I first saw this (or something very much like it) on a poster in an admin’s office in Altoona. It struck a chord with me, and I went looking for it tonight. This isn’t the exact version I remember, and I can’t find attributions for it. But it’s a good reminder for me:
Life is not a journey to the grave
With the intention of
Arriving safely in a pretty
I sent an email to peeps at work about my truck. We were considering donating it, but that doesn’t look all that easy either (or when it is, the charity only gets a percentage of the take) so I thought I’d offer it around.
Here’s what’s on offer:
1994 Toyota 4-Runner SRV 6-cylinder, 5 speed manual transmission with in-console 4-wheel drive (You don’t have to get out of the car to put it in 4-wheel drive.) It has anti-lock rear brakes, power steering, power windows and a moon roof. Heat and A/C both work fine.
I’m trying to simplify my computer network for my upcoming move, and so far, it’s been going pretty well. I think we’ll be able to run with just the D-Link DIR-655 (192.168.1.1) feeding a network with my new ReadyNas NV+ (192.168.1.3) acting as a central file store, iTunes server and Time Machine backup device. And we’ll have a couple of MacBook Pros connecting either wired or wirelessly. In the meanwhile, we’ve got a few other devices on the net including a printer, the old audiotron, etc.
I came across an interesting “installation” today at MIT. I think someone I follow tweeted it. It was interesting to me how it categorized my presence. The big bars were “online” “management” and “education”. “sports” is bigger than it has any right to be. It was interesting to see some of the things it grabbed. References to me from former professors, test emails to lists I set up while at IATH, my “temporary” home page. 🙂
<p>
There’s something magic to camping. The quiet sounds of nature still louder than the faint hum of the distant city. The s’mores fire next to me radiating dwindling heat and light. The redwoods arcing overhead painting inky shadows against the sky lit with the glow of stars and the city both close and far. I’m glad to be sharing it with Sam who I hear tossing and turning in the tent, sleepless from the novelty.
</p>
<div class="imageright">
<a href="http://gallery.accapehart.com/v/Misc/iPhone/iPhone-100809-2020_001.html"><img src="http://gallery.accapehart.com/d/14132-4/iPhone-100809-2020_001" /></p>
<p class="caption">
Fire
</p>
<p>
</a></div>
<p>
I managed to forget some basics, which is impressive for car camping. It’s been a long time since I’d been camping. Next time I’ll bring the lantern, and a towel (not a froopy dude), maybe even some soap (I’d have thought there would be some in my dob kit!). This embarrasement was somewhat abated by a (paper-free) single-match fire. Though my cred was barely maintained by some frantic wood shaving as my initial effort consumed itself before catching the bigger logs.
</p>
<div class="imageleft">
<a href="http://gallery.accapehart.com/v/People/babycapehart/month47/IMG_3029.JPG.html"><img src="http://gallery.accapehart.com/d/14164-2/IMG_3029.JPG" /></p>
<p class="caption">
First S’Mores
</p>
<p>
</a></div>
<p>
Maybe next time I’ll bring the wife too. I suspect she’d actually like it but for the whole sleeping on the ground thing. OK and the dirty thing too, but if she came, she’d probably remember soap. Maybe next time we’ll have a meal here too. It’s a little tricky because the little one likes her stuff separate from her other stuff, and about all I can cook on a fire is a one-pot of some variety or another.
</p>
<p>
Clearly, though, there will be a next time in some shape or another. It’s too magic to forgo for long.
</p>
As a youth, living with my dad, we changed the oil together on the 1973 VW Beetle that became mine when I turned 16. So, it wasn’t an unfamiliar concept. But I was long out of practice. Nonetheless, it was past due on my motorcycle and while I could just take it to the mechanic, I don’t have a mechanic here I’m totally in love with. So, with some encouragement from a friend, I decided to undertake it myself. I documented it thoroughly so that I would know what I needed to do next time, and also for you if you happen to be in a similar situation. With that, here’s how I changed my oil on my 2001 Honda VFR 800 “Interceptor”.
In an effort to preserve the artifacts of childhood without the artifacts of childhood, Carolyn and I have been trying to preserve Sam’s efforts digitally.
<p>
I came home after work one day recently, and at some point in the evening, out of the blue, Sam says:
</p>
<blockquote>
<p>
“I wrote you a poem daddy. I left it on your bedside table. You can read it when you go to bed. If you want to.”
</p>
</blockquote>
<p>
And sure enough, she had, though I was unable to read it without help, and I never did go back to learn what it really was…
</p>
I went for a bit of a meander-y bike ride today. For a good bit of it, I was on San Pablo Ave (see map below.)
San Pablo Ave is 4 lanes of automotive traffic, and has occasional bike lanes. At one point I was honked at, presumably for not being “in my place” in the bike lane. I’m not sure I was flipped off, but I sure was startled so just in case, I [I went for a bit of a meander-y bike ride today. For a good bit of it, I was on San Pablo Ave (see map below.)
Yup. Lazy Sunday. Not at all ready for the weekend to end. At least it’s a short week next week. I so need a break.
Had a nice, if somewhat hot, day out motorcycling with Frank, formerly of Linden Lab, now of Aquarium of the Bay. Wandered the far east bay. Wound up again at Port Costa. Had drinks and a sandwich there. Watched trains and tankers and tugs. Talked. Thought. Threw rocks into the Carquinez Straight. Came back through Crockett (whence came “The Rocket From Crockett“) and got home around 6 PM.
The last leg was really interesting from a meteorological perspective. All afternoon, we’d been riding around in the heat. It was dry, and HOT. Waiting for two cycles of a traffic light while we decided where to go next, my bike started to overheat. Coming back South (er “West”) on 80 though it felt so much cooler and wetter. Especially as we got to where the mountains were East of us.