Monday, January 31, 2011
Friendly Faces
Any job is better when you have five co-workers drop in to see how you're doing after being out of work sick. All five of my direct reports! No matter how tough the work, I'm constantly blessed by the people provided around me.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Living In The Slow Lane
Changing lanes in traffic is productive, right?
Swivel the head, check traffic in the next two lanes, see a small gap, signal, accelerate, re-check traffic in the far lane to make sure he's not changing into the same lane you are. Now pass the guy who was in front of you a moment ago, since you need to get back into that lane to turn right and get to your destination. You speed up, he speeds up, or the car in front of you slows down. Yellow light! Gun it. Cut in front of him with yards to spare. Hang a right.
You just gained two seconds of travel time. Was it worth the gas and the stress?
True to new year's resolution, I've spent some time pondering a good mental exercise program. How about spending this week in the slow lane? Literally, on the road. Forget about getting there as fast as possible, and get there as relaxed as possible. See how far it lasts outside the car.
Swivel the head, check traffic in the next two lanes, see a small gap, signal, accelerate, re-check traffic in the far lane to make sure he's not changing into the same lane you are. Now pass the guy who was in front of you a moment ago, since you need to get back into that lane to turn right and get to your destination. You speed up, he speeds up, or the car in front of you slows down. Yellow light! Gun it. Cut in front of him with yards to spare. Hang a right.
You just gained two seconds of travel time. Was it worth the gas and the stress?
True to new year's resolution, I've spent some time pondering a good mental exercise program. How about spending this week in the slow lane? Literally, on the road. Forget about getting there as fast as possible, and get there as relaxed as possible. See how far it lasts outside the car.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Mega Python Vs. Gatoroid
Yep, I admit it - I DVRd and watched this SyFy original movie debut for the climactic fight scene. Not between the mutant super-sized pythons in the Florida Everglades and the steroid-fueled semi-trailer sized alligators. Between the movie's two stars and co-producers, Debbie Gibson and Tiffany.
Uh huh.
Generation X is the only one with a chance to stay tuned to this CGI-fest for the full two hours. It's not enough to like monster movies (which incidentally I do... growing up a rabid watcher of Sunday afternoon battles between Gamera, Mothra, Godzilla and the like). Not enough to enjoy cast members turned into snacks (every... single... character in the movie with a speaking part dies except one). No, there's got to be a part of you that has been waiting for a quarter century...
...since Tiffany brought mall-singing to the American consciousness...
...while Debbie Gibson was making hit songs out of ten words and a large tuft of 80's-coiffed blonde hair...
...to see the rivalry erupt into a full-blown catfight.
Hey, it is what it is.
Uh huh.
Generation X is the only one with a chance to stay tuned to this CGI-fest for the full two hours. It's not enough to like monster movies (which incidentally I do... growing up a rabid watcher of Sunday afternoon battles between Gamera, Mothra, Godzilla and the like). Not enough to enjoy cast members turned into snacks (every... single... character in the movie with a speaking part dies except one). No, there's got to be a part of you that has been waiting for a quarter century...
...since Tiffany brought mall-singing to the American consciousness...
...while Debbie Gibson was making hit songs out of ten words and a large tuft of 80's-coiffed blonde hair...
...to see the rivalry erupt into a full-blown catfight.
Hey, it is what it is.
Praises: Car, Health In Good Repair
Kudos to Collision Revision in Bloomington. They took the trusty Saturn on Wednesday morning and fetched a couple new doors, then painted them to perfectly match the 11-year old body. The key cylinder had also been damaged and they shipped the key to Leman's to manufacture one. The following Wednesday it was ready for pick up.
Cheers as usual to Sudafed, Nyquil and Halls cherry throat lozenges. I haven't slept for more than four hours straight since Wednesday, but an abundance of naps has given the system plenty of time to heal itself. Do drugs, kids.
Special thanks to Law & Order: Criminal Intent re-runs and Seinfeld DVDs, which filled a volume of bed-ridden hours.
Thanks to Amy Scott, Ryan Short, and the team at work for adjusting their plans in my absence.
Many thanks to Dena, whom I tried to inconvenience as little as possible during our week as a one-car family, but still had to give up some freedom and spend some time as my personal chauffeur to and from the office. Then, for fetching me chicken noodle soup and not quarantining me to the basement during my "glassy-eyes" phase.
As usual, it takes a string of misfortune to realize how grateful I ought to be all the time.
Cheers as usual to Sudafed, Nyquil and Halls cherry throat lozenges. I haven't slept for more than four hours straight since Wednesday, but an abundance of naps has given the system plenty of time to heal itself. Do drugs, kids.
Special thanks to Law & Order: Criminal Intent re-runs and Seinfeld DVDs, which filled a volume of bed-ridden hours.
Thanks to Amy Scott, Ryan Short, and the team at work for adjusting their plans in my absence.
Many thanks to Dena, whom I tried to inconvenience as little as possible during our week as a one-car family, but still had to give up some freedom and spend some time as my personal chauffeur to and from the office. Then, for fetching me chicken noodle soup and not quarantining me to the basement during my "glassy-eyes" phase.
As usual, it takes a string of misfortune to realize how grateful I ought to be all the time.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Local Firefighter Died To Save Unimpressive Teen
Every life may be priceless, but someone's got to be at the bottom of the bin.
McDonald's 3 Goals Key Late Night Soccer Win
The Twin City Fire intramural soccer team overcame unusual circumstances to drub their opponents 9-1 late Wednesday night.
The league match began at 10:30 p.m., when most thirtysomethings are in or approaching REM sleep.
"The last time I started a game this late was in college," recalled midfielder Joe McDonald.
The Fire are in the midst of their first season in the Game Time Gym II indoor soccer league. The stiff competition had kept the team, comprised mainly of a State Farm summer soccer league squad, winless through its first five contests. Fortunately for their record, their opponent was in last place, the only co-ed team, and also short handed for the graveyard tilt.
Despite borrowing a couple of the Fire's players to keep the sides equal, the blue team watched helplessly as McDonald took a centering pass and blasted it into the back of the net, his first tally of the season. He punched in two more in the first half, as the team charged out to a 7-1 half time advantage. The blue team's only goal was scored by one of their borrowed players.
The league match began at 10:30 p.m., when most thirtysomethings are in or approaching REM sleep.
"The last time I started a game this late was in college," recalled midfielder Joe McDonald.
The Fire are in the midst of their first season in the Game Time Gym II indoor soccer league. The stiff competition had kept the team, comprised mainly of a State Farm summer soccer league squad, winless through its first five contests. Fortunately for their record, their opponent was in last place, the only co-ed team, and also short handed for the graveyard tilt.
Despite borrowing a couple of the Fire's players to keep the sides equal, the blue team watched helplessly as McDonald took a centering pass and blasted it into the back of the net, his first tally of the season. He punched in two more in the first half, as the team charged out to a 7-1 half time advantage. The blue team's only goal was scored by one of their borrowed players.
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