It’s funny to me how a random smell or taste will open a door to memories. Something out of the corner of the eye or the scent of lilacs can transport me to a place long gone.

If you’re a chronic weight minder like me, then Jack In The Box is bad. Real bad. But I like to be bad, so I had a super-thick and -sugary strawberry milkshake and am paying for it as I write this. Without asking, the kids behind the counter will top it off with whipped cream and a cherry.

The cherry…

For a micro-second, I was eight-years-old and standing in my grandparents’ kitchen in Reno, opening my mouth as my grandfather maneuvered a cherry into my mouth. The cherries were kept in a store-bought glass jar and they stewed in their own juices, acquiring a not-so-bad metallic taste over time. Crunching the cherries and tasting their innards was always the satisfying end to a turkey dinner.

I didn’t know until years later that Grampa was an expert at pulling the booze out of the liquor closet beside the kitchen door. He had long-time issues with the bottle and his kids are still dealing with them today. Such are the long-term ramifications for short-term satisfactions.

But you don’t see these things as a young’un, but I think of them now whenever I bite into a bitter cherry: a little kid watching a grown-up pop open a jar and hoping one of those little red fruits were for him, and knowing now it would have been a good thing if they weren’t there in the first place.

Found on the Reno Rambler.  Too good to pass up.

Slowly getting back to the biking thing.  Did a quick ride after work yesterday before going to class.  

Have a great day. 

It’s been a while since I’ve scribed here (not so cleverly turning a noun into a verb there).  In the time since, I’ve been to many places and many times, and frankly, the trips have been exhausting.  A recap, if you’d like.

Proceed at your own risk »

As the Big 25 approaches, Liz and I are mulling the “WhatIfs”, as in what would we be like if we’d not be wedded at the hip. 

That be me after the jump…

Proceed at your own risk »

For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled. - Richard Feynman

This is my personal and professional silver anniversary year. Twenty-five years ago, a sober and intelligent woman agreed to marry me, and together we raised three intelligent and beautiful daughters.  About the same time, I became an Information Technology (IT) professional for the United States Air Force. In the decades since, I’ve been a technician, manager, shift supervisor, programmer/analyst, and so on, but I look back on those early days fondly.

This was a time when information systems were finally emerging from the “mechanical era.” The first computer I worked on was a low-powered set of circuit boards and processors connected to bit switches, an archaic technology that isn’t even referenced in Wikipedia. Operators had to manipulate mechanical toggles to help the internal microprocessors make zero-and-one decisions. It was the price of doing business in the IT World of the Lowest Bidder.

Those types of challenges thankfully are far in the rearview mirror. Twenty-something years later, countless wonders have changed in terms of technologies, speeds, and efficiency, but one thing is sadly constant in this speed-of-light industry:

Information Technology Arrogance.

Proceed at your own risk »

I feel like whining.

Twas a beautiful weekend, with a sky that that went on forever and perfect temps. I spent most of it GRADING with NO outside and NO fun and all work and no play.

Mantra: three more week, three more weeks.

Whining done. Moving on now.

Three more weeks.

Turn up the speakers. Steve Raz starts with Van Halen’s “Eruption” and ends with Hendrix’ “Star Spangled Banner”.

He’s nine.

Having troubles keeping your Washington scandals straight? You’re not alone.  The sheer number of them boggles the mind and makes me pine for the days of Whitewate and Monica.

Courtesy of the online Slate Magazine, we now have “Bushies Behaving Badly - A guide to GOP scandals” (thanks to Holly Allen, Christopher Beam, and Torie Bosch).  Here’s their quick summation:

1. Paul Wolfowitz in the World Bank With Nepotism
2. Federal Employees in the Department of Education With Corporate Ties
3. Bushies in the Election Assistance Commission With Fraud
4. Partisan Hacks in the Press With Bought Agendas
5. Bernard Kerik in the Department of Homeland Security With the Nanny … and the Publisher … and the Mob …
6. Karl Rove in the White House With the Delete Key
7. Lester Crawford in the Food and Drug Administration With Tainted Stocks
8. Bushies in NASA With the Weird Science
9. The GOP Leadership in Congress With Dirty Money
10. Bored Soldiers in Iraq With the Cameras
11. Eavesdroppers at the National Security Agency With the Wiretaps
12. Bureaucrats at Walter Reed With Cockroaches
13. Jack Abramoff on K Street With the Wallet
14. Steven Griles in the Department of the Interior With the “Special Relationship”
15. Scooter Libby in the White House With the Faulty Memory
16. Alberto Gonzales in the Justice Department With the Pink Slips
17. John Doolittle in Congress With the Campaign Donations
18. Mark Foley in Congress With the Instant Messages
19. Halliburton in Iraq With the Defense Contracts
20. Tom DeLay in Congress With the Corporate Funds
21. Randall Tobias in the Massage Parlor With Scented Oils
22. Rick Renzi in Congress With the Land Deal
23. Duke Cunningham in Congress With the Candlestick
24. Dusty Foggo in the CIA With the Bribes 

My personal scorecard:

• If you’ve heard of 20 or more, you’re a Democrat.
• If you’ve heard of 10 to 20, you’ve read a newpaper or are a starved blogger
• If you’ve heard of 5 to 10, you need a life.
• If you’ve heard of zero to four, you’re a Bushie Republican.