I woke up just before 2:30 AM Central this morning (20 minutes before the alarm I had set). I was scheduled for a 6:30 AM flight out of Oklahoma City, which is about an hour and a half away. I traveled to Portland, Oregon for my best friend Bill's wedding. This is round 2 for him. I was best man the first time around and I'm best man this time, too.
We left the house around 3:30 AM. We stopped at Wal-Mart so I could get some luggage tags (I haven't flown in over 5 years and a couple of my bags had changed), we stopped at the gas station for a Coca Cola for the wife and were on our way.
We arrived at the airport a little after 5:00 AM and got into the terminal a few minutes later. There was a LONG line at the ticketing counter and they were making "final calls" for the 6:00 AM flights. I had checked in via the airline web site and pre-paid for my checked bag so all I really had to do was hand them my bag and head for the gate but I took my place in line.
In order to expedite, a gate agent came out and asked if there was anyone who had checked in and just needed to handle baggage. I stepped forward. As I was waiting for the agent to get my airport tag printed, a lady walked up to the counter and asked another agent about a 5:50 AM flight. The response was, "I'm sorry, ma'am, you have to be checked in at least 30 minutes prior to your flight [I didn't know that!]. You've missed it. Take a spot in line and we'll get you taken care of." D'oh!
The agent helping me finished up with my bag and I headed for security. There are two security 'portals' at Will Rogers airport. I had heard the other agent tell someone to go to the area at the opposite end of the terminal from where my gate was because the line was shorter because nobody was really heading that way. I stepped that direction, kissed my wife good-bye and went to stand in line.
I was through security in probably ten minutes. I cleared the metal detector without incident, nobody asked me any questions, and nobody asked to inspect my bags. I found an empty chair, put my shoes on, and walked to the other end of the terminal to my gate (it's not a huge terminal. the walk took me about 3 minutes). I stopped to grab a protein bar (hadn't eaten yet) and took the few extra steps to the actual gate.
When I arrived, people were standing around as if they were waiting their turn to board. I asked someone and, sure enough, they were already boarding and were on group 2. My boarding pass said group 1 so I basically walked straight onto the plane.
The flight was uneventful except for some noise at takeoff that made our jet sound like it had propellers. Not sure what it was all about but the pilot sitting next to me on the second leg (there were at least 3 in the cabin) didn't seemed concerned so I wasn't either.
We had a stop in Denver but I didn't have to change planes so I stayed put. After everyone else got off, I realized I was the only one from Oklahoma City that was continuing to Portland. Except for the crew, I had the plane all to myself for about 20 minutes. Kinda cool.
When we arrived in Portland, I got off the plane and headed to baggage claim and answered the call of nature at a nearby restroom. I came out of the restroom just in time to see my bag coming out of the hole in the wall. I walked right up, grabbed it, and went to the car rental counter.
The rental experience didn't go quite as planned. The agent was extremely friendly and efficient and the transaction was very smooth. It was all of the extras that got me.
First, I paid an extra $7 per day to go from a Nissan Versa to a Toyota Corolla. I wouldn't have minded the Versa (the wife drives one) but she sold me on cruise control. The wedding is at a vineyard about an hour out and I likes my cruise control.
The next extra was basic insurance. I explained that my auto insurance covered me for a rental and initially declined. The agent explained that Oregon is a loss-of-use state. What that means is that, should I be in an accident, I am responsible for the daily rental rate of the car until it is put back into service. If it takes 2 weeks to fix it, I'm on the hook for 2 weeks of rental. The basic insurance absolves me of that responsibility. I begrudgingly took it for a nominal charge of $19 per day.
Then there was the pre-paid fuel. I jumped on this straight away. It means I don't have to fill up the car before I return it (meaning I don't have to find a gas station before I return it). I can bring it in on fumes and just hand them the keys. I sorta planned on doing this anyway. It was something like $40. Yeah, they make money off of it but it saves me some hassle.
In the end, our $90 rental car for the entire four days got "rounded up" to $234. Then, because I used a debit card, they tack on a $200 deposit that is refunded within 24 hours of returning the car. Yeah, my debit card took a hit for $434 and I hadn't left the airport yet. C'est la vie.
I called Bill and arranged to meet him at a coffee shop not far from his house (about 30 minutes from the airport). He gave me the address and I gave the address to Alan, my GPS. When Alan told me I had reached my destination I thought he had steered me wrong. I called Bill and the conversation went something like this:
Me: I don't think I'm in the right place.
Bill: Where are you?
Me: I'm in an industrial park.
Bill: You're in the right place.
As it turns out, this place is a coffee roaster with the coffee shop attached. Hence, the industrial park. My problem was that they don't believe in signs around here that shout HERE WE ARE! I found it shortly after that and we had a very good and very pleasant lunch.
It is now 10:30 PM Portland time, which means I'm 2 hours shy of being up for 24 hours. I dozed a bit on the plane and managed to squeeze in a nap this afternoon but I'm still tired. It's off to sleepy-land for me.
Showing posts with label Events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Events. Show all posts
Friday, July 13, 2012
Saturday, January 01, 2011
Here's To A "Spiffy" New Year
2010 has not been a fantastic year for me. It has also not been a terrible year for me. A FaceBook friend said 2011 was going to be "spiffy" so I plan to make sure that it is. (is there a resolution in there somewhere?)
This development necessitated a modification of my criteria. My new case needed to be leather, preferably padded, it could not use elastic straps to secure the device, it needed to have the capability to operate as a vertical stand as well as a typing stand, and it needed a closure of some sort to allow me to wheel-mount the iPad. You would think that wouldn't be hard to find. You would be wrong.
My blogging in 2010 was considerably less than previous years but, surprisingly, I find myself with several ideas and updates running through my head as the new year dawns. I will present them in no particular order since each one finds its way to the front of the line in random and recurring order. Some will be, I hope, eloquent and profound. Others will be random and scattered. Most will probably be the latter.
I will start with my wrist.
Now, see, the job just jumped to the front of the line. It will have to wait since I already mentioned my wrist. I only mention it now to ensure that I come back and give it its turn.
I have had minor problems with my wrists for the last 3-4 years. I'm pretty sure it is the beginnings of Carpal Tunnel or some other repetitive motion injury. It has never been bad enough to go to the doctor and usually only lasts a couple of days.
Shortly after starting the new job I ran down the battery in my car. Someone came along and helped me out with a jump start but I had to push the car out of the parking space so we could access both batteries. After that, my right wrist started hurting bad enough and long enough that I went and bought a wrist brace. I wore it, iced my wrist and took Aleve for about a week and everything settled down.
This week my wrist started hurting again. A lot. I'm wearing the brace again but I really need to get an ergonomic keyboard at work (more on that later - maybe). I think typing on the iPad aggravated it. I will also mention it to my doctor when I see him on Tuesday.
Now for the job. I have read the company social media policy and can, in fact, tell you I am working as an Enterprise Technical Support Analyst for Dell in Oklahoma City. I do phone support for tape backup units of all shapes and sizes. I must, however, tell you that the statements I make and opinions I express do not necessarily reflect those of my employer and the statements and opinions expressed by my employer do not necessarily reflect my own. As a friend of mine puts it: I do not speak for Dell and Dell does not speak for me.
I will start with my wrist.
Now, see, the job just jumped to the front of the line. It will have to wait since I already mentioned my wrist. I only mention it now to ensure that I come back and give it its turn.
I have had minor problems with my wrists for the last 3-4 years. I'm pretty sure it is the beginnings of Carpal Tunnel or some other repetitive motion injury. It has never been bad enough to go to the doctor and usually only lasts a couple of days.
Shortly after starting the new job I ran down the battery in my car. Someone came along and helped me out with a jump start but I had to push the car out of the parking space so we could access both batteries. After that, my right wrist started hurting bad enough and long enough that I went and bought a wrist brace. I wore it, iced my wrist and took Aleve for about a week and everything settled down.
This week my wrist started hurting again. A lot. I'm wearing the brace again but I really need to get an ergonomic keyboard at work (more on that later - maybe). I think typing on the iPad aggravated it. I will also mention it to my doctor when I see him on Tuesday.
Now for the job. I have read the company social media policy and can, in fact, tell you I am working as an Enterprise Technical Support Analyst for Dell in Oklahoma City. I do phone support for tape backup units of all shapes and sizes. I must, however, tell you that the statements I make and opinions I express do not necessarily reflect those of my employer and the statements and opinions expressed by my employer do not necessarily reflect my own. As a friend of mine puts it: I do not speak for Dell and Dell does not speak for me.
I have been taking calls for about a month now. A lot of it is coming back to me. I sometimes get frustrated when something comes up that I have seen before or that I used to know and can't bring to mind the solution. As predicted, the most difficulty has been in (re-)learning procedures and using the new case management software. I am becoming more proficient every day.
The toughest part has to be the sales tool. technicians are now allowed to prepare quotes for and sell spare parts, warranty extensions, etc. Pretty much anything without a service tag. It's a good idea because I can now give out of warranty customers an answer to the question, "How much is that going to cost?" The problem is a) I am not a sales person and b) It doesn't come up very often. We are encouraged to do a bit of suggestive selling (i.e. I see your warranty is due to expire next month. Would you like me to help you with a warranty extension?) but we're not allowed to push. No means no. The good part is if we prepare a quote and the customer purchases off that quote we get the credit and the commission. The bad part is there is a reason I'm not in sales. Nobody has asked me to make a quota so I'm good with it. I like having the ability to help them all the way through the process.
I'm still loving the iPad. It is sort-of like a giant iPod touch but with more cowbell. I have paid for a couple of apps (one of them being a remote desktop app called SplashTop Remote) and have been hording free apps and paid apps that are temporarily free just like Idid do with my iPhone.
I'm still loving the iPad. It is sort-of like a giant iPod touch but with more cowbell. I have paid for a couple of apps (one of them being a remote desktop app called SplashTop Remote) and have been hording free apps and paid apps that are temporarily free just like I
The iPad has 3G capability so I can use the cellular network when WiFi isn't available. The problem is that since AT&T dropped their unlimited data plans across the board, I'm afraid to use that functionality for fear of getting raped on data usage charges going over my allotment. An iPad can eat up 250MB easily. I used 352MB on my iPhone last month (thank goodness they grandfathered my unlimited plan) and I don't really use it that much since leaving the last job.
With the iPad I also received a Camera Connection Kit. This is a set of two dongles. One of them has a USB connection on it, the other has an SD card slot. With the USB dongle you can direct-connect your digital camera or your iPhone and the SD slot is self-explanatory. Whichever way you go, the iPad automatically launches a built-in transfer app that allows you to transfer all the photos or to select specific photos to transfer. It is not without its limitations. When connecting the iPhone it will only pick up photos from the camera roll. It does not see any in the photo albums. (this also means that the dongle does not add a functional USB port to the iPad unless you know something I don't) When using the SD card the card apparently has to be formatted from a camera. The iPad does not react if you insert a card full of JPG files. Yet another Apple limitation that seems to have no rhyme or reason.
Speaking of the iPad (still), I have been on the hunt for an iPad case since I got it. When the wife bought hers she also bought one of the Apple cases. We then headed to Radio Shack where she bought a nice leather folio bundled with some other accessories. She used the leather folio for about a day then went back to the Apple case. I have been using the leather folio. This leather folio is actually quite nice. I can't tell you if it's genuine or synthetic leather but it is padded and well constructed. The inside has slots for papers, cards and other small, flat items. There is a leather tab/strap that slides into a slot to keep it closed.
There are a few reasons I have been looking for another case. First, this case does not function well as a stand. I use/wanted the iPad primarily to watch movies on my lunch break and propping it up, even with the strap inserted, I am constantly concerned about it tipping over forward or backward. There is also no "typing angle" available. Second is the way the iPad is held in. It is held in securely but not functionally. On the bottom are two formed, leather corner pieces. The right one partially covers the speaker but doesn't seem to affect the sound. The top is held in with two elastic straps.
From a manufacturing standpoint elastic straps are cheap, functional and easy to install/use. The problem is that they block key parts of the iPad. They always do, it's not just this case. The left strap all but covers the headphone jack and does cover the microphone. It can be pushed out of the way for headphone insertion but shouldn't need to be. The right strap covers the power button which is not a big deal since it can easily be actuated without moving the strap. The right strap also covers the mute switch (formerly the rotation lock switch). The strap has to be removed then replaced to actuate the switch. Sorry, this one's the deal breaker.
At first I thought I just wanted a leather version of the Apple case. These are plentiful on eBay in a variety of colors. Then I discovered something. If I'm sitting in my car (stationary, of course), I can fold the cover back over the top of my steering wheel and secure it in place using the leather strap. Connect it to the AUX audio input on my radio and I have in-car theater! (the photo also demonstrates the full reflective nature of the iPad screen)
This development necessitated a modification of my criteria. My new case needed to be leather, preferably padded, it could not use elastic straps to secure the device, it needed to have the capability to operate as a vertical stand as well as a typing stand, and it needed a closure of some sort to allow me to wheel-mount the iPad. You would think that wouldn't be hard to find. You would be wrong.Some are WAY overpriced. Some are fun but don't fit the criteria. Some downright suck. Most don't make the cut because of stability issues when using as a stand, cheap materials, or poor quality control. I looked on Amazon. I looked on eBay. I read reviews. I just couldn't make a decision on one that would be right for me without going to the iPad Case Store and touching each one and examining the quality. Unfortunately, there is no iPad Case Store.
In the end, I pulled the trigger on a unit on eBay for $12.00. I figure that way I can see how well the design works for me but I'm not out much if the quality is lacking.
Okay... what else... Ah, Christmas in general.
On Christmas Eve we met my wife's side of the family for our traditional Christmas Eve Dinner at the Olive Garden. This tradition grew out of a desire not to spend my father-in-law's birthday (December 24) alone after his passing. For the last 5 years it has been a fun time of feasting, conversation and remembrance. There has been a lot of controversy on that side of the family over the last year but it was all put aside for the gathering.
On Christmas Day we drove to Kansas City to be with my family. From there we all went to St. Joseph, MO to my niece's house for Christmas Dinner. There was lots of laughter and loudness - just like it should be. It's always good to see my nephews as well. Each one of them thinks very differently from most people and their thoughts and interactions are often amusing to behold.
I, of course, brought my camera and took several pictures - including some group portraits. Using the Camera Connection Kit I uploaded them to my iPad and started showing people pictures of themselves. In short order someone else was holding my iPad with several others gathered around looking at all of the pictures. It was really cool to see.
Well, I've been sitting here for a couple of hours working on this and I think I (and you) have had quite enough. Here's wishing 2011 is as "spiffy" for you as I plan on mine being.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
POPPIES Poppies poppies poppies
I've been having a lot of weird, existential thoughts lately. Did I use that right? Let's see... Existential - adj - pertaining to existence. Yeah, I think that's right.
Anyway, a few of the media outlets I read, listen to and watch have been talking about the end of the decade. It has hit me a little funny. It's been 20 years since the decade has been the big thing. I mean, at the end of the 90's we were all talking about the end of the century.
I've seen top lists of music, movies, and all manner of things. I've heard about things we're thankful about in the past decade and things we wish never happened (i.e. fashion disasters and fluff like that). I've given some transient thought to those sorts of things but nothing too profound.
I have been thinking a little more deeply about life - my life, specifically. (see, this is where the existential part comes in) I remember trying so hard to grow up and get to 21 when I was a full citizen and the state and government held no restrictions over me that they didn't hold over everybody else. 21 years later, I wonder what happened to the time between then and now. The first 21 years seemed to go so slow, the second 21 seemed to go so fast. Maybe that's because when you're less than a decade old (see how I tied that in?), a year seems so much longer because your entire existence only consists of ten of them.
I don't have a lot of regrets. I have had times when the rug has been pulled out from under me and times of great success. I wonder where I'm going from here and if I'm competent to make the journey. I fear the unknown but look forward to enjoying the next howerevermany decades I'll be sticking around.
I told you they were weird. So, what about those best of lists? Here's one for you.
Bubby's Top Ten Innovative (or just plain cool) Things From The Last Decade:
(33 1/3 bonus points if you know how the title relates to the post)
Anyway, a few of the media outlets I read, listen to and watch have been talking about the end of the decade. It has hit me a little funny. It's been 20 years since the decade has been the big thing. I mean, at the end of the 90's we were all talking about the end of the century.
I've seen top lists of music, movies, and all manner of things. I've heard about things we're thankful about in the past decade and things we wish never happened (i.e. fashion disasters and fluff like that). I've given some transient thought to those sorts of things but nothing too profound.
I have been thinking a little more deeply about life - my life, specifically. (see, this is where the existential part comes in) I remember trying so hard to grow up and get to 21 when I was a full citizen and the state and government held no restrictions over me that they didn't hold over everybody else. 21 years later, I wonder what happened to the time between then and now. The first 21 years seemed to go so slow, the second 21 seemed to go so fast. Maybe that's because when you're less than a decade old (see how I tied that in?), a year seems so much longer because your entire existence only consists of ten of them.
I don't have a lot of regrets. I have had times when the rug has been pulled out from under me and times of great success. I wonder where I'm going from here and if I'm competent to make the journey. I fear the unknown but look forward to enjoying the next howerevermany decades I'll be sticking around.
I told you they were weird. So, what about those best of lists? Here's one for you.
Bubby's Top Ten Innovative (or just plain cool) Things From The Last Decade:
- MP3 Players
- DVRs (OK, they were introduced in the late 90's but they really took off in the last 5 years)
- Abilify
- Two words: Blu Ray
- Affordable flat-screen TVs
- Magnetic, clip-on sunglasses for prescription glasses (no more dork shades!)
- S.A.M.E. weather alert radios (no more alerts for cities 150 miles away)
- Social networking (I have [re]connected with so many people via Facebook)
- Camera phones / smart phones
- GPS
- Text messaging
- Wikipedia
- Hybrid cars
- Nintendo Wii
(33 1/3 bonus points if you know how the title relates to the post)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
ROAD TRIP!! (day 1)
Money is tight for everyone that was involved in our recent road trip to Wyoming for Kevin's wedding. Our plan was to leave Friday afternoon, drive straight through, stay in Jackson Saturday night, attend the wedding on Sunday, then head back home. Many of the hotels were booked for a bike race and several other events occurring that weekend. We were lucky enough to find a reasonably priced motel with a vacancy so we booked it on the spot. I was concerned but I needn't have worried. When I pulled up the reviews they were varied as to the opinion of the quality of the rooms but all of them made two points: The rooms are clean and the staff is friendly. Good enough for me for a place to lay my head. After our stay I can unequivocally recommend the 4 Winds Motel.
Thursday rolls around and I get a call from Kristina, the provider of our conveyance, saying she is ready to go now. Now now now. I double-checked with the motel and they were able to add another day onto the beginning of our stay so after finishing work and gathering together our last-minute items, we were on the road around 8:00pm.
We made really good time to the Wyoming border, getting there right at sunrise (about 7:30am). And so began the photographic odyssey.
Our first stop, of course, was Tree Rock. Tree Rock is in the middle of I-80. It is a small pine tree that seems to be growing out of solid rock. The tree is a somewhat stunted and twisted limber pine. It's age is unknown but limber pines can live as long as 2,000 years.
The latest obsession of my friend, Kristina, is the Oregon Trail. We took I-80 across to Rawlins, then turned North on highway 287. Once we hit Muddy Gap, we took a detour onto highway 220 to visit Independence Rock.
Independence Rock was so named because it was a recognizable landmark that emigrants would reach this part of the trail around July 4. If they didn't make it by that time, they had an increased chance of having to endure heavy snows and harsh temperatures on the road ahead.
Kristina and I went out to the rock itself. She has been here before and has seen the names and dates chiseled into the rock. I did not avail myself of that opportunity since the names are inscribed at the top of Independence Rock and I don't do climbing or heights terribly well. Kristina took the opportunity to climb the rock and take some pictures.
She continued to try to convince me to climb up. "Come on, the names are at the top." There was no way I was going to climb to the top. "They're really cool." I'm sure they are. "The view is fantastic!" Sorry, all I would probably see is my potential doom.
I did climb a little ways up but then immediately climbed back down shortly after checking my progress by looking behind me. That rock is a bit steep. It's not the height that bothers me, really, it's my stability. I can go to the observation platform of a tall building like, say, the Sears tower and be perfectly (mostly) fine. Why? I am enclosed. If I get vertigo (which has happened to me in high, enclosed places), the only thing I am going to hit is the carpet if I do happen to falter. There is also the aspect of being able to look away, step away from the windows and stare at the floor until the feeling goes away.
As I was watching Kristina taking pictures I noticed a bunny that had taken shade under one of the rocks near her. Without yelling, I turned her attention to the critter so she might have an opportunity to photograph it. It took me a few tries but she finally spotted it.
Apparently, the little fellow was used to people (or was very into the shade) because she was able to get quite close and he didn't even flinch. Well, I couldn't let her have all the fun and, believe it or not, a bunny rabbit got me to climb about 1/3 of the way up that rock. And he was nice enough to sit still while we took pictures.
Before we left, I saw an opportunity to take one of those "fun" pictures.
In following the Oregon Trail, we next passed Devil's Gate. The Sweetwater River cuts a narrow 100-meter deep slot through a granite ridge, yet had it flowed less than a kilometer to the south, it could have bypassed the ridge completely. The gorge was cut because the landscape was originally buried by valley fill sediments. The river cut downward and when it hit granite, kept on cutting. It was a matter of pure chance that the river hit the buried ridge where it did. The site, significant in the history of western pioneers, was a major landmark on the Mormon Trail and the Oregon Trail although the actual routes of travel did not pass through the very narrow gorge. (source: Wikipedia)
A bit further up the road, we came across the Mormon Handcart Historical Center at the Sun Ranch. We took some time to listen to the story of the Martin Handcart Company and Mormon Pilgrims and Brigham Young sending out rescue parties. I didn't really understand what the story was about until after we got home. If you're in the area and have an hour or two to kill, stop in. The Mormons are not pushy (but they did wear the little black name tags). At any rate, it made for a good picture of Devil's Gate.
After our history lesson, we decided it was time to stop dawdling and get on down the road to Jackson. The Fit (Kristina's car) was go and we made pretty good time but had to make one more stop. There was an interesting geological formation that I kept trying to get moving pictures of. Suddenly, Kristina yanked the wheel to the left and hammered down on the brakes. Turns out there was a historical/POI marker for Crowheart Butte. It marked the geological formation but also commemorated a battle between the Shoshone and Bannock Indians in the general vicinity - actually, several miles to the North. The Shoshone Chief, Washakie, supposedly displayed a Crow Indian's heart on his lance at the war dance after the battle. What the battle and the butte have to do with each other besides the name, who knows.
The sun was getting low in the sky so after taking a few snapshots, we hit the road again. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be much later before the road hit us back. I'm not exactly sure where we were but as we skirted the edge of Grand Teton National Park, we ran into heavy duty road construction. Actually, it could more accurately be termed road reconstruction.
We entered the construction zone and came to a stop waiting for a pilot vehicle. For those who don't know, a pilot vehicle is used in construction areas when traffic can only flow in one direction at a time. Traffic is stopped at a specified point until the pilot vehicle and opposing traffic clear the one-way zone at which time the pilot vehicle turns around and guides the stopped traffic through the one-way zone. Lather, rinse, repeat.
If you have ever experienced this you know it is generally not a good sign. Now imagine it is dark in the middle of nowhere in an unfamiliar area and the road is gone. That's right, for twenty-seven miles they had ripped up the road bed and we drove through potholes, large-bore gravel and various other forms of natural shrapnel. We encountered a total of three pilot vehicle stops and Kristina grimaced the entire way. We eventually made it into Jackson and to the hotel where we enjoyed a decent nights sleep. We firmly decided, before we even left the destruction zone, that we would not be returning via the same route.
Thursday rolls around and I get a call from Kristina, the provider of our conveyance, saying she is ready to go now. Now now now. I double-checked with the motel and they were able to add another day onto the beginning of our stay so after finishing work and gathering together our last-minute items, we were on the road around 8:00pm.
We made really good time to the Wyoming border, getting there right at sunrise (about 7:30am). And so began the photographic odyssey.
Our first stop, of course, was Tree Rock. Tree Rock is in the middle of I-80. It is a small pine tree that seems to be growing out of solid rock. The tree is a somewhat stunted and twisted limber pine. It's age is unknown but limber pines can live as long as 2,000 years.
The latest obsession of my friend, Kristina, is the Oregon Trail. We took I-80 across to Rawlins, then turned North on highway 287. Once we hit Muddy Gap, we took a detour onto highway 220 to visit Independence Rock.
Independence Rock was so named because it was a recognizable landmark that emigrants would reach this part of the trail around July 4. If they didn't make it by that time, they had an increased chance of having to endure heavy snows and harsh temperatures on the road ahead.Kristina and I went out to the rock itself. She has been here before and has seen the names and dates chiseled into the rock. I did not avail myself of that opportunity since the names are inscribed at the top of Independence Rock and I don't do climbing or heights terribly well. Kristina took the opportunity to climb the rock and take some pictures.
She continued to try to convince me to climb up. "Come on, the names are at the top." There was no way I was going to climb to the top. "They're really cool." I'm sure they are. "The view is fantastic!" Sorry, all I would probably see is my potential doom.I did climb a little ways up but then immediately climbed back down shortly after checking my progress by looking behind me. That rock is a bit steep. It's not the height that bothers me, really, it's my stability. I can go to the observation platform of a tall building like, say, the Sears tower and be perfectly (mostly) fine. Why? I am enclosed. If I get vertigo (which has happened to me in high, enclosed places), the only thing I am going to hit is the carpet if I do happen to falter. There is also the aspect of being able to look away, step away from the windows and stare at the floor until the feeling goes away.
As I was watching Kristina taking pictures I noticed a bunny that had taken shade under one of the rocks near her. Without yelling, I turned her attention to the critter so she might have an opportunity to photograph it. It took me a few tries but she finally spotted it.
Apparently, the little fellow was used to people (or was very into the shade) because she was able to get quite close and he didn't even flinch. Well, I couldn't let her have all the fun and, believe it or not, a bunny rabbit got me to climb about 1/3 of the way up that rock. And he was nice enough to sit still while we took pictures.
Before we left, I saw an opportunity to take one of those "fun" pictures.
In following the Oregon Trail, we next passed Devil's Gate. The Sweetwater River cuts a narrow 100-meter deep slot through a granite ridge, yet had it flowed less than a kilometer to the south, it could have bypassed the ridge completely. The gorge was cut because the landscape was originally buried by valley fill sediments. The river cut downward and when it hit granite, kept on cutting. It was a matter of pure chance that the river hit the buried ridge where it did. The site, significant in the history of western pioneers, was a major landmark on the Mormon Trail and the Oregon Trail although the actual routes of travel did not pass through the very narrow gorge. (source: Wikipedia)A bit further up the road, we came across the Mormon Handcart Historical Center at the Sun Ranch. We took some time to listen to the story of the Martin Handcart Company and Mormon Pilgrims and Brigham Young sending out rescue parties. I didn't really understand what the story was about until after we got home. If you're in the area and have an hour or two to kill, stop in. The Mormons are not pushy (but they did wear the little black name tags). At any rate, it made for a good picture of Devil's Gate.
After our history lesson, we decided it was time to stop dawdling and get on down the road to Jackson. The Fit (Kristina's car) was go and we made pretty good time but had to make one more stop. There was an interesting geological formation that I kept trying to get moving pictures of. Suddenly, Kristina yanked the wheel to the left and hammered down on the brakes. Turns out there was a historical/POI marker for Crowheart Butte. It marked the geological formation but also commemorated a battle between the Shoshone and Bannock Indians in the general vicinity - actually, several miles to the North. The Shoshone Chief, Washakie, supposedly displayed a Crow Indian's heart on his lance at the war dance after the battle. What the battle and the butte have to do with each other besides the name, who knows.
The sun was getting low in the sky so after taking a few snapshots, we hit the road again. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be much later before the road hit us back. I'm not exactly sure where we were but as we skirted the edge of Grand Teton National Park, we ran into heavy duty road construction. Actually, it could more accurately be termed road reconstruction.We entered the construction zone and came to a stop waiting for a pilot vehicle. For those who don't know, a pilot vehicle is used in construction areas when traffic can only flow in one direction at a time. Traffic is stopped at a specified point until the pilot vehicle and opposing traffic clear the one-way zone at which time the pilot vehicle turns around and guides the stopped traffic through the one-way zone. Lather, rinse, repeat.
If you have ever experienced this you know it is generally not a good sign. Now imagine it is dark in the middle of nowhere in an unfamiliar area and the road is gone. That's right, for twenty-seven miles they had ripped up the road bed and we drove through potholes, large-bore gravel and various other forms of natural shrapnel. We encountered a total of three pilot vehicle stops and Kristina grimaced the entire way. We eventually made it into Jackson and to the hotel where we enjoyed a decent nights sleep. We firmly decided, before we even left the destruction zone, that we would not be returning via the same route.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
And, We're Off!
We were going to head out for Jackson, WY tomorrow afternoon but it appears that everyone has decided that they just don't want to wait and we're leaving tonight - God, help us. It promises to be a fun trip with great scenery, great company and a wedding to boot. I am also looking forward to adding a couple of pins to my black cowboy hat.
I may not get a chance to blog while I'm gone, although I might do some audio blogging depending on cell reception.
I may not get a chance to blog while I'm gone, although I might do some audio blogging depending on cell reception.
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Taking A Shot
Last night, I attended a bachelor party for a friend who shall remain nameless because, really, he is innocent until proven guilty. But this isn't about him anyway.
I was not planning on getting trashed (I actually ended up as D.D.) but I did plan to toast the groom at least once. When I arrived at his house, the "bartender" poured him a Screaming Nazi (equal parts Rumple Minze and Jagermeister) and, since I hate licorice flavors, made for me a Fire & Ice ("equal" parts Rumple Minze and Hot Damn cinnamon schnapps). I said congratulations and cheers to the groom and we knocked back our shots.
The libation poured in well enough but quickly became the alcoholic equivalent of napalm in my mouth. It wasn't the alcohol, it was the cinnamon flavor. I quickly swallowed in order to get it down but could only manage half of it before my esophagus clamped down to staunch the flow of liquid that had just peeled about three layers of skin off the back of my throat.
At this point I was unable to determine if I had swallowed or aspirated what I had managed to push down but knew I had to take some action. Instinct took over and my mouth said "SPIT IT OUT!!!! IT BURNS! IT BURNS!" but the brain overruled Instinct, having noticed that the sink was on the other side of the counter and was refusing to look like a pansy in front of friends who would most definitely give me shit about it for the rest of my life, and said, "Nope. We have to swallow."
Well, now, I was in a quandary. Instinct is saying to the brain, "Are you NUTS!?" To which the brain replied, "Not at all, you know I'm right." Without hesitation my tongue interjected screaming, "JUST SWALLOW THE DAMNED THING AND MAKE THE FIRE GO AWAY!!!!" and told my eyes, in no uncertain terms, that it was at this point they should start crying. A command, I am glad to say, I was successfully able to resist by completing the ingestion of Satan's Hellfire. A feat that was no less difficult than... well... I can't think of anything that compares. Let's just say it was a highly forced reaction that had to shove Instinct to the ground and beat him to a bloody pulp before it could be accomplished.
Awareness was starting to return to the rest of my body. My eyes opened, my hand realized it was still holding the shot glass and put it down on the counter, my throat burned, and my lungs quickly and urgently notified the rest of my body that they were no longer exchanging that wonderful life-giving element that is oxygen. Brain kicked in saying, "OH SHIT! OH SHIT!" in a panicked state, followed quickly by, "BREEEEEAAAAATHE!!"
It was then that Brain realized that it had just kicked the ever-living crap out of Instinct, thus rendering the lungs unable to perform their basic function. Brain rushed over, performed some quick CPR on Instinct and injected him with 10 cc's of Sodium Whamalamitol, bringing Instinct rapidly back to consciousness. "We have to breathe," said Brain. "I think I know how to do that," responded Instinct. "Then do it, man, DO IT!" But although Instinct was conscious, he was not quite aware yet and had to ask, "In or out?"
Brain jumped into action. He rushed over to the lungs. "In or out guys? Come on, stay with me!" The lungs were beginning to weaken and weren't lucid enough themselves to tell. Sensing the urgency, Brain yelled back to Instinct, "PICK ONE! JUST MAKE IT HAPPEN!"
It was at this point, approximately 3.2 seconds after swallowing the last of the shot, that I drew my first, ragged breath. I seriously had to make it happen. The lungs had perked up but were still having difficulty and had to ask Instinct, "What now?" A question to which Instinct had to place a bit of thought into answering, having recently received a concussion. "Out. Yeah, out. that's it."
The lungs complied but it was almost as difficult to push the air out as it was to draw it in. It took a few more breaths before things were starting to return to any semblance of normal. Once I was finally able to draw an unrestricted breath, the first words out of my mouth were, "Never again."
I was not planning on getting trashed (I actually ended up as D.D.) but I did plan to toast the groom at least once. When I arrived at his house, the "bartender" poured him a Screaming Nazi (equal parts Rumple Minze and Jagermeister) and, since I hate licorice flavors, made for me a Fire & Ice ("equal" parts Rumple Minze and Hot Damn cinnamon schnapps). I said congratulations and cheers to the groom and we knocked back our shots.
The libation poured in well enough but quickly became the alcoholic equivalent of napalm in my mouth. It wasn't the alcohol, it was the cinnamon flavor. I quickly swallowed in order to get it down but could only manage half of it before my esophagus clamped down to staunch the flow of liquid that had just peeled about three layers of skin off the back of my throat.
At this point I was unable to determine if I had swallowed or aspirated what I had managed to push down but knew I had to take some action. Instinct took over and my mouth said "SPIT IT OUT!!!! IT BURNS! IT BURNS!" but the brain overruled Instinct, having noticed that the sink was on the other side of the counter and was refusing to look like a pansy in front of friends who would most definitely give me shit about it for the rest of my life, and said, "Nope. We have to swallow."
Well, now, I was in a quandary. Instinct is saying to the brain, "Are you NUTS!?" To which the brain replied, "Not at all, you know I'm right." Without hesitation my tongue interjected screaming, "JUST SWALLOW THE DAMNED THING AND MAKE THE FIRE GO AWAY!!!!" and told my eyes, in no uncertain terms, that it was at this point they should start crying. A command, I am glad to say, I was successfully able to resist by completing the ingestion of Satan's Hellfire. A feat that was no less difficult than... well... I can't think of anything that compares. Let's just say it was a highly forced reaction that had to shove Instinct to the ground and beat him to a bloody pulp before it could be accomplished.
Awareness was starting to return to the rest of my body. My eyes opened, my hand realized it was still holding the shot glass and put it down on the counter, my throat burned, and my lungs quickly and urgently notified the rest of my body that they were no longer exchanging that wonderful life-giving element that is oxygen. Brain kicked in saying, "OH SHIT! OH SHIT!" in a panicked state, followed quickly by, "BREEEEEAAAAATHE!!"
It was then that Brain realized that it had just kicked the ever-living crap out of Instinct, thus rendering the lungs unable to perform their basic function. Brain rushed over, performed some quick CPR on Instinct and injected him with 10 cc's of Sodium Whamalamitol, bringing Instinct rapidly back to consciousness. "We have to breathe," said Brain. "I think I know how to do that," responded Instinct. "Then do it, man, DO IT!" But although Instinct was conscious, he was not quite aware yet and had to ask, "In or out?"
Brain jumped into action. He rushed over to the lungs. "In or out guys? Come on, stay with me!" The lungs were beginning to weaken and weren't lucid enough themselves to tell. Sensing the urgency, Brain yelled back to Instinct, "PICK ONE! JUST MAKE IT HAPPEN!"
It was at this point, approximately 3.2 seconds after swallowing the last of the shot, that I drew my first, ragged breath. I seriously had to make it happen. The lungs had perked up but were still having difficulty and had to ask Instinct, "What now?" A question to which Instinct had to place a bit of thought into answering, having recently received a concussion. "Out. Yeah, out. that's it."
The lungs complied but it was almost as difficult to push the air out as it was to draw it in. It took a few more breaths before things were starting to return to any semblance of normal. Once I was finally able to draw an unrestricted breath, the first words out of my mouth were, "Never again."
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Expo Memories
Trek Expo 2009 has wrapped up. Overall, I had a good time but the atmosphere was much different this year. I don't know if it was me, the economy, the guest list, the not-so-rushed attitude, or what but there wasn't as much of a spark of excitement as in past years.
Speaking of guests... Chase Masterson, a regular attendee (she must have family in the area or something), was lovely in form and voice as usual.
Leonard Nimoy started out interesting but we bailed on his talk. We were in the cheap seats and the acoustics of the room, combined with the tonal quality of his voice, made it very difficult to understand what he was saying (we weren't the only ones).
The one I really wanted to see was Corin Nemec from Stargate SG-1. He was one of only four guests I hadn't seen before. He was well spoken but needs to work on his timing. His stories, while interesting, tended to grab attention early then fade out instead of having a punch. He's very nice, though and I think he's losing his hair (he was never without a hat all weekend).
Of unexpected interest was Phil Morris. He has done a lot of voice work, he played Jackie Chiles in Seinfeld, a Jem-Hadar and a Klingon on Deep Space 9, and most recently The Martian Manhunter on Smallville. Two bits of trivia: He is the son of Greg Morris who was on the original Mission: Impossible. When it was remade later during a writer's strike, he was cast as the same character his father played. Also, he got his start in television and in the Star Trek universe in the original series as one of the children in the eposide Miri. He has some great stories.
Garret Wang was entertaining as usual. Here, he is doing his "Power of DeLanciiiiiiiie!!" schtick. He brings a lot of energy to a convention.
For the second time, I had the opportunity to see Avery Brooks. He is a very interesting person with very zen-like insights and mindset. It makes for interesting Q&A because half of the time when he's finished giving his answer, your mind has followed his etherial rhetoric and you have forgotten what the original question was.
Cirroc Lofton, who played Jake Cisco on DS9, was scheduled such that he and Avery spent an hour sharing the stage. At one point, they were talking about an eposide in which Tony Todd had guest-starred and called him up to the stage. Made for a nice photo-op.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Ed, Farrah, and Michael
It's been a rough week in the celebrity world. First, on Tuesday, Ed McMahon passed away. This wasn't much of a surprise. After all, he was 86, Johnny Carson, the person to whom he was most closely associated, died a couple of years ago, and he'd disappeared from the public eye a long time ago. I figure Dick Clark isn't too far behind.
Yeasterday, we lost two of my generation's icons. Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. Just last month, NBC ran a documentary Farrah had put together about her long battle with cancer. I didn't see the actual show but I did see some pre-show interviews with Ryan O'Neil, her long time partner (I don't believe they ever married). Ryan had said that they set out to film a survivor's story but that it wasn't looking like it was going to end that way.
I never had the Farrah Fawcett poster. Frankly, she just didn't do it for me for some reason. But it weas that poster that made her famous (oh, and that Charlie's Angels thing). I can't say that I'm torn up about her passing.
I'm not torn up about Michael Jackson, either, but that one did surprise me. I remember my first thought was, "Finally, that poor, tortured soul is at rest." Jackson was, without a doubt, a superstar. He rode a gigantic wave in the 80's (Thriller is still the best selling album of all time) but in his race to outdo himself his life kept taking major turns toward the weird. I get the nose job he had some time in the late 70's or early 80's that appeared on his album "The Wall" but in his mind, in his struggle for aesthetic perfection, he ceased to be black (I kinda get that one too), his nose became razor thin, his jaw line was a characature... in essesne, he ceased to look like himself... completely.
My prediction is that we'll start getting information that Jackson's death was more than the result of an illness or some congenital heart defect. The rumors have already started that it was linked to anorexia, Anna Nicole Smith had nothing on Michael Jackson, and I bet we hear news similar to when Elvis died.
Unlike some, I probably won't remember where I was, exactly, when I heard he died. In my world the children won't scream, the lovers won't cry and the poets won't dream. I'm just not that affected by it. I do, however, understand the significance.
Yeasterday, we lost two of my generation's icons. Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. Just last month, NBC ran a documentary Farrah had put together about her long battle with cancer. I didn't see the actual show but I did see some pre-show interviews with Ryan O'Neil, her long time partner (I don't believe they ever married). Ryan had said that they set out to film a survivor's story but that it wasn't looking like it was going to end that way.
I never had the Farrah Fawcett poster. Frankly, she just didn't do it for me for some reason. But it weas that poster that made her famous (oh, and that Charlie's Angels thing). I can't say that I'm torn up about her passing.
I'm not torn up about Michael Jackson, either, but that one did surprise me. I remember my first thought was, "Finally, that poor, tortured soul is at rest." Jackson was, without a doubt, a superstar. He rode a gigantic wave in the 80's (Thriller is still the best selling album of all time) but in his race to outdo himself his life kept taking major turns toward the weird. I get the nose job he had some time in the late 70's or early 80's that appeared on his album "The Wall" but in his mind, in his struggle for aesthetic perfection, he ceased to be black (I kinda get that one too), his nose became razor thin, his jaw line was a characature... in essesne, he ceased to look like himself... completely.
My prediction is that we'll start getting information that Jackson's death was more than the result of an illness or some congenital heart defect. The rumors have already started that it was linked to anorexia, Anna Nicole Smith had nothing on Michael Jackson, and I bet we hear news similar to when Elvis died.
Unlike some, I probably won't remember where I was, exactly, when I heard he died. In my world the children won't scream, the lovers won't cry and the poets won't dream. I'm just not that affected by it. I do, however, understand the significance.
Monday, May 18, 2009
I Should Have Played The Powerball
There's been a lot going on lately that I have wanted to tell you about or comment about but I just haven't been able to make the time to get the posts written. Then, when I do have time, I generally can't recall exactly what I was going to write about which is why I posted my last post.
One of the things I was going to write about was this weekend. The post would have been written in future tense but since the weekend is now over it will be written in past tense.
The middle nephew graduated from High School this weekend. Sunday, to be exact. We drove up to Kansas City, then up to Linneus, MO (about 2 hrs NE of KC) for the doings. There are 4 or 5 small towns (populations 200 to 500) in the county and I'm pretty sure it's a consolidated school. Even at that, there were only 18 people in his graduating class.
Side note: When we left for KC on Saturday, we had been on I-35 for 15 to 20 minutes and saw the Tornado Intercept Vehicle (TIV1). We were heading North, it was heading South.
The small number of graduating seniors in his class doesn't in any way diminish the fact that M was 3rd in his class. The valedictorian and salutatorian were both major overachievers (that's not a bad thing). We are very proud of all of my brother's kids. Given the cards that life has dealt them, any or all of them could have easily written off their education and underachieved but none of them did. E graduated, went into the Army reserves and is now working on a college degree. N graduated with his HS diploma and Associates degree on the same day through a special academy in Missouri. M just graduated 3rd in his class with scholarships to pursue his chosen career of Funeral Director/Mortician (at least he'll never have a lack of clientele). B is a basketball star set to graduate next year and will probably end up with some sort of scholarships himself. Q is coming into his own and is shaping up to be just as smart and active as his brothers. I am proud of all of them... yeah, I know I already said that but I figure it's worth repeating.
Now, to explain the title.
When I got to KC on Saturday, I had an email from Sprite Backup. Sprite Backup is a backup program for windows Mobile devices. My phone came with a lite version pre-installed which has saved my bacon more than once. Anyway, they were running a contest to give away a copy of the latest version so I entered... and promptly forgot I even entered until I got the email this weekend. I didn't win the software but I did win 3rd prize which was an 8GB MicroSD card. Not too shabby.
But wait, there's MORE!
In mid-to-late-April, Pantech, AT&T and 26 blog sites started a contest to give away 26 Pantech Matrix Pro phones, each with a $100 AT&T gift card for activation or accessories or whatever. The contest rules were decided by the individual sites. Some of them asked for essays about anything from the best ways to using cloud computing to why do you need this phone. The ones I entered (about 15 of them) required entries about the contest on personal blogs, comments posted to the contest announcement or tweets about the site and the contest.
When I got home this evening, I had received a private message from the site administrator of GearLive saying that I had won their contest! I am so excited! I've just been getting stuff left and right this weekend... which now explains the title.
One of the things I was going to write about was this weekend. The post would have been written in future tense but since the weekend is now over it will be written in past tense.
The middle nephew graduated from High School this weekend. Sunday, to be exact. We drove up to Kansas City, then up to Linneus, MO (about 2 hrs NE of KC) for the doings. There are 4 or 5 small towns (populations 200 to 500) in the county and I'm pretty sure it's a consolidated school. Even at that, there were only 18 people in his graduating class.
Side note: When we left for KC on Saturday, we had been on I-35 for 15 to 20 minutes and saw the Tornado Intercept Vehicle (TIV1). We were heading North, it was heading South.
The small number of graduating seniors in his class doesn't in any way diminish the fact that M was 3rd in his class. The valedictorian and salutatorian were both major overachievers (that's not a bad thing). We are very proud of all of my brother's kids. Given the cards that life has dealt them, any or all of them could have easily written off their education and underachieved but none of them did. E graduated, went into the Army reserves and is now working on a college degree. N graduated with his HS diploma and Associates degree on the same day through a special academy in Missouri. M just graduated 3rd in his class with scholarships to pursue his chosen career of Funeral Director/Mortician (at least he'll never have a lack of clientele). B is a basketball star set to graduate next year and will probably end up with some sort of scholarships himself. Q is coming into his own and is shaping up to be just as smart and active as his brothers. I am proud of all of them... yeah, I know I already said that but I figure it's worth repeating.
Now, to explain the title.
When I got to KC on Saturday, I had an email from Sprite Backup. Sprite Backup is a backup program for windows Mobile devices. My phone came with a lite version pre-installed which has saved my bacon more than once. Anyway, they were running a contest to give away a copy of the latest version so I entered... and promptly forgot I even entered until I got the email this weekend. I didn't win the software but I did win 3rd prize which was an 8GB MicroSD card. Not too shabby.
But wait, there's MORE!
In mid-to-late-April, Pantech, AT&T and 26 blog sites started a contest to give away 26 Pantech Matrix Pro phones, each with a $100 AT&T gift card for activation or accessories or whatever. The contest rules were decided by the individual sites. Some of them asked for essays about anything from the best ways to using cloud computing to why do you need this phone. The ones I entered (about 15 of them) required entries about the contest on personal blogs, comments posted to the contest announcement or tweets about the site and the contest.
When I got home this evening, I had received a private message from the site administrator of GearLive saying that I had won their contest! I am so excited! I've just been getting stuff left and right this weekend... which now explains the title.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
The Prophet, Arthur
I told you I might pop in a bit. I just read something... eerie?, disturbing?, bizarre?... and wanted to chronicle it so I thought it best to put it here.
Several months ago, I read, finally, Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke. I enjoyed it very much and recently came across a copy of Rama II, its sequel. Rama II was published in 1989 so maybe this wasn't as prophetic as I first thought... maybe it was a warning. Here is what I read:
My point is that much of this sounds very familiar. Some of it has already happened. Some of it in the same order, some of it in a different order. Some of it hasn't happened yet. Some of it probably won't happen. I think the key to avoiding a total disaster is in the very first part of this passage. We must address the fundamental economic weaknesses or nothing we do is going to solve the issue, merely, perhaps, postpone it.
For a good breakdown of how we got to where we are now and exactly how long this has been brewing, check out this article by the daughter of one of my coworkers.
http://ultimate-resumes.blogspot.com/2008/10/end-of-world-is-not-near-tips-for.html
Several months ago, I read, finally, Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke. I enjoyed it very much and recently came across a copy of Rama II, its sequel. Rama II was published in 1989 so maybe this wasn't as prophetic as I first thought... maybe it was a warning. Here is what I read:
The surge of unabashed self-indulgence on a global scale was easy to understand. Something fundamental in the human psyche had changed as a result of the encounter with Rama I.... Thus it was easy to comprehend why the life patterns of most human beings suddenly veered toward self-gratification....He goes on to explain a situation of electronic gridlock that causes delays in transaction processing that I don't feel is possible given the ruggedness of the internet and automatic safeguards that have been put in place to halt trading.
An unrestrained burst of conspicuous consumption and global greed lasted for just under two years. Frantic acquisitions of everything the human mind could create was superimposed on a weak economic infrastructure that had already been poised for a downturn in early 2130, when the first Raman spaceship flew through the inner solar system. The looming recession was first postponed throughout 2130 and 2131 by the combined manipulative efforts of governments and financial institutions, even though the fundamental economic weaknesses were never addressed. With the renewed burst of buying in early 2132, the world jumped directly into another period of rapid growth. Production capabilities expanded, stock markets exploded, and both consumer confidence and total employment hit all-time highs. There was unprecedented prosperity and the net result was a short-term but significant improvement in the standard of living for almost all humans.
By the end of the year in 2133, it had become obvious to some of the more experienced observers of human history that the "Raman Boom" was leading mankind toward disaster. Dire warnings of impending economic doom started being heard above the euphoric shouts of the millions who had recently vaulted into the middle and upper classes. Suggestions to balance budgets and limit credit at all levels of the economy were ignored. Instead, creative effort was expended to come up with one way after another of putting more spending power in the hands of a populace that had forgotten how to say wait, much less no, to itself.
The global stock market began to sputter... and there were predictions of a coming crash. But to most humans... the concept of such a crash was beyond comprehension. After all, the world economy had been expanding for over nine years, the last two years at a rate unparalleled in the previous two centuries. World leaders insisted that they had finally found the mechanisms that could truly inhibit the downturns of the capitalistic cycles. And the people believed them....
Terrestrial affairs were dominated by the emerging world economic crisis. On May 1, 2134, three of the largest international banks announced that they were insolvent because of bad loans. Within two days a panic had spread around the world. The more than one billion home terminals with access to the global financial markets were used to dump individual portfolios of stocks and bonds....
By the end of the week two things were apparent - that over half of the world's stock value had been obliterated and that many individuals, large and small investors alike, who had used their credit options to the maximum, were now virtually penniless. The supporting data bases that kept track of personal bank accounts and automatically transferred money to cover margin calls were flashing disaster messages in almost twenty percent of the houses in the world.
My point is that much of this sounds very familiar. Some of it has already happened. Some of it in the same order, some of it in a different order. Some of it hasn't happened yet. Some of it probably won't happen. I think the key to avoiding a total disaster is in the very first part of this passage. We must address the fundamental economic weaknesses or nothing we do is going to solve the issue, merely, perhaps, postpone it.
For a good breakdown of how we got to where we are now and exactly how long this has been brewing, check out this article by the daughter of one of my coworkers.
http://ultimate-resumes.blogspot.com/2008/10/end-of-world-is-not-near-tips-for.html
Monday, March 17, 2008
Wedding Pics
I'm not supposed to blog at work so I'm sneakin' one in. If you want to see some of the pics from the wedding, check them out here.
It's just a raw dump. I haven't edited anything yet so the color and lighting is highly variable.
It's just a raw dump. I haven't edited anything yet so the color and lighting is highly variable.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Still Troubled
I don't get it. I swapped out the data cable and now the system boots as quickly as it ever did. The secondary drive shows up correctly as a new volume. But try to actually DO anything and she'll freeze. Not right away, but she will eventually.
Here's the kicker. After writing zeros to the drive, re-initializing it in Windows and performing a complete format (and swapping out the data cable), I used the WD Data Lifeguard tools to perform a full scan on the drive. Yes, the same full scan that told me the drive was going bad about two months ago. Guess what it told me this time... the drive is fine. No errors. So, why won't the two drives play well together?
I was heading up to KC for my niece's wedding so I unplugged the spare drive for now.
There wasn't too much chaos when we arrived yesterday afternoon. My mother and sister were working on the flowers (my sister has some floral experience and agreed to do the flowers - what was she thinking?) and mom would later assemble the groom's cake, complete with John Deere tractor. My brother (the niece's dad) and the boys (her brothers) were all at the rehearsal and didn't return until after we all went to bed.
Right now, it's snowing in Kansas City. It's pretty cool, especially since it doesn't appear to be sticking to the roads. It should make for an interesting wedding. Precipitation on your wedding day is supposed to be good luck - was for me.
Before I ramble on too long, I'll close this chapter.
Here's the kicker. After writing zeros to the drive, re-initializing it in Windows and performing a complete format (and swapping out the data cable), I used the WD Data Lifeguard tools to perform a full scan on the drive. Yes, the same full scan that told me the drive was going bad about two months ago. Guess what it told me this time... the drive is fine. No errors. So, why won't the two drives play well together?
I was heading up to KC for my niece's wedding so I unplugged the spare drive for now.
There wasn't too much chaos when we arrived yesterday afternoon. My mother and sister were working on the flowers (my sister has some floral experience and agreed to do the flowers - what was she thinking?) and mom would later assemble the groom's cake, complete with John Deere tractor. My brother (the niece's dad) and the boys (her brothers) were all at the rehearsal and didn't return until after we all went to bed.
Right now, it's snowing in Kansas City. It's pretty cool, especially since it doesn't appear to be sticking to the roads. It should make for an interesting wedding. Precipitation on your wedding day is supposed to be good luck - was for me.
Before I ramble on too long, I'll close this chapter.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Hey Ron, Is This Better?
This post has nothing to do with the title except that Ron told me I needed to tweak my RSS settings then told me how to do it.
I am getting ready to head up to Kansas City for my niece's wedding. I was originally slated to be the photographer but after some investigation into what that involved, both de-niece and I agreed they should probably hire someone. My ability was not in question. I knew I could pull it off but we discovered that I could either enjoy the event or be the photographer... but not both. Oh, my camera WILL be there and I WILL take many pictures. But if I miss one of those shots the official photographer is expected to capture - no big deal.
I am getting ready to head up to Kansas City for my niece's wedding. I was originally slated to be the photographer but after some investigation into what that involved, both de-niece and I agreed they should probably hire someone. My ability was not in question. I knew I could pull it off but we discovered that I could either enjoy the event or be the photographer... but not both. Oh, my camera WILL be there and I WILL take many pictures. But if I miss one of those shots the official photographer is expected to capture - no big deal.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Family Time
My niece is getting married on March 15. Shortly after they set the date, she called me and asked me to be her photographer. I was flattered, intrigued by the challenge, and a little nervous. And I said yes.
I don't do portrait photography. I don't generally photograph people. The largest body of my work is animals, landscapes and a little bit of abstract thrown in for good measure. But my niece asked me because she knew I liked photography, thought I would enjoy it, and saw a few advantages in having a family member shoot the wedding.
The first thing I did was join a few photography forums on Yahoo and start scouring the internet for tips and information. I posted my questions to the forums and downloaded information and shot lists from the web sites. I received a variety of information telling me I would enjoy it, I would hate it, it shouldn't be a problem, I didn't need any fancy equipment, it's too much work, and one who told me to do myself a favor and hire a professional for them as a wedding gift. While this last was a good thought, it was out of my price range.
Once I had gathered this mass of data, life got in the way - as it often will - and I had to put it aside for a while. This weekend I bought a book on posing techniques (my real weak spot in portrait photography) and started reading it. As I got into the book, I started gaining confidence that I would be able to actually pull this off. Mind you, posing is one of those talents that takes a short time to learn and a long time to master - I had no illusions about that - but with my current level of photographic knowledge, I could probably do a right fair job of it.
Then I started looking at the shot lists. Some were simple, others were detailed. I began work on combining them all into my own list with the basics (i.e. the kiss, bride and mother, groom and father, etc.) and the cool-but-not-on-everyone's-list shots (i.e. bride looking out window). As I got to the ceremony shots, I realized something quite profound. Two somethings, really. First, there are a LOT of pictures that get taken at a wedding - this was going to be real work. Second, in order to get some of the shots, I would either have to be two places at once, moving around a lot (a potential distraction), relying on the good graces of one of my photographically inclined friends to assist me, or having to decide between one shot or the other. That's when I decided to call my niece.
You see, I realized that if I were going to do the photography portion of the wedding any justice at all, I was going to have to recuse myself from being an attendee. That meant that I would be missing out on time with my family, meeting the groom's family, actually enjoying the ceremony itself, and quite possibly wedding cake (which concerned me most). So this evening I called my niece and discussed the situation with her. It turns out, she had been talking with her dad, my brother, about the situation and had come to some of the same conclusions as well as a realization I now shared - If I'm taking all of the pictures, I'm not going to be IN any of the pictures.
With that, we agreed that it would be better for me to attend the wedding rather than work the wedding. Given that the ceremony is exactly two months away, I intend to keep studying technique (if for nothing else so that I can understand what the photographer is doing and take some mental notes) and I told my niece that if it was too short notice for her to find a photographer or something else went completely pear shaped, I would still be ready and willing.
I don't do portrait photography. I don't generally photograph people. The largest body of my work is animals, landscapes and a little bit of abstract thrown in for good measure. But my niece asked me because she knew I liked photography, thought I would enjoy it, and saw a few advantages in having a family member shoot the wedding.
The first thing I did was join a few photography forums on Yahoo and start scouring the internet for tips and information. I posted my questions to the forums and downloaded information and shot lists from the web sites. I received a variety of information telling me I would enjoy it, I would hate it, it shouldn't be a problem, I didn't need any fancy equipment, it's too much work, and one who told me to do myself a favor and hire a professional for them as a wedding gift. While this last was a good thought, it was out of my price range.
Once I had gathered this mass of data, life got in the way - as it often will - and I had to put it aside for a while. This weekend I bought a book on posing techniques (my real weak spot in portrait photography) and started reading it. As I got into the book, I started gaining confidence that I would be able to actually pull this off. Mind you, posing is one of those talents that takes a short time to learn and a long time to master - I had no illusions about that - but with my current level of photographic knowledge, I could probably do a right fair job of it.
Then I started looking at the shot lists. Some were simple, others were detailed. I began work on combining them all into my own list with the basics (i.e. the kiss, bride and mother, groom and father, etc.) and the cool-but-not-on-everyone's-list shots (i.e. bride looking out window). As I got to the ceremony shots, I realized something quite profound. Two somethings, really. First, there are a LOT of pictures that get taken at a wedding - this was going to be real work. Second, in order to get some of the shots, I would either have to be two places at once, moving around a lot (a potential distraction), relying on the good graces of one of my photographically inclined friends to assist me, or having to decide between one shot or the other. That's when I decided to call my niece.
You see, I realized that if I were going to do the photography portion of the wedding any justice at all, I was going to have to recuse myself from being an attendee. That meant that I would be missing out on time with my family, meeting the groom's family, actually enjoying the ceremony itself, and quite possibly wedding cake (which concerned me most). So this evening I called my niece and discussed the situation with her. It turns out, she had been talking with her dad, my brother, about the situation and had come to some of the same conclusions as well as a realization I now shared - If I'm taking all of the pictures, I'm not going to be IN any of the pictures.
With that, we agreed that it would be better for me to attend the wedding rather than work the wedding. Given that the ceremony is exactly two months away, I intend to keep studying technique (if for nothing else so that I can understand what the photographer is doing and take some mental notes) and I told my niece that if it was too short notice for her to find a photographer or something else went completely pear shaped, I would still be ready and willing.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Wore Out
Had things to say. Thought of things to say. Can't remember any of them. Too tired. Wore out.
Had a post idea for "Why I Abandoned Vista." Don't feel like writing it. Thought about "Cool Stuff I've Been Learning About Photography." Nope, not that either. Even considered "Coolest Thing I've Heard About So Far From CES." Nah. Could tell you about mundane stuff I've been doing lately... too lame.
My weekend has been consumed with sleep, trying unsuccessfully to sleep, nasal congestion, coughing, laundry, grocery shopping, and doing/learning things to prepare for the niece's wedding in March (I'm the photographer).
There, I posted. Is everybody happy? I'm not dead.
Had a post idea for "Why I Abandoned Vista." Don't feel like writing it. Thought about "Cool Stuff I've Been Learning About Photography." Nope, not that either. Even considered "Coolest Thing I've Heard About So Far From CES." Nah. Could tell you about mundane stuff I've been doing lately... too lame.
My weekend has been consumed with sleep, trying unsuccessfully to sleep, nasal congestion, coughing, laundry, grocery shopping, and doing/learning things to prepare for the niece's wedding in March (I'm the photographer).
There, I posted. Is everybody happy? I'm not dead.
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