We've recently purchased appliances at Sears, so Sears is now sending us love letters of all sorts. Yesterday we received a packet of coupons for discounts on various products, including jewelry. Thanks, but I have all the jewelry that I need. Sandra and I bought our wedding rings at Sears and they're working just fine.
When I bought this laptop last year, I also bought a 64MB USB drive. For those of you who haven't seen one, a USB drive is a little gadget that plugs into your computer and lets you store and transfer files and programs. You used to need a floppy disk to carry files to and from your work and home computers, for example. Well, the drive that I got yesterday holds 16 times the stuff that my year-old USB drive holds and costs less. I paid just over $60 for a 1GB drive.
As one technology columnist often observes, the future of technology is coming at us so quickly that we can't afford to blink.
I used to visit my aunt and uncle in St. Albans, Vermont. St. Albans in the upper-left corner, on Lake Champlain, and one town from Canada. Up there I could watch the Red Sox games broadcast in French from Montréal. (The Expos hadn't come and gone yet.) One day I turned on the radio and found a station from Plattsburg, New York, across the lake. They broadcasting a baseball game, but it was the Yankees game and they were playing someone like Cleveland. I was shocked. It was as though I had picked up Radio Moscow. Did people really listen to baseball games where the Red Sox were not playing? Was it legal for stations to do only Yankees games? I've calmed down since then, but it still doesn't feel quite right.
As I stood in the check-out line at Wal-Mart this past weekend, I noticed that White Owl is selling flavored cigars. Grape. Peach. Chocolate. Mocho Mint. All of that is just so wrong at so many levels.
The hamster will see you now.
Let me see if I've got this right. Come to Me, ye who are weary and heavy-laden and making more than $25,000 a year.
According to a story on NPR, McDonald's is sending Ronald McDonald on an mission to try to encourage kids to exercise more. Ronald wasn't available for comment, so they went to the next best, Richard Simmons. About Ronald, Simmons said, "He stole my Afro!"
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Carpe diem,with mustard, relish, and onions
I've received reports about layoffs at IBM. Several former co-workers were told that they had 30 days to find a new job within the company or they'd be moving on. There had been a flurry of activity in LinkedIn, presaging the news. I may not be able to provide direct employment leads, but I'll do what I can. And while doing that, I can also provide moral support. A few years ago, friend T. was a spectator at the Boston Marathon. (She's now training for an Ironman next month.) A little girl on the side of the road held a sign that said, "Run."
Dianne Williamson, a columnist for the Worcester Telegram, quotes a Fox news analyst as saying that Michael Jackson “dabbed tears from his nose.” 'Nuff said.
With the help of a bit software called ReplayRadio, I am recording Internet radio broadcasts and then listening to them on my iPod. I've had a favorite set of college radio shows, some from UMass-Amherst, some from a station in Los Altos Hills (near San Jose).
The North Pole is leaving Canada, heading for Russia at a brisk clip. Santa was seen listening to a set of Russian language tapes, brushing up on his ГО, ГО, ГО.
It's now Dr. Steven Tyler. And check out picture #14 while you're at it. (Thanks, Bill.)
In the What-are-they-thinking? Dept., why would Gatorade use the guitar riff from House of the Rising Sun in an ad about an Ironman event in Hawaii?
Of course, if you're in an Ironman, a marathon, or a half-marathon, you can listen to any music you darn well please. Cue the applause as Adam and Jennie prepare for their races on Sunday.
Happy Birthday, John.
Some 30 years ago, I wrote a poem. It's the only one of mine that I remember.So, carpe diem.
Keep laughing
or they'll have your heart for breakfast.
Keep laughing
or the leftovers'll yours for lunch.
Dianne Williamson, a columnist for the Worcester Telegram, quotes a Fox news analyst as saying that Michael Jackson “dabbed tears from his nose.” 'Nuff said.
With the help of a bit software called ReplayRadio, I am recording Internet radio broadcasts and then listening to them on my iPod. I've had a favorite set of college radio shows, some from UMass-Amherst, some from a station in Los Altos Hills (near San Jose).
The North Pole is leaving Canada, heading for Russia at a brisk clip. Santa was seen listening to a set of Russian language tapes, brushing up on his ГО, ГО, ГО.
It's now Dr. Steven Tyler. And check out picture #14 while you're at it. (Thanks, Bill.)
In the What-are-they-thinking? Dept., why would Gatorade use the guitar riff from House of the Rising Sun in an ad about an Ironman event in Hawaii?
Of course, if you're in an Ironman, a marathon, or a half-marathon, you can listen to any music you darn well please. Cue the applause as Adam and Jennie prepare for their races on Sunday.
Happy Birthday, John.
Monday, June 13, 2005
"Less is only more where more is no good" - FLW
Sandra returned late Saturday night from her most excellent adventure to Fallingwater. She brought back great stories about the fascinating and quirky details that make up not only this architectural masterpiece, but also the genius behind it. Sandra also reports that Pennsylvania drivers obey the speed limits. We've heard of such things, but hadn't seen them in the wild.
A couple of days ago, my father tripped while carrying a gasoline can and pulled a muscle in his leg. The gasoline spilled all over him. He got home and washed his clothes. As the machine entered the rinse cycle, it stopped. He was left with a load of wet, soapy, almost-not-gasoline-soaked clothes. He is using an umbrella for cane. His friend, E., owns a funeral parlor and has a large selection of canes left by customers who didn't need them any more. We'll be doing my father's laundry and grocery shopping for a while.
Thanks to Adam, we now have an "As Seen on TV" remote motion detector at the camp. It, um, detects motion. It picks up activity within 20 feet or so, enough to detect a car or a person in the parking area and sends a signal to a noise-making unit in the camp. Equally importantl, it's quiet when it's supposed to be quiet.
I was cutting up some scrap wood with the table saw in the boathouse. The wood was just a bit too thick (2x6s) for the blade that was in the saw. The blade bound up and stopped. Brushing away the dust (saw and otherwise), I found the reset button, tried again, jammed it again, and then blew a fuse. My father has some other blades at his house, so this project is on hold for a week or so. I don't know the age of the saw, a Sears Craftsman. It was my grandfather's. The Old Gent, as my father called him, (Vaari, as I called him) mounted the on/off switch upside down on the saw frame. There was a good reason for it, I'm sure, probably like the reason that some gas fittings are reverse-threaded. (I'll rant about reverse-threading another time.)
Our neighbor was out raking the lake on Saturday afternoon. Pollen had settled in whorls and swirls on his shoreline, as it had done on ours. They were having company that evening. So, to ensure that the guests would have a good swimming experience, our neighbor was in the water with a leaf rake, moving the pollen into our little cove.
The local weekly paper prints a report of the calls that come into the police station. While TV news is dealing with issues such as African debt relief, the war in Iraq, and nuclear missles in North Korea, here's what's troubling folks in the Wachusett region:
In the not-just-for-medical-professionals department, here are some clever, if not creepy gauze masks.
A couple of days ago, my father tripped while carrying a gasoline can and pulled a muscle in his leg. The gasoline spilled all over him. He got home and washed his clothes. As the machine entered the rinse cycle, it stopped. He was left with a load of wet, soapy, almost-not-gasoline-soaked clothes. He is using an umbrella for cane. His friend, E., owns a funeral parlor and has a large selection of canes left by customers who didn't need them any more. We'll be doing my father's laundry and grocery shopping for a while.
Thanks to Adam, we now have an "As Seen on TV" remote motion detector at the camp. It, um, detects motion. It picks up activity within 20 feet or so, enough to detect a car or a person in the parking area and sends a signal to a noise-making unit in the camp. Equally importantl, it's quiet when it's supposed to be quiet.
I was cutting up some scrap wood with the table saw in the boathouse. The wood was just a bit too thick (2x6s) for the blade that was in the saw. The blade bound up and stopped. Brushing away the dust (saw and otherwise), I found the reset button, tried again, jammed it again, and then blew a fuse. My father has some other blades at his house, so this project is on hold for a week or so. I don't know the age of the saw, a Sears Craftsman. It was my grandfather's. The Old Gent, as my father called him, (Vaari, as I called him) mounted the on/off switch upside down on the saw frame. There was a good reason for it, I'm sure, probably like the reason that some gas fittings are reverse-threaded. (I'll rant about reverse-threading another time.)
Our neighbor was out raking the lake on Saturday afternoon. Pollen had settled in whorls and swirls on his shoreline, as it had done on ours. They were having company that evening. So, to ensure that the guests would have a good swimming experience, our neighbor was in the water with a leaf rake, moving the pollen into our little cove.
The local weekly paper prints a report of the calls that come into the police station. While TV news is dealing with issues such as African debt relief, the war in Iraq, and nuclear missles in North Korea, here's what's troubling folks in the Wachusett region:
- 911 report of ducklings in the sewer drain.
- Woman comes in to the police station at 3PM to report motorist driving erratically that morning.
- Skateboarder "with an attitude" at a local school.
- Radio interference.
In the not-just-for-medical-professionals department, here are some clever, if not creepy gauze masks.
Friday, June 10, 2005
Fearful brown bottle! Its sting presages a scar -- a new lesson learned.
A morning in a quiet house. Sandra is on an adventure with a friend to visit Fallingwater, the house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, near Pittsburgh. They left early this morning to fly from Providence.
This morning's automatic search for a technical documentation job produced these:
Marley's having such a great time at the Island, going everywhere that Woody and Marian go, whether it's a walk down the lane, a ride into town, or stroll behind the self-propelled lawn mower. Our house is empty, just the two of us, for the first time in, like, ever. Sandra and I have talked a lot about getting another pet. There are rescue programs that need foster homes for various breeds of dog. (Dunno about cats.) In any case, if we do get another pet, it'll be a traditional on and not something such as Mike the Headless Chicken.
Buzzword Bingo (and its PG-13 cousin) have been around the business world for a while. Basically, you get a Bingo card with commonly-overused words and phrases. When you hear the word or phrase, you mark your card. When you have five marks in a row, you get to shout "Bingo." Tim Russert was the Class Day speaker at Harvard this week and delivered a speech that has a lot in common with other speeches he's given. Naturally, the best and brightest jumped into action and created Tim Russert Bingo.
My manager and I get along well. When he stops by my cube, usually unannounced, he always sees something interesting on my computer screen. Late yesterday afternoon, he saw an Emacs window full of Perl code. That I had no idea what I was doing and that the code wasn't working didn't come up in conversation.
On the ride home yesterday, I listened to samples from the Periodic Table of Haiku. It's not as good as The Elements by Tom Lehrer, but it was a good distraction from the wackiness of my fellow commuters.
This morning's automatic search for a technical documentation job produced these:
- Biohazard Safety Manager - "Develop emergency response policies for spills and exposures to such chemical/radiological materials such as chemotherapeutic agents, isotopes and hazardous chemical materials."
- Maintenance & Sanitation Manager - Five (5) years supervisory experience in a nutraceutical / pharmaceutical manufacturing environment required. Must have experience working with equipment used in the manufacture, bottling and packaging of dietary supplements and powders.
Marley's having such a great time at the Island, going everywhere that Woody and Marian go, whether it's a walk down the lane, a ride into town, or stroll behind the self-propelled lawn mower. Our house is empty, just the two of us, for the first time in, like, ever. Sandra and I have talked a lot about getting another pet. There are rescue programs that need foster homes for various breeds of dog. (Dunno about cats.) In any case, if we do get another pet, it'll be a traditional on and not something such as Mike the Headless Chicken.
Buzzword Bingo (and its PG-13 cousin) have been around the business world for a while. Basically, you get a Bingo card with commonly-overused words and phrases. When you hear the word or phrase, you mark your card. When you have five marks in a row, you get to shout "Bingo." Tim Russert was the Class Day speaker at Harvard this week and delivered a speech that has a lot in common with other speeches he's given. Naturally, the best and brightest jumped into action and created Tim Russert Bingo.
My manager and I get along well. When he stops by my cube, usually unannounced, he always sees something interesting on my computer screen. Late yesterday afternoon, he saw an Emacs window full of Perl code. That I had no idea what I was doing and that the code wasn't working didn't come up in conversation.
On the ride home yesterday, I listened to samples from the Periodic Table of Haiku. It's not as good as The Elements by Tom Lehrer, but it was a good distraction from the wackiness of my fellow commuters.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
How high the moon
Mornings are simpler by a couple of steps. With Marley off frolicking in the Great White North for the summer, I don't have to hurry to feed a hungry dog. And, finally, we don't need a fire in the wood stove. Mornings are simpler and simpler is good.
The early corn from Florida is starting to show up in the stores. Of course, it isn't as good as corn fresh from the field, but it's still pretty tasty. Boiling water on a steamy day isn't a good idea, so I tried cooking the corn in the microwave. The Betty Crocker cookbook is handy for many things, but not for microwave cooking. A quick Google search showed me that I should cook corn, in the husks, on full power for about a minute-and-a-half per ear. Once again, the Web proves to be the source of all that is good and wise.
I had a good chat with my manager yesterday afternoon. It started off as a discussion about the lack of a spell checker in the latest AOL Instant Messenger and led through lots of turns - nuclear submarines and Soviet space programs, networking (personal and systems) at Digital, MIT graduates as a breed apart, self-absorbed bloggers - and ended with his mentioning that he'd spoken favorably about me to his boss. There might be a permanent opening, but I'll keep my hopes in check.
Today marks a couple of events, one tragic and the other pleasant. In 1953 a tornado struck Worcester, killing 94 people. In 1915 Les Paul was born. I had played a Les Paul guitar once; it belonged to a friend in college. Sweet, smooth sound and action.
The early corn from Florida is starting to show up in the stores. Of course, it isn't as good as corn fresh from the field, but it's still pretty tasty. Boiling water on a steamy day isn't a good idea, so I tried cooking the corn in the microwave. The Betty Crocker cookbook is handy for many things, but not for microwave cooking. A quick Google search showed me that I should cook corn, in the husks, on full power for about a minute-and-a-half per ear. Once again, the Web proves to be the source of all that is good and wise.
I had a good chat with my manager yesterday afternoon. It started off as a discussion about the lack of a spell checker in the latest AOL Instant Messenger and led through lots of turns - nuclear submarines and Soviet space programs, networking (personal and systems) at Digital, MIT graduates as a breed apart, self-absorbed bloggers - and ended with his mentioning that he'd spoken favorably about me to his boss. There might be a permanent opening, but I'll keep my hopes in check.
Today marks a couple of events, one tragic and the other pleasant. In 1953 a tornado struck Worcester, killing 94 people. In 1915 Les Paul was born. I had played a Les Paul guitar once; it belonged to a friend in college. Sweet, smooth sound and action.
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Hitting the market window, like a bird
The most common mispronunciation of our last name is Hakkarainian, making the name sound Armenian. Now, even my automated job searches are getting into the act.
Marian reports that Marley came upstairs at five yesterday morning and licked her face.
With the Red Sox doing the Curly Shuffle in St. Louis again last night, we watched a good show about Hawaii on Globe Trekker. At one point, a Hawaiian girl was helping host Megan McCormick gather wild flowers for a lei. As a part of a deeply traditional and spiritual ritual, Megan would bring the lei as a gift to the people hosting a luau. The girl was collecting the flowers in a Wal-Mart plastic bag.
And, in other world news, Hindus marry toads, hope for rain.
I don't know why the U.S. Customs folks let this guy in the country, but I'm pretty sure I know why Canada didn't want him: Man with what appeared to be a bloody chain saw let into U.S. - Crime & Punishment - MSNBC.com
Fight ageism by looking younger, this guy says. I really hope that it's a joke. "Guys, don't forget about your moustache. Generally, it looks best if you color your hair your original color." "A good face lift makes you look 10 years younger and lasts a long time." And women should fight sexism how? And people of color should fight racism how? And if you're short, well, you could try various stretching techniques.
Today is a very special day in Dilbert's life. It's the birthday of Scott Adams. (Today's title is from a Dilbert strip.)
Marian reports that Marley came upstairs at five yesterday morning and licked her face.
With the Red Sox doing the Curly Shuffle in St. Louis again last night, we watched a good show about Hawaii on Globe Trekker. At one point, a Hawaiian girl was helping host Megan McCormick gather wild flowers for a lei. As a part of a deeply traditional and spiritual ritual, Megan would bring the lei as a gift to the people hosting a luau. The girl was collecting the flowers in a Wal-Mart plastic bag.
And, in other world news, Hindus marry toads, hope for rain.
I don't know why the U.S. Customs folks let this guy in the country, but I'm pretty sure I know why Canada didn't want him: Man with what appeared to be a bloody chain saw let into U.S. - Crime & Punishment - MSNBC.com
Fight ageism by looking younger, this guy says. I really hope that it's a joke. "Guys, don't forget about your moustache. Generally, it looks best if you color your hair your original color." "A good face lift makes you look 10 years younger and lasts a long time." And women should fight sexism how? And people of color should fight racism how? And if you're short, well, you could try various stretching techniques.
Today is a very special day in Dilbert's life. It's the birthday of Scott Adams. (Today's title is from a Dilbert strip.)
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Science projects
With just the two of us at home now, leftovers in the refrigerator are more likely to wind up as little bags and dishes of "What's This?" It might be simpler to put the food straight into the dishwasher and eat from there.
At yesterday's doctor's appointment, we decided to change some medications, eliminating one product and returning to another that I'd used a couple of years ago. The side effects are riskier, but the stuff worked well. It's also expensive, with a month's supply more than $250. Thank goodness for insurance.
After hearing a radio interview with Dr. Peter Kramer, I ordered and have started reading his new book, Against Depression. I'm not far enough along to have a real opinion about the book yet. Among his key points is that depression is no more ennobling than myopia or shingles. I'll have more comments about the book as I move through it.
And with the Red Sox playing the way that they are, I'm going to have more time for reading. The Sox are in St. Louis, scene of last year's glorious victory. Last night's game was, well, all too common. I have family in the St. Louis area, my father's brother's family. I hope that they're enjoying the series.
Let me see if I've got this right. Citigroup sends millions of customer records on an unencrypted tape via UPS. Why not just send blank checks to the bad guys and cut out the middleman?
At yesterday's doctor's appointment, we decided to change some medications, eliminating one product and returning to another that I'd used a couple of years ago. The side effects are riskier, but the stuff worked well. It's also expensive, with a month's supply more than $250. Thank goodness for insurance.
After hearing a radio interview with Dr. Peter Kramer, I ordered and have started reading his new book, Against Depression. I'm not far enough along to have a real opinion about the book yet. Among his key points is that depression is no more ennobling than myopia or shingles. I'll have more comments about the book as I move through it.
And with the Red Sox playing the way that they are, I'm going to have more time for reading. The Sox are in St. Louis, scene of last year's glorious victory. Last night's game was, well, all too common. I have family in the St. Louis area, my father's brother's family. I hope that they're enjoying the series.
Let me see if I've got this right. Citigroup sends millions of customer records on an unencrypted tape via UPS. Why not just send blank checks to the bad guys and cut out the middleman?
Monday, June 06, 2005
Pulling the start cord on the lawnmower of life
Adam, Jennie, and Lily came for a visit, dinner, and sauna at the camp on Saturday. I cooked some steaks on the outside grill and they came out well. Adam's helping us with the installation of the new gas cooktop. I got tired just thinking about his day on Saturday. He worked the overnight shift, ran 15 miles after work, slept for a few hours, and drove to see us. We made sure that he had an extra cup of coffee for the ride home.
In two weeks, they will have completed their fund-raising race. Adam's slated to run a marathon, Jennie a half-marathon, as a fund-raiser for stroke research.
My father and his friends built a massive stone fireplace at the camp. The mortar was mixed by a long-time friend, a fellow who still visits my father for sauna every few weeks. (The friend is up in Hudson's Bay this week, visiting with the Cree Indians.) Anyway, this friend was new to mixing mortar. As a result, little white flakes and chunks have been falling off the fireplace for 60 years. My father grumbles about it, good-naturedly, mostly. When we are cleaning up, we mutter this guy's name. We're passing the info along to Mike and Adam, so the next generations can continue the grumbling.
The hydrangea that Sandra planted by the boathouse is coming back. The small hemlocks along the paths have fresh green tips of new growth. Sandra found another trillium in the woods. She reports that the ground is very wet, even a couple of hundred feet from the water's edge.
We met with the contractor about putting a road from our parking area to the back of the camp. He gave us can of orange spray paint which we used to mark the trees that we wanted cut down. It'll be both exhilarating and saddening to have the trees come down, opening us to much more sunlight. We didn't keep count, but it may be three or four dozen trees that are slated to come down. They're tall trees in many cases, near power lines or the camp. It's work that's best donw by professionals.
Saturday was calm. (Or, as they say in PEI, "Cam, dear.") We had a canoe ride, gliding smoothly through the pollen that coat the water in the cove. There were several boats on the lake, including Elden and my father. The sun was strong and warm.
Screwdrivers have legs and bad homing instincts. Afer the the lawn mover would start, I wanted to remove the air filter and open up the butterfly valve a bit. No flathead screwdriver. Fortunately I had my Swiss army knife. Even more fortunately, my father showed up so I didn't have time to do the mowing. Next week, for sure.
So, my father, who reminds us that when he was a kid, commercial radio didn't exist, is thinking of giving up his landline phone for a cell phone. We have a few more details to resolve, including the setup of his voice mail. It could be a very good idea, saving him $20-$30 per month. Or, it could be something else.
After all that tumult of the weekend, it's easy to forget that it's time to go back to work. I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon. I'm ready, as are those around me who've been patient andkind Knowing what's not working doesn't automatically translate into knowing what does.
In two weeks, they will have completed their fund-raising race. Adam's slated to run a marathon, Jennie a half-marathon, as a fund-raiser for stroke research.
My father and his friends built a massive stone fireplace at the camp. The mortar was mixed by a long-time friend, a fellow who still visits my father for sauna every few weeks. (The friend is up in Hudson's Bay this week, visiting with the Cree Indians.) Anyway, this friend was new to mixing mortar. As a result, little white flakes and chunks have been falling off the fireplace for 60 years. My father grumbles about it, good-naturedly, mostly. When we are cleaning up, we mutter this guy's name. We're passing the info along to Mike and Adam, so the next generations can continue the grumbling.
The hydrangea that Sandra planted by the boathouse is coming back. The small hemlocks along the paths have fresh green tips of new growth. Sandra found another trillium in the woods. She reports that the ground is very wet, even a couple of hundred feet from the water's edge.
We met with the contractor about putting a road from our parking area to the back of the camp. He gave us can of orange spray paint which we used to mark the trees that we wanted cut down. It'll be both exhilarating and saddening to have the trees come down, opening us to much more sunlight. We didn't keep count, but it may be three or four dozen trees that are slated to come down. They're tall trees in many cases, near power lines or the camp. It's work that's best donw by professionals.
Saturday was calm. (Or, as they say in PEI, "Cam, dear.") We had a canoe ride, gliding smoothly through the pollen that coat the water in the cove. There were several boats on the lake, including Elden and my father. The sun was strong and warm.
Screwdrivers have legs and bad homing instincts. Afer the the lawn mover would start, I wanted to remove the air filter and open up the butterfly valve a bit. No flathead screwdriver. Fortunately I had my Swiss army knife. Even more fortunately, my father showed up so I didn't have time to do the mowing. Next week, for sure.
So, my father, who reminds us that when he was a kid, commercial radio didn't exist, is thinking of giving up his landline phone for a cell phone. We have a few more details to resolve, including the setup of his voice mail. It could be a very good idea, saving him $20-$30 per month. Or, it could be something else.
After all that tumult of the weekend, it's easy to forget that it's time to go back to work. I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon. I'm ready, as are those around me who've been patient andkind Knowing what's not working doesn't automatically translate into knowing what does.
Friday, June 03, 2005
It was the third of June ...
It would be an interesting way to consume precious hours of life to collect a list of song that have dates featured in them. Today's selection is that sultry Sixties classic, Ode to Billie Jo. The only other song phrase that comes to mind right away is "the first of December was covered with snow," from James Taylor's Sweet Baby James.
When I was growing up, we had boxes of Finnish folk songs on dusty 78s. I used the rest of the records for target practice with my BB gun. Of course, everything old is new again. Now you can download MP3 versions of venerable tunes such as Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag, He'd Have to Get Under - Get Out and Get Under (to Fix Up His Automobile), and Yes! We Have No Bananas.
The BBC is playing the complete works of Beethoven and making those performances available for download.
Before the iPod, before the Walkman, I had a pocket transistor radio. This would have been in the early 60s, when Japanese radios were still something of a novelty. My radio had an earphone. So, much as I do now, I would walk along with the earphone in place, listening to music. Such a small radio couldn't reliably pick up WMEX in Boston, so I'd listen to WORC in Worcester. (At night the whole eastern U.S. was in range.) When I was wearing a jacket or long-sleeved shirt, I could run the earphone cord down my arm and then lean my head against my hand. I was once more in a world of my own.
One time I was walking through South Gardner. A woman stopped me and said, "Oh, you poor boy, needing a hearing aid at your age." When I tried to explain that it was a radio, she walked away quickly, apparently not liking having her sympathy rejected.
When I was growing up, we had boxes of Finnish folk songs on dusty 78s. I used the rest of the records for target practice with my BB gun. Of course, everything old is new again. Now you can download MP3 versions of venerable tunes such as Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag, He'd Have to Get Under - Get Out and Get Under (to Fix Up His Automobile), and Yes! We Have No Bananas.
The BBC is playing the complete works of Beethoven and making those performances available for download.
Before the iPod, before the Walkman, I had a pocket transistor radio. This would have been in the early 60s, when Japanese radios were still something of a novelty. My radio had an earphone. So, much as I do now, I would walk along with the earphone in place, listening to music. Such a small radio couldn't reliably pick up WMEX in Boston, so I'd listen to WORC in Worcester. (At night the whole eastern U.S. was in range.) When I was wearing a jacket or long-sleeved shirt, I could run the earphone cord down my arm and then lean my head against my hand. I was once more in a world of my own.
One time I was walking through South Gardner. A woman stopped me and said, "Oh, you poor boy, needing a hearing aid at your age." When I tried to explain that it was a radio, she walked away quickly, apparently not liking having her sympathy rejected.
Thursday, June 02, 2005
How much is 10% of someone else's income?
Showing that you can get someone to pay you to do almost anything, blogging is becoming a paid position at many companies.
Or, you could just buy 10% of someone's income.
As Marley runs through the acres (hectares) of fields and woods along the shore line, I hope he gives thought to the other dogs who are struggling to get into doggie day care.
"Don't make me get the Portable Time-Out Mat!"
The guys from QE will throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park this coming Sunday. Maybe they can stay and help with the pitching for the rest of the game. True to their DNA, the Red Sox have had spectacularly uneven pitching this season. Tim Wakefield's 9-3 loss last night is a classic example. Knuckle balls that don't knuckle are heading for Lansdowne Street.
Hitting has been the strength of the Red Sox for the last 50-60 years. Not pitching, although there have been some greats. Luis Tiant, of course, with his twisting delivery that had him looking into center field before the pitch. Bill Lee, who'd throw 75 junk pitches in a complete game. Clemens, a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer but with the attitude of a teenage hood. Jim Lonborg, Bill Monbouquette, Dick Radatz. Defense could be, um, interesting, with Dick Stuart, aka 'Dr. Stranglove' aka 'Clank,' and Don Buddin, for whom his teammates made a special license plate 'E-4.'
Those who care probably don't need to be told, but Krispy Kreme is giving away a donut to each visit tomorrow (3 June).
There were people at the college reunion weekend who used avuncular and schadenfreude as though they were real words.
Sandra has brought in sweet-smelling flowers from our yard - Purple Flag Iris and Lily of the Valley. The year that we were married, Sandra's mother was concerned that the lilacs wouldn't stay in bloom until the wedding; they just barely made it. This year, with the much colder May, the lilacs are still colorful and fragrant.
Happy Birthday, Lori.
Or, you could just buy 10% of someone's income.
As Marley runs through the acres (hectares) of fields and woods along the shore line, I hope he gives thought to the other dogs who are struggling to get into doggie day care.
"Don't make me get the Portable Time-Out Mat!"
The guys from QE will throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park this coming Sunday. Maybe they can stay and help with the pitching for the rest of the game. True to their DNA, the Red Sox have had spectacularly uneven pitching this season. Tim Wakefield's 9-3 loss last night is a classic example. Knuckle balls that don't knuckle are heading for Lansdowne Street.
Hitting has been the strength of the Red Sox for the last 50-60 years. Not pitching, although there have been some greats. Luis Tiant, of course, with his twisting delivery that had him looking into center field before the pitch. Bill Lee, who'd throw 75 junk pitches in a complete game. Clemens, a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer but with the attitude of a teenage hood. Jim Lonborg, Bill Monbouquette, Dick Radatz. Defense could be, um, interesting, with Dick Stuart, aka 'Dr. Stranglove' aka 'Clank,' and Don Buddin, for whom his teammates made a special license plate 'E-4.'
Those who care probably don't need to be told, but Krispy Kreme is giving away a donut to each visit tomorrow (3 June).
There were people at the college reunion weekend who used avuncular and schadenfreude as though they were real words.
Sandra has brought in sweet-smelling flowers from our yard - Purple Flag Iris and Lily of the Valley. The year that we were married, Sandra's mother was concerned that the lilacs wouldn't stay in bloom until the wedding; they just barely made it. This year, with the much colder May, the lilacs are still colorful and fragrant.
Happy Birthday, Lori.
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Sans Chien
We'll get used to it in a while and the time will pass quickly. We'll get used to not stopping on the hill so that we can let Marley run up the camp road. We'll get used eating a whole orange by ourselves. We'll get used to leaving shoes on the hearth and having them still there in the morning.
Sandra's parents reported that Marley went upstairs and all around the house after Sandra and Mike left early on Sunday morning. By then Marley had already had two baths. At the corner of the French Road, there's some mud along the Mitchell River. It's not just ordinary mud, though; it's mud with something dead in it. We're thinking of getting one of those car deodorizers and hanging it on his collar.
On Tuesday he had a ride with Woody and Marian to the Post Office in downtown Cardigan.
Mike and Sandra made excellent time, 10:15, on their return trip. The weather was good and the border crossing quick. It was a good chance for them to talk. When Sandra returned home, she said, "Karl, I'm a metric." After some fiddling with the buttons on the dashboard of her car, we figured out how to change the odometer, thermometer, and other ometers back to English measurements. It was fun to have different adventures and even better to be back home together.
I talked with quite a few people during my college's reunion weekend and hear a lot of anxiety. A lot of very successful people have graduated from there, successful in business, law, medicine, academia, and the performing arts, so it's easy to fall in the trap of comparing performance. Still, it was gratifying to look around the parking lot and see Hondas, Subarus, and Tauruses (Tauri?), to see that the Hyundais outnumbered the Porsches. These were people returning because they'd had a good time in college and wanted to reconnect with friends, faculty, and the campus.
On the ride there, I passed through different words, from Support Our Troops yellow magnetic ribbons on the backs of cars and trucks to Free Tibet bumper stickers. I passed signs that said "I buy houses" in hand-lettering. "No Title 5. No problem." Another place offered used cars and/or sanitation services.
Mount Wachusett still has a few patches of snow and wild turkeys slow traffic on the mountain road.
We bought a new new phone recently. Inside the instruction booklet was a slip of paper, "Need Help? Call Toll Free. 1(800)nnn-nnnn."
Sandra's parents reported that Marley went upstairs and all around the house after Sandra and Mike left early on Sunday morning. By then Marley had already had two baths. At the corner of the French Road, there's some mud along the Mitchell River. It's not just ordinary mud, though; it's mud with something dead in it. We're thinking of getting one of those car deodorizers and hanging it on his collar.
On Tuesday he had a ride with Woody and Marian to the Post Office in downtown Cardigan.
Mike and Sandra made excellent time, 10:15, on their return trip. The weather was good and the border crossing quick. It was a good chance for them to talk. When Sandra returned home, she said, "Karl, I'm a metric." After some fiddling with the buttons on the dashboard of her car, we figured out how to change the odometer, thermometer, and other ometers back to English measurements. It was fun to have different adventures and even better to be back home together.
I talked with quite a few people during my college's reunion weekend and hear a lot of anxiety. A lot of very successful people have graduated from there, successful in business, law, medicine, academia, and the performing arts, so it's easy to fall in the trap of comparing performance. Still, it was gratifying to look around the parking lot and see Hondas, Subarus, and Tauruses (Tauri?), to see that the Hyundais outnumbered the Porsches. These were people returning because they'd had a good time in college and wanted to reconnect with friends, faculty, and the campus.
On the ride there, I passed through different words, from Support Our Troops yellow magnetic ribbons on the backs of cars and trucks to Free Tibet bumper stickers. I passed signs that said "I buy houses" in hand-lettering. "No Title 5. No problem." Another place offered used cars and/or sanitation services.
Mount Wachusett still has a few patches of snow and wild turkeys slow traffic on the mountain road.
We bought a new new phone recently. Inside the instruction booklet was a slip of paper, "Need Help? Call Toll Free. 1(800)nnn-nnnn."
Friday, May 27, 2005
just me and my radio
On days such as these, the Fats Waller tune Ain't Misbehavin' is on the radio in my head.
The travelers arrived in good order, slowed somewhat by the heavy rain in Maine that falls mainly on Meddybemps. I tried to watch them cross the bridge, but the network folks at work appear to be blocking video streams. Too bad. Mike reported that Marley had his head out the window, jowls flapping in the wind.
It's been difficult keeping enough dry wood in the house. We put the wood hoop away last month and bring in just a little as we need it. Well, we've needed a lot.
Job listing of the day: Vibration Technician, "using electro-dynamic and electro-hydraulic shakers."
There are some people who believe that the patent process is out of control and is stifling creativity and thus inhibiting further product development for the good of all people. In other realms, patent production is rewarded. IBM bestows the title of Master Inventor for people who have received something like 15 patents. In both cases, the folks are living out the principle articulated in Robots: "See a need. Fill a need." (BTW, patents expire after a fixed time.)
When we're at the camp, we're at the edge of cell phone service. Further, the large stone fireplace further dulls the signal. All the while, the little phone is chugging away, trying to put up as many bars at it can, usually between one and none. (Reception is a bit better on the porch.) The battery drains very quickly. See a need. Fill a need, indeed.
If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, then some apples might keep the neurologist, cardiologist, and oncologist away, as well as the GP. Canadian researchers report that Red Delicious and Northern Spy have the most antioxidants. I'm not a great fan of these apples, mainly because they get a bit mealy when kept in storage. I'm enjoying Cameo apples now (not part of the study). They're crisp and a bit tart.
The travelers arrived in good order, slowed somewhat by the heavy rain in Maine that falls mainly on Meddybemps. I tried to watch them cross the bridge, but the network folks at work appear to be blocking video streams. Too bad. Mike reported that Marley had his head out the window, jowls flapping in the wind.
It's been difficult keeping enough dry wood in the house. We put the wood hoop away last month and bring in just a little as we need it. Well, we've needed a lot.
Job listing of the day: Vibration Technician, "using electro-dynamic and electro-hydraulic shakers."
There are some people who believe that the patent process is out of control and is stifling creativity and thus inhibiting further product development for the good of all people. In other realms, patent production is rewarded. IBM bestows the title of Master Inventor for people who have received something like 15 patents. In both cases, the folks are living out the principle articulated in Robots: "See a need. Fill a need." (BTW, patents expire after a fixed time.)
When we're at the camp, we're at the edge of cell phone service. Further, the large stone fireplace further dulls the signal. All the while, the little phone is chugging away, trying to put up as many bars at it can, usually between one and none. (Reception is a bit better on the porch.) The battery drains very quickly. See a need. Fill a need, indeed.
If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, then some apples might keep the neurologist, cardiologist, and oncologist away, as well as the GP. Canadian researchers report that Red Delicious and Northern Spy have the most antioxidants. I'm not a great fan of these apples, mainly because they get a bit mealy when kept in storage. I'm enjoying Cameo apples now (not part of the study). They're crisp and a bit tart.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
The only thing worse than a wet dog ...
... is a wet dog that's gone. Marley was quite wet when he came in from his early morning visit to the back yard. before he and Sandra left at 4:30 to pick up Mike and head on to the day of travel.
So, Marley's on his way to summer camp. He'll have a good time, chasing the herons on the beach, chasing the whatevers in the fields and woods, absconding with Woody's glasses case. He'll be good company for Woody and Marian and they for him.
How many dogs do you know who ike balsamic vinaigrette?
As I write, the travelers are on the Maine Turnpike. Sandra will call me when they get to the Confederation Bridge. There's a chance that I might get to see them as they travel o'er.
Earlier this week, Prince Edward Island decided, in a move that was both tragic and milk-through-the-nose funny, to reduce the hours of its suicide hotline to regular business hours - 9-5, Monday through Friday. (Dunno about holidays.) "We care. Leave a message." Anyway, the province has relented and restored 24-hour coverage.
For me, today is just a day at work. I'll work from home tomorrow morning and then tend to some things at my college's reunion weekend tomorrow and Saturday afternoon. Tomorrow night I'll stay at home, Saturday night at the camp. It sounds like a busy time, hard to believe as I sit in a house that's very, very quiet.
So, Marley's on his way to summer camp. He'll have a good time, chasing the herons on the beach, chasing the whatevers in the fields and woods, absconding with Woody's glasses case. He'll be good company for Woody and Marian and they for him.
How many dogs do you know who ike balsamic vinaigrette?
As I write, the travelers are on the Maine Turnpike. Sandra will call me when they get to the Confederation Bridge. There's a chance that I might get to see them as they travel o'er.
Earlier this week, Prince Edward Island decided, in a move that was both tragic and milk-through-the-nose funny, to reduce the hours of its suicide hotline to regular business hours - 9-5, Monday through Friday. (Dunno about holidays.) "We care. Leave a message." Anyway, the province has relented and restored 24-hour coverage.
For me, today is just a day at work. I'll work from home tomorrow morning and then tend to some things at my college's reunion weekend tomorrow and Saturday afternoon. Tomorrow night I'll stay at home, Saturday night at the camp. It sounds like a busy time, hard to believe as I sit in a house that's very, very quiet.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
O, Mr. Noah. O, Mr. Noah
Rain with widespread drizzle... Patchy fog...Rain with widespread drizzle... Patchy fog... Rain... Patchy fog and widespread drizzle in the morning... Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain... Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers... Mostly cloudy... A chance of showers and thunderstorms... Patchy fog after midnight... , so sayeth the National Weather Service for the next four days.
The weather is taking charge of most conversations. Each of the local shows includes a substantial segment about this stretch of cold, rainy, and often windy weather. The weather on the Island hasn't been much better. It's good weather to work in a cubicle far from any windows.
I received an email from a recruiter who has a job lead. I'm pleased and grateful, but think that I'll not pursue it. There are a few key words and phrases in the job description (pre-IPO, fast-paced, aggressive) that suggest a lot of long hours, in addition to the longer commute. Time was, and not long ago, I'd jump at this opportunity. I'm not jumping. Sometime maybe, but not now.
It's important to make sure that what you say/write is what you mean.
Years ago I worked for a manager who said that, when she had an important presentation to make, she'd wear a red slip. She felt more confident, no matter who was in the audience. She was a proper lady, given to wearing gray wool suits. Anyway, here's the science.
Sandra has done a great job clearing the leaves, dead hemlock needles, and fallen branches from around the camp. The place looks great. During the clean-up we'd hear neighbors on other parts of the lake using leaf blowers. It was hard work, but manual raking does a better job. If we really wanted to bring tools into the picture, how would one of these do? As I told Sandra when I was climbing through the trap door into the cellar, "Dial 9-1 and wait."
Happy Birthday, Barbara.
The weather is taking charge of most conversations. Each of the local shows includes a substantial segment about this stretch of cold, rainy, and often windy weather. The weather on the Island hasn't been much better. It's good weather to work in a cubicle far from any windows.
I received an email from a recruiter who has a job lead. I'm pleased and grateful, but think that I'll not pursue it. There are a few key words and phrases in the job description (pre-IPO, fast-paced, aggressive) that suggest a lot of long hours, in addition to the longer commute. Time was, and not long ago, I'd jump at this opportunity. I'm not jumping. Sometime maybe, but not now.
It's important to make sure that what you say/write is what you mean.
Years ago I worked for a manager who said that, when she had an important presentation to make, she'd wear a red slip. She felt more confident, no matter who was in the audience. She was a proper lady, given to wearing gray wool suits. Anyway, here's the science.
Sandra has done a great job clearing the leaves, dead hemlock needles, and fallen branches from around the camp. The place looks great. During the clean-up we'd hear neighbors on other parts of the lake using leaf blowers. It was hard work, but manual raking does a better job. If we really wanted to bring tools into the picture, how would one of these do? As I told Sandra when I was climbing through the trap door into the cellar, "Dial 9-1 and wait."
Happy Birthday, Barbara.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late.
Springtime in New England can be cold and damp and dreary. Thank goodness it's so short.
We have a nice fire in the stove this morning. The weather forecast calls for a nor'easter with cold rain, strong winds, and coastal flooding.
A couple of quick Bob Dylan (article contains PG-13 language) notes on this, his birthday. In high school I brought a guitar to school and sang and played a few Dylan songs. "You even sound like him," said a classmate and I don't think she meant it in a good way. A few years later, my friend Ken and I were amazed at the transformation when Dylan released John Wesley Harding, his first album after the motorcycle accident. It was country music, but like no other. If I had to pick one album, it would be Blood on the Tracks, but just about every tune has a memory. I'm pretty sure that Mike Bloomfield was playing a Les Paul on Highway 61 Revisited, but he did also play a Telecaster during that time.
My father describes the guys he worked with as having size 20 necks and size 2 hats. We can't all be that strong, but we can fake it. Want to be able to do this? Here's how.
"Oh, you're being sarcastic," said Krista, sarcastically. Here's the science.
We watched The Apprentice, seasons two and three. I'm not quite sure why we were attracted to the show. Maybe it was just a good chance to yell at the TV every week. We picked Tana for this past season, but agreed that she really tanked in the final contest. Here's a bit of what happens on the Island of Unwanted Apprentices.
High school girls around the country, even those without dates, are grateful that they aren't going to the prom in Vermont.
We have a nice fire in the stove this morning. The weather forecast calls for a nor'easter with cold rain, strong winds, and coastal flooding.
A couple of quick Bob Dylan (article contains PG-13 language) notes on this, his birthday. In high school I brought a guitar to school and sang and played a few Dylan songs. "You even sound like him," said a classmate and I don't think she meant it in a good way. A few years later, my friend Ken and I were amazed at the transformation when Dylan released John Wesley Harding, his first album after the motorcycle accident. It was country music, but like no other. If I had to pick one album, it would be Blood on the Tracks, but just about every tune has a memory. I'm pretty sure that Mike Bloomfield was playing a Les Paul on Highway 61 Revisited, but he did also play a Telecaster during that time.
My father describes the guys he worked with as having size 20 necks and size 2 hats. We can't all be that strong, but we can fake it. Want to be able to do this? Here's how.
"Oh, you're being sarcastic," said Krista, sarcastically. Here's the science.
We watched The Apprentice, seasons two and three. I'm not quite sure why we were attracted to the show. Maybe it was just a good chance to yell at the TV every week. We picked Tana for this past season, but agreed that she really tanked in the final contest. Here's a bit of what happens on the Island of Unwanted Apprentices.
High school girls around the country, even those without dates, are grateful that they aren't going to the prom in Vermont.
Monday, May 23, 2005
broken pieces of plastic, two CDs, and half a zucchini.
It was 40° when we woke at the camp on Sunday morning. Outside, the black flies and now mosquitoes were still a problem, but their flying was made more clumsy by the little down vests that they had to wear. Sandra worked hard to rake away the leaves and fallen branches, making the camp look fresh and open, even if the skies were gray and damp.
When my father arrived for coffee at the camp on Saturday, the first thing he said was, "What are going to do with this boat?" He's talked about selling the sail boat and about keeping it to see if anyone of us is interested (and able). The boat isn't really in the way. Its biggest problem is that it's a reminder to him.
Mike and Lynn invited us to their house for spaghetti yesterday evening. Mike had returned with the older kids from a rainy camping trip in Maine. We had a fine and fun time, seeing Tess's collection of shells, hearing Krista practice her piano recital piece, watch Michael Francis demonstrate their new weight-lifting set.
The visibility is bad at the intersection where the accident took place. Tragically, a 13-year-old girl died in the crash. Few other details about the crash were released, but that didn't stop the reporter.
A job that sounds innocent-enough, Correspondence Coordinator in an HMO, includes the following duties: Maintains a copy of the current denial process and templates; Maintains an accurate log of all denial letters; Produces all denial letters. If they do a good job denying services, their profits can go through the roof.
We had a good discussion at Mike and Lynn's about the role of denial in helping to keep us going when dealing with chronic illnesses. Some might call it denial, others resignation, still others acceptance. The point being, you have to acknowledge the presence of the illness and, simultaneously, get on with life.
My energy in all areas has been quite uneven, leaving me low and not a lot of fun, notably on the weekends. Sandra sees the most of it. My spirits have been ok, which is encouraging. Depression is one of those illnesses that can rob you of the ability to do the things that you need to do to get better. I have a doctor's appointment in a couple of weeks.
When my father arrived for coffee at the camp on Saturday, the first thing he said was, "What are going to do with this boat?" He's talked about selling the sail boat and about keeping it to see if anyone of us is interested (and able). The boat isn't really in the way. Its biggest problem is that it's a reminder to him.
Mike and Lynn invited us to their house for spaghetti yesterday evening. Mike had returned with the older kids from a rainy camping trip in Maine. We had a fine and fun time, seeing Tess's collection of shells, hearing Krista practice her piano recital piece, watch Michael Francis demonstrate their new weight-lifting set.
The visibility is bad at the intersection where the accident took place. Tragically, a 13-year-old girl died in the crash. Few other details about the crash were released, but that didn't stop the reporter.
A utility pole guy wire off the southbound side of Route 68 was smashed, and there were a lot of tire tracks and footprints in the sand there, along with broken pieces of plastic, two CDs, and half a zucchini.The for-sale sign is gone at our neighbor's house. When last we heard, there were several offers, including a couple at-price, on the first day.
There were no roadside memorials to the girl late yesterday afternoon.
Few houses are near the intersection.
A job that sounds innocent-enough, Correspondence Coordinator in an HMO, includes the following duties: Maintains a copy of the current denial process and templates; Maintains an accurate log of all denial letters; Produces all denial letters. If they do a good job denying services, their profits can go through the roof.
We had a good discussion at Mike and Lynn's about the role of denial in helping to keep us going when dealing with chronic illnesses. Some might call it denial, others resignation, still others acceptance. The point being, you have to acknowledge the presence of the illness and, simultaneously, get on with life.
My energy in all areas has been quite uneven, leaving me low and not a lot of fun, notably on the weekends. Sandra sees the most of it. My spirits have been ok, which is encouraging. Depression is one of those illnesses that can rob you of the ability to do the things that you need to do to get better. I have a doctor's appointment in a couple of weeks.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
The Day After 'Tek's Day
Jason Varitek has homered on the last five May 20ths.
We had a quiet celebration of our anniversary. We exchanged some cute cards. (Sandra and I don't give each other gifts for holidays such as anniversaries, birthdays, or Christmas.) We had an early dinner at a nearby restaurant that wasn't as good as we'd remembered it. Back home for a couple of our favorite TV shows - Greater Boston and Washington Week, and a movie. It sounds like a quiet evening and it was. It was also a fun evening. We enjoy each other's company.
The weather forecasts are drifting between rain and not rain. We'll go to the camp anyway. We have several things to bring there and look forward to sauna again.
This will also be Marley's last weekend at the camp for a while. He's going to summer camp at PEI. When Sandra and Mike go to the Island, they'll leave Marley with Woody and Marian. They're excited about having him there. It's a great wide space where he can run. The property is on the ocean, so he can play in and around the water's edge. It will be a good adventure. Sandra and I will miss him. He and her parents are great friends.
Let me see if I've got this straight. A country, bordering Israel, still not recognizing Israel, in fact, seeks to limit nuclear inspections because they say they don't have nuclear materials, much. Oh, wait, I forgot. It's Prince Bandar's country we're talking about. Never mind.
[I let a note slip earlier. The longish explanation is that the key strokes that I use to add a link - Ctrl-Shift-A - can slip into Ctrl-S, which means Send. I'm sorry for the confusion.]
We had a quiet celebration of our anniversary. We exchanged some cute cards. (Sandra and I don't give each other gifts for holidays such as anniversaries, birthdays, or Christmas.) We had an early dinner at a nearby restaurant that wasn't as good as we'd remembered it. Back home for a couple of our favorite TV shows - Greater Boston and Washington Week, and a movie. It sounds like a quiet evening and it was. It was also a fun evening. We enjoy each other's company.
The weather forecasts are drifting between rain and not rain. We'll go to the camp anyway. We have several things to bring there and look forward to sauna again.
This will also be Marley's last weekend at the camp for a while. He's going to summer camp at PEI. When Sandra and Mike go to the Island, they'll leave Marley with Woody and Marian. They're excited about having him there. It's a great wide space where he can run. The property is on the ocean, so he can play in and around the water's edge. It will be a good adventure. Sandra and I will miss him. He and her parents are great friends.
Let me see if I've got this straight. A country, bordering Israel, still not recognizing Israel, in fact, seeks to limit nuclear inspections because they say they don't have nuclear materials, much. Oh, wait, I forgot. It's Prince Bandar's country we're talking about. Never mind.
[I let a note slip earlier. The longish explanation is that the key strokes that I use to add a link - Ctrl-Shift-A - can slip into Ctrl-S, which means Send. I'm sorry for the confusion.]
Friday, May 20, 2005
A spring in our steps
It looks like I've solved the programming problem that had been vexing me for several days. I need to run a couple rounds of more rigorous tests, but I think that I've got it.
With the proliferation of just about everything electrical, this could be really handy - electrical outlets that rotate.
There were 15 people in the room, beginning the second of two two-hour meetings yesterday. Amid the chatter, I heard one of the writers say to her friends across the table, "Do my lips look shiny? I plan to use them this weekend."
In these fractious times, it's good to see that wiser minds can develop a spirit of compromise for the benefit of us all.
If Dilbert needed to seek out a saint, who better than ....
Yesterday I learned that the requistions for permant jobs have been frozen at the place where I work. As a result, no permanent jobs will be opening up anytime soon. That doesn't affect my contract.
Today's automated technical documentation search results: U.S. Sanctions Advisor - reports to the [company] Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Officer. Perform research, analysis, and coordination necessary to support Anti-Money Laundering Officer responses to any regulatory or enforcement inquiries concerning compliance by any [company] entity with U.S. sanctions, 314(a) information sharing, special measures, or the Travel Rule.... Consult with government authorities, including prosecutors, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Treasury, and other agencies concerning possible and verified customer matches to 314(a) subjects in terrorist financing and money laundering investigations.
Happy Anniversary, Sandra. We've still got it.
With the proliferation of just about everything electrical, this could be really handy - electrical outlets that rotate.
There were 15 people in the room, beginning the second of two two-hour meetings yesterday. Amid the chatter, I heard one of the writers say to her friends across the table, "Do my lips look shiny? I plan to use them this weekend."
In these fractious times, it's good to see that wiser minds can develop a spirit of compromise for the benefit of us all.
If Dilbert needed to seek out a saint, who better than ....
Yesterday I learned that the requistions for permant jobs have been frozen at the place where I work. As a result, no permanent jobs will be opening up anytime soon. That doesn't affect my contract.
Today's automated technical documentation search results: U.S. Sanctions Advisor - reports to the [company] Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Officer. Perform research, analysis, and coordination necessary to support Anti-Money Laundering Officer responses to any regulatory or enforcement inquiries concerning compliance by any [company] entity with U.S. sanctions, 314(a) information sharing, special measures, or the Travel Rule.... Consult with government authorities, including prosecutors, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Treasury, and other agencies concerning possible and verified customer matches to 314(a) subjects in terrorist financing and money laundering investigations.
Happy Anniversary, Sandra. We've still got it.
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Sunny, with a slight chance of car-swallowing fissures
Is it likely that there will be an earthquake in California today? The good news is that an earthquake is not likely. The bad news is that we have to ask the question.
Work remains a struggle. I'm a few days late on delivery of four small programs. The things work pretty much ok on my system, but they aren't stable enough to hand over to someone else. While donating blood last night, I had a chance to think about the project and have a couple of new ideas to bring to the office today.
The neighbors across the street are putting in a small parking area on what used to be lawn. The boys, aged five and three, sit on the front step and watch excitedly while the little tractor clears and smoothes the soil. We sit on a hill of sandy soil, but the neighbors have, at least in that spot, more than a foot of good topsoil.
Next week brings us the Memorial Day weekend. Lots of people will be traveling. Sandra, Mike, and Marley will go to PEI (more on this later), as will Scott, Val, and Russell. Gas, as we know, is expensive. Using Google Maps, Ahding.com can help us find cheap gas. It covers only the U.S. right now, but GasBuddy provides Canadian resources.
Let's see if I've got this straight. My doctor is too busy to come to the operating room for my operation, so he sends R2D2, whom he can control using a joystick while hanging out, oh, I don't know, here?
Unsolicited emails of the day:
Work remains a struggle. I'm a few days late on delivery of four small programs. The things work pretty much ok on my system, but they aren't stable enough to hand over to someone else. While donating blood last night, I had a chance to think about the project and have a couple of new ideas to bring to the office today.
The neighbors across the street are putting in a small parking area on what used to be lawn. The boys, aged five and three, sit on the front step and watch excitedly while the little tractor clears and smoothes the soil. We sit on a hill of sandy soil, but the neighbors have, at least in that spot, more than a foot of good topsoil.
Next week brings us the Memorial Day weekend. Lots of people will be traveling. Sandra, Mike, and Marley will go to PEI (more on this later), as will Scott, Val, and Russell. Gas, as we know, is expensive. Using Google Maps, Ahding.com can help us find cheap gas. It covers only the U.S. right now, but GasBuddy provides Canadian resources.
Let's see if I've got this straight. My doctor is too busy to come to the operating room for my operation, so he sends R2D2, whom he can control using a joystick while hanging out, oh, I don't know, here?
Unsolicited emails of the day:
- We found you contacts in our resume database. We are a Lithuanian company which sells software and electronic in the USA, Canada and other countries. We are looking for a Financial Manager. No special knowledge, no education required. You can earn up to $500 per week working only some hours a day.
- THIS WILL BE OUR ABSOLUTE NOTICE
We have aimed to write to you on a lot times and now is the time to respond!
Your current home loan certifies you for up to a 3.30% lower rate.
However, since our previous attempts to write to you have failed, this will be our final effort to get for you the lower rate.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Fwack. Gznort. Fluwabbaba.
No one epitomized Mad magazine more than Don Martin. There were other very good artists - Mort Drucker, Dave Berg, Dick DeBartolo, and others - but Martin was it, in all its manic glory. I gloriously wasted hours of my youth reading his stuff (as well as the rest of the magazine). Don Martin was born on this day in 1931 and died in January 2000.
This year's hurricane forecast does not look hopeful, calling for a strong season in the Atlantic. We're seeing some early development on the Pacific side. In addition, we learn that FEMA didn't exactly bring the A-Team when it was inspecting last season's destruction.
Last week I mentioned transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a new treatment for depression. ABC News ran a story about TMS last night.
A friend observed that a mark of his maturity is that he's learned to speak up when he doesn't want to speak up, shut up when he doesn't want to shut up.
Today's automated job search for technical documentation positions brought, lo, a technical documentation listing. The morning mail also brought a job titled Manager, Custody Operations. It's not a job running a jail, but something to do with managing financial transactions.
Here's one more reason not to use your cell phone while you're off in the wilderness.
This year's hurricane forecast does not look hopeful, calling for a strong season in the Atlantic. We're seeing some early development on the Pacific side. In addition, we learn that FEMA didn't exactly bring the A-Team when it was inspecting last season's destruction.
Last week I mentioned transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a new treatment for depression. ABC News ran a story about TMS last night.
A friend observed that a mark of his maturity is that he's learned to speak up when he doesn't want to speak up, shut up when he doesn't want to shut up.
Today's automated job search for technical documentation positions brought, lo, a technical documentation listing. The morning mail also brought a job titled Manager, Custody Operations. It's not a job running a jail, but something to do with managing financial transactions.
Here's one more reason not to use your cell phone while you're off in the wilderness.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
The Republic still stands
When my mother wasn't sleeping well, she would pretend that she was traveling and so make the tiredness an adventure.
On Sunday we had a belated birthday party for Tess. Sandra had arranged for a Barbie birthday cake. Tess had seen the Barbie cake in the grocery store and pressed her nose against glass display case, admiring it.
I spent a lot of time yesterday, time I didn't really have, trying to understand why one of my small programs was producing unpredicted results. Finally, about 4:30, I figured it out and wrote a four-line workaround. For those of you who care about such things, wildcards in Windows behave unexpectedly. With two files in a directory, named test.htm and test.html, you'd think that dir *.htm would match only test.htm. It matches both.
But I may not need to work much longer. The morning email brings the good news. "This is to announce today, 16th May, 2005 result of winners of our yearly SCIENTIFIC LOTTERY GAME PROMOTION held on 25th March, 2005. Your email address attached to ticket number 05-765204AC; with serial number 00349 draw the lucky numbers 5-9-31-20, and consequently won the lottery in category A. You are therefore entitled to a cash award US$1,500,000." In addition, I stand to win another $8M or so, according to a letter from Dr.Roland Themba, Director of Projects, South Africa Department of Minerals &
Energy. I only have to provide a small amount of assistance with an international transfer of funds.
And if those fall through, today's automated search for a technical documentation job has a lead on a position as an associate buyer for the Home Shopping Network.
HSN has to work hard if it's going to keep pace with eBay. For example, it's peak wedding season and HSN doesn't have even one John Deere wedding garter.
It's been a year since gay marriage became legal in Massachusetts. It's one of today's bigger non-news items. The Herald, example, has stories about the price of tickets for the upcoming Rolling Stones concert and the return of Oil Can Boyd to the pitching mound.
The Boston Globe has come out with the Globe 100, its annual survey of the best and worst performing Boston-area companies. A few years back, I worked for a startup that was the worst performing public company for the year. I'd include a link to the Globe's site, but they've adopted a very annoying login policy. It's free, but it asks more information than I want to provide. For certain premium resources, Wall Street Journal and Consumer Reports, for example, I don't mind paying for access. Those sites just want my account number and then I have the access I want. I'm not ready to drop my home subscription to the Globe yet, but I've stopped reading their web site.
On Sunday we had a belated birthday party for Tess. Sandra had arranged for a Barbie birthday cake. Tess had seen the Barbie cake in the grocery store and pressed her nose against glass display case, admiring it.
I spent a lot of time yesterday, time I didn't really have, trying to understand why one of my small programs was producing unpredicted results. Finally, about 4:30, I figured it out and wrote a four-line workaround. For those of you who care about such things, wildcards in Windows behave unexpectedly. With two files in a directory, named test.htm and test.html, you'd think that dir *.htm would match only test.htm. It matches both.
C:\temp>dir /b *.htmMy work no longer requires regular cell phone usage, which is a good thing at many levels. Some new research indicates that cell phones can lead to premature aging.
test.htm
test.html
But I may not need to work much longer. The morning email brings the good news. "This is to announce today, 16th May, 2005 result of winners of our yearly SCIENTIFIC LOTTERY GAME PROMOTION held on 25th March, 2005. Your email address attached to ticket number 05-765204AC; with serial number 00349 draw the lucky numbers 5-9-31-20, and consequently won the lottery in category A. You are therefore entitled to a cash award US$1,500,000." In addition, I stand to win another $8M or so, according to a letter from Dr.Roland Themba, Director of Projects, South Africa Department of Minerals &
Energy. I only have to provide a small amount of assistance with an international transfer of funds.
And if those fall through, today's automated search for a technical documentation job has a lead on a position as an associate buyer for the Home Shopping Network.
HSN has to work hard if it's going to keep pace with eBay. For example, it's peak wedding season and HSN doesn't have even one John Deere wedding garter.
It's been a year since gay marriage became legal in Massachusetts. It's one of today's bigger non-news items. The Herald, example, has stories about the price of tickets for the upcoming Rolling Stones concert and the return of Oil Can Boyd to the pitching mound.
The Boston Globe has come out with the Globe 100, its annual survey of the best and worst performing Boston-area companies. A few years back, I worked for a startup that was the worst performing public company for the year. I'd include a link to the Globe's site, but they've adopted a very annoying login policy. It's free, but it asks more information than I want to provide. For certain premium resources, Wall Street Journal and Consumer Reports, for example, I don't mind paying for access. Those sites just want my account number and then I have the access I want. I'm not ready to drop my home subscription to the Globe yet, but I've stopped reading their web site.
Monday, May 16, 2005
omething for everyone
The sign in front of Kay's Dairy Bar has trouble keeping all of its letters in place, reminding me of the Fawlty Towers sign. We had dinner, chili dogs, at Kay's on Friday night. Coney Island Hot Dogs has little to worry about. We'll stick to the regular foot-long in the future.
The Gardner News has new by-lines on its front page, a crop of new reporters making just above minimum wage. Twenty-five years ago, I was a reporter for the Hudson Daily Sun (no longer in business). I asked for a raise to bring my salary more in line with the folks at McDonald's and Friendly's. I didn't get the raise and took a job in documentation group at Digital, where Sandra worked.
We opened the camp this weekend, cleaning up, unpacking things that had been in a big plastic barrel for the winter, turning the water back on. I crawled on the dirt and rock that is the cellar, the space just three feet high in places, to which the bump on my head will attest. I had to close the valves that I'd opened last fall. I was reminded that my father was 10 years older than I am now when he put in much of the plumbing. The plumbing system is cleverly engineered and is easy to fill and empty. You need just one tool, a pair of pliers. Well, there are a couple of other tools. One gadget, although I don't know if you'd call it a tool, is a one-pound coffee can (from the days when a one-pound can contained a pound of coffee), to which my father had welded a pipe fitting. We use the can to connect to a pipe to prime the pump. The other tool is a large spoon, with USN on the handle, brought back from the war. We use the handle of the spoon to lift the edge of the trap door that leads to the cellar.
The beavers have been sampling the young trees at the water's edge. Some of the cuts were very fresh, less than a day old. There was little other damage. The mice did chew into a half dozen plastic water bottles.
There's a disheveled house on a corner not far from the camp road. The tenants used to have a dog that they kept tied outside. Marley would, of course, have a lot to say to and about that dog. The family and the dog moved away last year. When Marley went out on Saturday morning to get the Finnish coffee bread, he let out a low growl. "And stay away!"
For the first time in nearly a year, my father made it up the steps to the camp. He has a pair of Nordic walking sticks (ski poles without the baskets) that he used to steady himself as he climbed the stairs. We had coffee, coffee bread, and cheese for lunch, talking about how the opening-up had gone. We also had visitors, first our next-door neighbors and then Jan. That was the cue for my father to leave. Crowds get to him very quickly. That evening a couple of friends visited us.
It was a busy and a social day. We had our first sauna of the season. The water, as you'd expect, was quite cold. It was probably just under 50°.
My father told a story of being at the camp alone in December. It was a calm day and the lake started to freeze. He watched as the shards of ice grew across the still surface.
A gap in the tree cover let Sunday morning's light rain fall on the two chairs on the front deck, leaving the rest of the deck dry.
Today's automated search results for a technical documentation position:
The Gardner News has new by-lines on its front page, a crop of new reporters making just above minimum wage. Twenty-five years ago, I was a reporter for the Hudson Daily Sun (no longer in business). I asked for a raise to bring my salary more in line with the folks at McDonald's and Friendly's. I didn't get the raise and took a job in documentation group at Digital, where Sandra worked.
We opened the camp this weekend, cleaning up, unpacking things that had been in a big plastic barrel for the winter, turning the water back on. I crawled on the dirt and rock that is the cellar, the space just three feet high in places, to which the bump on my head will attest. I had to close the valves that I'd opened last fall. I was reminded that my father was 10 years older than I am now when he put in much of the plumbing. The plumbing system is cleverly engineered and is easy to fill and empty. You need just one tool, a pair of pliers. Well, there are a couple of other tools. One gadget, although I don't know if you'd call it a tool, is a one-pound coffee can (from the days when a one-pound can contained a pound of coffee), to which my father had welded a pipe fitting. We use the can to connect to a pipe to prime the pump. The other tool is a large spoon, with USN on the handle, brought back from the war. We use the handle of the spoon to lift the edge of the trap door that leads to the cellar.
The beavers have been sampling the young trees at the water's edge. Some of the cuts were very fresh, less than a day old. There was little other damage. The mice did chew into a half dozen plastic water bottles.
There's a disheveled house on a corner not far from the camp road. The tenants used to have a dog that they kept tied outside. Marley would, of course, have a lot to say to and about that dog. The family and the dog moved away last year. When Marley went out on Saturday morning to get the Finnish coffee bread, he let out a low growl. "And stay away!"
For the first time in nearly a year, my father made it up the steps to the camp. He has a pair of Nordic walking sticks (ski poles without the baskets) that he used to steady himself as he climbed the stairs. We had coffee, coffee bread, and cheese for lunch, talking about how the opening-up had gone. We also had visitors, first our next-door neighbors and then Jan. That was the cue for my father to leave. Crowds get to him very quickly. That evening a couple of friends visited us.
It was a busy and a social day. We had our first sauna of the season. The water, as you'd expect, was quite cold. It was probably just under 50°.
My father told a story of being at the camp alone in December. It was a calm day and the lake started to freeze. He watched as the shards of ice grew across the still surface.
A gap in the tree cover let Sunday morning's light rain fall on the two chairs on the front deck, leaving the rest of the deck dry.
Today's automated search results for a technical documentation position:
- Traffic manager for a major pharmacy chain: Leads four Traffic Associates in consistent on-time, on-budget, high-quality, client-focused creative services delivery for all Tier 3 Advertising projects...Demonstrate competency in DAM system usage...Acts as initial gatekeeper to the department...Determines appropriate tiering of project and manages routing to either Account Services or Traffic.
- Language Specialist Spanish (Temp-to-perm): Spanish Translator Native speaking individual from Spain or Spanish speaking countries to assist with Spanish language translation activities.
Friday, May 13, 2005
Friday the 13th comes on a Friday this month
The birds have strapped on little skates and will do figure-8s on the ice-covered bird bath.
As Churchy La Femme observed, when Friday the 13 falls on a Friday, " Be resolute. Be unafraid. Hide early." (Because Pogo is out of circulation, but still under the family's copyright, it's difficult to find good examples of that most excellent strip. I have several books of collected comics, still hilarious, insightful, and heart-breaking after more than 30 years.)
I dropped off some ginger ale and Popsicles to Mike's family. Everyone's been sick, even the cat. Cassandra was the last to catch it, while the others are returning to normal. I asked if there was anything else they needed. Matt said, "A heal-the-family pill."
Maybe we should arrange for this guyy to make a house call. But, wait, there's more.
Everyone has a dream. This dog-washing machine looks new, but the Three Stooges demonstrated the idea in Mutts to You in 1938.
Today's automated search for a technical documentation position: Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Advisor.
Yesterday afternoon I met Sandra at a local mall where we were going to have dinner. I sat outside for a few minutes, watching the people and the traffic. It's a marvel that we don't do more damage to ourselves and property with our cars. Even at parking-lot speeds, we're dangerous, inattentive and in a hurry. Of course, sometimes it's due to our passengers. More than a few times, I saw an annoyed teenager hop out of a car to get into the mall; moments later, a relieved parent drives away.
As Churchy La Femme observed, when Friday the 13 falls on a Friday, " Be resolute. Be unafraid. Hide early." (Because Pogo is out of circulation, but still under the family's copyright, it's difficult to find good examples of that most excellent strip. I have several books of collected comics, still hilarious, insightful, and heart-breaking after more than 30 years.)
I dropped off some ginger ale and Popsicles to Mike's family. Everyone's been sick, even the cat. Cassandra was the last to catch it, while the others are returning to normal. I asked if there was anything else they needed. Matt said, "A heal-the-family pill."
Maybe we should arrange for this guyy to make a house call. But, wait, there's more.
Everyone has a dream. This dog-washing machine looks new, but the Three Stooges demonstrated the idea in Mutts to You in 1938.
Today's automated search for a technical documentation position: Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Advisor.
Yesterday afternoon I met Sandra at a local mall where we were going to have dinner. I sat outside for a few minutes, watching the people and the traffic. It's a marvel that we don't do more damage to ourselves and property with our cars. Even at parking-lot speeds, we're dangerous, inattentive and in a hurry. Of course, sometimes it's due to our passengers. More than a few times, I saw an annoyed teenager hop out of a car to get into the mall; moments later, a relieved parent drives away.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
"We made too many wrong mistakes."
In May 1977 my father had his sailboat on the trailer in the backyard, ready for the new season. He has a picture of the boat, with a foot of snow. We're not going to get snow, but the National Weather Service has sent out frost warning bulletins for tonight.
We had our supper on the back porch yesterday, enjoying the mild breezes, sighs, and sounds. The soft green of the new growth is filling out, except on one tree. We have a honey locust in our front yard. We call it our Stephen King tree, because its twisted branches, thorns, and pods make it look as though we're having a glimpse of the Territories. Each year we wonder if the tree is dead. Each year, later than we'd expect, its leaves emerge.
Tess was sick, so yesterday wasn't much of a birthday celebration. This illness has been making its way through their household, so it may be a few days before the parents can sound the All Clear. Matt was home for a couple of days as well. He and I had a very nice IM chat yesterday afternoon.
When the grandkids were younger, before they discover just how badly I sing, I would the Monty Python Lumberjack Song as they were going to sleep. (I didn't sing in Polish. It just sounded like that.)
Self-replicating robots. What could go wrong?
Most people who are treated for depression respond well to medication. Some do not. Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) provides a good meaure of relief. This study is exploring magnetic stimulation as a more focused, less voltaic option.
Toyota is playing Curtis Mayfield's Move On Up in their new ad. The music isn't loud and is easy to miss.
He's not a member of our immediate family and he did play for the Yankees, but, Happy 80th Birthday, Yogi
We had our supper on the back porch yesterday, enjoying the mild breezes, sighs, and sounds. The soft green of the new growth is filling out, except on one tree. We have a honey locust in our front yard. We call it our Stephen King tree, because its twisted branches, thorns, and pods make it look as though we're having a glimpse of the Territories. Each year we wonder if the tree is dead. Each year, later than we'd expect, its leaves emerge.
Tess was sick, so yesterday wasn't much of a birthday celebration. This illness has been making its way through their household, so it may be a few days before the parents can sound the All Clear. Matt was home for a couple of days as well. He and I had a very nice IM chat yesterday afternoon.
When the grandkids were younger, before they discover just how badly I sing, I would the Monty Python Lumberjack Song as they were going to sleep. (I didn't sing in Polish. It just sounded like that.)
Self-replicating robots. What could go wrong?
Most people who are treated for depression respond well to medication. Some do not. Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) provides a good meaure of relief. This study is exploring magnetic stimulation as a more focused, less voltaic option.
Toyota is playing Curtis Mayfield's Move On Up in their new ad. The music isn't loud and is easy to miss.
He's not a member of our immediate family and he did play for the Yankees, but, Happy 80th Birthday, Yogi
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
The mail is here. It's not for you.
When Mike and Adam were teenagers, Sandra and I pretty much stopped answering the telephone because it was never for us. Even now, we still get calls for Mike, Michael Francis, or Matt. We receive letters for Adam occasionally and most days we get at least one mailing for my mother. Yesterday, though, was something new. Some mail, addressed to my father at this address, asked he wanted to sell his house.
In the evenings, now that we can keep the windows and screen doors open, we can hear the sound of the ice cream truck in their neighborhood.
My father brought an armadillo home from his travels during the 30s. His mother lined the innards with satin and made it into a basket for her sewing things. We now use the armadillo to hold our napkins.
Let me see if I've got this straight. Not content with outsourcing its call center operations to India, a subsidiary of ebookers is sending young Europeans to India and paying them Indian wages.
The Canadian Air Guitar Championship competitions are underway in Québec. The world championship will be held in Oulu, Finland. My mother's family comes from the Oulu area, Oululanni, in the northwest of Finland near the Arctic Circle.
Seven years ago today, Sandra called me on my cell phone to tell me about the birth of our second granddaughter. At the time, I was driving on Route 101 in Santa Clara, California.
Happy Birthday, Tess.
In the evenings, now that we can keep the windows and screen doors open, we can hear the sound of the ice cream truck in their neighborhood.
My father brought an armadillo home from his travels during the 30s. His mother lined the innards with satin and made it into a basket for her sewing things. We now use the armadillo to hold our napkins.
Let me see if I've got this straight. Not content with outsourcing its call center operations to India, a subsidiary of ebookers is sending young Europeans to India and paying them Indian wages.
The Canadian Air Guitar Championship competitions are underway in Québec. The world championship will be held in Oulu, Finland. My mother's family comes from the Oulu area, Oululanni, in the northwest of Finland near the Arctic Circle.
Seven years ago today, Sandra called me on my cell phone to tell me about the birth of our second granddaughter. At the time, I was driving on Route 101 in Santa Clara, California.
Happy Birthday, Tess.
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Gateway to Tree of Knowledge Corner
When we arrived at my father's house, he was looking through a basket of old photos. All of the pictures we saw were from a time when the world was black and white. It included the obligatory cute picture of me having my bath in a tub in the back yard. My father was looking for some pictures of a friend who'd recently sent him a letter. "When I get some time," he said, "I'm going to organize these." I was reminded again, as I was when my mother made a similar remark about getting organized, that there's no real hope for me on this front. I've seen my future and, although it's pretty good, it's got a lot of stuff in it.
Today's automated search for a technical documentation position: "US Citizens: Sr or Lead SAP ABAP with some Public Sector (*HOT*) #909. It's in Munroe Station MA. I didn't know that such a place existed, but, then, there are lots of places in Massachusetts that I didn't know about, such as Hephzibah Heights, Zylonite, and Dingley Dell.
The Wall Street Journal reports, in a copyrighted story, that, and I quote, "More employees are spending time on the Internet, for both work and personal reasons." Maybe I can get a job at the WSJ. The title of my first story would be, "Marley Wants a Pork Chop."
A friend claims that Willie Nelson and Hank Williams that they are as good at writing songs as they are bad at singing them.
More job interviewing tips, from a professional. “Candidate inquired about the location of the company’s security cameras.”
In town news, one of our favored candidates won in yesterday's election, while another lost. We had to re-vote because, at first, we thought we could vote for two selectman candidates and then discovered that we could vote for only one. The scanning machine wouldn't let us vote for too many candidates. Imagine, a machine that prevents us from voting stupidly. I can hear Karl Rove whimpering softly.
Of course, because we've had enough rain this year, the town lifted restrictions on watering our lawns. If the rains stop, we won't be able to water. Whether we can water or not, at least we can be stylish. In addition, a local vendor assures us that we can get drinking water from the air.
It looks as though the police haven't scheduled radar locations near our house for this month.
Happy Anniversary, Adam and Jennie
Today's automated search for a technical documentation position: "US Citizens: Sr or Lead SAP ABAP with some Public Sector (*HOT*) #909. It's in Munroe Station MA. I didn't know that such a place existed, but, then, there are lots of places in Massachusetts that I didn't know about, such as Hephzibah Heights, Zylonite, and Dingley Dell.
The Wall Street Journal reports, in a copyrighted story, that, and I quote, "More employees are spending time on the Internet, for both work and personal reasons." Maybe I can get a job at the WSJ. The title of my first story would be, "Marley Wants a Pork Chop."
A friend claims that Willie Nelson and Hank Williams that they are as good at writing songs as they are bad at singing them.
More job interviewing tips, from a professional. “Candidate inquired about the location of the company’s security cameras.”
In town news, one of our favored candidates won in yesterday's election, while another lost. We had to re-vote because, at first, we thought we could vote for two selectman candidates and then discovered that we could vote for only one. The scanning machine wouldn't let us vote for too many candidates. Imagine, a machine that prevents us from voting stupidly. I can hear Karl Rove whimpering softly.
Of course, because we've had enough rain this year, the town lifted restrictions on watering our lawns. If the rains stop, we won't be able to water. Whether we can water or not, at least we can be stylish. In addition, a local vendor assures us that we can get drinking water from the air.
It looks as though the police haven't scheduled radar locations near our house for this month.
Happy Anniversary, Adam and Jennie
Monday, May 09, 2005
Noises not of our own making
We had a delightful Mother's Day lunch with Mike's family yesterday. They're a wonderful crew. Cassandra joined in the time-honored tradition of pulling pens from my shirt pocket.
Our town has published a book that shows not only the names of people at each address, but also the birthdates and occupation. Our copy of the book is nearly 10 years old. I was listed as a consultant at that time. The book is both handy and a bit creepy. I've been somewhat secretive about my birthday, particularly at work, because I've not wanted to draw too much attention to myself. (He says while writing a public blog accessible to countless millions.) I like my birthday and want to have a lot of them.
For a while now, we've been hearing a 'thump' in the house. At first we thought it was a bird hitting a window, but it's happened too often and at too many times of the day and night.
Speaking of ghosts, a minister noted that many churches started using the name Holy Spirit, rather than Holy Ghost, when referring to the Trinity. Most kids, and many adults, heard the name Holy Ghost and thought of Casper.
Why would there be a billboard on the side of a laundromat in downtown South Gardner advertising Rolex watches?
From The Copy Editor's on Vacation Dept., I saw this sign in a local business:
Today's automated search for a technical documentation position brings a listing of junior marketing job for Kay Guitars. In addition to some college courses and experience with office software, the requirements include "[m]ust have a better than average attendance record and job tenure (we do check)." My first guitar was from Sears, but I had a Kay for a while.
Students in England can get an extra two percent on their exam grades if their pet dies. If I was a hamster, I think I'd want to hide under the sawdust during exam time.
Our town has published a book that shows not only the names of people at each address, but also the birthdates and occupation. Our copy of the book is nearly 10 years old. I was listed as a consultant at that time. The book is both handy and a bit creepy. I've been somewhat secretive about my birthday, particularly at work, because I've not wanted to draw too much attention to myself. (He says while writing a public blog accessible to countless millions.) I like my birthday and want to have a lot of them.
For a while now, we've been hearing a 'thump' in the house. At first we thought it was a bird hitting a window, but it's happened too often and at too many times of the day and night.
Speaking of ghosts, a minister noted that many churches started using the name Holy Spirit, rather than Holy Ghost, when referring to the Trinity. Most kids, and many adults, heard the name Holy Ghost and thought of Casper.
Why would there be a billboard on the side of a laundromat in downtown South Gardner advertising Rolex watches?
From The Copy Editor's on Vacation Dept., I saw this sign in a local business:
Ring"s and Pendant"s at Price"s you can affordAnd, on a website selling premium trash cans:
20 Liter (5.5 gal.) "Slime Line" Step-On Trash CanThis group of Extreme Ironing enthusiasts was featured in yesterday's Parade Magazine. I'll let you decide if they're nuts or, well, that's probably the only choice.
Today's automated search for a technical documentation position brings a listing of junior marketing job for Kay Guitars. In addition to some college courses and experience with office software, the requirements include "[m]ust have a better than average attendance record and job tenure (we do check)." My first guitar was from Sears, but I had a Kay for a while.
Students in England can get an extra two percent on their exam grades if their pet dies. If I was a hamster, I think I'd want to hide under the sawdust during exam time.
Sunday, May 08, 2005
I cut it twice and it's still too short
Happy Mother's Day to those who are mothers, have mothers, remember their mothers.
I've often thought that it was unfair that my mother's birthday was so close to Mother's Day, that neither holiday received their full measure. I/we tried to make sure that we observed each day fully, but the gravitational forces are strong. And by itself, Mother's Day can be a tough holiday for some. Father's Day has some of the same barbed wire around it, but motherhood has a special sentimentality. It's tough to get it right. Me? Well, I wouldn't mind a do-over or two.
I'm pretty sure that today would be Aitienpaiva in Finnish, but I'll have to check with my father.
Sandra's a good and careful worker on home-repair projects. A few years ago, she received a reciprocating saw for her birthday to go along with the fine collection of tools that she keeps in the cellar. I provide the oatmeal power. I lift what needs to be lifted, push what needs to be pushed. I can tell the difference between a cross-cut saw and a rip saw (learned that in junior high shop), but that knowledge doesn't translate to an ability to cut a straight line. Yesterday afternoon we trimmed a piece of plastic that is part of the vent for our air conditioner. (Yes, we believe that summer is coming, even though it's 41° now.) Sandra did the cutting and it fits nicely.
Today is also Victory in Europe day, marking 60 years since the surrender of the German army in World War II. We have parades and speeches and political brouhaha.
In the There will always be a Britain Dept., while peace was breaking out in Europe, we find a notice in the May 8, 1945 edition of The London Gazette, the paper of record for the United Kingdom, announcing the appointment of a second handmaiden for Princess Elizabeth. (PDF reader required to view the gazette. There's a list of similar official publications for other countries here.)
One of our favorite PBS shows, Ballykissangel, was unexpectedly replaced with another show last night. We wandered with the clicker and settled on the National Geographic show about the Yellowstone caldera. I'd heard the word caldera before, but mostly thought of it as a Linux distribution. So we watched the show and got suitable scared at the prospect that thing will blow. Then, in one my online news sites, I find that Yellowstone is a high threat for explosion. Yikes.
An added footnote: One of the side effects of a major volcanic eruption is global cooling. The ash (pulverized stone) goes into the stratosphere and dims the sunlight. In 1816, an eruption in Indonesia caused what's called The Year Without Summer. There were killing frosts in July and August. That was also the year that our house was built. (No mention in the historical records about cold weather.)
I've often thought that it was unfair that my mother's birthday was so close to Mother's Day, that neither holiday received their full measure. I/we tried to make sure that we observed each day fully, but the gravitational forces are strong. And by itself, Mother's Day can be a tough holiday for some. Father's Day has some of the same barbed wire around it, but motherhood has a special sentimentality. It's tough to get it right. Me? Well, I wouldn't mind a do-over or two.
I'm pretty sure that today would be Aitienpaiva in Finnish, but I'll have to check with my father.
Sandra's a good and careful worker on home-repair projects. A few years ago, she received a reciprocating saw for her birthday to go along with the fine collection of tools that she keeps in the cellar. I provide the oatmeal power. I lift what needs to be lifted, push what needs to be pushed. I can tell the difference between a cross-cut saw and a rip saw (learned that in junior high shop), but that knowledge doesn't translate to an ability to cut a straight line. Yesterday afternoon we trimmed a piece of plastic that is part of the vent for our air conditioner. (Yes, we believe that summer is coming, even though it's 41° now.) Sandra did the cutting and it fits nicely.
Today is also Victory in Europe day, marking 60 years since the surrender of the German army in World War II. We have parades and speeches and political brouhaha.
In the There will always be a Britain Dept., while peace was breaking out in Europe, we find a notice in the May 8, 1945 edition of The London Gazette, the paper of record for the United Kingdom, announcing the appointment of a second handmaiden for Princess Elizabeth. (PDF reader required to view the gazette. There's a list of similar official publications for other countries here.)
One of our favorite PBS shows, Ballykissangel, was unexpectedly replaced with another show last night. We wandered with the clicker and settled on the National Geographic show about the Yellowstone caldera. I'd heard the word caldera before, but mostly thought of it as a Linux distribution. So we watched the show and got suitable scared at the prospect that thing will blow. Then, in one my online news sites, I find that Yellowstone is a high threat for explosion. Yikes.
An added footnote: One of the side effects of a major volcanic eruption is global cooling. The ash (pulverized stone) goes into the stratosphere and dims the sunlight. In 1816, an eruption in Indonesia caused what's called The Year Without Summer. There were killing frosts in July and August. That was also the year that our house was built. (No mention in the historical records about cold weather.)
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Seventeen syllables in the rain
Today, 05-07-05, is seen by some as Haiku Day. On this day, choose Haiku as poetry. On others, choose Haiku as a place in Hawaii.
National Weather Service: "quite an impressive coastal storm for so late in the season with WV loop showing classic comma configuration. ... impressive isentropic lift and frontogenetic forcing wraps northwest from the ocean."
Don't tell the bad guys. An anti-terrorism drill at Logan Airport in Boston has been postponed because of today's stormy weather. The apparel industry, though, is ready. But, talk about your weapons of mass destruction - there are news reports of an Iranian bid for MG-Rover.
Oliver Wendell Holmes characterized the State House in Boston as the hub of the solar system. Since then, Boston is often call The Hub. It seemed a bit odd that a news story from CBC Charlottetown would carry this headline: Stones to rock hub city. Oh, wait, Moncton?
Adam took Sandra to breakfast for Mother's Day yesterday. It was a fine visit. Last year, he and I went out for lunch on Father's Day. We sat and talked for a couple of hours. It's not often that we get a chance for unbroken time like that.
My manager stopped by my office this week to talk about my assignments for the upcoming release. Much of the work will focus on our products' support for NFS V4. I'll also continue to provide systems and tools work. He was also encouraging about long-term, permanent prospects. He couldn't make commitments yet because there are other gears in motion elsewhere in the organization. All the same, I was pleased.
Which is a good thing, because today's automated job search for technical documentation positions turned up leads for:
National Weather Service: "quite an impressive coastal storm for so late in the season with WV loop showing classic comma configuration. ... impressive isentropic lift and frontogenetic forcing wraps northwest from the ocean."
Don't tell the bad guys. An anti-terrorism drill at Logan Airport in Boston has been postponed because of today's stormy weather. The apparel industry, though, is ready. But, talk about your weapons of mass destruction - there are news reports of an Iranian bid for MG-Rover.
Oliver Wendell Holmes characterized the State House in Boston as the hub of the solar system. Since then, Boston is often call The Hub. It seemed a bit odd that a news story from CBC Charlottetown would carry this headline: Stones to rock hub city. Oh, wait, Moncton?
Adam took Sandra to breakfast for Mother's Day yesterday. It was a fine visit. Last year, he and I went out for lunch on Father's Day. We sat and talked for a couple of hours. It's not often that we get a chance for unbroken time like that.
My manager stopped by my office this week to talk about my assignments for the upcoming release. Much of the work will focus on our products' support for NFS V4. I'll also continue to provide systems and tools work. He was also encouraging about long-term, permanent prospects. He couldn't make commitments yet because there are other gears in motion elsewhere in the organization. All the same, I was pleased.
Which is a good thing, because today's automated job search for technical documentation positions turned up leads for:
- Preschool Director in Gardner, Kansas
- Accessories Developer for a company in Santa Fe Spring, California, that design, markets, and distributes snowboard boots and bindings, helmet, and pads.
Friday, May 06, 2005
Apostrophes would be out of control!
Today is Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.
BPF stopped by last night with a sweet gift of flowers from her garden. She was on her way to a 9PM choir rehearsal. She said that she's teaching Spanish, folk dancing, and golf at an elementary school in a nearby small town.
Often I will see people (men, mostly) walking down the corridor at work, carrying a laptop and a cup of coffee, the cell phone held against their ear uncomfortably with their shoulders. Something like this might make that contortionist act easier.
People who have worked in companies with energetic marketing department know that it's very easy to accumulate many t-shirts and regular shirts with logos and commemorative designs. When we get too many of them, the good shirts go on to a shelter, the not-so-good ones are torn up and used to clean what the dog didn't eat well enough. In spite of last year's purge, I still have a couple stacks o' shirts in my closet. Anyway, here's another solution, a quilt made of old t-shirts. (The author has nice things to say about his mother-in-law, too.)
The University of Minnesota chose the name Scholars Walk, rather than Scholar's Walk, for a walkway. According to news reports, the school's style guide avoids use of apostrophes on building names and in other titles. The CEO of the university "was concerned that an apostrophe signifies ownership that could be misconstrued as exclusivity."
BPF stopped by last night with a sweet gift of flowers from her garden. She was on her way to a 9PM choir rehearsal. She said that she's teaching Spanish, folk dancing, and golf at an elementary school in a nearby small town.
Often I will see people (men, mostly) walking down the corridor at work, carrying a laptop and a cup of coffee, the cell phone held against their ear uncomfortably with their shoulders. Something like this might make that contortionist act easier.
People who have worked in companies with energetic marketing department know that it's very easy to accumulate many t-shirts and regular shirts with logos and commemorative designs. When we get too many of them, the good shirts go on to a shelter, the not-so-good ones are torn up and used to clean what the dog didn't eat well enough. In spite of last year's purge, I still have a couple stacks o' shirts in my closet. Anyway, here's another solution, a quilt made of old t-shirts. (The author has nice things to say about his mother-in-law, too.)
The University of Minnesota chose the name Scholars Walk, rather than Scholar's Walk, for a walkway. According to news reports, the school's style guide avoids use of apostrophes on building names and in other titles. The CEO of the university "was concerned that an apostrophe signifies ownership that could be misconstrued as exclusivity."
Thursday, May 05, 2005
05-05-05
The bird bath is a little skating rink this morning.
Today's three fives augers well for Tony Blair's election chances, or so say the numerologists across the pond
We bought a new microwave oven recently. There's a little display above the command buttons. When I first connected the oven, the little display said, "Welcome to Panasonic. Please read the owner's manual." Nice plug for our profession. Even better, the unit is designed well enough that we don't need the manual very much at all. Our only complaint is that the oven plays havoc with the cordless telephone nearby. I guess it's time to upgrade to a 5.8 Ghz phone. Companies ought to sell microwaves and cordless phones in pairs.
In Australia, in order to qualify for unemployment insurance payments, the unemployed need to work on projects that will help their chances of locating work. A group is trying to match unemployed tech folks with with open source software projects to help them meet their community service obligations. OpenOffice and Ubuntu Linux Documentation are among the projects. (Via ./)
I just installed the Google Web Accelerator beta on my home system. So far, it appears that web pages do load more quickly. If you decide to install GWA, read the privacy policy carefully first.
Just in time for Mother's Day - an iPod shuffle made from everyone's favorite meat-like substance.
Next laundry day, I'm going to try these instructions for folding a fitted sheet.
This morning's email brings a request for assistance from Mrs. Suha Arafat, the widow of Yasser Arafat. She needs my help to retrienve monies from a secret bank account. My reward, if I can figure out how to parse this, is "we shall share in the ratio of 30%for you 65% and 5% for expenses incured,as you know there is know transaction of such huge amount that does not require expenses." I'm flattered and humbled.
We in da' house, ayuh.
Today's three fives augers well for Tony Blair's election chances, or so say the numerologists across the pond
We bought a new microwave oven recently. There's a little display above the command buttons. When I first connected the oven, the little display said, "Welcome to Panasonic. Please read the owner's manual." Nice plug for our profession. Even better, the unit is designed well enough that we don't need the manual very much at all. Our only complaint is that the oven plays havoc with the cordless telephone nearby. I guess it's time to upgrade to a 5.8 Ghz phone. Companies ought to sell microwaves and cordless phones in pairs.
In Australia, in order to qualify for unemployment insurance payments, the unemployed need to work on projects that will help their chances of locating work. A group is trying to match unemployed tech folks with with open source software projects to help them meet their community service obligations. OpenOffice and Ubuntu Linux Documentation are among the projects. (Via ./)
I just installed the Google Web Accelerator beta on my home system. So far, it appears that web pages do load more quickly. If you decide to install GWA, read the privacy policy carefully first.
Just in time for Mother's Day - an iPod shuffle made from everyone's favorite meat-like substance.
Next laundry day, I'm going to try these instructions for folding a fitted sheet.
This morning's email brings a request for assistance from Mrs. Suha Arafat, the widow of Yasser Arafat. She needs my help to retrienve monies from a secret bank account. My reward, if I can figure out how to parse this, is "we shall share in the ratio of 30%for you 65% and 5% for expenses incured,as you know there is know transaction of such huge amount that does not require expenses." I'm flattered and humbled.
We in da' house, ayuh.
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Clouds like blankets
A few clouds came in overnight, holding the heat close to the ground, so we didn't get a frost. It's still chilly in the house, though. Marley has found a spot in front of the stove and in the sun.
Sandra and I working from home today. I have a medical test this afternoon (routine), but, in preparation, I couldn't eat for a day and a half. Some people fast as a way of gaining physical and spiritual focus. Countless millions go without food because there is no food. Some just eat because they don't know what not to eat. Anyway, I can have coffee, so life is good.
Today's automated job search for a technical documentation position:
Sandra and I working from home today. I have a medical test this afternoon (routine), but, in preparation, I couldn't eat for a day and a half. Some people fast as a way of gaining physical and spiritual focus. Countless millions go without food because there is no food. Some just eat because they don't know what not to eat. Anyway, I can have coffee, so life is good.
Today's automated job search for a technical documentation position:
- Executive Staffing Assistant. I'm pretty sure that I know what they mean when the job description says, "This position requires a high level of customer touch," but, well, ..... Also, would you work at a place that describes your "general accountabilities"?
- Lone Star Research Doctor Wanted in Houston! "*We are NOT looking for a doctor who has gone into patient care or treatment"
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Change is the new normal
Our neighbor is in Florida this week, visiting family. She has MS and has been house-bound for as long as we've lived here. This is her first trip away from home.
Another neighbor has put her home up for sale. She moved in with her son several months ago after falling often. The ambulance was regularly visiting her house. Increasingly she was needing help maintaining her house. Her husband died 20 or so years ago.
I read in the trade journals that a couple of executives from IBM Rational have moved on.
Over the weekend we watched The Anchorman. I thought that it was an entirely forgettable movie, but I was mistaken. One scene has the male performers singing that annoying 70s song, Afternoon Delight, albeit in pretty good harmony. (The song showed up in a Simpsons episode as well.) So, now, I have that song stuck in my head. Given that we have a limited number of thoughts for a lifetime, I wonder what I won't be able to think about when the time comes. Oops, there goes another one.
Not only that, but it's only going to get worse. Some hacker has found a way to store songs on an RFID tag, such that when you move the chip near a reader, the song plays. (The telling comment is "the application is best explained by reading the sourcecode.")
Today's automated job search for a technical documentation position produced listings for a Senior Executive Secretary and Executive Secretary. Oh, but I also received an email informing me that I've won ZAR 18,000,000 in the South African lottery (about $3M). Opportunities on all fronts.
Another neighbor has put her home up for sale. She moved in with her son several months ago after falling often. The ambulance was regularly visiting her house. Increasingly she was needing help maintaining her house. Her husband died 20 or so years ago.
I read in the trade journals that a couple of executives from IBM Rational have moved on.
Over the weekend we watched The Anchorman. I thought that it was an entirely forgettable movie, but I was mistaken. One scene has the male performers singing that annoying 70s song, Afternoon Delight, albeit in pretty good harmony. (The song showed up in a Simpsons episode as well.) So, now, I have that song stuck in my head. Given that we have a limited number of thoughts for a lifetime, I wonder what I won't be able to think about when the time comes. Oops, there goes another one.
Not only that, but it's only going to get worse. Some hacker has found a way to store songs on an RFID tag, such that when you move the chip near a reader, the song plays. (The telling comment is "the application is best explained by reading the sourcecode.")
Today's automated job search for a technical documentation position produced listings for a Senior Executive Secretary and Executive Secretary. Oh, but I also received an email informing me that I've won ZAR 18,000,000 in the South African lottery (about $3M). Opportunities on all fronts.
Monday, May 02, 2005
Green, green, rocky road
Near my father's house is a field where we played baseball and football. After we got out of high school, the family sold the house and moved away. The new owners at first kept the field mowed, but, after a few years, they let it go. The field is now woods, blending nicely with the deeper woods in back. You'd never know that kids used to play ball there.
And along the narrow roads, you see stone walls, tumbled down and nearly overgrown with trees and brush. They're all over New England. No matter how rugged the terrain, you'll find these stone walls, meaning that some brave or magnificently deluded soul tried to farm this land. They cleared the land for plowing and every winter brought forth more rocks for the field and tosses the rocks in the wall to the side.
Telecommunications, as Tom Friedman observed, has made the world flat. I had to order some supplies from a company that makes financial software. After the usual hops through the telephone options, I speak to a person. He's a pleasant man with a fairly thick Indian accent. "Hello, thank you for calling Intuit supplies and service. How may I help you? My name is, uh, Joe."
And along the narrow roads, you see stone walls, tumbled down and nearly overgrown with trees and brush. They're all over New England. No matter how rugged the terrain, you'll find these stone walls, meaning that some brave or magnificently deluded soul tried to farm this land. They cleared the land for plowing and every winter brought forth more rocks for the field and tosses the rocks in the wall to the side.
Telecommunications, as Tom Friedman observed, has made the world flat. I had to order some supplies from a company that makes financial software. After the usual hops through the telephone options, I speak to a person. He's a pleasant man with a fairly thick Indian accent. "Hello, thank you for calling Intuit supplies and service. How may I help you? My name is, uh, Joe."
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Hauskaa vappua
Rabbit, Rabbit.
It's also May Day, the worker's day in much of the world. In Finland it's a very big deal. I remember getting May baskets from my grandmother. They had candy 'n stuff and looked a lot like Easter baskets. Our family wasn't very political. Some Finns were communists and May Day had worldwide meaning. Other Finns were as conservative in their politics as they were in their religion. Throughout the year, unless you knew the people well, you stayed away from politics and religion, keeping the conversations to sauna and the quality of the year's blueberry crop.
We had a chance to get together with Mike and Lynn this weekend, the first time in quite a while. They're good company. Most of the talk focused on the family, because the family drives much of what we do, think, and feel. It was a good time and we returned home restored.
Our public TV stations concluded another fund-raising screed last night, featuring bands such as Procul Harum, as they try to mesmerize baby-boomers into giving up their credit card numbers. Now, PH had a couple of big hits back when people said, "Groovy." They even had a song, Repent Walpurgisnacht, the kind of overbearing instrumental that sounded deep then, but doesn't hold up well over the decades.
The U.S. has had a boycott of Canadian beef because of mad cow disease. It's hit Canada hard and in ways that we wouldn't expect. Canadian ranchers have had to reduce their herds, meaning that there are fewer cows for young people to tip. As a result, they've had to seek other outlets for their passions. The victim's profile is here.
110,000 volt Taser Cannon. Probably too tame for Florida.
It's also May Day, the worker's day in much of the world. In Finland it's a very big deal. I remember getting May baskets from my grandmother. They had candy 'n stuff and looked a lot like Easter baskets. Our family wasn't very political. Some Finns were communists and May Day had worldwide meaning. Other Finns were as conservative in their politics as they were in their religion. Throughout the year, unless you knew the people well, you stayed away from politics and religion, keeping the conversations to sauna and the quality of the year's blueberry crop.
We had a chance to get together with Mike and Lynn this weekend, the first time in quite a while. They're good company. Most of the talk focused on the family, because the family drives much of what we do, think, and feel. It was a good time and we returned home restored.
Our public TV stations concluded another fund-raising screed last night, featuring bands such as Procul Harum, as they try to mesmerize baby-boomers into giving up their credit card numbers. Now, PH had a couple of big hits back when people said, "Groovy." They even had a song, Repent Walpurgisnacht, the kind of overbearing instrumental that sounded deep then, but doesn't hold up well over the decades.
The U.S. has had a boycott of Canadian beef because of mad cow disease. It's hit Canada hard and in ways that we wouldn't expect. Canadian ranchers have had to reduce their herds, meaning that there are fewer cows for young people to tip. As a result, they've had to seek other outlets for their passions. The victim's profile is here.
110,000 volt Taser Cannon. Probably too tame for Florida.
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Prognosticated instability
Rain is coming, often heavy, lasting through mid-day tomorrow. So, we've decided not to go to the camp this weekend. Most of the work there is outdoor work that's not easily done in the rain. Instead of having our first sauna this evening, we'll probably go to Sears and buy a stove.
The long-range forecast from the NWS says, "Will be inserting a slight chance of thunder into the grids with the prognosticated instability. "
Today marks 30 years since the U.S. left Vietnam. As you might expect, the Vietnamese government is regarding this as an independence day. In this country, we are still sorting through what the war meant to us and to southeast Asia. To those who served, we can, at least, say, "Welcome home."
Again with the confluence of holidays. Today is Holy Saturday for the eastern churches and Walpurgis Night, a springtime rendition of Halloween.
Today also marks the day in 1993 when CERN, the Swiss nuclear research institute that sparked the development of the WorldWide Web, announced that the web would be free. The Internet predates the WorldWide Web by at least a couple of decades, depending on how you define it. The Internet is big, but not limitless.
The long-range forecast from the NWS says, "Will be inserting a slight chance of thunder into the grids with the prognosticated instability. "
Today marks 30 years since the U.S. left Vietnam. As you might expect, the Vietnamese government is regarding this as an independence day. In this country, we are still sorting through what the war meant to us and to southeast Asia. To those who served, we can, at least, say, "Welcome home."
Again with the confluence of holidays. Today is Holy Saturday for the eastern churches and Walpurgis Night, a springtime rendition of Halloween.
Today also marks the day in 1993 when CERN, the Swiss nuclear research institute that sparked the development of the WorldWide Web, announced that the web would be free. The Internet predates the WorldWide Web by at least a couple of decades, depending on how you define it. The Internet is big, but not limitless.
Friday, April 29, 2005
Recaffeination
It's a cool morning with a sharp northwest breeze. We stayed above freezing, but just barely.
The espresso machine at work is operational again and a bit of order has returned to the workplace. The machine has just a few buttons for espresso, cappuccino, and maybe one other thing. The place down the road, by contrast, is stunning in its range of offerings. So, we can enjoy a cup o' Java and be grateful that we work where we do.
We watched some of the President's news conference last night, at least until The Apprentice came on. (We're rooting for Tana.) Now, the blogosphere doesn't need another liberal rant, so I'll keep my comments brief. I found it a lot easier to absorb his ideas if I closed my eyes so I didn't have to see that silly smirk when he was talking to us as though we're idiots.
Choose life, eh? Yeah, choose life.
In America we get so cynical about our leaders. The British, well, they know how to show respect.
The espresso machine at work is operational again and a bit of order has returned to the workplace. The machine has just a few buttons for espresso, cappuccino, and maybe one other thing. The place down the road, by contrast, is stunning in its range of offerings. So, we can enjoy a cup o' Java and be grateful that we work where we do.
We watched some of the President's news conference last night, at least until The Apprentice came on. (We're rooting for Tana.) Now, the blogosphere doesn't need another liberal rant, so I'll keep my comments brief. I found it a lot easier to absorb his ideas if I closed my eyes so I didn't have to see that silly smirk when he was talking to us as though we're idiots.
Choose life, eh? Yeah, choose life.
In America we get so cynical about our leaders. The British, well, they know how to show respect.
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Blue skies and blue screens
The clouds are breaking and there's blue sky above. Unfortunately, there was a blue screen here. The system rebooted right away and is showing no ill effects. My guess is that the combination of USB gadgets wasn't handled well. I'll investigate further.
Yesterday afternoon, people were standing around the break room, shuffling their feet, while they watched the guy from the espresso machine leasing company try to fix the elixir maker. (There were two machines in the building; the other broke last August.) If someone showed up in the parking lot and started selling these personal espresso machines off the back of a truck, well, business would be good. I suppose, however, that some other workers might have to face other types of danger in their jobs.
I cooked the black chicken last night and we may have it for dinner this evening. I hadn't expected that the head would still be on it. Our expectations have been set by Frank Perdue. Chicken beak anyone?
There's a new makeover show on TV tonight called Mobile Home Disaster. You can bet that it doesn't take place in any of these locations.
A few years ago, I visited the Archie McPhee store in Seattle. It's a great place to spend time and money. And even if you stumble on the uneven floors, you can get patched up quickly.
Curt Schilling is on the disabled list, as is David Wells. Schilling's condition, however, made it to the front page, above the fold, in today's Boston Globe.
Yesterday afternoon, people were standing around the break room, shuffling their feet, while they watched the guy from the espresso machine leasing company try to fix the elixir maker. (There were two machines in the building; the other broke last August.) If someone showed up in the parking lot and started selling these personal espresso machines off the back of a truck, well, business would be good. I suppose, however, that some other workers might have to face other types of danger in their jobs.
I cooked the black chicken last night and we may have it for dinner this evening. I hadn't expected that the head would still be on it. Our expectations have been set by Frank Perdue. Chicken beak anyone?
There's a new makeover show on TV tonight called Mobile Home Disaster. You can bet that it doesn't take place in any of these locations.
A few years ago, I visited the Archie McPhee store in Seattle. It's a great place to spend time and money. And even if you stumble on the uneven floors, you can get patched up quickly.
Curt Schilling is on the disabled list, as is David Wells. Schilling's condition, however, made it to the front page, above the fold, in today's Boston Globe.
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Campaign signs sprouting. It must be spring.
Our town is having an election for selectmen and other offices. Frankly, I've not paid close attention this year. Fortunately, we have some neighbors who tend to be quite active politically. They put candidates' signs on their lawns. Their politics are also exactly opposite ours. So, if I'm ever not sure how to vote, I take a look at the signs on their lawns and then vote the other way.
Every afternoon the traffic bunches up on the route home near a baseball field. With the car window down on a warm day, I can hear the sounds of the kids playing ball. It's wonderful, although I doubt that I'll ever get used to the sound of a ball hitting a metal bat.
Automated job search results of the day:
The Wall Street Journal is running a story this morning about B.J.'s Wholesale Club's suit against IBM. The suit alleges that sensitive credit card information was stored in the computers' logs and thus was exposed to hackers. This could get interesting.
Every afternoon the traffic bunches up on the route home near a baseball field. With the car window down on a warm day, I can hear the sounds of the kids playing ball. It's wonderful, although I doubt that I'll ever get used to the sound of a ball hitting a metal bat.
Automated job search results of the day:
- Lead SAP FICO Functional Config - Global a Must (*Hot Perm*)#901
- SAP Basis Admin LEARN CRM & BW! (*HOT Perm Job*) #900
- 2 Insane Guys With Brilliant Idea Seek Online Advertising Coordinator to make sense of it all: "It turns out we need a sober, calm and collected soul with a forgiving sense of humor..."
The Wall Street Journal is running a story this morning about B.J.'s Wholesale Club's suit against IBM. The suit alleges that sensitive credit card information was stored in the computers' logs and thus was exposed to hackers. This could get interesting.
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Brake, gas and wood
Every once in a while I get to work from home. Today the group is having a party to celebrate the latest product release. I'm going to stay home, work some and prepare a few things for what I hope is our final meeting with Conservation Commission. I didn't attend last release party in August. Something else was going on then.
So, today, I get to hang around in sweat pants and a well-worn Windows Suites denim shirt. (I worked in the Windows Suite group at Rational.) I have three computers in the study (five if you count the two VMware virtual systems on my work laptop). I'll be using all of them in one way or another during the day. I have to set up a small network to test a few things. In the meantime, Marley is lying by the wood stove, yipping at the squirrels in his dreams. The real squirrels outside have taken cover as a hawk circles the neighborhood.
In these worrisome times, with families and friends scattered across the globe, it's nice to know that the clothing industry and mobile telecommunications industries have joined to bring us remote hugs.
Last night I paid $2.49 per gallon of gasoline. I know that people in other parts of the U.S. and certainly in the Great White North are paying a lot more, but this was a new level for me. It's starting to make some folks think differently about their driving. As we've been hearing, sales of hybrid vehicles are climbing rapidly. This is hybrid of a different kind, a truck that burns wood.
So, today, I get to hang around in sweat pants and a well-worn Windows Suites denim shirt. (I worked in the Windows Suite group at Rational.) I have three computers in the study (five if you count the two VMware virtual systems on my work laptop). I'll be using all of them in one way or another during the day. I have to set up a small network to test a few things. In the meantime, Marley is lying by the wood stove, yipping at the squirrels in his dreams. The real squirrels outside have taken cover as a hawk circles the neighborhood.
In these worrisome times, with families and friends scattered across the globe, it's nice to know that the clothing industry and mobile telecommunications industries have joined to bring us remote hugs.
Last night I paid $2.49 per gallon of gasoline. I know that people in other parts of the U.S. and certainly in the Great White North are paying a lot more, but this was a new level for me. It's starting to make some folks think differently about their driving. As we've been hearing, sales of hybrid vehicles are climbing rapidly. This is hybrid of a different kind, a truck that burns wood.
Monday, April 25, 2005
Tiger Balm, for what ails you
The Worcester Night Life programs are one of the best values around. For a modest fee, you can take course ranging from basic harmonic to oil burner technician to Linux for beginners. The programs range from a few hours to a whole semester.
Yesterday, Sandra and I took a tour of Chinatown in Boston. We learned about the history of this sometimes rough section of the city, about those who settled there. Most of the residents speak Cantonese while people who have settled in Massachusetts for jobs in high-tech speak Mandarin. (Did you know that there is a group and a language named Hakka in mainland China and Taiwan?)
We had dim sum at the China Pearl, visited a bakery, an herbal pharmacy (Tiger Balm is made neither from nor for tigers), several restaurants, clothing and gift stores, and a grocery store. We bought a black chicken, carrots the size of a baby's arm, and several packages of snack cookies for young and old. We saw, but didn't buy, live eels, dorian melon (with a smell like carrion in custard), and vegetarian squid. It was good fun. A big part of it was getting over the notion that things need to look like the stuff you'd find in Stop & Shop, Denny's, or Subway. More than a billion people have kim chee, pork roll, or rice and tofu in soy sauce for breakfast. They're doing just fine without the Coronary Artery Bypass on a Bun Special.
I expect that we'll see a lot of dogs on Alitalia once this news gets around.
Today's automated search for a technical documentation job:
Yesterday, Sandra and I took a tour of Chinatown in Boston. We learned about the history of this sometimes rough section of the city, about those who settled there. Most of the residents speak Cantonese while people who have settled in Massachusetts for jobs in high-tech speak Mandarin. (Did you know that there is a group and a language named Hakka in mainland China and Taiwan?)
We had dim sum at the China Pearl, visited a bakery, an herbal pharmacy (Tiger Balm is made neither from nor for tigers), several restaurants, clothing and gift stores, and a grocery store. We bought a black chicken, carrots the size of a baby's arm, and several packages of snack cookies for young and old. We saw, but didn't buy, live eels, dorian melon (with a smell like carrion in custard), and vegetarian squid. It was good fun. A big part of it was getting over the notion that things need to look like the stuff you'd find in Stop & Shop, Denny's, or Subway. More than a billion people have kim chee, pork roll, or rice and tofu in soy sauce for breakfast. They're doing just fine without the Coronary Artery Bypass on a Bun Special.
I expect that we'll see a lot of dogs on Alitalia once this news gets around.
Today's automated search for a technical documentation job:
- Director of Housekeeping for a company in Florida: "Accomplishes housekeeping human resource strategies by determining accountabilities" and "Avoids legal challenges by understanding current and proposed legislation...."
- This one sounds dirty, but isn't: Sr SAP HR Org Mgt, Persnl Mgt Bene, Trainn/Evnt Mgt (*HOT Perm*)#881
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Fried whatchamacallit, on an untoasted roll
This morning's automated job search for a technical documentation job included a pointer to a Registered Dietitian position. To be fair, the job does include a requirement that the applicant write reports that "conform to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction and style." Applicants must have "Registered Dietitian with the American Dietetic Association and Licensed Dietitian status".
Which reminds me. Kay's Dairy Bar is open for the season. Kay's is about a mile from my father's house. Kay's started as a Carvel franchise in the early 1960s and later went to its own ice cream. The ice cream is very good and the portions huge. When Sandra worked for Digital in Westminster in the early 90s, her co-workers nicknamed the place "We fry anything." It's under new ownership this year. I was relieved to see that fried alligator is still on the menu.
Normally I don't care when one liquor company buys another, but this purchase has some local impact. A French company is buying the parent company of Dunkin' Donuts. I suspect that this won't have much impact on Dunkin' Donuts' inexorable drive to world domination. We have a Dunkin' Donuts about a half mile from our home. The mania inspired by those Coolatas makes our drivers even goofier. (You can be comforted , however, that the Coolata still contains no crustaceans.) For the record, I don't like Dunkin' Donuts products. The coffee is weak and the donuts taste like sugared sawdust.
There will be a quiz on this next week. Who or what is Illanaaq the Inukshuk?
The excuse, and it's not a very good one, is that the Maine Turnpike is a long and boring road. You want to get through it as quickly as possible, so your speed gradually increases. The Maine state police have heard it all and will hear it again as they rev up their anti-speeding campaign. Our family drives the Maine Turnpike/I-95 to and from PEI and has seen some of the clever ways that the state police identify speeders.
Which reminds me. Kay's Dairy Bar is open for the season. Kay's is about a mile from my father's house. Kay's started as a Carvel franchise in the early 1960s and later went to its own ice cream. The ice cream is very good and the portions huge. When Sandra worked for Digital in Westminster in the early 90s, her co-workers nicknamed the place "We fry anything." It's under new ownership this year. I was relieved to see that fried alligator is still on the menu.
Normally I don't care when one liquor company buys another, but this purchase has some local impact. A French company is buying the parent company of Dunkin' Donuts. I suspect that this won't have much impact on Dunkin' Donuts' inexorable drive to world domination. We have a Dunkin' Donuts about a half mile from our home. The mania inspired by those Coolatas makes our drivers even goofier. (You can be comforted , however, that the Coolata still contains no crustaceans.) For the record, I don't like Dunkin' Donuts products. The coffee is weak and the donuts taste like sugared sawdust.
There will be a quiz on this next week. Who or what is Illanaaq the Inukshuk?
The excuse, and it's not a very good one, is that the Maine Turnpike is a long and boring road. You want to get through it as quickly as possible, so your speed gradually increases. The Maine state police have heard it all and will hear it again as they rev up their anti-speeding campaign. Our family drives the Maine Turnpike/I-95 to and from PEI and has seen some of the clever ways that the state police identify speeders.
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