Intermezzo

Football Fever

Nick — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 23:32:37 +0000

I can’t explain it.

Maybe it’s the strain of dealing with my wife’s illness. Maybe it was a tough semester last spring at Florida State. Maybe it’s the phase of the moon, or climate change. Whatever the cause, I know I’ve snapped. I’ve gone off the deep end. I’ve suddenly developed a passion for, dare I say it, American football!

After eschewing sports for decades, I’m suddenly, inexplicably obsessed with football. College football.
The really strange thing is, I know next to nothing about football! I’ve had to buy The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Football, to figure the game out.

Maybe it’s not so strange after all. After decades with Bobby Bowden at the helm, Florida State football now has a new leader: Jimbo Fisher. There’s an expectancy in the air perhaps not felt since that experienced back in 1976 when Bowden took over FSU’s then less than inspiring team.
What a wonderful time to get excited about football.

Go Noles!

Ted Kennedy Funeral Exploited?

Nick — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 11:58:33 +0000

I’ve seen recent blog entries slamming the Democratic Party and the Kennedy family for politicizing Senator Kennedy’s funeral by making repeated references to the health care issue, even during Prayer of the Faithful at the funeral mass.

Wherever we find ourselves in the current debate over health care reform, we should realize that the quest for universal health care was a cornerstone of the senator’s political career. This was brought home by the HBO documentary Teddy: In His Own Words, aired on CNN following Senator Kennedy’s graveside service last Saturday night. As shown in video clips, the senator has vigorously supported universal health care at least since 1974.

Since this was a cause championed by Senator Kennedy for more than three decades, this was clearly no mere exploitation of the current sad event to further the immediate goals of his party.

A funeral mass is as much a celebration of a life as a farewell. No matter our personal feelings, it seems appropriate that Senator Kennedy’s family mention, and yes even pray for, the fulfillment of a goal that was such an important part of that life.

Do I Walk on Water?

Nick — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 09:52:34 +0000

Now here’s something I’ve been grappling with for quite a long time.
We’ve been taught from very early in our careers that our self-assessments should always be positive. Except perhaps in your inmost heart, you never want to admit weakness on an evaluation or in a resume. This can be extended to a blog, since employers are increasingly savvy about the Internet and use it to find information on job candidates.
Yet, we are also told again and again that failure is as valuable a part of our careers as success. We learn valuable lessons on what not to do as we navigate the sometimes rough waters of our work lives.
So, should we talk about these times in our blogs? Do we admit to instances when our performance was less than stellar and what we learned from the experience? Or do we continue to peddle the fiction that we walk on water, have never made a false move, and that our careers have been on a constant upward trajectory?

The Joys of the Job Search

Nick — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:32:46 +0000

Ah, the simple joys of job searching! No joy, actually. This looking for work is, well, a lot of work! On the advice of the veterans specialist at my local One Stop Connection (I think this is what we used to call “the Unemployment Office”) and a woman at my local VA medical center (where I reapplied for benefits), I started looking for jobs on USAjobs.gov. This site specializes in US federal jobs.
I spent maybe an hour entering my resume. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a place you could enter your resume just once and refer every job search site there? I’ve lost count of how many times – and how many hours I’ve spent – entering the same information again and again.
After setting up my account, I started searching for jobs. I just applied for a job as a technical writer for the Department of Commerce. Something to do with a fisheries act I know nothing about. Oh, well, it’s worth a shot. Of course the problem will be, once again, that I was never a full-time technical writer. Yes, technical writing has been part of my job over the years, and I was a technical editor for a year and a half, but I’ve never been an honest to goodness technical writer.
The other fun thing is filling out the application. So many questions to answer! And that’s not the end of it. I still have to fax in some backup documentation.
Tomorrow. For now, let’s think about something else!

Hard Times

Nick — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:21:48 +0000

I love Runner’s World magazine. I’m a runner (though not a particularly fast one) and I look forward each month to the tips, stories, and recipes I’ll find. It’s one of life’s little pleasures I look forward to each month.
Sitting on my desk is the renewal notice. Unfortunately, it will go unheeded because this is one of the little luxuries I’ll have to give up.

It’s going on two and a half years that I full time gainful employment has eluded me.
I can’t claim to be a victim of the economy. February 2007 was long before the proverbial excrement hit the fan. No, I’m a victim of the success I had with the company that employed me for 21 years, as well as the life choices I made along the way.
I thought of calling this article “The Man Who Knew Too Much… and Too Little.” As a former colleague of mine once stated, my website makes me look like a “Jack of All Trades and Master of None.” That description is apt, because while I have many skills, I’m really well-versed in very few.
I’m familiar with many software packages, but can’t claim to be an expert in any of them.
I’m familiar with several programming languages, but haven’t written any programs outside the context of a college classroom.
I was an engineer, but have no engineering degree and never designed anything (I was in technical support).
I’ve written user documentation, installation procedures, upgrade procedures, change procedures, but am not really a technical writer.
I’ve edited many technical documents, but am not really a technical editor.
About all I can really claim to be is an electronics technician, since I graduated from technical school and worked as a technician for 14 years.
Does it sound like I’m feeling sorry for myself? Well, I suppose I am. I’ve just been shot down for another position – this time it was a contract to design a website for a department in my local county – the third such disappointment in a month.
I’m good, it seems, but never quite good enough.
Anyone out there care to share a hard luck story?

Maybe I should go for a run.

Traveling Doode

Nick — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:50:22 +0000

I just started a new blog/website called Traveling Doode. Check it out at http://travelingdoode.com !

Traveling Doode is a way to build a brand around my passion for travel. Not a commercial brand, more of a hobby… for now anyway. I’ve also set up accounts on Twitter, YouTube and elsewhere with the same TravelingDoode name.

More to come!

Michael Jackson, Rest in Peace

Nick — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:41:08 +0000

Isn’t it about time we lay Michael Jackson to rest? A week after his death, the media is still abuzz with talk about Michael Jackson. They’ve discussed Michael Jackson’s life and Michael Jackson’s death. There was a wonderful memorial service for Michael Jackson. Then we had discussions about the memorial service.

My maternal grandfather used to say that only those who weren’t nice to someone during their lifetime felt compelled to visit their graves after they die. Of late the media paid scant attention to Mr. Jackson – and much of what there was could not be called nice.

Perhaps that’s part of why they feel they must go on and on about him now that he’s gone. A more cynical person might think it’s a matter of market share, but we won’t go there.

I was as appreciative as anyone of Mr. Jackson and his great contributions to our culture, and sad to see him depart at such a young age. But I feel it’s time we said our goodbyes and moved on.

Technorati

mensadoode — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:16:45 +0000

Technorati Profile

Relaxing in Hangzhou

Nick — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:46:30 +0000

How do you relax?
Perhaps itâ€™s a round of golf, or television, or curling up with a good book that relaxes you.
When my wife and I were living in Hangzhou, China, one of our favorite ways to relax was to visit a.
When I mentioned teahouse, you probably visualized tea rituals, tatami mats, and quaint cottages with rice paper walls. Actually, thatâ€™s more a traditional Japanese teahouse. Tea culture in China is a bit less formal.
A Chinese teahouse can take on many forms. You can find a teahouse occupying a floor in a high-rise building, a shop on a city street, a house in a suburban neighborhood, or even an open space in a public park designated for the purpose.
My wife and I preferred a particular outdoor teahouse in the park on the south side of Hangzhouâ€™s West Lake.
We would rise early, pack our backpacks with essentials and take the short walk to the bus stop in front of our local supermarket where weâ€™d board a rickety bus, hoping that there would be a seat available. Buses in China quickly fill with passengers, so unless we were seated, weâ€™d find ourselves spending the 20 minute trip packed like sardines in a can. The road along the south side of West Lake is quite picturesque, lined on both sides with public parks and gardens. The bus ride would turn into a rollercoaster ride as we sped over several half-moon shaped bridges on the way to our stop. After we got off the bus, weâ€™d walk about 100 yards (meters) into the woods to the tea house. A small building at the entrance served as combination kitchen and snack bar. The tea house proper was a large, irregularly shaped patio of paving stones surrounded by tall trees.
We would arrive early to pick out a good location in the shade. If you arrived much past 10 am, you probably wouldnâ€™t find a seat! The outdoor atmosphere was perfect for relaxation. The scent of flowers wafted in on gentle breezes from nearby park gardens. Squirrels scurried about looking for stray nuts or pumpkin seeds from patronâ€™s tables, while feral cats stalked birds or competed with the squirrels.
The waitress would take our order, and then return in a short while with helpings of loose tea in white ceramic mugs, and a large thermos of hot water. Tea leaves can be reused several times, so as you drink your tea, you add more hot water from the thermos until thereâ€™s no more â€œspiritâ€ left in the tea. The emphasis at the teahouse is relaxation. Itâ€™s not a place to gulp down your tea and run. Most people plan to spend an hour or more. You are never rushed; never expected to buy more than your initial cup of tea. Food, snacks, and other drinks were offered for sale, but you could bring your own. A trip to an outdoor teahouse can resemble a picnic. Often people bring playing cards or other games. Ladies often can be seen knitting while they chat. Laughter and loud talk are common. And after the conversation stops and the cards are put away, itâ€™s not unusual to see people napping. Itâ€™s perfectly acceptable to sleep in the teahouse â€“ as long as you sleep sitting up!
My wife and I would usually play Scrabble on our visits to the teahouse, often attracting one or two curious onlookers who wondered what these foreigners were up to. Whatâ€™s with those little squares with the funny squiggles on them? Usually after a short while, theyâ€™d walk away laughing and scratching their heads, amazed by those inscrutable foreigners and their strange ways!
My wife and I would converse or read; sipping our tea and munching on pumpkin seeds â€“ a local delicacy. After a short nap, weâ€™d either head home or walk through the park, thoroughly refreshed.
Can you think of a more pleasant way to relax?

No Reservations

Nick — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 14:25:00 +0000

Iâ€™ve recently become an Anthony Bourdain fan, the host of the Travel Channel show No Reservations. Tony is a New York chef, but this is no Julia Child-style cooking show. Itâ€™s all about unusual food in exotic locales.

The show starts with a disclaimer that what you are about to see may be unsuitable for some audiences. I found this curious since the first few of shows I saw didnâ€™t live up to the warning. Sure the strange dishes consumed by the host might ruin some appetites, but there was nothing that would prompt you to shoo young children from the room.

As I watched more episodes, however, I discovered that the host is, shall we say, a bit rough around the edges. You get glimpses of his chain-smoking, hard drinking, rough talking side (the narrative is often punctuated with bleeps censoring words not allowed on American TV).

After watching a recent No Reservations marathon, I was hooked. I even checked out Tonyâ€™s book, Kitchen Confidential from my local library. Whoa! This is a book not suitable for children. Do people like this really exist? He describes situations I didnâ€™t encounter in more than two decades in the Navy.

Considering his past and his drinking, smoking, and eating habits (in the shows he seems to eschew vegetables, apparently living mostly on red meat), he seems amazingly healthy for a man of 52.

Morality and cholesterol aside, No Reservations is very informative and great entertainment. The locations (some of which Iâ€™ve personally visited) are wonderful and the hostâ€™s banter and narrative style are a refreshing change from the usual travel or food show.