Today I Learned . . .
1. The U.S. Army uses Xbox 360 controllers to fly their UAV spy-planes
2. Facts about Marilyn Monroe:
o - Marilyn was athletic - once tandem surfing with a boyfriend
o - she was discovered working on the assembly line at a munitions factory
o - Marilyn was an excellent cook - having a complex stuffing recipe that took two hours to make
Saturday, August 04, 2012
Leaning Dogs (2012-08-04)
I hope I can tell this right. I didn't really see the moment coming, and it didn't last long enough that I could take out the camera that I had with me. I wish I had, or could have, become the moment was priceless.
I was riding back home from the park building. I was only about 100 meters north of the building and parking lot. I was gaining on a girl riding a bike as her dog ran at her side. Coming towards both of us was a blonde guy with his white dog on a short leash.
I slowed up because there wasn't going to be a clear path that avoided both of them. I was studying the logistics of everything more than watching either one of the two people in front of me. As I'm surveying the situation, the two dogs seemed to realize, seemingly at the exact same moment, that there was another DOG on the path with them.
This moment was priceless. The girl on the bike was nearly jerked off her seat by her dog, as it pulled to the left. The blonde guy clearly tightened up his grip on the leash of his dog, as it jerked to its left toward the other dog.
The two dog owners slowly drifted passed each other. Each human gripped tightly on the leash, as their pet straining achingly to get the other dog. And from my vantage point behind this, all I could pay attention to was these two dogs leaning at about 30 degree angles, heads to the left of their feet, as they yanked on that leash with all their might to get at the other dog.
The two dog owners slowly drifted passed each other. Each human gripped tightly on the leash, as their pet straining achingly to get the other dog. And from my vantage point behind this, all I could pay attention to was these two dogs leaning at about 30 degree angles, heads to the left of their feet, as they yanked on that leash with all their might to get at the other dog.
The Daily Photo(s) (2012-08-04)
The Daily Photo(s)
1. What it looks like to take a morning bike ride
2. My new friend the worm
3. The whole park's in front of me
4. A quiet Saturday on the sand bar
5. My friends the geese are blocking the path
1. What it looks like to take a morning bike ride
2. My new friend the worm
3. The whole park's in front of me
4. A quiet Saturday on the sand bar
5. My friends the geese are blocking the path
Act Of Caring (2012-08-04)
Act Of Caring
1. I put glasses on when I realized that my act of wanton destruction was going to send shards flying
2. I swept up the deck after my acts of wanton destruction
1. I put glasses on when I realized that my act of wanton destruction was going to send shards flying
2. I swept up the deck after my acts of wanton destruction
La Connexion Francaise (2012-08-04)
La Connexion Francaise
1. J'ai roule mon velo onze kilometres ce matin.
1. J'ai roule mon velo onze kilometres ce matin.
The Daily Affirmation (2012-08-04)
The Daily Affirmation
1. A blonde girl in a black Grand Am took a long, slow look at me as I biked in the opposite direction on Warman/Wanuskewin Road
2. Its hard to be in a bad mood when you have poppy seed buns
3. It feels very powerful to smash things with a 4x4 fence post in giant overhand swings
4. A girl acknowledged me on the bike path on each of my three runs today
5. Again I have filled every column in my tracking spreadsheet for the day
1. A blonde girl in a black Grand Am took a long, slow look at me as I biked in the opposite direction on Warman/Wanuskewin Road
2. Its hard to be in a bad mood when you have poppy seed buns
3. It feels very powerful to smash things with a 4x4 fence post in giant overhand swings
4. A girl acknowledged me on the bike path on each of my three runs today
5. Again I have filled every column in my tracking spreadsheet for the day
Blog Question(s) Of The Day (2012-08-04)
Blog Question(s) Of The Day
1. Should I become an obsessive fan of the minute details of basketball?
2. Why are there sometimes pockets of frozen in otherwise cooked food when using a microwave?
3. What does an Olympic athlete do to celebrate when their event is over, and they don't have to train any more because they won a medal?
1. Should I become an obsessive fan of the minute details of basketball?
2. Why are there sometimes pockets of frozen in otherwise cooked food when using a microwave?
3. What does an Olympic athlete do to celebrate when their event is over, and they don't have to train any more because they won a medal?
Friday, August 03, 2012
Blog Question(s) Of The Day (2012-08-03)
Blog Question(s) Of The Day
1. Why am I constantly plagued by a sense of persecution?
2. Why is one day good and another seemingly indistinguishable one bad?
Act Of Caring (2012-08-03)
Act Of Caring
1. I stopped at the tire store when my mind was telling me to put it off and found out where to buy a remote tire pressure monitoring system
2. I re-wrote an e-mail to take out the editorializing
2. I re-wrote an e-mail to take out the editorializing
Thursday, August 02, 2012
Why Are People Stupid (2012-08-02)
In general I am trying to keep this blog space (since I
re-booted it) on a positive level. Good
things, uplifting things, thoughts and feelings that promote a good train of
thought.
(For those that can read the French, I know I’m putting some
hate in here but I’m giving myself license to do that, because I want teach
myself to express real thoughts in the French language and annoyances let’s me
practice my verb negation)
However, sometimes someone I meet in the world does
something so bloody awful stupid, that I can’t help myself and I have to write
about it in my blog. I feel empowered to
do this because it is my blog, and positive philosophy or not, sometimes my
venting is more positive for me, than the message I’m in my story.
Bygones . . .
I go outside to my car tonight because I want to run a minor
errand. I need some juice for tomorrow
morning’s breakfast, and I’ve granted myself an indulgence; I’m going to get a
Big Gulp. As I step outside I realize
that its starting to rain. Perhaps my
chose of shorts was not the greatest.
However, I’ve gone the whole day unable to wear shorts, so I’m also
going to grant myself this indulgence.
Juice buying is relatively uneventful. As I went into the grocery store, someone had
just dropped a watermelon, so the dropper and three grocery store employees
were all working to clean it up. But
other than that (and getting a good price on the juice) the trip to the grocery
store was boring.
I come out and: Il pleut de cordes (the French version of
“its raining cats and dogs). I get in my
car and head south to the 7-11. I have
to stop at the first light and a mini van pulls up to my right. I think nothing of it because this is a minor
errand run, the rain is pouring down on the surroundings and I’m just not in a
gawking frame of mind.
The light changes and I hit the gas. Keep in mind I’m in my Mustang, so its
rear-wheel drive, I have a sticky clutch and its raining like its trying to set
a record. Not surprisingly I spin out on
the pavement. But it catches after a
second and I drive through the intersection.
Keeping in mind what has JUST happened, it should come as no surprise
that I’m keeping the acceleration to a minimum.
My car is a beast in the rain, especially heavy rain, so I have not
interest in drying like a banshee.
Mini-van Boy however seems to have taken mortal offense to
my minor spin-out then acceleration through the intersection. We get to the first curve, about 100 yards
forward, and he’s punching it like we’re in Indianapolis. He hits it so hard I actually can hear the
shift in his engine noise. He rockets
past me doing at least 100 km/h. This is
a 60 km/h zone, we’re on a curve, and its raining like the monsoons of
Bangladesh.
All of that I could probably stomach. But he pulls into my lane as soon as he’s
past, eases back on the accelerator and drives THE EXACT SAME SPEED AS ME.
I need a sign on each side of my car that says “I Don’t Want
to Race You”. Clearly some people don’t
understand it.
The Daily Photo(s) (2012-08-02)
The Daily Photo(s)
1. Early morning golf provides a lot of photo opportunities
2. More attempts at sublime art
1. Early morning golf provides a lot of photo opportunities
2. More attempts at sublime art
Today I Learned . . . (2012-08-02)
Today I Learned . . .
1. I do not like cheese turds. They look and taste like chicken but are not.
2. Fountain drinks are only $0.79 at the Costco food court
1. I do not like cheese turds. They look and taste like chicken but are not.
2. Fountain drinks are only $0.79 at the Costco food court
Act Of Caring (2012-08-02)
Act Of Caring
1. A tab added to the end of the header was ambiguous. Rather than leave it, I added another note.
Blog Question(s) Of The Day (2012-08-02)
Blog Question(s) Of The Day
1. What is the value obtained by corporate fire-walling the internet?
2. Would models for the weekly flyers that come in my mailbox be less stuck up than the average swimsuit model?
3. How do I get this chlorine smell off my hands?
4. Why are people stupid?
2. Would models for the weekly flyers that come in my mailbox be less stuck up than the average swimsuit model?
3. How do I get this chlorine smell off my hands?
4. Why are people stupid?
The Daily Affirmation (2012-08-02)
The Daily Affirmation
3. Happiness is . . . a Big Gulp full of Coke
4. Despite a horrific transition from yesterday into today, I ended up putting a non-zero in every category on my spreadsheet
1. 9 holes of par-3 golf on a crisp August morning is idyllic.
2. There is nothing wrong with Coke for breakfast.
3. Happiness is . . . a Big Gulp full of Coke
4. Despite a horrific transition from yesterday into today, I ended up putting a non-zero in every category on my spreadsheet
Wednesday, August 01, 2012
The Daily Affirmation (2012-08-01)
The Daily Affirmation
1. I can not get enough of Minh's Garden spring rolls
Act Of Caring (2012-08-01)
Act Of Caring
1. Consciously stopped myself from answering questions or giving opinions without looking up the answer first
La Connexion Francaise (2012-08-01)
La Connexion Francaise
1. Je deteste mauvais conducteurs.
2. Aussi, je n'aime pas feuilles de presence.
2. Aussi, je n'aime pas feuilles de presence.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Not Charging (2012-07-31)
This won't matter to anyone else but me. However sometimes writing in this blog is just for me and I'm not overly concerned with whether anyone finds it interesting/amusing.
I had a weird night last night. I was close to filling all my columns, so I was doing some late night effort to grab some numbers on some last, easy one's. One of which is meditation. I found this instruction sheet I got from a doctor many, many years ago. Its call the Benson relaxation response. In a nutshell you eliminate as much sensory input as you can, then focus intensely on your breathing, and if it works you get a strong sense of relaxation at the end. It works last night because I lay on the floor doing this, and I didn't think much time had elapsed but it was over a half hour.
I used my iPad to time this, with a Stopwatch app. When I was done I put the iPad on the desk and walked away. However I forgot to close the app so it stayed active and the screen brightness killed the battery. All of which I didn't realize until this afternoon when I tried to use my iPad for something and the damn battery was dead.
I realize the battery is dead but I have the facility to charge it at work so I plugged it into my computer. The display comes up '2% Not Charging'. What the hell, why aren't you charging?? Maybe its the cheap Chinese cable I bought. I'll try another one. Plug in a different cable; different length, different color, completely dissimilar from the first. Still 'Not Charging'. Okay, maybe its because I'm plugged into a hub and not directly into the computer. So I crawl under the desk, hook myself straight in and try again. Still 'Not Charging'.
Now I'm beyond annoyed. The stupid thing is being a dung beetle and I don't appreciate it. However I turn it off and then on again, as someone suggesting "rebooting" it. Now it won't come on at all! Grrrrrr!!! But there's a lightning bolt symbol under the logo in the middle. I ask around and the consensus is that means its charging. But what about the 'Not Charging' text? I have no other option so I leave it to see if it recovers.
After a few minutes it seems to find a new life and the main screen comes back. Now I'm at 4% but still not charging. I have no other options, I have to just leave it there because 4% isn't enough to do anything. The whole time it says 'Not Charging'
When I left for the day I unplugged it and checked the battery indicator. It was up to 11%. So clearly it was charging, so why lie to me and say 'Not Charging' all afternoon?
I had a weird night last night. I was close to filling all my columns, so I was doing some late night effort to grab some numbers on some last, easy one's. One of which is meditation. I found this instruction sheet I got from a doctor many, many years ago. Its call the Benson relaxation response. In a nutshell you eliminate as much sensory input as you can, then focus intensely on your breathing, and if it works you get a strong sense of relaxation at the end. It works last night because I lay on the floor doing this, and I didn't think much time had elapsed but it was over a half hour.
I used my iPad to time this, with a Stopwatch app. When I was done I put the iPad on the desk and walked away. However I forgot to close the app so it stayed active and the screen brightness killed the battery. All of which I didn't realize until this afternoon when I tried to use my iPad for something and the damn battery was dead.
I realize the battery is dead but I have the facility to charge it at work so I plugged it into my computer. The display comes up '2% Not Charging'. What the hell, why aren't you charging?? Maybe its the cheap Chinese cable I bought. I'll try another one. Plug in a different cable; different length, different color, completely dissimilar from the first. Still 'Not Charging'. Okay, maybe its because I'm plugged into a hub and not directly into the computer. So I crawl under the desk, hook myself straight in and try again. Still 'Not Charging'.
Now I'm beyond annoyed. The stupid thing is being a dung beetle and I don't appreciate it. However I turn it off and then on again, as someone suggesting "rebooting" it. Now it won't come on at all! Grrrrrr!!! But there's a lightning bolt symbol under the logo in the middle. I ask around and the consensus is that means its charging. But what about the 'Not Charging' text? I have no other option so I leave it to see if it recovers.
After a few minutes it seems to find a new life and the main screen comes back. Now I'm at 4% but still not charging. I have no other options, I have to just leave it there because 4% isn't enough to do anything. The whole time it says 'Not Charging'
When I left for the day I unplugged it and checked the battery indicator. It was up to 11%. So clearly it was charging, so why lie to me and say 'Not Charging' all afternoon?
Act Of Caring (2012-07-31)
Act Of Caring
1. Triple checked the details on an order I made this morning
2. Carefully considered the words I was writing, as a review of a technical document
1. Triple checked the details on an order I made this morning
2. Carefully considered the words I was writing, as a review of a technical document
The Daily Affirmation (2012-07-31)
The Daily Affirmation
1. We won our slo pitch game handily
2. I just realized I no longer weigh triple digit kilograms
1. We won our slo pitch game handily
2. I just realized I no longer weigh triple digit kilograms
Today I Learned . . . (2012-07-31)
Today I Learned . . .
1. Haiti and the Dominican Republic are on the same island
1. Haiti and the Dominican Republic are on the same island
The Daily Photo(s) (2012-07-31)
The Daily Photo(s)
1. Here are some pictures from something interesting that I'm working on around the office
1. Here are some pictures from something interesting that I'm working on around the office
La Connexion Francaise (2012-07-31)
La Connexion Francaise
1. Je n'ai se leve pas l'heure ce matin
2. Pourquoi est nouns francais, feminin ou masculin?
1. Je n'ai se leve pas l'heure ce matin
2. Pourquoi est nouns francais, feminin ou masculin?
Blog Question(s) Of The Day (2012-07-31)
Blog Question(s) Of The Day
1. Should I eat more chocolate muffins?
1. Should I eat more chocolate muffins?
Monday, July 30, 2012
The Daily Photo(s) (2012-07-30)
The Daily Photo(s)
1. A really nice paint job
2. For future reference, this is what a good pitch to hit looks like in slo-pitch
3. A nice photo of the CTV balloon
1. A really nice paint job
2. For future reference, this is what a good pitch to hit looks like in slo-pitch
3. A nice photo of the CTV balloon
Today I Learned . . . (2012-07-30)
Today I Learned . . .
1. To get distance when hitting a ball in slo-pitch, you need to hit the ball at the bottom of its arc
1. To get distance when hitting a ball in slo-pitch, you need to hit the ball at the bottom of its arc
The Daily Affirmation (2012-07-30)
The Daily Affirmation
1. Google Translate knew exactly what I meant
2. Two pretty girls smiled at me as I passed them going the other way on the park trail
3. I like "Golden Earring - Twilight Zone" enough that I took the long way home tonight
1. Google Translate knew exactly what I meant
2. Two pretty girls smiled at me as I passed them going the other way on the park trail
3. I like "Golden Earring - Twilight Zone" enough that I took the long way home tonight
Blog Question(s) Of The Day (2012-07-30)
Blog Question(s) Of The Day
1. Should I buy Minoxidil?
2. Why are golf and baseball not Olympic sports?
3. If forced to choose would I pick a wife or a Porsche?
1. Should I buy Minoxidil?
2. Why are golf and baseball not Olympic sports?
3. If forced to choose would I pick a wife or a Porsche?
Act Of Caring (2012-07-30)
Act Of Caring
1. Erased a sentence where I over-stated what I knew/thought (2 times)
2. Saw that my mini UF modules were fouled and I set them up to clean, instead of just putting them back in the box.
1. Erased a sentence where I over-stated what I knew/thought (2 times)
2. Saw that my mini UF modules were fouled and I set them up to clean, instead of just putting them back in the box.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
La Connexion Francaise (2012-07-29)
La Connexion Francaise
1. J'ai acheté beaucoup livres cette année.
1. J'ai acheté beaucoup livres cette année.