You should not need or want to reveal old secretsif there was ever trust among two people,
however you are not obligated to take on any more.
If you cannot keep the secrets of your past,
how can you be trusted to keep the secrets of your future?
Showing posts with label random thoughts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label random thoughts. Show all posts
Saturday, January 23, 2010
There are no secrets better kept than the secret everybody guesses. -- George shaw
" ... at what point has someone betrayed you enough to make you stop keeping their secrets?"
You should not need or want to reveal old secrets
if there was ever trust among two people,
however you are not obligated to take on any more.
If you cannot keep the secrets of your past,
how can you be trusted to keep the secrets of your future?
You should not need or want to reveal old secretsif there was ever trust among two people,
however you are not obligated to take on any more.
If you cannot keep the secrets of your past,
how can you be trusted to keep the secrets of your future?
Friday, January 01, 2010
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Looking beyond the embers of bridges burning behind us.... -Pink Floyd
Can a burned bridge ever be rebuilt?Monday, September 07, 2009
Jet lag is when you arrive and your luggage looks better than you do.
After losing my position at the company with which I worked in early August (state legislature seriously cut funding to Fl Housing Corp to redirect funds elsewhere), I was feeling pretty low. I had worked with the company part-time for a while and then full-time in late June, however very quickly the funding changed, thus making me change with it. However with that I suppose came a silver lining. Just a week or so later I found out through some deal forums (e.g. slickdeals.net) that JetBlue was going to sell an 'all-you-can-jet' pass that would be good for ALL flights between Sept 8 and Oct 8th. The $599 pass would include all the taxes and fees for domestic flights, leaving only some taxes for international destinations. Taking a look at the route map, I realized that this would be an opportunity for me to check off a significant portion of my life list. In 10th grade religion class at Bishop England High School, where I grew up in Charleston, our instructor gave us a project to make a list of goals for our lives. In class he gave the example of a group of friends that had done this when they were in school. At the funeral for a friend many years later, those students were surprised to find that each of them still independently kept and carried that list with them. So, I made a list of 100 things I've wanted to see and do throughout my life. Maybe one day I'll share that list, but the point was this was suppose to be a lifetime dream list of not just places to visit, but also accomplishments, goals, and honors. I have been so extremely fortunate to have been given the opportunity to accomplish and experience so many of those goals and they have been so worthwhile. I still have some significant milestones to pass, and the list is dynamic enough to need adjusting at times, but it has been a great tool.
Anyway, after consulting my work schedule, open, my savings account, tolerable, and my enthusiasm, high, I decided to just go for it. So, knowing this would be a popular thing, I called up JetBlue and made the purchase. I loved the flexibility of the program such that a passholder was allowed to make as many changes as they wanted without penalty as long as it was done three days prior to the day of flight. I read that someone had created a Facebook discussion group for AYCJ passholders so I joined in. Here people were throwing out itinerary ideas, so I too spent some time mapping out where I wanted to go. I spent a week or so during free time coordinating with anyone else that expressed an interest in visiting the same place as I may have been and setting up some ideas.
Realizing that I'd need to stay connected, I finally broke down and purchased an iPhone 3GS. It is funny/dumb that even with my technical background I had fought the idea of having one for a long time. I had a once close friend that had an original iPhone and can recall how many times it was handy looking up something when on the road, however I had been against what I considered spending/wasting money on things like text messaging ('why not just call someone') and mobile e-mail when I could do it at home for less money; however over the last year I've reevaluated a lot of my old stupid habits and quarks and the general cost of them. Besides the trip, the iPhone finally got to the point where it was extremely useful and did just what I wanted, including copy/paste, video, focusable camera, speed, and memory capacity. I had been using an iPod Touch for quite a while and found it invaluable in Italy in May and decided it was time to upgrade. I am glad I finally caught up. The new device is exactly what I needed and the versatility made it an invaluable tool for the upcoming trip. On most trips, I would only have a few flights that would be easy to track, however this trip would involve at least 14 flights, 2 countries, multiple time zones, and many different car rentals. It was suggested to those using this pass that we should check out tripit.com. this became an incredibly invaluable service that made organization so much easier. Instead of simply having to enter data by hand, whenever a flight, hotel, or car confirmation was received, one simply had to forward the e-mail to the company and everything would be organized automatically. The company even had a free Tripit iPhone app available that gave easy access to the itinerary at all times, even when not connected to a network. The best part was that the tools and services I needed were free, though there is a paid 'pro' version that provides a lot more services, such as travel delay alerts, useful to travelers. Several of us also made use of the ability to share itineraries to keep track of friends' progress. I also started using Twitter, twitter.com/mblitch, for the first time. While I'm not someone to post constant status messages of mundane activities, I did start to find it useful to stay connected to local events, friends, and travel companions. I attended a Tampa Bay Tweetup event in May at the @flaquarium, but really hadn't done too much with it until planning this trip. Though my knowledge is quite rudimentary, I did learn a fair amount from someone once quite involved in mobile advertising (e.g. texting codes to get information/coupons) and several other friends that were quite involved in social networking and SEO. On this trip, I found that Twitter became a wonderful way to stay connected, share information and ideas, and feel a part of the trip for others. As I'd later find, it really did help improve the quality of many of the trip experiences.
So, after a lot of planning, packing, and preparing, I was ready to get started. I had decided to make the most use out of this pass, so I set my first flight out of Tampa for the earliest possible, 6AM on the first day (9/8/09). So that no one would have to get up so ungodly early in the morning to take me to the airport, I had my father drop me off at 11PM. My plan was to find a quiet, dark place in the airport to sleep until I had to get up to go through security to catch the first place. I learned in past airport experiences that airport chapels tend to be about the best place since announcements are turned off on the room and no one ever really seems to come through. So after making sure everything was charged and everything checked off my mental checklist, I caught a little sleep to prepare for what may be a last big youthful adventure. I was excited about the experiences I was going to have, the people I would meet, and hopefully the good memories that would be made. What also made this trip a little exciting was this morning I got a call from one of my former directors asking me to come in to discuss a few things. Though I didn't say exactly what I was doing, I did indicate that I was going to be unavailable for the next month and then, upon request, scheduled a meeting on the first day I was back home. Maybe things will work out, but for now, I was ready to hit the road. I have my new netbook and iPhone with which to stay connected, a stack of magazines piled up over the months to go through on my first flights, and a stuffed backpack containing just about everything I would need for the next three weeks. It was time for a walkabout.
My sleeping area for the evening
Anyway, after consulting my work schedule, open, my savings account, tolerable, and my enthusiasm, high, I decided to just go for it. So, knowing this would be a popular thing, I called up JetBlue and made the purchase. I loved the flexibility of the program such that a passholder was allowed to make as many changes as they wanted without penalty as long as it was done three days prior to the day of flight. I read that someone had created a Facebook discussion group for AYCJ passholders so I joined in. Here people were throwing out itinerary ideas, so I too spent some time mapping out where I wanted to go. I spent a week or so during free time coordinating with anyone else that expressed an interest in visiting the same place as I may have been and setting up some ideas.
Realizing that I'd need to stay connected, I finally broke down and purchased an iPhone 3GS. It is funny/dumb that even with my technical background I had fought the idea of having one for a long time. I had a once close friend that had an original iPhone and can recall how many times it was handy looking up something when on the road, however I had been against what I considered spending/wasting money on things like text messaging ('why not just call someone') and mobile e-mail when I could do it at home for less money; however over the last year I've reevaluated a lot of my old stupid habits and quarks and the general cost of them. Besides the trip, the iPhone finally got to the point where it was extremely useful and did just what I wanted, including copy/paste, video, focusable camera, speed, and memory capacity. I had been using an iPod Touch for quite a while and found it invaluable in Italy in May and decided it was time to upgrade. I am glad I finally caught up. The new device is exactly what I needed and the versatility made it an invaluable tool for the upcoming trip. On most trips, I would only have a few flights that would be easy to track, however this trip would involve at least 14 flights, 2 countries, multiple time zones, and many different car rentals. It was suggested to those using this pass that we should check out tripit.com. this became an incredibly invaluable service that made organization so much easier. Instead of simply having to enter data by hand, whenever a flight, hotel, or car confirmation was received, one simply had to forward the e-mail to the company and everything would be organized automatically. The company even had a free Tripit iPhone app available that gave easy access to the itinerary at all times, even when not connected to a network. The best part was that the tools and services I needed were free, though there is a paid 'pro' version that provides a lot more services, such as travel delay alerts, useful to travelers. Several of us also made use of the ability to share itineraries to keep track of friends' progress. I also started using Twitter, twitter.com/mblitch, for the first time. While I'm not someone to post constant status messages of mundane activities, I did start to find it useful to stay connected to local events, friends, and travel companions. I attended a Tampa Bay Tweetup event in May at the @flaquarium, but really hadn't done too much with it until planning this trip. Though my knowledge is quite rudimentary, I did learn a fair amount from someone once quite involved in mobile advertising (e.g. texting codes to get information/coupons) and several other friends that were quite involved in social networking and SEO. On this trip, I found that Twitter became a wonderful way to stay connected, share information and ideas, and feel a part of the trip for others. As I'd later find, it really did help improve the quality of many of the trip experiences.
So, after a lot of planning, packing, and preparing, I was ready to get started. I had decided to make the most use out of this pass, so I set my first flight out of Tampa for the earliest possible, 6AM on the first day (9/8/09). So that no one would have to get up so ungodly early in the morning to take me to the airport, I had my father drop me off at 11PM. My plan was to find a quiet, dark place in the airport to sleep until I had to get up to go through security to catch the first place. I learned in past airport experiences that airport chapels tend to be about the best place since announcements are turned off on the room and no one ever really seems to come through. So after making sure everything was charged and everything checked off my mental checklist, I caught a little sleep to prepare for what may be a last big youthful adventure. I was excited about the experiences I was going to have, the people I would meet, and hopefully the good memories that would be made. What also made this trip a little exciting was this morning I got a call from one of my former directors asking me to come in to discuss a few things. Though I didn't say exactly what I was doing, I did indicate that I was going to be unavailable for the next month and then, upon request, scheduled a meeting on the first day I was back home. Maybe things will work out, but for now, I was ready to hit the road. I have my new netbook and iPhone with which to stay connected, a stack of magazines piled up over the months to go through on my first flights, and a stuffed backpack containing just about everything I would need for the next three weeks. It was time for a walkabout.
My sleeping area for the eveningMonday, August 24, 2009
The closest to perfection a person ever comes is when he fills out a job application form.
This is for a platonic, outdoor chick to accompany on various camping, kayaking, and hiking trips. Applicants are encouraged to make up their own responses. Creativity, humor, and references to criminal or sexual deviancy are encouraged and subject to a more favorable score. There are several positions available for this placement, so check the links of past excursions on the right side of the blog and see if you're interested in a similar adventure.
1.) I would describe my physical appearance as
A. I'm hot.
B. I clean up real good.
C. I can barely see through my dreadlocks and am currently eating cold refried beans out of a can with a stick. Soap weighs too many ounces.
D. My mama says I sure do look purty.
2.) I would complain vocally if
A. I had a minor sunburn.
B. The incompetent cad at Starbucks made my expresso latte the wrong temperature.
C. Both my legs showed broken protrusions.
3.) Pancakes and eggs are
A. Some kind of breakfast food.
B. One of the great pleasures in life.
C. I wouldn't know. I'm a vegan and only eat non-violently harvested soybeans.
4.) I would react to a non life-threatening injury of my friends by
A. Turning a funny color and passing out.
B. Rushing to his or her assistance with a first aid kit and the knowledge of how to apply.
C. Pointing and laughing.
5.) I am filling this out because
A. I fell off the jungle gym and wound up in here.
B. This keeps me from masturbating so much.
C. I like to endlessly tease Mike Blitch by crushing his hopes and fantasies like a kumquat.
D. I want to be the best damn token female camping chick I can be.
6.) I comfortably climb
A. The stairs at the mall
B. 5.09 or below
C. 5.10 or above
7.) I would describe my mental stability as
A. I'm fairly level headed.
B. Unfuckwithable.
C. Sometimes I watch you sleep.
D. "It puts the lotion in the basket!!!"
8.) I am fearful of
A. Heights.
B. Unusually large chipmunks.
C. Absolutely nothing, you pansy
9.) My mental acuity would best be described with the phrase
A. What does acuity mean? My favorite color is clear.
B. I'm gonna go to tech school to be a welder.
C. I's smart enough to read this here sentence.
D. I have a Masters degree or Ph.D and can school you into the ground, bitch!
10.) As far as Paris Hilton goes
A. She is my role model.
B. I want to slap her with her dead rat dog.
11.) One of my most defining characteristics is
A. My sense of humor.
B. My ability to push past minor discomfort and focus on the trail or task at hand
C. My addiction to crystal meth.
12. The craziest thing I've ever done on a scale of 1-10 would be_________. If "1" were to equal you walking around all day at the mall and not finding anything that fits, and if 10 were to equal you being in a cage fight with a wildabeast while rabid wolves are gnawing on your armpits.
13. My friends would describe my personality as:
A. Bubbly and sometimes a little air headed
B. Fun and witty
C. A tourettic homicidal maniac diagnosed with advanced delusional schizophrenia and involuntary narcissistic rage.
14. When someone mentions "The Great Outdoors" the first thing that comes to your mind is:
A. "Do they take credit cards?"
B. "I hope the showers and toilets are clean...there aren't going to be bugs are there?"
C. "Camping, and having a GREAT time with the coolestTampa
15. When it comes to drinking:
A. I only have a few...just enough to get a buzz and then I'm done.
B. I don't drink
C. Sometimes I wake up with puke all over my hair and rug burns on my knees.... thats about the time I notice that I'm in bed with 3 dudes, a chick, peanut butter everywhere, and I've got absolutely no clue where I'm at, My keys and purse are gone...and ironically so are my pants....Drinking rocks!
16. When it comes to cell phones I:
A. Had it surgically attached to my head
B. Answer it when it's someone important
C. Hate that godforsaken electronic object.
D. Just turn it on vibrate and write my number on all the bathroom stalls.
17. When it comes to drama...
A. My life is like a soap opera with a shiny smile
B. I hate my parents and the world. The army of darkness is upon us all.
C. Not too much...I try to stay away from it.
198. When it comes to smoking...
A. I do sometimes when I'm drunk
B. I have a free motorcycle and bedroom set from Marlboro.
C. If I smoke it's probably only because I was recently on fire.
19. My occupation is...
A. I am a goat herder.
B. I pay someone to take pictures of me and call myself a model.
C. I don't want to talk about my job.
D. Joe Redner is my sugar daddy.
E. Hurray student loans!
20. Clothing is
A. Recommended during business hours with a professional attitude while conveying comfort, and yet vitality, at evening events.
B. Used mainly to whisk away sweat and block UV rays.
C. Completely optional.
D. Mixed in a pile on the floor with everyone else's.
21. Children are
A. The joy of our lives and best hope for the future.
B. Able to carry 15% of their body weight in gear and food and heal quickly.
C. Best when they belong to others.
22. In terms of spontaneity, I
A. Keep an extra change of clothes in my car at all times
B. Need to check my calendar, ah yes, I can pencil you in for the afternoon of the 12th.
C. Give me 20 minutes and I'll be showered, packed, and already on the road. Tell me what we're doing later.
D. Talk to me next year or around retirement age.
23. In terms of knowledge regarding nature I
A. Can mimic the mating call of the bald eagle
B. Can usually tell the difference between flora and fauna and categorize by Kingdom.
C. It either comes in a box, the frozen section, or in the produce section of Publix.
D. Hey look, an adorable little bear cub, let's go get a closer picture with him. Hmm, where's mommy?
26. My navigation abilities would best be described as
A. I get calls from Garmin and Magellan looking for insight.
B. Know for sure the direction I'm heading just by looking at the sun in the early morning or late afternoon.
C. On Star!! Help!!
27. Nature is:
A. Best kept outdoors and viewed through a picture window.
B. The sole reason I exist and mother of my soul.
C. Ahhhh, get it off me, get it off me! Ahhhhhhhh.
1.) I would describe my physical appearance as
A. I'm hot.
B. I clean up real good.
C. I can barely see through my dreadlocks and am currently eating cold refried beans out of a can with a stick. Soap weighs too many ounces.
D. My mama says I sure do look purty.
2.) I would complain vocally if
A. I had a minor sunburn.
B. The incompetent cad at Starbucks made my expresso latte the wrong temperature.
C. Both my legs showed broken protrusions.
3.) Pancakes and eggs are
A. Some kind of breakfast food.
B. One of the great pleasures in life.
C. I wouldn't know. I'm a vegan and only eat non-violently harvested soybeans.
4.) I would react to a non life-threatening injury of my friends by
A. Turning a funny color and passing out.
B. Rushing to his or her assistance with a first aid kit and the knowledge of how to apply.
C. Pointing and laughing.
5.) I am filling this out because
A. I fell off the jungle gym and wound up in here.
B. This keeps me from masturbating so much.
C. I like to endlessly tease Mike Blitch by crushing his hopes and fantasies like a kumquat.
D. I want to be the best damn token female camping chick I can be.
6.) I comfortably climb
A. The stairs at the mall
B. 5.09 or below
C. 5.10 or above
7.) I would describe my mental stability as
A. I'm fairly level headed.
B. Unfuckwithable.
C. Sometimes I watch you sleep.
D. "It puts the lotion in the basket!!!"
8.) I am fearful of
A. Heights.
B. Unusually large chipmunks.
C. Absolutely nothing, you pansy
9.) My mental acuity would best be described with the phrase
A. What does acuity mean? My favorite color is clear.
B. I'm gonna go to tech school to be a welder.
C. I's smart enough to read this here sentence.
D. I have a Masters degree or Ph.D and can school you into the ground, bitch!
10.) As far as Paris Hilton goes
A. She is my role model.
B. I want to slap her with her dead rat dog.
11.) One of my most defining characteristics is
A. My sense of humor.
B. My ability to push past minor discomfort and focus on the trail or task at hand
C. My addiction to crystal meth.
12. The craziest thing I've ever done on a scale of 1-10 would be_________. If "1" were to equal you walking around all day at the mall and not finding anything that fits, and if 10 were to equal you being in a cage fight with a wildabeast while rabid wolves are gnawing on your armpits.
13. My friends would describe my personality as:
A. Bubbly and sometimes a little air headed
B. Fun and witty
C. A tourettic homicidal maniac diagnosed with advanced delusional schizophrenia and involuntary narcissistic rage.
14. When someone mentions "The Great Outdoors" the first thing that comes to your mind is:
A. "Do they take credit cards?"
B. "I hope the showers and toilets are clean...there aren't going to be bugs are there?"
C. "Camping, and having a GREAT time with the coolest
15. When it comes to drinking:
A. I only have a few...just enough to get a buzz and then I'm done.
B. I don't drink
C. Sometimes I wake up with puke all over my hair and rug burns on my knees.... thats about the time I notice that I'm in bed with 3 dudes, a chick, peanut butter everywhere, and I've got absolutely no clue where I'm at, My keys and purse are gone...and ironically so are my pants....Drinking rocks!
16. When it comes to cell phones I:
A. Had it surgically attached to my head
B. Answer it when it's someone important
C. Hate that godforsaken electronic object.
D. Just turn it on vibrate and write my number on all the bathroom stalls.
17. When it comes to drama...
A. My life is like a soap opera with a shiny smile
B. I hate my parents and the world. The army of darkness is upon us all.
C. Not too much...I try to stay away from it.
198. When it comes to smoking...
A. I do sometimes when I'm drunk
B. I have a free motorcycle and bedroom set from Marlboro.
C. If I smoke it's probably only because I was recently on fire.
19. My occupation is...
A. I am a goat herder.
B. I pay someone to take pictures of me and call myself a model.
C. I don't want to talk about my job.
D. Joe Redner is my sugar daddy.
E. Hurray student loans!
20. Clothing is
A. Recommended during business hours with a professional attitude while conveying comfort, and yet vitality, at evening events.
B. Used mainly to whisk away sweat and block UV rays.
C. Completely optional.
D. Mixed in a pile on the floor with everyone else's.
21. Children are
A. The joy of our lives and best hope for the future.
B. Able to carry 15% of their body weight in gear and food and heal quickly.
C. Best when they belong to others.
22. In terms of spontaneity, I
A. Keep an extra change of clothes in my car at all times
B. Need to check my calendar, ah yes, I can pencil you in for the afternoon of the 12th.
C. Give me 20 minutes and I'll be showered, packed, and already on the road. Tell me what we're doing later.
D. Talk to me next year or around retirement age.
23. In terms of knowledge regarding nature I
A. Can mimic the mating call of the bald eagle
B. Can usually tell the difference between flora and fauna and categorize by Kingdom.
C. It either comes in a box, the frozen section, or in the produce section of Publix.
D. Hey look, an adorable little bear cub, let's go get a closer picture with him. Hmm, where's mommy?
26. My navigation abilities would best be described as
A. I get calls from Garmin and Magellan looking for insight.
B. Know for sure the direction I'm heading just by looking at the sun in the early morning or late afternoon.
C. On Star!! Help!!
27. Nature is:
A. Best kept outdoors and viewed through a picture window.
B. The sole reason I exist and mother of my soul.
C. Ahhhh, get it off me, get it off me! Ahhhhhhhh.
28. Why do you want to apply?
A. I find you very attractive
B. You seem interesting
C. You're funny, even though looks aren't everything
D. I've evaluated many possibilities and you seem to have the best genetic makeup
29. My idea of a vacation is:
A. Driving to a local beach and sitting out in the sun all day with occasional toe-dippings into the water.
B. Flying to an exotic foreign beach and sitting out in the sun all day with occasional toe-dippings into the water.
C. Working hard all year so I can go out in the woods and pretend I am homeless for two weeks.
D. Sitting at home catching up on episodes of Hell's Kitchen and Desperate Housewives.
30. I'd say my level of ability to communicate is:
A. You better know what I am thinking/feeling at all times without any hints from me.
B. I prefer txting to actually talking since I am afraid of confrontation or any level of conversation.
C. If something bothers me, I'll let you know. If it continues to bother me, I'll actually continue to be forthright and sharing of my concerns.
D. Grunts and clicks reminiscent of pre-verbal societies.
31. I see my death as ....
A. Being alone in my bed surrounded by family or at least with my thoughts of a life well lived.
B. Seeing it coming and hoping as my life flashes before my eyes it is one hell of a highlight reel.
C. Being peaceful in my deep sleep like my grandad and not screaming like his passengers.
__________________X I agree that the above information is correct and promise to not let the truth get in the way of a good story..
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Love your enemies. It'll make 'em crazy and is in itself the best revenge.
If revenge is a dish best served cold, does that mean you should just give your enemy ice cream? That might solve a lot more hurt in this world.Monday, July 20, 2009
Carmen Sandiego, pick up the nearest white courtesy phone, please.
Friday, June 12, 2009
If the facts are against you, argue the law. If the law is against you, pound the table and yell like hell.
.... wishes his head and his heart would stop arguing with each other ... in fact would you both please SHUT UP!!!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Giving pause and reflection.
Thinking of those that lived and served and died for their country and for what they believed was right; from the front-line soldier, to the B-17 bombardiers, to the support staff and the giving families that supported them all.
A solemn Memorial Day appreciation.
A solemn Memorial Day appreciation.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Ever notice that even the busiest people are never too busy to tell you just how busy they are?
For Memorial Weekend I've decided to stay home and take care of various projects that need attention. In the past few years I'd spent the time at a campout in Atlanta, however with so many changes and updates, I just wasn't interested in a big trip anymore. I have been attending a lot more local, social events and have been able to meet a lot of new folks and even randomly run into people I hadn't seen in years. I went to most of these events not expecting to know anyone at all, but in each of them I've met someone I either knew or someone that personally knew another friend I had. I went to the Creative Loafing #Summertime party at Fly Bar last week after work and ran into someone I knew several years ago that was apparently working in their HR department and had a nice time catching up. Yesterday I attended an event at the Florida Aquarium and had someone walk up to ask a random question that turned out to be someone I knew in the USF SCUBA Club over 10 years ago. I am always amazed as to how small a world it can be and how small chances and opportunities can become grand adventures. It has been nice to get out and meet new folks and become aware of different activities and organizations in the area from meetup to emerge and even marketing events like the #summertime release party.
Instead of cookouts this weekend, however, I'm working on painting and repair projects on one of the rental homes. I was given the 30 day notice just two days before I left for Italy that 2/3s of the remaining tenants (the 4th having told me they were vacating in May a month ago) would be leaving Tampa after graduation at the end of May. So now I'm having to catch up on maintenance projects, painting, and such and try to market the place. "There ain't no sunshine when she's gone" but apparently when it rains it pours as evidence by the solid rain cover we've had for the last week.
Instead of cookouts this weekend, however, I'm working on painting and repair projects on one of the rental homes. I was given the 30 day notice just two days before I left for Italy that 2/3s of the remaining tenants (the 4th having told me they were vacating in May a month ago) would be leaving Tampa after graduation at the end of May. So now I'm having to catch up on maintenance projects, painting, and such and try to market the place. "There ain't no sunshine when she's gone" but apparently when it rains it pours as evidence by the solid rain cover we've had for the last week.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
In cyberspace, no one can hear you scream. UNLESS YOU TYPE LIKE THIS!!!
Sometimes I think that if I scream loud enough in my head that you will somehow hear me in yours.Monday, May 11, 2009
Am I turning into a "whys guy"? The whys of it all.
I've been traveling Italy for 2 weeks and as much as I have learned, I have additional questions.
Why is it always garbage day?
Why are the sirens so loud?
Why do you have to pay to use washrooms?
Why do you have to weigh your own fruit at the supermarkets?
Why are there 5 types of plums on the shelf but only two pictures of them on the scale's chart?
Why does everyone here smoke? (Did they not get the smoking will kill you memo? and they smoke everywhere too: inside, outside, in train stations, around babies, in restaurants...and so on)
Why do I still have to spend 5 minutes haggling down a price that I know the person buying the exact thing just before me got to pay?
Why do you not need a liquor license to sell alcohol here? (Or if you do need one, why are they so easy to get)
Why do art museums sell wine inside near priceless works of art, but not outside to those having to wait in line with nothing to do for 2 hours?
Why am I always hungry?
Why is everyone trying to scam everyone here with counterfeit bags?
Why aren't there any people out there trying to make the honest buck?
Why is my hostel always a converted convent, hospital, or insane asylum?
Why are fries called chips and chips called crisps?
Why were the kiosks near the Colosseum trying to sell me Coke for 4 euro and nearly convince me it was a good deal?
Why are there thousands of people trying to sell umbrellas and other useless stuff like noise makers, light up cubes, and small camera tripods?
Why does the tour at the Colosseum cost more than the entrance fee? Are they fighting lions or where's the money going?
Why am I on the other side of the world and only able to think about one thing?
Why is it then when I see the Colosseum the first question that comes into my head is 'when am I gonna get to see Gladiator again'?
Why am I so angry all the time (answer: see questions above)?
Why are there pigeons all over the place?
Why don't they sell Fanta in Florida?
Why don't they sell Zephyrhills natural spring water in Europe?
Why, when I feel depressed, is it that thinking about taking photographs or editing my shots the only thing that cheers me up?
Why are the scooters so loud?
Seriously, why is it ALWAYS GARBAGE DAY???
Why is it always garbage day?
Why are the sirens so loud?
Why do you have to pay to use washrooms?
Why do you have to weigh your own fruit at the supermarkets?
Why are there 5 types of plums on the shelf but only two pictures of them on the scale's chart?
Why does everyone here smoke? (Did they not get the smoking will kill you memo? and they smoke everywhere too: inside, outside, in train stations, around babies, in restaurants...and so on)
Why do I still have to spend 5 minutes haggling down a price that I know the person buying the exact thing just before me got to pay?
Why do you not need a liquor license to sell alcohol here? (Or if you do need one, why are they so easy to get)
Why do art museums sell wine inside near priceless works of art, but not outside to those having to wait in line with nothing to do for 2 hours?
Why am I always hungry?
Why is everyone trying to scam everyone here with counterfeit bags?
Why aren't there any people out there trying to make the honest buck?
Why is my hostel always a converted convent, hospital, or insane asylum?
Why are fries called chips and chips called crisps?
Why were the kiosks near the Colosseum trying to sell me Coke for 4 euro and nearly convince me it was a good deal?
Why are there thousands of people trying to sell umbrellas and other useless stuff like noise makers, light up cubes, and small camera tripods?
Why does the tour at the Colosseum cost more than the entrance fee? Are they fighting lions or where's the money going?
Why am I on the other side of the world and only able to think about one thing?
Why is it then when I see the Colosseum the first question that comes into my head is 'when am I gonna get to see Gladiator again'?
Why am I so angry all the time (answer: see questions above)?
Why are there pigeons all over the place?
Why don't they sell Fanta in Florida?
Why don't they sell Zephyrhills natural spring water in Europe?
Why, when I feel depressed, is it that thinking about taking photographs or editing my shots the only thing that cheers me up?
Why are the scooters so loud?
Seriously, why is it ALWAYS GARBAGE DAY???
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
The ingredients are guaranteed to outlast the packaging.
I was at Costco recently to pick up some stuff and while browsing the aisles saw seemed to be an ironic product. It was labeled as being a plastic package opener and touted the line "Never struggle with plastic packages again!". One would expect that purchasing this product would make opening packages easier, however the item itself is in a hard, clam shell molded plastic package that has no easy means of opening! I think this would definitely be an incongruity between the actual result and the normal or expected result. Amazon announced yesterday a line of 'frustration-free packaging'. Retailers usually demand that manufactures make these large packages for small items (e.g. memory cards, CDs, small electronics) to reduce the ease of shoplifting. Since Amazon.com does not tend to have this kind of a problem and having a fair amount of marketing/retail muscle itself is trying to get manufactures to really reduce the amount of materials needed. Amazon itself has been faulted in the past for using large boxes with a pile of air-filled plastics sacs to ship small items, though in some defense there can be an economical factor regarding stocking only a few standard sizes of boxes whereas multiple sets would increase handling costs to a degree much higher than the postage saved.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Corn oil is from corn, whale oil is from whales, baby oil... Naaa
I was working at the office a bit yesterday in the parking lot when a small car pulled in reeking of smoke. A kid and his friend came out, popped the hood, and started staring at the engine, so I walked over to see what the issue may be. I looked around and saw some burned areas on the metal as well as smelled unmistakable burned oil. My first guess was a gasket had blown and oil was getting into the combustion chamber or the engine had thrown a rod. Dr. Cox, the tenant in the other building happened to be there and looked at the oil dipstick and mentioned it was strange that oil was all the way up the rod and maybe it was splashing out. He wiped it down, returned it, and then checked again and the same result. The oil wasn't part way up the indicator, it was most of the way up the rod itself. The kid was extremely confused and said "I just added a jug of oil today, I don't see why there would be a problem." I asked him how much oil he added and he said "you know, a full jug" to which I tried to clarify if he meant one of the quart containers. No, apparently it was one of the full containers, about 5 quarts. I was a bit surprised and said "This is a small engine and probably take 3 quarts max, you have to be careful when you change the oil and check it as you add to be sure you don't go over. You're probably have oil splashing out of the dipstick and burning on the hot engine,", to which he added "what do you mean 'change'? Where do you do that?" Apparently he never drained the old oil and simply added new oil. The 3 quart capacity engine probably had 6-8 quarts of oil in it which might have even lead to a blown gasket. This kid didn't seem to understand that the engine doesn't consume/combust/burn oil; it merely lubricates moving parts in a sealed system. On top of all that he mentioned that he was on his way to sell the vehicle, so I hope the potential buyer was smart enough to have it checked out or especially be wary of the burning smell that'll be impossibly to completely remove now.I am constantly surprised by people who will spend 5-9 months of full, untaxed salary for a complex mechanism and not take an hour to go through a manual that explains the critical systems. They'll spend hundreds more on stereos and new rims, not not even try to comprehend how the system works. I tried the help the kid and send him on hiw way, but I wonder if this will be chaulked up as "oh well" or will actually be a learning experience.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Remember when Potato had an 'E' and we had lower taxes?
Here is a rant I shared with a certain someone a few weeks ago in all humor;
"Don't forget it is also plant day of death. Is it strange on one national day (i.e. Arbor Day) we recognize the importance of planting things and on another day millions of dollars are spent to kill them only to watch them die over the next week? Roses only last like a couple weeks and that's if you leave them in water and then they really only exist to be pretty. So that is like saying "My love for you is transitory and based solely on your appearance".
But a potato! Potatoes last for frigging ever, man. In fact, not only will they not rot, they actually grow stuff even if you just leave them in the sack. That part alone makes it a good symbol! But there is more! There are so many ways to enjoy a potato, mashed, crinkle cut, waffle cut, baked, etc! You can even make a battery with the damn thing and that's like saying "I have many ways in which I show my love for you". Potatoes may be ugly, but they're still awesome so that's like saying 'it doesn't matter at all what you look like, I'll still love you'."
I awoke this morning to a bouquet of potatoes on the kitchen counter. That's right, a literal bouquet of potatoes.
Boys, eat your heart out.
But a potato! Potatoes last for frigging ever, man. In fact, not only will they not rot, they actually grow stuff even if you just leave them in the sack. That part alone makes it a good symbol! But there is more! There are so many ways to enjoy a potato, mashed, crinkle cut, waffle cut, baked, etc! You can even make a battery with the damn thing and that's like saying "I have many ways in which I show my love for you". Potatoes may be ugly, but they're still awesome so that's like saying 'it doesn't matter at all what you look like, I'll still love you'."
Boys, eat your heart out.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
I'm not ungrammatical - I'm pedantically challenged.
How is this for a grammatically correct sentence?"Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo"Basically it is saying; That buffalo from Buffalo who are intimidated by other buffalo from Buffalo themselves intimidate other buffalo from Buffalo. Got it?
Kind of reminds me of when Cliff is seated at the bar describing the Buffalo Theory to his buddy, Norm.
“Well you see, Norm, it’s like this… A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.
In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Now, as we know, excessive intake of alcohol kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster more efficient machine. And that, Norm, is why you always feel smarter after a few beers.”
Why do such things amuse me?
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
If you bang two diamonds together in rhythm, do you get hard rock music?
Perusing Digg today, I saw a link to an article about diamonds used for engagements. Ah, this traditional (though not even 80 years old) method of showing devotion, sacrifice, and eternal love (though most marriages end in divorce). If it honestly means that much to you on a personal level, then more power to you, but to me things like this often seem to just be to show off, usually to people that just don't care. Prior to the De Beers marketing campaign, engagement rings had no one particular stone associated with them. When I see a huge ring on someone, I'm not impressed by the level of commitment on the part of the man, I think "what a waste of financial resources". That amount of money put into a ring could have been used for the home, vacation/honeymoon, child's education, or hell, even a new plasma television. I would bet anything that the couple would spend more time staring at the plasma TV in the first week of ownership than they would at the ring their entire lives.People don't consider the economic opportunity cost that diamond sucks up. It isn't an investment, no jeweler above the level of the corner store pawn shop will purchase a diamond at any where near the 'worth' because they want to perpetuate selling them at such a high price and keeping the cost artificially high. A $3000 diamond (assuming you can pay it all off at once and not finance it at high interest rates) over 20 years at just 5% would be worth over $8,000 if interest is just compounded annually. That ring certainly wouldn't be worth that much then, and I don't even think you could sell it for even what you paid when purchased. I just dislike how everyone seems to think that it is expected behavior and anything less somehow signifies that the guy is somehow lacking or unworthy. I must give credit to one of the longest lasting and most effective marketing campaigns ever, for that is all that it is; marketing.
An ounce of sense would seem to dictate that unless money is already falling out of the pockets that one actually just invest the money spent on a lavish ring and wedding by purchasing a home or even use it on some future vacations that would inevitably be a lot more worth it throughout the years as a means to get away and enjoy each other. How many people say they cannot afford to travel, however do not even realize that the trinket worn on the finger could have funded a couple of grand trips if planned well enough? Withing a marriage, women often enough seem to hope for equitably divided responsibilities such as housework, child-rearing, and income through career, however the engagement ring ironic falls well outside this consideration.
http://www.slate.com/id/2167870/pagenum/all/#page_start
Friday, June 08, 2007
Customer to sales clerk: "You're overhead, I'm profit"
I recently ordered a laptop for the office and because the ship date was longer than expected and since I needed a unit, I had to call to cancel. Wouldn't you know it, but the morning I am going to contact them, I get a shipping notification from Dell. I still decided to try for a return since I already had other arrangements made. I called Dell and was able to, surprisingly, cancel the order with very little hassle. Because of the excellent experience, I decided to send an email through their website praising the customer service rep. Here is a copy of what I sent;
"I just wanted to comment on the customer care I received this morning for a call. I had called to cancel an order and was prepared for a drawn out conversation of miscommunication and script reading, however I was quite pleasantly surprised at the experience. The customer rep was quite knowledgeable, easy to understand (very important to me) and extremely courteous. She assisted me through every step and shared several options that I had not considered. Over the years I have become increasing frustrated with customer service phone calls as they are outsourced to other countries where all the person can do is typically read from a script and they have little ability to get things done on their own.
The person with whom I had contact was kirsten_baumann@dell.com It is experience like this that will make me much more likely to confine my orders to Dell in the future with the understanding should the need arise, I will be able to get the same level of care."
This evening I received the following response;
"Dear Mr. Blitch:
Thank you for contacting Dell. I'm sorry to hear that you previous interaction with us was not to your satisfaction. Please be assured that your satisfaction is of utmost importance to us and I will work with you till everything is resolved.
As per Dell records Isee that you had requested to setup a return request for the Inspiron Laptop for the order number 68716###. I will provide you with the required information.
Mr. Blitch, we realize the key to our success lies in providing outstanding customer satisfaction. It is input from our customers that help us to evaluate our performance. We hope you will give us the opportunity to serve you again in the way you deserve. Again, we are sorry that you experienced these difficulties, and we hope that we can restore your faith in Dell.
Thank you for choosing Dell."
Right now I am amazed as to how quickly Dell was able to turn a great experience concerning customer service to one that is now quite negative. Their message was the antithesis of what I was attempting to convey. The person with whom I spoke actually gave me personalized response, understood what I was saying, and could communicate. Whomever answered what was supposed to be a positive message in support of Dell has NONE of those qualities and could not seemingly comprehend anything I was trying to say. All they did was provide scripted responses by cutting and pasting or choosing from some pull down menu responses. Even my praise is being shipped overseas and outsourced.
Update: (6/9/07)
I sent a response to the message above that I received from Dell outlining my dismay.
"Did you even comprehend the message I sent in the least? You personally just turned a great experience into a bad one. Your message was the antithesis of what I was saying. The person with whom I spoke actually gave me personalized response, understood what I was saying, and could communicate. Whomever answered what was supposed to be a message in support of Dell has NONE of those qualities. All you did was provide scripted responses by cutting and pasting. It would have been so much better if you just accepted the compliment and let it be, however someone even my praise is being shipped overseas."
In response, I received the following.
"I am the case manager at customer care.
I sincerely apologize that my agent could not comprehend your email in the last interaction you had. I will certainly provide you the required information.
Mr. Blitch. I will certainly forward your valuable feedback to the agent who has resolved your concern. At the same time I will also ensure required feedback to my agent who could not comprehend your email. Your feedback has and will continue to be considered in our ongoing endeavors to improve services. I truly believe that anything less is completely unacceptable. We take this information very seriously and will move to take immediate corrective action.
Once again, I apologize and truly regret any inconvenience or frustration this matter may have caused. If you need any additional information, or have any other questions, please feel free to reply to my email. I will ensure that all of your questions are answered.
Thank you for choosing Dell.
Sadanand_K"
The response was nearly the same as before, broken English that is difficult to understand and seemingly additional canned responses. Who actually ever says "I will certainly provide you the required information"?, especially when sent by two different people. Even my complaint of their handling my praise is getting either scripted responses, I am dealing with the same person pretending to be other people, or they are wholly unimaginative.
I understand the need to save money and reducing labor costs, but I feel this behavior is driving away the American consumer. I do not need this kind of aggravation when I am trying to give someone my business.
"I just wanted to comment on the customer care I received this morning for a call. I had called to cancel an order and was prepared for a drawn out conversation of miscommunication and script reading, however I was quite pleasantly surprised at the experience. The customer rep was quite knowledgeable, easy to understand (very important to me) and extremely courteous. She assisted me through every step and shared several options that I had not considered. Over the years I have become increasing frustrated with customer service phone calls as they are outsourced to other countries where all the person can do is typically read from a script and they have little ability to get things done on their own.
The person with whom I had contact was kirsten_baumann@dell.com It is experience like this that will make me much more likely to confine my orders to Dell in the future with the understanding should the need arise, I will be able to get the same level of care."
This evening I received the following response;
"Dear Mr. Blitch:
Thank you for contacting Dell. I'm sorry to hear that you previous interaction with us was not to your satisfaction. Please be assured that your satisfaction is of utmost importance to us and I will work with you till everything is resolved.
As per Dell records Isee that you had requested to setup a return request for the Inspiron Laptop for the order number 68716###. I will provide you with the required information.
Mr. Blitch, we realize the key to our success lies in providing outstanding customer satisfaction. It is input from our customers that help us to evaluate our performance. We hope you will give us the opportunity to serve you again in the way you deserve. Again, we are sorry that you experienced these difficulties, and we hope that we can restore your faith in Dell.
Thank you for choosing Dell."
Right now I am amazed as to how quickly Dell was able to turn a great experience concerning customer service to one that is now quite negative. Their message was the antithesis of what I was attempting to convey. The person with whom I spoke actually gave me personalized response, understood what I was saying, and could communicate. Whomever answered what was supposed to be a positive message in support of Dell has NONE of those qualities and could not seemingly comprehend anything I was trying to say. All they did was provide scripted responses by cutting and pasting or choosing from some pull down menu responses. Even my praise is being shipped overseas and outsourced.
Update: (6/9/07)
I sent a response to the message above that I received from Dell outlining my dismay.
"Did you even comprehend the message I sent in the least? You personally just turned a great experience into a bad one. Your message was the antithesis of what I was saying. The person with whom I spoke actually gave me personalized response, understood what I was saying, and could communicate. Whomever answered what was supposed to be a message in support of Dell has NONE of those qualities. All you did was provide scripted responses by cutting and pasting. It would have been so much better if you just accepted the compliment and let it be, however someone even my praise is being shipped overseas."
In response, I received the following.
"I am the case manager at customer care.
I sincerely apologize that my agent could not comprehend your email in the last interaction you had. I will certainly provide you the required information.
Mr. Blitch. I will certainly forward your valuable feedback to the agent who has resolved your concern. At the same time I will also ensure required feedback to my agent who could not comprehend your email. Your feedback has and will continue to be considered in our ongoing endeavors to improve services. I truly believe that anything less is completely unacceptable. We take this information very seriously and will move to take immediate corrective action.
Once again, I apologize and truly regret any inconvenience or frustration this matter may have caused. If you need any additional information, or have any other questions, please feel free to reply to my email. I will ensure that all of your questions are answered.
Thank you for choosing Dell.
Sadanand_K"
The response was nearly the same as before, broken English that is difficult to understand and seemingly additional canned responses. Who actually ever says "I will certainly provide you the required information"?, especially when sent by two different people. Even my complaint of their handling my praise is getting either scripted responses, I am dealing with the same person pretending to be other people, or they are wholly unimaginative.
I understand the need to save money and reducing labor costs, but I feel this behavior is driving away the American consumer. I do not need this kind of aggravation when I am trying to give someone my business.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
1000 Places to See Before you Die. Bleh
For a few months I had seen promos (excellent lead in commercials for it BTW on a marketing standpoint) for a Travel Channel / Discovery Channel series '1000 Places to See Before You Die' that borrowed from the premise of the book by the same name. I was especially interested since it was being broadcast on Discovery HD so that I would really get to see some quality pictures. The concept was great, however the execution has been quite disappointing.
Apparently some newlywed couple, 'The Ulles', was chosen for this 14 week trip and I do not think they could have found any any less energetic or vapid set of people. The host female is one of the most lackluster people I have seen on TV. She seems the only-go-to-college-to-find-a-husband kind of person as conveyed in the movie 'Mona Lisa Smiles' and has absolutely no ambition. The only thing typically out of her mouth in every episode is 'wow' or 'I cannot believe that ...' and it seems they had done absolutely no research regarding any site they visited. Maybe the producers wanted them to first learn of things as they are experiencing it, but it makes them seem more ignorant than anything else. It feels like watching a pair of sorority and fraternity rejets. Clothing is a typical style of 'fashion' expected from a rich background and worn without thought as to local custom (such as shorts in middle India). Neither are up to attempting anything outside of their norm. Even the comments they have on the website 'photos' is extremely dumbed down and even idiotic.
I had hoped it would involve more information about the interesting sights around each region, not just the big hotels and contact plugs. The Paris show spent a good bit of the time involving their learning how to ride a Segway while Venice had them playing with pigeons in the park, ignoring the Louvre, museums, or other such sites. I hope the Discovery Channel really places more thought on the kind of person they get to host futures shows. I am sure it was a great opportunity for this couple, however they just seemed to have squandered it with a lack of consideration, knowledge, and personality. They honestly seem to be more interested in showing off and looking good than in having any real sense of adventure.
I had looked forward to the show as a means of reviews sites that I might someday like to visit, but it is just too uncomfortable to watch. I really do not hope that there really are that many people out there like these two.
Again, cool concept, horrible execution. Yeah, I'm a bit moody this week. A lot happening on several fronts. at least I'm looking forward to the potential opportunity of seeing the shuttle lauch from Cape Canaveral on Friday if I can get everything I need completed.
Apparently some newlywed couple, 'The Ulles', was chosen for this 14 week trip and I do not think they could have found any any less energetic or vapid set of people. The host female is one of the most lackluster people I have seen on TV. She seems the only-go-to-college-to-find-a-husband kind of person as conveyed in the movie 'Mona Lisa Smiles' and has absolutely no ambition. The only thing typically out of her mouth in every episode is 'wow' or 'I cannot believe that ...' and it seems they had done absolutely no research regarding any site they visited. Maybe the producers wanted them to first learn of things as they are experiencing it, but it makes them seem more ignorant than anything else. It feels like watching a pair of sorority and fraternity rejets. Clothing is a typical style of 'fashion' expected from a rich background and worn without thought as to local custom (such as shorts in middle India). Neither are up to attempting anything outside of their norm. Even the comments they have on the website 'photos' is extremely dumbed down and even idiotic.
I had hoped it would involve more information about the interesting sights around each region, not just the big hotels and contact plugs. The Paris show spent a good bit of the time involving their learning how to ride a Segway while Venice had them playing with pigeons in the park, ignoring the Louvre, museums, or other such sites. I hope the Discovery Channel really places more thought on the kind of person they get to host futures shows. I am sure it was a great opportunity for this couple, however they just seemed to have squandered it with a lack of consideration, knowledge, and personality. They honestly seem to be more interested in showing off and looking good than in having any real sense of adventure.
I had looked forward to the show as a means of reviews sites that I might someday like to visit, but it is just too uncomfortable to watch. I really do not hope that there really are that many people out there like these two.
Again, cool concept, horrible execution. Yeah, I'm a bit moody this week. A lot happening on several fronts. at least I'm looking forward to the potential opportunity of seeing the shuttle lauch from Cape Canaveral on Friday if I can get everything I need completed.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Day of the equaliux.
We have have reached the spring equinox (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernal_equinox). Contrary to some belief, this is not the only time of the year that one may balance an egg on its end (http://www.snopes.com/science/equinox.asp). This also marks the day when daylight outlasts darkness. When combined with the new time change, there seems to be more available time to enjoy things outside. By convention, equiluxes are the days, occurring twice a year, where sunrise and sunset are closest to being exactly twelve hours apart.I've been busy over the past week working at the office on several emergency issues that came up as well as planning for various trips; Everglades this weekend and my big annual 3 week trip to the western National Parks in June/July. Right now I'm planing on hitting Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Zion, and maybe Arches National Parks, so it should be an incredible adventure. I still have to start organizing the Australia/New Zealand trip for next year. I previously thought I could do what I wanted in about 3 weeks total, but I might need to expand that a bit since I now want to do at least two full weeks in New Zealand, a couple of days in Sydney, 3 day train ride across to Perth for the 4 day hash, and then hit Cains for 3-5 days on a SCUBA liveaboard trip to the Great Barrier reef.
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