Saturday, May 26, 2012

Today I Learned . . . (2012-05-26)

Today I Learned . . .

1.  The official Tibetan name for Mount Everest is Qomolangma

The Dive (2012-05-26)


The ball was right there in front of me.  The sphere, white in color, with splashes of blue and blue, lay on the vibrant green turf, just an aching few inches from my foot.  I had to have it.  I wanted to possess it with a passion that I reserve for few things on this planet.

I was not the only person that felt this way.  From my left stepped in an opponent, clad in his black shorts and a ratty looking tee shirt that was modified with an ink marker to have a number ‘20’ on the back of it.  I’d been struggling with this nemesis all half, and it brought a snarl to my lips to see him coming out of nowhere to disrupt my fell plan.

Our feet went for the ball.  Both of us lusted for that ball with the same vicious intensity.  The play was almost at mid-field but in my eyes (and most likely his too, given his intensity) we equated possession of the ball to a clear opportunity to score.

Two feet striking the ball simultaneously quite frequently has the entirely opposite effect to that which you might expect from a kick.  If two people try to pounce on the ball at the same time, most often the result is not movement at all.  Which is what happened this time.  His foot from the left, and mine from the right, simply locked the ball in place.

Even though we were veteran soccer players, and had seen a play like this countless times, it did not come across either of our minds that an aggressive play on the ball like this might result in no motion at all.  Our feet came together, the ball didn’t move, and momentum that was thrown into the cauldron was forced to result in something.

My opponent caved to the reaction of vicious motion, and no action, first.  His knee buckled under the strain and he lost his balance.  Stumbling on onto his left knee, he fell in front of the ball and collapsed onto his back.  Rolling across the ground in front of me, he shielded his eyes for what was coming his way.

While he gave way first, I was not long to follow him.  My knee buckled at the thrust of my kick, and its complete lack of action.  I stuttered on my feet, but all my motion was headed in the forward direction.  Try as I might, I could not bring it to as an immediate a stop as the moment required.

He lay on the ground in front of me.  His roll left him on his back, and he simply looked up at me.  The look on his face seemed to be one of expectation.  Like the result of my tumbling into him was pre-ordained.

I only had one choice.  I was going to go forward, whether I wanted to or not.  There was only one hope to get out of it.

With the last whisper of an instance available to me, I planted my foot and pushed.  I’m no acrobat but I flung myself in the air and dove for the empty ground on the far side of my opponent.  It was a last, desperate hope but there was no other choice.

The time in the air seemed longer than it should have if I’d been watching.  I had time to think about what could happen if I landed wrong.  I was only 1 month back from recovery from a separated shoulder.  The sequence of actions I’d just put into motion could very well take me back to the broken, and crippled state.

I landed, and the moment was incredibly soft.  My weight came down squarely on the space between my shoulders, on my back.  I rolled quickly out of the dive and was back on my feet before I could even whisper.  I’d survived the motion, no greater injury to myself or to the opponent I’d just saved.

Blog Question(s) Of The Day (2012-05-26)

Blog Question(s) Of The Day

1.  How do I upgrade my skills, so I can fulfill a greater role on my team(s)?

2.  What can I do to make myself think more aggressively?


The Daily Affirmation (2012-05-26)

The Daily Affirmation

1.  A pet's affection is unconditional

2.  Had a really great run playing soccer this afternoon


Friday, May 25, 2012

Blog Question(s) Of The Day (2012-05-25)

Blog Question(s) Of The Day

1.  Why can't I convince people to change their outlook?

The Daily Affirmation (2012-05-25)

The Daily Affirmation

1.  I got word today that the herculean effort I put in a couple of weeks ago was completely worth it

Thursday, May 24, 2012

The Daily Affirmation (2012-05-24)

The Daily Affirmation

1.  I was tired when I got home tonight but I stuck to my plan, and accomplished a lot, despite my fatigue.

Today I Learned . . . (2012-05-24)

Today I Learned . . .

1.  You can/could get peanut butter in slices, like cheese Peanut Butter Slices

2.  Wearing sunglasses while driving a vehicle in the rain will cut the haze of the sheets of rain regardless of windshield wiper speed

Blog Question(s) Of The Day (2012-05-24)

Blog Question(s) Of The Day

1. Who should my role model be?

2.  Can someone accurately imagine an experience that they have never lived?

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

The Broken iPad

I hate when an accident is just an accident; a completely meaningless misfortune.  If at least there's a definitive reason, you can focus yourself, and your emotions, towards anything.  When its not based on fault or making a mistake, its harder to take.

I reached into my electronics bag last night, like I have about 1,000 times before.  The iPad is the biggest thing in there, so its easy and immediate to find it.  I clutched it tightly and pulled my hand out.  I wasn't fast or slow with it, but firm.  I definitely wanted my iPad, so I wasn't casual about pulling it up.

I had the iPad by the corner, so it was turned at least 30 degrees from directly oriented in either its portrait or landscape mode.  So there was a corner of it that could catch on the bag's strap as I pulled it out.  Like I said, I pulled it from the bag firmly.  There was no doubt I wanted it.  The result being, when the corner of the iPad caught on the strap, the angle, and my commitment I had to getting it, resulted in the device catapulting out of my hand.  It flipped in the air and did at least one revolution.  Obviously I tried to catch it, but it was an awkward motion and I missed.

I've dropped my iPad before, so I wasn't that worried about it to be honest.  Plus it was still in the spongy case that I have for it.  It seemed like any of dozen other times.  But I'd be lying if I didn't confess to a brief moment of intuition about this.  The sound it made when it hit the base of my chair just didn't sound right.

It was smashed.  It looked like you'd expect if a golf ball landed square in the middle of it.  I circular, central part that was smashed up very small, then outward extending waves of larger and larger pieces.  I believe the image that came to mind last night was "spider web".

So I checked this morning with the local Apple service center.  I asked the girl "can you fix the screen on a first generation iPad"?  She didn't even hesitate and said "not really".  She further went on to explain that you technically /could/ replace the screen but it wasn't worth it as it would cost as much as buying a brand new one.

So I'm getting a new iPad.  I guess I'm happy about it.  It would feel better if it hadn't come under such dispiriting conditions.

The Daily Affirmation (2012-05-23)

The Daily Affirmation

1.  I came back from the bathroom after lunch and waiting for me on my desk was the new company golf shirts I ordered.

2.  I ended the day with a new iPad and a potential solution to fix the old iPad.  Altogether a good way to close it out.


Today I Learned . . . (2012-05-23)

Today I Learned . . .

1.  The expression for condoms, in French, is: "des préservatifs"

2.  7-Up contained lithium citrate, a mood stabilizing drug, until 1950

Blog Question(s) Of The Day (2012-05-23)

Blog Question(s) Of The Day:

1.  Can patience be learned?

2.  Do I like diet Sprite/7-Up?

3.  How do I be more impressive?

Today I Learned . . . (2012-05-22)

Today I Learned . . .

1.  In Diablo III you were acquire various companions throughout the game.  The first is a Templar.  The best approach with these companions is to choose one that complements your character.  Concentrate your efforts on properly equipping the one companion.  Ignore the temptation to fully equip every companion that you acquire.

For example:

If you choose a monk, that battles face-to-face, a wise selection would be to work with a companion that has a ranged attack.  While you battle in close, the companion can be firing bombs from beyond your close attack.

2.  When an spiral wound RO membrane develops a fouling from natural organic material, in some cases, the best course of action is not to chemically clean it, but modify operation to account for the decrease in flux that occurs.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Blog Question(s) Of The Day (2012-05-22)

Blog Question(s) Of The Day

1.  Are there people that go into the public bathroom at work only to wash their hands and then leave?

2.  Can they fix iPad screens?


The Daily Affirmation (2012-05-22)

The Daily Affirmation

1.  My latest jersey order is in Saskatoon

2.  The upside to this day of rain is, my grass looks great!

3.  I am wearing my Coyotes jersey


Monday, May 21, 2012

The Daily Affirmation (2012-05-21)

1.  I saw a problem, thought about it, and took action.

2.  I went slow, took my time, and got a lot of things done today.


Today I Learned . . . (2012-05-21)

Today I Learned . . .

1.  Soccer is a lot like golf.  For a good, accurate shot you have to keep your eye on the ball until you hit it

Blog Question(s) Of The Day: (2012-05-21)

1.  Am I strong enough to stand in the face of the torrid of emotions that are locked up inside of me?

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Today I Learned . . . (2012-05-20)

Today I Learned . . .


1.  On this day in 1927, Charles Lindbergh became the first person to fly across the Atlantic (from New York to Paris) in his monoplane, The Spirit of St. Louis.

Blog Question(s) Of The Day (2012-05-20)

Blog Question(s) Of The Day

1. If I wanted to find a version of myself, based on who I was 4-5 yers ago, where should I look?

2.  Should I keep my head shaved every day?

The Daily Affirmation (2012-05-20)

The Daily Affirmation

1.  I beat the average time on the daily jig saw puzzle by almost three minutes