A Loss For Words

Writing is hard.  It's harder if you're stupid.  I've wanted to write something in here for days just to get Polishing the Turd off the masthead.  How did that shit get past the editor?  Really, we need to put some better people on staff here at the Spuds 'n Taters.  But to my original point.  I've always known that writing is an art and a skill, but when you haven't had to write anything since college on a regular basis (hey you were an engineer and that's not real writing anyway) and you try to write something interesting at least to yourself if not Audacious Reader every day or so, well, then you really appreciate those who can craft a fancy essay frequently. But it is better to beg forgiveness than ask permission any way.  So forgive me.

On the bright side, it is Fall finally, one of my favourite four seasons. I love it when the leaves change colour and the air is cooler and crisper.

Bury me in a pile of dead leaves

Put two pennies in my eyes

And cover me with dead leaves

 - from October, Jon Dee Graham

October

and Kingdoms rise

and Kingdoms fall

But you go on

and on

 - from October, U2

Polishing the Turd

I work in an old decrepit armpit of a 50s style government building. It leaks, the pipes are rusted and are known to burst from time to time sending rivers of water down the halls and turning some poor comrade's office into a lake. For at least 10 years now, it's been scheduled for demolition 'next year'. We had a new building a couple of years ago that was stolen away just as our cubicles were being offloaded because the dimwits in the Pentagon thought some DC folks wanted to move to King Gorgeous Virginia. Puhlease! We've been forced to move some people to a temporary new home because of mold in their wing. And yet, somebody recently decided to refurbish two of the bathrooms. Did they replace the 40 year old toilets that leak? Did they add some (any!) sort of ventilation? No! They painted it. Blue and yellow like the local high school colors. It's like I'm back in PE. It's an effing pep rally in there. That, my friends, is polishing the turd, almost too literally.
OK, so the poll results are in and it's a tie! I asked Dick Cheney to break the tie and he told me to eff off. So I am going to break it and I chose: Scotland! Now for the hard part, saving pennies. Thank you for voting.

Charcoal and diamonds

I had an encouraging run yesterday, because it was the first time I hadn't felt like complete shite since I started running more often a few weeks ago. Maybe it was the renewed vigor from the comeback post. Having a long term goal is a good thing. Also important are interim goals. So I'll set one now. Run a turkey trot this year. There, I've got it in the books, a race before the year is up. And one more, for the weekend, take the bike out for a ride. It's been almost a year since I've swum a lap too, I really should do that before the year is up. And then I can start thinking about a good tri to do next year. Some of me wants to do the Vineman again in '09, but another part of me wants to try something new and not as far away. But I am getting ahead of myself.
The following words got me thinking:

One of the main hazards of objective decision making is caused by a combination of consistency bias, overvaluing what we own and overweighing sunk costs. “I have given up too much to change course” is a common thought pattern that can skew clear judgment. There are also tremendous social pressures that we place on each other to remain consistent in approach. We have an in-built bias against “flip-floppers”. This is a bit odd in a world where most of our key decisions are made against a background of incomplete, and changing, information.
-Gordo Byrn

Often, when I contemplate my next career move, I think I have too much invested in either the Government or Software to give up either. I like Timex watches.

the fatman cometh

I stepped on a scale this morning people, first time in a long time, and I knew, I mean I knew like you know a good melon that it was going to be bad, and I tell you good people, it was all that and a sack of five guys french fries. And on top of it, 5 years ago almost to the day, I finished an Ironman. Mother effer! What the eff happened? But I am here before the Gods and 3 or 4 readers, not to bitch (well maybe a little) but to tell you that I am on the comeback trail. Don't think that the real news is that Lance Armstrong is coming back to professional cycling and the Tour, no Sympathetic Reader!, it is your benevolent Bubba vowing in these pages to get back to the Ironman in 2010. And I'm asking for your help to call me out on this blog if you do not see occasional progress written up. Let us walk this journey together so that we may all celebrate on some day in 2010 when we cross the line one more time.
Let us not forget to vote in the poll either. I thank the 2 intrepid souls (Incognito and A.E.Bayne) who left excellent feedback and voted! All input is greatly appreciated, even if you're a rank stranger who just stumbled accidentally into this bog. The fate of the country depends on it.

A poll -> it's over there on the right ->

I haven't travelled anywhere further than a day's car ride for a couple of years and I have the urge to go long even though I hate long plane rides, but who doesn't you say, and I say, but I really really hate them and I can't sleep on a plane, hell I can't sleep in my own bed and if you know what time it is right now then you know I ain't lyin'. On the low hanging fruit of foreign destinations there are Italy and Spain that I haven't visited yet. But I feel like climbing for some higher fruit. I would add Australia/New Zealand but I think they are too far for the time and money I can afford these days. Japan or Tibet is pushing that envelope, but I really want to go there even if I'll need sedatives to survive the flight. I had the fortune of flying business class to Korea for work and what a difference that makes over coach. 7 course meals, hot towels, big seats that recline 172 degrees. Iceland and Scotland have the benefit of relatively shorter flights. And Russia, well I might want to go there before we start Cold War 2. So I put my fate in the hands of you, Intrepid Reader. I promise to send postcards.

First Post

of September people and I've had a little wine tonight so if things are misspelled or rambling or other mischievousness creeps betwixt the lines then blame Dionysus. I am dorking out tonight, tracking Hanna across the great Carolina bight with Google. I have NOAA weather radio and the Weather Channel going. Candles are lit. Wine is breathing. Cheese is cut. The cat is asleep on the coffee table. Besides a front line squall around 1700 hours, it has been quiet here, almost one could say, calm. Wind speed is 2 knots, east northeast. I have battened down hatches, shuttered windows, brought in the outdoor furniture, disconnected the main breaker from the grid and fired up the wind generators, engaged the reverse osmosis filters, put the gasoline generators on standby, notified the Pentagon that I am on alert and ready to take over Command and Control if the situation demands it, cranked up the Single Side Band radios, checked in with the local repeater, cleaned and loaded revolvers, and stocked the bunker with canned goods. All systems are go for Hanna. I procured enough milk, coffee, cereal and toilet paper earlier today to last me till at least Tuesday and if I ration, the whole week. I had my car towed to Kentucky. But it's all dress rehearsal for the real mother, Ike. Holy Sh!t, I need more wine!
I hope everyone is staying safe out there and out of harm's way. Don't frak with Mother Nature.