I have to say that I am getting tired of being too busy.
Work has been dull the last few days. There have been a variety of meetings that I have been in that although important to my future are, fundamentally, dull. There is just some info that you just can't make exciting. I like what is being talked about, but having seen the same half hour presentation 4 times in 3 days can put you to sleep. The problem was there was 4 different sessions and invariablely someone had not been to one of the other ones so we had to go through the first half hour. Zzzzzzz! At least the last hour of each session was different (and more exciting).
Whenever I am in meetings like this I always feel like I am not "working." I know intellectually this is part of my job, but emotionally I feel like if I am not cutting code then I am not doing anything. Too much old school programming I guess.
Outside of work I am trying to get ready for the 2005 For Purpose Conference. This is a gathering I have been to for the last 4 years or so. It is great to get together and "talk shop" with a bunch of like minded individuals. If you poke around you can even see some pictures of me on the site. The cycles work is not for everyone, but I have found it to work for me. That is probably the most important part - finding things that work for me. Finger crossed when I leave in 1.5 weeks I will have everything at work wrapped up.
In the midst of all of this I have been working to celebrate two birthdays in the family and try to keep my sanity. Nancy is giving a workshop tomorrow on the American Indian medicine wheel. At least one of them. This is also a part of the cycles work that I am going to be working with at the For Purpose Conference. I know quite a bit already, but Nancy has worked with it longer than I have. Plus I try to support here whenever I can when she has workshops. It is helpful when setting one to have a couple of people there that know what is going on. Or at least that can fake it!
Nancy also organized our tai chi demo for this weekend. Just another one of those too much to do weekends. The demo this year is more of a chance for the students from her different classes to get together than a full on public demo. It is always fun plus I can catch up with some of the students who have switched classes. She has classes 3 different days of the week and at 3 different locations so many of the students have moved around as she has offered more classes.
I think that is it for now. I need to pack up my drum, rattles & crystals for the seminar tomorrow. Plus there is a rock I want to take with me tomorrow and to the conference that I have yet to locate. It is really pissing me off because the rock is important to me yet the think always seems to wander away from where I last put it. Very frustrating!
Friday, September 30, 2005
Beacon Journal | 09/30/2005 | Akron bridge ready to open
Beacon Journal | 09/30/2005 | Akron bridge ready to open
Happy dance!
This has been a major problem for me since the the closed portion of this, Home Ave., is a major route for me personally.
Happy dance!
This has been a major problem for me since the the closed portion of this, Home Ave., is a major route for me personally.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
� Move over Microsoft, Dell. The $100 PC cometh. From MIT. | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com
� Move over Microsoft, Dell. The $100 PC cometh. From MIT. | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com
I've blogged about the $100 computer before. I remember reading Negroponte talking about this back when he had a regular column in the back of Wired magazine (the only reason I even go most issues).
I said that $100 is a key point for handhelds. If we can get the cost to $100 or less, people would keep multiple Palm/Pocket PC/Blackberry type devices. Think Star Trek with their little Padds where they would have multiple of them loaded with different projects they were working with.
If we could get a $100 tablet style computer I could see electronic books really taking off. Handhelds are a little too small for really lots of reading, and laptops are not convenient. Tablets though have the right form factor for electronic books.
I've blogged about the $100 computer before. I remember reading Negroponte talking about this back when he had a regular column in the back of Wired magazine (the only reason I even go most issues).
I said that $100 is a key point for handhelds. If we can get the cost to $100 or less, people would keep multiple Palm/Pocket PC/Blackberry type devices. Think Star Trek with their little Padds where they would have multiple of them loaded with different projects they were working with.
If we could get a $100 tablet style computer I could see electronic books really taking off. Handhelds are a little too small for really lots of reading, and laptops are not convenient. Tablets though have the right form factor for electronic books.
Arctic Ice Melts Faster As It Gets Warmer - Yahoo! News
Arctic Ice Melts Faster As It Gets Warmer - Yahoo! News
Hmmmm.....Ice melts as it gets warmer. I never would have guessed that! (too bad we don't have a sarcasm flag)
Hmmmm.....Ice melts as it gets warmer. I never would have guessed that! (too bad we don't have a sarcasm flag)
Senate Confirms Roberts As Chief Justice - Yahoo! News
Senate Confirms Roberts As Chief Justice - Yahoo! News
I have to agree - too many unanswered questions. I can guarantee the first abortion ruling will overturn Row v. Wade. Call it a hunch.
I have to agree - too many unanswered questions. I can guarantee the first abortion ruling will overturn Row v. Wade. Call it a hunch.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Conscious Citizenship: Senator Dayton introduces Department of Peace legislation in the Senate!
Conscious Citizenship: Senator Dayton introduces Department of Peace legislation in the Senate!
Those who have read (or listened to) Marianne Williamson know she has talked about the Department of Peace in the past. It would be nice to create a department that could create friendships instead of blowing shit up.
Those who have read (or listened to) Marianne Williamson know she has talked about the Department of Peace in the past. It would be nice to create a department that could create friendships instead of blowing shit up.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Wikipedia Meme
From Becky
Here's an idea I just invented. Go to Wikipedia, click on the "Random Article" button, and write about how that thing relates to you, skipping stub articles and anything that doesn't resonate at all. Do this five times.
1) Fuelladder - I have a friend who is a firefighter in the Columbus area. Both our schedules are too busy to get together much anymore, but we do email each other from time to time.
2) Stencil Shadow Volume was not one of the techniques I learned in my Computer Graphics class in college. I grant you we were one step above pong, but still not something I learned.
3) Fudge - Aside from a favorite snack food, particularly peanut butter fudge, they missed something on this page. Fudge as a euphemism for manure (or poop, or shit). Used in the film The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai in the line "I am barely holding my fudge right now."
4) Combustion - Although yours truly made it all the way through Boy Scouts to Eagle, my fire starting skills usually involved a fair amount of "Boy Scout Water", AKA kerosene.
5) SBC Communications - My current local telephone company. Overall I don't mind them, although I am pissed that they still don't provide DSL to my house. I would be willing to take the speed hit to get $15/month for DSL. Hey I would settle for the $25/month for about half the speed I get on my cable modem.
Neat meme. I have to say I skipped a lot of articles about various Englishfootball soccer teams. Really weird the number of soccer articles that came up.
Here's an idea I just invented. Go to Wikipedia, click on the "Random Article" button, and write about how that thing relates to you, skipping stub articles and anything that doesn't resonate at all. Do this five times.
1) Fuelladder - I have a friend who is a firefighter in the Columbus area. Both our schedules are too busy to get together much anymore, but we do email each other from time to time.
2) Stencil Shadow Volume was not one of the techniques I learned in my Computer Graphics class in college. I grant you we were one step above pong, but still not something I learned.
3) Fudge - Aside from a favorite snack food, particularly peanut butter fudge, they missed something on this page. Fudge as a euphemism for manure (or poop, or shit). Used in the film The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai in the line "I am barely holding my fudge right now."
4) Combustion - Although yours truly made it all the way through Boy Scouts to Eagle, my fire starting skills usually involved a fair amount of "Boy Scout Water", AKA kerosene.
5) SBC Communications - My current local telephone company. Overall I don't mind them, although I am pissed that they still don't provide DSL to my house. I would be willing to take the speed hit to get $15/month for DSL. Hey I would settle for the $25/month for about half the speed I get on my cable modem.
Neat meme. I have to say I skipped a lot of articles about various English
Mind Hacks: Is the internet making us more intelligent?
Mind Hacks: Is the internet making us more intelligent?
I did not read the whole series, but it was interesting. A show from All in the Mind that I just got around to listening to talked about how memory seems to work and the whole hemisphere model is a bit wrong. It seems the right side is more concerned with learning new things, the left side with retaining and recalling things. Still a speculative, but interesting. The bottom line in both cases, though, was that we need to keep trying new things to keep the brain engaged.
I did not read the whole series, but it was interesting. A show from All in the Mind that I just got around to listening to talked about how memory seems to work and the whole hemisphere model is a bit wrong. It seems the right side is more concerned with learning new things, the left side with retaining and recalling things. Still a speculative, but interesting. The bottom line in both cases, though, was that we need to keep trying new things to keep the brain engaged.
43 Folders | GTD-style email in Thunderbird
43 Folders | GTD-style email in Thunderbird
This is something I have been sitting on for awhile. I finally started using this and it is a really cool way to handle your email if you are into Getting Things Done. The problem I have always had with GTD email is remembering to routinely scan the folders of email for Next Actions or Waiting. plus the shuffling between folders is a pain. This way everything is in the same folder, I can pull up the unhandled inbox items (all unlabeled) or just the waiting for, just the Next Actions, etc. Also, as mentioned, you can create a filter to include multiple labels so you can see all Next Actions and waiting.
The only down side, at least from my work, is that if you are color blind it would be tough to tell what is in what category an email is in since they color the email in the inbox to tell you what the category is. Also you still need to train the spam filter so unless you automatically delete email that is manually marked as spam (as I do) you need to mark the spam and then label it for delete.
I have found it useful to flip the delete filter on, cntrl-A to select all email, and delete. It is a quick way to move through the email.
This is something I have been sitting on for awhile. I finally started using this and it is a really cool way to handle your email if you are into Getting Things Done. The problem I have always had with GTD email is remembering to routinely scan the folders of email for Next Actions or Waiting. plus the shuffling between folders is a pain. This way everything is in the same folder, I can pull up the unhandled inbox items (all unlabeled) or just the waiting for, just the Next Actions, etc. Also, as mentioned, you can create a filter to include multiple labels so you can see all Next Actions and waiting.
The only down side, at least from my work, is that if you are color blind it would be tough to tell what is in what category an email is in since they color the email in the inbox to tell you what the category is. Also you still need to train the spam filter so unless you automatically delete email that is manually marked as spam (as I do) you need to mark the spam and then label it for delete.
I have found it useful to flip the delete filter on, cntrl-A to select all email, and delete. It is a quick way to move through the email.
43 Folders | Writing sensible email messages
43 Folders | Writing sensible email messages
I have run into my share of bad email. I may not be perfect, but I am better than the average bear at this. My two biggest pet peeves are people who use no subject and massively forwarded emails without any kind of clean up. I have waded through 4 and 5 levels of nested enclosed emails, usually out of curiosity to see how far down the rabbit hole I need to go. Typically I just kill off email that is not readily available to me.
There were a few ideas that I liked. I particuarly liked the EOM at the end of the subject so you know there is nothing in the body of the message. I get a number of subject only messages at work, and it is slightly annoying to open an email to find nothing there.
Note that normally I am against the "I agree" types of emails, but I find at work that you need to do them sometimes. I avoid them at home unless I have soemthing meaningful to add, but at work many times someone is just asking a question or walking through a process and need some kind of feedback, if only "yep, that's right".
I have run into my share of bad email. I may not be perfect, but I am better than the average bear at this. My two biggest pet peeves are people who use no subject and massively forwarded emails without any kind of clean up. I have waded through 4 and 5 levels of nested enclosed emails, usually out of curiosity to see how far down the rabbit hole I need to go. Typically I just kill off email that is not readily available to me.
There were a few ideas that I liked. I particuarly liked the EOM at the end of the subject so you know there is nothing in the body of the message. I get a number of subject only messages at work, and it is slightly annoying to open an email to find nothing there.
Note that normally I am against the "I agree" types of emails, but I find at work that you need to do them sometimes. I avoid them at home unless I have soemthing meaningful to add, but at work many times someone is just asking a question or walking through a process and need some kind of feedback, if only "yep, that's right".
Geek News Central Revealing Links & Useful Technical Information
Geek News Central Revealing Links & Useful Technical Information
It would be nice if we could combine Google's search capabilities with print on demand. Get the author some funds without the publishing comany middleman (oops, maybe I just let on to the REAL source of this lawsuit).
As anyone who has done research in college can tell you, researching books is a pain. At least the old fashion way. This could help you to quickly cut down on reserach time by seeing the parts you want. If it is relevant to your research you can look to get the book (library or purcahse). Google never said they were going to make the entire text available to read, just to search.
It would be nice if we could combine Google's search capabilities with print on demand. Get the author some funds without the publishing comany middleman (oops, maybe I just let on to the REAL source of this lawsuit).
As anyone who has done research in college can tell you, researching books is a pain. At least the old fashion way. This could help you to quickly cut down on reserach time by seeing the parts you want. If it is relevant to your research you can look to get the book (library or purcahse). Google never said they were going to make the entire text available to read, just to search.
Two strange bedfellows, one new smart phone - Wireless World - MSNBC.com
Two strange bedfellows, one new smart phone - Wireless World - MSNBC.com
I have mixed feelings on this. As someone who works exclusively programming Windows this is a cool move (ooops, my Microsoft-borg implant just kicked in). However I am an avid Palm user and the one tool I use extensively on my Palm has no Windows Mobile equivilant. At this point you can only get my Palm by prying it from my cold, dead hand. Frankly I have never found much of a need to run mulitple apps on my Palm at the same time, I hate working on documents on my Palm, and even email can be a pain in the butt. Your handheld is not supposed to be a small notebook, or have everything from your desktop. It is supposed to be a replacement for your old Daytimer paper organizer.
I have mixed feelings on this. As someone who works exclusively programming Windows this is a cool move (ooops, my Microsoft-borg implant just kicked in). However I am an avid Palm user and the one tool I use extensively on my Palm has no Windows Mobile equivilant. At this point you can only get my Palm by prying it from my cold, dead hand. Frankly I have never found much of a need to run mulitple apps on my Palm at the same time, I hate working on documents on my Palm, and even email can be a pain in the butt. Your handheld is not supposed to be a small notebook, or have everything from your desktop. It is supposed to be a replacement for your old Daytimer paper organizer.
Vinny Testaverde Set to Rejoin N.Y. Jets - Yahoo! News
Vinny Testaverde Set to Rejoin N.Y. Jets - Yahoo! News
Ooo doggie! I hope Testaverde can make it through the physical. It is cool to see "old farts" keep going.
Ooo doggie! I hope Testaverde can make it through the physical. It is cool to see "old farts" keep going.
Brown Blames 'Dysfunctional' Louisiana - Yahoo! News
Brown Blames 'Dysfunctional' Louisiana - Yahoo! News
FEMA's role may not be to do the evacuation, but they should be coordinating efforts for different agencies. That is communication! They should also be after cities & states in areas that will regularly interface (such as hurricane areas) with FEMA to make sure to make sure there are plans in place to do evacuations and establish lines of communication to stop problems like this.
Plus, I feel it is very bad form to open up comments by blaming someone else for your mistakes. Bottom line is you made an assumption, for right or wrong. That is why you were removed from your job.
FEMA's role may not be to do the evacuation, but they should be coordinating efforts for different agencies. That is communication! They should also be after cities & states in areas that will regularly interface (such as hurricane areas) with FEMA to make sure to make sure there are plans in place to do evacuations and establish lines of communication to stop problems like this.
Plus, I feel it is very bad form to open up comments by blaming someone else for your mistakes. Bottom line is you made an assumption, for right or wrong. That is why you were removed from your job.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Archive meme
Sarah said:
1. Go into your archive.
2. Find your 23rd post (or closest to).
3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest to).
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.
"Now I have been following podcasting for all of a week now, but I can already see where there are a number of problems."
This was from 13 Dec 2004.
1. Go into your archive.
2. Find your 23rd post (or closest to).
3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest to).
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.
"Now I have been following podcasting for all of a week now, but I can already see where there are a number of problems."
This was from 13 Dec 2004.
Cable's Digital Drive Irks Basic Customers - Yahoo! News
Cable's Digital Drive Irks Basic Customers - Yahoo! News
Boy, if I could get digital cable for $45/month I would switch since it would be $5/month cheaper than what I am currently paying. I have been considering dropping my "extended basic" cost $40/month above the "lifeline basic". Every time I see my cable bill I remember that line from Pink Floyd "13 channels of shit on the TV to choose from." Well now we get 70+ channels of shit to choose from. At least I can cut down on the shit and save some money.
Boy, if I could get digital cable for $45/month I would switch since it would be $5/month cheaper than what I am currently paying. I have been considering dropping my "extended basic" cost $40/month above the "lifeline basic". Every time I see my cable bill I remember that line from Pink Floyd "13 channels of shit on the TV to choose from." Well now we get 70+ channels of shit to choose from. At least I can cut down on the shit and save some money.
Bloglines Dumping Ground
I was just going through my Bloglines feeds and found 57 stored links sitting there. I use Bloglines so that I can keep tabs on my read feeds from multiple computers. Some of these saved posts are things I need to do on one or another computer. Some are long posts that I want to read later. Some are podcast show notes that I have saved until I listen to the episode. Still I have 45-50 podcasts that I need to do something with other than listen to a podcast.
Someone, possibly 43 Folders, had mentioned using your blog as a dumping ground of information you want keep. You have access from any computer to bits of info. Cool idea, although obviously you would want to skip any sensitive info. Given I have a PDA that I tote along with me just about everywhere I have very little need for this. In fact I wwould like to pull some of my information OFF of the web and put on my PDA in a much easier method. 43 Folders has a guide on printing out your Amazon Wish List, but I want to get that on my PDA. Same with my NetFlix queue and maybe a Flikr feed or two. I know I can get RSS feeds onto my Palm, but I do like 43 Folder's idea of using the Amazon Wish List as a dumping ground for what I want to pick up and tend to forget. Unfortunately I don't always get things on my Palm, plus then I easily order things off of Amazon when I am ready to purchase them.
Someone, possibly 43 Folders, had mentioned using your blog as a dumping ground of information you want keep. You have access from any computer to bits of info. Cool idea, although obviously you would want to skip any sensitive info. Given I have a PDA that I tote along with me just about everywhere I have very little need for this. In fact I wwould like to pull some of my information OFF of the web and put on my PDA in a much easier method. 43 Folders has a guide on printing out your Amazon Wish List, but I want to get that on my PDA. Same with my NetFlix queue and maybe a Flikr feed or two. I know I can get RSS feeds onto my Palm, but I do like 43 Folder's idea of using the Amazon Wish List as a dumping ground for what I want to pick up and tend to forget. Unfortunately I don't always get things on my Palm, plus then I easily order things off of Amazon when I am ready to purchase them.
Grumpy Blogger Day
Today did not start out great. Apparently everyone has forgotten how to drive on wet pavement making me a half hour late for work. Well, we have flex time so I was not so much late as later than usual. Grrr!
Beacon Journal | 09/26/2005 | Komodo Kingdom slithers into Akron
Beacon Journal | 09/26/2005 | Komodo Kingdom slithers into Akron
The Akron Zoo has always had its problems. Being we are 30 odd miles from the Cleveland Zoo, and a couple hour ride from the Columbus Zoo people do not really flock to it. Plus the zoo itself is somewhat land locked limiting expansion potential without a lot of eminate domain issues.
I remember when the zoo was a really bad place to go, but we would go a couple times a year because it was cheap. Don't get me wrong, at 6 and 7 I enjoyed it immensely, but I know that the zoo was not the best maintained at that time.
The zoo has come a long way in the last 30 odd years. I try to get out there once a year or so, although the zoo is another one of those places where as a single guy visiting people look at you funny sometimes. I did not make it out there this year, maybe over the winter.
The Akron Zoo has always had its problems. Being we are 30 odd miles from the Cleveland Zoo, and a couple hour ride from the Columbus Zoo people do not really flock to it. Plus the zoo itself is somewhat land locked limiting expansion potential without a lot of eminate domain issues.
I remember when the zoo was a really bad place to go, but we would go a couple times a year because it was cheap. Don't get me wrong, at 6 and 7 I enjoyed it immensely, but I know that the zoo was not the best maintained at that time.
The zoo has come a long way in the last 30 odd years. I try to get out there once a year or so, although the zoo is another one of those places where as a single guy visiting people look at you funny sometimes. I did not make it out there this year, maybe over the winter.
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Beacon Journal | 09/25/2005 | Readers upset at OSU sports burying news of Aeros, Zips
Beacon Journal | 09/25/2005 | Readers upset at OSU sports burying news of Aeros, Zips
I have to agree with much of this sentiment. I do not follow sports very closely, but I do like to keep an eye on the University of Akron's football & basketball teams just to see how they are doing. Sometimes you cannot even find their score on Sunday because of all the other sports coverage. The only thing that local newspapers have going for them now is that they cover local events. The University of Akron will never be some powerhouse football or basketball team, but they still deserve more coverage than a box score.
I have to agree with much of this sentiment. I do not follow sports very closely, but I do like to keep an eye on the University of Akron's football & basketball teams just to see how they are doing. Sometimes you cannot even find their score on Sunday because of all the other sports coverage. The only thing that local newspapers have going for them now is that they cover local events. The University of Akron will never be some powerhouse football or basketball team, but they still deserve more coverage than a box score.
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