Category — General

Bored? Check out Jake and Amir, very funny stuff. Do we act like this at work too?

http://www.jakeandamir.com/

My hours of operation at work are:
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - 5:15 p.m.

One of my favorite authors ever Arthur C. Clarke, died yesterday at 90. I have very fond memories reading his books when I was younger. They were a big part in the development of my interest in computers and technology. I guess there will never be a TWA flight to a space station orbiting the moon in my lifetime but it was fun imagining it while reading Mr. Clarke’s stories.

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” - Arthur C. Clarke

It’s weird but for a short time now I’ve been noticing two phrases being used over and over.  “To your point” and “that being said” are being used in conversations all the time.  I don’t recall ever hearing them prior to about a year ago.  Just an observation.

After eight years, I decided to retire the messenger bag I use for work. It was getting old and ratty and I wanted a change. I thought about getting a backpack to schlep my stuff but I thought it may be too casual. I have a nice leather briefcase but that would look too professional for me. Then I remembered the case I got with my laptop computer.

It has a bunch of pockets to keep my smaller items and larger compartments for papers, magazines and whatever else. It’s a black canvas style that won’t clash with any of my outfits. Perfect for my needs.

Here’s what I’ll carry in my new bag each day to work:
Blackberry
Cellphone
Digital Camera - I never go anywhere without it
Work papers
CD’s - files or programs or movies
Memory Stick - with up-to-date resume
Loose Change
Wallet
Lipstick - don’t ask
My notes for the latest “For Dummies” book I’m writing
Hai Karate aftershave - just in case
iPod

I’ve always been a fan of British television. Monty Python, Mr. Bean and Dr. Who were among my favorites growing up. Now with BBC America, I have some new favorites like Mile High (a stupid, but funny soap), Cash in the Attic and Kumars at No. 42. I particularly enjoy the British slang and colloquialisms used in these programs. It’s fun to hear a character tell someone to “chivvy along” and wonder what the heck they are talking about.

I think I’ll try to adopt some British slang into my vocabulary. With it I can insult someone without them realizing it.

There are also Klingon swear words and Latin phrases for everyday occasions that I may use once in a while.

As you may know, I work in the Marketing department of a major automotive company. As a perk, I get dozens of free magazines that are left over from the media managers on the floor. I collect so many magazines each month, I find it hard to keep up. Pam has her favorites that I bring home regularly and between us my bag is usually weighed down with one magazine or another every day.

The problem is I’m using so much time reading magazines, that I haven’t read a book in a long while. I should start limiting these magazines and do some real book reading.

I’m also overloaded with music. I have my 40 GB iPod filled to capacity and only listen to a small fraction of the songs. I scan online sources regularly and find lots of new music to download. Podcasting is also demanding more of listening time and it’s hard to keep up with the many “radio” shows on a regular basis. Since iTunes integrated podcasting, subscribing to interesting p-casts is easy than ever.

Then there’s television. With the means to record four shows simultaneously at home (2 Tivo units + Comcast dual tuner DVR), we often have too much stored to keep up with it.

Cellphones, voicemail, email, radio, television, magazines. It’s a media overload for me.

And this is bad. For all the time I “waste” watching TV or reading magazines, I could be outside exercising.

I’m going to develop a plan where I can read, watch TV and listen to music while I’m outside riding on my mountain bike. I’ll be doing all the things I love at the same time.

Last weekend I bought a new Trek Navigator 200 mountain bike. Actually it’s classified as a “hybrid” bicycle where I can take it on paved roads or dirt trails. As usual I checked all the reviews and agonized over which bike to purchase. I visited several bike shops in the area and learned all I could about mountain and hybrid bikes.

After deciding on the Trek, the salesman found a good model, adjusted the seat and handlebars and I took it for a ride around their parking lot. I instantly fell in love with the smooth, and very comfortable ride. It has kevlar tires, a smooth shifting mechanism and top-rated parts.

Then Pam took the bike for a ride and loved it so much, we bought her one too. We didn’t plan on paying so much for bicycles, but figured these nicer ones will last us for a very long time.

Last weekend we loaded the bikes in the Pacifica and went to Bloomer Park in Rochester. They have miles of trails through the woods and even a velodrome (bicycle racing track). We spent a few hours pedaling around the woods having a great time.

Next up, Geocaching in the woods with our new bikes. I’m reading about quite a few caches to be found and getting to them is a lot easy if you can ride.

One thing, you’ll never catch me wearing those weird bike outfits.

I returned to work this morning after a full week off. It’s been over 2 years since I have been gone that long. Usually we take long weekends here and there but never a full week. I really needed to get away to decompress and the time off did me a lot of good.

I stayed around the house all week and had a long list of things I wanted to get done. I finished my home-built computer, watched a ton of movies, washed the cars and basically piddled around doing a lot of nothing. It was a very relaxing, lazy week for me and I loved it.

But after 5 minutes back into work this morning, it was like I never left. People were waiting at my desk as I walked in. I literally had 15 users with life or death issues that needed help immediately. It’s nice to feel needed but SHEESH.

The worse part is I didn’t get to read the paper, have coffee or take my morning nap. Aren’t there union rules about this kind of treatment? Ha.

Maybe I could start doing yoga or something to de-stress after work. Remind me to ask my therapist at my appointment tomorrow.

Chrysler’s annual Block Party was in Cleveland this year. Pam and I decided to drive down for the weekend. The event was nice but it was the downtown waterfront area and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that we enjoyed the most.

In Ohio on the way home, there were cops every few miles enforcing the speed limit. Coming from Michigan we weren’t used to seeing so many speed traps. The roads are much nicer south of our border too.