Drive

I feel an upwelling of hope, inspiration, vision - the drive to make things as they should be. I want to clean my office, put everything away, beautify the yard, be a loving husband and father, be a friendly neighbor. Then, I HAVE to do something for work, or an assignment, I get distracted, and the buoyant feeling of progress dissipates into the apathy of life goes on. In the best cases I drop everything, forget everything that needs to be done, and go spend time with my family.

I had a Dream ... Again

Had a dream where I was trying to get change from a change machine. I put in a bill and various coins appeared, but it was never the right amount. People around me were taking and adding coins, and the total was never right. I kept trying to grab the coins, checking the total, trying to tell everyone to stop so I could get the right amount.

As I awoke, the clear single thought occurred to me - "I need change!"

Seasons

I haven't decided on an adjective for this Autumn's season yet. On a down day I'd say dreary without a second thought. On a crisp day, when the low sun is shining and the Fall colors are glowing, I'd use beautiful, or majestic or even radiant. But on a rainy day like today, even with wind blowing and the general dishevelment of drippy blowing scenery, I'd say that Autumn is elegant in it's muted display of bold colors or even graceful as it descends slowly into winter's slumber.

Sounds

Do you have a favorite sense?

My sense of smell is my strongest sense, but because of that causes as much discomfort as enjoyment.
I take my sense of taste for granted, but do enjoy strong flavors. I think, maybe my taste for spices and spicy foods has diminished my ability to savor subtle flavors.
Sense of touch? Too much pain there currently (headaches and such) so ask me later.
I have to say sight would be the one I derive the most enjoyment from. I love looking, watching, experiencing the beauty that's in the world. A beautiful sunset is always awe inspiring, never grows old.
Oh wait, I forgot about that little thing called hearing. I've got a bad ear, so my hearing causes me as much trouble as enjoyment (half heard conversations, missed words) but I do enjoy complex music and strong rhythms.
So even though I still have to say sight rules as favorite, I wanted to add a couple of quick thoughts on sounds of seasons, natural sounds, not people or man made.

Spring: water, light rain, melting snow, splashing puddles, birdsong
Summer: storms, insects, the itchy, irritated, dusty, crisp sound of a very hot summer day
Fall: the drip of the first winter rains, wind through half dead leaves, the crunch of fallen leaves, the whispery scratch of dead leaves blown across a landscape going dormant
Winter: silence

Been a while ...

So I thought I'd just put up some thoughts.

Updated my reading list, and realized, I've got some good ones coming up, and some good ones I've missed. Have been reading whatever looked good off the quickie-mart shelves in the airport, and it's mostly been worthless. A couple I didn't even finish. Future reads will be higher quality.

I really enjoy fall! Bright days. Cool air. Warm clothes.

Worth While

It seems like anything really worth while takes effort, whether it be a work of art, a project, raising a child - it's a lot of work. Does that mean, that if it doesn't take effort that the end result isn't worth while or a work of art? Or does it mean that every thing we consider of any worth in life took effort on someone's part?

The Emerald Isle

For my birthday I'll get to go to the land of my dreams with the girl of my dreams! I expect to be cold, wet, weary and have an absolutely wonderful time.

There are many places I would go by myself that I enjoy and would thoroughly relax and recharge me (read high-desert canyons), but I've always wanted to visit Ireland, and that's one trip I would never make without my sweetie by my side.

They're everywhere!

So how about some sort of nano-router that can forward an internet connection, even if it's only a fraction of a milimeter? If you have enough of them embedded in paint, floating in the air, hitching a ride with the dust that permeates our lives, couldn't you create an everywhere accessible internet?

Politics

It seems there is a growing number of people who only exist comfortably in a virtual world, and many of those who deal best with reality are virtually lost.

How long before we have real governments and virtual nations with no physical boundaries, only ideological groupings?

How long before someone sets up a floating squatters island where those who can afford it live only in a virtual world with all their other needs taken care of?

Can you give up you're real world nationality/identity in favor of an online persona?

Family

Just got through with a wonderful family reunion. For pics and such, sorry, you're going to have to find me on Facebook. My boys are of the official opinion that my brothers are great to hang around and listen to, but they're glad I'm their dad. Made me feel like I'm at least doing one thing right. Hopefully get to see my folks in a week or two (they're planning a visit, but the exact dates are up in the air).

Blinded

Ok, the stress of many trips in little time must be getting to me as, yep, it's another rant.

I am so tired of old women in low cut blouses. Sure you're proud of them and want to show them off - BUT I DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM. I know summer is coming on, but I'm sorry, I don't want to see any more flabby, wrinkly, jiggly, pasty, freckled or sun damaged skin!

Prius

Ok, if you're going to redesign a system - like the ignition system on the Prius - you should have some instructions - or not hand one over to a novice without instructions. Last trip (LA) I was given a Prius as a rental. No instructions. I could see the key didn't turn. I hit the power button and stuff would light up then turn off when I hit it again. Somehow the first two times I magically got the car to start, but it wasn't until 5 minutes into my frustrating trial and error process that I figured out you have to have your foot on the brake when you push the start button to actually have it start the engine.

Oh, and the engine switching between electric and internal combustion (making me think the engine had died) was unnerving for a newbie.

I had a dream ...

There were powerful dragons who were in opposition to man, but for every powerful dragon there was a man of power to oppose it. I dreamed I was almost destroyed by the second most powerful dragon, and only just saved by the most powerful man coming to my defense. I came to find out, I was the supposed to be the second most powerful man, and should have been able to do all sorts of amazing things, but I just didn't care enough to learn. The dream ended as I began to feel a small inkling of what I could do, and an anguish of not knowing if it was too late to begin caring.

Hmmm ...

Are faith in God and acceptance of coincidence mutually exclusive?

Musing

The application of force often produces unanticipated results.

Balance

Seems like there are all sorts of balances we have to maintain, but how thin is the line between preparing for the future and borrowing trouble. We all know hard times will come, but in the exhuberance of mitigating disasters we foresee, are we creating other problems we might otherwise never face?

Completely Random

You would think that if aliens were that intelligent that they'd figure out how to disguise a flying saucer as a 747. No one thinks anything anymore of looking up in the sky and seeing a bunch of flashing lights flying by.

Musing

If someone was born in a state of constant pain, would the cessation of pain be painful because it wasn't what they were used to? Or is pain, by definition, unpleasant and the cessation would be pleasurable?

Musing

Quantum theory would have us consider an infinite number of parallel universes where the results of every decision made or not made are a possibility. So in this universe you had eggs for breakfast, there is another universe where you had oatmeal for breakfast.

Consider instead that the people around you are your quantum alternates - that somewhere on earth is a person who is a result of all the decisions you would have made but didn't?

I'm not serious about this. I know differently. But, hey, I bet someone could make a great story around the idea.

Coraline

Well, back in my old Seattle stomping grounds. Made me want to revisit an old tradition of mine of taking in a movie with my dinner. Went and saw Coraline and it pleasantly met my expectations. Saw the 3D version which was fun. Artistically stunning, but creeeeepy! Loved it!!

It's neat that someone could make a genuinely creepy film without gore. And what's more they neatly capture the bleak gloom of deep winter in Oregon.

It's nice to have bright spots.

Musing

We have to let others try and fail, because if they don't try they'll never succeed.

Musing

I sit and let my mind drift and have glimpses of the what could be.

Bright side of travel!

OK, one more thing.

At some point I'm going to get a camera phone again, just so I can throw some pics up here.

Saw a beautiful sunrise this morning. High clouds underlit by the rising sun, glowing gold. Gorgeous.

Arghhh - travel!

So just when I think I'm getting used to the tedium of travel, along comes another trip that just tries me. Company policy sends me through Dallas instead of the more direct Denver since there are no direct flights from PDX to Oklahoma City. I have nothing against Dallas, but I can't remember the last time I had a flight leave on time from that airport.

So flight out was fine except for the leg out of DFW being delayed for a half hour. Flight back to DFW was fine. Flight home was overbooked. Aren't there laws against selling me a seat if there isn't one? Even though I paid for a seat, after everyone else is on they get me a seat (guess they had to make sure there was a seat to give). The get us on the plane, then we have to wait while they finish maintenance on something in the cockpit. Then they run out of snacks, granted everyone was extra hungry waiting that extra half hour, but me being in one of the last rows was a little miffed. I did get something, then got airsick. Leave it at that. Now I'm riding home on the train, because vandals busted my rear windshield on the car after my last trip. Yippee!

So for those who I haven't had a chance to tell yet - I've got a new job. Sort of. For the last several years I've been an Americas level subject matter expert. Well, now I'm back to my old job, sales engineer, but for everything west of Texas, and a completely new product set. Hopefully, will mean less travel, or at least shorter trips. I'm not complaining, I'm grateful I have a job, and I have a lot of new things to learn.

Ok, enough for now.

Creative Outlets

It's funny. Haven't had a post in a while - just nothing seemed post worthy. That being said, in the meantime, have started into Facebook, am participating in a roleplaying forum with my sons and most recently have started modeling a chess set with one of my sons.

With all of these things, requiring a mote of creative thought each, you would think I would be tapped out. But actually, it seems (and makes sense as I put it into writing) that creativity inspires more creativity.