SWEEP!
What a pic, eh? I even got the Cubbie colors in there.
I'm still just sitting on this ...
http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/results.jsp?domain=thecubs08.com
I have it until 10-10-2008 ... hmmmm..
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Would you buy a candy bar from your employer?
I've been thinking about this question lately.
I often buy books and get asked why I don't use the library more, "Because I want to support the artists." Or, we'll cancel a camping reservation and I don't feel bad, since the money goes to the park anyway. I pay to get into a museum and then have to leave 20 minutes later ... oh well. Just standard economic stuff. Don't mind losing the personal transaction cost if I feel it has overall good social benefit. My brother ingrained in me the habit of buying gas on the Louisiana border before we went over to the other states. "Keep the money local." Support local businesses and all that.
So, you have a vending machine at work. It has a candy bar in it and if you buy it, the company gets a cut. Now, across the street is a place that has the same vending machine and they get a cut.
What kind of places make you go across the street? Non-for-profits? Social services? More interesting industries? A better competitor?
Why do you go across the street? Why aren't you devoting your time and money for the places that win this choice battle?
Anyway, just thinking about it. Also, figured I'd push the pee-post down a spot while I was watching the Cubs game.
I often buy books and get asked why I don't use the library more, "Because I want to support the artists." Or, we'll cancel a camping reservation and I don't feel bad, since the money goes to the park anyway. I pay to get into a museum and then have to leave 20 minutes later ... oh well. Just standard economic stuff. Don't mind losing the personal transaction cost if I feel it has overall good social benefit. My brother ingrained in me the habit of buying gas on the Louisiana border before we went over to the other states. "Keep the money local." Support local businesses and all that.
So, you have a vending machine at work. It has a candy bar in it and if you buy it, the company gets a cut. Now, across the street is a place that has the same vending machine and they get a cut.
What kind of places make you go across the street? Non-for-profits? Social services? More interesting industries? A better competitor?
Why do you go across the street? Why aren't you devoting your time and money for the places that win this choice battle?
Anyway, just thinking about it. Also, figured I'd push the pee-post down a spot while I was watching the Cubs game.
A visit to the ER
Warning: the following post is a medical post that has no excitement. Furthermore, it is about pee. Seriously, continue reading at your own boredom/risk. However, I want to add it to my medical memories, so 50 years from now when I am asked about this again, I can recall.
So, yesterday afternoon around 2:30 I noticed my urine was rather dark. Huh. Well, I had a busy morning and had gone seen Dark Knight and hadn't had lunch yet. I figured it was just dehydration. I started drinking plenty of fluids again. When I got home at 5:30 for my next pee, it was like a poorly selected Pinot Noir was coming out of me.
Being Friday night, I figured it best to head straight to the ER. When I got there, it was the usual mix of crying, snotty children, adults who looked like they were standing over a 1,000 ft. cliff with gaped jaw and wise eyes and people who had rags held up to their faces. I got through the process without incident. I was asked to provide a sample.
Continuing with my practice of not showing bloody, gross things on the blog, I have hidden the sample picture. But, I took it in case I would ever be asked about it later. And I am a curious guy, what can I say? I think this is the first picture I have taken of my own bodily evacuation. So, if you really want to see the picture, you can click on my face below ... otherwise move along, please.
It was a bit creepy seeing purple pee. I had no significant pain, but my body was definitely telling me that something was not right. (Thanks body.)
I basically hung out in the ER for about 6 hours to be told that I had a lot of blood in my urine and I should go see a urologist. There was nothing obvious ... most likely a kidney stone. I have actually "cleared up" since last night and continue to feel fine.
I was happy not to be the other people there that night. The woman who insisted she did not have anything to drink (despite her obvious intoxication) and kept refusing any and all procedures (under the declaration of being a physician herself) who was eventually informed that she had a .423 BAL. The woman who came in with a blood sugar of 20. The grizzled old guy with the piercing pain of an appendix that would rather leave this world. And any of those people with rags over their eyes, ears and noses...
However, I was a bit jealous of their clear problems and solutions. Sleep it off, get an IV, surgery, stitches ... I got a "not really sure," lets keep looking. Now, I'm sure if I had some actual pain they would keep me there until they figured it out. But my body doesn't seem to be in that level of need. It just wants me to check into this. But the not knowing, like making choices, has to lead to a certain amount of brain fatigue.
Anyway, that's the plan. Call the urologist on Monday, get some scans done. Keep fingers crossed that it is just a kidney stone and move on with life. No worries.
So, yesterday afternoon around 2:30 I noticed my urine was rather dark. Huh. Well, I had a busy morning and had gone seen Dark Knight and hadn't had lunch yet. I figured it was just dehydration. I started drinking plenty of fluids again. When I got home at 5:30 for my next pee, it was like a poorly selected Pinot Noir was coming out of me.
Being Friday night, I figured it best to head straight to the ER. When I got there, it was the usual mix of crying, snotty children, adults who looked like they were standing over a 1,000 ft. cliff with gaped jaw and wise eyes and people who had rags held up to their faces. I got through the process without incident. I was asked to provide a sample.
Continuing with my practice of not showing bloody, gross things on the blog, I have hidden the sample picture. But, I took it in case I would ever be asked about it later. And I am a curious guy, what can I say? I think this is the first picture I have taken of my own bodily evacuation. So, if you really want to see the picture, you can click on my face below ... otherwise move along, please.
It was a bit creepy seeing purple pee. I had no significant pain, but my body was definitely telling me that something was not right. (Thanks body.)I basically hung out in the ER for about 6 hours to be told that I had a lot of blood in my urine and I should go see a urologist. There was nothing obvious ... most likely a kidney stone. I have actually "cleared up" since last night and continue to feel fine.
I was happy not to be the other people there that night. The woman who insisted she did not have anything to drink (despite her obvious intoxication) and kept refusing any and all procedures (under the declaration of being a physician herself) who was eventually informed that she had a .423 BAL. The woman who came in with a blood sugar of 20. The grizzled old guy with the piercing pain of an appendix that would rather leave this world. And any of those people with rags over their eyes, ears and noses...
However, I was a bit jealous of their clear problems and solutions. Sleep it off, get an IV, surgery, stitches ... I got a "not really sure," lets keep looking. Now, I'm sure if I had some actual pain they would keep me there until they figured it out. But my body doesn't seem to be in that level of need. It just wants me to check into this. But the not knowing, like making choices, has to lead to a certain amount of brain fatigue.
Anyway, that's the plan. Call the urologist on Monday, get some scans done. Keep fingers crossed that it is just a kidney stone and move on with life. No worries.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Birthday Party - Next Saturday!
Details here:
http://samengle.blogspot.com/2008/07/birthday-bonfire-at-muir-beach.html
Be sure to check out the video of Sam flying!
http://samengle.blogspot.com/2008/07/birthday-bonfire-at-muir-beach.html
Be sure to check out the video of Sam flying!
No blank sheets
Today 111 years ago, Jack London took off for the Klondike Gold Rush. He went searching for gold, and found something else instead ... that's right, scurvy. Well, that and a thundering avalanche of setting for his future writings.
Just as the inventor does not invent something in a vacuum, but instead uses symphonic thinking to combine ideas into something new ... no creative person should start an idea by staring at a blank sheet of paper.
So, today ... 111 years after Jack London headed off to find riches and found horrible disease instead, I invite you to consider where will you find your next inspiration? (And remember, bring plenty of Vitamin C.)
Just as the inventor does not invent something in a vacuum, but instead uses symphonic thinking to combine ideas into something new ... no creative person should start an idea by staring at a blank sheet of paper.
So, today ... 111 years after Jack London headed off to find riches and found horrible disease instead, I invite you to consider where will you find your next inspiration? (And remember, bring plenty of Vitamin C.)
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Feeling better...
OK, today is the first day I "feel better," since last Wednesday. I had not been sick for a while now (according to the blog it was last April; blog = memory). I was actually a bit peeved about the Academy pulling my request to go to the Planning Conference this week, but given how I've felt, it was quite fortunate.
I got a few more reunion pics on the blog: Birch Bay, Mt. Baker, Vancouver ... I still need to get the San Juan day up. Check them out if you so please.
Right now, I am concentrating on closing out my summer classes (about 2 weeks left) and writing a chapter on Planning and Culture for the online Intro to Account Planning class. Then, Sam and I both have some time off and we may go 'splorin. Possibly Grand Canyon? Maybe local exploring? Hmmm. We are totally digging Mario Kart Wii.
I am hoping to spend Labor Day weekend in Chicago (and Libertyville ... where Liberty is shouted from atop the lawns) to visit the fam. Avery and Ian are getting so big! I can't believe it is almost a year that they've been here.
Great post photo taken by Jack Dorsey (The dude who developed Twitter; I love his notepad shot.) I'm going to try this mantra out for a bit.
I got a few more reunion pics on the blog: Birch Bay, Mt. Baker, Vancouver ... I still need to get the San Juan day up. Check them out if you so please.
Right now, I am concentrating on closing out my summer classes (about 2 weeks left) and writing a chapter on Planning and Culture for the online Intro to Account Planning class. Then, Sam and I both have some time off and we may go 'splorin. Possibly Grand Canyon? Maybe local exploring? Hmmm. We are totally digging Mario Kart Wii.
I am hoping to spend Labor Day weekend in Chicago (and Libertyville ... where Liberty is shouted from atop the lawns) to visit the fam. Avery and Ian are getting so big! I can't believe it is almost a year that they've been here.
Great post photo taken by Jack Dorsey (The dude who developed Twitter; I love his notepad shot.) I'm going to try this mantra out for a bit.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
idea
Thanks to books like HERE COMES EVERYBODY and BLESSED UNREST, I am finally starting the process of being able to articulate why exactly I love spending time on the internet. I also have to give props to Max Scorr of GOOD magazine (you should subscribe, if you want ...) and his talk at psfk SF and Eddie Izzard's STRIPPED performance that we saw last night.
This is the start of the idea.
This is the start of the idea.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Maple Pass Loop
Phew ... exhausted. I just got back Wednesday night from the Powell family reunion in Birch Bay, WA (close to Vancouver.) Mary and Sam return today. We have many stories and we'll share them in various ways I am sure.
But first, I'll start with a Flickr set of one of the most amazing hikes I have ever experienced. Mary and I flew up a little early to the reunion, and rather than head into Birch Bay right away, we decided to spend a couple of days in North Cascades National Park. We mostly did scenic drives on Friday, but Saturday we did the glorious Maple Pass Loop up Rainy Lake across the Maple Pass and down Lake Ann. This hike was approximately 7 miles with 2,000 ft. elevation change (with a max at about 6,600 ft.) The trail opens in "Mid-July" and this was July 12th, so we were some of the first to do it this season ... and given that we saw no one for the first half of the hike, we were definitely early to the scene.
This hike is simply breath-taking. Two glacial lakes on both sides, wild flowers throughout and tons of snow. I'll let the pictures do the talking...
But first, I'll start with a Flickr set of one of the most amazing hikes I have ever experienced. Mary and I flew up a little early to the reunion, and rather than head into Birch Bay right away, we decided to spend a couple of days in North Cascades National Park. We mostly did scenic drives on Friday, but Saturday we did the glorious Maple Pass Loop up Rainy Lake across the Maple Pass and down Lake Ann. This hike was approximately 7 miles with 2,000 ft. elevation change (with a max at about 6,600 ft.) The trail opens in "Mid-July" and this was July 12th, so we were some of the first to do it this season ... and given that we saw no one for the first half of the hike, we were definitely early to the scene.
This hike is simply breath-taking. Two glacial lakes on both sides, wild flowers throughout and tons of snow. I'll let the pictures do the talking...
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Dem Cajun Cubs!
So, there is a lot of talk in the baseball world about the Cubs aquiring Rich Harden. If he stays healthy than I will be ecstatic about this move. But let's pause for a moment to consider the other player aquired in this trade: Mr. Chad Gaudin.
Mais ... daire is a Theriot, a Fontenot ... and now a Gaudin on dem Cubs! Woo-weee! Is over.
picture (Jim Rogash/WireImage.com)
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Mmmmm-Mmmmmm
Oysters from Marshall Store in Marshall
And Indian from Biryani House in Berkeley
All gone. Another successful entry into the "Clean Plate Club"
And Indian from Biryani House in Berkeley
All gone. Another successful entry into the "Clean Plate Club"
Friday, July 4, 2008
10 Lovely things
These are 10 lovely things I have recently experienced (notice a blog-trend developing?):
1. Peaches - Yum, the peaches are so good right now. I do so love living here in California when being a locavore is the right thing to do. This morning's breakfast was a sliced peach on a piece of toast. Simply perfect.
2. Octopus - WOW. Mary talked about it on her blog, but I'll add my perspective. WOW. We took a trip to the Monterrey Bay Aquarium last weekend. Mary was excited about the otters, I was excited about the jellies. Both did not disappoint; the otters were entertainingly frolicking for us while the jellies are pure art in the aquarium's display. But the octopus... WOW. I have never ... never seen anything like that. We approached the 2 octopi (each in their own tank) after enjoying the touch pools. The first one was obvious as it was plastered against the tank glass: a mass of suction cups. But the other one was tucked in the corner of its tank. Then it started to move, to dance, to amaze us. It stretched out its tentacles into a massive parachute and then shrunk down to the size of a couple of fists, then shot off across the tank, tentacles trailing, then stretched one tentacle with the slightest of tickles at the end of one, then it would slowly cross the tank for us all to get a view of its staring eyes ... and it kept going, but not in that typical "animal pattern" where you see an animal retrace its steps defining its territory ... the octopus was truly just experiencing its body. You couldn't help but get why people have always made extraterrestrial aliens so octopus-like. The whole act seemed otherworldly ... but then you just realize that you just have too narrow a view of the world.
Here is a taste of what we experienced from someone else's visit:
3. Sam X-sports - Last week, Sam had X-Sports camp in the city. He spent the day flipping on trampolines, walking balance-beams , hanging from bars, flopping on mats and learning the parkour art of using walls to propel yourself. Mary has a couple of videos from the Big Show at the end. Sam got a good shiner from learning to keep his knee away from his face during a flip.
4. Cubs games - The Cubs were in town. I went to 3 of the four games. It was a pretty even split with both teams winning a blow-out and close one each. As a fan of the game, I even had to appreciate Tim Lincecum's performance (especially since he is on my fantasy team). It was good to immerse myself in baseball again, especially the Giants vs. Cubs with my reading of the aforementioned Crazy '08
5. Conferences - 2 fun conferences coming up back-to-back in July. I am volunteering with some students at the PSFK conference here in SF and then going to the planning conference in Miami where it will be nice to see everyone, especially Heather in her hometown. Unfortunately, these are in the midst of the semester and will make for a busy schedule!
6. Ranger's Apprentice and the summer movies - Good geek fun this summer. I have been reading the globally-popular Ranger's Apprentice series with Sam this summer ... it is fun sharing books with him. And the summer movies have not disappointed either. We have enjoyed big screen viewings of Iron Man, Hulk, Wall*E, Prince Caspian, Indiana Jones ... and even Kung Fu Panda on the IMAX. And I still have my two most anticipated ones to come: Hellboy 2 and The Dark Knight ... not to mention a few possible joys in Clone Wars, The Journey to the Center of the Earth (as a 3-D ride) and a new Mummy ... this will definitely be a summer the geeks remember.
7. Oh Canada - Powell family reunion is not in "Seattle" as I thought ... it is in Birch Bay, WA, which is really more a Vancouver suburb. I am excited about meeting new family, hiking some new territory and especially seeing Vancouver, which has always been pretty high on my "I'd like to live there one day" list.
8. What I do - planning and marketing and design and stories and anthropology and interaction and technology and social responsibility ... all the things are really fun these days. I am just having fun with this work whether teaching it, learning about it or doing it. I am glad I got into this world.
9. Internet connections - WOW - getting to see Avery and Ian splash and jam really rocks. But meeting new people through Facebook and other communities has been great fun. I am so glad the neighborhood/campfire is expanding so much these days.
10. Mom's birthday - YEA! MOM! Happy birthday! Thanks for being born, so I could be born. And thanks for helping me appreciate the many things I appreciate. Love you. Thinking of you.
So those are some positive things going on in my world, please feel free to share yours with me anytime, any way you want.
Love,
Cam
1. Peaches - Yum, the peaches are so good right now. I do so love living here in California when being a locavore is the right thing to do. This morning's breakfast was a sliced peach on a piece of toast. Simply perfect.
2. Octopus - WOW. Mary talked about it on her blog, but I'll add my perspective. WOW. We took a trip to the Monterrey Bay Aquarium last weekend. Mary was excited about the otters, I was excited about the jellies. Both did not disappoint; the otters were entertainingly frolicking for us while the jellies are pure art in the aquarium's display. But the octopus... WOW. I have never ... never seen anything like that. We approached the 2 octopi (each in their own tank) after enjoying the touch pools. The first one was obvious as it was plastered against the tank glass: a mass of suction cups. But the other one was tucked in the corner of its tank. Then it started to move, to dance, to amaze us. It stretched out its tentacles into a massive parachute and then shrunk down to the size of a couple of fists, then shot off across the tank, tentacles trailing, then stretched one tentacle with the slightest of tickles at the end of one, then it would slowly cross the tank for us all to get a view of its staring eyes ... and it kept going, but not in that typical "animal pattern" where you see an animal retrace its steps defining its territory ... the octopus was truly just experiencing its body. You couldn't help but get why people have always made extraterrestrial aliens so octopus-like. The whole act seemed otherworldly ... but then you just realize that you just have too narrow a view of the world.
Here is a taste of what we experienced from someone else's visit:
3. Sam X-sports - Last week, Sam had X-Sports camp in the city. He spent the day flipping on trampolines, walking balance-beams , hanging from bars, flopping on mats and learning the parkour art of using walls to propel yourself. Mary has a couple of videos from the Big Show at the end. Sam got a good shiner from learning to keep his knee away from his face during a flip.
4. Cubs games - The Cubs were in town. I went to 3 of the four games. It was a pretty even split with both teams winning a blow-out and close one each. As a fan of the game, I even had to appreciate Tim Lincecum's performance (especially since he is on my fantasy team). It was good to immerse myself in baseball again, especially the Giants vs. Cubs with my reading of the aforementioned Crazy '08
5. Conferences - 2 fun conferences coming up back-to-back in July. I am volunteering with some students at the PSFK conference here in SF and then going to the planning conference in Miami where it will be nice to see everyone, especially Heather in her hometown. Unfortunately, these are in the midst of the semester and will make for a busy schedule!
6. Ranger's Apprentice and the summer movies - Good geek fun this summer. I have been reading the globally-popular Ranger's Apprentice series with Sam this summer ... it is fun sharing books with him. And the summer movies have not disappointed either. We have enjoyed big screen viewings of Iron Man, Hulk, Wall*E, Prince Caspian, Indiana Jones ... and even Kung Fu Panda on the IMAX. And I still have my two most anticipated ones to come: Hellboy 2 and The Dark Knight ... not to mention a few possible joys in Clone Wars, The Journey to the Center of the Earth (as a 3-D ride) and a new Mummy ... this will definitely be a summer the geeks remember.
7. Oh Canada - Powell family reunion is not in "Seattle" as I thought ... it is in Birch Bay, WA, which is really more a Vancouver suburb. I am excited about meeting new family, hiking some new territory and especially seeing Vancouver, which has always been pretty high on my "I'd like to live there one day" list.
8. What I do - planning and marketing and design and stories and anthropology and interaction and technology and social responsibility ... all the things are really fun these days. I am just having fun with this work whether teaching it, learning about it or doing it. I am glad I got into this world.
9. Internet connections - WOW - getting to see Avery and Ian splash and jam really rocks. But meeting new people through Facebook and other communities has been great fun. I am so glad the neighborhood/campfire is expanding so much these days.
10. Mom's birthday - YEA! MOM! Happy birthday! Thanks for being born, so I could be born. And thanks for helping me appreciate the many things I appreciate. Love you. Thinking of you.
So those are some positive things going on in my world, please feel free to share yours with me anytime, any way you want.Love,
Cam
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