October 30th 7:58AM
It's our 4th wedding anniversary today. Here's to another 4 years... I mean - well, you know what I mean. I'm a lucky man.
October 29th 6:15AM
Hey, I finally got a chance to do some programming at work, came up with some stuff. I have put together a more legitimate version of my e-Card app, and it's going to be used at Ulink.net, the site my beloved employer. I beautified it a little, and upgraded it so that it can more easily accommodate different multimedia (GIF, Flash). Now we'll be adding some content to it so people will have reason to use it.
The other thing I'm working on is part of the company's private network, so I can't link to it. It's a little database management tool, but I'm enjoying building something. I'm looking forward to getting back into it today.
October 26th 8:30AM
France, the Lesson
What I expected to learn from my trip to France
Before I went to France, I had read up on different societal conventions in order to learn about their culture and avoid unnecessary embarrassment during our trip. What I learned is that people there, generally, do have a different perspective. As I've noted in this space in the past, they:
- tend to form friendships more slowly, possibly more enduringly
- argue concepts more
- respect others' personal privacy and cherish their own more
- place more value on food and mealtimes than simply "fuel for the machine," not shoving food into their pieholes like gasoline into a gas tank.
It's those types of differences that gave me a sense that people of this other culture knew something I didn't, because those ideas sounded very appealing to me. I wanted to understand more about why they embrace these ideas, and how.
What I didn't learn
For a few different reasons, I didn't spend much time visiting with French people. We spent most of our time seeing sights, buying souvenirs for the folks back home so they'd know we didn't forget them, and eating. I sure as hell don't regret the eating. Unfortunately, most of the people who spoke English were in the tourism/hospitality industry, and either were too busy or too polite to bullshit with some nut of an American asking them why they eat cheese for dessert. It's probably closer to the truth to say that I wasn't entirely comfortable interviewing complete strangers from another country. Aside from how odd and creepy it would be for the interviewee, running around unfamiliar places delving into people's personal lives and beliefs is a good way to get beaten and robbed, or at least just beaten. So, I didn't learn what drives the social differences noted above. I regret that, but I don't know that I could've done things any better.
What I did learn
I didn't get down and dirty with the locals (although I was sorely tempted to hop out of bed at 1 in the morning and whoop it up with them over the televised football (soccer) match). What I did get exposed to was everything you didn't need direct, verbal interaction for:
- People walk everywhere, and walk quickly. They're in a hurry.
- They love their dogs.
- A lot of people smoke, and make it look like fun again (I'm an ex-smoker).
- They dress very well, and most would never leave the house in a T-shirt and droopy shorts like I wear all the time. They look good.
- They're very reserved, not looking at or speaking to each other unnecessarily. Ever.
- Their advertisements are definitely a step ahead of ours - more stylistic, edgy, sexy, effective. And I'm not just saying that because advertisements for porn mags are sprinkled proudly throughout the city. Here is one example, and here's another.
From experiencing these ways of life, I am compelled to feel differently about my own way of life, in the following ways:
- Self-reservation is a horrible way to live your life - it amounts to being fearful all the time that you'll do or say the wrong thing and offend someone. I have an outgoing, obnoxious, and sometimes-hopefully-comedic side to my personality, and if anything, I must develop this more. People who know me may shudder at the thought of a more obnoxious Tom Bickle, but tough shit. Living quietly with your head down is its own kind of Hell. Screw that.
- Food can be enjoyed as much more than a lump of calories. It can be a source of pleasure, togetherness and camaraderie. And it should be.
- Doing a thing well, taking pride in the creation of a thing, has its own nobility, and deserves reverence. Whether performing a service with excellence, even if that service has no direct, tangible outcome, or building a real product or piece of art, doing it well and not just slogging through the process is a worthwhile goal. How? Why? I don't know. I just know that doing something as poorly and sloppily as you can get away with is a stinking embarrassment, and I am inspired to run to the other extreme as much as possible.
- A good long walk will probably never kill me.
- My dog deserves more walks and more attention.
That's all I've got for now, but it's a fine start, if you ask me.
October 25th 7:28AM
Bastardo loco
Pat continues to be a mad genius.
I wish John Bizarre would update his Daily Snap. I love reading his stuff. I imagine he's busy as a Japanese beaver, editing his new movie. Go, John!
I have wasted much time in preparing my Halloween costume, and Halloween looms near. The topper is, we're going to a Halloween party that night, so I wouldn't get to stalk the neighborhood in a cool costume, anyway. My life is a series of comical failures due to poor planning.
I have more to say, but not the time to say it. More soon, I hope.
October 24th 12:49PM
Drilled and filled
Got some cavities filled yesterday. Imagine that, years of neglect, erased in minutes! I love this country.
October 22nd 1:17PM
I thought it was funny
There's a Torrance, California. I wonder if they get a lot of rain there. Heh.
October 21st 7:00PM
Better, now
Today could have been worse. I found something constructive I could add to the mix at work, made me feel good. My boss was looking for a way to get our company name "out there." I had the idea to use the eCard app I built a while back to promote our company. The idea being that we'll make some Flashy greeting card-type presentations (rubber-stamped with "Ulink ISP" all over 'em) and people will send them back 'n' forth, spreading the word. My boss and his boss liked my idea, and so we'll be developing it. Cool! I'll be customizing my ghetto version for a more professional application, but I think it'll work well.
October 21st 7:59AM
Bleah
My return to work was less than the exciting homecoming I expected. Don't get me wrong, most of the people I work with are great, and I received a warm welcome by most. That's certainly not the problem.
I guess I thought I could bring some new energy and a different outlook to the table, and kick a little ass. I know I have it in me. During my absence, I had inspirational experiences that gave me hope for a revitalized work attitude and new levels of performance. Now that I'm back in the saddle, I'm finding myself straining against the same smothering and negative forces that killed my enthusiasm in the past. Did my time away give me newfound energy, or just allow me to forget the circumstances that stifle workplace potential? I don't know. The most deserving question is how can I salvage some of the positive vibe I came back with, and do something really worthwhile with it? I'm afraid that the answer has something to do with teamwork.
Maybe I'm just tired. Maybe things will develop to make this current doubt nothing but a brief blip on my radar. Yeah, maybe. It could happen.
October 20th 1:57PM
Joe rocks
Thanks to Joe "Smarter Than Most" Crawford, I was able to resurrect my October 17th blog entry by plucking it off of a cached version on the web (at Google). Much thanks to Joe, I am grateful not to have lost that entry to the Fates. Sweet... When I buggered the entry, I thought there might be a cached version somewhere, but I completely surrendered to the challenge, and didn't pursue it. Again, Thanks to the Joe-Man.
October 19th 1:21PM
God, I'm stupid.
Whee, I just realized I wiped out yesterday's blog entry by overwriting it. Plus, I don't have any way to retrieve it, since i uploaded my mistake, and obliterated the remote version as well.
Anybody wanna hire me to update your website?Dumbass...
It's not easy bein' me, but it sure is fun.
October 19th 1:15PM
Huh? Oh, nothin'.
Not feeling too wise and wordy today. Oh, I feel good, as far as that goes. I've gotten lots of housework done, fiddled with my gee-tar some, things are good. Maybe I just need some coffee, but nothing in my head feels noteworthy right now. Wow, you got ripped off coming to read this page today, huh? Sucker!
This reminds me of some advice a Delta College English teacher gave us in her class. When you can't think of anything to write about, sit down and write something. She actually recommended handwriting, but the idea's the same. Just get your brain humming, even if it's just humming, not necessarily singing. I've found that that's great advice, and helps get things flowing.
Wow, I actually learned something useful at school. It doesn't happen often. Just often enough so that I realize I'll miss out if I space out entirely.
Stilts
I tried out my stilts yesterday. I took my wife out to the local park, strapped 'em on, and after much contemplation about 215 pounds of overfed horsemeat hitting the ground, I took a few brave steps and crashed to the ground like a sack of leaden dog shit. Knee pads. I need knee pads, if I'm going to keep this crap up. Still, I think it went well.
Coffee Log
No, I'm not talking about my latest bowel movement - there's a website used for blogging about coffee houses, and I made an entry to it. The guy that hosted it said it didn't suck too bad, either. Cool!
October 17th 10:12AM USA PST
Back where I belong
Whew! Flew back, got settled, crashed hard. By that, I mean I went to bad because I was exhausted. You have to be careful when speaking of airline trips and "crashing." I don't mind airplane travel, but I regard it warily, much like Star Trek's Doctor McCoy regarded the transporter: If there's an alternative, I'd usually prefer the alternative. I know the ride to the airport's statistically more dangerous than the plane flight, but at least I can drive the car, and have some control.
Aw, bullshit. I think too much. We had a good flight, all in all. Somebody across the aisle and about six rows forward barfed immediately upon takeoff, that was a little amusing. We got to see the English Channel out the window as they swabbed the deck. Cool.
Ahh, it's good to be home, where the restaurants are always open, serving bland, identifiable food. Nothing like Paris. I can't remember the last time I looked at a menu item or a plate, and quietly wondered, "What the hell *is* this?"
I've been meaning to mention - anyone I may have recently referred to as "cocksuckers" should be advised that I bear no malice towards them. Sometimes I just like to use the word, because it makes me feel like George Carlin, back when he was sharp and funny, before he became bitter and psychotic.
Anyhoo... Let me quote from a few pages in my trip journal to explain the, uh, mess:
"Friday October 10th, 2003 - Historical Note: I shit my pants on Thursday. The jet lag and different foods must've confused my system, because I had the squirts just a bit. I felt what I thought was a substantial fart brewing up, so I braced myself to purge the little demon - closed one eye and grunted. It was substantial, all right. I ended up rinsing out my shorts in the sink and hanging them to dry. Every fart since then has been a tentative act of faith."
If you're gonna blog, you can't be afraid to be personal. I try not to confuse personal with disgusting. Maybe I should try harder... Naahh!!
October 14th 2PM, Paris time
Life is good, seeing the town, still alive
Since I have left the States, I have:
* Explained the term "pickpocket" to a German
* Shit my pants
* Eaten snails (twice, and liked 'em) and gizzard salad
* Bought souvenirs for all the cocksuckers who haven't written me
* Spoken surprisingly serviceable French and managed to get everything I
asked for so far
* Yelled at an Asian woman in the Louvre
and a bunch more shit that I can't remember, because I didn't bring my trip
journal, because I didn't plan on being in this Internet cafe today. Sorry.
October 7th 6:50AM
Today is the day
The day is finally here. I've been anticipating this for months! I never thought it'd get here, but here we are.
A brief word about airline safety. First, it's said that flying on an airplane is safer than driving in a car, and I believe that. Second, if some dark-skinned guy with a lot of bristly facial hair so much as coughs too loud in what sounds like "I'm taking over the plane, ptooey," he's a gnat's ass away from diggin' my stubby cheap leather footwear out of his corn chute. Fuck that, if some wild-eyed knucklehead with a cause wants to dick with my plane, he better bring something better than boxcutters, or he's gonna end up drinking the blue water "tout de suite," if you read me.
But I'm not worried. I fully expect an uneventful flight and a rockin' good time in Paris. Besides, if anything goes wrong:
A) I'd rather check out in the middle of doing something thousands of people (myself included, until recently) only dream of, and
2) It would likely be over before I knew it, so fuck it. My mother spent the last ten years of her life dying painfully and fearfully; that alters a person's perspective.
New Page
I noticed I was getting several hits (a landslide for this site) for stilts and Halloween costume content, so yesterday I put up a quick page on what I did and how I did it. Right now it is just hasty text and some images. I wish it were more exciting, more multimedia, but for now, it will have to do. I hope someone finds it useful. Maybe when I get back from Paris (Woo!) I'll update and beautify it.
October 6th 9:50AM
Excellent weekend
Went to the "Business Leadership Summit" on Saturday, a speaking event with famous and less-famous speakers. I had a great time, and even heard some useful, thought-provoking, encouraging ideas. Heard from these folks, and thought this of their presentations:
- Newt Gingrich - Well-delivered speech, heavyweight speaker (no humor intended), lightweight topic. Newt delivered an optimistic speech regarding California's future, and reflected in awe on the exponential progress mankind has made over the last hundred years. Enjoyable, but not thrilling.
- Sue Bailey - Woodenly delivered speech on important but dry topics. Barely an open eye in the house when she was finished. I had to restrain myself from leaping to my feet and shouting "BO-RING...!" a la Homer Simpson. Nice lady, but what a snoozer!
- Mike Abrashoff - Smoothly-delivered speech on a compelling issue: leadership. This guy commanded his own ship in the U.S. Navy, and took it from record-low performance to exemplary results. He shared not the steps involved in turning a business around, but the attitude and environment involved in doing so. I earnestly hope that some specific ears were tuned to this speaker; he said a mouthful, and I was inspired.
- Frank Miles - Speech? What speech? Mr. Miles delivered an excellent and entertaining performance, with a very little bit of philosophy mixed in for appearances. Very funny, skilled individual, I enjoyed his set very much.
- Fred Thompson - Senator, actor, overpaid speaker. Fred managed to defy concise description with his presentation. Some times witty and sly, other times unfocused, Mr. Thompson grabbed my attention in spurts, only to lose it again as he seemed to lose his point. I love his show biz work, but he was spotty today. His glimpses of brilliance occasionally burst forth from behind the fog of his meandering delivery.
Overall, a very worthwhile event, and I was fortunate to attend. I must add that I admired Fred Thompson's take on adversarial politics (Dems vs. Repubs, Us vs. Them). He was right that it must get better, or the divisiveness will completely poison the benefits of a two-party system.
More than one person remarked that there is usually one speaker who steals the show every year, not necessarily the keynote speaker. That was certainly true this year, as Mike Abrashoff was funny, poignant, real and compelling. I'm not surprised his book (sold onsite) sold out immediately after the next break. I was tempted to buy it too, but waffled. By the time I went in for a closer look, it was gone. Oh well, there's always Amazon.com, and I have too many books right now anyway. Ah, bullshit, I can squeeze his in. He was great!
Uh, what else? Great sex this morning. Pat-man continues to keep it real in his log, dig it. Shoes still feel good, I anticipate no problems there.
Finished off most of the packing responsibilities Friday night. My wife has managed to throw a tow-line around the entire house and slap a baggage tag on it. I have packed all my crap into one carry on, and am a little too proud of myself because of it. I keep warning her that she's going to lug all her shit, not me, but she still thinks I'm joking. Ha ha, my ass...
October 3rd 7:49AM
So far, so good
My new, cheap shoes are working out well. After 24 hours, no pinching, no pain. Cool.
Then again
My wife continues to feel poorly. My thoughts are with her.
October 2nd 12:49PM
Real nice.
Bimbo eruptions on the campaign trail, with Schwarzenegger admitting he's not always been a good boy. I was wondering when the real Gray Davis would stand up, or rather, stoop over, slink into the light, and launch the first gooey glob of desperate campaign mud. Well screw that, I'm stickin' by my man Arnold, who is facing the allegations, rather than scuttling for the shadows like a career politician.
What's more, the Davis camp doesn't even own up to their own mudslinging. "A spokesman for Davis' campaign said they were not involved in publicizing any of the story." Yeah, right. Watch for more craven dirty tricks from Davis as time rolls on. He's sensing his office's own mortality, and doing his best to slime his way out of it. This is why good people like Colin Powell don't want to hold elective office - there's too much dirt to be smeared with. I'm willing to bet we lose a lot of good people this way. All we tend to get are what's left over, people who've either never really lived, or are good enough at hiding misdeeds that they're primed and ready to fuck the general public without leaving a trail.
October 2nd 7:55AM
New kicks
Went out last night, instead of coming home like a dutiful husband. I went and got a haircut and some new shoes. I needed something other than my gleaming white sneakers, which scream "Tourist!!" in many foreign countries. I'd rather let my behavior do that, and I figure, why ruin the surprise? I'm breaking them in today. They were very cheap, which is normally a plus, but I am concerned about comfort on my trip abroad. They already feel a little on the loose side, but I imagine they'll be fine.
Next week, man . . . yeeha!
October 1st 12:55PM
Woohoo!
I feel really good today. I am increasingly psyched about my trip (next week!). I was very worried that Internet cafés may not support Compact Flash cards, leaving me with few or no ways to offload my digital vacation pix. After sending out a flurry of e-mail inquiries to Paris Internet cafés, I got a reply back from one, Paris-CY, who assured me that they would be able to help. They're my new best friends, because they replied quickly and helpfully, and even provided directions. Much better than the "permanent fatal errors" responses I got from many of the other joints I e-mailed. Rockin'!
Poor baby
My poor wife isn't feeling well today. I feel so bad for her. I hope she feels better soon...