I have to keep this quick as it is fairly late (which means it is fairly late + 1 hour for me, being on East coast time in a central time zone). Also I’m on a friends pc. It is pretty swanky. He has the SyncMaster 150MP flat panel monitor, oh yeah…and his cpu case has glowing lights. Pretty saweet.
Anyhoo, I did in fact get into Lawrence safely and was able to have dinner with some friends who were in town. I love Free State. Great burgers, amazing Cheddar Ale soup, and great beers brewed at the restaurant. Good Times.
I’m glad Tim and Rachelle decided to get married, otherwise I don’t know when the next time would have been that I made it back to Lawrence. I’ll let you know how my first paid vacation goes as it progresses. Also, I’ll try to have pictures up as soon as I can get people with digital cameras to give me copie.
Please forgive any sentence fragments or cliché sayings, it is late and I’m tired.
MikeyC>
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Memorial Day Barbeque
First some facts for those unfamiliar with motorcades:
1. It is required that a motorcade close down as many roads as possible to avoid waiting in traffic. It’s kind of like the cops using their siren to get to lunch faster.
2. Motorcade drivers must cycle their sirens on and off rapidly to produce a very annoying partial chirp that definitely gets people’s attention – then makes them want run up and punch the siren.
3. Apparently the motorcades that include an ambulance are often for the President or Vice-President.
4. Did I mention that motorcades are required to disrupt traffic to get their certification as an official motorcade?
I guess that is all for now. I understand when you are eating lunch in front of the White House that you are going to see a motorcade or two. What frustrates me is why they have to go through the rest of town. I think they should build below ground walkways so the very important people can get from A-B without disturbing everyone else.
I realize this was incredibly unproductive and probably boring to read so to make up for that, here's this:
Monday, Memorial Day - Barbeque at Clinton Lake for anyone in Lville not working?
1. It is required that a motorcade close down as many roads as possible to avoid waiting in traffic. It’s kind of like the cops using their siren to get to lunch faster.
2. Motorcade drivers must cycle their sirens on and off rapidly to produce a very annoying partial chirp that definitely gets people’s attention – then makes them want run up and punch the siren.
3. Apparently the motorcades that include an ambulance are often for the President or Vice-President.
4. Did I mention that motorcades are required to disrupt traffic to get their certification as an official motorcade?
I guess that is all for now. I understand when you are eating lunch in front of the White House that you are going to see a motorcade or two. What frustrates me is why they have to go through the rest of town. I think they should build below ground walkways so the very important people can get from A-B without disturbing everyone else.
I realize this was incredibly unproductive and probably boring to read so to make up for that, here's this:
Monday, Memorial Day - Barbeque at Clinton Lake for anyone in Lville not working?
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
What The Heck?
It is official, "Village of Kansas City Finally Added to World’s Maps". That’s right, the once obscure small town of Kansas City is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Kansas City has served as a major industrial hub of the Mid-West, has contributed to the development of Jazz and Blues, and is known in the cult world of Barbeque for it’s unique flavor. It’s history as a “place to be” however has been sketchy at best. It even lost out to Topeka, a city NOT named after the state, as the capital.
All of that is about to change as the eyes of the world finally give KC the attention it deserves. In the quiet hours of the morning Sunday, before the harsh sun had risen to apply it’s mediocrity to the western hemisphere, when man and beast are most at harmony, one man was laboring against all of nature to accomplish what, until now, had never been done. May 22nd the Two Thousand and Fifth year of our Lord, Tim Pruitt made contact with a being that has never been equaled in the recorded history of any known peoples.
In true Kansas City form, this spectacular entity may now be witnessed by the masses, aristocrat and proletariat, theologian and lay-person, vegetarian and omnivore, at the Cabelas Outfitter Store in Kansas City, Kansas. What should one prepare themselves to see if they make this pilgrimage? No less than the 124 Lb. catfish that Tim caught in the Mississippi river. That makes it the world record blue catfish. Take that NY and Tokyo!
Link:
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14583155&BRD=1719&PAG=461&dept_id=25271&rfi=6
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/24/AR2005052401128.html
All of that is about to change as the eyes of the world finally give KC the attention it deserves. In the quiet hours of the morning Sunday, before the harsh sun had risen to apply it’s mediocrity to the western hemisphere, when man and beast are most at harmony, one man was laboring against all of nature to accomplish what, until now, had never been done. May 22nd the Two Thousand and Fifth year of our Lord, Tim Pruitt made contact with a being that has never been equaled in the recorded history of any known peoples.
In true Kansas City form, this spectacular entity may now be witnessed by the masses, aristocrat and proletariat, theologian and lay-person, vegetarian and omnivore, at the Cabelas Outfitter Store in Kansas City, Kansas. What should one prepare themselves to see if they make this pilgrimage? No less than the 124 Lb. catfish that Tim caught in the Mississippi river. That makes it the world record blue catfish. Take that NY and Tokyo!
Link:
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14583155&BRD=1719&PAG=461&dept_id=25271&rfi=6
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/24/AR2005052401128.html
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Thomas Perryman Gilmore
I knew some day an end to the honeymoon must arrive. Today was the day. The rosy glow of enjoyment at being able to walk to worked survived through several days of waking up more tired than usual, a couple of gloomy mornings, and even one monsoon where walking to work involved crossing the narrow land bridges remaining above the growing ponds. It was put to the most extreme text today though as I had to walk to work with a sore ankle.
I’m uncertain how it happened but last night as I was standing up I noticed my ankle was really sore. So sore in fact, it hurt to walk to my bedroom. I was quite worried it might not be better when I got up in the morning and was faced with walking the 15 or 20 minutes to work. This morning I was somewhat relieved to find it was slightly better, but not all better. Walking to work didn’t feel great, but I didn’t die either, so that’s good.
I’m hoping by the time I have one more night of sleep it will be all better, but we’ll see. I have to admit though, a walk to work with a sore foot is still better than an hour and a half commute, so I will restrain myself from complaining in excess.
I’m re-reading Seven Storey Mountain again. Merton is such a good writer, and it doesn’t hurt that traveling around Europe and America that he describes arouse already present desires in me to do the same.
I’ve listened to one song probably 30 times in the last 2 weeks. I don’t know the name of it because it was on a mix cd given to me by a good friend, but it is by Matthew Perryman Jones.
This weekend I watched the first season of Gilmore girls on DVD, which I had on loan from the Milsters, the people I stayed with when I first moved to DC. I remembered again why I enjoy that show so much. The amazing dialog, the wonderful writing, and the impressive ability to banter exhibited by the actors is so different from anything else out there right now.
I’m uncertain how it happened but last night as I was standing up I noticed my ankle was really sore. So sore in fact, it hurt to walk to my bedroom. I was quite worried it might not be better when I got up in the morning and was faced with walking the 15 or 20 minutes to work. This morning I was somewhat relieved to find it was slightly better, but not all better. Walking to work didn’t feel great, but I didn’t die either, so that’s good.
I’m hoping by the time I have one more night of sleep it will be all better, but we’ll see. I have to admit though, a walk to work with a sore foot is still better than an hour and a half commute, so I will restrain myself from complaining in excess.
I’m re-reading Seven Storey Mountain again. Merton is such a good writer, and it doesn’t hurt that traveling around Europe and America that he describes arouse already present desires in me to do the same.
I’ve listened to one song probably 30 times in the last 2 weeks. I don’t know the name of it because it was on a mix cd given to me by a good friend, but it is by Matthew Perryman Jones.
This weekend I watched the first season of Gilmore girls on DVD, which I had on loan from the Milsters, the people I stayed with when I first moved to DC. I remembered again why I enjoy that show so much. The amazing dialog, the wonderful writing, and the impressive ability to banter exhibited by the actors is so different from anything else out there right now.
Thursday, May 19, 2005
<>
What do a bald spot, a grey wife beater, wild back hair, a big gold chain, and a play station pocket have in common. Nothing. Well, normally nothing, except that they all describe the guy who sat in front of me for the duration of this movie. Too my immediate right and left were people from my office, and a few people from RTKL, all dressed to go to the office after the 8:30am showing of Episode III.
This gives you a good idea of the variety of people this movie drew. Wow. It was certainly an experience.
As far as a movie review, see my comments in the Cold Roses post about reviewing things. Let it suffice it say that I felt it was better than Episodes I or II, and that I don’t remember much of IV-VI. I’ll admit there were some pretty freakin’ sweet scenes with Yoda in this movie. Slight spoiler: If you like the Yoda light saber fight scene in the second movie, you’ll love this movie. Dislike: The whole transformation into Darth Vader thing, somewhat cheesy. Also the scene where you see Darth Vader for the first time, as such, is a little anti-climactic.
This gives you a good idea of the variety of people this movie drew. Wow. It was certainly an experience.
As far as a movie review, see my comments in the Cold Roses post about reviewing things. Let it suffice it say that I felt it was better than Episodes I or II, and that I don’t remember much of IV-VI. I’ll admit there were some pretty freakin’ sweet scenes with Yoda in this movie. Slight spoiler: If you like the Yoda light saber fight scene in the second movie, you’ll love this movie. Dislike: The whole transformation into Darth Vader thing, somewhat cheesy. Also the scene where you see Darth Vader for the first time, as such, is a little anti-climactic.
Friday, May 13, 2005
MMM...delicious opiates
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Health/story?id=754258
Are parents going to take credit for anything anymore? Apparently HBO is starting a new series called Classical Baby, programming for babies involving animation and classical music. Are parents so lazy they can’t put some classical music on the radio and interact with their kids themselves? Come on. We already have parents using tv as a babysitter for the kids they don’t have time to interact with, what is next? And yet, many early cartoons were set to classical music. Honestly, I've layed on the couch before, turned to cartoon network and watched/napped to classic tom and jerry cartoons just to have the music in the background. Sorry.
“Secure attachment between parent and child is the foundation for healthy intellectual, emotional, social and moral development," said Dr. Eugene Beresin.
Great, so read to your kid, play with them, have classical music on in the background. I realize that some people are so bored/boring that tv is the entirety of their cultural/relational experience, but do we really want to raise yet another generation this way from birth through adulthood?
“capitalizing on the growing $100 million-a-year baby video industry”
$100 million a years is being spent on programming for babies? I don’t know which is worse, this or the infomercial I saw for videos for your cat. The cat kept swatting at the crazy butterfly flying around the screen. Ha, stupid cats.
I know, I’ll bring my baby up to the same intellectual level as a cat, then I’ll cut it off and replace it with crude humor and unrealistic situations to finish completely skewing their perspective of the world.
Perfect.
Also,
<
www.relevantmagazine.com
(er...opiates as in TV, the opiate for the masses...famous quote, yeah.)
MikeyC>
Are parents going to take credit for anything anymore? Apparently HBO is starting a new series called Classical Baby, programming for babies involving animation and classical music. Are parents so lazy they can’t put some classical music on the radio and interact with their kids themselves? Come on. We already have parents using tv as a babysitter for the kids they don’t have time to interact with, what is next? And yet, many early cartoons were set to classical music. Honestly, I've layed on the couch before, turned to cartoon network and watched/napped to classic tom and jerry cartoons just to have the music in the background. Sorry.
“Secure attachment between parent and child is the foundation for healthy intellectual, emotional, social and moral development," said Dr. Eugene Beresin.
Great, so read to your kid, play with them, have classical music on in the background. I realize that some people are so bored/boring that tv is the entirety of their cultural/relational experience, but do we really want to raise yet another generation this way from birth through adulthood?
“capitalizing on the growing $100 million-a-year baby video industry”
$100 million a years is being spent on programming for babies? I don’t know which is worse, this or the infomercial I saw for videos for your cat. The cat kept swatting at the crazy butterfly flying around the screen. Ha, stupid cats.
I know, I’ll bring my baby up to the same intellectual level as a cat, then I’ll cut it off and replace it with crude humor and unrealistic situations to finish completely skewing their perspective of the world.
Perfect.
Also,
<
www.relevantmagazine.com
(er...opiates as in TV, the opiate for the masses...famous quote, yeah.)
MikeyC>
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Decidedly Official
It is officially final, or finally official. Whichever way sounds better. I’ve scheduled my vacation with the NY office, and have bought the tickets. Now I just have to convince Tim and Rachelle to let me stay at their place a couple nights so I’m within walking distance to Mass. St. Good times. I also have my flight times if anyone is curious for any reason. I’ll be flying into MCI Saturday May 28th.
MikeyC>
MikeyC>
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Squeaky Pup & the Built Ballerina
As I was walking home from work yesterday I saw this built guy approaching me walking his tiny dog. He was wearing somewhat baggy jeans, a white undershirt (I just can’t bring myself to call them “wife-beaters”), and a pair of big ol’ Timberland boots. Mind you I didn’t notice this all right away as there was nothing to really call my attention to him.
Then right as we were passing the dog let out this shrill little yelp and my eyes snapped down to the sidewalk. This big dude with his bigger boots had stepped on this little tiny dog’s foot. Now, let me preface the following by saying that my very first reaction when I heard the dog yelp was to be concerned for it, definitely not a reaction of amusement.
Having said that, this guys reaction as the dog yelped was hysterical. He stopped short and jumped as though he had just stumbled across a rattle snake. I realize that blogging about this may be futile as it was such a visual thing, but I mean come on, just picture this big tough dude strutting down the street with a tiny dog, when suddenly…YELP, and he’s jumping like a ballerina.
Maybe I’m sick, but I was able to control myself until we had safely passed, and then I almost burst out laughing. For the sake of decency, and incase anyone around me saw the same thing and would have been offended by my laughing at a dog’s injury, I let a huge smirk/grin suffice. It stayed on my face the whole way home though as that scene replayed through my mind.
Then right as we were passing the dog let out this shrill little yelp and my eyes snapped down to the sidewalk. This big dude with his bigger boots had stepped on this little tiny dog’s foot. Now, let me preface the following by saying that my very first reaction when I heard the dog yelp was to be concerned for it, definitely not a reaction of amusement.
Having said that, this guys reaction as the dog yelped was hysterical. He stopped short and jumped as though he had just stumbled across a rattle snake. I realize that blogging about this may be futile as it was such a visual thing, but I mean come on, just picture this big tough dude strutting down the street with a tiny dog, when suddenly…YELP, and he’s jumping like a ballerina.
Maybe I’m sick, but I was able to control myself until we had safely passed, and then I almost burst out laughing. For the sake of decency, and incase anyone around me saw the same thing and would have been offended by my laughing at a dog’s injury, I let a huge smirk/grin suffice. It stayed on my face the whole way home though as that scene replayed through my mind.
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Cold Roses
I promised a review of the new Ryan Adams album Cold Roses, and who better to give you this review than the sunbear himself? I don't have quite the music exposure that many of my friends do, I'm partial to the guys previous work, and I like most music I listen to. What could possibly make for a more critical review? And, we're off...
My review: Uhm, it’s good.
I actually started writing a review of this album, honestly – I did. You can see part of it at the end of this blog. Here’s the thing. I don’t like reviewing albums. I’ll tell you what I thought about a song, or even whether I particularly care for a certain artist. The thing is though you are much more likely to get this information out of me over a cup of tea or walking down the street. It just feels less like I'm trying to be authoritative that way; who am I to review his work? I just don’t feel I am particularly qualified.
If I had to predict anything about tonight, it would be that I’m going to end up spending the evening reading and hopefully doing some writing. I haven’t really felt like doing either of those lately, but I don’t know. It just seems like a good idea tonight. I do love to wallow in pools of romantic ideals, letting the shimmering light of nostalgia (past and future) just bath me in the knowledge of the way things ought to be, the way things will hopefully someday be. It feels good to remember what we are all struggling towards sometimes.
MikeyC>
Cold Roses:
"I've heard a lot of Adams fans say, "Eh, it was ok, but heartbreaker was soo much better." In fact the salesman said this when I purchased my first Adams cd, Love is Hell pt. 1 at Hastings. So apparently Roses had a pretty rich heritage to live up to. I won’t even attempt to answer whether he has in fact bested his earlier work, but I will go so far as to say it harkens back to it. I will say that.
“I think I understand why Adams chose Magnolia Mountain to be the greeting at the threshold of the album. It has the kind of beat that makes you want to just close your eyes and listen to the song, combined with the same vaguely ghostly back up vocals found on Carolina. In fact these back up vocals seem to follow him around the album. It’s kind of, nice.
As far as "
My review: Uhm, it’s good.
I actually started writing a review of this album, honestly – I did. You can see part of it at the end of this blog. Here’s the thing. I don’t like reviewing albums. I’ll tell you what I thought about a song, or even whether I particularly care for a certain artist. The thing is though you are much more likely to get this information out of me over a cup of tea or walking down the street. It just feels less like I'm trying to be authoritative that way; who am I to review his work? I just don’t feel I am particularly qualified.
If I had to predict anything about tonight, it would be that I’m going to end up spending the evening reading and hopefully doing some writing. I haven’t really felt like doing either of those lately, but I don’t know. It just seems like a good idea tonight. I do love to wallow in pools of romantic ideals, letting the shimmering light of nostalgia (past and future) just bath me in the knowledge of the way things ought to be, the way things will hopefully someday be. It feels good to remember what we are all struggling towards sometimes.
MikeyC>
Cold Roses:
"I've heard a lot of Adams fans say, "Eh, it was ok, but heartbreaker was soo much better." In fact the salesman said this when I purchased my first Adams cd, Love is Hell pt. 1 at Hastings. So apparently Roses had a pretty rich heritage to live up to. I won’t even attempt to answer whether he has in fact bested his earlier work, but I will go so far as to say it harkens back to it. I will say that.
“I think I understand why Adams chose Magnolia Mountain to be the greeting at the threshold of the album. It has the kind of beat that makes you want to just close your eyes and listen to the song, combined with the same vaguely ghostly back up vocals found on Carolina. In fact these back up vocals seem to follow him around the album. It’s kind of, nice.
As far as "
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Promiscuous Ponderings over Much Minutiae
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=promiscuous
I guess I haven’t written about work in awhile. Things are going well. I like what I do. The time in the office is broken up by going on site visits and attending meetings, and just when I get tired of hauling speakers and sound level meters around DC, I get a break to stay in the office for a few days working on reports and going over drawings. We just got a new handheld gizmo that measures wind speed and temp. It will help us know how much air is coming through vents.
I’m becoming much more comfortable in front of architects and other engineers at project meetings. A week ago I had to attend a rather high level meeting solo. The client is a law firm (that shall remain nameless) who is in the 100 most profitable privately owned businesses in the DC area. It's in the running with companies like Mars (the candy folk), and other big names. Any-who, around the table were: this company’s director of operations, the project manager from the architecture firm, one of the principals from the architecture firm, several admin people from the law firm, the construction manager, several other engineers, and a few people who I was never introduced to. All in all about 15 people. I had to sit there and advise them about the project. That was interesting, all these people (none of them under 40), listening to me. ok.
Our office moves mid-June into the new office space. It should be nice. The details are still a bit foggy, but I know for sure that we will have a roof deck, so saweet. More updates on that as they are available.
I have decided to make Lawrence my summer vacation this year, so I’ll be in town, tentatively, from May 29th through June 5th.
Lastly, I’ll try and write a brief uninformed review of Cold Roses tomorrow, so look forward to that.
Peace out all…
MikeyC>
I guess I haven’t written about work in awhile. Things are going well. I like what I do. The time in the office is broken up by going on site visits and attending meetings, and just when I get tired of hauling speakers and sound level meters around DC, I get a break to stay in the office for a few days working on reports and going over drawings. We just got a new handheld gizmo that measures wind speed and temp. It will help us know how much air is coming through vents.
I’m becoming much more comfortable in front of architects and other engineers at project meetings. A week ago I had to attend a rather high level meeting solo. The client is a law firm (that shall remain nameless) who is in the 100 most profitable privately owned businesses in the DC area. It's in the running with companies like Mars (the candy folk), and other big names. Any-who, around the table were: this company’s director of operations, the project manager from the architecture firm, one of the principals from the architecture firm, several admin people from the law firm, the construction manager, several other engineers, and a few people who I was never introduced to. All in all about 15 people. I had to sit there and advise them about the project. That was interesting, all these people (none of them under 40), listening to me. ok.
Our office moves mid-June into the new office space. It should be nice. The details are still a bit foggy, but I know for sure that we will have a roof deck, so saweet. More updates on that as they are available.
I have decided to make Lawrence my summer vacation this year, so I’ll be in town, tentatively, from May 29th through June 5th.
Lastly, I’ll try and write a brief uninformed review of Cold Roses tomorrow, so look forward to that.
Peace out all…
MikeyC>
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