Mission Accomplished, Down to 180

Posted on March 16, 2009

Though it took several months beyond my 40th birthday, I finally saw 180 on the scale. In the course of 18 months I’ve dropped a solid 20 pounds. What started as my 35 Day No Caffeine Experiment led to a series of lifestyle changes which had a long-term affect in taking-off the belly fat. The truth is that it’s hard to get started but the momentum has led to an ever easier series of decisions for what I ingest in my body. Fundamentally the move away from the 20 year habit of drinking coffee (which has been permanent) has led to a revision in how I see food and energy.

I used to feed on caffeine and sugar to boost my energy. The truth is that it was a counterfeit version of energy, short-lived and fleeting at best. By diverting from the quick fixes I’ve noticed a long-term vitality that comes from more exercise, good food and letting my body naturally float through the variance in levels of energy through the day as opposed to the quick fixes. I no long move through the day on artificial highs of caffeine and white sugar. Don’t get me wrong, I still drink tea many mornings sweetened with honey. I eat a piece of chocolate now and again as well. What I don’t do is to depend substances to buoy me up.

Filed Under Goal Setting, Just for Fun | 2 Comments

Motorcycle Odyssey

Posted on March 8, 2009

What started as a scooter, grew to riding an old 500cc Honda Shadow motorcycle which has gone to full bloom now in a shiny 2002 Honda Shadow ACE 750cc bike. Through a pretty intensive educational process I am learning how to ride safely, how to maintenance a bike and learning about myself along the way.

One thing I’ve learned afresh about myself is the ability to intensely focus on things to the point of pushing aside other pursuits. During these last several months my posts to thoughtsparks.net has dropped out as I’ve been consumed with fixing-up bikes, scanning Craigslist, riding the bike and just wrapping myself around the process. Now on the backside of the initial learning curve I can say that I am well pleased with the end result.

So what has the process been? First there was the scooter and helmet purchase in October. In November the scooter was sold and the old Honda 500 was purchased. Then commenced the extended repairs of the bike along with taking the Motorcycle Safety course in January. February, in between trips to San Diego and Chicago was riding and fixing, riding and fixing. March looks the most promising with the sale of the ‘83 Shadow and now the purchase of the ‘02 750cc.

What’s next? Riding and more riding. Now that I have a truly road worthy bike it’s off to the Texas Hill Country in the Spring for some adventures and taking in the beautiful Spring scenery.

Filed Under Just for Fun | 2 Comments

Inspired by the Aspire One

Posted on December 24, 2008

This week I picked-up a new Acer Aspire One Netbook for $350. I’ve been eying these sweet little machines for a while. What put me over the edge was the change from a Solid State drive with only 8 GB to a HDD with 144 GB. I needed a very portable but fully functional machine. It has 1GB memory installed with a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor. It boots in about 12 seconds and responds nicely. I have decided to keep the number of services running on the machine to a minimum with anti-virus and Skype being the only two added that would put a noticeable load on the processor.

So far I give the machine high marks for the most part. I love the overall design with a casing that seems pretty sturdy and a nice glossy lid. The screen is very bright and the keyboard is adequate to effectively pound away. The HDD model puts out a bit more heat and weighs a little more but still not a beast by any stretch. The mouse position is the biggest flaw with the buttons on the left and right of the pad as apposed to just in front. If you use an external mouse or know/learn keyboard shortcuts, it’s a tolerable inconvenience.

The built-in web cam has a nice resolution which will come in handy for Skype sessions. The speakers are a little tiny, but adequate enough to enjoy listening to music.

The machine comes in both Linux and XP. Being that I’m a Windows guy, I decided to stick with XP and was able to load my full version of Office wirelessly by sharing a disk drive from one of my other machines. One funky default setting easily fixed was the power setting for the wireless connection. It was set to maximum power efficiency which caused the connection to be very flaky. By turning that setting to off, it was good to go. That one oversight the company really needs to fix.

This little machine is powerful enough that if one were to get an external mouse, keyboard and monitor, it could become a primary machine for someone. You’d need to in that case purchase an external CD drive if you don’t have another machine to load software and transfer music files etc, across a local network.

Filed Under Reviews | 2 Comments

Going Green is Fun

Posted on October 31, 2008

Here’s a little secret; being environmentally conscious and fiscally responsible can bring with it some really good times. Newly acquired, I picked-up a really nice deal on this retro style Yamaha Vino this past weekend. Between scooting around on this 50cc to work and hoping on my trusty Marin bicycle, I’m having a ball. With Texas being such a mild climate one can ride virtually year-round aside from the far too few rainy days.

I also love the idea of parking my Camry with 190k on it and extending the life of that old ‘95 model even further. It’s still humming like it was just driven off the dealer’s lot.

I enjoy the adventure that comes from trying new things. Looking for alternatives to our resource-guzzling, over-sized and over-extended culture requires some creative thinking and flexibility. Alternative transport is just one great way to save resources as well as positively affect the environment. Some other ideas I am happy to employ:

Be content with TV from an antenna instead of cable. With a high-def unit and a good antenna I can pick-up both the regular pbs channel and the new Create pbs channel (what more do you need).
Stay content living in a small house. It keeps our family close (both figuratively and literally) and we save big, big bucks with small mortgage, low utility costs and we don’t have room to just accumulate more stuff we don’t really need.
Live close to work which makes scooting and biking very convenient. I used to work 25 miles from where I live in which I would bike and bus to work. Busing is a whole other adventure.
Shopping at Goodwill and garage sales. It’s amazing what folks will discard that is in perfectly good condition.

I’m sure there are many other things I could do that would be good stewardship for what I’ve been given. What ways have you employed?

Filed Under Just for Fun | 4 Comments

Customer Support from 1and1.com is Hurty

Posted on October 14, 2008

In the past I’ve recommended 1and1.com for web hosting. I’ve appreciated there reasonable pricing and overall user-friendly administrative interface. However, their customer service is bottom-of-the-barrel. My account was suspended last Thursday due to a billing mix-up. I immediately corrected the issue on my end but it took them until Monday to rectify the problem. It seems that their tech support is handled in India and their billing in the States. After repeated phone calls with promises made that the situation would be rectified quickly it finally was resolved four days later. For a hosting company, that is really pathetic. Any web host you would recommend? I may be in the market.

Filed Under Reviews | 6 Comments

Which Browser for What Purpose

Posted on October 3, 2008

Which is the best browser? That all depends on the purpose. Here’s a short summary comparison of the three browsers:

Internet Explorer 7.0/8.0: It launches slow, loads pages slow and has many irksome features in the general bloated fashion of Microsoft. I have little use for IE for home use. However, on an enterprise level, IE makes a compelling argument for it’s use with integrated authentication and compatibility with its Office and SharePoint products.

FireFox 3.0: Still a mainstay on my desktop, FireFox has an amazing array of browser add-ons that make it a browser of choice for developers. FireFox is hands-down the most flexible and feature packed browser with a large developer community. For an all-purpose browser FireFox takes the cake. One important caveaut, add-ons can slow the launch of the browser down to that of IE which is paltry.

Chrome: The fastest browser by far. It launches quick, loads pages rapidly and simply a slick browser. It’s streamline design, not surprising coming from Google, allows for more screen space. I hope that Google doesn’t get the itch to over engineer the browser as it evolves but leaves the simplicity of it alone. For Mac fans, Chrome is on its way; Just hang on.

Filed Under Reviews, Microsoft, Google, FireFox | 1 Comment

Hello Big 4-0

Posted on September 24, 2008

Not sure how I got here this quickly. Just a year ago I wrote the post A Techie Looks at 40. Now here it has come and gone I’m officially over the hill or there abouts. I was talking with Sabrina and the girls last night about how I think at a certain point your true age is determined by three things:

Genetics - You can’t do much about that one.

Lifestyle choices - These are many little choices that add-up. I can tell you that I feel remarkably better than I did a year ago. I dropped my 20 year addiction to coffee (which started with my No Caffeine 35 Day Experiment), dropped fifteen pounds (didn’t Lose 20 by 40 but made some real progress), and am walking on an almost daily basis.

Outlook on life - This one I also have a great amount of control over. It’s a state of mind more than anything. My mother who is a young 76 years old chose to turn outward instead of inward after my dad passed away eight years ago. She cuts a rug on a regular basis with her friends and is currently off on another of her travels.

So from here forth my pledge is to take what I’ve been given, continue to make concrete goals that promote wise lifestyle choices and to keep dreaming. The greater part of failure must be in not dreaming, not believing in what is possible, not setting goals and not going for it. I think I’d rather “fail” at not accomplishing all my dreams or goals than “succeed” at reaching my goals by setting so few.

Filed Under Health, Goal Setting, Just for Fun | 2 Comments

A Future Past-time

Posted on September 18, 2008

I think I may have found one of my future hobbies. This cat over at POPcycles! takes old bike frames and refurbishes them into practical works of art. How cool is that. I love the simplicity of single gear bikes with a retro feel to them. Maybe it will be a side business or perhaps a non-profit to put bikes in the hands of folks who can’t afford one. I could just see me some day having a workshop behind the house being known as the old coot who gives bikes away. With gas prices surely to continue to climb over time, I’m betting on the ever increasing adoption of the bike as an ideal mode to scoot about town.

Filed Under Just for Fun, Creativity | 4 Comments

Time to Tighten Our Belts

Posted on September 16, 2008

The market correction for the over indulgence of our country is finally catching-up with us and it’s going to smack a good bit for a while. We have been living on borrowed time with a false sense of prosperity for too long. Time to pay the piper and it is going to cost us big time.

No doubt things look grim. Our banking system is in virtual free fall and our international environment looks grim with Russia back on the scene as our enemy of old taking aggressive steps; building a base in Syria and parking nuclear bombers in Argentina. We will most likely vote a young man who is ill-prepared with the least experience in the history of the country to be president. The American people will continue to point fingers at our Government to blame them for the excess. All total, it looks like we are in for a big piece of humble pie.

In this time of political upheaval, we want to blame the present administration. In truth, we should blame ourselves. Our problems run deep and long dating back to Roosevelt’s New Deal when the government got in the business of trying to rescue the economy. In the course of less than a hundred years we have lost our way.

What does one do about it? Personally, what steps to take?

The first step I’m taking is to get quiet and listen for the truth among all the rhetoric. Try to listen for the voice of reason through the flurry of reports. This is a good time to also get quiet before God and ask Him for wisdom and discernment as to how we should live through some impending difficult times.

The second step I’m taking is to tighten my belt a bit. I’m beginning to discuss with my family the difference between a want and a need and make some spending choices accordingly. The recent hurricane events in Texas certainly help to give a visual reminder of our necessities. The basics such as food, shelter, healthcare, transportation and communication enable us to function as individuals and society at large. We are not the self-contained units we would like to be.

The third step I’m taking is to evaluate my current situation. Are there ways to simplify my lifestyle? What built-in expenses are there that I can alter to reduce our overall financial liability? In my case, for the most part, the answer is to hold steady. Don’t make any sudden changes. We are not hemorraging in any major area, so don’t do anything stupid. Make decisions very slowly and thoughtfully. Put-off major purchases until we see the backside of these turn of events (if we see them anytime soon).

The fourth step I’m taking is to look for opportunity in an economic down turn. Opportunity to prosper with the right investments and opportunity to serve people in need. Each season presents unique challenges and makes available possibilities that won’t present themselves again. The coming economic freefall opens-up the need we have for each other.

It’s going to get worse before it gets better, that we know for sure. How we approach these circumstances will make all the difference. Do we shake in our boots or do we boldly move forward seizing the opporunities before us to turn away from our selfishness and find a new level of caring and interaction with our neighbors. I just pray that any hardships that come would bring-out the best in us.

Filed Under economics, Just for Fun, Philosophy, perspective | Leave a Comment

Flexible and Relevant

Posted on August 27, 2008

I must be a glutten for punishment. I’ve always said that most techies are closet masochists. In truth though, I love the chase, the challenge of the learning curve. It seems that every six months or so I climb yet another hill with every project requiring skills that I don’t presently posses.

Four months into an intranet implementation with Microsoft SharePoint it’s nice to be moving up the hill a bit further. Fairly new to .Net, I’ve been configuring the site and leading the team project. Next month we start the launch in phases over the course of the Fall. The requirements are steep and development will be ongoing. I’m sure, just about the time I get comfortable and accomplished in SharePoint development another major initiative will come along, just to keep me on my toes.

Sometimes I wish for more ruts in my life, but honestly if I got my wish I’d go mad. Being a glutton for punishment and constantly in learning mode has certainly been an asset. As a successful professional techie I see some key traits that have served me well. I also recognize these traits in others that I’ve worked with over the years:

Stay flexible and don’t personalize technology. I know Apple has made a mint by personalizing technology. That’s all fine and good when it comes to your iPod or Mac book, but getting personal with technology, expressing a strong bias will limit the possibilities. In truth, the major development platforms, languages, methodologies all have their merits or they wouldn’t have stuck around.
Stay on the learning curve to keep relevant. Technology is in a constant state of change, well no duh. Staying technically relevant therefore dictates maintaining a constant state of learning. If "research or die" is the mantra of the college professor, "learn or die" would be for the techie. Speaking of technologies state of change, watch "Kevin Kelly on the next 5,000 days of the web" on Ted.com. It will blow your mind or make you wanna crawl-up into the fetal position.
Say yes as much as possible, but follow-through. Being known as a go-for-it guy can be quite dangerous, but it also presents opportunities. Being honest and not over committing is essential. When beginning this intranet implementation project, I was asked what it would take to effectively launch the site. I said six months to get a good start. The higher-ups said, "let’s do it in three." That’s all fine and good, but as I indicated it will take six months to fully launch the project, and so it will.
Know your limits and then push past them. The curve always posses challenges that are beyond my existing skill set. Honesty enables one to assess the required learning curve to climb the next hill. There is such a thing as getting-in so far over ones head that the project implodes. Not a good thing.
Don’t under-rate yourself. If you have been working aggressively in technology for any length of time you are probably worth more than you are getting paid. Being on a constant learning curve helps to keep ones feet on the ground, but it can also strike at your ego. You are likely more gifted and bring to the table more resources than you realize.
Serve people not technology. What’s the point if it doesn’t positively affect people. Keeping your eye on the end-user will also drive your relevancy as their needs constantly change. It’s easy to get caught-up in pet projects and lose sight of pressing needs.
Win as many hits as possible. In a large project, sometimes I hit barriers in the curve that are more difficult than I anticipated. So, keep moving and knocking-out items while I keep hammering at the biggies along the way.
Be a life-long learner. Taking classes, attending conferences, joining user groups, building your network, reading industry sites and magazines should be a given.
Just when you got it figured-out, the rules will change. Comforting I know, but such is life.