Well, we all know now that December 21 has passed by, and our world is still very much here. We've enjoyed a Merry Christmas, and a new year is just hours away.
It is a blessing to have another beginning, another chance to do good things in life. In that spirit, the old subtitle of this blog that portended EOTW is now permanently replaced with the current edition.
The bad news is that there is still much volatility in the world, and we don't need to look very far to see the signs. The tragedy at Sandy Hook is one example. I'm sure there are plenty of folks who quietly believe the world as we know it may be better off gone in the long run. And, just because we have completed one b'ak'tun and started another does not mean that existential threats vanish.
I want, for a little while, anyway, to treat this calendar transition the way the Maya might: as a period of celebration. I leave this blog now and prepare to launch the next one. Perhaps 2013 will provide more time for me to reflect and write, and perhaps not. I hope that 2013 continues to give me the opportunity to try simple, new things, the way I did nearly every day of 2012. I am grateful that I have this opportunity at all!
Oh, and there will be a few more updates to come as I finish up some of the unfinished business of this busy year.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Alas, poor Hostess (sigh)
Is there any greater sign of EOTW than the demise of Hostess? We had clues of the end earlier in the year, but they didn't prepare us for the actual hurt. Nor did they make me act fast enough. By the time I went shopping a few days after the closing announcement, the only Hostess product on the supermarket shelves was mini blueberry muffins. And I was glad to have them.
Not to worry, I will not be denied my Twinkies. I bid on and won a lot of 50 of the delightful cakes on eBay. Look, clearly I'm not the only one with this plan!
Enough Twinkie talk. I have a turkey to brine.
Not to worry, I will not be denied my Twinkies. I bid on and won a lot of 50 of the delightful cakes on eBay. Look, clearly I'm not the only one with this plan!
Enough Twinkie talk. I have a turkey to brine.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
House of cards
In previous posts, I have brought up a few concepts of the destruction of civilization, such as space phenomena or epidemics.
Now it's time to get serious.
I happen to subscribe to the view that the greatest existential threat to civilized life as we know it in these United States is fiscal. That is to say, our national debt in excess of $16 trillion is analogous to a person being morbidly obese. It is simply a catastrophe waiting to happen. Perhaps December is when the government defaults, and EOTW gets underway...
But can't you and I help this situation?
So far this year donors have gifted 7.7 million dollars toward payment of the national debt, and today I gave a dollar through Pay.gov.
But let's get serious again. The U.S. National Debt is accruing about $10,000 per second at the pace of the this debt clock. That's $1 million dollars in 100 seconds, or $7.7 million dollars in 13 minutes.
In case you don't get what I am trying to say, let me be blunt. Your money gifted to the Treasury for debt reduction is wasted money. Don't throw your money on a debt that has an upward trajectory of $10,000 per second. Clearly, something much bigger needs to happen to slow and eventually reverse that trajectory.
The hard truth is that our federal taxes have no where to go but up, probably significantly up. And "our" taxes means all of us, not just the richest, and not just the dummies who voluntarily give gifts to the Treasury though the internet. Tax increases are how the government is going to eventually collect your payment toward the debt. It won't be very long now; my guess is within 2 decades.
My advice to anyone out there who cares: here is what you should do while you are waiting for your tax burden to increase.
On that last point, I am quite pleased to announce that I have accomplished the elimination of my credit card balance, per the terms of my original debt mission. I promised that when this mission was complete I would reveal the numbers behind the mission, so here they are.
$19,800 debt / 11 months = $1,800 per month.
$1,800 is more than my monthly mortgage payment. That I paid more than double my mortgage each month should say something about the tight finances I dealt with this year. It is good to be finished with this.
Now it's time to get serious.
I happen to subscribe to the view that the greatest existential threat to civilized life as we know it in these United States is fiscal. That is to say, our national debt in excess of $16 trillion is analogous to a person being morbidly obese. It is simply a catastrophe waiting to happen. Perhaps December is when the government defaults, and EOTW gets underway...
But can't you and I help this situation?
So far this year donors have gifted 7.7 million dollars toward payment of the national debt, and today I gave a dollar through Pay.gov.
But let's get serious again. The U.S. National Debt is accruing about $10,000 per second at the pace of the this debt clock. That's $1 million dollars in 100 seconds, or $7.7 million dollars in 13 minutes.
In case you don't get what I am trying to say, let me be blunt. Your money gifted to the Treasury for debt reduction is wasted money. Don't throw your money on a debt that has an upward trajectory of $10,000 per second. Clearly, something much bigger needs to happen to slow and eventually reverse that trajectory.
The hard truth is that our federal taxes have no where to go but up, probably significantly up. And "our" taxes means all of us, not just the richest, and not just the dummies who voluntarily give gifts to the Treasury though the internet. Tax increases are how the government is going to eventually collect your payment toward the debt. It won't be very long now; my guess is within 2 decades.
My advice to anyone out there who cares: here is what you should do while you are waiting for your tax burden to increase.
- Watch films such as I.O.U.S.A.
- Read books such as Endgame
- Become a voice for federal fiscal responsibility
- Most importantly: pay off your own personal debts
On that last point, I am quite pleased to announce that I have accomplished the elimination of my credit card balance, per the terms of my original debt mission. I promised that when this mission was complete I would reveal the numbers behind the mission, so here they are.
$19,800 debt / 11 months = $1,800 per month.
$1,800 is more than my monthly mortgage payment. That I paid more than double my mortgage each month should say something about the tight finances I dealt with this year. It is good to be finished with this.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Mission Updates
So how have I been doing on my Bucket Missions? Pretty mediocre.
I am currently watching season 2 of Star Trek Voyager, and am over 65% complete in the video mission but I'll have to admit defeat. Even to reach the end of Voyager before December 21 would be a major undertaking at this stage, but that modified goal is what I will now attempt to finish.
Moving on to my health missions, I did not schedule a 5K run in which I could receive an official time under 30 minutes. But here's the rub: I did run my first ever half marathon at the end of September and although my finish time was underwhelming, according to my NikePlus recorded data of that run, at some point during the run I covered a 5K leg in about 27.5 minutes! Now, I believe the calibration of the sensors are somewhat off and the 27.5 measured a distance a little smaller than 5K, but I believe that the corrected time would still be south of 30 minutes. On a technicality, I completed this mission, but only on a technicality.
On the other hand, the BMI goal was a complete bust. In fact, in training for the half marathon, I actually gained weight. Generally, my love of food made this goal very challenging from the outset. And with Thanksgiving approaching, the prospects of getting this going in the right direction again are not good at all.
The food mission is also dismal. I only visited 4 of 20 restaurants on the list and chances are not very good to get to another one before EOTW. Most of the restaurants are simply too far, and I would have needed to plan some special multi-day travel to visit them, so I never expected to complete this mission. I did think I'd go well north of 4, though! I take a little solace in the fact that I am sure that I paid a first visit at least 16 restaurants in my local area that were not on the list. Some of the memorable ones include: Ted's Montana Grill, Sichuan Gourmet, Mayuri and Tropical Cafe.
My debt mission gives me a result to breathe much easier about. I have indeed made 10 of 11 payments on what I would describe as a substantial credit card debt and I am in line to finish that goal before December 21. Unfortunately, I will not be completely credit debt free at the end, because I did am now carrying a smaller balance on a different card that is part of a plan to refinance my mortgage within the next few weeks.
In order to assist my original credit card mission, I had hoped to sell off $2,500 worth of possessions. I am considerably short of that goal at present, and hence I've needed to dip into my savings to finish the credit card mission. This is not ideal, but I guess I am not going to need those savings for much longer :-)
I wouldn't describe my spending habits this year as overly frugal, but I did accomplish my monthly expense goal of reducing my expense budget by at least $400 per month. I was at $300 per month by the end of March, so this goal was well on track.
I am currently watching season 2 of Star Trek Voyager, and am over 65% complete in the video mission but I'll have to admit defeat. Even to reach the end of Voyager before December 21 would be a major undertaking at this stage, but that modified goal is what I will now attempt to finish.
Moving on to my health missions, I did not schedule a 5K run in which I could receive an official time under 30 minutes. But here's the rub: I did run my first ever half marathon at the end of September and although my finish time was underwhelming, according to my NikePlus recorded data of that run, at some point during the run I covered a 5K leg in about 27.5 minutes! Now, I believe the calibration of the sensors are somewhat off and the 27.5 measured a distance a little smaller than 5K, but I believe that the corrected time would still be south of 30 minutes. On a technicality, I completed this mission, but only on a technicality.
On the other hand, the BMI goal was a complete bust. In fact, in training for the half marathon, I actually gained weight. Generally, my love of food made this goal very challenging from the outset. And with Thanksgiving approaching, the prospects of getting this going in the right direction again are not good at all.
The food mission is also dismal. I only visited 4 of 20 restaurants on the list and chances are not very good to get to another one before EOTW. Most of the restaurants are simply too far, and I would have needed to plan some special multi-day travel to visit them, so I never expected to complete this mission. I did think I'd go well north of 4, though! I take a little solace in the fact that I am sure that I paid a first visit at least 16 restaurants in my local area that were not on the list. Some of the memorable ones include: Ted's Montana Grill, Sichuan Gourmet, Mayuri and Tropical Cafe.
My debt mission gives me a result to breathe much easier about. I have indeed made 10 of 11 payments on what I would describe as a substantial credit card debt and I am in line to finish that goal before December 21. Unfortunately, I will not be completely credit debt free at the end, because I did am now carrying a smaller balance on a different card that is part of a plan to refinance my mortgage within the next few weeks.
In order to assist my original credit card mission, I had hoped to sell off $2,500 worth of possessions. I am considerably short of that goal at present, and hence I've needed to dip into my savings to finish the credit card mission. This is not ideal, but I guess I am not going to need those savings for much longer :-)
I wouldn't describe my spending habits this year as overly frugal, but I did accomplish my monthly expense goal of reducing my expense budget by at least $400 per month. I was at $300 per month by the end of March, so this goal was well on track.
Fall weekend
After another long hiatus, I return to this blog on a perfect fall weekend -- clear skies and temperatures in the 60s. One could never imagine that we are about 40 days from EOTW! Fall has always been my favorite season in New England, and, outside of Hurricane Sandy, this year has been fabulous.
11/10
A fabulous day for a 4.5 mile walk on the local rail trail -- I've mainly walked, not run, since my half marathon of September 30. Today I walked to the Marlborough/Hudson town line, enjoying the unique aroma of the fall leaves along the trail, and the crunch underfoot.
Not very far away though, in New York and New Jersey, there are many who are still enduring the devastation brought on by Hurricane Sandy. My town got off comparatively lightly this time. Hurricane Irene from last year had greater impact.
My company has been active in donating to the disaster relief effort and I made sure today to donate to the Red Cross and use my company's online matching funds tool.
11/11
Browncoat veterans rejoice! On this Veterans Day the Science cable network is hosting a reunion of cast and crew of Firefly called "Browncoats Unite." The show is preceded by an airing of the entire short-lived series, which I already own on blu-ray, so I will skip out on the marathon.
It's fitting that Firefly gets a nod in my blog. Were it not for my Star Trek mission, there are many other programs I would have spent time with this year, and I'm sure Firefly would have been high on the list for a repeat viewing. Walking Dead would also have been a major contender, and a thematically relevant one to boot!
On a serious note, special appreciation to US veterans and active duty military personnel -- your efforts do help preserve the peace and freedom we enjoy at home!
11/10
A fabulous day for a 4.5 mile walk on the local rail trail -- I've mainly walked, not run, since my half marathon of September 30. Today I walked to the Marlborough/Hudson town line, enjoying the unique aroma of the fall leaves along the trail, and the crunch underfoot.
Not very far away though, in New York and New Jersey, there are many who are still enduring the devastation brought on by Hurricane Sandy. My town got off comparatively lightly this time. Hurricane Irene from last year had greater impact.
My company has been active in donating to the disaster relief effort and I made sure today to donate to the Red Cross and use my company's online matching funds tool.
11/11
Browncoat veterans rejoice! On this Veterans Day the Science cable network is hosting a reunion of cast and crew of Firefly called "Browncoats Unite." The show is preceded by an airing of the entire short-lived series, which I already own on blu-ray, so I will skip out on the marathon.
It's fitting that Firefly gets a nod in my blog. Were it not for my Star Trek mission, there are many other programs I would have spent time with this year, and I'm sure Firefly would have been high on the list for a repeat viewing. Walking Dead would also have been a major contender, and a thematically relevant one to boot!
On a serious note, special appreciation to US veterans and active duty military personnel -- your efforts do help preserve the peace and freedom we enjoy at home!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Thank God It's Friday the 13th
7/13
I was happy to have a chance to try the Jack Daniels burger at TGIF's one final time -- I love that glaze. And I didn't even need to inquire about what Friday the 13th is like at a TGIF's, since the bar staff was buzzing about it. I asked my bartender what time the crazies start coming in and he said, "I don't know, but I get off at nine o'clock and I'm not sticking around to find out."
That evening, I started my horror movie mini-marathon: Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow followed by cult classic Children of the Corn. Although this is the last Friday the 13th ever, we still have the build up to the last Halloween for more spooky fun to come...
I was happy to have a chance to try the Jack Daniels burger at TGIF's one final time -- I love that glaze. And I didn't even need to inquire about what Friday the 13th is like at a TGIF's, since the bar staff was buzzing about it. I asked my bartender what time the crazies start coming in and he said, "I don't know, but I get off at nine o'clock and I'm not sticking around to find out."
That evening, I started my horror movie mini-marathon: Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow followed by cult classic Children of the Corn. Although this is the last Friday the 13th ever, we still have the build up to the last Halloween for more spooky fun to come...
Burger Digest
7/5 Today I tried Wendy's "W" cheeseburger -- pretty good simple cheeseburger fare. I wanted to try their new signature sides, but I didn't see them on the menu in the partiucular store I went to.
7/6 My colleagues and I went to the headquarters for lunch today. It was a great day for that since half the company is on vacation this week. No lines in the cafeteria. I ate the standard Angus cheeseburger.
Movie night tonight: 2010 Repo Men. Now, even your replacement body parts aren't safe!
7/7 Even Papa Gino's makes burgers. I had the American Classic -- not bad at all, although they put mayo on it. I feel like mayo is a more recent addition to burger condiments, at least in my neck of the woods. I like mayo on burgers, I guess, but it gets me thinking back to how profusely Bruce Willis complained about it in The Whole Nine Yards.
7/8 To welcome my sister-in-law to the States, I threw some meats on the grill: kielbasa, ham steak, and Bubba Angus burgers. I ended up eating my burger plain with one slice of cheddar cheese and it was really good!
7/9 Yesterday's burger reminded me of Five Guys, so naturally that's where I had to go today. Sadly, they messed up my order: they left off the bacon and jalapeno. The resulting burger was still yummy, but I wonder if they're losing their touch.
In work news, I finally had the chance to install and play with Eclipse Juno a little.
7/10 It was a great day to be in Boston and to ride along with my sister-in-law on the duck boat tour. Before that though we decided to eat lunch in the Prudential Center's food court. That's where I tried what is easily the worst burger that I've had this month so far. The name of the counter was called Flamers, and I do not recommend it.
7/11 I'd been thinking about how to insert a chili burger into my challenge schedule. I'm pretty sure I've never had one though I've had chili dogs many times. It seems wishes have a way of working themselves out eventually. At the 42 cafeteria today their special entrée was hand formed burgers with a variety of toppings including chili, so you know when I had for lunch!
7/12 It was a beautiful day so I walked up the street to the Marathon restaurant for lunch with a few colleagues. They've just introduced their new menu but thankfully their burger recipe hasn't changed. Still the same great toasted buttery bun. Their french fries were a disappointment and due to a timing snafu, they came after the burger.
Caught the first 6 episode season of a Britcom called "Inbetweeners" tonight on Netflix. I love the short seasons of British television; so easy to absorb.
7/14 The Carolina BBQ burger from Burger King. I should mention about now that my stomach is really feeling interesting. Yeah, this is the first time I'm really thinking about the prospect of not completing this challenge -- we'll see in a few more days.
A Family 4th
I had entertained the notion of going somewhere interesting and special for the final Fourth of July this year, but when you get right down to it, isn't a great to spend America's birthday with your family?
7/3
At lunch today some colleagues and I tried out Ted's Montana Grill, where they specialize in both beef and buffalo. I think we all tried buffalo burgers and they really live up to the expectations. Don't ask me if I ever plan to spend $16 on a burger again, though.
Naturally, our lunchtime conversation centered around buffalo and one guy brought up the Simpsons episode where they take a trip across the country chasing and killing all the buffalo along the way. So I thought for sure that I needed to find that episode on Netflix tonight, only problem is that the Simpsons are not on Netflix. I must be going crazy because I thought for certain the Simpsons were available, but it must have been a case of confusing it with another animated series...
Anyway, it turns out in the middle of the afternoon I made the decision to take Marcie that evening to see the fireworks program at the Old Sturbridge Village with her cousin and aunt and grandmother. Well worth it!
7/4
The Fourth of July started off with some rain showers, but turned into a great day. Marcie and I headed back to the grandparents' house for a little grilling and water games. I supplied onion soup marinated burgers with baby Swiss cheese, a combo I really like...
That evening, I embarked upon an editorial project involving a family member, and that's probably all I'm allowed to say about it in this blog! I'm pretty late getting started on the project, and I hope to have it wrapped up before this month's end.
7/3
At lunch today some colleagues and I tried out Ted's Montana Grill, where they specialize in both beef and buffalo. I think we all tried buffalo burgers and they really live up to the expectations. Don't ask me if I ever plan to spend $16 on a burger again, though.
Naturally, our lunchtime conversation centered around buffalo and one guy brought up the Simpsons episode where they take a trip across the country chasing and killing all the buffalo along the way. So I thought for sure that I needed to find that episode on Netflix tonight, only problem is that the Simpsons are not on Netflix. I must be going crazy because I thought for certain the Simpsons were available, but it must have been a case of confusing it with another animated series...
Anyway, it turns out in the middle of the afternoon I made the decision to take Marcie that evening to see the fireworks program at the Old Sturbridge Village with her cousin and aunt and grandmother. Well worth it!
7/4
The Fourth of July started off with some rain showers, but turned into a great day. Marcie and I headed back to the grandparents' house for a little grilling and water games. I supplied onion soup marinated burgers with baby Swiss cheese, a combo I really like...
That evening, I embarked upon an editorial project involving a family member, and that's probably all I'm allowed to say about it in this blog! I'm pretty late getting started on the project, and I hope to have it wrapped up before this month's end.
Monday, July 2, 2012
My Blog, Since 2012
Audience survey question of the day: at what point is it acceptable to use the word "Since" with your company or product? For example, the Goldenberg's Peanut Chews were marked "Since 1917," a pretty great accomplishment having a viable product for nearly 100 years. When I see the word "Since" used in this manner I smile and think back to my time in Korea, where some shops would label their signs with a year 1 or 2 years prior. As in "Since 1995" in 1996. Remembering how quickly businesses would turn over in the trendy spots in Seoul, I suppose there is something to said for making it for one year.
Burger Challenge Update: Ate the Kain Steakhouse burger at Bugaboo Creek in Milford. My first time to Bugaboo Creek since a colleague and I discovered the North Shore Mall branch was closed. It's getting harder to find them in Massachusetts...
Love on the Holodeck
7/1
The 3rd season TNG episode "Booby Trap" doesn't stand out particularly from the others, but I thought I'd remark on LaForge's subplot. In the beginning, we see our charming Chief Engineer striking out with a lovely colleague within a beachside simulation on the holodeck. Not being popular with the girls -- well that's something most any nerd can confirm. Later in the episode, when the Enterprise is snared in a radiation booby trap and it is up to Geordi to figure out how to configure the engines to escape, he enlists the help of a holographic representation of one of the early designers of warp engines, who just so happens to be an attractive woman named Dr. Leah Brahms. And, given her area of expertise, a much more suitable match for LaForge than his earlier date. Too bad that she isn't real, because it leads to this exchange at the story's end...
LaForge: Maybe we can do it again some time.
Brahms: I'm with you every day, Geordi. Every time you look at this engine, you're looking at me. Every time you touch it, it's me.
Then they kiss. At this moment, I felt my gorge rise and began to rethink the episode title "Booby Trap."
Putting aside the humor, the notion of virtual reality is certainly intriguing, and given another few years that we do not have, we would likely see some big breakthroughs in the technology that would perhaps make VR a mainstream commodity. And when that happens, will humans use the technology to fill the gaps in our basic emotional needs, or will we abuse the technology and become sullen addicts, unable to function in the real world outside the holodeck? Star Trek depicts the former, at least aboard the Enterprise. I suppose being a crew member aboard a vessel that explores our galaxy is stimulating work in its own right!
Burger Challenge Update: Started simple with the McDonald's Daily Double. Not bad; like a Big Mac minus the special sauce and sesame seeds and plus tomato. It was small enough that I had enough room for a Dunkin Donuts Roast Beef Bakery Sandwich. Does not qualify for the burger challenge, but I did not want to miss this before it left the stores. Great blend of meat, cheese and horseradish on warm bakery bread.
A Joyous Occasion
6/29
My cousin tied the knot with his lovely bride at the Second Congregational Church of Palmer. Reception followed on the picturesque grounds of Salem Cross Inn with sumptuous prime rib... great to have a chance to see this place one more time before our time is up!
6/30
I finish up the first half of 2012 with a viewing of the animated film 9, which is set in a post-apocalyptic world without surviving humans. That is another wrinkle in this whole EOTW business; perhaps it just means the end of the world for humans, while the rest of the Earth will go on without us. Yes, a distinct possiblilty.
Recommended additional viewing: Life after People, a series which doesn't discuss how humans disappear, rather what happens to all of our creations in the wake of our sudden and total disappearance.
I begin the second half of the year with a food challenge worthy of grill season... I must eat one burger each day for the month of July. As much as possible, try burgers from different establishments or different styles. Yeah, not a challenge worthy of "Man vs. Food", but I can assure you that this is something I have never attempted before, nor would I try it again.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Goodbye Earth Day
Ah yes, what difference a missing comma makes, for the title should read, "Goodbye, Earth Day." Actually, December 21 is "Goodbye Earth Day." :-)
OK, that was lame.
I thought about doing something earthy today, but the rain came in for the first time in weeks, and truth be told, Mother Nature is doing the best thing for the dry earth around my house. My help is not needed today. I'll do something crunchy later, I promise.
Instead, I got a good start on "Running Week." Next Saturday is my 4.5 mile race, and I plan to get immersed! I started my next reading project, Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall. Two chapters in and I already know it's going to be tough to put down!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 22, 243 days remaining
Angel One (Riker takes a Kirk turn with Mistress Beata)
11001001 (The Binars are interesting, but Minuet is captivating)
Too Short A Season (The curious case of Admiral Jameson)
OK, that was lame.
I thought about doing something earthy today, but the rain came in for the first time in weeks, and truth be told, Mother Nature is doing the best thing for the dry earth around my house. My help is not needed today. I'll do something crunchy later, I promise.
Instead, I got a good start on "Running Week." Next Saturday is my 4.5 mile race, and I plan to get immersed! I started my next reading project, Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall. Two chapters in and I already know it's going to be tough to put down!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 22, 243 days remaining
Angel One (Riker takes a Kirk turn with Mistress Beata)
11001001 (The Binars are interesting, but Minuet is captivating)
Too Short A Season (The curious case of Admiral Jameson)
Video Mission Update: 118 / 728 hours = 16.2%
Field day
(April 21)
Today was the day where everything lined up for some outside work! Warm, sunny weekend day, before the much needed rain comes tomorrow. I tuned up the lawnmower and purchased some gas for its first trip around the backyard this season. (The second time the lawn was mowed, though. It's been so dry that sadly the lawn is patchy and limp.)
In the evening, it was time to fire up the grill for the first time of the year! Aside from the teriyaki chicken I tried grilling some mango wedges and served it all up with some long grain rice. (OK, that last one I prepared with the help of Uncle Ben.) A memorable meal!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 21, 244 days remaining
Justice (I wonder how many fans wish Wes were executed?)
The Battle (Picard encounters his old ship, and some induced memories)
Hide and Q (Q tempts Riker)
Haven (A wedding party fitting of Melancholia)
The Big Goodbye (Dixon Hill -- classic holodeck)
Datalore (Data's "evil" twin)
Today was the day where everything lined up for some outside work! Warm, sunny weekend day, before the much needed rain comes tomorrow. I tuned up the lawnmower and purchased some gas for its first trip around the backyard this season. (The second time the lawn was mowed, though. It's been so dry that sadly the lawn is patchy and limp.)
In the evening, it was time to fire up the grill for the first time of the year! Aside from the teriyaki chicken I tried grilling some mango wedges and served it all up with some long grain rice. (OK, that last one I prepared with the help of Uncle Ben.) A memorable meal!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 21, 244 days remaining
Justice (I wonder how many fans wish Wes were executed?)
The Battle (Picard encounters his old ship, and some induced memories)
Hide and Q (Q tempts Riker)
Haven (A wedding party fitting of Melancholia)
The Big Goodbye (Dixon Hill -- classic holodeck)
Datalore (Data's "evil" twin)
Video Mission Update: 115 / 728 hours = 15.8%
Melancholia
(April 20)
In the realm of planetary demises, impact with a large object from space is always high on the list. Do you remember the year when the movie talk was Deep Impact vs. Armageddon?
Today I watched Melancholia, another entry in this series, but definitely an art film as opposed to a scientific presentation; a drama as opposed to an action blockbuster; a Wagneresque opera of a film (and you'll understand my blatant reference right from the first few seconds, if you recognize the score). The visual imagery was lush and appealing while the human characters were intentionally flawed. If I need to condense the message of the film down to one statement it might be this: melancholic people have a better grip on EOTW than we "normal" folks.
Now, I do not have a sustained interest for the opus of Lars von Trier, or for Mr. von Trier himself, but I consider my life richer for having watched Melancholia once before the end. While I don't echo Justine's worldview that humanity deserves to meet its end (or that we are alone in the universe), I do recognize how the Justines of the world might come to that conclusion.
Per the scientific backdrop of the film, the rogue planet Melancholia has approached Earth on a trajectory that kept it hidden behind the Sun until that last days or weeks, and hence was not detected early. Based on a bonus material interview on the DVD, in reality, such a space object would be detected later than an object that was not obscured by the Sun, but we on Earth would still have years of notice, not weeks. (Actually, the amount of time passage in the film is not clear to me, or I do not recall it being overt. It's pretty short.)
I'm not completely discounting a space object collision as the cause of our EOTW, though. Let's check our data twice!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 20, 245 days remaining
Where No One Has Gone Before (Journey to the intersection of space, time and mind.)
Lonely Among Us (Indubitably, Data Holmes!)
In the realm of planetary demises, impact with a large object from space is always high on the list. Do you remember the year when the movie talk was Deep Impact vs. Armageddon?
Today I watched Melancholia, another entry in this series, but definitely an art film as opposed to a scientific presentation; a drama as opposed to an action blockbuster; a Wagneresque opera of a film (and you'll understand my blatant reference right from the first few seconds, if you recognize the score). The visual imagery was lush and appealing while the human characters were intentionally flawed. If I need to condense the message of the film down to one statement it might be this: melancholic people have a better grip on EOTW than we "normal" folks.
Now, I do not have a sustained interest for the opus of Lars von Trier, or for Mr. von Trier himself, but I consider my life richer for having watched Melancholia once before the end. While I don't echo Justine's worldview that humanity deserves to meet its end (or that we are alone in the universe), I do recognize how the Justines of the world might come to that conclusion.
Per the scientific backdrop of the film, the rogue planet Melancholia has approached Earth on a trajectory that kept it hidden behind the Sun until that last days or weeks, and hence was not detected early. Based on a bonus material interview on the DVD, in reality, such a space object would be detected later than an object that was not obscured by the Sun, but we on Earth would still have years of notice, not weeks. (Actually, the amount of time passage in the film is not clear to me, or I do not recall it being overt. It's pretty short.)
I'm not completely discounting a space object collision as the cause of our EOTW, though. Let's check our data twice!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 20, 245 days remaining
Where No One Has Gone Before (Journey to the intersection of space, time and mind.)
Lonely Among Us (Indubitably, Data Holmes!)
Video Mission Update: 109 / 728 hours = 15.0%
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Best Run Ever*
(April 19)
Taking a prompt from my morning telephone conversation with Tom Donovan, this evening I went out and ran a full 5 miles non-stop. My pacing is probably on order of 12 minute miles, 1 hour in total, but I am not certain because once again I goofed up with my measuring (iPod nano using Nike+) and do not have an accurate recording. It figures. Here I have my longest continuous run, and I'm griping afterwards about how I won't be able to transmit the data to my Nike account and have the distance accrue towards my set goals in that program. :-)
You'll just have to take my word for it, but if it makes you feel any better, I'll mark my accomplishment with an asterisk.
A couple of notable things from today's run: first, I did it without music, and I found the ability to just think about other things whiled away the time. I thought of a nice solution to a coding problem from work in the first half of the run! Second, in understanding the topology of the rail trail on which I run, the 2.5 miles out is generally on a decline, which means the 2.5 miles back is generally incline -- a tougher workout. There is one half mile stretch of steep decline (between 1.0 and 1.5 miles) which becomes steep incline on the return (between 3.5 and 4.0 miles). This incline is what I've come to call my "Heartbreak Hill." And yes, this was the first 5-miler that I did not stop running -- not even for Heartbreak Hill.
I really felt the burn in my calves after this run. This is exactly why I can only run every third day; I need the recuperation in between!
Before signing off on this post, I'd like to take a moment to thank my parents for tying the knot on this date some years ago... an event that is quite directly responsible for the existence of this crappy blog! Enjoy! :-)
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 19, 246 days remaining
Taking a prompt from my morning telephone conversation with Tom Donovan, this evening I went out and ran a full 5 miles non-stop. My pacing is probably on order of 12 minute miles, 1 hour in total, but I am not certain because once again I goofed up with my measuring (iPod nano using Nike+) and do not have an accurate recording. It figures. Here I have my longest continuous run, and I'm griping afterwards about how I won't be able to transmit the data to my Nike account and have the distance accrue towards my set goals in that program. :-)
You'll just have to take my word for it, but if it makes you feel any better, I'll mark my accomplishment with an asterisk.
A couple of notable things from today's run: first, I did it without music, and I found the ability to just think about other things whiled away the time. I thought of a nice solution to a coding problem from work in the first half of the run! Second, in understanding the topology of the rail trail on which I run, the 2.5 miles out is generally on a decline, which means the 2.5 miles back is generally incline -- a tougher workout. There is one half mile stretch of steep decline (between 1.0 and 1.5 miles) which becomes steep incline on the return (between 3.5 and 4.0 miles). This incline is what I've come to call my "Heartbreak Hill." And yes, this was the first 5-miler that I did not stop running -- not even for Heartbreak Hill.
I really felt the burn in my calves after this run. This is exactly why I can only run every third day; I need the recuperation in between!
Before signing off on this post, I'd like to take a moment to thank my parents for tying the knot on this date some years ago... an event that is quite directly responsible for the existence of this crappy blog! Enjoy! :-)
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 19, 246 days remaining
Made a credit card payment!
Debt Mission Update: 4 / 11 payments = 36%
A Whale of a Tale
(April 18)
At my first outdoor lunch of the season with my colleagues, the topic turned to the consumption of whale in Japan. I've known for a long time that Japan figures large in the whaling industry, but I never really gave much thought to how they consumed whale meat, so I researched Japan's whale consumption a bit when I got home.
Here's a really interesting summary. What really got my attention was how whale meat accounted for nearly half of all the consumed animal protein in post-WWII Japan, midst a food shortage.
Here's a really interesting summary. What really got my attention was how whale meat accounted for nearly half of all the consumed animal protein in post-WWII Japan, midst a food shortage.
Here's a story about making whale burgers in Hokkaido. The picture looks a lot like a delicious hamburger -- I'd definitely try one of those! I need someone to send be to Japan for a "research" mission. Yeah, that's right.
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 18, 247 days remaining
Code of Honor (Tasha fights to the death)
The Last Outpost (Enter the Ferengi!)
Code of Honor (Tasha fights to the death)
The Last Outpost (Enter the Ferengi!)
Video Mission Update: 107 / 728 hours = 14.7%
Fare Thee Well, Discovery
(April 17)
I caught the live televised final "take-off" of Space Shuttle Discovery, piggybacking on a larger aircraft. It is a fitting year for the Space Shuttle to be retired, and today is a fitting day to begin Star Trek: The Next Generation, as we await the next generation of space exploration from NASA. (They'd better act quickly, though.)
In the episode "Encounter at Farpoint," we have the privilege of encountering the the new Enterprise crew for the first time. We're also treated to lots of fun stuff, such as Q, the holodeck, a couple of space jellyfish, Wes irritating Captain Picard, and a hilarious cameo by Bones McCoy.
In more down-to-earth news, it looks like the business woes of Twinkies are deepening. I made sure to pick up a box of chocolate-filled Twinkies during my shopping trip. Stock up before it's too late!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 17, 248 days remaining
Encounter at Farpoint (Let the new voyages begin!)
The Naked Now (TNG's twist in The Naked Time)
I caught the live televised final "take-off" of Space Shuttle Discovery, piggybacking on a larger aircraft. It is a fitting year for the Space Shuttle to be retired, and today is a fitting day to begin Star Trek: The Next Generation, as we await the next generation of space exploration from NASA. (They'd better act quickly, though.)
In the episode "Encounter at Farpoint," we have the privilege of encountering the the new Enterprise crew for the first time. We're also treated to lots of fun stuff, such as Q, the holodeck, a couple of space jellyfish, Wes irritating Captain Picard, and a hilarious cameo by Bones McCoy.
In more down-to-earth news, it looks like the business woes of Twinkies are deepening. I made sure to pick up a box of chocolate-filled Twinkies during my shopping trip. Stock up before it's too late!
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Apr. 17, 248 days remaining
Encounter at Farpoint (Let the new voyages begin!)
The Naked Now (TNG's twist in The Naked Time)
Video Mission Update: 105 / 728 hours = 14.4%
The Final Boston Marathon
(April 16)
Runners sweated it out in the near-90 degree weather today for the very last Boston Marathon. Which makes it official that I will never run in one of those!
I did have a scheduled run today, but could only muster up a couple of miles. The heat was a factor, but I'm sure the 10 hour drive the day before didn't help things. A woman and I took turns passing each other on the rail trail. I would pass her when she stopped to do a set of push-ups every quarter mile or so; I like that workout strategy -- I think she's getting in shape for the apocalypse!
Question of the day: what do you do when you can't choose between trying the Honeydew Donuts Monte Cristo Sandwich, or Dunkin Donuts Artisan Bagels? You try both, of course! The world's not getting any younger, my friends.
Runners sweated it out in the near-90 degree weather today for the very last Boston Marathon. Which makes it official that I will never run in one of those!
I did have a scheduled run today, but could only muster up a couple of miles. The heat was a factor, but I'm sure the 10 hour drive the day before didn't help things. A woman and I took turns passing each other on the rail trail. I would pass her when she stopped to do a set of push-ups every quarter mile or so; I like that workout strategy -- I think she's getting in shape for the apocalypse!
Question of the day: what do you do when you can't choose between trying the Honeydew Donuts Monte Cristo Sandwich, or Dunkin Donuts Artisan Bagels? You try both, of course! The world's not getting any younger, my friends.
Friday, March 23, 2012
H-Mart
(March 11)
For anyone who has experienced the thrills of shopping in large Korean groceries (basement levels of department stores), H-Mart should feel very familiar. And when a branch opened in Burlington a few years back, it drew instant crowds and has caused the demise of some small Mom and Pop grocery businesses in the region. H-Mart can't be beat for its selection, yet, and that's what it's all about.
Every time we go to H-Mart, I need to come away with some fun product I haven't tried before, and today's choice was the Japanese "Couque D'asses." The cookies are much tastier than the name might suggest, and I direct you to this most excellent anal-ysis.
One thing I did notice right away was that the package described the cookies as "langue de chat," or cat's tongues, so I was compelled to find out what those were. Traditionally, they are oval shaped biscuits, pretty much like one half of a Pepperidge Farms Milano, without the chocolate. And yes, Couque D'asses are not far from Milanos.
(March 12)
Angelica and I had a rare shared ramen meal today, which consisted of another find from yesterday's shopping trip: Shin Ramyun Black. Touted to be a "premium" ramen, our take on it is that we like the original Shin Ramyun better. I think Shin Ramyun Black has a richer and smoother flavor with less heat, and this may in fact appeal to a wider audience; but for those who were raised on original Shin Ramyun, this new stuff is probably not a winner.
For anyone who has experienced the thrills of shopping in large Korean groceries (basement levels of department stores), H-Mart should feel very familiar. And when a branch opened in Burlington a few years back, it drew instant crowds and has caused the demise of some small Mom and Pop grocery businesses in the region. H-Mart can't be beat for its selection, yet, and that's what it's all about.
Every time we go to H-Mart, I need to come away with some fun product I haven't tried before, and today's choice was the Japanese "Couque D'asses." The cookies are much tastier than the name might suggest, and I direct you to this most excellent anal-ysis.
One thing I did notice right away was that the package described the cookies as "langue de chat," or cat's tongues, so I was compelled to find out what those were. Traditionally, they are oval shaped biscuits, pretty much like one half of a Pepperidge Farms Milano, without the chocolate. And yes, Couque D'asses are not far from Milanos.
(March 12)
Angelica and I had a rare shared ramen meal today, which consisted of another find from yesterday's shopping trip: Shin Ramyun Black. Touted to be a "premium" ramen, our take on it is that we like the original Shin Ramyun better. I think Shin Ramyun Black has a richer and smoother flavor with less heat, and this may in fact appeal to a wider audience; but for those who were raised on original Shin Ramyun, this new stuff is probably not a winner.
Simulation at the O.K. Corral
(March 10)
What are the odds that this existence as we know it is one complex simulation? On December 21, will our Earthbound simulation come down for "scheduled maintenance" and "upgrade"?
A lot of my favorite sci-fi deals with this premise. Of course, there is the quintessential Matrix trilogy, but there are abundant other offerings to explore. I'd recommend books such as Neuromancer and Snow Crash, films such as Tron and The Thirteenth Floor, and in the television category, any episodes of Star Trek: TNG that center on the holodeck are fun to watch. Later this year, I should get to watch some of those episodes again, but at the pace I am going right now, I don't know...
Well, this is a great segue into the Star Trek episode "Spectre of the Gun." Kirk and his gang of boys end up "imprisoned" in what turns out later to be a simulation of Tombstone, Arizona on October 26, 1881. The Enterprise guys are baffled that they cannot convince the townsfolk (or the Earps) that they are in fact not the outlaw Clanton gang, and quickly realize that this is the day that several of the gang are meant to be killed in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. It's Spock who eventually realizes the illusion of the reality around them, and, in a very Matrix-like turn, that the bullets can only harm them in their minds.
This episode, as its title suggests fairly well, makes a statement about the legacy of our gun-centric culture. As Kirk points out near the end, for mankind to have reached the stars, they needed to give up the uninhibited impulse to kill each other. Quite in line with the Roddenberry image of a future in which Star Trek can happen!
A final note: seeing this episode reminded me to watch a TV program I recently DVRed: Top 10 Shootouts from the Discovery Channel. Sure enough, O.K. Corral made the list. I really enjoyed how the two experts demonstrated how in many of the gunfights it was the particular choice of gun that made the ultimate difference in the outcome. At O.K. Corral, it was Doc Holliday's short double-barrel shotgun at close range that sealed the victory for the lawmen.
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Mar. 10, 286 days remaining
Is There in Truth No Beauty? (A Medusan: a chest of psychedelic lights.)
Spectre of the Gun (The Earps were the bad guys.)
What are the odds that this existence as we know it is one complex simulation? On December 21, will our Earthbound simulation come down for "scheduled maintenance" and "upgrade"?
A lot of my favorite sci-fi deals with this premise. Of course, there is the quintessential Matrix trilogy, but there are abundant other offerings to explore. I'd recommend books such as Neuromancer and Snow Crash, films such as Tron and The Thirteenth Floor, and in the television category, any episodes of Star Trek: TNG that center on the holodeck are fun to watch. Later this year, I should get to watch some of those episodes again, but at the pace I am going right now, I don't know...
Well, this is a great segue into the Star Trek episode "Spectre of the Gun." Kirk and his gang of boys end up "imprisoned" in what turns out later to be a simulation of Tombstone, Arizona on October 26, 1881. The Enterprise guys are baffled that they cannot convince the townsfolk (or the Earps) that they are in fact not the outlaw Clanton gang, and quickly realize that this is the day that several of the gang are meant to be killed in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. It's Spock who eventually realizes the illusion of the reality around them, and, in a very Matrix-like turn, that the bullets can only harm them in their minds.
This episode, as its title suggests fairly well, makes a statement about the legacy of our gun-centric culture. As Kirk points out near the end, for mankind to have reached the stars, they needed to give up the uninhibited impulse to kill each other. Quite in line with the Roddenberry image of a future in which Star Trek can happen!
A final note: seeing this episode reminded me to watch a TV program I recently DVRed: Top 10 Shootouts from the Discovery Channel. Sure enough, O.K. Corral made the list. I really enjoyed how the two experts demonstrated how in many of the gunfights it was the particular choice of gun that made the ultimate difference in the outcome. At O.K. Corral, it was Doc Holliday's short double-barrel shotgun at close range that sealed the victory for the lawmen.
Drops from My 2012 Bucket: Mar. 10, 286 days remaining
Is There in Truth No Beauty? (A Medusan: a chest of psychedelic lights.)
Spectre of the Gun (The Earps were the bad guys.)
Day of the Dove (Klingons are looking darker in this episode.)
Video Mission Update: 63 / 728 hours = 8.7%
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