I visited a small city in Russia a few years ago. It’s really not that small. Formerly Stalingrad, now Volgograd, it’s a city where history lives just down the street from my good friend Vitaly (and a million or so others). I met Vitaly on a trip there with a all-volunteer orchestra from the US. Vitaly and I hit it off quickly. He knew English well enough and had a neat sense of humor. He is a taxi van driver and the pastor of a small church there. He gets paid by doing the former so that he can help others doing the latter.
So we’ve been keeping in touch via email regularly. I got to visit him again last year when I visited Moscow, Tomsk (Siberia), and Volgograd performing with a big band jazz group. This is one of those friendships that just picked up again as if I had only gone down the street for some groceries. He tells me his English is good but he always confuses kitchen and chicken in translation.
I sent him an email asking if he’s experienced the same kind of thing I had where weeks go by and the time in between vanished as if stolen by a thief. He responded well.
You said interesting thing about time. It is true. It is difficult to understand that every minute or hour which God gave us costs “very expensive”, and we shall to spend it very very wise. I pray to God about that regular. Life is short, pray hard.
Such truth from halfway around the world. I look forward to visiting him again next year as our family plans a trip around the world with stops in Moscow, Volgograd, and then Taipei. And don’t you forget to visit the online destination called Watercooler Wednesday each week at Ethos.
July 29, 2008 at 7:11 am · Filed under Travel, food
Several years back I was in San Diego for a convention. I happened to visit one of my favorite restaurants: Croce’s Restaurant & Jazz Bar. Croce’s was named after Jim Croce of “Time in a bottle” fame. The place has great food and awesome music (I actually played there one night when I lived in San Diego). So I’m eating dinner there with friends and I take a picture of my food because it was like artwork in how it was presented. Using my camera phone I posted it to my blog.
Recently, Schmap.com informed me that my picture was selected as a finalist for their upcoming Favorite Restaurants section for Croce’s. Didn’t think anything of it. Then yesterday I got word that they selected my picture as “the one” they would use. So you can see it on the Schmap’s website for San Diego. If you are in San Diego and you visit the Gaslamp area, Croce’s is on 5th.
Moving into the country means connectivity limitations. In some cases. Although I’ve got a Franklin mailing address, I’m not exactly in the city limits anymore. For example there is no comcast out my way. I’ve never had comcast and I’ve heard few good things about them. So no loss there. DirecTV is in since I’ve got a decent view of the southern sky. So then the question is what to do about high speed internet? When we moved we decided we weren’t going to have a home phone anymore. Mobile phones would be it. Couple things come up in this scenario. The options are limited with internet connectivity. And what happens if our sitter has to call 911 for some reason?
Problem solved: AT&T has a DSL version for home use if you don’t have a traditional phone plan. You won’t find it on the main site under standard options either. It’s called FastAccess DSL Direct and you’ll have to actually speak to someone to sign up for it. I’ve got a link for it here. There are a couple of versions to choose from, however I’ve got the lowest speed version which is 768k and it’s plenty fast enough. With DSL Direct there are no FCC, 911, or other taxes charged so your bill is a flat rate $19.95 a month. And setup was a breeze. Even with a Linksys router configured for wireless throughout the house.
What’s more is that you can hook up a landline phone to the system and it will accept outgoing calls to 911. So you get the best of both worlds. No home phone but still get 911. High speed internet too. Plus there is a good chance of getting a better deal on your cable or other digital TV service without having to bundle things.
I know… I know… you’re thinking what qualifications do I have to be President of the US. What does it matter as long as I have a good PR person. Also, on the military side, I’ve been in hostile territory on a submarine mission. That counts for something. So check out this news release that just came out on the local cable station.
So remember to vote for me in November. I should be up around 0.01% by then if my wife and kids are around to answer the poll questions.
I’ve been friends with Dan Merriam since high school. He was a few years older than me. I remember early on he was one of those guys who could draw/paint anything. During the first few years of college we were roommates in Naples, Maine as he was just beginning to move into the professional world of transparent watercolor. Our family has many of his originals from the very early days.
As time passed, Dan was recognized and heralded by many in the art world as a creative genius in the art of contemporary surrealism and transparent watercolor. He wrote a book chronicling his path called The Art of Daniel Merriam: The Impetus of Dreams. I’ve got this painting below called Cat’s Cradle at my home. Each painting is filled with so many pieces that you can literally stare for hours and never fully see everything.
I receive Dan Miller’s 48 Days email newsletter each week. He is a wonderful communicator focusing on the message of going for your dreams as it relates to your occupation. He often prompts us to try new things and get out of ruts that we so often get stuck in. His latest book “No More Mondays: Fire Yourself — and Other Revolutionary Ways to Discover Your True Calling at Work“, is great. This week his newsletter contained an old and familiar line from Old McDonald’s farm. Instead of cows and chickens, Dan share’s some neat tips about how to engage people when you write, speak, or even while you’re at work. Using EIEIO, you get the following:
(E) - Entertain
(I) - Inspire
(E) - Educate
(I) - Inform
(O) - Outrage
Says Dan:
I see so many people and companies speak or write without including any of these elements. They tell people their personal story or the features of their new product. All the while, their customers, coworkers and bosses are waiting for something that will Entertain, Inspire, Educate, Inform or Outrage them. If you’re trying to move up - just follow Old McDonald’s formula. You’ll be amazed at the success you’ll unleash.
July 14, 2008 at 5:15 pm · Filed under History, People
We’ve been watching the HBO miniseries on John Adams life. Man, times were tough back then. John had a strong personality and had to persuade much of the continental congress that independence was the right thing. It was uphill all the way. He had some great quotes which I provide here.
We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other.
Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.
But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.
I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.
and perhaps my favorite…
In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress.
Caught this picture from my front steps. We had an amazing light show without the rain as the heavy stuff just passed over downtown Nashville initially. Rains came later, but the sky lit up in many beautiful colors.
Curious about some of the fast food you eat and whether there’s any difference between Mickey D’s and BK. Go HERE and do the Eat This, Not That game. You’ll be amazed at what you don’t know about the foods you eat.
I’ve changed my eating habits based on a book by the editor of Men’s Health called The Abs Diet. I’ve lost about 20 lbs with a combination of better eating and strength/cardio training. The interesting thing about the “diet” is that it’s not really a diet. It’s selective eating. I’m eating pretty much the same as before, it’s just that I’ve stopped eating foods and drinks with some very specific ingredients:
Any food with “partially hydrogenated oils” of any kind are out
Any food with “High Fructose Corn Syrup” are out
Soda’s are about 90% out - even the diet ones. They are only treats now.
Any food that has > 0% trans fats
Any high sodium foods are out
Refined sugars are out
Getting rid of some of these food additives means you’ll feel better during the day and be more awake come that 2 pm afternoon doze time.
Some of my favorite foods come from Kashi Foods which you can get at you local supermarket. I bought a set of free weight dumbbells and a basic bench for home. Rowing machine. No gym membership yet. All before 6:30 am. I feel great.
I visited a small city in Russia a few years ago. It’s really not that small. Formerly Stalingrad, now Volgograd, it’s a city where history lives just down the street from my good friend Vitaly (and a million or so others). I met Vitaly on a trip there with a all-volunteer orchestra from the US. Vitaly and I hit it off quickly. He knew English well enough and had a neat sense of humor. He is a taxi van driver and the pastor of a small church there. He gets paid by doing the former so that he can help others doing the latter.
Several years back I was in San Diego for a convention. I happened to visit one of my favorite restaurants: Croce’s Restaurant & Jazz Bar. Croce’s was named after Jim Croce of “Time in a bottle” fame. The place has great food and awesome music (I actually played there one night when I lived in San Diego). So I’m eating dinner there with friends and I take a picture of my food because it was like artwork in how it was presented. Using my camera phone I posted it to my blog.
Moving into the country means connectivity limitations. In some cases. Although I’ve got a Franklin mailing address, I’m not exactly in the city limits anymore. For example there is no comcast out my way. I’ve never had comcast and I’ve heard few good things about them. So no loss there. DirecTV is in since I’ve got a decent view of the southern sky. So then the question is what to do about high speed internet? When we moved we decided we weren’t going to have a home phone anymore. Mobile phones would be it. Couple things come up in this scenario. The options are limited with internet connectivity. And what happens if our sitter has to call 911 for some reason?
Some thoughts on weeds
. I’ve got this painting below called Cat’s Cradle at my home. Each painting is filled with so many pieces that you can literally stare for hours and never fully see everything.
“, is great. This week his newsletter contained an old and familiar line from Old McDonald’s farm. Instead of cows and chickens, Dan share’s some neat tips about how to engage people when you write, speak, or even while you’re at work. Using EIEIO, you get the following:
We’ve been watching the HBO miniseries on John Adams life. Man, times were tough back then. John had a strong personality and had to persuade much of the continental congress that independence was the right thing. It was uphill all the way. He had some great quotes which I provide here.
