TGIF. It's been a long week, friends. Three days of listening to consumers talk about powdered beverages in focus groups. Good news, though -- for these groups, I think we actually found all of the remaining TANG consumers...
Around this time for the past 2 years, I was preparing for a trip to watch the Tour de France. This year, instead of seeing cyclists push their bodies to human limits (including my own) on the Alpe d'Huez, I'll be watching the paint dry on the walls of my new condo. Instead of sitting with a good friend in a Parisian sidewalk brasserie with a cold Kronenburg and plate of salmon and cheese, I'll be waiting for my refrigerator to arrive (and realizing that it won't fit in my kitchen). Instead of trying to get a glimpse of Lance (and Sheryl!!) near the USPS/ Discovery Channel team bus, I will be trying to figure out how to meet my new neighbors without stalking them. And instead of trying to simultaneously drive a mini-bus (more "bus" than "mini") in the Alps and read a French Michelin map that looks like vomit from a kid who just ate a box of Crayons, I will be driving my own car across town 200 times to pick up one more load...
Sure, it's because of extenuating circumstances, but this will have been the first summer in five years without a major bike trip (Canada, New England, France, France). Next year, friends, come hell or high water, I'm going back to Europe. Today, though, I'm headed to Northwest Wisconsin for a family vacation. Look for me on ESPN 3's next Lumberjack Championships...
NATHAN
P.S. I thought the following was pretty funny...
Monday, May 9, 2005
Protest against Eddie Bauer's Nanotech
On Saturday in Chicago, activists protested topless outside of the Eddie Bauer store on Michigan avenue. They're concerned that the Nano-Tex coating the company uses to make stain- and wrinkle-resistant clothing could cause health problems. Howard Lovy's NanoBot has posted exclusive photos of the protest and the press release from the activists, representing a Chicago group called THONG (Topless Humans Organized for Natural Genetics): "We’re out here naked so people can SEE THE PROBLEM, Nano-Tex is such a radical and unpredictable new technology, like biotech, that it takes something highly visible, like a naked body, to get people to focus on the need to stop corporations from using humans as guinea pigs for new, untested, and unstable new technologies!" said Kiki Walters of THONG.
And from a Chicago Sun Times report: Some passersby averted their eyes. Others giggled nervously and kept walking past the demonstrators -- about nine men and women who appeared to be in their 20s. "Where's their mother?'' asked Tonya Stewart of Bowling Green, Ky., in Chicago for an Auntie Anne's Pretzels franchise meeting. "Y'all are rude,'' scolded Juanita Simpson, 25, of Beverly. A bunch of guys in town for a bachelor party seemed to approve. "This is the most action we've seen all weekend,'' said Brian Siebert, 25, of St. Louis.
Friday, June 24, 2005
Monday, June 20, 2005
Twenty-first posting - eyes
Another duathlon under my belt. This one was the combined Long Island Gold Coast Triathlon /Duathlon, and for many of the competitors, was a prelim course for New York Triathlon on July 17. (I, however, was far far away from the triathletes.) There were almost 700 total competitors, 80 of whom raced in the duathlon (and all were happy we didn’t have to swim in the sixty-degree Long Island Sound).
The event was billed as a 3 mile run + 12 mile ride + 3 mile run. The runs didn’t end up that way – but I have yet to receive word on the final distances. Overall I came in 9th, top of my age group with time of 1:15:14, and my best time actually came in the first run. The ride had a couple of tight turns, which made things interesting, particularly when I got to swoop past some of the first timers. I do know that I averaged 19.5 mph on the bike, which I felt pretty good about.
I took some advice from Active.com and tried to fine a “peripheral vision” zone that let me focus more internally than externally. With the exception of the bike-to-run transition (the brick), I think it actually worked. Really. The idea is that you look ahead but pay less attention to what’s happening in front of you than to your sides. It works when you’re passing, but it’s very hard to do it when you’re being passed. I also felt like it gave my eyes a rest – strange, I know.
Give it a try this week, but not while you’re driving. Vroom vroom, NATHAN
The event was billed as a 3 mile run + 12 mile ride + 3 mile run. The runs didn’t end up that way – but I have yet to receive word on the final distances. Overall I came in 9th, top of my age group with time of 1:15:14, and my best time actually came in the first run. The ride had a couple of tight turns, which made things interesting, particularly when I got to swoop past some of the first timers. I do know that I averaged 19.5 mph on the bike, which I felt pretty good about.
I took some advice from Active.com and tried to fine a “peripheral vision” zone that let me focus more internally than externally. With the exception of the bike-to-run transition (the brick), I think it actually worked. Really. The idea is that you look ahead but pay less attention to what’s happening in front of you than to your sides. It works when you’re passing, but it’s very hard to do it when you’re being passed. I also felt like it gave my eyes a rest – strange, I know.
Give it a try this week, but not while you’re driving. Vroom vroom, NATHAN
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Twentieth posting - hot
It's hot here. Africa hot. Pee evaporates before it hits the pavement hot. Tires melting off of my wheels hot. This doesn't feel as bad, though, as my years in Washington when I walked to the office, shirt untucked and unbuttoned, hoping for some semblance of a breeze. It also doesn't sound hot. For those of you from Oklahoma (or lucky enough to have visited), you might remember hearing the cicadas buzzing from first thing in the morning until the sun goes down. To me that's the sound of hot.
This weekend I was up in Ithaca for my 5th year business school reunion. Was great to reconnect with friends I hadn't seen since graduation, and re-hash stories about people we liked and didn't like. We're a catty bunch, but deep down we're nice people. Like Ithaca, Cornell's campus is so beautiful that it was easy to forget the miserable winters. Overall I was surprised to hear so many people were still at the same company -- five years into the burn. We graduated slightly after the tech boom, so there were fewer West Coast casualties. One guy started a company called Jambo (http://www.jambo.net) which may or may not succeed because I still don't understand the business model, and another started one called Happy Wares (http://www.theezcarry.com/default.asp) and invented an ergonomically designed grip to help you carry plastic shopping bags. He made it on to QVC, which is (I'm told) the Holy Grail for inventors. Actually looks like he's already a success.
The funny thing about Ithaca is that it also brings out the latent entrepreneur in me. I've been there several times since graduation, and each time, I day dream about starting a microbrewery/ bookstore, or an adventure tour company, or a restaurant on the lake with a dock. The town is hardly the place to sustain these thoughts, although with a few million dollars coming my way in the next lottery, a house on Lake Cayuga would not be out of the question....
Day dreams must end, and work days must begin. Hope yours is a good one. NATHAN
This weekend I was up in Ithaca for my 5th year business school reunion. Was great to reconnect with friends I hadn't seen since graduation, and re-hash stories about people we liked and didn't like. We're a catty bunch, but deep down we're nice people. Like Ithaca, Cornell's campus is so beautiful that it was easy to forget the miserable winters. Overall I was surprised to hear so many people were still at the same company -- five years into the burn. We graduated slightly after the tech boom, so there were fewer West Coast casualties. One guy started a company called Jambo (http://www.jambo.net) which may or may not succeed because I still don't understand the business model, and another started one called Happy Wares (http://www.theezcarry.com/default.asp) and invented an ergonomically designed grip to help you carry plastic shopping bags. He made it on to QVC, which is (I'm told) the Holy Grail for inventors. Actually looks like he's already a success.
The funny thing about Ithaca is that it also brings out the latent entrepreneur in me. I've been there several times since graduation, and each time, I day dream about starting a microbrewery/ bookstore, or an adventure tour company, or a restaurant on the lake with a dock. The town is hardly the place to sustain these thoughts, although with a few million dollars coming my way in the next lottery, a house on Lake Cayuga would not be out of the question....
Day dreams must end, and work days must begin. Hope yours is a good one. NATHAN
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Nineteenth posting - Kansas
I am reading a book called What's the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America by Thomas Frank. If you haven't heard of it, you can still probably guess that it's a full-on, liberal-slanted view of how the nation's midsection was co-opted by the Christian Right and corporate America to think and vote through morals- and values-tinted lenses, rather than through economics.
My parents used to (and still) say that people vote their pocketbooks. Good Democrats they are, but my parents -- like me -- have been sort of blindsided by what may or may not have been a conscious conservative Republican effort to put social issues into the forefront of political decisions (spun in "values" language). From the last election (the first that W won), it was amazing for me to hear so much about values and so many loaded social subjects (e.g., abortion, school vouchers, gay marriage), and such disproportionately little discussion on the economy and positive government.
One Amazon reviewer wrote of the book: "His most important point is how class resentment in Kansas (and similar states) has been turned away from economics and sidetracked into "values". This political process has a long history -- that's how fascism has always worked." The class resentment part is echoed in a series of New York Times articles on class in America. This country has always had a different and more fluid version of class than that of other parts of the world. A trap we seem to be falling into lately is that class definitions are becoming more and more material and less social. It's as if the "socio-economic indicators" are being overweighted to the "economic." The class piece doesn't worry me so much -- it's one of the great things about America that you're not born into or out of a social class -- but this class resentment through values is scary, and I'm afraid it is only getting worse. The book has its funny parts, particularly for those of you from the Midwest, and what you might consider less conservative areas of the Midwest... I highly recommend it.
On another note, a friend of mine in California, one with his finger on the pulse of great, great music, just sent me a CD that begins with one of the best theme songs from a TV show -- The Rockford Files. I played it this morning on my drive in to the office and couldn't stop smiling (http://www.timvp.com/rockford.html).
Rock on! NATHAN
My parents used to (and still) say that people vote their pocketbooks. Good Democrats they are, but my parents -- like me -- have been sort of blindsided by what may or may not have been a conscious conservative Republican effort to put social issues into the forefront of political decisions (spun in "values" language). From the last election (the first that W won), it was amazing for me to hear so much about values and so many loaded social subjects (e.g., abortion, school vouchers, gay marriage), and such disproportionately little discussion on the economy and positive government.
One Amazon reviewer wrote of the book: "His most important point is how class resentment in Kansas (and similar states) has been turned away from economics and sidetracked into "values". This political process has a long history -- that's how fascism has always worked." The class resentment part is echoed in a series of New York Times articles on class in America. This country has always had a different and more fluid version of class than that of other parts of the world. A trap we seem to be falling into lately is that class definitions are becoming more and more material and less social. It's as if the "socio-economic indicators" are being overweighted to the "economic." The class piece doesn't worry me so much -- it's one of the great things about America that you're not born into or out of a social class -- but this class resentment through values is scary, and I'm afraid it is only getting worse. The book has its funny parts, particularly for those of you from the Midwest, and what you might consider less conservative areas of the Midwest... I highly recommend it.
On another note, a friend of mine in California, one with his finger on the pulse of great, great music, just sent me a CD that begins with one of the best theme songs from a TV show -- The Rockford Files. I played it this morning on my drive in to the office and couldn't stop smiling (http://www.timvp.com/rockford.html).
Rock on! NATHAN
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Eighteenth posting - OCD
I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable Memorial Day. Fortunately mine was both. I took the train to Washington and visited some college friends. From now on, I will be taking the train as much as I can: it was virtually hassle-free, the seats are comfortable, price was reasonable, and a man selling beer and wine was never more than 100 feet away.
My friends actually live in a small, tight-knit, and well left-of-center community called Glen Echo, just outside of Washington (http://www.glenecho.org/). Because the weather was great (low humidity, upper 70s), we sat on the porch a lot, shooting the proverbial breeze. Every so often, we would see a gold Infinity sedan drive by, along their short street. The driver didn't look particularly odd, although he drove slightly fast, and completed only a "rolling stop" at the stop sign.
A neighbor had pointed out that this car and driver had been spotted along the street repeatedly over the past several weeks. She also mentioned that others had seen him, and he'd followed the same route -- in one end of the neighborhood and out the other, each timing coming from and returning to the South. His trips seemed fairly regular, so I timed him. First time was 14 minutes. Second time 12 mins. Third was 14 minutes. It seemed to get a little creepy in that now we were waiting for him to come. No one wanted to stop him and ask his business, but another friend did suggest this behavior indicated Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Perhaps.
After some reconnaissance work by a journalist who lived nearby, they discovered his name (Timothy) and where he lived (Bethesda). Timothy has no criminal record, other than some violation related to an obstructed license plate, but he does have 2 homes. This was all very interesting. The police were called again, but nothing has come of it yet. If he's not dangerous, maybe he could be some unofficial village time-keeper. "What time is it?" "Timothy just drove by...must be close to two o'clock."
My friend pointed out the irony that Timothy's Obsessive Compulsive Disorder may, in fact, have created a similar disorder among the villagers, who are growing obsessed in anticipating his next trip...
Enjoy your week, especially those of you with birthdays, and don't drive too often along the same route (or the villages will start to talk). NATHAN
P.S. For you runners out there, here's a link to a site on Age Grading, a method by which you can see how your times stack up generally against others in your category. http://www.pinebeltpacers.org/AgeGrade/newwava.html Achievement levels above 60 are considered locally very strong, 70+ are regionally strong, 80+ are national, and 90+ are world class. My best 5k so far doesn't get me anything yet, although I'm close. Need to get under 20 minutes, which is a good goal in the coming weeks.
My friends actually live in a small, tight-knit, and well left-of-center community called Glen Echo, just outside of Washington (http://www.glenecho.org/). Because the weather was great (low humidity, upper 70s), we sat on the porch a lot, shooting the proverbial breeze. Every so often, we would see a gold Infinity sedan drive by, along their short street. The driver didn't look particularly odd, although he drove slightly fast, and completed only a "rolling stop" at the stop sign.
A neighbor had pointed out that this car and driver had been spotted along the street repeatedly over the past several weeks. She also mentioned that others had seen him, and he'd followed the same route -- in one end of the neighborhood and out the other, each timing coming from and returning to the South. His trips seemed fairly regular, so I timed him. First time was 14 minutes. Second time 12 mins. Third was 14 minutes. It seemed to get a little creepy in that now we were waiting for him to come. No one wanted to stop him and ask his business, but another friend did suggest this behavior indicated Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Perhaps.
After some reconnaissance work by a journalist who lived nearby, they discovered his name (Timothy) and where he lived (Bethesda). Timothy has no criminal record, other than some violation related to an obstructed license plate, but he does have 2 homes. This was all very interesting. The police were called again, but nothing has come of it yet. If he's not dangerous, maybe he could be some unofficial village time-keeper. "What time is it?" "Timothy just drove by...must be close to two o'clock."
My friend pointed out the irony that Timothy's Obsessive Compulsive Disorder may, in fact, have created a similar disorder among the villagers, who are growing obsessed in anticipating his next trip...
Enjoy your week, especially those of you with birthdays, and don't drive too often along the same route (or the villages will start to talk). NATHAN
P.S. For you runners out there, here's a link to a site on Age Grading, a method by which you can see how your times stack up generally against others in your category. http://www.pinebeltpacers.org/AgeGrade/newwava.html Achievement levels above 60 are considered locally very strong, 70+ are regionally strong, 80+ are national, and 90+ are world class. My best 5k so far doesn't get me anything yet, although I'm close. Need to get under 20 minutes, which is a good goal in the coming weeks.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Seventeenth posting - kids
I found something online that I thought I'd share. What do you think the following list of skills represents?
- Knows first and last name, age, birth date, address and phone number.
- Knows the letters of the alphabet.
- Knows some rhymes, poems, and songs.
- Identifies objects in picture books.
- Prints own name.
- Counts to 10.
- Knows size, position, and directions; for example, big and little, up and down.
- Uses alternate feet going down stairs.
- Completes simple puzzles.
- Throws and catches a ball.
- Draws and colors beyond scribbling.
- Cuts with scissors.
- Recognizes and names colors and shapes.
- Names body parts.
- Dresses self.
- Follows one- and two-step directions.
- Stays on task.
- Cooperates and interacts in group experiences.
- Speaks clearly and uses sentences.
According to the Sacramento County (CA) board concerned with early education, it is a list of skills that children should have when they enter kindergarten. Now think about where you work and the people around you. Perhaps a remedial class might be a good thing...
Here's a house update for you: Looks like the tenants in my condo have found a place to live and will be moving out of the condo at the end of June. My mortgage rate -- which is pretty good -- is locked until June 13, so I have to close then and become a temporary landlord, or I can push my mortgage guy to work up a new mortgage just as the lock expires. The long-term rates have fallen slightly, so this would not be a bad thing. Just have to figure out what I risk by waiting to close.... Of course, the longer I wait to move in, the worse my memory becomes -- and the better and bigger the condo is in my mind. Impatiently yours, NATHAN
Sixteenth posting - nephew
Today's blog is a little deviation from the norm. This morning I received an e-mail from my sister about my nephew's experience at a Florida minor league baseball game. I hope you enjoy the following excerpt. NATHAN
"Good evening baseball fans! Well, most of you are probably reading this in the morning, but it is 10:45pm here! The kids and I just got back from Connor's last day of school activity at a Clearwater Threshers vs. Palm Beach Cardinals minor league baseball game. Jon unfortunately had to miss it and is in Arizona. Anyway, it was such an incredible time, I thought I would tell everyone about it and at one time.
We got in for $12 a person (Abby free) and got tickets to any seat in the stadium and free food from 5:30-8:30. I of course loved the all you can eat for one price. So the kids first played on their playground, then ate, and then we took our popcorn, ice cream sandwiches, and drinks to out seats. I chose next to 3rd base. So around the 3rd inning, some general manager said that Connor and Abby could sit close to the field with him. Connor had his mitt on ready to catch a fly ball the entire time.
He and the guy chatted and then after the 4 or 5th inning, he took Connor onto the field, the umpire gave him a brush, and Connor got to sweep home plate! Then at the 7th inning stretch, he gave Connor the microphone and he lead the crowd to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game". Just before that Connor had to use the potty, so he let him use the one that the players used, too. Then at the end of the game, all of the kids get to run the bases. He was out on the field doing some ball throwing thing to win $$ and he nnounced, "Connor are you ready to run the bases. Connor, remember to let your little sister come, too."
Well, the game ended and Connor was like .05% sad that he didn't catch any fly balls and all of a sudden another manager came up and said, "Here you go," and threw him a game ball! Last but not least, the first manager guy gave me his card and said, "Next time you guys come to a game, please give me a call and I will have Connor throw out the first pitch!" Now that's cool! On the way to the car Connor said, "This was one of the best days of my life!"
Don't you wish you were five again?
"Good evening baseball fans! Well, most of you are probably reading this in the morning, but it is 10:45pm here! The kids and I just got back from Connor's last day of school activity at a Clearwater Threshers vs. Palm Beach Cardinals minor league baseball game. Jon unfortunately had to miss it and is in Arizona. Anyway, it was such an incredible time, I thought I would tell everyone about it and at one time.
We got in for $12 a person (Abby free) and got tickets to any seat in the stadium and free food from 5:30-8:30. I of course loved the all you can eat for one price. So the kids first played on their playground, then ate, and then we took our popcorn, ice cream sandwiches, and drinks to out seats. I chose next to 3rd base. So around the 3rd inning, some general manager said that Connor and Abby could sit close to the field with him. Connor had his mitt on ready to catch a fly ball the entire time.
He and the guy chatted and then after the 4 or 5th inning, he took Connor onto the field, the umpire gave him a brush, and Connor got to sweep home plate! Then at the 7th inning stretch, he gave Connor the microphone and he lead the crowd to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game". Just before that Connor had to use the potty, so he let him use the one that the players used, too. Then at the end of the game, all of the kids get to run the bases. He was out on the field doing some ball throwing thing to win $$ and he nnounced, "Connor are you ready to run the bases. Connor, remember to let your little sister come, too."
Well, the game ended and Connor was like .05% sad that he didn't catch any fly balls and all of a sudden another manager came up and said, "Here you go," and threw him a game ball! Last but not least, the first manager guy gave me his card and said, "Next time you guys come to a game, please give me a call and I will have Connor throw out the first pitch!" Now that's cool! On the way to the car Connor said, "This was one of the best days of my life!"
Don't you wish you were five again?
Monday, May 16, 2005
Fifteenth posting - race again
On Sunday I competed in the Queens Biathlon (3.1 mile run + 20 mile ride + 3.1 mile run). Longest total distance I've ever run, and my first time in this event (so I had no idea what the course looked like, although I should have figured out something might be tough based on the hill that led up to the start).
My first run and ride were both decent (top 1/3rd of racers). Second run was not so great (middle 1/3rd). Overall, my time was 1:44:18. The longest race I'd ever done was just under 1hr 15min, and today my legs still feel like they could use a mighty good rubdown (note to self: use my sister's spa gift certificate for massage...). Overall I came in 64th of 163, and top 42% of men. My most competitive time was the bike (no surprise)... Fortunately, I did have enough energy at the end to shoot past a runner I'd been trailing for the last 2 miles. I checked the times last night and discovered the runner I passed was 60 years old. Pop goes the ego bubble.
Kudos out there to those of you who have been exercising more and have noticed that you're feeling good, sleeping better, eating more (!!!). It's all about balance, really -- and an easy to way to "win" for those of you with competitive streaks (just ten more situps...just twenty more minutes on the trail run...just 100 more yards on the rower...just enough under 30 minutes to be truly under 30 minute on my run...).
Get fit & have fun. NATHAN
My first run and ride were both decent (top 1/3rd of racers). Second run was not so great (middle 1/3rd). Overall, my time was 1:44:18. The longest race I'd ever done was just under 1hr 15min, and today my legs still feel like they could use a mighty good rubdown (note to self: use my sister's spa gift certificate for massage...). Overall I came in 64th of 163, and top 42% of men. My most competitive time was the bike (no surprise)... Fortunately, I did have enough energy at the end to shoot past a runner I'd been trailing for the last 2 miles. I checked the times last night and discovered the runner I passed was 60 years old. Pop goes the ego bubble.
Kudos out there to those of you who have been exercising more and have noticed that you're feeling good, sleeping better, eating more (!!!). It's all about balance, really -- and an easy to way to "win" for those of you with competitive streaks (just ten more situps...just twenty more minutes on the trail run...just 100 more yards on the rower...just enough under 30 minutes to be truly under 30 minute on my run...).
Get fit & have fun. NATHAN
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Fourteenth posting - id/ego
A friend told me last night that Congress recently passed legislation authorizing a national ID. At first I didn't believe her. Even after an immigration attorney in the room confirmed the news, I still didn't believe them. Sure, much of the world uses cards like these, and there are benefits. BUT there are tremendous risks involved -- and an ever-closer movement toward a big brother state.
I am hardly a Libertarian. In fact, I think the goverment in many areas could become even more proactive (care of the environment, corporate regulation, health care), but friends, this national ID could be very scary. Here's a website with more info (it is biased) -- http://www.unrealid.com/index.html. From what I understand, here's the scoop on the whole thing:
Let's hope the national press finds a reason to cover this. And let's also hope the Red states wake up and vote the idiots out.
Rock on. NATHAN
I am hardly a Libertarian. In fact, I think the goverment in many areas could become even more proactive (care of the environment, corporate regulation, health care), but friends, this national ID could be very scary. Here's a website with more info (it is biased) -- http://www.unrealid.com/index.html. From what I understand, here's the scoop on the whole thing:
- National ID language was inserted into a House emergency spending bill the first week of May. Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI, and lapdog of the Right) seems to have been the sponsor
- Bill was passed 368-to-58, with little debate about the national ID
- Senate considered similar legislation, which was passed 100-0
I strongly urge you to take a look at the exact language of the legislation. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c109:6:./temp/~c109O0YnKC:e238497: It should concern you. Here are some highlights:
"Minimum Document Requirements- To meet the requirements of this section, a State shall include, at a minimum, the following information and features on each driver's license and identification card issued to a person by the State:
(1) The person's full legal name.
(2) The person's date of birth.
(3) The person's gender.
(4) The person's driver's license or identification card number.
(5) A digital photograph of the person.
(6) The person's address of principle residence.
(7) The person's signature.
(8) Physical security features designed to prevent tampering, counterfeiting, or duplication of the document for fraudulent purposes.
(9) A common machine-readable technology, with defined minimum data elements."
Let's hope the national press finds a reason to cover this. And let's also hope the Red states wake up and vote the idiots out.
Rock on. NATHAN
Monday, May 09, 2005
Thirteenth posting - air/smell
I heard this morning that the New York metro area currently has the worst levels of pollen in 10 years. Now all of the wheezing and sneezing I've been hearing at the office and in the neighborhood makes sense. I for one don't seem to have been as dramatically impacted by all the floating spores and seeds (at least for now)... but the lovely light yellow layer of floral dust on my black truck certainly confirms the pollen report.
I've been thinking a lot about air lately. Even the semblance of fresh air is important to me. Having the window open in the car, the air blasting me on an airplane (yes, I realize it's hardly "fresh") or a little fan in my office -- they all contribute to at least moving the air around me. Several years ago I spent some time in Estonia, where stiflingly warm and stale indoor air was accepted (and, to some extent, cultivated). Long winters surrounded by rarely cleaned suits and sweaters were hardly an olfactory delight, although I did recognize something very organic about it. The problem was that many of the folks I worked with recognized a possible odor issue and attempted to mask it with cologne or perfume. In some cases my own nose would get confused by scents competiting at the extremes, but in the end, just getting acknowledged as "unpleasant" in the middle.
Speaking of smells, there is a woman I work with who uses the same perfume as one of my elementary school teachers (20+ years ago). Interestingly, my co-worker is in her mid-30s now, and my teacher was probably the same age then. The only perfumes I remember by name from that time in my life are Chanel no. 5 (Mom) and Charlie (advertising). I can identify Chanel now, but for her sake, I hope it's not Charlie...
I have also read that the sniff people take when trying to imagine an odor closely resembles the sniff they would have taken if the odor were really there. For example, when imagining the smell of bus fumes, people take a timid sniff, but when imagining the smell of a rose, they take a vigorous sniff. I may try this as an experiment at the office today... (little do my co-workers know the guinea pig roles they will soon adopt...)
Sniff on! NATHAN
I've been thinking a lot about air lately. Even the semblance of fresh air is important to me. Having the window open in the car, the air blasting me on an airplane (yes, I realize it's hardly "fresh") or a little fan in my office -- they all contribute to at least moving the air around me. Several years ago I spent some time in Estonia, where stiflingly warm and stale indoor air was accepted (and, to some extent, cultivated). Long winters surrounded by rarely cleaned suits and sweaters were hardly an olfactory delight, although I did recognize something very organic about it. The problem was that many of the folks I worked with recognized a possible odor issue and attempted to mask it with cologne or perfume. In some cases my own nose would get confused by scents competiting at the extremes, but in the end, just getting acknowledged as "unpleasant" in the middle.
Speaking of smells, there is a woman I work with who uses the same perfume as one of my elementary school teachers (20+ years ago). Interestingly, my co-worker is in her mid-30s now, and my teacher was probably the same age then. The only perfumes I remember by name from that time in my life are Chanel no. 5 (Mom) and Charlie (advertising). I can identify Chanel now, but for her sake, I hope it's not Charlie...
I have also read that the sniff people take when trying to imagine an odor closely resembles the sniff they would have taken if the odor were really there. For example, when imagining the smell of bus fumes, people take a timid sniff, but when imagining the smell of a rose, they take a vigorous sniff. I may try this as an experiment at the office today... (little do my co-workers know the guinea pig roles they will soon adopt...)
Sniff on! NATHAN
Monday, May 02, 2005
Twelth posting - food
So I've been minus one kitchen for way too long. By kitchen I mean the space itself as well as the appliances and all the kitchen stuff (dishes, pans, forks, etc.), not to mention the food. Sure, I have a small fridge and a microwave, but if I were to rank - in order - the essential parts of a kitchen, those are 2nd and 5th on the list. First is sink, and 3rd is stove, 4th is oven. Since the microwave became part of my life, I've used it twice.
Now about food. I'm involved with a few friends in something called Dinner Group. We just had our 3rd dinner. The way it works is as follows: The host chooses a theme and can (a) actually host the event, prepare a main course, and send out course assignments, or (b) come up with an alternative plan for dinner (e.g., restaurant). The inaugural dinner was Cajun (complete with beads and crayfish), the second was Mexican (think Rick Bayless, but yummier), and Saturday was Greek (Sophocles didn't eat as well...). There are no teetotlers among us (I'm not sure if I have any as friends, to be honest...), so well-chosen beverages also make up a good portion of the night's consumption. (NOTE: Ouzo is not a hangover-free potable...)
I bring up Dinner Group because it's been an enormous pain being involved and NOT having a kitchen. For those of you who know me, you also know I'm generally not a complainer, but I'm getting tired of washing my cereal bowl in my neighbor's sink, dumping my coffee grinds in their garbage -- and never really knowing what's for dinner. (I can tell you, it's not beef.) Thank goodness for great neighbors. I hope everyone's as lucky...
Wondering if there is anything edible at the company store, NATHAN
Now about food. I'm involved with a few friends in something called Dinner Group. We just had our 3rd dinner. The way it works is as follows: The host chooses a theme and can (a) actually host the event, prepare a main course, and send out course assignments, or (b) come up with an alternative plan for dinner (e.g., restaurant). The inaugural dinner was Cajun (complete with beads and crayfish), the second was Mexican (think Rick Bayless, but yummier), and Saturday was Greek (Sophocles didn't eat as well...). There are no teetotlers among us (I'm not sure if I have any as friends, to be honest...), so well-chosen beverages also make up a good portion of the night's consumption. (NOTE: Ouzo is not a hangover-free potable...)
I bring up Dinner Group because it's been an enormous pain being involved and NOT having a kitchen. For those of you who know me, you also know I'm generally not a complainer, but I'm getting tired of washing my cereal bowl in my neighbor's sink, dumping my coffee grinds in their garbage -- and never really knowing what's for dinner. (I can tell you, it's not beef.) Thank goodness for great neighbors. I hope everyone's as lucky...
Wondering if there is anything edible at the company store, NATHAN
Monday, April 25, 2005
Eleventh posting - money
For those of you concerned that I will not like my furniture when I move into my new place...rest assured, problem solved. I went back to Room and Board -- http://www.roomandboard.com -- and re-ordered the same stuff I cancelled last month. And I ordered a table. Not that I won the lottery or got an unexpected bonus (ha), I just got a better handle on my finances and figured out what I could and could not afford. Next week I'm meeting with the sauna guy and installing a woodburning pizza oven in the kitchen. Just kidding.
Many people have given me advice about buying a condo/house, and if I too can offer words of advice, it is this simple message: Don't be afraid to ask questions! My biggest problem is overcoming the fear that asking questions means I can't do something (or won't be perceived as being able to do something). This whole process is new to me, and elements that I take for granted -- most recently, that my few thousand dollars as a good faith deposit will suffice as a legit down-payment -- should continuously be second-guessed. Turns out the seller is supposed to get the 10% upfront, unless you finagle some other kind of deal. I hadn't.
Enjoy your weeks! NATHAN
Many people have given me advice about buying a condo/house, and if I too can offer words of advice, it is this simple message: Don't be afraid to ask questions! My biggest problem is overcoming the fear that asking questions means I can't do something (or won't be perceived as being able to do something). This whole process is new to me, and elements that I take for granted -- most recently, that my few thousand dollars as a good faith deposit will suffice as a legit down-payment -- should continuously be second-guessed. Turns out the seller is supposed to get the 10% upfront, unless you finagle some other kind of deal. I hadn't.
Enjoy your weeks! NATHAN
Friday, April 15, 2005
Tenth posting - Home
I did it. I bought a house. Or I convinced someone to sell me her condo. It's a crazy market here in Connecticut. The place was on the market for a total of 7 days. Three days at a too-low price, which likely brought in too many offers, and four days at a higher price -- and five good offers. After hearing a segment on NPR about writing a letter to a potential seller, I wrote a "Dear Homeowner" letter (sappy but truthful) and my offer was accepted. Supposedly it helped (and because it took all but 20 minutes to write, I would recommend it).
The place isn't huge - if it were a square, it would be 25' x 30' - but the light is good and it felt (to me) bigger than what it was. I can walk to do my food shopping and to a park, and my commute will be 5 min shorter each way. That might not seem so much time unless you annualize it to approx 40 hours. Let's just hope that doesn't translate into working 40 more hours... A friend in NYC just told me that an apartment "just shy of 500 sq ft" in her Upper West Side building just sold for $325,000. Yes, you could round that up to half of a million dollars. And to think, in some lovely parts of the Mid Southwest, for that much money you could buy a governorship or name a stadium...
Tomorrow's the inspection, which means that if there are termites, I can terminate the deal. Ha. It's also the time I can spend more than 10 minutes looking at the place, getting a sense of what furniture fits where, how my bikes will look when mounted on the ceiling in the middle of my bedroom, what it would take to rip up the carpet and install Astro-turf... If I can figure out how to post pics on this blog, I'll do so. Otherwise, you'll get a full description soon.
Bye for now, NATHAN
The place isn't huge - if it were a square, it would be 25' x 30' - but the light is good and it felt (to me) bigger than what it was. I can walk to do my food shopping and to a park, and my commute will be 5 min shorter each way. That might not seem so much time unless you annualize it to approx 40 hours. Let's just hope that doesn't translate into working 40 more hours... A friend in NYC just told me that an apartment "just shy of 500 sq ft" in her Upper West Side building just sold for $325,000. Yes, you could round that up to half of a million dollars. And to think, in some lovely parts of the Mid Southwest, for that much money you could buy a governorship or name a stadium...
Tomorrow's the inspection, which means that if there are termites, I can terminate the deal. Ha. It's also the time I can spend more than 10 minutes looking at the place, getting a sense of what furniture fits where, how my bikes will look when mounted on the ceiling in the middle of my bedroom, what it would take to rip up the carpet and install Astro-turf... If I can figure out how to post pics on this blog, I'll do so. Otherwise, you'll get a full description soon.
Bye for now, NATHAN
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Ninth posting - Mexico
It's been a while, folks. I know you've missed me...and a lot has happened since we last met. First, I visited a good friend in Mexico City. A city so maligned in the US that few tourists would even consider visiting -- FOR NO GOOD REASON. There are so many museums and parks and great restaurants and interesting people, that it seems silly to be daunted by the many millions of people, thousands of feet of altitude and bazillion particles of dust and pollution. Heck, New York has almost as many people... And LA has its smog. Plus I couldn't go a block in Mexico City without a terrific smell of tortillas on some mamasita's grill, or freshly blended tropical fruit, or the perfume of a highly scented senora on her way to work. Granted, I was there between the 2 weeks when Mexico Citians vacate for the country or the water, but still, it was fantastic.
While I was gone my landlord removed my kitchen, built a door between my apt and the neighbors', and got the building inspector to approve everything. She did...but threatened to revoke it if my kitchen was returned. So I now have a fridge, microwave (which I don't like to use), coffee maker, and generous neighbors. Very awkward without a sink or stove. Condo hunting is going slowly, and I've liked 3 places so far: the first I wasn't ready to commit to, the second already had an accepted offer, and the third was too far from the office. I'm the first backup bid for the second but I'm not holding my breath.
If anyone has any brilliant ideas on how to survive on microwaving, let me know...
Zap, NATHAN
While I was gone my landlord removed my kitchen, built a door between my apt and the neighbors', and got the building inspector to approve everything. She did...but threatened to revoke it if my kitchen was returned. So I now have a fridge, microwave (which I don't like to use), coffee maker, and generous neighbors. Very awkward without a sink or stove. Condo hunting is going slowly, and I've liked 3 places so far: the first I wasn't ready to commit to, the second already had an accepted offer, and the third was too far from the office. I'm the first backup bid for the second but I'm not holding my breath.
If anyone has any brilliant ideas on how to survive on microwaving, let me know...
Zap, NATHAN
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Eighth posting - race
It seems like all the upfront, exciting stuff about looking for a house easily falls to the side when financing comes in. For me, it should have come in earlier. I have approached this whole process with the cavalier attitude of: "I have some money set aside and will use that for a deposit, fees, moving costs, etc. I'm sure it will be enough when I get good terms on a mortgage. I have healthy earning potential and good credit. It will be fine." Turns out that it may be fine -- but I have to put pencil to paper and write everything down. And I have to find the time to do that. I suppose the expectation that I'll find something in a couple of days at the same time that I get my financial assumptions in order is not so true. Saga continues.
This Sunday was biathlon Number 2 in Central Park. Very crappy conditions -- I don't think it hit 40 degrees until several hours after the race -- and it was rainy. My time was slightly behind last October (1:15:54 vs 1:14:29) but I improved relative to competition. Overall I came in 81st (top 25%). Last fall I was 127. Only 9 women beat me -- i don't know if this is good or bad. Unfortunately the next age group is bigger and more competitive. I think a 1:10 is not out of the question this summer! Overall though, not bad considering I'd ridden outside once since November...
Gotta ride! NATHAN
This Sunday was biathlon Number 2 in Central Park. Very crappy conditions -- I don't think it hit 40 degrees until several hours after the race -- and it was rainy. My time was slightly behind last October (1:15:54 vs 1:14:29) but I improved relative to competition. Overall I came in 81st (top 25%). Last fall I was 127. Only 9 women beat me -- i don't know if this is good or bad. Unfortunately the next age group is bigger and more competitive. I think a 1:10 is not out of the question this summer! Overall though, not bad considering I'd ridden outside once since November...
Gotta ride! NATHAN
Monday, March 14, 2005
Seventh posting - more house
Although I have yet to look at a single new condo/apartment, I already have dreams (fantasies?) about how cool my new place will be.
Picture the warehouse district in Stamford (no, not the grungy, sketchy area that is really the warehouse district, but the quickly gentrifying, buy-a-place-before-the-real-estate-is-smokin'-hot district) and a top floor loft in an already zoned and utility-ready building. Awesome? Right on! It's got super high floor to ceiling windows and views of the Long Island Sound (magically, the view doesn't include the sub-urban blight of current reality). Wood floors, exposed pipes, and one wall has exposed red brick (the building was once a brewery, and I'll convert the remaining vat into a sauna). It's all one giant room, so with the money I'm saving (yes, it's my fantasy), I'll put up a low-key divider between the bedroom and the rest of the place. New furniture can wait...although I have to buy a wardrobe (only one closet).
The kitchen will be an island near the middle of the main room. No fancy appliances yet -- and no dishwasher or microwave. Haven't had them since grad school and am fine living the life of a Luddite. Kitchen table not necessary as island has a peninsula with seating for 8. The elevator I'll have to take to get to my new place is rusty, creaky and of questionable safety, but it'll easily hold 4 people and 4 bikes. (Martha won't be able to drive her car into it, though...)
This will keep me going for awhile until I get a rude slap of reality next weekend, when my first pavement pounding for a new pad begins.
That's all, NATHAN
Picture the warehouse district in Stamford (no, not the grungy, sketchy area that is really the warehouse district, but the quickly gentrifying, buy-a-place-before-the-real-estate-is-smokin'-hot district) and a top floor loft in an already zoned and utility-ready building. Awesome? Right on! It's got super high floor to ceiling windows and views of the Long Island Sound (magically, the view doesn't include the sub-urban blight of current reality). Wood floors, exposed pipes, and one wall has exposed red brick (the building was once a brewery, and I'll convert the remaining vat into a sauna). It's all one giant room, so with the money I'm saving (yes, it's my fantasy), I'll put up a low-key divider between the bedroom and the rest of the place. New furniture can wait...although I have to buy a wardrobe (only one closet).
The kitchen will be an island near the middle of the main room. No fancy appliances yet -- and no dishwasher or microwave. Haven't had them since grad school and am fine living the life of a Luddite. Kitchen table not necessary as island has a peninsula with seating for 8. The elevator I'll have to take to get to my new place is rusty, creaky and of questionable safety, but it'll easily hold 4 people and 4 bikes. (Martha won't be able to drive her car into it, though...)
This will keep me going for awhile until I get a rude slap of reality next weekend, when my first pavement pounding for a new pad begins.
That's all, NATHAN
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Sixth posting - house
I have to move. My landlord made a decision that requires me to vacate my 'hood. I really like my apartment, and I couldn't have asked for better neighbors (think Melrose without the intrigue and much better food), and I'll be sorry to leave. BUT -- because there's always a BUT -- this has forced me to think about buying a place (or as my sister likes to call it, growing up). I hate it when external factors force me to make decisions like these, although things could be far worse...
On the plus side, I will finally get to join the ranks of people who own their own abodes. I actually look forward to finding a place that needs a little work -- the creative part of my life before graduate school has been lying in wait for the chance to emerge. Painting and fixing things should do the trick. As long as it's not electrical and plumbing related.
On the minus side, I was about to buy kick-ass bedroom furniture from a place called Room & Board http://www.roomandboard.com but now I need to be more financially fluid, as they say. Order cancelled. Nicest woman on the phone, though. Sounded like Betty White's grandmother. Her name was Vera and I felt doubly bad for cancelling the order.
That's it for now. NATHAN
On the plus side, I will finally get to join the ranks of people who own their own abodes. I actually look forward to finding a place that needs a little work -- the creative part of my life before graduate school has been lying in wait for the chance to emerge. Painting and fixing things should do the trick. As long as it's not electrical and plumbing related.
On the minus side, I was about to buy kick-ass bedroom furniture from a place called Room & Board http://www.roomandboard.com but now I need to be more financially fluid, as they say. Order cancelled. Nicest woman on the phone, though. Sounded like Betty White's grandmother. Her name was Vera and I felt doubly bad for cancelling the order.
That's it for now. NATHAN
Friday, March 04, 2005
Fifth posting - radio/sound
Driving in to the office this morning, I was thinking about a couple of things. First, do I have the ability to make myself deaf? In other words, can I scream loud enough to actually damage my own ability to hear? It seems unlikely that biologically we are capable of doing so, just as we are physically unable to choke ourselves to death. (I could be wrong on choking, but I'm guessing that's true.)
The other thought was about public radio. Generally I do not have an addictive personality (with the exception of coffee, and fresh air) -- but when I miss listening to at least a few minutes of NPR to and from the office, I feel like I've missed something big. This morning, even when I knew the only news would be Martha Stewart leaving prison at 2 in the morning (how is that "news" when we knew it was going to happen months ago?) and Bush trying hard to make himself sound intelligent somewhere, I felt obligated to listen to NPR.
Also a friend once pointed out that NPR rewards listeners who play close attention to the music. Today, for example, there was a story about the discovery of an unusually short human in Southeast Asia from 13,000 years ago who has been nicknamed Hobbitt. His brain was the size of a grapefruit -- evidently too small to do the things some scientists think he did, like sail and make and use tools -- so of course there is some controversy. The best part, however, was the snippet of music that followed the story, the theme from Lord of the Rings. I couldn't help but smile.
Have a great weekend. NATHAN
The other thought was about public radio. Generally I do not have an addictive personality (with the exception of coffee, and fresh air) -- but when I miss listening to at least a few minutes of NPR to and from the office, I feel like I've missed something big. This morning, even when I knew the only news would be Martha Stewart leaving prison at 2 in the morning (how is that "news" when we knew it was going to happen months ago?) and Bush trying hard to make himself sound intelligent somewhere, I felt obligated to listen to NPR.
Also a friend once pointed out that NPR rewards listeners who play close attention to the music. Today, for example, there was a story about the discovery of an unusually short human in Southeast Asia from 13,000 years ago who has been nicknamed Hobbitt. His brain was the size of a grapefruit -- evidently too small to do the things some scientists think he did, like sail and make and use tools -- so of course there is some controversy. The best part, however, was the snippet of music that followed the story, the theme from Lord of the Rings. I couldn't help but smile.
Have a great weekend. NATHAN
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Fourth posting - Idol
I've been thinking about music. At the office, I listen to BBC6 online, with DJs who remind me of intellectual and slightly edgier versions of the Spice Girls. Very cool. Kind of like when you travel abroad and watch MTV Europe, MTV Asia, etc., but without the ABBA and Roxette retrospectives. Plus, music from the UK is inherently more interesting than our stuff anyway...
So as I watched American Idol last night -- http://www.idolonfox.com -- I thought about something I heard on NPR a while ago. Supposedly, a group of musicologists/ technical experts have looked at a long list of songs that have been commercially successful and discovered key elements they shared. I don't remember what those elements were (not sure if they were reported), but wouldn't it be interesting to have a song created and sung by American Idol performers completely based on the top song analysis?
I am not ashamed to say I'm a fan of the show, and I think it's great that no one is pretending these people are the best musicians in the United States. The potential for commercial success is what's driving Idol's success (and the judges' biases), but I think it would be kind of an interesting experiment to see if a song created using scientific analysis would be an instantaneous hit. Just a thought...
NATHAN out.
So as I watched American Idol last night -- http://www.idolonfox.com -- I thought about something I heard on NPR a while ago. Supposedly, a group of musicologists/ technical experts have looked at a long list of songs that have been commercially successful and discovered key elements they shared. I don't remember what those elements were (not sure if they were reported), but wouldn't it be interesting to have a song created and sung by American Idol performers completely based on the top song analysis?
I am not ashamed to say I'm a fan of the show, and I think it's great that no one is pretending these people are the best musicians in the United States. The potential for commercial success is what's driving Idol's success (and the judges' biases), but I think it would be kind of an interesting experiment to see if a song created using scientific analysis would be an instantaneous hit. Just a thought...
NATHAN out.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Third posting - innovation
Today's subject is INNOVATION. Spent the afternoon with the R&D folks at my company, learning about and tasting benchtop ideas. Some of the most interesting ideas were related to temperature and flavors. Imagine a dessert with a cool temperature -- like pudding -- that also gives you a lingering "heat" in your mouth. Kind of like you've eaten a jalapeno pepper but can't taste the flavor of the pepper. And with flavors, imagine a beverage that tastes like milk (choc or strawberry) but is completely clear and colorless. Interesting stuff.
So last night I saw a band called Luna -- http://www.fuzzywuzzy.com/ -- at the Bowery Ballroom. It was their last night performance together EVER, and the bittersweet event was made ever cooler by the near blizzard outside. Great tunes, and the bass player is beautiful. Unfortunately the opening band Tarantula -- http://www.tarantulamusic.com/ -- sucked. There were some hints of interesting-ness (one of the guys is cellist) and a friend I went with thought it reminder her of French circus music, but overall, it was pretty bad (albeit innovative).
On a good note (and unrelated to innovation), my sister just told me she's running in the 23rd annual Armadillo Race in Florida. It's a day before my race, and I think we're both just hoping to finish with some semblance of respectability...
Later,
NATHAN
So last night I saw a band called Luna -- http://www.fuzzywuzzy.com/ -- at the Bowery Ballroom. It was their last night performance together EVER, and the bittersweet event was made ever cooler by the near blizzard outside. Great tunes, and the bass player is beautiful. Unfortunately the opening band Tarantula -- http://www.tarantulamusic.com/ -- sucked. There were some hints of interesting-ness (one of the guys is cellist) and a friend I went with thought it reminder her of French circus music, but overall, it was pretty bad (albeit innovative).
On a good note (and unrelated to innovation), my sister just told me she's running in the 23rd annual Armadillo Race in Florida. It's a day before my race, and I think we're both just hoping to finish with some semblance of respectability...
Later,
NATHAN
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)