are you familiar with this? It says that in order to determine how many years it takes for money to double at a certain interest rate, you divide the rate into the number 72.
Consider the number 4%. 72 divided by 4 is 18. So if you drop a dollar in the bank today, you'd have two bucks at the end of 18 years.
Now consider these pairs of statements. Within each pair, which one makes you gasp?
A. "By 2030, the high school will need to hold nearly twice as many students as it does today!"
B. "Population growth is about 4%."
A. "During his two decades in office, Bill Brady's salary has risen from $37,000 to $74,000, while clamoring for more fiscal responsibility!"
B. "Bill Brady's pay, about $12 an hour in 1990, has kept pace with inflation since then."
If you answered something other than "none of the above" (since A and B are equal), then drop by with your checkbook would you? I've got a can't-miss investment deal for you.
Consider the number 4%. 72 divided by 4 is 18. So if you drop a dollar in the bank today, you'd have two bucks at the end of 18 years.
Now consider these pairs of statements. Within each pair, which one makes you gasp?
A. "By 2030, the high school will need to hold nearly twice as many students as it does today!"
B. "Population growth is about 4%."
A. "During his two decades in office, Bill Brady's salary has risen from $37,000 to $74,000, while clamoring for more fiscal responsibility!"
B. "Bill Brady's pay, about $12 an hour in 1990, has kept pace with inflation since then."
If you answered something other than "none of the above" (since A and B are equal), then drop by with your checkbook would you? I've got a can't-miss investment deal for you.
Man Heroic Against Flash Flood
The quick actions of a local man spared disaster from an impending flash flood.
Early morning reports indicated normal precipitation levels. Citizens hydrated freely to quench typical overnight drying conditions. Customarily 32 ounces would be consumed in the course of the morning. Occasionally, as on this day, watering is complete by midmorning; only rarely would it contribute to a flooding risk.
However, alarms sounded with incredible timing, in the midst of 3 consecutively stacked meetings at town hall.
Scenes unfolded dramatically in the mayor's office, where a critical employee performance review was underway. Tensions ran high as the mayor struggled to finish the task with poise in the face of growing pressure. While maintaining a mostly steady hand as contracts were signed, he was seen to shift uncomfortably in his seat. Nearly imperceptible rocking motions evolved into an unconvincingly standing hunched position. Friendly banter disintegrated into curt, dismissive fragments with strong overtones of conclusion.
News that flood waters were cresting the banks caused the endangered to sprint for safety, with panicked thoughts of inestimable damage to the town's property and reputation.
Just when all seemed lost, a man familiar with the plumbing system dashed into the control room, opened the door, and activated a release valve. Few in the area could fully appreciate the gruesome fate they narrowly avoided, as the flood waters rapidly receded.
Looking both ecstatic and drained, the mayor praised the heroic effort and imposed a temporary ban on water usage "until conditions become clearly more favorable."
Early morning reports indicated normal precipitation levels. Citizens hydrated freely to quench typical overnight drying conditions. Customarily 32 ounces would be consumed in the course of the morning. Occasionally, as on this day, watering is complete by midmorning; only rarely would it contribute to a flooding risk.
However, alarms sounded with incredible timing, in the midst of 3 consecutively stacked meetings at town hall.
Scenes unfolded dramatically in the mayor's office, where a critical employee performance review was underway. Tensions ran high as the mayor struggled to finish the task with poise in the face of growing pressure. While maintaining a mostly steady hand as contracts were signed, he was seen to shift uncomfortably in his seat. Nearly imperceptible rocking motions evolved into an unconvincingly standing hunched position. Friendly banter disintegrated into curt, dismissive fragments with strong overtones of conclusion.
News that flood waters were cresting the banks caused the endangered to sprint for safety, with panicked thoughts of inestimable damage to the town's property and reputation.
Just when all seemed lost, a man familiar with the plumbing system dashed into the control room, opened the door, and activated a release valve. Few in the area could fully appreciate the gruesome fate they narrowly avoided, as the flood waters rapidly receded.
Looking both ecstatic and drained, the mayor praised the heroic effort and imposed a temporary ban on water usage "until conditions become clearly more favorable."
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
My Oak
She was a sapling once,
A sprout from good soil.
Growth is natural but not easy.
Others nearby draw from the same ground.
Some were taller, some stronger.
So shadows fell her way,
Sunlight occasionally found her,
Rain and nutrients, what were spared.
Hers was the quiet, the shade,
There she dwelled peacefully.
She cared not to stretch to the sky
So much as to nourish the earth.
Fruitful, colorful, lean, strong.
A place to lie safely and gently,
A playmate of imagination and style.
Yielding to the wind with graceful sway,
Yet rooted unfailingly to the plot God gave her.
Where else would I gain a treasure
So humble, so boundless, so beautiful?
With me to eternity,
My oak, my baby, my joy, my wife.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DENA!!!
A sprout from good soil.
Growth is natural but not easy.
Others nearby draw from the same ground.
Some were taller, some stronger.
So shadows fell her way,
Sunlight occasionally found her,
Rain and nutrients, what were spared.
Hers was the quiet, the shade,
There she dwelled peacefully.
She cared not to stretch to the sky
So much as to nourish the earth.
Fruitful, colorful, lean, strong.
A place to lie safely and gently,
A playmate of imagination and style.
Yielding to the wind with graceful sway,
Yet rooted unfailingly to the plot God gave her.
Where else would I gain a treasure
So humble, so boundless, so beautiful?
With me to eternity,
My oak, my baby, my joy, my wife.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DENA!!!
What's Good Enough For You?
Are you satisfied with your life and its direction? This links to one of the great short (90 second!) sermons ever on the subject.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye8mB6VsUHw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye8mB6VsUHw
Monday, August 9, 2010
Lead With The Heart
Sounds like philosophical chocolate, eh? Maybe so... but this is about walking tall with chest level and leading our stride. Our backbone is upright, shoulders strong, head straight up. Eyes are forward and on target. We are built for a purpose. We ought to carry ourselves with heart.
Congregation Warmed By Sunday Ceremonies
On Sunday morning congregants enjoyed God's hospitality at the Church of the Risen Sun (CRS) in Normal.
Located at 1405 East Vernon Avenue, CRS was founded in 1978 by the Universal Church (UC). The sanctuary, consisting of a fenced-in concrete deck, lounge chairs, and in-ground heated ceremonial font was constructed a few years later.
The UC, symbolized by a sun, believes in the existence of creation and the goodness in people. On this day, several members participated in traditional summer congregation, reclining peacefully under clear skies.
"We accept that we're all different in body and thought," said the muscular guy wearing appropriate amounts of sunscreen. "You could say we respect that, but in truth we don't pay it much attention."
"We just enjoy each other's company," added the woman a few years from retirement, smiling up from her raft on the crystal water. "Some play cards or sports, some watch movies or T.V., most of us work. We're interested in hearing how things are going."
There's little discussion or speculation about the distant past or future. The UC is characterized by finding happiness in the present even in the worst of times.
"We may find it through music, or community, or reading, meditation, art, nature, or anything that draws us away from troubles and into thankfulness. And today the summer breezes, singing birds, refreshing water, bright skies and ample free time are doing plenty of that!" noted the shapely woman with the book.
The UC has a worldwide presence in cities and plains. Membership is a matter of choice. The format of worship varies by location and time according to individual preference.
"Life is good," said the athlete with the tan, "and it's going to stay that way."
Fontside services are scheduled through the last warm weekend of September.
Located at 1405 East Vernon Avenue, CRS was founded in 1978 by the Universal Church (UC). The sanctuary, consisting of a fenced-in concrete deck, lounge chairs, and in-ground heated ceremonial font was constructed a few years later.
The UC, symbolized by a sun, believes in the existence of creation and the goodness in people. On this day, several members participated in traditional summer congregation, reclining peacefully under clear skies.
"We accept that we're all different in body and thought," said the muscular guy wearing appropriate amounts of sunscreen. "You could say we respect that, but in truth we don't pay it much attention."
"We just enjoy each other's company," added the woman a few years from retirement, smiling up from her raft on the crystal water. "Some play cards or sports, some watch movies or T.V., most of us work. We're interested in hearing how things are going."
There's little discussion or speculation about the distant past or future. The UC is characterized by finding happiness in the present even in the worst of times.
"We may find it through music, or community, or reading, meditation, art, nature, or anything that draws us away from troubles and into thankfulness. And today the summer breezes, singing birds, refreshing water, bright skies and ample free time are doing plenty of that!" noted the shapely woman with the book.
The UC has a worldwide presence in cities and plains. Membership is a matter of choice. The format of worship varies by location and time according to individual preference.
"Life is good," said the athlete with the tan, "and it's going to stay that way."
Fontside services are scheduled through the last warm weekend of September.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Working On Solutions
"I never saw Mr. O'Malley really discouraged. Instead I could see his mind working all the time, working on the solutions to the problems." - Vin Scully
I like the companion phrase that "problems are solutions in work clothes." When work was overwhelming and management was joking that being overwhelmed was good... there were possible solutions:
1. Explore other jobs.
2. Reduce work.
3. Objectively outline the case for more workers.
4. Trust that everything's gonna be all right.
It brought peace to dabble in all of those. And now our staff matches the work, and a couple of alternative careers are developing just in case. Thank God, everything's gonna be all right!
I like the companion phrase that "problems are solutions in work clothes." When work was overwhelming and management was joking that being overwhelmed was good... there were possible solutions:
1. Explore other jobs.
2. Reduce work.
3. Objectively outline the case for more workers.
4. Trust that everything's gonna be all right.
It brought peace to dabble in all of those. And now our staff matches the work, and a couple of alternative careers are developing just in case. Thank God, everything's gonna be all right!
The Gardener
A gardener envisioned a beautiful garden. He seeded it with all manner of daisies, tulips, and roses. He watered and nourished the soil. The flowers all faced up toward his sunlight, absorbing its rays into their petals. All they saw was the face of the gardener. They grew colorfully, abundantly and multiplied. The gardener was pleased.
Eventually though, the flowers began to look sideways and notice things about themselves and each other. The tulips enjoyed the fullness of their petals, mocked the flimsy ones of the daisies and envied the silky ones of the roses. The daisies saw that they were more numerous and plain than the roses or the tulips, and were uncomfortable around them. The roses were burdened with prickly thorns that the tulips were not, but more impressed with their own bold colors.
Water and fertilizer continued in unending provision from the gardener. Occasionally, he plucked a flower for his own use. The flowers allowed this to disturb them, and demanded explanation.
"Flowers are plucked by our loving gardener because of our evil deeds!" cried the roses.
"Flowers are plucked by the gardener because we fail to produce enough pollen!" countered the tulips.
"Flowers are plucked by random forces. There is no gardener!" insisted the daisies.
The flowers, already distracted by each others' differences, were dismayed with each others' beliefs. The daisies were pressured to become tulips, and tulips to become roses. The roses sliced at the stems of the other flowers with their thorns, and the daisies used their numbers to try to block fertilizer from reaching the roses and tulips. They spent less time drinking water and drawing nutrients from the earth. Their colors began to fade and their petals to wilt. They were so wrapped up in their own shadows that they almost never looked up at the gardener. The gardener was displeased.
In time, the flowers saw each other not as good and bad, but instead as tattered and drooping with vast potential as a garden. They accepted that, regardless of each others' characteristics and beliefs, they were most vibrant when they simply looked up for the sun as long as they lived. And so they did, and were. And the gardener's vision came to be.
Eventually though, the flowers began to look sideways and notice things about themselves and each other. The tulips enjoyed the fullness of their petals, mocked the flimsy ones of the daisies and envied the silky ones of the roses. The daisies saw that they were more numerous and plain than the roses or the tulips, and were uncomfortable around them. The roses were burdened with prickly thorns that the tulips were not, but more impressed with their own bold colors.
Water and fertilizer continued in unending provision from the gardener. Occasionally, he plucked a flower for his own use. The flowers allowed this to disturb them, and demanded explanation.
"Flowers are plucked by our loving gardener because of our evil deeds!" cried the roses.
"Flowers are plucked by the gardener because we fail to produce enough pollen!" countered the tulips.
"Flowers are plucked by random forces. There is no gardener!" insisted the daisies.
The flowers, already distracted by each others' differences, were dismayed with each others' beliefs. The daisies were pressured to become tulips, and tulips to become roses. The roses sliced at the stems of the other flowers with their thorns, and the daisies used their numbers to try to block fertilizer from reaching the roses and tulips. They spent less time drinking water and drawing nutrients from the earth. Their colors began to fade and their petals to wilt. They were so wrapped up in their own shadows that they almost never looked up at the gardener. The gardener was displeased.
In time, the flowers saw each other not as good and bad, but instead as tattered and drooping with vast potential as a garden. They accepted that, regardless of each others' characteristics and beliefs, they were most vibrant when they simply looked up for the sun as long as they lived. And so they did, and were. And the gardener's vision came to be.
Down The Middle
The renowned broadcaster Vin Scully got his start with the Los Angeles Dodgers and remains with them nearly 60 years later. At one point in the 1950s the team's owner discussed the tone of the broadcasts with him and wondered, "Don't you think you ought to root for the team?"
"I was trained to go down the middle," answered Scully.
"I appreciate that," answered the owner. "That's what the people like here, so you stick with it."
What a tribute to respecting the individualism of others! When the ball hits the ground three inches in fair territory and the umpire calls it foul, there's no need to berate in order to appease the ire of the home crowd. No need to waste breath and emotional reserves condemning the man's basic goodness by spinning conspiracy theories. Explain reality to the uninformed and let them draw their own conclusions.
"I was trained to go down the middle," answered Scully.
"I appreciate that," answered the owner. "That's what the people like here, so you stick with it."
What a tribute to respecting the individualism of others! When the ball hits the ground three inches in fair territory and the umpire calls it foul, there's no need to berate in order to appease the ire of the home crowd. No need to waste breath and emotional reserves condemning the man's basic goodness by spinning conspiracy theories. Explain reality to the uninformed and let them draw their own conclusions.
High/Low Week 31, 2010
This week one of my co-workers and I somehow got onto the topic of Catholic confession or "reconciliation" as we called it when I was a third grader going through the sacrament for the first time. Boy, that was the way to get a shy kid to curl up inside when he'd done something wrong... make him go tell a priest that he'd messed up. Mom and Dad brought that one out occasionally. After that talk, I realized that this weekly post unearths that old choirboy concept. Reflect on the ills, seek penance. Life's been better for it!
We lost our soccer game this week against a good team on penalty kicks. We played well, gave up no goals in regulation, and two of our guys (not me) missed penalty kicks to create the final result. Sports losses shake off easily enough nowadays, but I wish that I'd given a pat of encouragement on the back of the teammates who missed.
While socializing with a co-worker at a baseball game this week, I let myself poke fun at a non-present guy from the office. Fortunately he changed the subject. Unfortunately I wandered into the same turf a couple days later. It had been a while since I'd dipped into that cookie jar of false humor and cheap self-esteem. Time to get back on the wagon.
Intern Emily made a good impression on the directors of the department during her final presentation of the summer. If she joins us permanently after December graduation may she have a long, productive and satisfying stay!
Paulette had another breakthrough in her project to upgrade our policy projection system. She gets to announce it next week, and during our 1-on-1 weekly meeting we got into all kinds of development possibilities. Lately all kinds of options have been opening up that could boost our employees' careers, and with more thought from Tina (who had a tough week and conquered it) and others there could be a new wave of optimism toward our future prospects.
This week was the statewide Kiwanis convention, and I'd expected Dena's tender-heartedness to sweep her up into a thousand pieces of overlooked minutae as her club played host to hundreds of out-of-town guests. But happily, she was mostly undisturbed and we were able to enjoy a quiet date night on Friday, and another leisurely day yesterday. Today she's out shopping... it's just been a peaceful weekend for her, thankfully so for the last one of her 30's!
Simply looking for a convenient starting time, we chose the Wehrenburg Galaxy theater to see the movie on Friday during its large-screen showing. We didn't realize that large screens were so expensive... $12 a person! Fortunately, the projector malfunctioned and had to be restarted twenty minutes late. I say fortunately, because management handed out refunds in the form of a complimentary ticket to us all. So the next big-screen movie is on the house, so we'll see two big-screen movies for an average $6 ticket. Nice!
We lost our soccer game this week against a good team on penalty kicks. We played well, gave up no goals in regulation, and two of our guys (not me) missed penalty kicks to create the final result. Sports losses shake off easily enough nowadays, but I wish that I'd given a pat of encouragement on the back of the teammates who missed.
While socializing with a co-worker at a baseball game this week, I let myself poke fun at a non-present guy from the office. Fortunately he changed the subject. Unfortunately I wandered into the same turf a couple days later. It had been a while since I'd dipped into that cookie jar of false humor and cheap self-esteem. Time to get back on the wagon.
Intern Emily made a good impression on the directors of the department during her final presentation of the summer. If she joins us permanently after December graduation may she have a long, productive and satisfying stay!
Paulette had another breakthrough in her project to upgrade our policy projection system. She gets to announce it next week, and during our 1-on-1 weekly meeting we got into all kinds of development possibilities. Lately all kinds of options have been opening up that could boost our employees' careers, and with more thought from Tina (who had a tough week and conquered it) and others there could be a new wave of optimism toward our future prospects.
This week was the statewide Kiwanis convention, and I'd expected Dena's tender-heartedness to sweep her up into a thousand pieces of overlooked minutae as her club played host to hundreds of out-of-town guests. But happily, she was mostly undisturbed and we were able to enjoy a quiet date night on Friday, and another leisurely day yesterday. Today she's out shopping... it's just been a peaceful weekend for her, thankfully so for the last one of her 30's!
Simply looking for a convenient starting time, we chose the Wehrenburg Galaxy theater to see the movie on Friday during its large-screen showing. We didn't realize that large screens were so expensive... $12 a person! Fortunately, the projector malfunctioned and had to be restarted twenty minutes late. I say fortunately, because management handed out refunds in the form of a complimentary ticket to us all. So the next big-screen movie is on the house, so we'll see two big-screen movies for an average $6 ticket. Nice!
This Is Your Time
The Michael W. Smith hit that rings an Irish chord and inspires a good day, whether reflecting about religion or any pivotal personal choice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgX0tghvz4A&playnext=1&videos=MQ7xm63bbaY&feature=artistob
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgX0tghvz4A&playnext=1&videos=MQ7xm63bbaY&feature=artistob
Saturday, August 7, 2010
The Other Guys
No movie I've rented has ever endured longer spells with my finger on the fast-forward button than Talladega Nights, the story of car racer Ricky Bobby. I recall it being a series of increasingly low-brow gags that were disjointed from any sense of plot.
The same director pairs up with Will Ferrell again in The Other Guys, a comedy about a dysfunctional police station with a gaping leadership void following the early and tragicomic demise of action heroes played by Samuel L. Jackson and The Rock. In steps Mark Wahlberg and Ferrell. Wahlberg's character is initially haunted by a career-stunting mistake while on World Series detail. Ferrell, the recently lateraled forensic accountant, is cold water on Wahlberg's fire, and steam spews early and often.
As the plot progresses, a robbery and shady dealings involving a wealthy financier launch a spirited hunt by the partners in Ferrell's Prius. The clash in personalities carries the movie well for the first half hour. Then it takes a Talladega-like turn into an extensive exploration of the detective's personal lives which advances nothing, dredging the well of goofy contradiction again and again (witness Ferrell's magnetic attraction of women with supermodel looks).
I liked the movie better than Ricky Bobby's. Watching a police car covered with cocaine roll down the street, a grandmother relaying dirty talk between a husband and wife, and a troop of homeless guys obsessed with having orgies in a Prius has a certain creative zaniness to it. It also reveals the overboard amount of irreverence that distracts from a hundred legitimate silly gags. This director has mastered the ability to make a two-hour film feel like three.
Wait for this one to come out on cable. Or if you loved Talladega, get out and see it soon!
The same director pairs up with Will Ferrell again in The Other Guys, a comedy about a dysfunctional police station with a gaping leadership void following the early and tragicomic demise of action heroes played by Samuel L. Jackson and The Rock. In steps Mark Wahlberg and Ferrell. Wahlberg's character is initially haunted by a career-stunting mistake while on World Series detail. Ferrell, the recently lateraled forensic accountant, is cold water on Wahlberg's fire, and steam spews early and often.
As the plot progresses, a robbery and shady dealings involving a wealthy financier launch a spirited hunt by the partners in Ferrell's Prius. The clash in personalities carries the movie well for the first half hour. Then it takes a Talladega-like turn into an extensive exploration of the detective's personal lives which advances nothing, dredging the well of goofy contradiction again and again (witness Ferrell's magnetic attraction of women with supermodel looks).
I liked the movie better than Ricky Bobby's. Watching a police car covered with cocaine roll down the street, a grandmother relaying dirty talk between a husband and wife, and a troop of homeless guys obsessed with having orgies in a Prius has a certain creative zaniness to it. It also reveals the overboard amount of irreverence that distracts from a hundred legitimate silly gags. This director has mastered the ability to make a two-hour film feel like three.
Wait for this one to come out on cable. Or if you loved Talladega, get out and see it soon!
A Look At The Bulls
Now that the dust has settled on the free agent market and the Bulls have filled out their roster with the signing of Keith Bogans, how are their chances looking this year?
Let's be real. The NBA champion is likely to come out of the Western Conference, or else to be the Miami Heat. So the Bulls' version of "championship" would be successful journey to the Eastern Conference finals. So how do they stack up against the other teams?
Their average age is 26.1. Average height 6-7. Average weight 225. Starters averaged 77 points.
Cleveland Cavaliers are the reigning champs of the Bulls' Central Division. Their vitals are a shade worse than ours, at 26.5/6-6/216. They have the edge in coaching experience, with former Coach of the Year Byron Scott at the helm, versus the Bulls' respected but untested Tom Thibodeau. Their starting five averaged just 56 points, and Antawn Jamison performed like a man spooked once he was traded to Clevelend. The LeBronless Cavs will be plagued with the same Jordan Withdrawal that sank the Bulls into oblivion in 1999.
Boston Celtics upset the Cavs last year, and fell one awful game shy of winning it all last year. Their starters' career average scoring mark is 88. But last year? 76. Starters average age? 31. These guys are basketball old, sputtering through the season before getting hot at playoff time. Don't count on them reaching 50 wins again, no matter what level Rajon Rondo ascends to at the point. And just in case, there's the matter of their former coach now sitting on the Bulls' pine with extensive knowledge of their weaknesses, also vacating the fundamental defensive leadership that helped aging legs keep scores low.
Orlando Magic roll a tall lineup onto the floor. On paper Vince Carter outmatches Kyle Korver at the shooting guard, and the sight of Rashard Lewis running around at the three point line will give Carlos Boozer the cold sweats. The Bulls outclass the Magic with Derrick Rose at the point and the erratic talent of Luol Deng at small forward. Two questions matter: Was it the presence of Joakim Noah that limited Magic center Dwight Howard to just 12 points in their first meeting, and his absence that allowed Howard to explode in the second? And will Thibodeau install the same impenetrable defense that Boston used last year to stymie the high-powered Orlando squad in the playoffs?
Playing in the East's weakest division, the Bulls need to assert themselves against Scott Skiles' upstart Milwaukee Bucks and find chemistry quickly with a lot of new parts. It's hard to imagine them achieving this in time to overcome the Atlanta Hawks in the regular season. If they slide to the fourth or fifth seed in the conference, then the road to the East finals goes through Miami - meaning that health permitting, the Bulls can look forward to a first-round series win followed by a shock-and-awe experience against the Heat to close out the year.
Watch out for us in 2012 though!
Let's be real. The NBA champion is likely to come out of the Western Conference, or else to be the Miami Heat. So the Bulls' version of "championship" would be successful journey to the Eastern Conference finals. So how do they stack up against the other teams?
Their average age is 26.1. Average height 6-7. Average weight 225. Starters averaged 77 points.
Cleveland Cavaliers are the reigning champs of the Bulls' Central Division. Their vitals are a shade worse than ours, at 26.5/6-6/216. They have the edge in coaching experience, with former Coach of the Year Byron Scott at the helm, versus the Bulls' respected but untested Tom Thibodeau. Their starting five averaged just 56 points, and Antawn Jamison performed like a man spooked once he was traded to Clevelend. The LeBronless Cavs will be plagued with the same Jordan Withdrawal that sank the Bulls into oblivion in 1999.
Boston Celtics upset the Cavs last year, and fell one awful game shy of winning it all last year. Their starters' career average scoring mark is 88. But last year? 76. Starters average age? 31. These guys are basketball old, sputtering through the season before getting hot at playoff time. Don't count on them reaching 50 wins again, no matter what level Rajon Rondo ascends to at the point. And just in case, there's the matter of their former coach now sitting on the Bulls' pine with extensive knowledge of their weaknesses, also vacating the fundamental defensive leadership that helped aging legs keep scores low.
Orlando Magic roll a tall lineup onto the floor. On paper Vince Carter outmatches Kyle Korver at the shooting guard, and the sight of Rashard Lewis running around at the three point line will give Carlos Boozer the cold sweats. The Bulls outclass the Magic with Derrick Rose at the point and the erratic talent of Luol Deng at small forward. Two questions matter: Was it the presence of Joakim Noah that limited Magic center Dwight Howard to just 12 points in their first meeting, and his absence that allowed Howard to explode in the second? And will Thibodeau install the same impenetrable defense that Boston used last year to stymie the high-powered Orlando squad in the playoffs?
Playing in the East's weakest division, the Bulls need to assert themselves against Scott Skiles' upstart Milwaukee Bucks and find chemistry quickly with a lot of new parts. It's hard to imagine them achieving this in time to overcome the Atlanta Hawks in the regular season. If they slide to the fourth or fifth seed in the conference, then the road to the East finals goes through Miami - meaning that health permitting, the Bulls can look forward to a first-round series win followed by a shock-and-awe experience against the Heat to close out the year.
Watch out for us in 2012 though!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Night Claims Timism, Files For Joint Custody
Night, the Biblical forerunner of Day, filed a petition with the Man in the Moon in complaint against discriminatory practices on Monday. Moon, the Milky Way Cosmic Clerk, posted the grievance publicly today:
"For too long Petitioner has suffered treatment by those who would describe 1:00 a.m. as 'one in the morning,' without equitable recognition of 1:00 p.m. as 'one in the evening.' Mythical terms such as 'afternoon' serve a patronizing and thinly veiled attempt to extend 'noon,' indisputably associated with Day (a.k.a. "morning"), into the rightful property of Night (a.k.a. "evening"). Discriminating references to 'twilight' inhumanely confine Petitioner to the hours of 7:00-12:00 p.m. or, most egregiously in the summer months, from 9:00-12:00 p.m. Petitioner requests that 12:00 p.m., hereto named 'noon,' shall hereafter be 'eve;' that 12:00 a.m. shall hereafter be 'morn' (hereto 'midnight'); and the interim time period be referred to as 'evening' or 'night,' consistent with creation's original design of joint temporal custody."
Witnesses for the Petitioner include Wolf Man, Count Dracula, the Nightwatchmen's Union, the Infomercial Fan Club, the Bogeymen's Benevolent Association, the Society of Mirthless Insomniacs, Big Al's and Jesse Jackson.
Preliminary witnesses for the Repondents include Kiwanis International, the Brotherhood of Breakfast Omelette Chefs, the Paperboy Council, Bryant Gumbel, the Soap Opera Actors' Guild and Roosters Anonymous.
Galactic court backlog resulted in a hearing date before the Creator on November 12, 2097.
"For too long Petitioner has suffered treatment by those who would describe 1:00 a.m. as 'one in the morning,' without equitable recognition of 1:00 p.m. as 'one in the evening.' Mythical terms such as 'afternoon' serve a patronizing and thinly veiled attempt to extend 'noon,' indisputably associated with Day (a.k.a. "morning"), into the rightful property of Night (a.k.a. "evening"). Discriminating references to 'twilight' inhumanely confine Petitioner to the hours of 7:00-12:00 p.m. or, most egregiously in the summer months, from 9:00-12:00 p.m. Petitioner requests that 12:00 p.m., hereto named 'noon,' shall hereafter be 'eve;' that 12:00 a.m. shall hereafter be 'morn' (hereto 'midnight'); and the interim time period be referred to as 'evening' or 'night,' consistent with creation's original design of joint temporal custody."
Witnesses for the Petitioner include Wolf Man, Count Dracula, the Nightwatchmen's Union, the Infomercial Fan Club, the Bogeymen's Benevolent Association, the Society of Mirthless Insomniacs, Big Al's and Jesse Jackson.
Preliminary witnesses for the Repondents include Kiwanis International, the Brotherhood of Breakfast Omelette Chefs, the Paperboy Council, Bryant Gumbel, the Soap Opera Actors' Guild and Roosters Anonymous.
Galactic court backlog resulted in a hearing date before the Creator on November 12, 2097.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Subscription To Local Newspaper Considered, Dismissed
The McLean County News Bulletin nearly gained an additional subscriber Monday afternoon before the notion was capsized by a wave of partisan politics.
Reader was pleased with the richness of the 8-page periodical's cover story about the new multi-modal transportation center to be completed with a target date of 2012. The lack of caption explaining the people in the photo above the front page fold added a quaint dimension of mystery.
The article on the Illinois Shakespeare Festival marketed an attractive social opportunity, going further to share the historical back story of the event and the open-air theater dating back to 1978. The national casting call for actors who auditioned added a feeling of transcendence to the event.
Reader was impressed enough with the discovery to take note of the web site address printed near the headline, pondering the thought of reviewing the publication regularly. But the thought was blasted out the ear hole upon turning to a two-page section entitled "From The Left" and "From The Right." Regrettably, the section captured vividly the type of acrimony expected between enemies, but seen too often between Americans who choose sniping over civility, such as:
"For all the Democratic problems, Republicans have troubles as well. And I wouldn't trade their challenges for ours in a million years."
"Obama and his people are clueless about how to go about creating jobs in the private sector."
Reader moved on to other things, seeking as ever a forum of harmony rather than discord, where "their challenges" is a useless concept, and "our challenges" - as citizens in a nation of abundance - is the unified focus.
Reader was pleased with the richness of the 8-page periodical's cover story about the new multi-modal transportation center to be completed with a target date of 2012. The lack of caption explaining the people in the photo above the front page fold added a quaint dimension of mystery.
The article on the Illinois Shakespeare Festival marketed an attractive social opportunity, going further to share the historical back story of the event and the open-air theater dating back to 1978. The national casting call for actors who auditioned added a feeling of transcendence to the event.
Reader was impressed enough with the discovery to take note of the web site address printed near the headline, pondering the thought of reviewing the publication regularly. But the thought was blasted out the ear hole upon turning to a two-page section entitled "From The Left" and "From The Right." Regrettably, the section captured vividly the type of acrimony expected between enemies, but seen too often between Americans who choose sniping over civility, such as:
"For all the Democratic problems, Republicans have troubles as well. And I wouldn't trade their challenges for ours in a million years."
"Obama and his people are clueless about how to go about creating jobs in the private sector."
Reader moved on to other things, seeking as ever a forum of harmony rather than discord, where "their challenges" is a useless concept, and "our challenges" - as citizens in a nation of abundance - is the unified focus.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Local Man Retires From Talk Radio
A 16-year resident of Normal announced his resignation from talk radio Monday afternoon.
His publicist explained that while driving to a soccer game, the man was deterred by overtly and continued sarcastic remarks on behalf of "something or other." The stream of pessimism about the topic, which was either national or local, encouraged a change of station.
The new station, featuring Chicago sports debate, produced a fountain of Cubs-related despair that was both excessively bitter and depressingly accurate.
"The mind feeds upon whatever stirs the emotions. Cutting remarks pass for entertainment the way donuts pass for breakfast - a cheap, quick source of enjoyment that imperceptibly and gradually drags the body down. These different views of productive broadcasting have become irreconcilable in recent weeks, and retirement became the appropriate option."
He moves on to continue his listening career as an FM audience member. Early statistics show 91.5 WCIC to be the leading provider.
"Christian radio, in all its staggering repetition, nonetheless fills empty air and susceptible minds with messages of hope and thankfulness. And there's every reason to expect a positive experience, as long as no mention is made of the Cubs."
His publicist explained that while driving to a soccer game, the man was deterred by overtly and continued sarcastic remarks on behalf of "something or other." The stream of pessimism about the topic, which was either national or local, encouraged a change of station.
The new station, featuring Chicago sports debate, produced a fountain of Cubs-related despair that was both excessively bitter and depressingly accurate.
"The mind feeds upon whatever stirs the emotions. Cutting remarks pass for entertainment the way donuts pass for breakfast - a cheap, quick source of enjoyment that imperceptibly and gradually drags the body down. These different views of productive broadcasting have become irreconcilable in recent weeks, and retirement became the appropriate option."
He moves on to continue his listening career as an FM audience member. Early statistics show 91.5 WCIC to be the leading provider.
"Christian radio, in all its staggering repetition, nonetheless fills empty air and susceptible minds with messages of hope and thankfulness. And there's every reason to expect a positive experience, as long as no mention is made of the Cubs."
Sunday, August 1, 2010
High/Low Week 30, 2010
Today's duet performance of "El Shaddai" and "How Beautiful" at Calvary United Methodist Church went perfectly. Evelyn and I had rehearsed it a hundred times, and most every time I'd miss a chord here, a word there. This morning, for two services, we nailed everything perfectly. Leading up to our segment, my mind was infected by some of the painful lessons I learned while a member of that church. And they were snuffed out by reunion with old friends. By the satisfaction with the results of our weeks of practice. By the unpredictable good fortune that the songs we chose were exactly the right length - they ended just as the last patron returned to their chair after taking communion. As usual, there was plenty of affirmation that the music came out right.
This was my first week of work with a full staff in two years. Jennifer dove right in to a handful of projects. Rob and I spent hours together, and I enjoyed the chance to ease him into the geography and vocabulary of the department and company. Intern Emily is making great progress on her final presentation. Paulette made a breakthrough in upgrading our computer system.
Inexplicably I was on fire on the basketball court! At one point I practically dragged a guy to the basket while scoring a bucket, and someone yelled "How'd you like riding that horse?" to my defender. Acrobatic layups. Three pointers. Pull-up jumpers. It was all working. And in the half-hour warm up beforehand I got the heart rate up to nearly 150 beats a minute, more than usual.
Friday night was a ball with Darren and Jane. As you could see from the earlier post, the tabloids were all over us. I was introduced by Jane to "pirate English" setting on Facebook.
I had no plans on Saturday night while Dena went out with an old school friend. That is, until a neighbor invited me over to play a couple games of euchre, which we won in dramatic fashion and also munched on Papa John's pizza and Emack & Bolio's ice cream.
Dena got some prospects on a possible bank compliance part-time job in the wake of layoff from the Rose Publishing job. She also got an early birthday present of membership in the Four Seasons health club.
The summer hits keep on coming!
This was my first week of work with a full staff in two years. Jennifer dove right in to a handful of projects. Rob and I spent hours together, and I enjoyed the chance to ease him into the geography and vocabulary of the department and company. Intern Emily is making great progress on her final presentation. Paulette made a breakthrough in upgrading our computer system.
Inexplicably I was on fire on the basketball court! At one point I practically dragged a guy to the basket while scoring a bucket, and someone yelled "How'd you like riding that horse?" to my defender. Acrobatic layups. Three pointers. Pull-up jumpers. It was all working. And in the half-hour warm up beforehand I got the heart rate up to nearly 150 beats a minute, more than usual.
Friday night was a ball with Darren and Jane. As you could see from the earlier post, the tabloids were all over us. I was introduced by Jane to "pirate English" setting on Facebook.
I had no plans on Saturday night while Dena went out with an old school friend. That is, until a neighbor invited me over to play a couple games of euchre, which we won in dramatic fashion and also munched on Papa John's pizza and Emack & Bolio's ice cream.
Dena got some prospects on a possible bank compliance part-time job in the wake of layoff from the Rose Publishing job. She also got an early birthday present of membership in the Four Seasons health club.
The summer hits keep on coming!
Salt
There's little to say about my opinion of Angelina Jolie. I know she was and likely is connected with Brad Pitt. She has at least three kids, several adopted. Her dad is actor Jon Voight, and she looks it in the eyes.
I'm not sure if I'd seen any of her movies. I remember her being in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Since it looked like a multimillion dollar two hour excuse to get a sexy woman punch and kick people in a crowd of CGI bad guys, I passed. I saw previews of her new movie Salt, which contained lots of punching and kicking. I was ready to pass.
Fortunately Jane suggested it for a Friday date night. Bingo!
Yes, it was a movie with a 110 pound woman (Jolie, as CIA agent Evelyn Salt) subduing heavily armed crowds of men in hand-to-hand combat (wracking my brain here... no woman victims that I can remember). Often with punches and kicks. Occasionally with hand grenades. Several times with a gun. Once with a whiskey bottle.
But there was also international intrigue with national nuclear holocaust on the line. Vagueness over whose side Salt was really on. World leaders at gunpoint. Countdowns to blastoff. Bulletproof glass.
There was a dash of romance, as Salt's husband saved her from death early in the movie and their relationship's back story gradually unfolds.
In the end, enough of the good guys lived to inspire patrons to walk out in high spirits. Especially if you were hoping the door would be left open for Salt 2.
I'm not sure if I'd seen any of her movies. I remember her being in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Since it looked like a multimillion dollar two hour excuse to get a sexy woman punch and kick people in a crowd of CGI bad guys, I passed. I saw previews of her new movie Salt, which contained lots of punching and kicking. I was ready to pass.
Fortunately Jane suggested it for a Friday date night. Bingo!
Yes, it was a movie with a 110 pound woman (Jolie, as CIA agent Evelyn Salt) subduing heavily armed crowds of men in hand-to-hand combat (wracking my brain here... no woman victims that I can remember). Often with punches and kicks. Occasionally with hand grenades. Several times with a gun. Once with a whiskey bottle.
But there was also international intrigue with national nuclear holocaust on the line. Vagueness over whose side Salt was really on. World leaders at gunpoint. Countdowns to blastoff. Bulletproof glass.
There was a dash of romance, as Salt's husband saved her from death early in the movie and their relationship's back story gradually unfolds.
In the end, enough of the good guys lived to inspire patrons to walk out in high spirits. Especially if you were hoping the door would be left open for Salt 2.
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