I feel like I have an old brain, one that's operating inefficiently like a PC running Windows. Everything is cluttered and slow, all the young kids are so much more hip on where to go and what to do, and I with my trodding, slow processes at work, and at home, look on in bewilderment as they all seem to zip past me, understanding everything and having answers, solutions, or bright ideas about where to head next.
Is there such thing as an upgrade for the brain? I need a faster processing unit, and some savvy new software that will allow me to access the information of the world more reliably. Maybe I can find some brain steroids?
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
boy, hip, yard
It was probably poor blog-ettiquete of me to not to post a comment two weeks ago that Laura and I found out we will be having a boy. All few of you who follow my blog already knew (I think) that she was pregnant, and by now already know that we'll be having a boy, but, and this is mainly because Nicole gave me a hard time about it, I had to make it official by posting it here.
Yes, I am a little freaked out, but WAY more than that, I am very excited, and looking forward to March, not because of the sleepless nights that probably await me, but because I am excited to be a father, and make my kid laugh, and take him hiking, and to learn all about him as I fumble through trying to show him this world.
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Let's see, what else. My hip hurts. It has for the last couple of weeks. I think it's related to my body needing a break from rowing, but I can't confirm. My low back has also begun to bug me, so it's probably a good thing that this Sunday's race in Foster City is our last of the fall head racing season, then rowing will take a back seat to work and home projects for the duratin of the winter (and with the kid coming, rowing could be taking a permanent back seat). So hopefully the dull pain is temporary, and not an indication of any other post-dislocated hip issues. It's seriously been over two years since I dislocated! Crazy.
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Oh, I also started working in the back yard. I borrowed my father-in-law's rototiller, and used it all around the back part of the yard to break up the surface dirt. The next part, which starts this evening, will be to rake through it and sift out all the rocks and junk. After that I'll either be trenching for irrigation or just planting trees and hand watering. Either way, I want to get the trees in within the next couple weeks so that they have all winter to get established and start growing.
back to work.
Yes, I am a little freaked out, but WAY more than that, I am very excited, and looking forward to March, not because of the sleepless nights that probably await me, but because I am excited to be a father, and make my kid laugh, and take him hiking, and to learn all about him as I fumble through trying to show him this world.
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Let's see, what else. My hip hurts. It has for the last couple of weeks. I think it's related to my body needing a break from rowing, but I can't confirm. My low back has also begun to bug me, so it's probably a good thing that this Sunday's race in Foster City is our last of the fall head racing season, then rowing will take a back seat to work and home projects for the duratin of the winter (and with the kid coming, rowing could be taking a permanent back seat). So hopefully the dull pain is temporary, and not an indication of any other post-dislocated hip issues. It's seriously been over two years since I dislocated! Crazy.
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Oh, I also started working in the back yard. I borrowed my father-in-law's rototiller, and used it all around the back part of the yard to break up the surface dirt. The next part, which starts this evening, will be to rake through it and sift out all the rocks and junk. After that I'll either be trenching for irrigation or just planting trees and hand watering. Either way, I want to get the trees in within the next couple weeks so that they have all winter to get established and start growing.
back to work.
Monday, November 9, 2009
credit and idiot drivers
I heard two ads on the radio while driving in to work this morning for companies that can help you reduce your credit card debt. Both of them liked to say "Do you have excessive credit card debt? It's not your fault, and we can help get those nasty creditors off your back."
Idiot drivers; it's not my fault that you left late today. Either I'm becoming a grumpy old man (which is entirely possible), or people are driving crappier and more idiotic than ever. I suppose this is like entropy (it will always get worse), but son-of-a-B, it just seems like people don't know where they are, where they're going, or have any clue about MOMENTUM, turn signals, or any of the other cars around them (except maybe the one RIGHT in front of them, the one which they are tailgating ... yes, that's me, and I'd get out of your way if it weren't for the SEMI THAT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME (obviously you can't see that far), making me go slower that YOU'D like to go).
So I am taking to driving 65 or slower (can such a thing be done?) in the right-hand lane. I don't seem to have to deal with the idiots any more, in fact most of the time I get a pretty good show watching how people fight amongst themselves, jockey for position, and nearly kill each other trying to shave a few seconds off their commute. The only drawback to the slow lane is now I've got to deal with the fools who can't merge.
I think I've said something like it before, but when I start complaining about everything around me, maybe the problem is me.
Nah.
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Otherwise, when all else fails, Skittles.
While I can't help but agree that creditors can be nasty, I have to wholeheartedly disagree with the notion that someone who chooses to use thier credit card to rack up debts beyond which they can be financially responsible is hardly free of fault. BE RESPONSIBILE FOR YOURSELF! There's plenty of shit out there that I'd like to buy, but every day I gotta say 'no' to myself because I can't afford it! It's like the guys who's "under water" on his house payments, but who refuses to sell his lifted truck or his speed boat because he has to have them. Make up your mind! What's more important? Can you live in your boat?
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Idiot drivers; it's not my fault that you left late today. Either I'm becoming a grumpy old man (which is entirely possible), or people are driving crappier and more idiotic than ever. I suppose this is like entropy (it will always get worse), but son-of-a-B, it just seems like people don't know where they are, where they're going, or have any clue about MOMENTUM, turn signals, or any of the other cars around them (except maybe the one RIGHT in front of them, the one which they are tailgating ... yes, that's me, and I'd get out of your way if it weren't for the SEMI THAT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME (obviously you can't see that far), making me go slower that YOU'D like to go).
So I am taking to driving 65 or slower (can such a thing be done?) in the right-hand lane. I don't seem to have to deal with the idiots any more, in fact most of the time I get a pretty good show watching how people fight amongst themselves, jockey for position, and nearly kill each other trying to shave a few seconds off their commute. The only drawback to the slow lane is now I've got to deal with the fools who can't merge.
I think I've said something like it before, but when I start complaining about everything around me, maybe the problem is me.
Nah.
----------------------------
Otherwise, when all else fails, Skittles.
Monday, October 26, 2009
hair loss? maybe?
It's probably just the light, or the mirror I'm using, but I swear that the hair on my head, right square in front above my forehead is starting to thin out. I keep thinking that I can see more and more of the skin on my head through my hair, and am fearful that I am beginning to experience hair loss. That's not cool. But I have a theory on this. Laura really wants our kid to have good hair, and she thinks that mine is "good" because it's wavy and thick. So my theroy is that Laura got her wish, and that my hair is starting to dissapear so that our kid can have it.
Does that make any sense at all?
What if I am starting to loose hair? And what if I loose it in some strange, continent shaped pattern right in front for the whole world to see? At least I'm tall, or taller than most people, so that it won't be obvious that I'm having this problem. How would I cut my hair? Would I go the Matt Lauer route and cut it to some strange, short length that my TV viewing fans don't like? Humm...no TV fans, so that's not a problem. Maybe I could Bic it? No, I have this strange, certain feeling that my skull is not a pretty one, definately not Picard like at all, and not deserving of exposure to the world. Maybe I'll have to start wearing a Fidora, or a Beenie.
Does that make any sense at all?
What if I am starting to loose hair? And what if I loose it in some strange, continent shaped pattern right in front for the whole world to see? At least I'm tall, or taller than most people, so that it won't be obvious that I'm having this problem. How would I cut my hair? Would I go the Matt Lauer route and cut it to some strange, short length that my TV viewing fans don't like? Humm...no TV fans, so that's not a problem. Maybe I could Bic it? No, I have this strange, certain feeling that my skull is not a pretty one, definately not Picard like at all, and not deserving of exposure to the world. Maybe I'll have to start wearing a Fidora, or a Beenie.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
rocks in the back yard
Today's topic is yard preparation, specifically my back yard and how I get it ready for lawn, some tress, and maybe a small deck. The deck is a wish list item, and will more or less be temporary until we can afford to install the "real" back yard hardscape (a patio), but the trees and parts of the lawn are for keeps, and we want to get them in soon so that the clay doesn't turn into quicksand when the winter rains come along.
I have access to a rototiller, and I know where I can rent a trencher to install the irrigation, but I'm having problems finding the best way to remove all the small, annoying rocks that are scattered over the yard surface. I bought a rake and tried it out on a small part of the side yard. Of course it works, but it takes a lot of work, and I'd like to be able to do the whole yard and get it done in a reasonable amount of time.
One idea I saw on line was to give some kids each their own bucket, and turn them loose in the yard to collect rocks. Actually I think that's an awesome idea, one that could keep them busy for hours (and give their parents a mental break). But because I don't want to break any child labor laws, does anybody have any ideas? I saw this one awesome thing called a Rock Hound, but you need to rent a skidsteer to use it. That actually sounds pretty cool too. I wonder what that costs?
I have access to a rototiller, and I know where I can rent a trencher to install the irrigation, but I'm having problems finding the best way to remove all the small, annoying rocks that are scattered over the yard surface. I bought a rake and tried it out on a small part of the side yard. Of course it works, but it takes a lot of work, and I'd like to be able to do the whole yard and get it done in a reasonable amount of time.
One idea I saw on line was to give some kids each their own bucket, and turn them loose in the yard to collect rocks. Actually I think that's an awesome idea, one that could keep them busy for hours (and give their parents a mental break). But because I don't want to break any child labor laws, does anybody have any ideas? I saw this one awesome thing called a Rock Hound, but you need to rent a skidsteer to use it. That actually sounds pretty cool too. I wonder what that costs?
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
back at work
That fun, relaxed, having a great time feeling that was pervasive over the last six days ... I can already feel it slipping away as I sit here at work again. It's not so much that work is bad as it is I just would rather be somewhere else. Maybe at heart I really am a lazy looser. Maybe I spent my allocated "work energy" on all those hours at Marine World and Unitrans, back before I became a "professional". Maybe I'm just attracted to not having to think or problem solve, which doesn't sound good when my job is to solve problems by thinking. Hummmm. Look at that, a few days away on a mini-vacation did almost nothing to solve the nagging problem I have of wanting to be somewhere else, and not being able to focus on my work. Maybe I need some of those ADHD drugs they give kids who are just being energetic. I certainly need to get something straightened out here and get focused.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
rowing (watching it) and friends and food and rain
We've been here and there around Boston, stopping by the places we often visited when we lived here. Friday we hung out in the Public Garden and later had seafood for dinner. The fall colors are only just barely starting to show themselves in this part of New England; we were hoping to see more of them, but it would appear that the storm that is coming through the area today marks one of the first real cold snaps the area has seen so far this fall.
Saturday we headed down to the Charles river to watch some of the head racing (rowing), and of course for me to pout about not being able to race here ... AGAIN. One of these years it will work out, dammit. I was also able to meet up with a friend of mine who now lives in Seattle and who is out here with his employer. I also was fortunate to bump into two people I knew when I rowed out here previously, so even though those visits were very brief, it was fun to see those people again.
Last night we met up with a BU friend of Laura's who lives out here with her husband and their 12 week old son. We had dinner on our own then met them for drinks at a cool, schwanky hotel that used to be a prison (only in New England). Well, I had a drink, Laura had a soda. I had forgotten just how sophisticated people dress out here when they go out. We were dressed up okay enough, but everybody else ... MAN! Fancy shoes, jeans, dresses, all the girls all coiffed up, even the guys were sporting the fancy hairdos. Tom Shaw would be jealous.
It's such a busy, energetic, crazy air here. With all the colleges in the area, and with Europe so much closer (relatively speaking), there is so much liveliness here that either doesn't exist, or that I just don't see in Sacramento. Don't get me wrong, I'm very glad to live where I live because it means I can be close to my friends and family whom I love very much, but the atmosphere is just not the same.
Anyway, rain blew in today and the day has been soggy. We walked around Beacon Hill to check out all the old fancy expensive brownstones, had lunch, then later had dinner. This has been a very food intensive trip, which has been fun too.
Ok, well that's enough for now. Time to go back to the room and get some sleep. SO awesome to not have to go to work tomorrow. I'm going to enjoy it while I can.
Saturday we headed down to the Charles river to watch some of the head racing (rowing), and of course for me to pout about not being able to race here ... AGAIN. One of these years it will work out, dammit. I was also able to meet up with a friend of mine who now lives in Seattle and who is out here with his employer. I also was fortunate to bump into two people I knew when I rowed out here previously, so even though those visits were very brief, it was fun to see those people again.
Last night we met up with a BU friend of Laura's who lives out here with her husband and their 12 week old son. We had dinner on our own then met them for drinks at a cool, schwanky hotel that used to be a prison (only in New England). Well, I had a drink, Laura had a soda. I had forgotten just how sophisticated people dress out here when they go out. We were dressed up okay enough, but everybody else ... MAN! Fancy shoes, jeans, dresses, all the girls all coiffed up, even the guys were sporting the fancy hairdos. Tom Shaw would be jealous.
It's such a busy, energetic, crazy air here. With all the colleges in the area, and with Europe so much closer (relatively speaking), there is so much liveliness here that either doesn't exist, or that I just don't see in Sacramento. Don't get me wrong, I'm very glad to live where I live because it means I can be close to my friends and family whom I love very much, but the atmosphere is just not the same.
Anyway, rain blew in today and the day has been soggy. We walked around Beacon Hill to check out all the old fancy expensive brownstones, had lunch, then later had dinner. This has been a very food intensive trip, which has been fun too.
Ok, well that's enough for now. Time to go back to the room and get some sleep. SO awesome to not have to go to work tomorrow. I'm going to enjoy it while I can.
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