Semi-Regular Thought Processes (a.k.a 'Blog')

Semi-Regular Update (i.e. Twitter)

2009-09-02T10:41:00.004-05:00

So, it's time for another post, eh? This will be brief. I've been finding myself using Twitter a lot because it's much faster/easier for those "semi-regular thoughts", which was the purpose of this blog to begin with. I seem to be sticking with Twitter a lot better than I ever have with a blog, so you might want to add that to the list of sites you watch. Here's the URL:

http://twitter.com/whereisderek

That's not to say I'll never add to this blog again, but I'm not going to make it a focus anymore. Generally, things I want to opine about and are longer than the 140-character limit that Twitter imposes will show up here.

The Problem With the Delta 747s

2009-03-03T11:29:00.001-06:00

Well, aside from the fact that they are Northwest 747s that have been re-painted due to the merger, the biggest problem is the size of the lettering for the Delta logo.

Here is the repainted NWA 747-400 in Delta livery:

Now, compare that with the old (er, still "current" on some aircraft) NWA livery:

Or still, compare that with the livery of Virgin Atlantic, another large international airline:

So, which livery is the hardest to read at a distance? And which livery is the least imaginative/creative? The answer to those questions should not be Delta, which is now the largest airline in the world.

Double-whiskey, Coke no ice

2009-01-25T11:57:00.002-06:00

The Hold Steady has roots in Minnesota, which is pretty cool.

I've sampled a few of their albums and generally one or two songs on each album is really good, but the rest are junk (IMHO, of course).

(Title comes from the song "Constructive Summer")

We Said Goodnight to Broadway, Giving It Our Best Regards

2009-01-14T08:13:00.002-06:00

Very soon, it seems, I'll be working on development for delta.com. My manager is down in ATL today talking with some of our counterparts, er, colleagues, and it seems they're a little short-staffed.

This makes me a little sad. We put so much time into the redesign of nwa.com, and received a lot of accolades within the company and from the outside (customers, competitors, etc.). But day by day, it's slowly slipping away... :(

Two Links Diverged, and I, I Clicked Them Both

2009-01-05T22:38:00.004-06:00

Coffee grounds as a new source of fuel? Yep, it's true:
http://www.consumerenergyreport.com/2009/01/04/coffee-beans-as-the-next-great-auto-fuel/

Excess is out, frugality is in:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jan/04/us-economy-thrift-barack-obama

Screw Microsoft

2008-12-27T15:12:00.005-06:00

Check out this post over at Ryan Rampersad's blog:

http://ryan.ifupdown.com/2008/11/19/save-the-developers-is-gone/

It seems Microsoft couldn't take a little heat from the developer community about the horrible Internet Explorer browser. So, they either bought out the website/domain name or threatened the website owner.

The old SaveTheDevelopers.org site now redirects to a download page for IE. And what's worse is that they're suggesting users download a beta copy of IE8 from that page. Regardless of Google's perpetual beta projects, applications in beta status are not meant for mass consumption.

Screw Microsoft.

Encouragement FAIL

2008-12-09T14:47:00.009-06:00

Uh, are you kidding me?

I just received an invitation spam from HSBC Direct. Apparently, they want me to open a $25,000 or more CD with a craptacular 3.10% APY, and to encourage me to do it in the next six days, they're going to reward me with an extra $75. I know, a whole $75!

Let's do a simple calculation: $75 / $25,000 = 0.003. So, on a 3.10% APY CD, they're going to give me a three-tenths of a percent bonus for letting them use my $25k for the next six months.

FAIL.

Edited to correct my decimal place error.

Spending Other People's Time

2008-12-05T13:15:00.005-06:00

I screwed up today.

In the grand scheme of things, it wasn't a big deal, but my screw-up cost someone else time. And time is money, frustration, distraction from other tasks, and all of that.

Someone from another work area needed some help and wanted to use some code I had already written. So we debugged the application to figure out what was needed and then I provided the appropriate code to plug into their application. The work on their end should have taken five minutes or so. But the developer just came back to me saying he was having problems, so I went to help him debug his application. As it turns out, I forgot to paste in a necessary function when I emailed the code earlier today. So he spent about an hour trying things in code he was unfamiliar with, wondering if there were other problems, and generally wasting time. His time.

It's a lesson in completeness and attention to detail.

Hong Kong

2008-11-17T08:04:00.002-06:00

Just returned from a short visit to Hong Kong with my brother. Each time I go back, I'm amazed at how much can be squeezed into such a small area (7m people in an area 25% the size of NYC). I know it's not the most densely-populated place on Earth, but at times it feels like it.

The weather was gorgeous and the food and sights were worth the price of admission, as always. I love how nearly everything you need can be found within a block or two from wherever you're at. And the public transit is just great; I think the Hong Kong MTR is kept cleaner than the Singapore subway system, and that's saying something.

Definitely a place to keep coming back to.

Friday Afternoon Apathy

2008-11-07T15:48:00.003-06:00

It's Friday afternoon. Only on a Friday afternoon would I be able to tolerate Hall & Oates.

"You're outta touch, I'm outta time..."

Some things probably deserve to be left in the '80s.

Internet FTW

2008-11-05T07:20:00.002-06:00

As an addendum to last night, the Internet also won big. Largest period of news traffic ever. See the pic below:

Source: http://www.akamai.com/html/technology/nui/news/index.html

Wow

2008-11-05T07:10:00.004-06:00

Wow.

Whatever your politics are, you have to admit that last night, something pretty amazing happened. In the country which once enslaved blacks, counted them as 3/5 of a person, and not until 43 years ago were they fully guaranteed the right to vote, we have elected by a majority vote an African-American President.

It shouldn't be an issue. We shouldn't be marveling at our progress. But we have to, if only for a little while.

Improving the Electoral Process (Part 1)

2008-11-04T09:41:00.000-06:00

As Americans -- in expected record-numbers -- flock to the polls today, I introduce the first installment of my one-part series on how to improve the American electoral process.

A few precursors: First, the voting process should be easy. It should not be a burden to actually vote. Second, voting should be accessible. It shouldn't matter where you live, it should be just as easy for you or for someone across town to vote. Third, you shouldn't feel hassled. Either because of the limited time before or after work, or because of fears of voter intimidation.

With that, I offer some simple suggestions that we could apply on a national scale, not just state-by-state:

* Mail-in voting: other states do this and they have record turnouts. And it solves all of the above three precursors.

* More polling places: we simply need to increase the bandwidth. Long lines are a great sign of voter enthusiasm, but it doesn't have to be that way.

* Change the date of the election: Many other civilized nations operate their elections over the span of a Saturday and Sunday. Or make it Tuesday/Wednesday for Americans. More time to vote encourages higher turnout.

* Make Election Day a national holiday: Perhaps the simplest solution of all is to make it a holiday. People will have much less to worry about and the reasons for not voting are almost eliminated.

If voting is so important that people fight wars to protect it, the least we can do is make sure everyone has an easy, fair, and simple means to vote.

Vote

2008-11-04T06:58:00.003-06:00

Today, exercise your right to vote.

Why? Because if you don't, you're letting others speak for you.

With Apologies to Albert

2008-11-03T19:57:00.004-06:00

I was reading some blogs, saw the picture on the right, and it hit me. 2 minutes in a photo editor and there you go.

I'd be surprised if the association hadn't already been made before.

Spreading the Wealth

2008-10-22T15:24:00.005-05:00

The Republicans are up to their usual tactics again. They're calling Obama "Barack the wealth spreader" yet they are the ones misrepresenting and distorting Obama's platform and speeches. And they're selling most Americans a lie, and it's that lie I want to focus on here.

Here's the dirty truth: most Americans don't -- and never will -- fall into the category where your "wealth" will be spread around. They talk to all of us "working class" people in the "pro-America" parts of the country and strike fear into our hearts that our "wealth" is going to be taken away. But that's simply not true. Obama's tax plan calls for the status quo or in many cases, tax reductions, on the bottom 95% of tax payers. The only increases will be for that top 5%, those earning $250k/year or more. They have wealth, yes. And some additional amount of their wealth would be "spread" (a.k.a taxed). But the important thing is the lie the Republicans are selling everyone on. It's statistically impossible for most of us working-class "Joes" to be in the situation where we'd be taxed more. They're trying to convince us that we have more than we do!

The truth is that while a very, very small portion of America will have tax increases under Obama, the vast majority of us (including nearly everyone reading this post) will not see a change in our taxes, and in many cases, we'll be taxed less.

If you distort something long enough, eventually people will believe you. Most people's view of politics is on perceived reality, not actuality. And that's the only thing the Republicans have going for them.

You know the guy who goes into the voting booth and makes his decision based on stump speeches, campaign ads, and partisan blogs? Don't be that guy...

I Tweet With Twitter

2008-10-15T12:45:00.005-05:00

I use Twitter to follow others as well as make my own "semi-regular" thoughts. It's a little quicker to post there via a Firefox extension, so I update there a little more regularly.

Check it out/add to your RSS reader if you're into that sort of thing.

http://twitter.com/whereisderek

The Way to a Woman's Heart

2008-10-10T09:24:00.003-05:00

Saw this as part of a woot.com sale. They usually come up with clever ways to describe what they're selling, but this one is pretty good...

The HP Pavilion s3401f Slimline Dual Core 2.6 GHz Desktop PC:
the Athlon 64 X2 (B) 5000+ 2.6 GHz (65W) base processor says “I like to move fast”, but the 360gb 7200 RPM SATA hard drive says “I’ll give you your space.” 6 USB ports suggest that you’re open-minded. And rare indeed is the woman who can resist a man bearing integrated 10/100 Base-T networking interface with Wireless LAN 802.11 b/g. Everybody hates Windows Vista, so you’ll have a shared interest to talk about during those awkward moments. It’s true what they say: the way to a woman’s heart is through her HP Pavilion s3401f Slimline Dual Core 2.6 GHz Desktop PC.

Dichotomy

2008-10-07T10:37:00.004-05:00

Not everything is black and white. For instance, knowing someone, who committed terrorist acts when you were only eight years old, does not make you a terrorist. Just like attending a secessionist church in Alaska and sitting through the preachings of antisemitism and hating America does not make you a secessionist.

Things aren't that black and white.

True Stories

2008-09-22T16:10:00.002-05:00

“Yesterday’s luxuries become today’s necessities.”

Sounds like a quote right out of True Stories. But, it wasn't from that movie. I just happened to read it on a multi-purpose blog.

YourSpace, not MySpace

2008-09-17T08:01:00.004-05:00

For years I've resisted opening a MySpace account. I don't know exactly why, but I'm sure it's along the same lines as why I don't keep my Facebook profile updated and leave it untouched for many months, if not several years on end. Perhaps it's because I don't want to bother letting everyone else know what's going on at every second of my life, or perhaps I don't like the feeling of being virtually "tied down" to something I have to keep semi-updated (exhibit A, this blog...). And a lot of it has to do with the spam and other crap you get sent. I know, you can turn off a lot of the messaging features, but stuff still slips through.

So, for now, I guess it's just email, cellphone, this semi-regularly updated blog, and the occasional online forum that I'm a member of. That's about as much of a virtual footprint as I want.

People that want to get to get a hold of me know how to. Email, text messaging, and even a phone call are not too old-fashioned for me.

Waning Interest?

2008-09-05T16:56:00.001-05:00

I think I have short attention-span disorder because I can't seem to keep up with this blog. Yes, I got busy at work and was out on vacation for a bit, but it's still been a while. I'm thinking my "quote of the day" posts just weren't all that interesting to me, which is probably the major reason I stopped for the first couple of days.

Oh, well. Back to semi-regular blogging, I suppose.

Power of Persuasion

2008-08-20T08:50:00.002-05:00

A diplomat... is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip.
-- Caskie Stinnett, Out of the Red (1960)

I love this quote.

We've all experienced this phenomenon. Someone that has great negotiation skills and has mastered the power of persuasion can get you to do almost anything. It's an amazing power if you can learn to use it. But as always, use it for good, not evil.

My Attention is Waning

2008-08-19T07:44:00.002-05:00

Thanks to TV and for the convenience of TV, you can only be one of two kinds of human beings, either a liberal or a conservative.
-- Kurt Vonnegut, "Cold Turkey", In These Times, May 10, 2004

More true today than four years ago when he said it. Take for example the recent "faith forum" held in Rick Warren's California megachurch. Pundits are criticizing Obama for not answering in rapid-fire style like McCain did. Instead, Obama explained his answers in a thoughtful manner showing us how he came to the decision. Neither method (McCain's or Obama's) was any more correct than the other, but when you live in a world where the TV has less than 10 seconds to capture your attention, anything but split-second, knee jerk reactions will be considered slow and uncertain.

Oh, the horror, if we actually had a President who thought out their answers before blurting them out. We'll all be doomed if someone decides to apply the thought process to their semi-regular decisions...

Coloring Book of Life

2008-08-18T08:27:00.003-05:00

Men who never get carried away should be.
-- Malcolm Forbes

I think this speaks to the thought that great progress cannot occur without a little over-the-top attitude from time to time. One of my friends has a great saying himself: If it's worth doing, it's worth over-doing. Every once in a while, you need to color outside the lines and see what happens. Living a live entirely within your boundaries will provide a rather mundane existence.

Diversify Your Life

2008-08-15T07:31:00.006-05:00

In all recorded history there has not been one economist who has had to worry about where the next meal would come from.
-- Peter Drucker

People love to be sold hope. They'll also be sold fear. An economist sells both, seemingly on a whim. Financial advisers, stock brokers, portfolio managers -- they all have the same thing in common: trying to convert other people's money into their hopes or dreams. Alternately, they try to diminish the fears of investors by giving advice on how to prevent disaster.

When all goes well, it's their cunning brilliance that brings in the paycheck. When it all falls apart, then "it wasn't supposed to happen this way", "no one could have predicted this", and "well, that's just the market-based economy for you". It seems to be a win-win game for people involved in projecting the economy. They have turned an already inexact science (at best) into a masqueraded-oft-confusing guessing game, all the while planning their next meal.

Plastics!

Spice of Conversation

2008-08-14T07:54:00.003-05:00

I often quote myself. It adds spice to my conversation.
-- George Bernard Shaw

How true. People love to talk about themselves, especially when it can get them things. People like to think that they're funny and witty, even when they're not. Some people are simply amazed that they had the gall to write or speak something, so when they realize this, they take every opportunity to make others aware of their bold declaration.

As with most things, moderation is key. It's productive to highlight the good, and bad, things we say because we have the ability and responsibility to learn from our actions. But when it goes beyond our own self-advancement and steps into obnoxious self-righteousness, that's when the "spice of conversation" turns into a repellent.

Quoth the Raven

2008-08-13T10:53:00.002-05:00

In another valiant attempt to jump-start my blog habits, I'm trying a new idea: I've subscribed to a quotations mailing list and each morning, I will be emailed four quotes from various sources: pop culture, literature, great thinkers, etc. I'll choose one, re-quote it for your pleasure, and attempt to reflect on the quote in whatever way I see fit. I only envision it as a one-to-two paragraph response -- and sometimes maybe less -- but it may be something fun to do.

My first email should arrive in the wee hours tomorrow morning with, hopefully, my reflection to follow a few hours later.

There is Water at the Bottom of the Ocean

2008-07-13T10:28:00.000-05:00

The Talking Heads are the perfect Sunday morning band. Some songs make you think, some make no sense whatsoever. Some are light and airy, some are deep and heavy. All have some degree of infectious melody that sets a good tone for the day.

31 Days to Fix Your Finances, Day 1

2008-04-24T23:12:00.003-05:00

As I posted over on $ man blog, I'm going to be trying out the 31 Days to Fix Your Finances program from Trent at The Simple Dollar.

Tonight, I started with the task for Day 1: list your five main values. I generally have problems with lists like this because they make me feel like I have to define myself in only a few short ideas. Obviously I understand the point of the exercise, but it's not as easy as I thought it would be. I imagine some could list only four or five values and be done in five minutes without any second thoughts. I can't. I thought about it for 20 minutes or so and came up with this. All I can say is that it accurately represents my values at this point in time, in no particular order. Of course, I list six.

- creativity
- family
- flexibility
- financial security
- automation
- happiness

Narrowing it down and combining similar values into one "theme" took the most time. Some of the items may make sense to you, others may make you scratch your heads. Thus the reason why they're my values. ;)

There is a list 1A to the above list that could have easily been the list I chose. On a different day at a different time, maybe it would have made the cut.

Tomorrow should be interesting as I delve into Day 2: defining goals from your values.

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

2008-03-05T13:28:00.003-06:00

I've got most of a blog entry in my head, but it's not yet congealed into a complete piece yet. The title is complete, though, and it will be called "Two Steps Forward, One Step Back".

I know you're just quivering in anticipation.

Losing the Night to Day

2008-02-18T21:50:00.004-06:00

Sleep. It's something most people value highly, and they rightly should; we spend on average about one-third of our life doing it. And one common theme in movies, TV, and pop culture is the snooze button.

"Five more minutes, Mom!"

I'm begging to theorize that in today's fast-paced life, the snooze button allows a certain sense of self-control over the inevitable. When you hit the snooze, you're saying, "Yeah, that's right, I'm in enough control over my life that I can afford to toss an extra nine minutes out the window with no problem." However, it also implies that you don't really have that much control over it otherwise you would have set the alarm for 10 or more minutes later.

So, hitting the snooze button is the first opportunity in the day where you get to exert a little self-determination in a life that is already fairly well defined without your help, long before you wake the first time.

Of course, you can gain even more self control by training yourself to wake at exactly the same time without the need for an alarm clock. But then by doing that, you're denying the evolution of technology and how it must infiltrate our daily lives. And I can't get behind that. ;)

Cold, Hard Realities

2008-02-07T22:52:00.000-06:00

I've quickly learned that the #1 person I need to be concerned about in my professional life is me. Coworkers, family, friends: they all have to come second. Or at least 1b to my 1a. This is not because I am cold or heartless, but because I've realized that the only person really looking out for you is you.

I've sort of known this all along, but probably never wanted to accept it. I guess the bright side is that if you do focus on taking care of yourself, when you are stable, you can afford to focus more attention on others.

Victim of the Crime

2008-02-06T22:33:00.001-06:00

Given: hypocrisy is innate to humans. To most, they try to mitigate it, or at least apologize for it. There are some that, knowingly or not, take advantage of this unfortunate human condition and make hypocrisy a way of life.

On the one hand, I don't feel good about apologizing for something that I think is innate to humanity and something we all do on some level. But on the other, I do feel that apologizing for it sets me apart from those who make hypocrisy, double-speak, and lip service a way of life.

This is Heaven to Me Now

2008-02-03T21:54:00.000-06:00

I've been watching the show Ace of Cakes on the Food Network for a while. I don't know what it is: a combination of the personalities, their sugary creations, or seeing peoples' reactions to it, but the show is addicting to me.

The show is based in Baltimore and Geof Manthorne, the sous chef for the bakery, is a well-known local musician. Here's the lyrics to one of his original songs. I have the mp3 if anyone's interested. It's a poor rip from a YouTube video, but that's all I can find for now.

Geof Manthorne, Unknown Title

Jenny works the citrus stand
on the beach 'tween ocean and vine
and she'll sell you a lemon with a smile

and every night I ask the truth
if a tomato is a citrus fruit
and she just turns her head
she don't want to talk about it

all the girls at the jersey shore
think heaven's just a club down here
with wet t-shirts and cheap beer

and if you dance on the bar just right
you might fall in someone's arms tonight
hey, this is heaven after all

drive the car down to cape may 'cause
we won't gamble our lives away
we'll put it in our pockets for a rainy day

all the girls at the jersey shore
think heaven's just a club down here
with wet t-shirts and cheap beer

and if you dance on the bar just right
you might fall in someone's arms tonight
hey, this is heaven after all

this is heaven after all

well i guess that heaven is no place for us
'cause we still believe in love
and we won't make a fuss 'cause we ain't done nothing wrong

and heaven's gate won't let us in
the night's still fresh on our sun-tanned skin
and she said, "this is heaven to me now, this is heaven to me now..."

well i guess that heaven is no place for us
'cause we still believe in love
and we won't make a fuss 'cause we ain't done nothing wrong

and heaven's gate won't let us in
the night's still fresh on our sun-tanned skin
and she said, "this is heaven to me now, this is heaven to me now..."

Is this it?

2008-01-31T21:55:00.000-06:00

I find myself asking that question a lot lately...

- a movie I've been waiting to see
- a restaurant I've been looking forward to trying
- getting a humidifier to improve the wintertime dry air
- taking the lead on a project at work
- moving
- visiting a new place
- ...

Maybe I'm expecting too much? Maybe I'm just enjoying the journey instead of the destination? Or maybe I'm just someone who loves the idea of something more than the something itself?

I've been looking forward to making this post for a while now. Is this it? ;)

"Take on me, take me on. I'll be gone in a day or two..."

Quoth the Raven...

2008-01-31T15:45:00.000-06:00

I had to write this down somewhere:

I wonder, therefore I wander.

I searched Google and didn't find that exact phrase anywhere.

So, new blog title? Custom T-shirt? Patch to sew on my backpack?

What do I need to do to get you to drive home in this today?

2008-01-25T14:39:00.001-06:00

For some reason, today the office smells like a car dealership showroom*. That's a little unsettling. At least I haven't seen the slicked-back, greased down hairstyles and the hand motions of firing a gun as if to say, "Hey buddy, I got what you need".

* Of course, this could be due to my congested nasal passages and my brain misinterpreting (misunderestimating?) regular smells.

Blog-Reading is Not a Spectator Sport

2008-01-24T12:14:00.000-06:00

Define world-class.

Ready . . . GO!

(Yes, seriously, let's go. The comments section awaits you . . .)

Lost in the Rain in Juarez

2008-01-21T21:56:00.000-06:00

Well, I moved in just over a week ago to my new place and I'm still getting unpacked. A little naive of me to think that I would have been completely settled in that first weekend, hm? ;-) Stuff is still in boxes, bags, and piles. But at least I've got lighting, a bed, and all utilities turned on. A minor triumph. Slowly but surely it's coming together, but it's really been a bit of a mess these last two weeks. But aren't all life transitions, really?

Work is going well. Plenty to do and not enough time. I'm still getting frustrated with some of our arrangements with offshore workers, but it's a reality of the American workplace that I have to accept and learn to manage. It builds character they say...

Amid all this, there's the damn merger talks. Will they? Won't they? Are they the buyer or the seller? Will I have a job in six months? Will I get a promotion or a pay raise in three?

It can be a bit maddening at times.

I should really take advantage of weekends and just go somewhere, even if it's Chicago or something close. Just a chance to step back for a bit.

Maybe in a couple of weeks. Too much to do before I can up and leave for a bit.

I'm still working on a blog redesign. Be patient. Or just use a free newsreader and forget the layout of the blog. ;)

Until we blog again...

Friday Fun Song Funtacular!

2008-01-11T07:19:00.001-06:00

They're back after an absence!

These are just the four most recently added songs to my iTunes playlist. Enjoy.

Banninated

2008-01-11T07:06:00.000-06:00

I've been banned for thirty days from one of the online forums I (used to) frequent regularly. The cause? "Disruptive posting". I guess that's what they call having a dissenting opinion these days. We'll see in thirty days if it's worth coming back to.

So, the Christmas and New Year's holidays have passed without a blog entry. Not intentional, but so much happened and I was so occupied that I haven't had much of a chance to record any of my thoughts. In the next few days-to-a-week, I plan on reflecting on some things from the past 3 weeks. It should be a fun trip down memory lane.

Toodles! ;)

Service With a Smile?

2007-12-20T12:08:00.000-06:00

Is anyone surprised these days when they encounter a surly or curt systems/network administrator? I mean, it was funny a few years ago on SNL with the "Nick Burns" skits, but that only worked because everyone could relate. Nowadays, there's really no excuse for not expecting your local IT professional to be snippy with you. ;)

My Wild Ambitions

2007-12-19T20:29:00.001-06:00

Today was incredibly busy at work. Three projects, all for me. Naturally, I'm refining my multi-tasking skills at a breakneck pace. But all in all, it's good. I've got a surprising amount of responsibility (maybe it shouldn't be surprising?) and I think I'm doing well. People are coming to me for answers or advice. That's a nice feeling. My travel benefits will kick in entirely sometime in the next week or so, but I won't have much of a chance to use them until mid-January I think.

I was thinking about how to the most insane, gluttonous travel in the least amount of time (to minimize vacation days used); you know, your basic graph theory problem. What I've come up with is a whirlwind West-to-East trip that can be done in ~48 clock hours and about 39.5 flight hours. Leave Friday at 3pm, return home Sunday 3pm. Distance traveled: 17,983 miles. Rough rate of travel: 374.65 MPH (including layover time). The route would be: MSP-NRT-HKG-CDG-MSP. Out of pocket cost would be in the neighborhood of $300 or less, all in Business class. ;) I'll have to wait until April or later to attempt to do this because I need the upcoming MSP-CDG-MSP flight which doesn't begin until April 6.

The One About Comparing and Contrasting Cultures

2007-12-17T18:51:00.000-06:00

My friend from China is currently visiting us for about three weeks. It has been wonderful having her around, asking so many questions that we don't think about, but probably ought to. For instance:

** Chinese people eat more food than Americans, but our food is worse for you.
   — Chinese diets include significantly more vegetables and fruits than the typical American diet, and they typically eat less meat (fat) and bread (carbohydrates). They also walk almost everywhere. We drive, by and large. My friend states that by volume/amount, three days of food here is what she would would eat in one day.

** We work too hard compared to the Chinese.
   — My friend is a teacher for 15/16-year old high school students. She teaches from 8-10am most days while on other days she doesn't have to teach at all. Here, she gets exhausted from a typical high school day where she is either observing or teaching simple lessons. She says she doesn't know how American teachers do it. She can't get used to waking by 6am in order to get to work on-time. She normally can sleep until 7:30am, except on days which she doesn't work. ;)

** We work too hard compared to the Chinese. [corollary]
   — We cram lunch into 20-30 minute eating sessions (if we're lucky). Chinese people take longer for lunch, let it digest a little. Students return home for lunches. Chinese people generally don't cook their own meals or care for their children on their own. They hire "servants" to do the cooking and dishes, and while we too have day care, they often hire a permanant sitter for the child. My friend says she has no idea how to "take care of her baby, feed it, clothe it, etc.", but that her sitter does and she is not worried.

** Americans are lonely.
   — Because we live far apart -- relatively speaking -- from our friends and acquaintances, we don't socialize as much as the Chinese do. We text message or instant message, whereas they always call or even video chat. To some extent, I agree with this observance. But it must also be understood that part of the "American psyche" is that sense of freedom and independence. While some are more social than others, I think all Americans enjoy some amount of personal or "me" time. I don't know if such a preference is common in China. The impression that I'm getting is that it isn't.

Neither approach to any of these topics is right or wrong, but it is important to note the differences, similarities, and their perceived benefits.

[housekeeping note: I've switched the template style to a minimalistic variable-width version. I am growing apart from the previous template, so this will have to suffice until I find another proper template or take the time to create my own.]

Mostly a Thought to Myself

2007-12-05T12:22:00.001-06:00

I've just realized that I no longer like this blog template. I'll have to see about changing it sometime soon...

Sorry if you were expecting something a little more profound.

I am thinking about starting a simple cooking blog. Mostly, it would be entries about my attempts from making food based on other peoples' cooking blogs.

Next Step

2007-12-02T10:36:00.000-06:00

So, yesterday I went apartment hunting with my parents. Well, not actually hunting as I had narrowed it down pretty well to 3-4 candidates and I wanted their opinions of the places I liked. We hopped around from place to place and after a long morning/afternoon, I was able to make a decision and put a hold on an "townhome apartment" in Eagan. It's very close to work and really a nice place. There's a slight premium to live there, but I think it'll be worth it.

Worst case, I live there for a year and if it's too much, I "downgrade" to something else. But for now, I'm really excited about it. I'm heading over to fill out the application in a few hours.

Vinegar: Good for the Soul!

2007-11-16T14:17:00.001-06:00

I'm a big fan of non-toxic cleaning methods. It's easier on you (your skin, eyes, respiratory, etc.) and it's safe to use around pets, children, the elderly, people with immune system problems, or those who are just under the weather.

Here's a great article on 62 uses for vinegar:
http://odyb.net/food-cooking/62-little-known-uses-of-vinegar/

Friday Fun Songs are Back!

2007-11-16T14:01:00.000-06:00

Here they are, your five Friday Fun Songs (also conveniently located in a player in the right column):

Klee - Gold
Tegan and Sara - Hop a Plane
Barenaked Ladies - Everything Had Changed
Ben Folds - In-Between Days
Atmosphere - Sunshine

In 2/4 time...

2007-11-14T22:47:00.000-06:00

I love a good chorus. You know, that chorus to a song that just hits you, starts your toes tapping or your head nodding?

Piano mixed into a rock song, well, rocks.

I'm loving work right now, too. Very busy, lots of projects going on, and they've given me the lead to a very large project, part of an even larger project. Good things to come.

Absence

2007-06-22T10:02:00.000-05:00

It seems I haven't posted in a while. I'd like to change that, and I'll be posting again soon. Professional bloggers advise against letting long absences occur and then making up pathetic excuses for it, but luckily for me I am not a professional blogger.

I've got a few things to post and I'll be doing that in the next few days. I've also neglected to respond to some emails lately, so I'll be doing that, too.

Hope all is well with you. All is well with me, but you wouldn't know that yet, would you... :-)

The Cutting Room Floor Has Been Swept

2007-04-13T23:31:00.000-05:00

I just logged on to see if I had any drafts started for future blog posts.

I don't.

See, I realize I haven't posted here in a few days and was hoping I started a draft sometime this past week that I could wrap up and post tonight.

But alas, there are no drafts. So this will have to suffice until I can write something with a little more substance. I've got topics to discuss, but I'd rather compose them slightly better than stream-of-consciousness format.

So, I'll try to post something halfway readable this weekend. And update the songs of the week, too.

Who Will Replace the Village Idiot?

2007-04-10T22:27:00.000-05:00

So you probably know what this post is going to be about from the title (it will be about politics for those just joining us). I'll wait a few seconds for those who don't venture into these topics to click onto another website.

Still reading? Then let us continue.

President Bush's approval ratings are abysmal, and they're steadily falling. Congress' approval ratings are comparatively high, and they're climbing. It's obvious that, on the surface, polled Americans are looking for change, and for now they're seeing it in the newly-elected Democratic congress. Unfortunately for us, this change is largely symbolic and the change in congress is going to do little to reverse our course. The President still retains veto power, and the margin of error for the Democrats is as small and fragile as the slim voting majority they currently enjoy. Voting on tenuous proposals to set a deadline for troop withdrawal from Iraq isn't going to win them any Republican converts, and the Democratic fence-sitters are not going to be too keen to show a backbone and vote for a time line, even considering the current political climate and constituent's apathy towards the President's party.

It would thus appear that a vote to set a deadline for troop withdrawal will not pass congress, and even if it were to reach Bush's desk, he'd veto it. It would be a symbolic move, but a wasted effort. When this measure fails, a new bill will be introduced that will systematically attempt to limit specific areas of funding for training troops here in the U.S. and will result in currently deployed troops remaining abroad for much longer. This bill, while perhaps a logical follow-up, will have even less of a chance to succeed than the initial proposal to set a clear troop withdrawal deadline.

It would appear as though the current administration is dead set on "running out the clock" on the Iraq war. They haven't found bin laden, and won't. They got Saddam Hussein and killed him, but the U.S. (and global) community didn't react with the same elation as Bush & Co. We're still waiting for a solution, or even just an acknowledgment that yes, we did screw up, things are FUBAR, and there is no good solution. But we won't get any of that except from the Democratic presidential hopefuls.

This is why it is very important to be listening to the soapboxing and the minutia of the Democratic candidates' words. Now is the best time, before the inscrutable "tag lines" and slogans become commonplace, before the TV attack ads run rampant, and before the candidates and their staff have much of a chance to refine their canned answers on "the issues".

Who will replace the village idiot? It's too early to know who will win the primary and general elections, but it's not too early to listen to what they say and determine who should replace the idiot.

Friday Fun Songs!

2007-04-06T16:37:00.000-05:00

I've added a little widget thing to the right column of the blog that can play music. It sort of streams in real time, but it still has to download a bit of the song before it gets going.

Anyway, I figure I'll share six or so songs per week, updated on Fridays (or that weekend if I forget on Friday). Perhaps you'll hear something new and enjoyable. Perhaps you won't like any of it. Or perhaps I'll pick a song that happens to be one of your favorites. One will never know.

Enjoy. Or don't. Whatever you like. :)

On the Color of Grass

2007-04-04T11:36:00.000-05:00

They -- whoever 'they' are -- say that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Why is that? What is it that causes us to want what others have?

Perhaps it is a desire to avoid stagnation. People generally like some things to change, and unless you're an overly egotistical person, it's natural to assume that you don't have the best of everything and that there are other people who have things better off than you, be it material goods, jobs, relationships, abilities, etc. Constantly seeking to better one's self is usually considered a good thing™, but how much of it is justifiably worth seeking and how much of it is the desire to end stagnation?

Perhaps we want what others have because they seem happier with aspects of their lives than we do with our own? But what evidence do we actually have that simply striving for what others have will solve our own issues? Are other people really "better off" than you, or might they have simply learned how to cope with the trials and tribulations of their lives in a way that results in an outward appearance that appeals to you?

To dig deeper into the metaphor, I submit this for your consideration: the grass on the other side of the fence may be a deeper, more lush shade of green that you find appealing, but it may not actually be healthier than your grass. It may just be the appeal of something exotic, something different than your own that is calling to you. We must remember that both sides of the fence may have different soil compositions, may have different access to hydration and nutrients, the grass seed may be a different variety than yours, and they may have been fertilized in different ways, and at different times (if at all).

So, it's not as simple as looking at the more appealing shade of green and desiring that. You have to take into account all of the various factors that contribute to that patch of turf's appearance and decide if it's worth throwing away all of the work you've put into maintaining your own patch of sod and dive right into something that your green thumb may not be capable of nurturing.

Accepting and embracing your own style of grass for what it is, and what you've put into it, may make that shade of green on the other side of the fence seem like it's not all you imagined it could be.

What's Your Voice?

2007-04-02T23:25:00.000-05:00

We all write to some extent.

Some write postcards, some compose e-mail. Some write on blogs and some on Internet message boards. But we all write. What is your writing "voice"? How do your letters, words, and phrases compare to your character you exhibit when in the company of others? When you write, do you make a conscious effort to create a more erudite persona than you might have when you're faced with responding on-the-fly and in-person? If you consider that to be a negative trait, is it a character flaw inherent in the person or is it something that can be modified, or even taught (coherent spontaneity, I mean) ?

Perhaps your writing is hackneyed scribbles at best and your real skill lies in extemporaneous dialogue? Perhaps it's not that you're more skilled at speaking, but that you find it takes more effort to collect your thoughts into the constraints of the written form? Letting a deluge of words come from your mouth takes less effort since you leave it up to the listener to interpret your meanings?

Whichever the case, I've found that brevity is key, no matter how hard I try to ignore it. :)

And they're off...

2007-04-01T22:19:00.000-05:00

I'm not entirely sure why I'm starting a blog . . . again . . .

A few years ago I started one. It persisted for about a year. I got bored, life became too mundane, or other things grabbed my attention. I never made it a habit. I wasn't a dedicated blogger and I wasn't sure anyone really cared what I wrote about. I didn't realize until long after I ceased writing that I was getting more out of it than I realized. It was fun, engaging, and perhaps even a little therapeutic.

Now, it seems as though each day's sunrise brings with it the opening of a new chapter in life. Consequences are more vivid, whether they are desirable or not. The possibilities are becoming more endless than they ever have been and taking a leap into something doesn't seem as daunting as it once was. Oh, beautiful, treacherous life. What wonderfully awesome webs we weave with this spool of thread we've been given.

You'll have excuse me if and when I employ overused metaphors in my writing. As I stumble along on the road to finding my "style" again, I would hope their use diminishes.

Why am I starting another blog? I think, ultimately, it helps me process thoughts, even as pedestrian as these scribbles may be. Tap-dancing between current events, philosophical musings, the Daily Grind™, or the plight of acquaintances, I might hope to reconcile some things in my own mind.

And, hey, if you get anything out of it . . . well, that's just gravy. ;)