tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769977326548253302024-03-04T22:29:52.505-08:00FriendjaminAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-28372977057049057962010-03-25T17:06:00.000-07:002010-03-25T17:47:04.267-07:00Contrast: The spice of life<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.picturebahn.com/sunsets/Sandy%20Hook%20Sunset3%201024x768.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 480px; height: 360px;" src="http://www.picturebahn.com/sunsets/Sandy%20Hook%20Sunset3%201024x768.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Think about a time when you felt really, <i>really </i>good...when you felt excitement or relief or joy or any other positive emotion that comes to you mind. You felt that way or you knew that was a positive feeling because you know the other side of the coin. When I am satisfied the most at dinner is after I have been fasting and when I have been snacking all day, dinner can only be so-so for me. All positive things exist because the negative exists. <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Happiness and Sadness</span></div><div>For happiness to exist sadness must also. I always saw sadness as the antithesis of happiness, but this is not so. <b>Boredom</b> is much farther away from happiness than sadness. With sadness, happiness is somewhere nearby. When something tragic happens, say a loved one passes away, it is only sad because of the happiness and joy that you felt around that person or when you think of their memories. When your day goes well and everything falls together, you are happy because you know how things can be when things don't go well (maybe recently). The most difficult state that I've seen people in is when they are depressed, and depression and boredom are bedfellows. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Love and Enmity </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">For one to love, they must know enmity. A very loving person mustn't have enmity, but they must know it to recognize the love that they have. I am not afraid of enmity as much as I am of <b>apathy</b>. I want people to emote about me more than not knowing I exist. Of course I would rather have have the scale tilted toward love, but I do not want people close to me to not recognize me or not care about me at all. More apathy is not needed in this world. We must know of enmity and flee from it with such passion and fury that we only know of it through fairy tales where love conquers. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Fairy Tales</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">The reason fairy tales...or any tale for that matter are worthwhile is because of the contrast. If I am not taken up and down emotionally during a move...I want my $13 back!! (I can't believe how expensive movies are these days!) Beauty would be boring with out the Beast, Mulan would have nothing to fight and no story without the Huns....look at any good story and there you will find high contrast. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Beauty in Life</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Contrast makes this sunset beautiful. The bright colors contrast magnificently. When you see a beautiful cloudy sky, there is probably high contrast between the fluffy white clouds with crisp edges against the bright blue sky. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">I have noticed this everywhere in my life since I started to think about it. Through all the ebbs I realize that flows will be there also and visa versa. If you start to think about it, I bet you will see it too. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-75481588571573156302009-11-12T09:48:00.000-08:002009-11-15T19:51:09.963-08:00Creating Value<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtuiSx0hsNqkohyNsj6v2xdQkSGxXiNJDtWgv_6xcSWXswCvNhViAkoUOVWq2eG0PK4LCIrhz24ki7biVI4RviHBlIMK414wBAYgd-WthlC85O9gABz6xkrxlv-MkxnytcuulHuGfbg3k/s200/photo.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403275935382002546" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Meet Kenny</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">When this guy approached me on my way down Auburn Ave to the King Center I thought he was going to ask for a handout. I've got this a lot while in Atlanta last week. I had a tight schedule my last day in there, but wanted to walk to the <a href="http://www.nps.gov/malu/index.htm">MLK Center</a> to see the city and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; line-height: 19px; font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">"richest</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; line-height: 19px; font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Negro street in the world." (Dobbs) With my time short and things to do many, I had my usual quick pace--reading Wikipedia via my phone while looking for historic buildings and cars every few seconds. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Then Kenny stopped me. He said, "Hey man, slow down! Do you know where you are and what happened here? Some big things happened in this neighborhood not too long ago and you're passing right by them!" </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal; border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He then began to tell me the intricate history of the different buildings nearby with regard to the civil rights movement. After a 30 minute personal tour he left me at the Martin Luther King Jr Center, shook my hand and turned to leave. What??!! No request for some money? The </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocity_(social_psychology)"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">law of reciprocity</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> is in effect here...you can ask for something! I found out that he was homeless and in need from some of the questions I asked him. We talked for a bit more, and I suggested he advertise for free tours somehow...like the </span><a href="http://www.neweuropetours.eu/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">free tours</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> in s</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal; border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ome European cities. I was very satisfied with my tour so I gave him a few bucks and we both left feeling good about the experience because it wasn't focused on money. It was a fair exchange. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">MLK Center</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-size:20px;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WOywjrLDYdVyH35Y_hxkQSFC17SAWJujRwEV2DE1QFjf-0tNn0_fxz-gYomlpBXGh3qWeVf9JNqbuW7tsnt5MsQMn2zXnIwQToCtXapPahgcovoFQQhJIhjsg7bsBDuKlqV2oP0nhBE/s320/King.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 310px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404543313448526434" /><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. Life's most persistent and urgent question is what are you doing for others?" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">-MLK</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">"When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love.</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Where evil men would seek to perpetuate an unjust status quo, good men must seek to bring into being a real order of justice." <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">-MLK</span></span></span></span></span></p></span></span></span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-82238698831893783792009-11-10T12:00:00.001-08:002009-11-10T12:00:57.832-08:00Shoe Shopping<div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDXtG7Akr21L4CSgaPEnj6Rb0xSin9oNuDXHrhq6Q8zHTr768004YFhRtTt55-PVOsIdbe1OruRYt7qPLeEyEZO7-iHaykI9t2eeYtoK5HB550jBGalZ6RLfA7Uo0JJCprdSVcZ6em5Y/s1600-h/IMG_0855.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDXtG7Akr21L4CSgaPEnj6Rb0xSin9oNuDXHrhq6Q8zHTr768004YFhRtTt55-PVOsIdbe1OruRYt7qPLeEyEZO7-iHaykI9t2eeYtoK5HB550jBGalZ6RLfA7Uo0JJCprdSVcZ6em5Y/s400/IMG_0855.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402540320666074946" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>I went shoe shopping recently and found myself the perfect rock climbing shoes! The shoes I've had in the past seem to just come to me...easy acquisitions. I would often just borrow them for short times when I needed to climb or I was at an REI garage sale and happened upon a cheap pair that seemed to fit alright. I was getting in to rock climbing more and more and I've always wanted a pair that I would really love. A good pair of climbing shoes that works well with your feet can work miracles on your climbing accomplishments. This is how it happened.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Patience</span></div><div>I was living in Cleveland and there was no really choices available. There was just one little climbing gym that didn't offer much selection. I was toying with the idea of getting some online, but they really need to fit perfect and need to be tried on if you're going to invest so much in them. I did the best with what I had...and made it work but waited until I went to West Virginia for better selection.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Desirable Attributes</span></div><div>With so many pairs on the rack, I began first by how they look and how I thought they would work with my style of climbing (I couldn't get a really flexible bouldering shoe with all the route climbing I do). I can't have a pink shoe or laces-they take too long to put on. So I weeded out most of the shoes through <a href="http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar05/knowing.html">rapid cognition</a> mostly and thinking about others for a sec.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Cost</span></div><div>The next thing I looked at was cost. How much of my time at work (where my cash comes from) am I willing to put in for these things. I decided that this would only factor in if all things else were equal (not likely).</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Research</span></div><div>Before buying I made sure the shoe had good ratings...I didn't want to rush into this purchase so I used my handy-dandy iPhone to find out more about the shoes I was interested in. I've been burned for not doing this with past purchases. That effort is worth its weight in gold! (if effort weighed a lot).</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Fit and Function</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The last and most important step involves trying the shoe <i>on</i> and trying it <i>out</i>. Most shoes I could put 'em on for a second and know they're not right, but a select few I had to actually try them out on the indoor climbing wall before knowing. I must have had 9 boxes of shoes...all my size that passed the selection criteria above to try on. I was supremely disappointed when a great pair of shoes that I tried on was so perfect until I tried them out on the indoor wall and my heel would not stay down when on my toes. That just would not do.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">My Perfect Shoes</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The pair that won me over passed all the previous criteria, but blew them all out of the water when I tried them out. I actually didn't know everything that I wanted when I knew I wanted climbing shoes. I learned a lot about my specific needs from those shoes that didn't quite make it. When I tried out the 5.9 Anastazi, there was something different...they just fit so well around my heel and in the toe while I was up on the wall. My ability instantly improved! After a couple minutes I did notice they were not perfect. In fact there was a pressure point right by my ankle. It wasn't bad though, but I bought them knowing they weren't perfect.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">What Changed?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I thought they weren't perfect at least. It turned out that after a couple climbs they became perfect! I don't know if the soft spot below my ankle toughened up or if the shoe molded to my foot--they became the perfect match.</span></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-43485630598189072212009-10-18T17:15:00.000-07:002009-10-20T15:26:42.193-07:00The Science Of Influence<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlLA/original/kenobi_011.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 552px; height: 376px;" src="http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlLA/original/kenobi_011.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 17px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Stormtrooper</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">: Let me see your identification.<br /></span><b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000027/" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Obi-Wan</span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">: [</span><i class="fine"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">with a small wave of his hand</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">] You don't need to see his identification.<br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Stormtrooper</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">: We don't need to see his identification.<br /></span><b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000027/" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Obi-Wan</span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">: These aren't the droids you're looking for.<br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Stormtrooper</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">: These aren't the droids we're looking for.<br /></span><b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000027/" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Obi-Wan</span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">: He can go about his business.<br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Stormtrooper</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">: You can go about your business.<br /></span><b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000027/" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Obi-Wan</span></a></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">: Move along.<br /></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Stormtrooper</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">: Move along... move along. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>I just finished a book on influence that was fascinating! This is one of my favorite topics to read about in psychology. At first I became interested in the topic to be more persuasive, dreaming of Obi-Wan powers of influencing other people. Unfortunately just because I read books like these and understand these principles, does not mean that I can utilize them. <div><br /></div><div>However...one key thing that I have gleaned from this book and others like it is how to not succumb to these weapons of influence as much when other's use them. I still have a long way to go, but my heightened awareness has been a good start. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.moskalyuk.com/blog/yes-50-scientifically-proven-ways-to-be-persuasive/1624">Here</a> is a summary of 50 scientifically proven ways to be persuasive.<br /><div><br /></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-54715568918967504572009-10-09T14:17:00.000-07:002009-10-09T14:31:17.246-07:00Utah Weekend Trip<div>I had a blast last weekend in Utah! So much fun hanging out with family, friends, going to conference, seeing Betsy (on her mission!) and playing around in the Wasatch mountains. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here are a few pics: </div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1vtxQKtr5qjRHsO5eoCDsCr1wU1pE-olKWVfifbsyPAjb7hhEtve8YeilPDfpGR7LLbko0ji6ekUZjzYCLuSGb4_E8EserbZarHrTnQg7x8S2XZZuqf8HuxvQglOa0K4rGDnkojuQvc/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1vtxQKtr5qjRHsO5eoCDsCr1wU1pE-olKWVfifbsyPAjb7hhEtve8YeilPDfpGR7LLbko0ji6ekUZjzYCLuSGb4_E8EserbZarHrTnQg7x8S2XZZuqf8HuxvQglOa0K4rGDnkojuQvc/s400/photo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390712820616766434" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: normal; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cascade mountain on Squaw peak road...Perfect timing for this trip with the fall colors!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: normal;"><br /></span></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikL7sSeSd6gIRuD0iOCTgGYqmgIjpWTJ5S9zPkGGGZNScS_W3ZpZSFu_0qS35IwMQhMNCQQXp576lhiZM1eR-wFOqzOzsFyvYLH3oIWL4eayQgQnIJp6eUpKDZOAmYtYco_GSt8AY9olA/s1600-h/photo+5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikL7sSeSd6gIRuD0iOCTgGYqmgIjpWTJ5S9zPkGGGZNScS_W3ZpZSFu_0qS35IwMQhMNCQQXp576lhiZM1eR-wFOqzOzsFyvYLH3oIWL4eayQgQnIJp6eUpKDZOAmYtYco_GSt8AY9olA/s400/photo+5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390712808712641010" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Almost stepped on this guy hiking down from rock canyon. Andrew said that it must be a male b/c males go out to mate for two weeks and then die. Females stay hiding.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8M5rhbi8I7vXVE4WEWOXcj0AG9O-ZzGc0k5v5eSX2Ql-p-4X4IsfVUKx7xnRE8BajqB-xMZjlDJKTJaTGI7R8cSev-jU8fYIh_aixP5JoGlK8kwwX6IBx_oNaMdjlfILOjDY9qQh39k/s1600-h/photo+4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8M5rhbi8I7vXVE4WEWOXcj0AG9O-ZzGc0k5v5eSX2Ql-p-4X4IsfVUKx7xnRE8BajqB-xMZjlDJKTJaTGI7R8cSev-jU8fYIh_aixP5JoGlK8kwwX6IBx_oNaMdjlfILOjDY9qQh39k/s400/photo+4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390712803459787394" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">We drove the Alpine loop on Saturday...amazing back there! I really wished I had my mountain bike to ride the spectacularly speedy ridge 157 trail. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXE45QLfTyHw9GbgZvXRdUD-cpIcRvA9aBxzIOTAQ9KZSDv7j8wDAHUz___CwXTR8eRlbkL1GAL4RorffC2UjoMOu5sj7qmRY7WY6foQWZ3FBS13qsHQpVE6nBRfuOj4jLTQawelXhpA/s1600-h/photo+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXE45QLfTyHw9GbgZvXRdUD-cpIcRvA9aBxzIOTAQ9KZSDv7j8wDAHUz___CwXTR8eRlbkL1GAL4RorffC2UjoMOu5sj7qmRY7WY6foQWZ3FBS13qsHQpVE6nBRfuOj4jLTQawelXhpA/s400/photo+3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390712796290444306" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">One of my all time favorite climbs is the big green monster. The 30 meter sustained 5.9 crack in the comparatively thin air in Utah got me breathing like I was sprinting by the time I got to the top. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzbISiL3remMQ20XPBAA98HytPuaFdplO_Ct7VbRkzSuQ2GPgjPAanv0_n6lLg3ypvagYAooRh_0ybzvbeed6ECKCCVzHtQgAgHJVKb-uYdKyS9qLwEvNH-V48F06yzIgUNufRZWu0Wo/s1600-h/photo+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzbISiL3remMQ20XPBAA98HytPuaFdplO_Ct7VbRkzSuQ2GPgjPAanv0_n6lLg3ypvagYAooRh_0ybzvbeed6ECKCCVzHtQgAgHJVKb-uYdKyS9qLwEvNH-V48F06yzIgUNufRZWu0Wo/s400/photo+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390712790733009554" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">On the trail among drab green and brown flora in Rock Canyon.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-82564936947783692192009-10-01T09:02:00.001-07:002009-10-01T09:02:13.701-07:00SCUBA!!!<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3972202330/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3532/3972202330_15a8ecc0b7.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3972202330/">SCUBA!!!</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/39852437@N03/">ben.obrien</a>.</span></div><p>I signed up for scuba lessons and will get trained in a couple weeks.<br />But I couldn't wait for training and went last Saturday in lake<br />murky...I mean lake murray.<br /><br />It was a pretty rad sensation to be suspended in a dark fluid like<br />that where any direction in 3 dimensions is an option. A couple times<br />my mind wandered and I imagined a huge fish coming at me ready to eat<br />me alive! I also couldn't tell my depth very well until I felt<br />pressure in my ears. I think I want to get a harpoon to carry with me<br />in case those dark spots aren't really just my imagination.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-78779661670638518622009-09-09T15:58:00.001-07:002009-09-15T13:41:11.594-07:00SC Pronunciations Guide<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3904550561/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2493/3904550561_4026295a1c.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style=" margin-top: 0px;font-size:0.8em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3904550561/">SC <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Pronunciation</span> Guide</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/39852437@N03/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ben</span>.<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">obrien</span></a>.</span></div><p>I just flipping through an SC tourist book and happened upon this page<br />detailing some of the oft illogical <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">pronunciations</span> of words down here.<br />I saw a couple that I have struggled with most notably huger st (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">HYOO</span>-<br />gee). Then I broke the silence of the library by laughing when I saw "Sherman: SAY-tun".</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-40138417637058506992009-08-29T15:21:00.000-07:002009-08-30T05:36:27.813-07:00I am ENTP...so is Bugs Bunny<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dan-dare.org/FreeFun/Images/CartoonsMoviesTV/BugsBunny.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 480px; height: 360px;" src="http://www.dan-dare.org/FreeFun/Images/CartoonsMoviesTV/BugsBunny.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#551A8B;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator: Survey Says...ENTP</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So I took the </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myers-Briggs_Type_Indicator"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">MBTI</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> survey and found out that my preferences (a large part of how I interact with the world) are </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ENTP"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ENT</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">P</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. A group of 17 people from work and I spent a few hours this week learning about what it means to have preferences for </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Extraversion</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">iNtuition</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, Thinking, Perception (or whatever you may be). It was fascinating to guess what I was, find out what the survey said and extrapolate what all this means. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It is fun to look at other famous people who are </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ENTP</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. Other than </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Bugs</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Bunny, some of my favorite </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ENTPs</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> are: </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal; font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Thomas Edison</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Winston Churchill</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Wolfgang Mozart</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tom Hanks</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Weird Al </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yankovic</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">John Adams</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Rutherford B. Hayes</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Garfield</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Wile E. Coyote</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Don't ask me how they got </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Bugs</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> to take that survey. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:12px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:12px;"><br /></span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-81107558736769756872009-08-23T19:06:00.001-07:002009-08-23T19:06:43.745-07:00Harmonica Tales<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3851026444/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2428/3851026444_17fe46d421.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3851026444/">Harmonica Tales</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/39852437@N03/">ben.obrien</a>.</span></div><p>One of my fondestest memories of a year in Cleveland is playing the<br />harmonica with falon Aaron and Adam while driving to kirtland. We were<br />going to a church mtg so we had white shirts...3 harmonicas blaring<br />with the windows down going 70 mph on the freeway. It happened to<br />catch the eye of a couple girls driving a land cruiser in the lane<br />next to us and we began a screaming conversation muffeled by the wind.<br />We successfully convinced them that we were a traveling harmonica band<br />from Washington state (where falons vehicle is registered) and invited<br />them to our show.<br /><br />Aside from that, I can't count the number of smiles we've gotten from<br />other drivers as they enjoy the music stopped at a light with the<br />windows down.<br /><br />It feels great to be back in Cleveland if only for a week at a work<br />training.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-31028574501366599062009-08-22T00:21:00.001-07:002009-08-22T00:21:21.266-07:00Why yes, that is a praying mantis on my door knob<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3844175259/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2571/3844175259_c1ea0f99a7.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3844175259/">Why yes, that is a praying mantis on my door knob</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/39852437@N03/">ben.obrien</a>.</span></div><p>So I have noticed that there are a lot of bugs near my door at<br />night...but tonight takes the cake.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-22261879473563941632009-08-20T19:58:00.000-07:002009-08-20T20:26:27.464-07:00STOP GIVING ME HIGH FIVES!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'lucida grande';font-size:11px;"><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" size="13px" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: normal; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; "><div id="id_4a8e117c2087e3c97972820" class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" style="display: inline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"No high fives for at least a week." </span></div></h3><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" style="font-size: 13px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: normal; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; ">-self prescribed treatment for dislocated shoulder. </h3><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" style="font-size: 13px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: normal; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; "><br /></h3><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" style="font-size: 13px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-weight: normal; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; ">So I was at the bouldering gym 3 days after dislocating my shoulder and this chica wanted to give me props for climbing with said injury by slapin han<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; ">ds. Despite the topic's freshness on both our minds, I cringed (on the inside of course) with the enthusiastic high five as I realized what I was doing seconds b4 impact.</span></h3><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This is the second time I've dislocated my shoulder...and it wasn't very bad. It popped right back into place after landing funny while tubing north of Charlotte. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">For those that haven't seen it and would like a good laugh, here is the vid of my first should dislocation. I really can do a backflip...and I know I didn't set properly or tuck at all... the lights came on and freaked me out!</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></span><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/57C4_MJlOc8&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/57C4_MJlOc8&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-21610194976008775342009-08-11T18:41:00.000-07:002009-08-11T19:11:32.634-07:00Some Pictures From the Last Triathlon<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>These are pictures from the Triathlon I did on 7/11/09. Just got 'em. <div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqjgA1g7Twnz2AGq414VKBoCTLOE1ZDXri46LhleRbqym7GM3BndG-YIl3U2GodHo7TmKJi_qD65nTZ9K8c6AzKU1IFqErTw_eSjYHVJ4ZhyphenhyphenPWzNwiACEH3Axzpam4t1YwOzio-em7LA/s1600-h/DSC_0606.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqjgA1g7Twnz2AGq414VKBoCTLOE1ZDXri46LhleRbqym7GM3BndG-YIl3U2GodHo7TmKJi_qD65nTZ9K8c6AzKU1IFqErTw_eSjYHVJ4ZhyphenhyphenPWzNwiACEH3Axzpam4t1YwOzio-em7LA/s400/DSC_0606.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368892528553961570" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAqE2_UH3U3xbhyphenhyphen8FEDFwBMM9rW5W6hGM0hO76eQUBbIR8-JjbZ-xmr2V2YIt3jTpUpl3Fz-jSSJubgZGfIWtkXIVHlwGUvpETMUGQ9u5wuAUcF8BQyUZs00yK46qlyHCFdJ2DfEbnvQI/s1600-h/DSC_0587.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAqE2_UH3U3xbhyphenhyphen8FEDFwBMM9rW5W6hGM0hO76eQUBbIR8-JjbZ-xmr2V2YIt3jTpUpl3Fz-jSSJubgZGfIWtkXIVHlwGUvpETMUGQ9u5wuAUcF8BQyUZs00yK46qlyHCFdJ2DfEbnvQI/s400/DSC_0587.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368892398371521442" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbnReRdvJ9pKJktJ7aYVtgLbEJ2ssrF1j1Us0CCQcCshyphenhyphenjHlszMm22SKmHNsaZog6fmuyFrjF9VILZvzI6vT57ubT4oxD5ivBr7eRqJW95AjSVgcelyr9Y16iUTIYMEBUm7JD0LuicPY/s1600-h/DSC_0538.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbnReRdvJ9pKJktJ7aYVtgLbEJ2ssrF1j1Us0CCQcCshyphenhyphenjHlszMm22SKmHNsaZog6fmuyFrjF9VILZvzI6vT57ubT4oxD5ivBr7eRqJW95AjSVgcelyr9Y16iUTIYMEBUm7JD0LuicPY/s400/DSC_0538.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368891453254025954" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBup0_4WLNC45zhaT3iP8VWMrhBcHQaQpC31wC9oXUAKKI8hqBS4JeaYE_LkCQKcXXwWWJ8aNYfYZ2xr9xeCSwkd2_k0di7OZm3PdxBV1pu7HGPYvsMFYXQqLGKDpgd8dqSW5Q5kOFcA/s1600-h/DSC_0468.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBup0_4WLNC45zhaT3iP8VWMrhBcHQaQpC31wC9oXUAKKI8hqBS4JeaYE_LkCQKcXXwWWJ8aNYfYZ2xr9xeCSwkd2_k0di7OZm3PdxBV1pu7HGPYvsMFYXQqLGKDpgd8dqSW5Q5kOFcA/s400/DSC_0468.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368891439088520002" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiuDDqN5P4VCXcZ76fqt8AYE6KYwwPD5VBQtcVOkbjo1UAUTf81MwiNjuX0KKlgLDO-FPwhzs_T1gNBtbuBt5DfFrqwmSzMGQo-AELopmnZv8U2zIjFZXOEqBOEx3GPJtGWzusI4dviUo/s1600-h/DSC_0461.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiuDDqN5P4VCXcZ76fqt8AYE6KYwwPD5VBQtcVOkbjo1UAUTf81MwiNjuX0KKlgLDO-FPwhzs_T1gNBtbuBt5DfFrqwmSzMGQo-AELopmnZv8U2zIjFZXOEqBOEx3GPJtGWzusI4dviUo/s400/DSC_0461.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368891427025367026" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHG5JWKU0pNO9KuNDb82mMPQu3T5dRcuWmf7EkC5Ene1O4SJBLgCLGJJV8MVC9we_le6cRzgMj-Uc3-ngWUTfCbUAw22GsmT1zo7Wmvf-x5ECdG01gR1mjgd5u5was6SbIqJdBtKJeTE0/s1600-h/DSC_0459.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHG5JWKU0pNO9KuNDb82mMPQu3T5dRcuWmf7EkC5Ene1O4SJBLgCLGJJV8MVC9we_le6cRzgMj-Uc3-ngWUTfCbUAw22GsmT1zo7Wmvf-x5ECdG01gR1mjgd5u5was6SbIqJdBtKJeTE0/s400/DSC_0459.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368891419599349154" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkcBs_DVv6GUTOk_i_8plCzfZmgB4JFY792oKSmza7k7QeB__AtMrX_0oeUkY4nW9CCqOZOPdNqlkCMH9q9LxV1icHb3P6Vmfgbb-RoYCbaiAzNDRQg1uyjVRaQg6HxNLQrlYj_sVE-o/s1600-h/DSC_0393.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCkcBs_DVv6GUTOk_i_8plCzfZmgB4JFY792oKSmza7k7QeB__AtMrX_0oeUkY4nW9CCqOZOPdNqlkCMH9q9LxV1icHb3P6Vmfgbb-RoYCbaiAzNDRQg1uyjVRaQg6HxNLQrlYj_sVE-o/s400/DSC_0393.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368891406202205474" /></a><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-11978646597623086592009-08-08T10:53:00.001-07:002009-08-08T10:53:48.410-07:00Jailbreak!<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3801649242/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3432/3801649242_3ef522945e.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3801649242/">Jailbreak!</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/39852437@N03/">ben.obrien</a>.</span></div><p>After about a year with my iPhone I was starting to get board with it<br />so I thought I'd have to get the 3gs to get something new and<br />exciting. I decided instead to jailbreak it.<br /><br />Now I have the freedom to put my own background on my phone, I can<br />have other ring tones, more access to system preferences, video<br />recording, + more! And on top of that I just added a notch of<br />geekness to my belt [pushes up glasses].</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-69567938732119772162009-07-29T20:29:00.001-07:002009-07-30T19:23:46.426-07:00Sleeping sideways on a large bed<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3771222248/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3483/3771222248_a5b615a589.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style=" margin-top: 0px;font-size:0.8em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3771222248/">Sleeping sideways on a large bed</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/39852437@N03/">ben.obrien</a>.</span></div><p>I've been in a hotel for the last 2 weeks and I really enjoy the king<br />sized bed. I found the best way to sleep on it is sidways. This avoids<br />the uncomfortable tucked in ends at the bottom that either result in<br />duck footed sleeping or a frustrated thrashing to release fettered<br />feet that works me up so much I can't sleep for 20 minutes.<br /><br />Usually I sleep pretty well in a hotel, but last night<br />a fuzzy black speckled cloud like a face that has been hidden to<br />preserve identity on tv was floating at the head of the bed (where<br />most peoples head is). That fuzzy blob floated there for a moment and<br />then all of a sudden came at me with movement that reminded me of the<br />big spiders on arachnophobia. Fearful of floating fuzzy spider like<br />blobs as I am, I swatted at the watermelon sized thing only to find my<br />hand went right through it. I let out an uncontrolled girly<br />"MEAHHHHHahhhH" which woke me up.<br /><br />I wonder if the neighbor that I hear all the time talking on the phone<br />heard me through the paper thin walls...</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-46275367085114448932009-07-25T17:04:00.001-07:002009-07-25T17:34:36.376-07:00Home Sweet Home<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUuiISNzB-j68blw8KF8ndA9Pj_uBarStju6Bz8-kwsQ2kSorPuscYc6Z2a2o7yoD56m7DursSst0KPuGSA1u4q5Fu4RXVQzc5-vRf-K6u7IfqCVeNV-jGl2WXHyUHLuiuVuOCAF3nms/s400/Michigan.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362553418359109490" /><div>I haven't lived in the same place for more than 1 year for the past 7 years. I've had over 15 different front door keys over that same time period. It feels great to be home--Northern Michigan will always be home. Since I moved to South Carolina, I wasn't sure when or how often I'd get up to Petoskey. It just so happened that I was needed in Grand Rapids for work--only 3 hours from home!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>When people ask me where I'm from I always say <i>Northern</i> Michigan. It is a very different feel in Grand Rapids or Lansing or Detroit. I love the <a href="http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071116113144AABIrw0">"tip of the ring finger"</a> so many fun things to do and so pleasant here. Green rolling hills...bright blue lakes...historic downtown...fudge...ice cream...woods</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQx06aKw6rNIcHGajLxFatsviKchUvAMqS8iNXlHtmN0s1Q3NJIdA52yIqzOFmOxJGqsceaWsBlWMAmeXJFgCTnRCAjaify1Wq0eSyDCw7oLZ4nVap5l_buLVJd4Up6FLJA2NlVhHPd0/s200/Mom.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362558912905482130" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HLmNIwBgRXSlETH4_m2WFGD8vwmEu3HEE7cVk4rf67TlLARH0AuvVMeQUeH7L0bYMj0Tc3jU3kcDarohyphenhyphenwCgoKm1OYihm_PRiizm8-78BZArY4eZl7SQFIS9rXzCeUjAoS8IV40a4KM/s200/ben+kayak.JPG" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362559232717828226" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My mom and I went kayaking in Crooked lake this morning.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8-k-1W6K1BO1dT5NwGgGDiY4Dwq3yvtlJ2XT0j9Z7z9cgZCqcy6XZd1pnG-eds_ap9EWEgHu34JgZn-hbvt3llzlGVw3R-4AYuwAha7cjAkPPTbbS93St0qa1MBCz49uz2M2lPHm6Ts/s400/Slack+lining.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362559588297154098" /><div style="text-align: center;">A guy took a pic for me down at the water front doing a little slack lining at the waterfront.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-5025762663236067232009-07-20T16:09:00.000-07:002009-07-20T16:44:10.280-07:00What Should Be Complementary?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://image.hospitalityonline.com/e/2159/215959_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 604px; height: 332px;" src="http://image.hospitalityonline.com/e/2159/215959_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Just checked into the Amway Grand Hotel in Grand Rapids and I was impressed and blown away with the view (below) for being a company approved hotel. This beautiful building with gold plated ceilings, historic ballroom, complementary turn down service, great location and great restaurants was at one time in the top 10 hotels in the US.<div><br /> <div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVOBLwpqoTT6w9USkg3eSoS7bqONxYJwRvtcLLN62j5geM9EiGrXWaCLtljueWsmxbCmTmXkdIUo-dMwKCYbiQlGAoBq1zlo9F93iDrB1xtlc5U-d3Fy0VsrEzqXhFYU_1mm_vMdvsEw/s400/photo+2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360685063430530994" /></div><div>Its too bad one little thing shot it for me. Something that any respectable, modern hotel should have. Even the not so respectable or modern hotels have it. Free Wi-Fi. They are already making bank off people who stay here. How much does it cost to put a few routers in and pump the ubiquitous Internet through? They want to charge $10 per day! This disgusts me. In an era of constant connectivity where your primary customer is more likely to have a wi-fi enabled lap top than a pen and paper on his person, it only makes sense to cater to them. I am disgusted. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I almost got over that when I tethered my phone to blog this. Then I noticed strike two. $5 to use the gym!?!?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>These are things that should not be charged for! It should go with out saying that these are complementary! </div><div><br /></div><div>There are somethings that I expect to be included. They already do pay per view whats next? pay per flush?? A buck to ride the elevator?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Have you been turned off to an establishment because you had to pay for something you thought should be free? (like the notorious fee charged to use some European toilets?)</div><div> </div><div>What else should be complementary? </div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-28920254958702969532009-07-20T05:55:00.001-07:002009-07-20T14:27:35.971-07:00Personal Soundtrack<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3738288535/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2572/3738288535_e99cff3130.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style=" margin-top: 0px;font-size:0.8em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3738288535/">Personal Soundtrack</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/39852437@N03/">ben.obrien</a>.</span></div><p>Have you ever been watching a movie that has you engulfed-you are<br />there in the shoes of the protagonist feeling what he is feeling.<br />Think of your favorite movie, of a scene when he is relieved but<br />focused. Then a key element of the scene comes through your ears:<br />the perfect music. A team of people have chosen the music that would<br />just fit. The music competes the scene. It just makes it right. Like on the Matrix when Neo just killed the bad guy and he is walking through the street of crowded people and Rage Against the Machine comes on. Or on Dumb and Dumber when they first start their road trip and they are so excited to ge going to Aspen where the beer flows like wine and the women flock like the salmon of capastrana.<br /><br />The soundtrack for me that made the scene of passing through a crowded<br />O'Hare airport perfect?<br /><br />Chicago by Sufjan Stephens.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-84975548987491572512009-07-18T17:04:00.001-07:002009-07-18T17:04:01.659-07:00Congaree National Park<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3732958871/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3447/3732958871_4f45ce7c9c.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3732958871/">Congaree National Park</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/39852437@N03/">ben.obrien</a>.</span></div><p>I love national parks. We have so many beautiful and diverse areas<br />here in the US. The first national parks I went to were out west. The<br />mountains of Zion national park, arches, yellowstone etc are awesome,<br />but so different than the congaree near Columbia.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-26311820347981330232009-07-16T19:27:00.001-07:002009-07-16T19:27:21.273-07:00Serious Cramp During Triathlon<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3727723219/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2587/3727723219_dbfeba6173.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3727723219/">Serious Cramp During Triathlon</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/39852437@N03/">ben.obrien</a>.</span></div><p>Coming from a background of mountain biking, I chuckled to myself when<br />a group of 250 triathletes groaned when the short dirt road on the<br />bike section was discussed at the pre-race orientation. When the<br />announcer told everyone to go slow here I couldn't help but envision<br />myself easily breezing by all these roadies who are used to smooth<br />warm asphalt. It turned out to be not easy. This picture was taken on<br />a straight away when I was crossing over the soft center of the road<br />and almost ate it. I caught myself but while doing so embers of a mild<br />cramp in my left calf raged into a roaring fire. It was almost<br />completely dehibilitating. This moment right here caught in this photo<br />caused 3 days of a sore calf and a slight limp.<br /><br />What causes cramps like this? And how do I prevent them?<br /><br />It is supremely gratifying to finish a race and feel like you're about<br />to die just after crossing the line. But you know that it is over and<br />that you gave it your all...nothing left. Pain makes the<br />accomplishment sweeter.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-2247681120364929822009-07-14T10:00:00.000-07:002009-07-14T10:13:56.097-07:00Emotional Decision Making or Vulcan Logic?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blog.mindvalleylabs.com/files/2007/01/WindowsLiveWriter/StopOfferingYourCustomerstooManyChoices_EB1C/spoilt-for-choice_thumb1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px; height: 373px;" src="http://blog.mindvalleylabs.com/files/2007/01/WindowsLiveWriter/StopOfferingYourCustomerstooManyChoices_EB1C/spoilt-for-choice_thumb1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">After watching the movie Star Trek when it came out, I wished I could make decisions like Spoc: purely based on logic. Vulcans don't let their emotions cloud their decision making and can analyze the facts and make the best choice. So when a vulcan is faced with 175 different salad dressings at the supermaket, he will pick the best one factoring in price, quality, taste etc. Spoc would know which one would lead to the most </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">utility</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> not letting his emotions get in the way. Right?</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">WRONG. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Truth is, we would not be able to make good decisions without our emotions. We don't have the concious mental capacity to take in all the facts and weigh it out. If we had no emotions we would be stiffeled in each choice that comes our way. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"></span></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio studied people who had received brain injuries that had had one specific effect: to damage that part of the brain where emotions are generated. In all other respects they seemed normal - they just lost the ability to feel emotions.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The interesting thing he found was that their ability to make decisions was seriously impaired. They could logically describe what they should be doing, in practice they found it very difficult to make decisions about where to live, what to eat, etc."</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">From </span><a href="http://changingminds.org/explanations/emotions/emotion_decision.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">changingminds.org</span></a></span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"></span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-71388833441432920882009-07-12T20:29:00.001-07:002009-07-12T20:33:56.147-07:00The Love Log In Action<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3714851851/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3508/3714851851_2768c6c408.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style=" margin-top: 0px;font-size:0.8em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3714851851/">The Love Log In Action</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/39852437@N03/">ben.obrien</a>.</span></div><p>Can u see the love?<br /><br />Friends in Columbia on the love log (aka the turd, dookie turd, that brown thing...similar to <a href="http://www.lovesac.com/">love sacs</a>) </p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-3140167637274441592009-07-08T09:58:00.000-07:002009-07-08T10:02:55.788-07:00What does a popular youtube video do for me?So I recently noticed that a youtube video of mine (below) has several links to it. It has about 67,000 views and 88 comments right now. What does this do for me? I don't think this video is even that good. It was a hastily made video on making a longboard (skateboard). I could make one that is tons better. But why? <div><br /></div><div>It would be a lot of fun to make videos that lots of people would watch, but how would I capitalize off of it if I just did it every so often? </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mEWl7Iuktsw&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mEWl7Iuktsw&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-53751500547677280652009-07-07T09:51:00.001-07:002009-07-07T10:05:30.051-07:00Another mechanical<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 3px; PADDING-LEFT: 3px; PADDING-RIGHT: 3px; PADDING-TOP: 3px"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3698606022/"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3494/3698606022_ecaaa95f77.jpg" width="376" height="451" /></a><br /><span style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px;font-size:0;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3698606022/">Another mechanical</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/39852437@N03/"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">ben</span>.<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">obrien</span></a>.</span></div><p>(that's what I call it when I crash while <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">mountain biking</span>...a mechanical)<br /><br />I got this lovely bruise on my left thigh on the trails at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Harbison</span> near my house. There are some awesome trails there and I've decided I want to get back into mountain biking. In high school and middle school that is all I did. I was always on my bike. </p><p>There is one issue though. That bike I was on in High School is the same one I'm riding now. It has several issues with it and I will use them to justify them to you that I need a new bike. </p><p>Reasons I should get a new mountain bike: </p><ul><li>missing teeth on the chain rings (gears)</li><li>messed up front rim</li><li>the geometry doesn't fit my body well</li><li>it is a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">hardtail</span></li><li>it's 10+yrs old</li><li>rear <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">derailleur</span> is shot</li><li>no suspension from the front suspension</li><li>still uses rim brakes</li></ul><p> </p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-52269274073043378362009-07-03T15:02:00.001-07:002009-07-03T15:19:10.724-07:00Presentation MasteryI have been reading a lot about how to be good at presenting and it has OPENED MY EYES! I'm reading presentation zen by Garr Reynolds right now. It is excellent at explaining key aspects to a good presentation. <br /><br />The problem with this awareness of what makes good presentations is two fold: <br /><br />1) Now it is excruciatingly painful to sit through a poor presentation (that category of poor presentations has grown as well).<br /><br />2) This means I can no longer give poor presentations with the excuse that I am ignorant. <br /><br />Below is one style of presentation that is AWESOME. Notice the amount of information and the contrast on each slide. <br /> <br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RrpajcAgR1E&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RrpajcAgR1E&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />To those that say not all presentations can be pleasing...<a href="http://www.geol.wwu.edu/rjmitch/stoning.pdf">here</a> is an editorial about technical presentations. The punishment for a poor presentation should be stoning in the eyes of this man.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1576997732654825330.post-88897134834565029122009-06-28T19:55:00.001-07:002009-07-01T07:19:43.517-07:00Creativity<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; PADDING-BOTTOM: 3px; PADDING-LEFT: 3px; PADDING-RIGHT: 3px; PADDING-TOP: 3px"><a title="photo sharing" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3669834841/"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-TOP: #000000 2px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 2px solid" alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2553/3669834841_eb74d463b5.jpg" width="407" height="318" /></a><br /><span style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px;font-size:0;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/39852437@N03/3669834841/">Creativity</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/39852437@N03/">ben.obrien</a>.</span></div><p>What do you do be creative? What conditions are the best for you?<br /><br />If you had a pile of shells what conditions would put you in the right<br />mindset to make a masterpiece? For me I need to have confidence and no<br />fear of failure.<br /><br />I call this "what the fetch".<br /></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13546618276203672144noreply@blogger.com1