I really hope this is a hoax. If not, how much evil is too much?
I've been working more and more with websites, and it's sort of fun. Too bad it doesn't pay as well as regular software consulting. Then again, maybe if I establish a reputation ... who knows?
Anybody seen "Proof"? Is it any good? Is it even released yet? Thinking about checking it out.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Sound Bytes
Your typical evening newscast these days:
"This is the CBS Evening News with Bob Scheifer. Our lead story today, a chicken was struck and killed on a county road near President Bush's Crawford, Texas ranch. For more on the story, we go to our reporters on the site in Crawford."
Reporter: "Thanks Bob. We have interviewed several leading citizens about this terrible incident, and here's what they had to say."
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
"The evidence is clear that the chicken crossed the road seeking relief from the hot sun, further proof that we continue to lose our planet to the ravages of global warming while our president and his administration stand idly by and refuse to implement the Kyoto Protocol."
Al Sharpton
This incident is an insult to the poor and oppressed black people, who represent a significant percentage of chicken farmers in the US. This president does not care about black people or chickens!
Al Gore
As you know, the chicken was brutally killed in a hit-and-run incident by an SUV. Huge, unsafe, polluting vehicles such as these are doing irreparable harm to endangered chickens everywhere. True to form, the Bush administration continues to ignore the great harm to society being perpetrated every day by these massive, gas-guzzling, chicken-flattening monstrosities.
Howard Dean
This just illustrates further the fact that the president could care less about the little guy, or Chicken Little. Our country needs to rise up and be heard to stop the tyranny of this out-of-control president.
Jesse Jackson
This terrible incident could have been avoided had there been more programs available to help the poor black farmer who owned this chicken. President Bush's tax cuts for the rich eliminated federal assistance could have allowed him the funds necessary to build a decent chicken coop in which the unfortunate chicken would have been happy to stay, rather than seeking a better life across the road.
John Kerry
What an appalling lack of leadership shown by this president in not proactively resolving the problems that led to this tragic chicken death. If I were president, I would proclaim a Chicken's Bill of Rights immediately to allocate 100 billion dollars to insure that all chickens will always have the right to health and safety everywhere in our great country.
Hillary Clinton
The arrogance and incompetence of this administration is once again illustrated for all to see in this tragic killing of an innocent chicken, only miles from the president's own Texas ranch. I will call on the Senate to immediately enact legislation to create a Department of Chicken Security, which will be responsible for oversight relating to all chicken affairs, in order to make this country once again safe for chickens.
Bill Clinton
Well, you know, nothing like this ever happened on my watch. When I was president, we took very seriously the rights and safety of our country's chickens. It is disappointing to see that this administration is so distracted with other matters that they cannot focus on the country's basic domestic chicken needs.
Patricia Ireland
This chicken was an abused and exploited egg layer, destined for a life of misery under the patriarchal white male dominated system under which women are demeaned and abused every day. This poor chicken was merely trying to stretch her wings and escape to a better life, before being flattened on the road by a MAN driving an SUV!
Cindy Sheehan
President Bush, when will the killing stop? How many more innocent lives will you snuff out before you wake up and stop these evil and illegal policies? People of America, wake up! We need to take our country back from the criminal Bush immediately for all of our sons and daughters and chickens!
President Bush
My heart goes out to the family and friends of this chicken, which was so tragically killed down the road from here. I have ordered an immediate investigation into the cause of this tragic accident, and assure all Americans that we will act on the results of this investigation to make sure chickens are safe and secure in our great country.
Reporter: "Back to you, Bob"
Bob (not realizing he was on the air yet, reacting to Bush's comments.) "He's so full of sh.... - Oh, welcome back. Tune in later this evening for 60 Minutes II, where Dan Rather investigates: "Is Bush really an in-bred redneck, or is he merely a product of an abusive childhood?"
"Bob Schiefer, CBS News, good evening."
Later that evening, near Crawford Texas, a lone reporter (not from a major network) approaches the chicken farmer who is scooping up his dead chicken from the road and into a trash bag.
"Sir, what is your take on the events of today?"
The farmer: "S@#$ happens."
"This is the CBS Evening News with Bob Scheifer. Our lead story today, a chicken was struck and killed on a county road near President Bush's Crawford, Texas ranch. For more on the story, we go to our reporters on the site in Crawford."
Reporter: "Thanks Bob. We have interviewed several leading citizens about this terrible incident, and here's what they had to say."
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
"The evidence is clear that the chicken crossed the road seeking relief from the hot sun, further proof that we continue to lose our planet to the ravages of global warming while our president and his administration stand idly by and refuse to implement the Kyoto Protocol."
Al Sharpton
This incident is an insult to the poor and oppressed black people, who represent a significant percentage of chicken farmers in the US. This president does not care about black people or chickens!
Al Gore
As you know, the chicken was brutally killed in a hit-and-run incident by an SUV. Huge, unsafe, polluting vehicles such as these are doing irreparable harm to endangered chickens everywhere. True to form, the Bush administration continues to ignore the great harm to society being perpetrated every day by these massive, gas-guzzling, chicken-flattening monstrosities.
Howard Dean
This just illustrates further the fact that the president could care less about the little guy, or Chicken Little. Our country needs to rise up and be heard to stop the tyranny of this out-of-control president.
Jesse Jackson
This terrible incident could have been avoided had there been more programs available to help the poor black farmer who owned this chicken. President Bush's tax cuts for the rich eliminated federal assistance could have allowed him the funds necessary to build a decent chicken coop in which the unfortunate chicken would have been happy to stay, rather than seeking a better life across the road.
John Kerry
What an appalling lack of leadership shown by this president in not proactively resolving the problems that led to this tragic chicken death. If I were president, I would proclaim a Chicken's Bill of Rights immediately to allocate 100 billion dollars to insure that all chickens will always have the right to health and safety everywhere in our great country.
Hillary Clinton
The arrogance and incompetence of this administration is once again illustrated for all to see in this tragic killing of an innocent chicken, only miles from the president's own Texas ranch. I will call on the Senate to immediately enact legislation to create a Department of Chicken Security, which will be responsible for oversight relating to all chicken affairs, in order to make this country once again safe for chickens.
Bill Clinton
Well, you know, nothing like this ever happened on my watch. When I was president, we took very seriously the rights and safety of our country's chickens. It is disappointing to see that this administration is so distracted with other matters that they cannot focus on the country's basic domestic chicken needs.
Patricia Ireland
This chicken was an abused and exploited egg layer, destined for a life of misery under the patriarchal white male dominated system under which women are demeaned and abused every day. This poor chicken was merely trying to stretch her wings and escape to a better life, before being flattened on the road by a MAN driving an SUV!
Cindy Sheehan
President Bush, when will the killing stop? How many more innocent lives will you snuff out before you wake up and stop these evil and illegal policies? People of America, wake up! We need to take our country back from the criminal Bush immediately for all of our sons and daughters and chickens!
President Bush
My heart goes out to the family and friends of this chicken, which was so tragically killed down the road from here. I have ordered an immediate investigation into the cause of this tragic accident, and assure all Americans that we will act on the results of this investigation to make sure chickens are safe and secure in our great country.
Reporter: "Back to you, Bob"
Bob (not realizing he was on the air yet, reacting to Bush's comments.) "He's so full of sh.... - Oh, welcome back. Tune in later this evening for 60 Minutes II, where Dan Rather investigates: "Is Bush really an in-bred redneck, or is he merely a product of an abusive childhood?"
"Bob Schiefer, CBS News, good evening."
Later that evening, near Crawford Texas, a lone reporter (not from a major network) approaches the chicken farmer who is scooping up his dead chicken from the road and into a trash bag.
"Sir, what is your take on the events of today?"
The farmer: "S@#$ happens."
Monday, September 26, 2005
Motivation
It seems my biggest challenge for this week is self-motivation. I have work to do, but no hard deadlines in which to complete everything. That's difficult for me, because I can sometimes be a bit of a procrastinator. So this week I need to apply regular swift kicks to the posterior region to move things along. Maybe I can reward myself with a little golf once I've finished my work.
Got back to singing with SN last night. Even though I missed the first two rehearsals of the season, I was able to catch up pretty quickly, as usual. Thanks to the gift I've always seemed to have to sight-read new music pretty well. There's a kind of jazzy piece we started working on that's a bit of a departure from the group's normal fare, and I like that.
Lately I've found myself going through some long avoided soul-searching. Where it is leading I can't predict, but often wish there was someone I could trust to listen and comment on my progress.
Got back to singing with SN last night. Even though I missed the first two rehearsals of the season, I was able to catch up pretty quickly, as usual. Thanks to the gift I've always seemed to have to sight-read new music pretty well. There's a kind of jazzy piece we started working on that's a bit of a departure from the group's normal fare, and I like that.
Lately I've found myself going through some long avoided soul-searching. Where it is leading I can't predict, but often wish there was someone I could trust to listen and comment on my progress.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Missing Post
Well, my last post was pretty clever, at least I thought so. Unfortunately, just as I finished it and clicked "publish", it disappeared into Blogger's cyber black hole. That was frustrating, and I don't have the time or inclination to repeat it, at least for now.
One of the things I saw at my recent visit to the NCAA really threw me for a loop. There was a blurb about establishing the national championship in football. In NCAA division 2 and 3 there is a playoff system that crowns the true national champion every year. But for some reason I fail to grasp, even the NCAA admits they have no control over the division 1 football championship, which is determined by a separate entity called the BCS.
Needless to say, I am not a fan of the BCS, and am disgusted that in many years the actual national championship can be disputed by 2 or sometimes 3 undefeated division 1 football teams. Polls decide the actual champion instead of games. Am I crazy, or doesn't anybody else think this system is absolutely asinine and inexcusable?
It seems to me that all those bowl traditions can continue just fine with a new playoff system. Let the minor bowls start around Thanksgiving, matching up the top teams from each major conference and the big independents for the right to advance to the next level.
Then the mid-level bowls host round two, three, and even four through December, until the final two emerge for a New Year's day national championship. I don't care which major bowl hosts it, maybe they could trade off. But there is no reason, other than the money and power being thrown around to keep the BCS in power, that a playoff system could not be a hugely successful way of determining the national champion in NCAA division 1 football.
My vision is that a playoff would bring more revenue to the bowls and member schools, because everyone playing in the minor and mid-level bowls would suddenly be playing for more than just pride and bragging rights. They would be playing for their own shot at a national title.
Imagine that a team like Notre Dame or Michigan or Ohio State has completed their season with one single loss. Today their dreams of a national championship are already smashed because of that one loss. At the end of the season, even if they are playing better than any other team in the NCAA, there is no hope for them because of that early-season loss.
With a playoff system such as the one I envision, they have another shot at that national title. Game 1 is around Thanksgiving against another school from another conference with a good season record. If they win, they progress to the next playoff game in a mid-level bowl against the winner of another first round game. And so on, until they meet a team like an undefeated USC in the final, say, Rose Bowl game on January 1st.
When will somebody start to pay attention and have the courage to buck the BCS powers to institute a new, fair, and exciting playoff format for finding the real national champion? Instead the NCAA focuses on stupid stuff like banning team mascots with Indian-based themes.
How about a campaign to fire Myles Brand and get a real effective leader into the NCAA president's role.
One of the things I saw at my recent visit to the NCAA really threw me for a loop. There was a blurb about establishing the national championship in football. In NCAA division 2 and 3 there is a playoff system that crowns the true national champion every year. But for some reason I fail to grasp, even the NCAA admits they have no control over the division 1 football championship, which is determined by a separate entity called the BCS.
Needless to say, I am not a fan of the BCS, and am disgusted that in many years the actual national championship can be disputed by 2 or sometimes 3 undefeated division 1 football teams. Polls decide the actual champion instead of games. Am I crazy, or doesn't anybody else think this system is absolutely asinine and inexcusable?
It seems to me that all those bowl traditions can continue just fine with a new playoff system. Let the minor bowls start around Thanksgiving, matching up the top teams from each major conference and the big independents for the right to advance to the next level.
Then the mid-level bowls host round two, three, and even four through December, until the final two emerge for a New Year's day national championship. I don't care which major bowl hosts it, maybe they could trade off. But there is no reason, other than the money and power being thrown around to keep the BCS in power, that a playoff system could not be a hugely successful way of determining the national champion in NCAA division 1 football.
My vision is that a playoff would bring more revenue to the bowls and member schools, because everyone playing in the minor and mid-level bowls would suddenly be playing for more than just pride and bragging rights. They would be playing for their own shot at a national title.
Imagine that a team like Notre Dame or Michigan or Ohio State has completed their season with one single loss. Today their dreams of a national championship are already smashed because of that one loss. At the end of the season, even if they are playing better than any other team in the NCAA, there is no hope for them because of that early-season loss.
With a playoff system such as the one I envision, they have another shot at that national title. Game 1 is around Thanksgiving against another school from another conference with a good season record. If they win, they progress to the next playoff game in a mid-level bowl against the winner of another first round game. And so on, until they meet a team like an undefeated USC in the final, say, Rose Bowl game on January 1st.
When will somebody start to pay attention and have the courage to buck the BCS powers to institute a new, fair, and exciting playoff format for finding the real national champion? Instead the NCAA focuses on stupid stuff like banning team mascots with Indian-based themes.
How about a campaign to fire Myles Brand and get a real effective leader into the NCAA president's role.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Entitlement
During the training I did this week with a Human Resources department, there were some discussions about their biggest challenge these days. They turn out to be just finding reasonably reliable employees who will show up on time and do a reasonably good job.
Turnover is a major issue with these folks, but I know it can vary based on the specific type of business. Fundamentally, the higher-paying and hardest-to-get jobs almost never turn over, because those who are lucky enough to land them hang on for dear life. But most companies don't offer those types of jobs.
There's a strong feeling of entitlement among American workers in general these days. HR people I work with tell me that, especially people of color, expect to be given preference for the best openings regardless of their qualifications. They are often hostile to supervisors who ask them for a little more effort or to perform a task they don't like. They feel entitled to take a day off whenever they like, without consequence even if they fail to call.
There are plenty of applicants who ask for higher-paying supervisory, managerial, or professional positions they have absolutely no qualifications to perform. Somehow these people get the idea that they are owed these positions, maybe because of perceived past discrimination or maybe because there has been such a recent trend of giving preferences to employee classes. They reason that, even though they have no knowledge or experience in that management position, they can simply have their departmental employees teach them about the job. What a strange idea.
Don't assume that employers are without blame in these situations. They like to play games to keep their payrolls low, from hiring illegals; to classifying employees as part-time to avoid providing benefits but then scheduling them for 40 hours every week; to paying the lowest possible hourly wage; to cheating employees of work breaks and overtime; to many other little tricks that constantly seek a few more dollars on the corporate bottom line (and the manager's bonus) on the backs of the front line employees. And HR department people deplore and fight against these practices, albeit unsuccessfully.
The basic trends today are that corporate managers consider their front-line employees to be commodities, and don't view them as assets to leverage for their company's success. Front-line employees in turn pick up quickly on this attitude and develop their own version of the attitude of getting over on management by receiving the highest possible compensation for the least possible effort.
I've recently begun to wonder whether there are any great companies left out there. Companies who recognize the value of motivated and dedicated employees, and the high cost of turnover. Companies who take care of employees' needs by paying good salaries, providing quality benefits, and sharing profits to foster a culture of teamwork and loyalty. Companies who focus on efficiencies and productivity rather than constantly scheming to squeeze more dollars from their workers.
If by some miracle my tiny little company were to grow into a decent-sized operation, what I can guarantee is that I will never forget these lessons: Treat every employee as an individual asset, encourage and reward hard work and productivity, and insist on a culture fostering loyalty and teamwork.
Turnover is a major issue with these folks, but I know it can vary based on the specific type of business. Fundamentally, the higher-paying and hardest-to-get jobs almost never turn over, because those who are lucky enough to land them hang on for dear life. But most companies don't offer those types of jobs.
There's a strong feeling of entitlement among American workers in general these days. HR people I work with tell me that, especially people of color, expect to be given preference for the best openings regardless of their qualifications. They are often hostile to supervisors who ask them for a little more effort or to perform a task they don't like. They feel entitled to take a day off whenever they like, without consequence even if they fail to call.
There are plenty of applicants who ask for higher-paying supervisory, managerial, or professional positions they have absolutely no qualifications to perform. Somehow these people get the idea that they are owed these positions, maybe because of perceived past discrimination or maybe because there has been such a recent trend of giving preferences to employee classes. They reason that, even though they have no knowledge or experience in that management position, they can simply have their departmental employees teach them about the job. What a strange idea.
Don't assume that employers are without blame in these situations. They like to play games to keep their payrolls low, from hiring illegals; to classifying employees as part-time to avoid providing benefits but then scheduling them for 40 hours every week; to paying the lowest possible hourly wage; to cheating employees of work breaks and overtime; to many other little tricks that constantly seek a few more dollars on the corporate bottom line (and the manager's bonus) on the backs of the front line employees. And HR department people deplore and fight against these practices, albeit unsuccessfully.
The basic trends today are that corporate managers consider their front-line employees to be commodities, and don't view them as assets to leverage for their company's success. Front-line employees in turn pick up quickly on this attitude and develop their own version of the attitude of getting over on management by receiving the highest possible compensation for the least possible effort.
I've recently begun to wonder whether there are any great companies left out there. Companies who recognize the value of motivated and dedicated employees, and the high cost of turnover. Companies who take care of employees' needs by paying good salaries, providing quality benefits, and sharing profits to foster a culture of teamwork and loyalty. Companies who focus on efficiencies and productivity rather than constantly scheming to squeeze more dollars from their workers.
If by some miracle my tiny little company were to grow into a decent-sized operation, what I can guarantee is that I will never forget these lessons: Treat every employee as an individual asset, encourage and reward hard work and productivity, and insist on a culture fostering loyalty and teamwork.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Excellence
My flight arrived in Indy a couple of hours before Tim was ready to be picked up (he decided to come home for the weekend). So I had time to kill, and decided to check out the NCAA Hall of Champions.
The place isn't really all that exciting. Two floors of mostly static exhibits, with about three different video presentations and a couple of basic interactive things. Plus a recreation of an old-time Indiana basketball (half) court where you can shoot some hoops.
I did it all. I watched all the videos, read all the exhibits, tried out the interactive stuff, and shot a few baskets. There was a local elementary school class finishing up a tour when I got there, but they were gone within a few minutes and I had the entire place to myself.
Although the museum itself was generally forgettable, reading and watching everything about college athletes did get me thinking. The idea of excellence, that if you are talented enough, smart enough, and work hard enough, you just might be able to become a champion in your sport and in your life.
There was a passing reference in the exhibits to the sort of sacrifice collegiate athletes make to be able to perform at a high level and still do well in their coursework. It's too bad about the fact that too many of the marquee athletes aren't really students at all, but just underpaid PR for the University giving them a free ride at the school but meaningless classes to keep them eligible.
Excellence isn't defined by the world-class basketball player who goes pro after 2 years in a college, where he still never learned to read or multiply two single-digit numbers. Instead, excellence is defined by the athlete in any sport who did all he or she could to help their team earn a national championship while pulling down good grades in a challenging academic program.
For myself, it is not without a little regret that I look back over a life that did not include much that could be called excellence. In high school, rather than making sure I got plenty of off-season workouts to gain strength and speed and endurance to make me a better football and basketball player, I would come home at the end of long summer days working for my Dad in construction and collapse. Or I would go out with friends looking for fun. When I should have been going to the summer conditioning program at the school, or down to the park to join the pick-up basketball games with the other members of the team.
When preseason two-a-days for football came around, I made sure I was around the middle of the pack in the constant 40-yard sprints. I cheated on the conditioning drills, resting when the coach wasn't watching, or lifting a lower weight to make things easier on myself. The attitude I held was that I needed to "pace myself" for a long conditioning session, so I still had something left in the tank by the end. I never took to heart the importance of conditioning, and in hindsight that's why I didn't achieve the success I wanted. The knee injuries that hampered my high school football career and ended my basketball career may have been prevented had I taken my conditioning more seriously.
There were the hours upon hours year-round that I spent on indoor and outdoor basketball courts trying to perfect my shooting touch. But even those hours were spent haphazardly, just shooting for enjoyment without a structured regimen that would really hone the ball-handling, agility, and footwork skills that the game requires.
The wisdom of age brings those regrets, not because I think I could have been some sort of superstar player; but because I cheated myself of what could be memories of a much more productive and satisfying experience. Plus, I have no doubt today that, had I been more focused back then, my class full of very talented basketball players could have gone much further in the state tournament my senior year. As it turned out, a tired group of my senior classmates lost in the sectional final to a less talented team after a huge but exhausting win over the third-ranked state power in the semifinal. I wasn't even on the team anymore, partly because of my knee injury, but mostly because I walked off the team out of frustration and dislike of the coach.
On to today, how can I apply what my aging wisdom and perspective has given me? I think at this point, I need to strive for excellence in everything I do. Being in business for myself, that approach may not bring immediate results, but should over time directly lead to greater success.
Who knows, maybe I can get back into decent enough shape to return to the game I love in a senior league. A good goal, I think, might be to actually join an old man's basketball team by next winter. As I consider the possibility, I almost get excited.
One day at a time. Lord willing, I may find excellence someday after all.
The place isn't really all that exciting. Two floors of mostly static exhibits, with about three different video presentations and a couple of basic interactive things. Plus a recreation of an old-time Indiana basketball (half) court where you can shoot some hoops.
I did it all. I watched all the videos, read all the exhibits, tried out the interactive stuff, and shot a few baskets. There was a local elementary school class finishing up a tour when I got there, but they were gone within a few minutes and I had the entire place to myself.
Although the museum itself was generally forgettable, reading and watching everything about college athletes did get me thinking. The idea of excellence, that if you are talented enough, smart enough, and work hard enough, you just might be able to become a champion in your sport and in your life.
There was a passing reference in the exhibits to the sort of sacrifice collegiate athletes make to be able to perform at a high level and still do well in their coursework. It's too bad about the fact that too many of the marquee athletes aren't really students at all, but just underpaid PR for the University giving them a free ride at the school but meaningless classes to keep them eligible.
Excellence isn't defined by the world-class basketball player who goes pro after 2 years in a college, where he still never learned to read or multiply two single-digit numbers. Instead, excellence is defined by the athlete in any sport who did all he or she could to help their team earn a national championship while pulling down good grades in a challenging academic program.
For myself, it is not without a little regret that I look back over a life that did not include much that could be called excellence. In high school, rather than making sure I got plenty of off-season workouts to gain strength and speed and endurance to make me a better football and basketball player, I would come home at the end of long summer days working for my Dad in construction and collapse. Or I would go out with friends looking for fun. When I should have been going to the summer conditioning program at the school, or down to the park to join the pick-up basketball games with the other members of the team.
When preseason two-a-days for football came around, I made sure I was around the middle of the pack in the constant 40-yard sprints. I cheated on the conditioning drills, resting when the coach wasn't watching, or lifting a lower weight to make things easier on myself. The attitude I held was that I needed to "pace myself" for a long conditioning session, so I still had something left in the tank by the end. I never took to heart the importance of conditioning, and in hindsight that's why I didn't achieve the success I wanted. The knee injuries that hampered my high school football career and ended my basketball career may have been prevented had I taken my conditioning more seriously.
There were the hours upon hours year-round that I spent on indoor and outdoor basketball courts trying to perfect my shooting touch. But even those hours were spent haphazardly, just shooting for enjoyment without a structured regimen that would really hone the ball-handling, agility, and footwork skills that the game requires.
The wisdom of age brings those regrets, not because I think I could have been some sort of superstar player; but because I cheated myself of what could be memories of a much more productive and satisfying experience. Plus, I have no doubt today that, had I been more focused back then, my class full of very talented basketball players could have gone much further in the state tournament my senior year. As it turned out, a tired group of my senior classmates lost in the sectional final to a less talented team after a huge but exhausting win over the third-ranked state power in the semifinal. I wasn't even on the team anymore, partly because of my knee injury, but mostly because I walked off the team out of frustration and dislike of the coach.
On to today, how can I apply what my aging wisdom and perspective has given me? I think at this point, I need to strive for excellence in everything I do. Being in business for myself, that approach may not bring immediate results, but should over time directly lead to greater success.
Who knows, maybe I can get back into decent enough shape to return to the game I love in a senior league. A good goal, I think, might be to actually join an old man's basketball team by next winter. As I consider the possibility, I almost get excited.
One day at a time. Lord willing, I may find excellence someday after all.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
I've Been Everywhere, Man
There's that commercial that's been playing recently with Johnny Cash singing "I've been everywhere", and Chris likes to say, "That's you, Dad".
It's true, all those places Johnny Cash rattles off in the song are places I've been too. I've been in every major city in the US, most of the lower Canadian provinces, and of course the odd other country. I've visited every US state except Alaska, Idaho, and Vermont. Sometimes people ask me what it's like to travel so much.
What I like about all the traveling I've done:
First, people everywhere are, at their core, pretty much the same. No matter where I go, I find mostly nice, mostly friendly folks who aren't really all that different from everybody else. Sure, New Yorkers are the rudest, Southern Californians and San Franciscans the strangest, Midwesterners the most taciturn, Texans the friendliest, Southeasterners the most laid back and easygoing, Indians the most family and heritage-oriented (but not very motivated), and Canadians the most, hmm, hockey-obsessed? But everyone is the same in their desire to make the best lives they can for themselves and their families.
Second, of all the places I've visited, my home is still where I consider one of the best places anywhere to live and raise kids. I find that the really attractive places, where the weather is great and there's plenty to see and do, have been overwhelmed by so many people who choose to live there that they're too crowded for me to be comfortable. But the most rural areas tend to be so poor that they have very little to offer in family life and education for the children. So I'm convinced that you can't do much better, in terms of a place that's affordable, relatively safe, with OK schools, but with plenty to do (at least in Indy), than right where I live in Indiana. Or my hometown in another part of Indiana.
Well, gotta go. At least tonight I have some people to meet for dinner, so I don't have to hang out alone in my hotel working and watching television.
It's true, all those places Johnny Cash rattles off in the song are places I've been too. I've been in every major city in the US, most of the lower Canadian provinces, and of course the odd other country. I've visited every US state except Alaska, Idaho, and Vermont. Sometimes people ask me what it's like to travel so much.
What I like about all the traveling I've done:
- Meeting new people
- Learning to place people by their "accent"
- First Class
- Good books that make long plane rides shorter
- Getting upgraded to Premium Class rental cars
- Beaches
- Moutains
- Going to rodeos, baseball, football, or basketball games in whatever city I'm in
- The occasional dinner in a place like Ruth's Chris or Morton's or other highbrow steak houses
- Wandering around the Vegas Strip
- Nice hotel rooms, especially suites
- Good days at work
- Trying local cuisine
- Visiting local museums, parks, malls, attractions, etc.
- Getting travel-worn, jet-lagged
- Flight delays and cancellations
- 3 hours of sleep before the big morning meeting
- Fleabag hotels
- Loneliness
- Missing kids' events
- Spending very little time with my family
- Inability to create or sustain close friendships
- Cramped seats in coach and on puddle-jumpers
- Having my knees bruised when the passenger in front of me reclines hard into them
- Sullen, uncaring airline employees
- Dinner alone in a restaurant
- Getting sick away from home
- No irons in the hotel for my rumpled clothes
- Missed flights, missed connections
- Rental cars breaking down
- Botched airline, hotel, and rental car reservations
First, people everywhere are, at their core, pretty much the same. No matter where I go, I find mostly nice, mostly friendly folks who aren't really all that different from everybody else. Sure, New Yorkers are the rudest, Southern Californians and San Franciscans the strangest, Midwesterners the most taciturn, Texans the friendliest, Southeasterners the most laid back and easygoing, Indians the most family and heritage-oriented (but not very motivated), and Canadians the most, hmm, hockey-obsessed? But everyone is the same in their desire to make the best lives they can for themselves and their families.
Second, of all the places I've visited, my home is still where I consider one of the best places anywhere to live and raise kids. I find that the really attractive places, where the weather is great and there's plenty to see and do, have been overwhelmed by so many people who choose to live there that they're too crowded for me to be comfortable. But the most rural areas tend to be so poor that they have very little to offer in family life and education for the children. So I'm convinced that you can't do much better, in terms of a place that's affordable, relatively safe, with OK schools, but with plenty to do (at least in Indy), than right where I live in Indiana. Or my hometown in another part of Indiana.
Well, gotta go. At least tonight I have some people to meet for dinner, so I don't have to hang out alone in my hotel working and watching television.
Monday, September 12, 2005
The UP
So I'm working in that part of Michigan known as the "UP", or Upper Peninsula, in case you didn't already know. It's a very rural place and seems generally poor and depressed. It looks like copper mining used to be their main industry, but those are pretty much gone. I understand there are still some iron mines around, though.
I think the people I work with are semi-serious when they tell me just about everybody who lives in this area has worked for the casino at one time or another. Interesting thing about Indian casinos that are actually run by the tribe - they have their own pace. Very slow. That's OK, I don't mind. Slow isn't bad now and then.
My hotel is right on Keweenaw Bay, part of Lake Superior. That's not a bad view. I hear you can see the Aurora Borealis here at night; I'll have to make a point to go outside if it clears up this week to check that out. And there's a little ski resort and college (Michigan Tech) about 30 miles away. Somebody mentioned taking me snowmobiling this winter, which might be fun.
Try this link. Some pictures from the family gathering Labor Day weekend. They don't all seem to be on the CD, which I've got to check on when I get home.
I think the people I work with are semi-serious when they tell me just about everybody who lives in this area has worked for the casino at one time or another. Interesting thing about Indian casinos that are actually run by the tribe - they have their own pace. Very slow. That's OK, I don't mind. Slow isn't bad now and then.
My hotel is right on Keweenaw Bay, part of Lake Superior. That's not a bad view. I hear you can see the Aurora Borealis here at night; I'll have to make a point to go outside if it clears up this week to check that out. And there's a little ski resort and college (Michigan Tech) about 30 miles away. Somebody mentioned taking me snowmobiling this winter, which might be fun.
Try this link. Some pictures from the family gathering Labor Day weekend. They don't all seem to be on the CD, which I've got to check on when I get home.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Monday, September 05, 2005
Hunkered Down
The peak of allergy season has arrived, and seems as tough as ever. Just going outside for a few minutes gets me started, so I'm avoiding the outdoors. Too bad, because it's a beautiful weekend. I just came into the office for a couple of hours, mainly to get email and check out some Katrina relief sites.
Had a nice visit in Goshen, a rare event where almost everybody showed up. It was cool to see the cousins together for the weekend, and brought back memories of when they were smaller and we all gathered more often.
We're offering to bring home a displaced family from the Katrina area. I'm not sure how that will go, but we do have the space. We'll see.
There could be plenty more to write about, but none of it fit for consumption by anybody close.
Had a nice visit in Goshen, a rare event where almost everybody showed up. It was cool to see the cousins together for the weekend, and brought back memories of when they were smaller and we all gathered more often.
We're offering to bring home a displaced family from the Katrina area. I'm not sure how that will go, but we do have the space. We'll see.
There could be plenty more to write about, but none of it fit for consumption by anybody close.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Funny Quote
Saw this quote and thought it was hilarious.
"Saturday will not play Friday", Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy said.
"Saturday will not play Friday", Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy said.
Difficult Decisions
Every now and then something comes along that is tempting.
There are many times when I think it would be very nice to just leave the business and take one of those tempting opportunities, thinking about all the positives: Actual benefits, nice salary, great fit with my skills and experience, stability and predictability, working in the office with people every day, and a place I could probably stay until I'm ready to retire.
But the downsides give me pause as well. The business isn't doing all that badly, and even though I'm not making what I will by taking a job, it's going up fairly steadily. I like Columbus, but admit that I don't like the house and can't afford the remodeling to make it acceptable right now. Plus we've been here 11, going on 12 years, and the roots have gone pretty deep, at least for Claudia.
On the other hand, I've never really found true friends here, at least that fit my definition of friends. The nature of my work and business, living on a farm out nowhere, concentrating more on the kids and their activities, and not really feeling connected with Claudia's homeschool network are all reasons. Plus that it's probably my own fault for not really putting much effort into developing friendships; besides being naturally reserved, I'm also wary and slow to trust others, cynically believing everyone has ulterior motives.
Maybe it wasn't a good idea, but I gave my OK for an interview today. Even though I know Claudia's not going to like the idea of moving. Even though I'm not sure I like the idea either. But this one's pretty attractive, and I might be kicking myself later if I don't at least check it out a little.
Then again, it may go nowhere and I'm overthinking it anyway. We'll see.
There are many times when I think it would be very nice to just leave the business and take one of those tempting opportunities, thinking about all the positives: Actual benefits, nice salary, great fit with my skills and experience, stability and predictability, working in the office with people every day, and a place I could probably stay until I'm ready to retire.
But the downsides give me pause as well. The business isn't doing all that badly, and even though I'm not making what I will by taking a job, it's going up fairly steadily. I like Columbus, but admit that I don't like the house and can't afford the remodeling to make it acceptable right now. Plus we've been here 11, going on 12 years, and the roots have gone pretty deep, at least for Claudia.
On the other hand, I've never really found true friends here, at least that fit my definition of friends. The nature of my work and business, living on a farm out nowhere, concentrating more on the kids and their activities, and not really feeling connected with Claudia's homeschool network are all reasons. Plus that it's probably my own fault for not really putting much effort into developing friendships; besides being naturally reserved, I'm also wary and slow to trust others, cynically believing everyone has ulterior motives.
Maybe it wasn't a good idea, but I gave my OK for an interview today. Even though I know Claudia's not going to like the idea of moving. Even though I'm not sure I like the idea either. But this one's pretty attractive, and I might be kicking myself later if I don't at least check it out a little.
Then again, it may go nowhere and I'm overthinking it anyway. We'll see.
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