A Better Life

Since getting my new laptop, the one thing missing in my life has been the use of free internet phone calling.  Not really a big mystery since voice over IP or VOIP for the tech savvy has been around and in place for some time now but there is nothing like video calling someone. I have my little brother to thank for exposing me to this wonderful way to communicate freely and well free.  It is a little disconcerting to see yourself on the little video screen but I guess that is what those lifesize cardboard cutouts are good for.  Perhaps a caricature of oneself could be so positioned as to give the impression that you are well coiffed and dressed when in actuality you haven't bathed, shaved or dressed in oh so many days.  Minus the downside of video revealing your inner soul, I must say it was enlightening to talk to my bro just like he was in the room with me instead of actually being 300 or so miles away.  He actually tried to do a 3 way calling thing but his wife wouldn't

When I came in from visiting the Galleria I noticed that they had a video clip of the Jimmy Fallon show on Yahoo!.  The clip was of a song performed by the rejuvenated band the Cars.  Back in the day (1979, 1980) I remember hearing the Cars "Let's Go" song for the first time.  It was with a girl (woman actually since she was 5 years my senior) and she just came back to me so vividly while watching this video.  Debbi was a very special sort.  I knew her younger sister from school and my uncle knew their mother since he had repaired some sort of ding in their family car. Debbi and I were not romantically involved per se but she is the one I consider my first love.  We would hang out by the pool in her apartment complex, go for a drive or just kick back and talk.  We worked together for the same company and really clicked on a very endearing level but never resorted to physical intimacy. This is what I would really consider the ultimate if I just had some

Throughout my life I have been lumbered with this particular label and not in a particularly flattering way mind you.  Paranoia seems to be used very loosely when describing someone who may just be a bit more careful (or informed?). Some of us may have a very good reason to believe that we are being watched, followed, targeted by groups (yes if the government) or otherwise nefariously engaged.  I believe the problem is people lull themselves into a false sense of security.  False in the sense that it makes no sense whatsoever that anyone is at anytime immune to violent attacks.  Now will that attack be from a terrorist, organized crime or government entity, who knows.  The point is, as my psychology professor use to say, sometimes someone is following you.  No one wants to believe that we are not completely safe at any given moment.  However, there are events that seem to threaten that particular point of view.  My own take on this situation is that whenever man is involved in any en

Slow day in the neighborhood.  Didn't sleep very well so I was dragging terribly.  Fixed me a salad because at my age it never hurts to take in a little more roughage.  I considered writing but never really sat down to do any articles although I did write one impassioned blog post for the "I'm Going Through a Divorce, Woe is Me" blog.  Self-loathing at its finest if I do say so myself.  I woke up feeling mighty uninspired because I was considering my purpose in this life.  My purpose should have been to get out of bed, take a shower and greet the day.  Instead I went shower-less, undressed and moped around for a day.  In retrospect I probably did need this day to dwell on my situation.   I watched a couple of episodes of the blues documentary by Martin Scorsese, a couple of episodes of The Big Bang Theory and then I topped it all off with a trio of Tyler Perry movies.  I just love me some Madea!  Yes, she is irreverent, brash and full of herself but there are some

Creative expression is a very important part of my life. Throughout my life I have tried many different ways to appease the need for expression. I always seem to come back to the big three: cooking, music and writing. Cooking When I cook I don't necessarily use a recipe. Last night for example, I had a hind quarter of chicken and german sausage thawed out. So, I thumbed through my small collection of cook books. Nothing stood out as the recipe for these particular ingredients so I improvised. I took out the old corning ware casserole dish. Cut the chicken at the leg and thigh joint. Sliced up the german sausage. Cut up about half of an onion. I then added white wine vinegar, a splash or two of balsamic vinegar, some herbs of choice and voila a dish was born (after substantial time in the oven of course). Nothing more invigorating than combining ingredients and having an edible (if not wholly delicious) main course. Music Another avenue of expression I travel down quite fre

With the unnatural heat we are currently having it is a good time to determine how weather affects our lives.  Not only is extreme, prolonged heat uncomfortable but it also affects our mental attitude, our choice of activities and our productivity. High temperatures can turn the most mild mannered individual into a seething, cesspool of bitterness and rage.  It starts with impatience and grows to full on verbal confrontations very much out of character.  However, if take someone who is on the brink of exploding and add extreme heat well this could very well end that calm, collected, professional atmosphere cultivated in todays modern office environment. We look at fruits and how heat affects them.  In a normal arid environment you expect a certain growth pattern with adequate supplies of water and sunshine.  This should conjure up memories of the old photosynthesis equation.  Carbon Dioxide + water with adequate sunshine yields carbohydrates (sugar for the most part fo

A long time ago I went to my doctor because my allergies were worse than usual.  Somehow, the conversation went from what could I be allergic to how I should learn to eat less.  Apparently my weight issues were somehow tied to my allergies.  Being slightly offended I did consider what the fine doctor had to say.  Now I understand that diet and weight and have a dramatic effect on how we are affected by allergic reactions.  So portion control becomes more important.  It is always so easy to eat way more than we need.  For instance instead of eating a handful of potato chips I find my self eating more like have a bag before I realize that my lips are numb from the salt on those bad boys.  A little moderation goes a long way. Portion control can also be applied to more than food.  Instead of sitting around watching the entire 24 hour marathon of Beevis and Butthead we could just watch a couple of episodes at a time (thank goodness for DVR) and use the other time for more p

There is a pond near where I work. I take walks around this park for a little respite from the rigors of my day.  When it is hot (like it always seems to be) the turtles can be found lounging on rocks and logs floating in the cement pond.  The amazing thing is as you walk up some turtles will jump into the water immediately, some will wait just a little bit and others (bravest of them all) will just wait to see what is going to happen. I couldn't help but think this is like people in business.  Some will scurry at the first sign of trouble.  Others will hang in just a little longer and then the few brave ones will just hang in and wait for some sign of impending danger.  Which group would you be in? Personally I like to think I am in the middle group but would like to gather enough bravery to hang in with the few brave ones who will ride out the situation and stay on top.  The poor turtles who jump first will lose their choice position and have to start all over.  Sound fam

Living with Schnauzers has been, well interesting.  Beyond the barking, biting, eating, sleeping and relieving themselves in every imaginable way and place.  Nothing like rearranging furniture and discovering a "present" one of them left for you in a by gone age.  When confronted with the evidence, they deny their involvement but acknowledge a sense of pride in the act itself.  Of course, all Schnauzers are not exactly the same.  They are as different as night and day but do share some common traits.  So here I give you 5 lessons about life that I have learned from co-existing with my Schnauzers: When confronted with an intruder bark loudly, menacingly and ferociously No matter how big or menacing an adversary may be just learn to bark louder than the intruder and most of the time they will move along to quieter environs.  Raise a noise when you see injustice anywhere in your life and make sure you are heard.  If they don't hear you, gather around like minded people

So much of my day is spent wondering what the safest and simplest course of action is to take.  Most of the time the answer is pretty clear but sometimes what may seem safe and simple is actually quite the opposite. First of all the simplest choice is not always the safest and the safest choice isn't always the simplest.  It is far better to take a step back from the situation and evaluate all options before jumping impulsively at the seemingly best choice.  For example, when confronting the choice of whether to quit a job because you are making a good income online seems simple enough. If you make as much as you make from your job you can quit but that is not really the case.  There are a lot of factors to consider.  First, your job probably provides medical, dental and vision insurance.  How much is it going to cost you to have the same coverage without the benefit of a company policy?  They can get a much better price as a group than you can on your own so you'll need to

Just as you must maintain the tuning on a musical instrument, you need to stay in tune at work.  Your performance can be and usually is a matter of perception. If management perceives your value then you have value but if they do not perceive a contribution then well, you know the possible outcome.   The most important aspect of anyone's job from the guy who mows the grass at the cemetery to the CEO of a multi-national corporation is communication. This one aspect of ones life can be overlooked and can have the most impact, good or bad.  In my chosen field, information technology, it is so easy to just keep your head down and work away without realizing what is going on around you. While developing solutions I am sometimes perceived as anti-social or worse.  Truth of the matter is, I am just busy and working against deadlines that have to be met but the perception is what will get you every time. How do we make sure we are connected?  We take a few minutes to talk to people, I