I'm only about 75 pages into the 1000+ page health care bill, so it might be a while before I can post about my thoughts there. In the interim, I give you the tale of 3 fish that touched our lives and our hearts last week.
St. Joe's church carnival, last Wednesday. Three kids with a penchant for games of chance but without the skill to procure stuffed blue bears or Hannah Montana posters find their way to the Fishbowl Toss. A seemingly simple game, but plenty of players had come and gone before them with nothing more than a frown and a dollar less in their pockets. Nevertheless, the fearless 3 made their way to the table and offered the barker their fare.
First up was young Molly, who took aim with the first of her five table tennis balls and barely reached the table that held a baker's dozen of small fishbowls. The second ball was somewhat more on track, but careened to the side harmlessly. The third toss was wildly off-line, yet somehow struck the side of the backboard, caromed back toward the fishbowls, and landed squarely into the middle bowl of the second row. Winner, winner, chicken dinner.
Next up, Owen, who had no problem reaching the table but couldn't get the bounces to go his way- until the last throw. Soft toss, one bounce, nothing but bowl. Winner number 2.
Then Brendan, who after watching his siblings hit paydirt thought he was in for a fish for sure. Alas, despite his best attempts, he was unable to find the bottom of the bowl with any of his tosses, so he went away empty handed- at least for the moment.
After they finished, Molly and Owen walked over to the side of the booth to claim their prizes. The kindly folks in the booth offered to hold the fish for a while while we rode some rides, but the excitement of winning was just too much for the young champions. They each were handed a large plastic bag- the contents of which being about a quart of water and a solitary goldfish- and were delighted to have them (...for about ten minutes, at which time said bags were handed off to the closest adult).
Back to Brendan, who initially dealt with his defeat at the fins of the fish well, but after seeing the spoils unto the victors decided that this game of chance was worth further investment. He proudly stepped up to the booth for a second go-around, offering yet another 8 bits to the fish peddler. Upon seeing the desire for victory in his eyes, she took mercy on the boy, and decided it was her and God's will that a fish be unto him, balls be damned. So after the last ball tossed landed harmlessly between two fishbowls, she proclaimed "It's good enough- you win!" Fish number 3, now proudly secured.
We walked around for a bit more, stopping to chat with several friends and acquaintances, some with fish of their own. After a bit though, a situation developed that demanded attention. It seems one of the first-to-be-acquired fish had risen to the occasion quite literally, and was now resting in a permanent state of quiescence at the top of his bag. The suggestion was made that we simply trade this fish back in to the fish peddler for one that seemed perhaps a bit more alive. A valid suggestion, to be sure, but the fish booth had been depleted of its stock. We waited patiently for reinforcements to arrive, but before they could, tragedy struck.
It was now apparent that Brendan's fish was also in full horizontal recline. Down to one fish, and with no replacement options in sight, the command decision was made to abandon the first two fish in the nearest trash receptacle and head home with the lone survivor.
After some protest by the shorter members of the family, I proclaimed that this fish belonged to no individual now, but to the family. "He shall belong to all of us, and he shall be called "Lucky", for he has survived the afflictions which have befallen his brethren".
Lucky came home and was transferred from his plastic-walled home into a luxurious 14"x16"x8" tank. He was offered the finest flakes in the house, and devoured them readily. All turned in for the night, with dreams of Lucky and prayers for his comrades.
But in the morning, before the rise of the sun (or the sons), Lucky's luck ran out. He was found motionless, floating along side a few uneaten Goldy Flakes, as peaceful as the morning itself. Molly was downstairs with me, just in time to witness Lucky make his final passage into his porcelain grave.
We still think of Lucky sometimes, and talk of the time we shared together. His tank has been cleaned and put away, waiting for perhaps a new friend to come along. There won't be another Lucky though- at least until next year's carnival.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
A bitter pill
I feel obligated to post something on the current debate over health care reform, but feel uninformed enough at the time to do it. After about 45 minutes of searching online, I finally found the actual text of the bill before the House, and I plan to look it over this weekend. Should you care to do the same, you'll find it here. Hope you've got a lot of free time this weekend- the bill is 1018 pages long.
I realize that most bills are quite lengthy, and that most congresspersons don't read the bills they vote on for that reason. This one better get their full attention, because if the media is right, the content within could radically change our system.
More to come...
I realize that most bills are quite lengthy, and that most congresspersons don't read the bills they vote on for that reason. This one better get their full attention, because if the media is right, the content within could radically change our system.
More to come...
Monday, July 20, 2009
How to build a running playlist
Just redid my running playlist tonight- long overdue, as I've been listening to a playlist I made for the last FinkBowl and not a true running playlist. While I won't share the entire 157 songs that made the cut, I will share what I feel makes a good playlist specifically for running, with some examples of songs on my current list.
1) Length- Thanks to digital technology, gone are the days of 12-18 song mixes you burned onto a disc, or *gasp* recorded onto a cassette (that you'd have to flip half-way thru a decent run). A good list needs to not be your whole catalog but should have enough songs for variety. This way, you can familiarize yourself with the tunes without getting sick of them. I think anywhere from 100-300 would work.
2) Song tempo- Obviously a big factor. Songs that are too fast will throw off your pace, and too slow will just bore you. Sometimes you've got to pick alternate songs from your favorite artists to fit the tempo criteria ("Cracklin' Rosie" over "Sweet Caroline", Neil Diamond, "The Way You Move" over "Hey Ya", Outkast)
3) Song length- Pick shorter over longer- you want to keep moving, not get bogged down by a long guitar solo or a bunch of "wiki-wiki-wiki-wikis". ("White Lines" by Grandmaster Flash over "Jam On It", Newcleus)
4) No Radiohead- A great band, but I've yet to find a Radiohead song that's acceptable to run to.
5) Good starts- Songs that get going quickly work great. I consider them either 'take-off songs', that start a little slow and rev up, like "Portions for Foxes", Rilo Kiley, or "Paint it Black", Rolling Stones, or 'blast-off songs' that come hard right out of the box, like "Panama", Van Halen or "Monkey Wrench", Foo Fighters.
6) Slow but steady starts- Some songs start slow, but because they have at their base a driving beat, they build and become motivating. Pick these over similar songs that start slow and build but don't really have that driving beat. ("Where The Streets Have No Name" over "Bad", U2)
7) Good memories- As long as the tempo and length are adequate, some songs that may not exactly rock can work if they generate some emotion or memories. I've always liked "Rain on the Scarecrow", John Mellencamp and "Around the Way Girl", LL Cool J, so when they come on I get lost in 3:40 worth of memories, which gets me that much closer to the finish.
8) Bang your head- Nothing helps you bust through "the wall" better than some loud metal or hard rock. Nine Inch Nails, Metallica, Kiss, or Jane's Addiction would all be acceptable choices. Might I suggest "Jesus Christ Pose", Soundgarden? Or if you're a little more daring, try "Unsung", Helmet.
9) Classic songs- There are some songs, like Talking Heads "Once In A Lifetime"and Springsteen's "Born to Run" that belong on any running playlist by virtue of their pedigree alone.
10) New blood- Classics are fine, but find a few new songs that fit criteria #2 and 3 to keep your playlist from developing that not-so-fresh scent. Perhaps "Percussion Gun", White Rabbits, "Around the Bend", The Asteroids Galaxy Tour (which you might know as the "iPod Touch commercial song"), or "The Good Old Days", The Lodger.
There you go. Now go open up your iTunes, pick a bunch of songs that fit this list, go to the iTunes store and buy 10-20 new songs, then sync your iPod, strap on your shoes and hit the road. No more excuses.
1) Length- Thanks to digital technology, gone are the days of 12-18 song mixes you burned onto a disc, or *gasp* recorded onto a cassette (that you'd have to flip half-way thru a decent run). A good list needs to not be your whole catalog but should have enough songs for variety. This way, you can familiarize yourself with the tunes without getting sick of them. I think anywhere from 100-300 would work.
2) Song tempo- Obviously a big factor. Songs that are too fast will throw off your pace, and too slow will just bore you. Sometimes you've got to pick alternate songs from your favorite artists to fit the tempo criteria ("Cracklin' Rosie" over "Sweet Caroline", Neil Diamond, "The Way You Move" over "Hey Ya", Outkast)
3) Song length- Pick shorter over longer- you want to keep moving, not get bogged down by a long guitar solo or a bunch of "wiki-wiki-wiki-wikis". ("White Lines" by Grandmaster Flash over "Jam On It", Newcleus)
4) No Radiohead- A great band, but I've yet to find a Radiohead song that's acceptable to run to.
5) Good starts- Songs that get going quickly work great. I consider them either 'take-off songs', that start a little slow and rev up, like "Portions for Foxes", Rilo Kiley, or "Paint it Black", Rolling Stones, or 'blast-off songs' that come hard right out of the box, like "Panama", Van Halen or "Monkey Wrench", Foo Fighters.
6) Slow but steady starts- Some songs start slow, but because they have at their base a driving beat, they build and become motivating. Pick these over similar songs that start slow and build but don't really have that driving beat. ("Where The Streets Have No Name" over "Bad", U2)
7) Good memories- As long as the tempo and length are adequate, some songs that may not exactly rock can work if they generate some emotion or memories. I've always liked "Rain on the Scarecrow", John Mellencamp and "Around the Way Girl", LL Cool J, so when they come on I get lost in 3:40 worth of memories, which gets me that much closer to the finish.
8) Bang your head- Nothing helps you bust through "the wall" better than some loud metal or hard rock. Nine Inch Nails, Metallica, Kiss, or Jane's Addiction would all be acceptable choices. Might I suggest "Jesus Christ Pose", Soundgarden? Or if you're a little more daring, try "Unsung", Helmet.
9) Classic songs- There are some songs, like Talking Heads "Once In A Lifetime"and Springsteen's "Born to Run" that belong on any running playlist by virtue of their pedigree alone.
10) New blood- Classics are fine, but find a few new songs that fit criteria #2 and 3 to keep your playlist from developing that not-so-fresh scent. Perhaps "Percussion Gun", White Rabbits, "Around the Bend", The Asteroids Galaxy Tour (which you might know as the "iPod Touch commercial song"), or "The Good Old Days", The Lodger.
There you go. Now go open up your iTunes, pick a bunch of songs that fit this list, go to the iTunes store and buy 10-20 new songs, then sync your iPod, strap on your shoes and hit the road. No more excuses.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Stuff you should hear
I never got around to doing a "Best of 2008" post back in January, probably because I was too busy playing all the new Wii games the kids got for Christmas. But if I had, I'd have submitted as my nomination for the "Best Podcast of 2008" the "Stuff You Should Know" podcast from HowStuffWorks.com. (I assume you can get the podcast from the site, but I get it and all my other podcasts directly thru iTunes.)
The podcast is a free download, a twice weekly production offering up presentations of articles that can be found on the website. The articles address questions on various topics, such as "Is spontaneous combustion real?", or "How do credit default swaps work?". The information is decent, but the hosts are not experts in any of the fields they present, so sometimes facts are a little off. And the hosts admittedly lean a little to the left, so depending on what topics they choose, the information they present can have a definite liberal bias.
What makes the podcast so great though is the rapport between the two hosts. Their style is at its worst funny and at its best hilarious. They are both smart guys, with a great fund of pop culture knowledge that they stir into their discussions. The end product is usually one with a little bit of education and a lot of humor, and at just about 25 minutes a show, the perfect length for the ride to work. Check it out- you might learn something, and you'll laugh even if you don't.
The podcast is a free download, a twice weekly production offering up presentations of articles that can be found on the website. The articles address questions on various topics, such as "Is spontaneous combustion real?", or "How do credit default swaps work?". The information is decent, but the hosts are not experts in any of the fields they present, so sometimes facts are a little off. And the hosts admittedly lean a little to the left, so depending on what topics they choose, the information they present can have a definite liberal bias.
What makes the podcast so great though is the rapport between the two hosts. Their style is at its worst funny and at its best hilarious. They are both smart guys, with a great fund of pop culture knowledge that they stir into their discussions. The end product is usually one with a little bit of education and a lot of humor, and at just about 25 minutes a show, the perfect length for the ride to work. Check it out- you might learn something, and you'll laugh even if you don't.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Maybe someday I'll be able to work from home
Had my first real experience with e-medicine the other day. Saw a patient on Monday who had a nasty boil on his leg that I drained. He called 2 days later, saying it looked worse. We asked him to come in right away, but he declined saying that he was at work, about 30 miles away. He instead asked if he could just send pictures, because he had a very good digital camera and wanted to just e-mail some shots to us. Given that the alternative was him likely not getting his leg looked at at all, I said, "Sure".
I'll spare you the photos, but they were of good quality and showed that his leg certainly looked worse. With that knowledge I advised him that if he couldn't come down to us, he should get himself to the nearest clinic/ER near him.
There's obviously a good big of hands-on stuff that I do, but I'd guess that the majority of the information I gather for each patient encounter is either historical or visual . I can see a day soon when most of that information is gathered without me being in the room. But as long as the FDA says I'm the one with the prescribing power, I've got job security, baby.
I'll spare you the photos, but they were of good quality and showed that his leg certainly looked worse. With that knowledge I advised him that if he couldn't come down to us, he should get himself to the nearest clinic/ER near him.
There's obviously a good big of hands-on stuff that I do, but I'd guess that the majority of the information I gather for each patient encounter is either historical or visual . I can see a day soon when most of that information is gathered without me being in the room. But as long as the FDA says I'm the one with the prescribing power, I've got job security, baby.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
It must be summer
Must be summer if I'm home alone again. Kids and Erin are off for a short trip to upstate New York. They were at Niagara Falls yesterday, stopping at Corning today to tour the glass factory, then will be heading home. No definite plans for the rest of the summer, but more of these short trips are likely.
Must be summer if the Mets are swooning again. Went to the game on Sunday in Philly. Took the boys, which was fun, but was treated to a miserable offensive performance by the Flushing nine. Looking more and more like it's time to rebuild and start anew.
Must be summer if things are slow around the office. Not too busy these past few days, which in some way is good because it allows me to catch up on the pile of paperwork on my desk (not to mention the neglected blog you're reading now). But for any small business, too many "not too busy" days in a row make you a little concerned for the bottom line. Fortunately it seems swine flu may be back again in the fall- job security, baby!
Must be summer if the Mets are swooning again. Went to the game on Sunday in Philly. Took the boys, which was fun, but was treated to a miserable offensive performance by the Flushing nine. Looking more and more like it's time to rebuild and start anew.
Must be summer if things are slow around the office. Not too busy these past few days, which in some way is good because it allows me to catch up on the pile of paperwork on my desk (not to mention the neglected blog you're reading now). But for any small business, too many "not too busy" days in a row make you a little concerned for the bottom line. Fortunately it seems swine flu may be back again in the fall- job security, baby!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Human Nature
It takes the death of the King of Pop to bring me back to this blog after more than 2 weeks away. I'm finding through e-mails, IM's, and media coverage that everyone's got an opinion on the death of Jacko. (Even PTI devoted a short segment to his passing last Friday.) Not surprising at all, given the fame and infamy that defined his life. So I couldn't let the opportunity pass without throwing my two cents and silver glove into the ring.
I've always liked MJ. Never a huge fan, but appreciated his music and marveled at his talent. I listened to "Thriller" while I was cutting the grass this past Saturday AM, trying to identify what it was that drew so many people in. What struck me as the most identifiable reason was the passion in his voice. The songs are good, the lyrics are well written, but it's the passion in his voice that seems to set MJ apart from everyone else. Listening to the album, there's no doubt that Billie Jean is certainly not his lover. (And there was certainly never any doubt that the kid was not his son ;) ) Thinking further, it becomes easy then to see that same passion in his dancing, and also easy to see how his misguided passion completely screwed up his personal life.
I think it can be argued that Michael Jackson is the most famous person since Jesus. More than Elvis, more than the Beatles, more than Princess Diana. Michael transcended music- he crossed age barriers, race barriers, cultural barriers. For that reason, to the chagrin of many, his death will be a huge story for the media (and bloggers) for quite a while.
I've always liked MJ. Never a huge fan, but appreciated his music and marveled at his talent. I listened to "Thriller" while I was cutting the grass this past Saturday AM, trying to identify what it was that drew so many people in. What struck me as the most identifiable reason was the passion in his voice. The songs are good, the lyrics are well written, but it's the passion in his voice that seems to set MJ apart from everyone else. Listening to the album, there's no doubt that Billie Jean is certainly not his lover. (And there was certainly never any doubt that the kid was not his son ;) ) Thinking further, it becomes easy then to see that same passion in his dancing, and also easy to see how his misguided passion completely screwed up his personal life.
I think it can be argued that Michael Jackson is the most famous person since Jesus. More than Elvis, more than the Beatles, more than Princess Diana. Michael transcended music- he crossed age barriers, race barriers, cultural barriers. For that reason, to the chagrin of many, his death will be a huge story for the media (and bloggers) for quite a while.
Friday, June 12, 2009
At your service
Earlier this school year, I tried to help Owen improve his penmanship by offering him a challenge. He was getting B's in penmanship, but only because he would rush his work. Whenever he took his time, his printing and handwriting were fine. So I offered to him that if he finished the year with an A in penmanship, I would be his servant for the weekend.
After B's in both the first and second trimester, it wasn't looking good. But he persevered, worked harder at it, and with the help of some mystery "bonus points" (I know for a fact his teacher knew of the challenge), he got an A in the last trimester and somehow managed an A average for the year.
So, of course, he called me as soon as he got out of school this morning (half-day for their last day), advising him that my servitude was about to be called upon. Since I'm on call this weekend, I told him it was in his best interest to wait a few weeks to call in his winnings, so we'll do it sometime soon.
He's proud, I'm proud, and the way I see it, it saved me from paying for grades. Only problem is, Brendan's now trying to come up with some scheme to indenture me. Maybe I'll offer him Molly.
After B's in both the first and second trimester, it wasn't looking good. But he persevered, worked harder at it, and with the help of some mystery "bonus points" (I know for a fact his teacher knew of the challenge), he got an A in the last trimester and somehow managed an A average for the year.
So, of course, he called me as soon as he got out of school this morning (half-day for their last day), advising him that my servitude was about to be called upon. Since I'm on call this weekend, I told him it was in his best interest to wait a few weeks to call in his winnings, so we'll do it sometime soon.
He's proud, I'm proud, and the way I see it, it saved me from paying for grades. Only problem is, Brendan's now trying to come up with some scheme to indenture me. Maybe I'll offer him Molly.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
EXTRA!! EXTRA!! Green Lantern Dispatches of Lex Luthor, No Comment Yet from Superman
Just watched some tennis commentators talking about how excited Roger Federer must be now that Rafael Nadal has been ousted from the French Open. Federer, despite his recent success, has never won the French and has lost to Nadal in the finals there the last 3 years.
It made me wonder how much athletes who have a particular nemesis in an individual or a team find their victories bittersweet if they haven't had to defeat their nemesis to get there. This first came to me about 10 years ago. The Mets, who had been the whipping boys of the Braves for most of the 90's, finally made it to the post-season in 1999 but were beaten a step before the World Series by the Braves. The next season, the Mets and Braves both made the playoffs again, but the Braves lost in the first round. The Mets won their series, and subsequently advanced to the World Series, but it seemed "cheaper" in a way because they didn't have to go through the Braves to get there. (Yankee fans need not comment on the final round of the playoffs that year.)
You think Federer is happy Nadal is out, or will he always be questioned if he does win because "he didn't have to play Nadal"?
It made me wonder how much athletes who have a particular nemesis in an individual or a team find their victories bittersweet if they haven't had to defeat their nemesis to get there. This first came to me about 10 years ago. The Mets, who had been the whipping boys of the Braves for most of the 90's, finally made it to the post-season in 1999 but were beaten a step before the World Series by the Braves. The next season, the Mets and Braves both made the playoffs again, but the Braves lost in the first round. The Mets won their series, and subsequently advanced to the World Series, but it seemed "cheaper" in a way because they didn't have to go through the Braves to get there. (Yankee fans need not comment on the final round of the playoffs that year.)
You think Federer is happy Nadal is out, or will he always be questioned if he does win because "he didn't have to play Nadal"?
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Just call me "The Snake Whisperer"
Was out cutting the grass today and out of the corner of my eye saw a rather large black snake sneaking along the base of the house into the front flower bed. About an hour later, I had finished mowing and was trimming along the back of the house and came upon the same snake, stretched out right in front of me, just sunning himself.
After a brief thought of just chasing him away, I decided that no matter how docile this guy might have been, he needed to go. So I went back to the shed, grabbed the hoe, and went back for him. He was no longer in the spot he was, but I figured he hadn't gone far. Found him just a few feet away, coiled up under the steps to the back door.
Our hoe has two sides- a standard blade side, and an opposite side with two prongs (kinda looks like a claw hammer). I reached under the steps with the hoe, pulled him out with the pronged end, then went to work with the blade side. He never stood a chance.
Pretty freaky, because even after I gave him that beat-down, he was still writhing somewhat. So I got the garden shovel, took it to his neck and rendered him headless, to which he responded by still writhing. He did stop moving enough for me to stretch him out- I paced him out at just over 4 feet long, and by his looks (and how much shovel it took to get all French Revolution on his neck), I figure he was a good inch and a half in diameter.
My brief internet research tells me he was likely a black rat snake, harmless and possibly helpful, as he was probably feasting on the field mice that live in our yard. While that gave me some regret, since mice are more of a nuisance than he would have been, I think the kids would be more OK with seeing a mouse in the basement than a snake in their playhouse longer than they are tall.
After a brief thought of just chasing him away, I decided that no matter how docile this guy might have been, he needed to go. So I went back to the shed, grabbed the hoe, and went back for him. He was no longer in the spot he was, but I figured he hadn't gone far. Found him just a few feet away, coiled up under the steps to the back door.
Our hoe has two sides- a standard blade side, and an opposite side with two prongs (kinda looks like a claw hammer). I reached under the steps with the hoe, pulled him out with the pronged end, then went to work with the blade side. He never stood a chance.
Pretty freaky, because even after I gave him that beat-down, he was still writhing somewhat. So I got the garden shovel, took it to his neck and rendered him headless, to which he responded by still writhing. He did stop moving enough for me to stretch him out- I paced him out at just over 4 feet long, and by his looks (and how much shovel it took to get all French Revolution on his neck), I figure he was a good inch and a half in diameter.
My brief internet research tells me he was likely a black rat snake, harmless and possibly helpful, as he was probably feasting on the field mice that live in our yard. While that gave me some regret, since mice are more of a nuisance than he would have been, I think the kids would be more OK with seeing a mouse in the basement than a snake in their playhouse longer than they are tall.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Blog fodder
The cruel irony about having plenty to blog about is that it often means there's no time to do the blogging. Marathon training has picked up lately (although you'd never know it from the official finkathon blog, which has suffered the same neglect as this one has), and am still in the throes of getting this new business off the ground. This week's tasks- getting the bank to lend me some money, getting worker's comp insurance and a business license, and figuring out how I'm going to do payroll.
Lots of resources available online for small businesses, and despite never having done this before, I think I'll be able to do most of the management myself. Love to hear any tips you might have, especially things you wish you knew at the beginning.
Lots of resources available online for small businesses, and despite never having done this before, I think I'll be able to do most of the management myself. Love to hear any tips you might have, especially things you wish you knew at the beginning.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
To infinity...and beyond!
I remember STS-1 well- watched it live in my 4th grade classroom and have been fascinated ever since. Haven't seen a live launch in many years, but thanks to this series of interconnected tubes, I can watch them whenever I want. No matter how many times you see it, it never gets old.
Here's STS-125 heading out on its way to repair Hubble. (From about 2pm yesterday)
Here's STS-125 heading out on its way to repair Hubble. (From about 2pm yesterday)
Friday, May 8, 2009
Yes, I still work here
Lest you think that my new "venture" has caused me to abandon this blog, I feel the need to at least post something to show you I still care about you.
For those who asked, the venture I referenced a few weeks ago is just a little side project from my current practice which will involve some nursing home care. I'll be hiring someone to help me with it, which necessitates the independent corporation. The legwork setting up the business side of things is nothing compared to the bureaucracy of enrolling in Medicare. Let's just say if you've ever wondered why things in Washington are seemingly impossible to change, it's probably because no one has figured out which of the nine gazillion government forms they need to do it.
On a brighter note, had a wonderful first communion celebration for Brendan this past weekend. Had everyone from the official finkipedia family (national division) present, and despite the rain had a great time.
For those who asked, the venture I referenced a few weeks ago is just a little side project from my current practice which will involve some nursing home care. I'll be hiring someone to help me with it, which necessitates the independent corporation. The legwork setting up the business side of things is nothing compared to the bureaucracy of enrolling in Medicare. Let's just say if you've ever wondered why things in Washington are seemingly impossible to change, it's probably because no one has figured out which of the nine gazillion government forms they need to do it.
On a brighter note, had a wonderful first communion celebration for Brendan this past weekend. Had everyone from the official finkipedia family (national division) present, and despite the rain had a great time.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Venture adventure
Not much posting going on, as I've been occupied with a new side project I'm taking on. As part of this new venture, I'm setting up a corporation and am actually enjoying the process of getting things off the ground. (While technically I'm already a small business owner, buying into a corporation is just not the same as starting from scratch).
Filed with the state for my certificate of formation, and now have my official IRS tax ID number. Next step- licenses and a bank account. Hope to be operational by June, and soon thereafter taking advantage of all the benefits both personally and professionally that come from running my own show. Maybe I'll petition the Board of Directors (me) to hold the first shareholder's meeting (singular possessive) off-site- perhaps at Citi Field?
Filed with the state for my certificate of formation, and now have my official IRS tax ID number. Next step- licenses and a bank account. Hope to be operational by June, and soon thereafter taking advantage of all the benefits both personally and professionally that come from running my own show. Maybe I'll petition the Board of Directors (me) to hold the first shareholder's meeting (singular possessive) off-site- perhaps at Citi Field?
Monday, April 13, 2009
Resurrection
Many have said the two things you can't talk about at work are politics and religion- that's what blogs are for. Touched on politics last fall, but I haven't really approached the third rail of religion yet, though not for lack of desire. In fact, I once thought about starting an entirely separate blog for matters of religion to allow for longer and deeper discussion. For now though we'll start here, and with no smaller matter than the entire foundation of the Christian faith.
I listened intently to yesterday's sermon in which the priest focused on the importance of the empty tomb. His point was that Christianity centers on the belief in the unseen, that Peter and the "other disciple" (John) left the empty tomb believing in the resurrection, though they hadn't seen anything. They went back and reported in, telling the others that Jesus had risen. Only Thomas doubted, and needed to see the risen Christ to believe. Jesus of course would soon show himself to Thomas and the others, but would then declare that with regards to the resurrection, "blessed are those who do not see, but still believe".
But what if the resurrection was more of a spiritual event than a physical one? What if it was more allegory than literal fact? Is it possible that those first two disciples came back from that empty tomb, professing their belief with such conviction that a miracle was born? What if it was not the return of Christ to a human body that was the true resurrection miracle, but rather the ability of those two disciples to believe that He would live on forever?
For Christians, a resurrected Christ is necessary to show God's ability to conquer death and to bring to believers the gift of eternal life. If the resurrection is not corporeal, than how could that need be filled? The answer is in the empty tomb. For Peter and John, the resurrection was not a vision of Christ. It was the absence of his dead body that caused them to believe. Once they believed that death had been conquered, the resurrection was real regardless of what happened to Christ's body. It is easy to question that if Christ did not return to his earthly body, then how did the tomb become empty in the first place, and how did Christ appear to the apostles later? That is not the point. How the body left the tomb does not matter, nor does his appearance later matter. Whether Christ rejoined his body at all does not matter. What matters is that we believe that after he died, Christ returned from death to live on first in John (because he got there first, of course), then in Peter, then the rest of us.
The sermon I remember more than any other was one I heard probably 25 years ago. It was given by a deacon about the gospel of loaves and the fishes. He suggested that perhaps the miracle that day wasn't Jesus creating food for 5,000 from thin air, but rather was Jesus convincing everyone other than the kid with the fish and bread to share the food they had brought with them. People in attendance, reluctant to share their food, were touched by Christ and produced enough food to feed everyone, with plenty to spare. Bible literalists would consider any possibility other than Jesus creating food to be blasphemy, but this exegesis struck a deep chord within me. It was a way to explain a miracle while still considering it a miracle.
If Christ can live on in each of us, than he has in fact conquered death. If we believe that Christ has conquered death, than we believe that we too can live forever. And if those beliefs are held in good faith, then isn't that what the resurrection is for?
I listened intently to yesterday's sermon in which the priest focused on the importance of the empty tomb. His point was that Christianity centers on the belief in the unseen, that Peter and the "other disciple" (John) left the empty tomb believing in the resurrection, though they hadn't seen anything. They went back and reported in, telling the others that Jesus had risen. Only Thomas doubted, and needed to see the risen Christ to believe. Jesus of course would soon show himself to Thomas and the others, but would then declare that with regards to the resurrection, "blessed are those who do not see, but still believe".
But what if the resurrection was more of a spiritual event than a physical one? What if it was more allegory than literal fact? Is it possible that those first two disciples came back from that empty tomb, professing their belief with such conviction that a miracle was born? What if it was not the return of Christ to a human body that was the true resurrection miracle, but rather the ability of those two disciples to believe that He would live on forever?
For Christians, a resurrected Christ is necessary to show God's ability to conquer death and to bring to believers the gift of eternal life. If the resurrection is not corporeal, than how could that need be filled? The answer is in the empty tomb. For Peter and John, the resurrection was not a vision of Christ. It was the absence of his dead body that caused them to believe. Once they believed that death had been conquered, the resurrection was real regardless of what happened to Christ's body. It is easy to question that if Christ did not return to his earthly body, then how did the tomb become empty in the first place, and how did Christ appear to the apostles later? That is not the point. How the body left the tomb does not matter, nor does his appearance later matter. Whether Christ rejoined his body at all does not matter. What matters is that we believe that after he died, Christ returned from death to live on first in John (because he got there first, of course), then in Peter, then the rest of us.
The sermon I remember more than any other was one I heard probably 25 years ago. It was given by a deacon about the gospel of loaves and the fishes. He suggested that perhaps the miracle that day wasn't Jesus creating food for 5,000 from thin air, but rather was Jesus convincing everyone other than the kid with the fish and bread to share the food they had brought with them. People in attendance, reluctant to share their food, were touched by Christ and produced enough food to feed everyone, with plenty to spare. Bible literalists would consider any possibility other than Jesus creating food to be blasphemy, but this exegesis struck a deep chord within me. It was a way to explain a miracle while still considering it a miracle.
If Christ can live on in each of us, than he has in fact conquered death. If we believe that Christ has conquered death, than we believe that we too can live forever. And if those beliefs are held in good faith, then isn't that what the resurrection is for?
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Change you can believe in
So it wasn't entirely an April Fool's joke. Most of it was true. I used to be a horrible typist, and truly couldn't find a shift key. Didn't matter much to a science geek who had few term papers to write, but with the advent of the internet, typing was forced upon me pretty quickly. So, I could either type slowly, or just forego capital letters in the interest of speed. I opted for the latter.
Didn't take too long to get skillz, but I kinda liked the lower case thing. Became a style, an M.O. But for a while now I've been growing a little tired of it. Looking back on this blog in particular, I do feel that an all lowercase font does make the entries a little more difficult to read. (I know, the background and layout need some big time work too, but that's gonna take some HTML skillz that I haven't got yet.) So, it's time to grow up.
You may see e-mails from me in all lowercase, and for effect I won't rule out a lowercase entry here from time to time, but from now on, it's a more traditional style here at finkipedia. Except for the name.
Didn't take too long to get skillz, but I kinda liked the lower case thing. Became a style, an M.O. But for a while now I've been growing a little tired of it. Looking back on this blog in particular, I do feel that an all lowercase font does make the entries a little more difficult to read. (I know, the background and layout need some big time work too, but that's gonna take some HTML skillz that I haven't got yet.) So, it's time to grow up.
You may see e-mails from me in all lowercase, and for effect I won't rule out a lowercase entry here from time to time, but from now on, it's a more traditional style here at finkipedia. Except for the name.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
GOOD TIME FOR A CHANGE
WHEN I FIRST STARTED USING E-MAIL YEARS AGO, I WAS A HORRIBLE TYPIST AND COULDN'T FIND THE SHIFT KEY. THUS, I'D TYPE ONLY IN LOWER CASE. WHAT BEGAN OUT OF INEPTITUDE MORPHED INTO A STYLE, AND IT'S BEEN HARD TO GO BACK.
BUT WHEN I RE-READ THIS BLOG, I FIND THAT READING LOWER CASE CAN BE A BIT DISTRACTING AT TIMES. SO I'VE DECIDED TO CHANGE THE FORMAT A LITTLE, AND SWITCH TO AN ALL UPPER CASE FORMAT FOR A WHILE.
FEEL FREE TO POST YOUR COMMENTS AS YOU'D LIKE, BUT AN ALL-CAPS COMMENT SECTION WOULD JIVE NICELY WITH THE TEXT ABOVE.
BUT WHEN I RE-READ THIS BLOG, I FIND THAT READING LOWER CASE CAN BE A BIT DISTRACTING AT TIMES. SO I'VE DECIDED TO CHANGE THE FORMAT A LITTLE, AND SWITCH TO AN ALL UPPER CASE FORMAT FOR A WHILE.
FEEL FREE TO POST YOUR COMMENTS AS YOU'D LIKE, BUT AN ALL-CAPS COMMENT SECTION WOULD JIVE NICELY WITH THE TEXT ABOVE.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
caring is creepy
is there a time limit for leaving a dead person's voice on an answering machine message? i realize that for some people, it may be the only recording they have of their loved one's voice, but after a certain period of time after a death, it becomes a little odd hearing a voice from someone you know can't really call you back.
i'm sure there are situations too that because people don't really call their own homes, they may not even realize that their loved one's voice is on their machine. do you tell them? if so, how?
it's not anywhere near the top of the things-to-do-when-someone-dies list, but i'd propose that if the deceased is the voice on your answering machine, changing the message within a week would be appropriate. having a message still there after six months (as i experienced this morning) is a bit out there. you think i should submit this to miss manners or dear abby?
i'm sure there are situations too that because people don't really call their own homes, they may not even realize that their loved one's voice is on their machine. do you tell them? if so, how?
it's not anywhere near the top of the things-to-do-when-someone-dies list, but i'd propose that if the deceased is the voice on your answering machine, changing the message within a week would be appropriate. having a message still there after six months (as i experienced this morning) is a bit out there. you think i should submit this to miss manners or dear abby?
Monday, March 23, 2009
the holy grail
i've said for years that the biggest breakthrough in medicine we may see in the next generation is synthetic blood. that's based solely on my opinion, as many would argue that potential advances in gene therapy, fetal surgery, robotics, neuroscience or stem cell therapy would qualify as even greater successes. but i feel that the development of synthetic blood would revolutionize surgical and trauma care, not to mention the benefits for cancer, cardiovascular and critical care in general. a theoretical limitless supply of blood would eliminate the need for blood banks and donor programs and eliminate the risk of transmitted diseases through transfusion.
for years, attempts at developing a synthetic analog to red blood cells have failed. no chemical substance has ever been remotely effective at replicating the red blood cell's ability to transmit oxygen throughout the body. until one is discovered, the only way to expand the world's supply of blood would be to create more blood somehow.
i read today that because of stem cell research, we are on the doorstep of this breakthrough. i've posted previously about the ethical morass that is stem cell research, but there is no denying its potential for revolutionary discoveries such as this. we'll save countless lives with this new therapy, but will we be better off? that's more philosophical than medical.
for years, attempts at developing a synthetic analog to red blood cells have failed. no chemical substance has ever been remotely effective at replicating the red blood cell's ability to transmit oxygen throughout the body. until one is discovered, the only way to expand the world's supply of blood would be to create more blood somehow.
i read today that because of stem cell research, we are on the doorstep of this breakthrough. i've posted previously about the ethical morass that is stem cell research, but there is no denying its potential for revolutionary discoveries such as this. we'll save countless lives with this new therapy, but will we be better off? that's more philosophical than medical.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
best weekend of the year
parked in front of the couch per my usual routine for the first day of the NCAA basketball tourney. like last year, had another shamrock shake courtesy of erin. this year the technology of the finkstead has been upgraded, so all the games are in HD and the wifi will allow for a running update here throughout the day.
i'll keep you posted on how my bracket fares, as well as what brilliant insights the CBS commentators impart.
3pm: purdue/northern iowa- miserable game to watch. purdue is horrible, but NIU is worse. 3 for 3 on the early games- memphis, texas A&M and LSU
3:07pm uconn/chattanooga- what an ankle-breaker move by the chattanooga kid on the opening trip down the floor. if they could possibly get thabeet in foul trouble, this could be interesting
3:36pm back to back to back 3's for uconn, went from 19-15 to 28-15. game over. so much for the mocs
4:34pm still unscathed, thanks to purdue. unc and uconn are locked in, just hoping cal holds on over md to keep me perfect on the day. spaghetti jimmy wins!
6:37pm local and national news break for the games, so it's over to discovery channel for a little "cash cab"- great concept, great show. as for the bracket, i was cursed by spaghetti jimmy- maryland went on a run starting at about 4:35 and blew out cali. finished 6 for 7 in the early games, with mississippi state (my pick for a sweet 16 cinderella) not looking so hot against u-dub in game #8.
8:09pm 'nova/american- best game of the day so far. 41-31 american at the half. 'nova getting no love from the home crowd. oh, and dick enberg has on more makeup than joan rivers did on larry king last night.
9:27pm 'nova finally gets the crowd behind them, finally uses their size and goes inside, and punishes american in the second half. fun game for a while, though. maybe akron will sneak by gonzaga and be the cinderella of the day.
9:59pm ...or not- zags just too much. so much for the underdogs today- 2 #10s over #7s, but wins by maryland and michigan can hardly be considered upsets. binghamton not looking like much of a challenge for the dukies. maybe VCU or western KY will represent for the little guys. won't find out until tomorrow, though, because i think i'm tapped out. DVR is now taping ER and grey's anatomy for erin, relegating me upstairs to watch the rest from bed. means i'll be asleep in half an hour. great day though- looking forward to tomorrow night.
i'll keep you posted on how my bracket fares, as well as what brilliant insights the CBS commentators impart.
3pm: purdue/northern iowa- miserable game to watch. purdue is horrible, but NIU is worse. 3 for 3 on the early games- memphis, texas A&M and LSU
3:07pm uconn/chattanooga- what an ankle-breaker move by the chattanooga kid on the opening trip down the floor. if they could possibly get thabeet in foul trouble, this could be interesting
3:36pm back to back to back 3's for uconn, went from 19-15 to 28-15. game over. so much for the mocs
4:34pm still unscathed, thanks to purdue. unc and uconn are locked in, just hoping cal holds on over md to keep me perfect on the day. spaghetti jimmy wins!
6:37pm local and national news break for the games, so it's over to discovery channel for a little "cash cab"- great concept, great show. as for the bracket, i was cursed by spaghetti jimmy- maryland went on a run starting at about 4:35 and blew out cali. finished 6 for 7 in the early games, with mississippi state (my pick for a sweet 16 cinderella) not looking so hot against u-dub in game #8.
8:09pm 'nova/american- best game of the day so far. 41-31 american at the half. 'nova getting no love from the home crowd. oh, and dick enberg has on more makeup than joan rivers did on larry king last night.
9:27pm 'nova finally gets the crowd behind them, finally uses their size and goes inside, and punishes american in the second half. fun game for a while, though. maybe akron will sneak by gonzaga and be the cinderella of the day.
9:59pm ...or not- zags just too much. so much for the underdogs today- 2 #10s over #7s, but wins by maryland and michigan can hardly be considered upsets. binghamton not looking like much of a challenge for the dukies. maybe VCU or western KY will represent for the little guys. won't find out until tomorrow, though, because i think i'm tapped out. DVR is now taping ER and grey's anatomy for erin, relegating me upstairs to watch the rest from bed. means i'll be asleep in half an hour. great day though- looking forward to tomorrow night.
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