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Some pictures from this weekend!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Oh, Gosh.
This is exactly the sort of thing that I truly see people do on a daily basis at the bank.
Monday, October 20, 2008
We are Cat People now
This is the newest member of our our Family. Her name is Bella, and she is very cute. She gives us something to do, and talk about with our friends. We are very happy to have her. Please join us in welcoming her to our family!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Blessings
One of my favorite things to do since we moved to the 46038 is hop in the hot tub (pronounced as one syllable.) As I was crawling in and looking up at the nearly full moon I remembered a similar night a few months ago when Staci and I discussed how fortunate we are. We were, and we are! I am truly happy every day to be married to Staci. We have great friends, family, and church. We are blessed financially, and otherwise.
I wish, however, that these facts were at the forefront of my thinking. I know I often focus on what I don't have rather than what I do, and I believe I am not alone. My prayer for this week will be to shift my focus 180 degrees and just be thankful rather than covetous.
I wish, however, that these facts were at the forefront of my thinking. I know I often focus on what I don't have rather than what I do, and I believe I am not alone. My prayer for this week will be to shift my focus 180 degrees and just be thankful rather than covetous.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Thursday, July 03, 2008
"... with the way the economy is."
"...with the way the economy is." Is becoming the tag line of choice. It
is outrageous. It makes me want to say, "What WAY is the economy?" What
economic indicators are people using to determine the WAY of the economy?
My feeling is most people hear the tag line, and then use it themselves as
a sort of solution to hardship. I want to hear someone say, "I got a great
deal on a computer, with the way the economy is." Or "Interest rates are
at a historic low, thanks to this economy."
I saw a huge headline in a national newspaper that said, "stock market
loses 2.1 (billion or trillion I forget) for the first time since the great
depression. They are trying to pull on the emotion of our thoughts of the
great depression. What they failed to mention is the market as about a 100
times market capitalization as it did 70 years ago. In other words the 2.1
billion (trillion) drop in over all stock value is a drop in the bucket
relatively. I'll listen to what people say about ...with the way the
economy is. when they tell me which way it is, and don't say down. Give me
statistics that tell me my life is qualitiatively worse than it was 4 years
ago. The iphone is 199, I would say my life is quantitatively better!
is outrageous. It makes me want to say, "What WAY is the economy?" What
economic indicators are people using to determine the WAY of the economy?
My feeling is most people hear the tag line, and then use it themselves as
a sort of solution to hardship. I want to hear someone say, "I got a great
deal on a computer, with the way the economy is." Or "Interest rates are
at a historic low, thanks to this economy."
I saw a huge headline in a national newspaper that said, "stock market
loses 2.1 (billion or trillion I forget) for the first time since the great
depression. They are trying to pull on the emotion of our thoughts of the
great depression. What they failed to mention is the market as about a 100
times market capitalization as it did 70 years ago. In other words the 2.1
billion (trillion) drop in over all stock value is a drop in the bucket
relatively. I'll listen to what people say about ...with the way the
economy is. when they tell me which way it is, and don't say down. Give me
statistics that tell me my life is qualitiatively worse than it was 4 years
ago. The iphone is 199, I would say my life is quantitatively better!
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Free To Choose
I've been trying to grown my knowledge when I can, and the most recent endeavor is in my reading of "Free to Choose" by Milton and Rose Friedman. Please find my thoughts, and the thoughts of those I respect under the link to the left by the title of "Book club".
Friday, May 02, 2008
Social Security
I have a bit of a gripe. I'm not a proponent of social insurance, so keep that in mind, and I know there are great reasons to have it and many people really NEED it, but my gripe is when people abuse it. More specifically when we allow them to abuse it. With something as big as social security there can be no real accountability, there can be no real efficient way to manage that money.
Let me get to my point. This week I overheard a man in the bank talking about when he is going to start collecting social security. He said that some time in the fall he will really start to hit his stride on the amount of SS he can collect. This is, of course, contingent on the fact that his income does not exceed a certain threshold. So, come October, Dave will reduce his hours to about 15 per week from 40. Long story short we will pay him more to work less. He is healthy as a horse (and he'll tell you all about it, even if you don't ask), likes to work, and still does a good job. Our system nearly forces this man to stop helping out our society by contributing by working. I really hope that in 40 years S.S. is a thing of the past and people are made to pay attention to their futures and save NOW so they can retire if they so chose.
Let me get to my point. This week I overheard a man in the bank talking about when he is going to start collecting social security. He said that some time in the fall he will really start to hit his stride on the amount of SS he can collect. This is, of course, contingent on the fact that his income does not exceed a certain threshold. So, come October, Dave will reduce his hours to about 15 per week from 40. Long story short we will pay him more to work less. He is healthy as a horse (and he'll tell you all about it, even if you don't ask), likes to work, and still does a good job. Our system nearly forces this man to stop helping out our society by contributing by working. I really hope that in 40 years S.S. is a thing of the past and people are made to pay attention to their futures and save NOW so they can retire if they so chose.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Friday, April 04, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
You Too...
Brian Regan has a great bit from his stand up routine talking about the social phenomenon of You too. It is the knee jerk reaction of saying you too when some one says, something like have a good day, or enjoy your weekend. I say something along those lines, maybe, a thousand times per day. Today I mixed it up, just once though. I saw on a young lady's driver's license that yesterday was her birthday, so I sent out her money and receipt and said, "happy birthday." She replied, "you too."
Another example of how important it is to others what I say at work.
Another example of how important it is to others what I say at work.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Something from yahoo answers
Do blind people dream? what do they see?
also do they see weird things when they take drugs, like behind their eyes? i would have though it was possible, like having a dream lol don't ask why I'm asking, I'm just interested.
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
I considered answering your question myself, but decided that you might prefer an answer straight from the source. So I passed your question on to my friend, Laurie, who has been blind since she was fairly young. Here’s what she had to say:
" Yes, blind people do dream. What they see in their dreams depends on how much they could ever see. If someone has been totally blind since birth, they only have auditory dreams. If someone such as I, has had a measure of sight, then that person dreams with that measure of sight. I still dream as though I can see, colors included. For people I’ve met since, their faces are just blurs or how I imagine they look. To me, someone like my mother looks forever 30. "
An "auditory dream" is a dream with only sounds and no images. Basically, the dreams of someone who’s been blind from birth are just like the dreams that you have - just without the pictures.
People’s dreams are based on the things they experience in their lives. That is to say that in a way, our dreams are based on our memories. So a person who has never experienced "seeing" will not dream using sight. This is just like how you do not dream with sonar images, as humans can not use sonar. Perhaps animals like bats, if they do dream (I don’t know if they do or not) dream in sonar. ;)
, the images that we see in our dreams aren’t real light - they’re signals within our brains that we experience the same way we would experience light. So light is neither stored nor produced. You could say that our minds "play tricks on us" to make us think we’re seeing light when it’s not really there.
also do they see weird things when they take drugs, like behind their eyes? i would have though it was possible, like having a dream lol don't ask why I'm asking, I'm just interested.
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
I considered answering your question myself, but decided that you might prefer an answer straight from the source. So I passed your question on to my friend, Laurie, who has been blind since she was fairly young. Here’s what she had to say:
" Yes, blind people do dream. What they see in their dreams depends on how much they could ever see. If someone has been totally blind since birth, they only have auditory dreams. If someone such as I, has had a measure of sight, then that person dreams with that measure of sight. I still dream as though I can see, colors included. For people I’ve met since, their faces are just blurs or how I imagine they look. To me, someone like my mother looks forever 30. "
An "auditory dream" is a dream with only sounds and no images. Basically, the dreams of someone who’s been blind from birth are just like the dreams that you have - just without the pictures.
People’s dreams are based on the things they experience in their lives. That is to say that in a way, our dreams are based on our memories. So a person who has never experienced "seeing" will not dream using sight. This is just like how you do not dream with sonar images, as humans can not use sonar. Perhaps animals like bats, if they do dream (I don’t know if they do or not) dream in sonar. ;)
, the images that we see in our dreams aren’t real light - they’re signals within our brains that we experience the same way we would experience light. So light is neither stored nor produced. You could say that our minds "play tricks on us" to make us think we’re seeing light when it’s not really there.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
My Week Without Staci
It was not my choice, to spend a week without Staci. Given the chance, I would not do it again, but the results weren't all bad. Every moment I wasn't at work or asleep I was painting. The kitchen took at my best guess 5-6 coats. 2 with primer, 3-4 for with the red. It was fun, however. I turned the TV on in the other room and listened to the travel channel, discovery channel, and ESPN. The checkered wall was my idea, and it was strongly opposed by the "majority," but upon further review it received approval! :) There is still a little touch up to be done, but overall I am happy!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Google Maps
There is a great new feature (well, new to me) on Google Maps. It is called street view. For years we have been able to see roads from a satellite, but now there is a new feature. You can see what it looks like to drive down the road. You can look to the left, or to the right and see the faces of buildings and street signs. What it looks like they did was just drive up and down the streets of many major cities with a camera mounted on top of a car. The camera takes a picture about every 50 feet, best as I can tell, and it takes a 360 degree picture. Here is a view of my street.
View Larger Map
Click "View Larger Map" and switch to street view if it's not there already.
Mess around with it, find your house if you've been added, or just virtually drive around some place you'd like to go sometime.
View Larger Map
Click "View Larger Map" and switch to street view if it's not there already.
Mess around with it, find your house if you've been added, or just virtually drive around some place you'd like to go sometime.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Loan
Ever have a friend or family member ask for a loan? It can be awkward, and for many the knee-jerk reaction is to just pull out the checkbook. But having the funds available to extend a loan is often not the point when it comes to lending money... it's knowing when or if you will ever receive your hard earned funds back.
According to a Federal Reserve survey, over 8% of Americans have loans that have been extended to friends and family. By some estimates, these loans total a whopping $89 billion and an eyebrow-raising default rate of 14%, versus just 1% for those who borrow from a bank...
According to a Federal Reserve survey, over 8% of Americans have loans that have been extended to friends and family. By some estimates, these loans total a whopping $89 billion and an eyebrow-raising default rate of 14%, versus just 1% for those who borrow from a bank...
Monday, March 03, 2008
gmail video
There must not be all that much to do in Russia. I guess we in America can just be glad those great Russian minds are doing stuff like this instead of trying to figure out how to blow us up.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
I am not a pick person when it comes to bathrooms. I like to get in, go, get out. I can go anywhere, if you don't believe me, spend a week in the boundary waters. I did, however have an experience yesterday that was unlike any other. We were at Chili's enjoying a conversation after a good meal, and I knew either the conversation had to be wrapped up and we had to go home, or I needed to excuse myself.
As you may guess, I excused myself to the WC. There I found a set up that was not conducive to proper usage of the facility. The bathroom was mostly dark, a modern feel. The only light in the room were two spotlights pointed from above right on the toilets. My immediate impression was the effect the producers on WWTBAM are trying to achieve. When the contestant is asked the question, the lights of the studio go out except the spot lights that point in directly on the contestant. This puts pressure on the person, and really adds drama. Drama is not what I'm looking for in that room. I was worried I wouldn't be able to perform adequately. The good news is, however, that I do my best thinking in that location.
As you may guess, I excused myself to the WC. There I found a set up that was not conducive to proper usage of the facility. The bathroom was mostly dark, a modern feel. The only light in the room were two spotlights pointed from above right on the toilets. My immediate impression was the effect the producers on WWTBAM are trying to achieve. When the contestant is asked the question, the lights of the studio go out except the spot lights that point in directly on the contestant. This puts pressure on the person, and really adds drama. Drama is not what I'm looking for in that room. I was worried I wouldn't be able to perform adequately. The good news is, however, that I do my best thinking in that location.
Friday, February 29, 2008
February 29
Happy Leap Day! (Unless You're in Debt)
This being February 29 — Leap Day — today is costing you an extra day's interest if you're repaying a debt. On the bright side, its earning you a tiny bit more on your bank deposits.
Whom do we have to thank — or curse — for this extra day every four years? Julius Caesar and his lover, Cleopatra.
In 48 B.C., Julius Caesar was in Alexandria, Egypt, absorbing the culture and science — and decadence — of Cleopatra's capital. There he learned from an old sage named Acoreus about Egypt's calendar, which had a leap year.
At the time, the Roman calendar did not. Like most ancient calendars, it was based on the phases of the moon, which in one cycle take about 29.5 days. But 12 months of 29.5 days doesn't equal the true length of the year as measured by the orbit of the Earth around the sun. It's off by 11 days, so anniversaries, holidays, and entire seasons to drift backward on lunar calendars.
The ancient Egyptians had realized this and created a calendar 365??-days long — with the fraction averaged in by adding an extra day every four years.
When Caesar returned to Rome, he created a 365-day calendar with a quadrennial leap year, adding the extra day in February.
A minor hassle for some, perhaps, but certainly better than the alternative faced by the Romans. Back in 45 B.C., for instance, their lunar calendar had drifted backward by 80 days — nearly three months. Spring had become winter, and autumn came in the summer months.
To correct, this Caesar decreed that 45 B.C. would be 445 days long. Think about the extra interest on 80 extra days! No wonder they called it "The Year of Confusion."
This being February 29 — Leap Day — today is costing you an extra day's interest if you're repaying a debt. On the bright side, its earning you a tiny bit more on your bank deposits.
Whom do we have to thank — or curse — for this extra day every four years? Julius Caesar and his lover, Cleopatra.
In 48 B.C., Julius Caesar was in Alexandria, Egypt, absorbing the culture and science — and decadence — of Cleopatra's capital. There he learned from an old sage named Acoreus about Egypt's calendar, which had a leap year.
At the time, the Roman calendar did not. Like most ancient calendars, it was based on the phases of the moon, which in one cycle take about 29.5 days. But 12 months of 29.5 days doesn't equal the true length of the year as measured by the orbit of the Earth around the sun. It's off by 11 days, so anniversaries, holidays, and entire seasons to drift backward on lunar calendars.
The ancient Egyptians had realized this and created a calendar 365??-days long — with the fraction averaged in by adding an extra day every four years.
When Caesar returned to Rome, he created a 365-day calendar with a quadrennial leap year, adding the extra day in February.
A minor hassle for some, perhaps, but certainly better than the alternative faced by the Romans. Back in 45 B.C., for instance, their lunar calendar had drifted backward by 80 days — nearly three months. Spring had become winter, and autumn came in the summer months.
To correct, this Caesar decreed that 45 B.C. would be 445 days long. Think about the extra interest on 80 extra days! No wonder they called it "The Year of Confusion."
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
America
Adam: Hey man...how did the interview go/
me: no dice
they didn't have a position open for me
Adam: well, you made a connection...
me: yeah, possibly
Adam: I never thought finding gainful employment was suppose to be this difficult
me: yeah, me either
land of opportunity my a....
I would have never come to this country if I would have known it would be like this
me: no dice
they didn't have a position open for me
Adam: well, you made a connection...
me: yeah, possibly
Adam: I never thought finding gainful employment was suppose to be this difficult
me: yeah, me either
land of opportunity my a....
I would have never come to this country if I would have known it would be like this
Quote of the Day
The trouble with being punctual is that nobody's there to appreciate it.
- Franklin P. Jones
- Franklin P. Jones
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Cal vs. Oregon
You may have heard about the recruiting debacle that took place in Northern Nevada less than a week ago. A Senior offensive lineman Kevin Hart wanted to play division I college football. Probably more than he wanted to play he wanted others to think he could play D-I. So, he held a press conference with his family, friends and the school band. He announced he would go to Cal, electing them over Oregon. His bubble burst when someone from those schools said, "who's Kevin Hart?" Neither school had heard of him. He fabricated the whole story. I can only imagine how it started, but I see how it ended. Also, what was he thinking every time he told this lie? How much turmoil was in the pit of his stomach every day.
I'm glad I have reasonable expectations set by myself and my family. I don't know where this idea came from, but I would be surprised if it was all his idea.
I pray that I never push a loved one or friend to a behavior such as this.
I'm glad I have reasonable expectations set by myself and my family. I don't know where this idea came from, but I would be surprised if it was all his idea.
I pray that I never push a loved one or friend to a behavior such as this.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
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