I posted on FaceBook recently my desire to ride the TransAmerica trail in the summer of 2013. I have had several people ask me why then (after they ask if I am crazy). Well, the way I figure it, that will be my first summer off after my first full year of teaching. I can use the time as a sort of sabbatical to reflect on my new career choice. Plus it will give me time to do the planning, save up some cash, and get into shape for the long ride.
I have also been thinking about using the ride to raise money for scholarships to help kids go to college who might otherwise not get the chance. The entire trip is 4200+ miles, so a penny a mile might be a reasonable pledge don't you think? While doing research on the cross-country ride, I found the Cycling North Carolina website and their annual cross-state ride. I think this would be a great way to test myself and see if I should even consider the cross-country trip.
Jessica has also caught the riding bug apparently and has decided to join the Appalachian Cycling team when she gets to ASU. We have contacted several of the coaches and a team member for information and advice. I do not intend to push her (much) but I will support her completely.
MH
Monday, December 28, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Hey - It's me!! I'm still around...
Yes, I'm still around! I'd like to say I have been too busy to post but we all know it only takes a few minutes to type out a paragraph now and then letting the world know what's going on. :-)
So to quickly recap since the last post...
School is going great. I started my junior year at East Carolina in August. I like the program and the school but it is completely online and I miss being in the classroom with other students. I feel like I am missing out on a lot of valuable interaction and networking, especially now that I am taking the higher lever education classes.
I am still riding when I can. I went to New River Trail in VA and rode 40 miles last Sunday. It was chilly when I got there around 9am but quickly warmed up after riding for a few miles. The fall colors were amazing and the first 30 miles or so was great. Then, as I began to run out of steam, it became more of a workout and less of an adventure. :-) I picked up a contraption that turns the bike into a stationary bike for riding indoors during the winter. I can still workout but it is pretty boring.
I have been working as a substitute teacher for Randolph County. I have subbed at ATMS a few times over the past month or so and even spent 4 days subbing for the shop class while they interviewed for a permanent replacement teacher. The original shop teacher moved from this area to become a policeman in South Carolina, near the beach.
Had two birthdays this last week. Landon turned 24 and Jessica turned 16. Miranda came home to visit yesterday so we were all five together for a little while at least. She is still living and working in Raleigh and Landon now lives and works in Greensboro. We do not get to see them much but we talk to them often and we are proud of them for doing so well. We have such good kids. :-)
Yesterday we visited my grandmother and helped her celebrate her 92nd birthday. She is in a nursing home but still in decent health and has most of her mental facilities intact (in comparison to others her age I guess). She seemed to enjoy the company and the cake and ice cream.
So to quickly recap since the last post...
School is going great. I started my junior year at East Carolina in August. I like the program and the school but it is completely online and I miss being in the classroom with other students. I feel like I am missing out on a lot of valuable interaction and networking, especially now that I am taking the higher lever education classes.
I am still riding when I can. I went to New River Trail in VA and rode 40 miles last Sunday. It was chilly when I got there around 9am but quickly warmed up after riding for a few miles. The fall colors were amazing and the first 30 miles or so was great. Then, as I began to run out of steam, it became more of a workout and less of an adventure. :-) I picked up a contraption that turns the bike into a stationary bike for riding indoors during the winter. I can still workout but it is pretty boring.
I have been working as a substitute teacher for Randolph County. I have subbed at ATMS a few times over the past month or so and even spent 4 days subbing for the shop class while they interviewed for a permanent replacement teacher. The original shop teacher moved from this area to become a policeman in South Carolina, near the beach.
Had two birthdays this last week. Landon turned 24 and Jessica turned 16. Miranda came home to visit yesterday so we were all five together for a little while at least. She is still living and working in Raleigh and Landon now lives and works in Greensboro. We do not get to see them much but we talk to them often and we are proud of them for doing so well. We have such good kids. :-)
Yesterday we visited my grandmother and helped her celebrate her 92nd birthday. She is in a nursing home but still in decent health and has most of her mental facilities intact (in comparison to others her age I guess). She seemed to enjoy the company and the cake and ice cream.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Latest hobby...
Recently I started cycling and I love it. Tomorrow I will test myself and ride in the Tour de Furniture event in High Point put on by the American Red Cross. The event starts at 7am and lasts, I suppose, until the last riders finish. I will post pictures and results (as well as any wordy wisedom I can come up with) tomorrow after we get home. Please come out and support the Red Cross and the participants as well!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Argggg! I'm a Pirate!
So... I feel bad about not updating for over a month but not much has really happened. School is going very well and I am staying extremely busy. I'm shooting for getting my name on the President's list this semester (4.0 GPA) instead of just the Dean's list (3.75 GPA). I'm sure the Dean is a great guy and all, but I've done that three times already. It's time to step it up. Plus I have a lot to prove this semester to everyone who thought my taking 28 credit hours was insane. :-)
And on that note... I finally got my acceptance letter from East Carolina University. I have an on campus orientation scheduled during the summer but the courses themselves will all be online through the Wachovia Partnership East program. They are supposed to handle the arrangements for getting me into a classroom for my student teaching, etc. So I'm looking forward to that.
That's it for now. I have a few hours of homework to do tonight and it's already getting late (I'm old, remember! :-))
MH
And on that note... I finally got my acceptance letter from East Carolina University. I have an on campus orientation scheduled during the summer but the courses themselves will all be online through the Wachovia Partnership East program. They are supposed to handle the arrangements for getting me into a classroom for my student teaching, etc. So I'm looking forward to that.
That's it for now. I have a few hours of homework to do tonight and it's already getting late (I'm old, remember! :-))
MH
Friday, February 20, 2009
Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't...
Anyone reading this blog regularly has surely noticed my ramblings are on-again-off-again to say the least. Sometimes I feel like writing tons of stuff and sometimes I just don't have a lot to say. It's during those quite times that I am contemplating life, love, the universe, and everything in it. And speaking of the universe...
As far back as I can remember, I have been drawn towards the little bright lights in the night sky. Just like our ancestors must have done, I too gaze up and wonder about where we are in the universe and where we might someday go. I really began to get into astronomy when I was in about the 8th grade. My parents (or Santa Claus, depending on your point of view) bought me a cool 4-inch reflecting telescope for Christmas that year. Even as small an cheap as it was, I was able to see the rings around Saturn. After that, I was hooked.
However, as with every thing, life tends to get in the way. By the time I got into high school I was working at the family business after school and well into the night. Slowly, as time passed, so did my desire to spend night after freezing night looking into the sky. A few years later, while at sea on the USS Marvin Shields, I stepped out on deck after a midnight shift. There was no man-made light anywhere to be seen so the night sky was perfect. It really looked like a poster you might find at the planetarium. Well, many years have passed and I still try to enjoy astronomy when I can. I am lucky in that my youngest daughter is into it as well. This gives me someone close to share news stories and events with.
When I decided to return to college last spring, I had no idea what classes to take. So I decided to take Astronomy and I am so glad I did. I am currently the president of the Stellar Society (the Astronomy club) at GTCC and we are fairly active in promoting the Cline Observatory on campus, as well as many other events held at the school. In March we are hosting Tri-Star which will bring astronomers from across the state together for the weekend.
Once I become a teacher I certainly plan to integrate astronomy into my science and/or math classes as often as possible. I think it is important we understand the universe God has given us as well as our place in it.
MH
As far back as I can remember, I have been drawn towards the little bright lights in the night sky. Just like our ancestors must have done, I too gaze up and wonder about where we are in the universe and where we might someday go. I really began to get into astronomy when I was in about the 8th grade. My parents (or Santa Claus, depending on your point of view) bought me a cool 4-inch reflecting telescope for Christmas that year. Even as small an cheap as it was, I was able to see the rings around Saturn. After that, I was hooked.
However, as with every thing, life tends to get in the way. By the time I got into high school I was working at the family business after school and well into the night. Slowly, as time passed, so did my desire to spend night after freezing night looking into the sky. A few years later, while at sea on the USS Marvin Shields, I stepped out on deck after a midnight shift. There was no man-made light anywhere to be seen so the night sky was perfect. It really looked like a poster you might find at the planetarium. Well, many years have passed and I still try to enjoy astronomy when I can. I am lucky in that my youngest daughter is into it as well. This gives me someone close to share news stories and events with.
When I decided to return to college last spring, I had no idea what classes to take. So I decided to take Astronomy and I am so glad I did. I am currently the president of the Stellar Society (the Astronomy club) at GTCC and we are fairly active in promoting the Cline Observatory on campus, as well as many other events held at the school. In March we are hosting Tri-Star which will bring astronomers from across the state together for the weekend.
Once I become a teacher I certainly plan to integrate astronomy into my science and/or math classes as often as possible. I think it is important we understand the universe God has given us as well as our place in it.
MH
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Life's good...
As most of you are aware I have talked recently about looking up old friends online (specifically FaceBook) and have had the great fortune of reconnecting with a few of them. Tonight I spent a while talking to an old friend about the past. Man that really brought back the memories; some great ones, some so-so ones, and some bad ones. But that is how life is. You have to accept the bad times along with the good. Now of course I won't give details about the conversation, but like I said it really brought back the memories.
It also got me thinking about other things. Life goes by so fast that if you don't slow down occasionally an look around, you will miss out on a ton of cool stuff. For too many years I lived in a shell; a shell I made all by myself. In high school I was made to go straight to the family business after school, so my social life was non-existent. Then, as I got older, I would spend most of my time in front of a computer pounding out code (something I was good at and enjoyed) and I again neglected my social 'training' and never really felt like I fit in in a crowd.
When I realized that I wanted to teach, this was the very first concern my family raised. So, over the past two years, I have begun to break out of this shell. Of course I still spend a fair amount of time in front of a computer, but when I am at school or in public I make an effort to be more outgoing. I talk more, I smile more, and I even flirt a little from time to time. And you know what? It is making a difference. I no long feel out of place. I no longer sit alone and wonder. I do, however, still remain quiet and listen a lot, but I also speak with more confidence when I do decide to share.
I know I have made some very bad choices along the way, but everything has slowly shifted back into focus and I am happy with where I am today. I have great plans for the future as well (see the list of thing to do on my blog!). I guess what I am trying to say is that life is good so enjoy it.
MH
It also got me thinking about other things. Life goes by so fast that if you don't slow down occasionally an look around, you will miss out on a ton of cool stuff. For too many years I lived in a shell; a shell I made all by myself. In high school I was made to go straight to the family business after school, so my social life was non-existent. Then, as I got older, I would spend most of my time in front of a computer pounding out code (something I was good at and enjoyed) and I again neglected my social 'training' and never really felt like I fit in in a crowd.
When I realized that I wanted to teach, this was the very first concern my family raised. So, over the past two years, I have begun to break out of this shell. Of course I still spend a fair amount of time in front of a computer, but when I am at school or in public I make an effort to be more outgoing. I talk more, I smile more, and I even flirt a little from time to time. And you know what? It is making a difference. I no long feel out of place. I no longer sit alone and wonder. I do, however, still remain quiet and listen a lot, but I also speak with more confidence when I do decide to share.
I know I have made some very bad choices along the way, but everything has slowly shifted back into focus and I am happy with where I am today. I have great plans for the future as well (see the list of thing to do on my blog!). I guess what I am trying to say is that life is good so enjoy it.
MH
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Mother Earth...
The question of whether we are alone in the universe has two possible answers: either we are or we are not. If you really think about that, either possibility is equally astounding. Let's look at both possibilities:
1 - We are alone. This is it. The universe began/was created then we evolved/were created and that is it. Everything else in the universe is just for us to look at and admire. If that is the case then why are we so self-destructive? Why are we, as a people, so intent on destroying our home as well as each other? I would like to think that if this is it then we would try a little harder to get along with each other and take care of our ecosystem.
2 - We are not alone. The universe is teaming with life and we might even get to meet someone from another world someday. What would they think of what the find? Would you like them to see how we treat each other and how we are treating our planet?
Now, imagine being in a life raft at sea... There are two possibilities. You get rescued or you don't. Again, let's look at each possibility...
1 - You are stuck in the life raft for ever (at least the rest of your life). Let's assume for this little mental exercise that you have plenty of food. Would you take care of your raft? Would you ration your food to try to make it last? I would think that most of us would. We would hope to last long enough to find land or see another ship.
2 - After a few days at sea you get rescued. Knowing this would happen, you have not taken very good care of the raft and you have eaten all your food. What would your rescuers think about you if they found a damaged raft full of candy wrappers and trash? Wouldn't you be a little embarrassed?
Do you see the correlation between the two sets of questions? Why do we treat our 'raft' like we do? Why do we guzzle our 'rations' as if we will get rescued tomorrow? We need to look at the big picture and take responsibility for our actions. Issues such as global warming, using fossil fuels, and over population are causing irreversible damage to our only home.
I originally started out with the intention of talking about my views on the possibility of other life in the universe, but once I started typing it went in a different direction. Aliens made me change it.
MH
1 - We are alone. This is it. The universe began/was created then we evolved/were created and that is it. Everything else in the universe is just for us to look at and admire. If that is the case then why are we so self-destructive? Why are we, as a people, so intent on destroying our home as well as each other? I would like to think that if this is it then we would try a little harder to get along with each other and take care of our ecosystem.
2 - We are not alone. The universe is teaming with life and we might even get to meet someone from another world someday. What would they think of what the find? Would you like them to see how we treat each other and how we are treating our planet?
Now, imagine being in a life raft at sea... There are two possibilities. You get rescued or you don't. Again, let's look at each possibility...
1 - You are stuck in the life raft for ever (at least the rest of your life). Let's assume for this little mental exercise that you have plenty of food. Would you take care of your raft? Would you ration your food to try to make it last? I would think that most of us would. We would hope to last long enough to find land or see another ship.
2 - After a few days at sea you get rescued. Knowing this would happen, you have not taken very good care of the raft and you have eaten all your food. What would your rescuers think about you if they found a damaged raft full of candy wrappers and trash? Wouldn't you be a little embarrassed?
Do you see the correlation between the two sets of questions? Why do we treat our 'raft' like we do? Why do we guzzle our 'rations' as if we will get rescued tomorrow? We need to look at the big picture and take responsibility for our actions. Issues such as global warming, using fossil fuels, and over population are causing irreversible damage to our only home.
I originally started out with the intention of talking about my views on the possibility of other life in the universe, but once I started typing it went in a different direction. Aliens made me change it.
MH
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Catching up, cutting back, and reminiscing...
So I had a little free time last night while the NASCAR race was on (yes, I'm a fan) and I spent some time trying to find friends and family on FaceBook. I connected with a cousin in Phoenix, an old pal in Greensboro, and even a few folks I went to high school with 25+ years ago. Even though I have worked with (and played with) the changing technology over then years it still amazes me how easily we can connect to anyone anywhere instantly. I remember the time before the internet, before cell phones, and cable TV. Damn I feel old....
I also had to make a tough decision regarding school. I have decided to drop one of my classes this semester due to not having enough time to really do the work needed to do well. I was planning on having the whole summer off (from school) before starting East Carolina in the fall but I will need to retake American Lit then. I still have Chemistry, Geology, Physics, Calculus, Statistics, and History of Art (all except Art have labs as well) to keep me busy, so don't feel bad for me. I will still finish before August and hopefully get to hold on to my 4.0 GPA :-)
And on a li
ghter note...
The weather here today was absolutely gorgeous. I love cold weather but I also enjoy warm spring days as much as anyone. We went to the park today to walk and on the way there (and back) we must have seen 25-30 motorcycles out enjoying the weather. I really miss riding and I miss my bike, but it's probably not something I'll ever have again.
MH
I also had to make a tough decision regarding school. I have decided to drop one of my classes this semester due to not having enough time to really do the work needed to do well. I was planning on having the whole summer off (from school) before starting East Carolina in the fall but I will need to retake American Lit then. I still have Chemistry, Geology, Physics, Calculus, Statistics, and History of Art (all except Art have labs as well) to keep me busy, so don't feel bad for me. I will still finish before August and hopefully get to hold on to my 4.0 GPA :-)
And on a li
ghter note...The weather here today was absolutely gorgeous. I love cold weather but I also enjoy warm spring days as much as anyone. We went to the park today to walk and on the way there (and back) we must have seen 25-30 motorcycles out enjoying the weather. I really miss riding and I miss my bike, but it's probably not something I'll ever have again.
MH
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Technology and Society...
One of the biggest problems in society today is the fact that our technology is advancing so fast that we, as a society, are having trouble keeping up. We have extended the average life span to ever longer years, developed ways to communicate to vast numbers of people instantly and globally, and we have even successfully altered human brains with computerized circuitry. If the past 100 years are any indication then there is no telling where we will be by the year 2100.
Please bear in mind, of course, that these ideas are just my ramblings and not hard cold facts. I just think that technology is advancing so fast that we, as a whole, cannot keep up. Despite your beliefs on when and how man first appeared on Earth, it is pretty easy to conclude that after a certain number of years ours bodies begin to wear out. Recently, modern medicine has allowed people to live longer lives. But at what cost? As a society we are having issues dealing with them. Nursing homes are overcrowded and poorly staffed (my apologizes for the generalization of social workers; I know there are some great folks out there) by people who would rather be doing something else. One hundred years ago, people did not have to worry about retirement or old age because they did not really expect to have to deal with it.
And it is not just the elderly that are having to adjust. Certainly the middle-aged person struggling to learn to use a home computer would make a great example here, but I was thinking more about how children are changing to deal with our advanced technological world. Children today have instant access to everything they want and need (in general). Answering a question, for example, on nearly any subject is a internet search away. The desire to listen to a specific song, watch a favorite television show or DVD can be instantly satisfied. Because of this, keeping a child's attention for more than three seconds is a challenge. Look at how they interact today as compared to us as kids. Could you have ever imagined talking to your friends via instant texts or online? Again, I think this shows how they are being conditioned to expect instant gratification. I feel (and again this is simply my opinion) that this helps explain the abundance of 'attention deficit disorder' diagnoses. We (all of us) have grown to expect too much too quick. Want proof? Look in the 'get rich quick' section at the bookstore.
But back to the kids. I'm in my mid-40s. I remember buying my first home computer in 1982. I crashed my car and instead of getting a new one I used the insurance money to buy a TRS-80 desktop computer. It hard no hard drive and no floppy disk. No data storage at all and it only had 16k of memory. I'd be willing to bet no one reading this realizes what 16k means, but basically today's toasters had more memory. You had to type in every single line of a program to run it and when you turned the computer off, the program was gone. Anyway, my point is this. Most adults have seen the world grow and change and I am willing to bet that it continues to grow and change (assuming we don't destroy ourselves) for the foreseeable future. Can you imagine what kind of technology our kids or grandkids will get to play with? How will they deal with it? It is easy to imagine them developing in a much difference way psychologically. Not a bad way, mind you, just different.
I mentioned early something about altering human brains with electronics. Imagine a memory chip in your brain where you could store data just like on a computer and instantly retrieve it. No more lost addresses or phone numbers, no more grocery lists on paper, etc. These advancements are already here and the possibilities are endless; not only the good applications, but the bad as well. The problem, as I see it, is how do we deal with it as a society?
MH
Please bear in mind, of course, that these ideas are just my ramblings and not hard cold facts. I just think that technology is advancing so fast that we, as a whole, cannot keep up. Despite your beliefs on when and how man first appeared on Earth, it is pretty easy to conclude that after a certain number of years ours bodies begin to wear out. Recently, modern medicine has allowed people to live longer lives. But at what cost? As a society we are having issues dealing with them. Nursing homes are overcrowded and poorly staffed (my apologizes for the generalization of social workers; I know there are some great folks out there) by people who would rather be doing something else. One hundred years ago, people did not have to worry about retirement or old age because they did not really expect to have to deal with it.
And it is not just the elderly that are having to adjust. Certainly the middle-aged person struggling to learn to use a home computer would make a great example here, but I was thinking more about how children are changing to deal with our advanced technological world. Children today have instant access to everything they want and need (in general). Answering a question, for example, on nearly any subject is a internet search away. The desire to listen to a specific song, watch a favorite television show or DVD can be instantly satisfied. Because of this, keeping a child's attention for more than three seconds is a challenge. Look at how they interact today as compared to us as kids. Could you have ever imagined talking to your friends via instant texts or online? Again, I think this shows how they are being conditioned to expect instant gratification. I feel (and again this is simply my opinion) that this helps explain the abundance of 'attention deficit disorder' diagnoses. We (all of us) have grown to expect too much too quick. Want proof? Look in the 'get rich quick' section at the bookstore.
But back to the kids. I'm in my mid-40s. I remember buying my first home computer in 1982. I crashed my car and instead of getting a new one I used the insurance money to buy a TRS-80 desktop computer. It hard no hard drive and no floppy disk. No data storage at all and it only had 16k of memory. I'd be willing to bet no one reading this realizes what 16k means, but basically today's toasters had more memory. You had to type in every single line of a program to run it and when you turned the computer off, the program was gone. Anyway, my point is this. Most adults have seen the world grow and change and I am willing to bet that it continues to grow and change (assuming we don't destroy ourselves) for the foreseeable future. Can you imagine what kind of technology our kids or grandkids will get to play with? How will they deal with it? It is easy to imagine them developing in a much difference way psychologically. Not a bad way, mind you, just different.
I mentioned early something about altering human brains with electronics. Imagine a memory chip in your brain where you could store data just like on a computer and instantly retrieve it. No more lost addresses or phone numbers, no more grocery lists on paper, etc. These advancements are already here and the possibilities are endless; not only the good applications, but the bad as well. The problem, as I see it, is how do we deal with it as a society?
MH
Sunday, February 1, 2009
The Big Game...
I have always liked football and I have always been a Steelers fan. I love to watch a good football game and I love to see the underdog come out on top (unless the Steelers are playing then of course I'll pull for them). As a freshman in high school (in the early 80s), I made the varsity team but was not allowed to play because I had to work at the family business after school everyday.
After high school and a partial semester at Western Carolina I joined the Navy. While stationed in San Diego I got my hands on an authentic Mark Gastineau jersey (NY Jets #99). Now I have always been a big guy. Roughly 6ft tall and very broad shouldered (due to years of loading furniture in the afore mentioned family business) so when I wore the jersey it fit well.
One of our many trips to Hawaii (I think I went 4 times courtesy of Uncle Sam) just happened to coincide with the Pro-Bowl. Without really thinking about it I wore the jersey when we went out on the town one night. A buddy of mine and I were walking downtown one evening when a couple of people mistook me for a pro football player and asked me for an autograph. I scribbled something illegible and they thanked me and went on their way.
MH
After high school and a partial semester at Western Carolina I joined the Navy. While stationed in San Diego I got my hands on an authentic Mark Gastineau jersey (NY Jets #99). Now I have always been a big guy. Roughly 6ft tall and very broad shouldered (due to years of loading furniture in the afore mentioned family business) so when I wore the jersey it fit well.
One of our many trips to Hawaii (I think I went 4 times courtesy of Uncle Sam) just happened to coincide with the Pro-Bowl. Without really thinking about it I wore the jersey when we went out on the town one night. A buddy of mine and I were walking downtown one evening when a couple of people mistook me for a pro football player and asked me for an autograph. I scribbled something illegible and they thanked me and went on their way.
MH
Friday, January 30, 2009
25 Random facts about me....
Currently, on Facebook, there is a fad going around to list 25 random things about yourself that others might not know. I figured I'd kill two birds with on stone an do it here. So let's get started, shall we...
1 - I have been married to my high-school sweetheart and the greatest woman in the world for more than 25 years and we have NEVER had an argument.
2 - I have 3 great kids that I am very proud of. Two are grown and living on their own.
3 - I was a computer programmer for many years and made a lot of money doing it but I have not written a single line of computer code in 5 years.
4 - I love music, especially hard rock, and my favorite group has always been Rush.
5 - I collect TV shows and I'm not really sure why.
6 - I have always wanted to learn to play the drums and the piano.
7 - I have taught myself several languages and I can speak a little Japanese, Chinese, German, Russian, French, and Spanish. The problem is I never get to use them and I am very rusty.
8 - I used to ride a motorcycle.
9 - I have two tattoos; one I could show you and one I cannot.
10 - I accidentally drove a rental car in a real drag race (on a real track) in Hawaii.
11 - I have eaten monkey meat, alligator, bison, and a few other types of animals.
12 - I love to try new foods and my favorite (besides the wife's cooking) is currently Pad Thai.
13 - My favorite authors are Dean Koontz and Alastair Reynolds.
14 - I absolutely hate commercials. I do not need to be told what I need to buy.
15 - I tend to procrastinate - more on this later.
16 - I hate the fact that my family only gets together once a year (at Christmas).
17 - I love cold weather but I do not like to be cold.
18 - When I was in the Navy I saved the entire ship and crew once and all I got was a pat on the back (and that was enough).
19 - I was almost a Navy Seal (dropped after two weeks of training because I could not swim well enough).
20 - When I was a kid I wanted to be a stunt-man when I grew up (or a race-car driver).
21 - I have never been admitted to the hospital.
22 - I am bipolar and I have to take medication everyday for it (and I hate it).
23 - I changed a flat tire once with only a pair of pliers.
24 - I have a spoiled little lap dog I love very much.
25 - I am certain that I think the things on this list are more interesting than you do.
MH
1 - I have been married to my high-school sweetheart and the greatest woman in the world for more than 25 years and we have NEVER had an argument.
2 - I have 3 great kids that I am very proud of. Two are grown and living on their own.
3 - I was a computer programmer for many years and made a lot of money doing it but I have not written a single line of computer code in 5 years.
4 - I love music, especially hard rock, and my favorite group has always been Rush.
5 - I collect TV shows and I'm not really sure why.
6 - I have always wanted to learn to play the drums and the piano.
7 - I have taught myself several languages and I can speak a little Japanese, Chinese, German, Russian, French, and Spanish. The problem is I never get to use them and I am very rusty.
8 - I used to ride a motorcycle.
9 - I have two tattoos; one I could show you and one I cannot.
10 - I accidentally drove a rental car in a real drag race (on a real track) in Hawaii.
11 - I have eaten monkey meat, alligator, bison, and a few other types of animals.
12 - I love to try new foods and my favorite (besides the wife's cooking) is currently Pad Thai.
13 - My favorite authors are Dean Koontz and Alastair Reynolds.
14 - I absolutely hate commercials. I do not need to be told what I need to buy.
15 - I tend to procrastinate - more on this later.
16 - I hate the fact that my family only gets together once a year (at Christmas).
17 - I love cold weather but I do not like to be cold.
18 - When I was in the Navy I saved the entire ship and crew once and all I got was a pat on the back (and that was enough).
19 - I was almost a Navy Seal (dropped after two weeks of training because I could not swim well enough).
20 - When I was a kid I wanted to be a stunt-man when I grew up (or a race-car driver).
21 - I have never been admitted to the hospital.
22 - I am bipolar and I have to take medication everyday for it (and I hate it).
23 - I changed a flat tire once with only a pair of pliers.
24 - I have a spoiled little lap dog I love very much.
25 - I am certain that I think the things on this list are more interesting than you do.
MH
Thursday, January 29, 2009
"Grace Under Pressure" - Rush
I guess I should apologize... I figured out how to import my blog updates into Facebook.
Over the last few days I have had several people tell me that they have read (and believe it or not enjoyed) my blog so I guess I should update more (and try to be funny?). When I started this blog I had a hard time deciding whether to go as myself or do it anonymously. While this does not seem like a hard decision, being open about my identity does two things. It severely limits my ability to rant openly and it holds me accountable for my words.
Now those who know me know I will not usually say anything behind someone's back that I would not say to their face (although I would never intentionally hurt anyone's feelings). So 'ranting' is off the table for this blog. This leaves comedy or telling about my boring life. I will always try to be funny when the topic allows it, but I'm no *(insert your favorite comedian here)* so don't be surprised if it's dry at times.
Finally, since I seem to have a reader base at last, I invite you all to read the past posts and get a feel for things I have (and will) post about. For example: I almost moved to China last fall, I almost got to be part of a TV reality show in Alaska, we drove to Washington DC last spring, and I like learning new things.
So I guess the pressure is on to entertain as well as inform! (I've been using song titles or lyrics for my post tiles but not giving the artist, in case you didn't notice. :-))
MH
Over the last few days I have had several people tell me that they have read (and believe it or not enjoyed) my blog so I guess I should update more (and try to be funny?). When I started this blog I had a hard time deciding whether to go as myself or do it anonymously. While this does not seem like a hard decision, being open about my identity does two things. It severely limits my ability to rant openly and it holds me accountable for my words.
Now those who know me know I will not usually say anything behind someone's back that I would not say to their face (although I would never intentionally hurt anyone's feelings). So 'ranting' is off the table for this blog. This leaves comedy or telling about my boring life. I will always try to be funny when the topic allows it, but I'm no *(insert your favorite comedian here)* so don't be surprised if it's dry at times.
Finally, since I seem to have a reader base at last, I invite you all to read the past posts and get a feel for things I have (and will) post about. For example: I almost moved to China last fall, I almost got to be part of a TV reality show in Alaska, we drove to Washington DC last spring, and I like learning new things.
So I guess the pressure is on to entertain as well as inform! (I've been using song titles or lyrics for my post tiles but not giving the artist, in case you didn't notice. :-))
MH
"Grace Under Pressure".... Rush
I guess I should apologize... I figured out how to import my blog updates into Facebook.
Over the last few days I have had several people tell me that they have read (and believe it or not enjoyed) my blog so I guess I should update more (and try to be funny?). When I started this blog I had a hard time deciding whether to go as myself or do it anonymously. While this does not seem like a hard decision, being open about my identity does two things. It severely limits my ability to rant openly and it holds me accountable for my words.
Now those who know me know I will not usually say anything behind someone's back that I would not say to their face (although I would never intentionally hurt anyone's feelings). So 'ranting' is off the table for this blog. This leaves comedy or telling about my boring life. I will always try to be funny when the topic allows it, but I'm no *(insert your favorite comedian here)* so don't be surprised if it's dry at times.
Finally, since I seem to have a reader base at last, I invite you all to read the past posts and get a feel for things I have (and will) post about. For example: I almost moved to China last fall, I almost got to be part of a TV reality show in Alaska, we drove to Washington DC last spring, and I like learning new things.
So I guess the pressure is on to entertain as well as inform! (I've been using song titles or lyrics for my post tiles but not giving the artist, in case you didn't notice. :-))
MH
Over the last few days I have had several people tell me that they have read (and believe it or not enjoyed) my blog so I guess I should update more (and try to be funny?). When I started this blog I had a hard time deciding whether to go as myself or do it anonymously. While this does not seem like a hard decision, being open about my identity does two things. It severely limits my ability to rant openly and it holds me accountable for my words.
Now those who know me know I will not usually say anything behind someone's back that I would not say to their face (although I would never intentionally hurt anyone's feelings). So 'ranting' is off the table for this blog. This leaves comedy or telling about my boring life. I will always try to be funny when the topic allows it, but I'm no *(insert your favorite comedian here)* so don't be surprised if it's dry at times.
Finally, since I seem to have a reader base at last, I invite you all to read the past posts and get a feel for things I have (and will) post about. For example: I almost moved to China last fall, I almost got to be part of a TV reality show in Alaska, we drove to Washington DC last spring, and I like learning new things.
So I guess the pressure is on to entertain as well as inform! (I've been using song titles or lyrics for my post tiles but not giving the artist, in case you didn't notice. :-))
MH
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Come on baby light my fire....
Today was pretty hectic. I have classes all day on Wednesday (from 8am until 4pm). I usually get out of Chemistry lab before 4 but today we had a little interruption. About halfway through the fire alarm went off. When we went to leave the classroom there was smoke in the halls and it smelled like burnt pop-corn. Of course we all had to stand out in the drizzling rain for 20-30 minutes while they figured out what it was.
MH
MH
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Hit me baby one more time...
For some unknown reason, the body gets all bent out of shape if you don't sleep enough every day. Going to school, working out, keeping chores done around the house, and spending time with friends and family (all important tasks) takes up most of the 24 hours our maker so graciously allotted us per day.
Throughout the ages man has invented technology to help make life easier. By taming fire he was able to chase away the darkness and spend quality time with the other cavemen in his neighborhood, sharing stories and inventing even more cool stuff. There have been many important inventions over the years. For example, during the middle of the twentieth century a revolutionary invention changed the world; the transistor. This led to the computer age and today we can communicate instantly with anyone, anywhere, or find any information on the internet. I could list hundreds of inventions and talk endlessly about how they changed the world and I am sure everyone has their own favorite, be it a cell phone, car, or even fire, but my favorite is the 'snooze button'. Yep, that little guy is my second best friend lately.
I'm sure you are not much different. We sent the alarm for a certain time and climb into bed and wait for the inevitable buzzing to pull us out of our dreams and back into reality. We all know that the next 30 minutes is divided into 3 ten minute power naps before we finally decide to end the charade and face the day.
MH
Throughout the ages man has invented technology to help make life easier. By taming fire he was able to chase away the darkness and spend quality time with the other cavemen in his neighborhood, sharing stories and inventing even more cool stuff. There have been many important inventions over the years. For example, during the middle of the twentieth century a revolutionary invention changed the world; the transistor. This led to the computer age and today we can communicate instantly with anyone, anywhere, or find any information on the internet. I could list hundreds of inventions and talk endlessly about how they changed the world and I am sure everyone has their own favorite, be it a cell phone, car, or even fire, but my favorite is the 'snooze button'. Yep, that little guy is my second best friend lately.
I'm sure you are not much different. We sent the alarm for a certain time and climb into bed and wait for the inevitable buzzing to pull us out of our dreams and back into reality. We all know that the next 30 minutes is divided into 3 ten minute power naps before we finally decide to end the charade and face the day.
MH
Monday, January 26, 2009
All I need is ice cream and a hug....
Every day is what you make of it, but some days fight back. As you know, Joy and I moved in with her mom so we could concentrate on finishing school. Her mom as a dog that she does not really want and rarely shows any attention. She basically feeds him and lets him out occasionally.
This morning, as I was getting ready for school I started to pack my lunch in a small cooler when I realized he had peed all over then damn thing. I guess he's jealous or something because he's peed on our laundry basket (with clothes in it), Joy's book bag, and a couple other of our things.
Even after this rough start, the day got much better after that. Classes went well (although Chemistry let out a little late and I was almost late to my next class) and my time at the gym was....invigorating. One thing I have noticed is that I am getting to know more and more people on campus. I have to walk across campus several times during the day and recently I have run into someone I know every time. For a person who used to be in a pretty small shell, this is a nice thing.
So even though I am tired and still have a lot to do before I can call it a day, I find that my mindset is much better than that of previous years. I certainly do not feel that I have wasted my life, but I do often wonder how things might have turned out if I had opened up and followed my heart years ago.
MH
This morning, as I was getting ready for school I started to pack my lunch in a small cooler when I realized he had peed all over then damn thing. I guess he's jealous or something because he's peed on our laundry basket (with clothes in it), Joy's book bag, and a couple other of our things.
Even after this rough start, the day got much better after that. Classes went well (although Chemistry let out a little late and I was almost late to my next class) and my time at the gym was....invigorating. One thing I have noticed is that I am getting to know more and more people on campus. I have to walk across campus several times during the day and recently I have run into someone I know every time. For a person who used to be in a pretty small shell, this is a nice thing.
So even though I am tired and still have a lot to do before I can call it a day, I find that my mindset is much better than that of previous years. I certainly do not feel that I have wasted my life, but I do often wonder how things might have turned out if I had opened up and followed my heart years ago.
MH
Saturday, January 24, 2009
New year, new stuff...
Okay. I know I haven't posted in a while but I took some time off before this semester to veg out. While this seems to have helped mentally (we'll get to that in a minute), it really hurt physically. I had been going to the gym three days a week since May of last year but when the semester ended I just stopped going for three weeks and man could I tell it when I started back. My biggest mistake was trying to pickup right where I left off. Seems the human body does not like things like that and it let me know in no uncertain terms.
Anyway, the holidays were pretty uneventful and normal (as normal can be I guess) and now school has started back. I decided late last semester to change my concentration from math and language arts to math and science. I like math and science better and feel I would do a better job teaching science over language arts. Having done that however, put me slightly behind in class credits if I still intended to finish at GTCC this spring and transfer to ECU in August (more on this in a bit too).
So, being of sound mind (after my three week rest) I signed up for the following classes: Calculus, Statistics, Geology, Physics, Chemistry, Art Appreciation, and American Lit. Counting labs that's 11 classes and 25 credit hours. So far it's not too bad. The math classes both build off of previous ideals and I'm pretty good at math and the sciences all play off each other to some extent. This, along with 2-3 hours 3 days a week at the gym add up to a pretty full schedule, but I will be finished in May and I will have the summer to take any classes I'd like.
Then, assuming I get accepted, I'll start ECU classes in August. These will be online so I can work (hopefully) in a classroom during the day. After two years, and more gray hair, I'll be a full-fledged middle school math and science teacher. :-)
I'm not going to promise I'll update everyday or even consistently, but I know that some of you like to see what's going on and I like writing about it when I get time. I will try to be more diligent in updating. Until then, life live to it's fullest and remember not to take it too seriously; no one gets out alive anyway.
MH
Anyway, the holidays were pretty uneventful and normal (as normal can be I guess) and now school has started back. I decided late last semester to change my concentration from math and language arts to math and science. I like math and science better and feel I would do a better job teaching science over language arts. Having done that however, put me slightly behind in class credits if I still intended to finish at GTCC this spring and transfer to ECU in August (more on this in a bit too).
So, being of sound mind (after my three week rest) I signed up for the following classes: Calculus, Statistics, Geology, Physics, Chemistry, Art Appreciation, and American Lit. Counting labs that's 11 classes and 25 credit hours. So far it's not too bad. The math classes both build off of previous ideals and I'm pretty good at math and the sciences all play off each other to some extent. This, along with 2-3 hours 3 days a week at the gym add up to a pretty full schedule, but I will be finished in May and I will have the summer to take any classes I'd like.
Then, assuming I get accepted, I'll start ECU classes in August. These will be online so I can work (hopefully) in a classroom during the day. After two years, and more gray hair, I'll be a full-fledged middle school math and science teacher. :-)
I'm not going to promise I'll update everyday or even consistently, but I know that some of you like to see what's going on and I like writing about it when I get time. I will try to be more diligent in updating. Until then, life live to it's fullest and remember not to take it too seriously; no one gets out alive anyway.
MH
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