Cyber bullying - what causes a person to become a bully? This attached article is about bullies bullying authors via Amazon book reviews as well as on the "GoodReads" book review social media site. You might want to read it before reading the rest of this posting, in order to better understand where I'm coming from. I wonder if their spouses or significant others know that they do this? I wonder … [Read more...]
Archives for 2016
Doug McColman – still in care facility.
May 15, 2016 By
I recently wrote to Doug McColman's brother Don. Don indicated Doug is still at Texas Terrace...and is now getting over a bout with pneumonia. You may remember Doug had a stroke/heart attack in early Sept. and then a second one in late September. Since October, he's been in a care facility called "Texas Terrace Care Center", located at 7900 West 28th street, in Saint Louis Park [55426] Please … [Read more...]
“ABOMINATIONS” – Franklin Graham
May 14, 2016 By
"Abomination" I so much dislike that word. As in: "Deuteronomy chapter 22 verse 5. Read your bible everyone. The whole transgender issue is an abomination in the eyes of God." Someone who I love with all my heart recently "liked" the above FB posting quote. -- I moved away from my hometown when I was just twenty four, and therefore, have not been a part of this person's life since that time. … [Read more...]
Tolerance
May 14, 2016 By
To say the very least, this isn't the typical fare I share. I'm not as you all know, a bible thumper. But, I'm in the middle of writing a blog post that I'll be sharing later today/tonight and this particular article I'm sharing now goes pretty much hand in hand. Acceptance. Tolerance. Love. Leave "Hate" at the door. Original blog post … [Read more...]
Picking up the Cap and Gown
May 13, 2016 By
Going to U/Saint Thomas, to pick up the Cap and Gown, etc. Been more than a few months (December) since I was last on campus. I'm not an easily excitable guy, but I'm getting "Kinda excited" right about now. [Wish my mom was around to watch the graduation ceremony.] … [Read more...]
Photos and Film
May 12, 2016 By
Before i started working on the stuff i have to do today, i wanted to share the following: I have four "rolls of film", sitting on my desk, they're been sitting around for about ten years now (at least). And, two more rolls with the film leader sticking out - i can't tell whether those two rolls were never used, OR, if I (partially) used them but didn't rewind the leader in "all the way" in order … [Read more...]
Dream job??
May 12, 2016 By
I have had a long and successful and diverse career in software development and IT, encompassing more than thirty five years. I wouldn't trade my chosen career for anything. Wouldn't trade it for the world. But, with that said, here are my latest "dream jobs": Orchestra conductor Hollywood film composer Musician in a (successful) Latin Jazz Big Band Software development instructor at the … [Read more...]
Job hunting and Cincinnatti
May 12, 2016 By
yeah, well, i guess i can now share this with all of you. Two weeks ago, a bank flew me out to Cincinnati for a day long job interview (five interviews with five people). Just got the rejection letter after getting home from my U/Saint Thomas errand. It was the same type of software development I did while at USPS and at my final position at Unisys. They chose the other candidate. It would have … [Read more...]
Reading Stephen King’s “11/22/1963”
May 12, 2016 By
As most (if not all) of you know, I'm a huge book reader, have been since at least sixth grade. In high school, I started reading Stephen King and really enjoyed his stuff, and read several of his thousand page novels during that time. Eventually my tastes changed (having stopped reading Mr. King), and started reading mysteries, and other stuff, but also started reading Tom Clancy's 1,000 page … [Read more...]
Memory about the Avalanche “accident”
May 11, 2016 By
t's been a year since my (parked) truck was plowed in by that young girl... Never took the (positive) action I was thinking about taking with regard to the girl that hit the truck. Sincerely hope her life is going better for her than it was a year ago. I've re-read all the comments this post (from a year ago) generated. A lot of you gave me such great feedback, with much to think about. I'm … [Read more...]
Listening to music
May 11, 2016 By
For the most part, I don't listen (much) to Piano music. Sometimes, it's a bit "too slow" for me. However, today, we're listening to music from a disk called "100 Best Film Classics" - this is disc four of a six CD set I received last year via a donation to MPR (MN Public Radio). After listening to this CD, it seems to be mostly piano music - some piano solo's and some with orchestra … [Read more...]
Recruiters and their emails…
May 11, 2016 By
Last week, I received THE shortest job recruiting email I've ever received in my recent experience: "Is this you? • Unisys Clearpath MCP • Database Programming experience • WFL experience • Algol programming experience" ...ending with his name, his title: "IT Recruiter, Division Director, AVP Permanent Placement Services", his recruiting company name ("Robert Half Technology"), and his … [Read more...]
Chocolate…
May 11, 2016 By
Really productive morning/afternoon, but really need some CHOCOLATE now! Don't have any in the house. Must. Go. Out. And. Get. Some. … [Read more...]
Star Trek, Red Shirts, and Lailah
May 10, 2016 By
Almost every episode, a Federation "red shirt" from the Enterprise would somehow be killed, and Bones (Dr. McCoy) would be kneeling by the guy, checking his pulse, then while looking up at Kirk, say the words: "He's dead, Jim". (It really was like clock work) [I taught this phrase to Lailah more than a year ago, and she still says it to me, knowing i will laugh and laugh when she says it.] … [Read more...]
Snow…
February 28, 2016 By
I really, really don't pay much attention to the weather. But, yesterday, I'm told the Twin Cities hit an all time record "high" for the day at being 56 degrees, which is a bit amazing since it's usually in the twenties/thirties. So, I woke up to 99% no snow on the ground, with only a couple of mounds near the street sidewalk. I look outside a few hours later (it sounded like it had been … [Read more...]
IBM Robots, Carrie Fisher, and Watson
February 28, 2016 By
This, made my day (ok, not really, but it's pretty funny!) … [Read more...]
Academy Awards: Joe Biden, and his Special Announcement.
February 28, 2016 By
"Take the pledge and make a personal commitment to help keep women and men safe from sexual assault." THE PLEDGE This pledge is a personal commitment to help keep women and men safe from sexual assault. It is a promise not to be a bystander to the problem, but to be a part of the solution. I PLEDGE To recognize that non-consensual sex is sexual assault. To identify situations in … [Read more...]
Academy Awards #2
February 28, 2016 By
Sam Smith, winning for "Best Original Song" "...making him the first openly gay man to win an Academy Award." About. Time. … [Read more...]
Academy Awards #1
February 28, 2016 By
Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio. Great. Speech. … [Read more...]
What’s on my mind?
February 27, 2016 By
Sitting here, staring at FaceBook's "what's on your mind?" question. Trying to find the right words for when you get a phone call out of the blue, and it's a special someone, and, you find yourself laughing at almost everything they're sharing with you since the last time you spoke with them. I think the words I'm looking for are: Thank you, Elyse Koerber, for making me laugh … [Read more...]
