Thursday, March 13, 2008
Who Cakes at IHOP
I got more tonight. I had some on my trip to Rosemont, IL for the North American Cup (fencing) there. They're made for kids for the upcoming Dr. Suess movie, and they're pretty amazing. Put them in your mouf!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
To Have Lifed a Full Life
I was talking to Josh this weekend and I realized one of my biggest governing values is that when I die, be it 70 years or 70 days from now (don't worry, I don't plan on dying soon), I want people to say "He lived a full life." I don't want them to think I was sitting on my duff, missing out on opportunities, not contributing, not being the person I wanted to be. I don't want them to think I was miserable. I want them to know I am happy, enjoying life, that I felt and experienced everything I could within reason.
When I make decisions, big decisions, this is the principle I usually pull on the most, especially when there's risk involved. When I started RCF, I thought"Would I want them to say, 'He had a good financial history.' or would I want them to say 'He ran a fencing club, owned a business, taught people how to fence.'?" The choice for me at that point became very easy. I pull on this principle again now that I'm leaving fencing. There are people who can do what I've been doing, and they can do it better, so it's time for me to continue living a full life in a new way.
When I make decisions, big decisions, this is the principle I usually pull on the most, especially when there's risk involved. When I started RCF, I thought"Would I want them to say, 'He had a good financial history.' or would I want them to say 'He ran a fencing club, owned a business, taught people how to fence.'?" The choice for me at that point became very easy. I pull on this principle again now that I'm leaving fencing. There are people who can do what I've been doing, and they can do it better, so it's time for me to continue living a full life in a new way.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
It's Much Simpler Than You Might Guess
People ask me what I'll do when I retire from fencing. I usually think too hard about the question and I answer "Learn to dance, take classes, who knows?" But the answer is much simpler than that. When I retire from fencing, I'll have dinner before 9pm, and I'll sleep enough in the week so that when the weekend comes around they're not so sacred to me. My life will come back into balance. I will be a healthy me again.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
After Nearly a Decade
I'm retiring from fencing. No more fencing, no more coaching, no more refereeing starting August 1st, 2008.
Why? it's not because I'm burnt out in the sense that I've had too much fencing. It's more that this has always been my plan. To start something, raise it up, and then turn it over to the people who asked for it - the members. Now that RCF is incorporated, I only serve to stand in the way of preventing many people from doing the work that one man cannot. The tools are there, the armorers, the coaches, the refs, the facility, it is far from an impossible situation.
My hope is that people will take it upon themselves to do more demos, to bring in friends, to teach each other to do the things they have learned. In the mean time, I will be regaining my weekend, my evenings, and my opportunity to be a the kind of guy who is "a family man", or to do some side projects at work, like training other developers to use our software, or to take a business course, or learn more about electronics, or read, or any of those things that I've left in a pile on the side while I worked with fencing.
I know that many of you define me through my fencing, but it's the right move for the club, it's the right move for me too.
Why? it's not because I'm burnt out in the sense that I've had too much fencing. It's more that this has always been my plan. To start something, raise it up, and then turn it over to the people who asked for it - the members. Now that RCF is incorporated, I only serve to stand in the way of preventing many people from doing the work that one man cannot. The tools are there, the armorers, the coaches, the refs, the facility, it is far from an impossible situation.
My hope is that people will take it upon themselves to do more demos, to bring in friends, to teach each other to do the things they have learned. In the mean time, I will be regaining my weekend, my evenings, and my opportunity to be a the kind of guy who is "a family man", or to do some side projects at work, like training other developers to use our software, or to take a business course, or learn more about electronics, or read, or any of those things that I've left in a pile on the side while I worked with fencing.
I know that many of you define me through my fencing, but it's the right move for the club, it's the right move for me too.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Oh yes, it will be mine
The keyboard I've always dreamed about, but I thought manufacturers were too dumb to make. Easy to hold, built in mouse in the form of a touch pad, and freakin' Bluetooth. Ships later this moth to a Will Read near you!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
The Good Girl
So last night I watched The Good Girl with Jennifer Aniston. As soon as I sat down and got to the DVD menu I realized I had already seen it, and that it had left a bad taste in my mouth, but decided to watch it anyway, just to see why.
It's an independent film, so the transitions are weird, and it has a stale-lack-of-soundtrack feel to it, which works in this case. The movie focuses on this one woman who hates her life, because it is so bland. She meets a guy, a boy really, who gives her a chance to escape and in turn she'd be helping him escape the same plight. But she chickens out and people all around her get hurt because she's unwilling to own up to her actions and insecurities.
And then it ends. That's it. "People can't change", says the film writer. I get it, but I hate it.
It's an independent film, so the transitions are weird, and it has a stale-lack-of-soundtrack feel to it, which works in this case. The movie focuses on this one woman who hates her life, because it is so bland. She meets a guy, a boy really, who gives her a chance to escape and in turn she'd be helping him escape the same plight. But she chickens out and people all around her get hurt because she's unwilling to own up to her actions and insecurities.
And then it ends. That's it. "People can't change", says the film writer. I get it, but I hate it.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
My Next PC
I'm in the market for a new computer since my current one is showing it's age. I also plan to change the way I compute at home.
So my dilemma is that I just need a browser and movie player. I can get a crappy browser form my Wii, so if it just played movies, even ones I downloaded it'd be perfect, no PC needed at all (well I'd want a keyboard too, but I'm told some USB keyboards work with the Wii already). Any suggestions? I don't really want an Xbox 360.
- I plan to get an LCD TV "soon" (within a year), 1080p, probably around 42". It'll sit in my living room, I'll hook the Wii up to it. It won't reflect. It'll be great.
- Said TV will have DVI or VGA input so I can hook my computer up to it. It'll also have USB hopefully so I can jack in my camera or whatever.
- I only use my computer to surf the web and watch movies. I'm not a PC gamer, I don't develop software at home really.
So my dilemma is that I just need a browser and movie player. I can get a crappy browser form my Wii, so if it just played movies, even ones I downloaded it'd be perfect, no PC needed at all (well I'd want a keyboard too, but I'm told some USB keyboards work with the Wii already). Any suggestions? I don't really want an Xbox 360.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
I Knew It, I Just Couldn't Find It
After a conversation with Eric while at work, I realized the word I was looking for was "curiosity".
Monday, January 21, 2008
To Stand
This weekend, I was asked by the GD and The Lady Hizzle to stand in their wedding this Summer. I'm not certain that I was able to convey over the phone just how special that made me feel. I've always wanted to stand in someone's wedding, to be one of the selected few that a couple has chosen to represent the love and support they will need to help their marriage grow and remain healthy.
I like Matt and Lauren, and I like them together. I've known Matt since my freshman year in college. He was always my sounding board whether I wanted to sound off or not. He got me to talk about how I felt, understand my own value system through his constant, yet enjoyable questioning.
Lauren I've always liked. I remember talking to Matt back when I'd tease him about having "a woman in every port", and he told me that he'd cut the strings with all the others to be with this one girl. While Matt didn't say it, I knew she was very special to him. Driving home after that talk I thought about it, and in Matt-like fashion I said "I bet they get married." Like Matt, she's proven to be a good friend to me. I remember playing Monopoly with her one day when she was still going to Purdue and Matt was off in Chicago. She's great with introspection too, I know whenever I've got an issue that needs a woman's perspective that I can turn to her.
These two people have shaped my life more than most. I hope that one day I find what they have found in each other. I am proud, not just to stand in a wedding, but to stand in their wedding. They honor me more than they know.
I like Matt and Lauren, and I like them together. I've known Matt since my freshman year in college. He was always my sounding board whether I wanted to sound off or not. He got me to talk about how I felt, understand my own value system through his constant, yet enjoyable questioning.
Lauren I've always liked. I remember talking to Matt back when I'd tease him about having "a woman in every port", and he told me that he'd cut the strings with all the others to be with this one girl. While Matt didn't say it, I knew she was very special to him. Driving home after that talk I thought about it, and in Matt-like fashion I said "I bet they get married." Like Matt, she's proven to be a good friend to me. I remember playing Monopoly with her one day when she was still going to Purdue and Matt was off in Chicago. She's great with introspection too, I know whenever I've got an issue that needs a woman's perspective that I can turn to her.
These two people have shaped my life more than most. I hope that one day I find what they have found in each other. I am proud, not just to stand in a wedding, but to stand in their wedding. They honor me more than they know.
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