851 ukuleles and their owners rocking together. Now *THAT* is a jam session!
The late Dr. Randy Pausch gave this great lecture back in 2007. Take the hour and 15 minutes to watch it or go out and get the book and read it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=ji5_MqicxSo
http://www.thelastlecture.com/
I recently ran out of sci-fi to read so I looked at my stack of books and realized one of my birthday presents hadn't yet been cracked open. I had been skeptical due to a couple of Recod Eagle articles that made me cringe due to perceived braggartism. But I decided to give it a go and picked up http://www.amazon.com/River-Home-Explorations-Jerry-Dennis/dp/0312254156. Boy, was I wrong to be a skeptic. This book is really quite good, and righ off the bat, the author tries hard to make the reader realize that he is out to win over anyone with preconceptions. He is successful in my mind. Thanks to Jo and Jerry for the quality read, I am bummed it is done. I actually cried like I was reading "Where the red fern grows" when I read the passages at the end (I don't want to ruin it!). I want my wife to read it, if just for the TC connection, but anyone with a heart and a love for the outdoors would like it. The first 2/3rds are heavily Fly fishing, but the last two chapters are near-Hemingway quality short stories and are quite wonderful. Buy the book if you love fly fishing and reading about it. Get it from a library or friend and read the last couple chapters if you just need a good emotional outdoors story or two... Good stuff, either way. I would be overjoyed to bump into this guy on a river someday and admit my naivete when it comes to the art...
I'm still around, but I have been fairly distracted lately. My attempts to establish a workout routine have been somewhat successful, but then again, an always changing schedule makes it hard to stick to. With some nice warm weather occurring lately, I have been allowing myself the indulgence of evenings on the deck with a good book, instead of watching TV or sitting at a 'puter. I read Amerika (Franz Kafka), Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card) and Anathem (Neal Stephenson) over the last month or so. Probably better for my brain than watching Enterprise or American Chopper. Also, after spending some time removing a couple of stumps from my yard (no small task, that) we had the joy of a sewer backup and subsequent 'crushed-pipe' scare that had me quite uneasy. Luckily, it was some 'creative' plumbing, and the sewer is again clear and working and I didn't have to trench the whole yard (phew!). I have been getting out whenever possible and riding the bike. The trail I ride is young, and somewhat punishing on a rigid, but I am enjoying trying to ride it at least once a week.
So, posting to the website has taken a backseat to the rest of life for a while. Stay tuned, I'll be around...
Go watch this video of Warren Buffett spending a day with the girls at Girls Inc. of Omaha, helping them to learn to use the 17 new Hilo ukes he brought them. This just makes me happy...
Backstory here...
You don't have to be a billionaire to do great things for the world. The only thing this cost was time, and to see him give that so freely to these deserving young women is really cool. Plus, it involves ukes!
Right up my alley....
I always think of people being basically good, until proven otherwise. Perhaps that's naive, foolish, or worse, but I find that it works for me, even if I get a little bit bruised occasionally for giving someone the benefit of the doubt. More often than not, people are good, and if you give them a chance, they'll prove it (sometimes without realizing it).
http://www.tweenbots.com/
This is just such a fun and neat social experiment that it makes me smile and feel good about humanity. I have always found that a smile and a kind request for help usually will result in a kind soul giving you help. These little guys do exactly that, and with wonderfully lovely results. The creator has to feel a little reaffirmed that all of humanity doesn't assume the worst when an unusual item or event enters their world looking innocuous. Maybe it's just innocuous (and terribly cute and fun at that!)
Saturday evening, after dinner and helping get the kids all settled in, I walked to OG for a special fundraiser evening. I mostly went because I wanted to see what the place was like jam-packed, and it did not disappoint. They were raffling off some cool stuff, so I bought some tickets. I could choose where to put my tickets -- a leather jacket, a brew-crew membership (already have one of those!), a fantasy brew-camp with Brad (tempting), or a mountain bike. I threw all of my tickets in for the mountain bike. The band was pretty loud, and it was fairly temperate outside (mid to high 40s) so I grabbed an IPA and settled in out in the beer garden and chatted with some locals I know. I got drawn for the bike. I had to chuckle, since I had joked earlier with Jodi that it would be cool if I won it... Crazy...
I am now the proud owner of a 2007 KHS Solo One SE -- brand spankin' new (even though it is an older model). Very cool. I stopped by this morning and picked it up (thanks for the help, Rich!). I'm jonesin' to go play with it...
Fine, NC took my beloved Sparties to the woodshed. We knew that was one of the possibilities, although I thought MSU would hang in there a bit better than they did. Regardless, kudos to UNC for a great championship and an exciting season. For my Green and White, I send a big Thanks to the team and the coaches for a very entertaining season and a thrilling post-season. I predicted a Sweet Sixteen or Elite Eight appearance, but getting to the final game was rather surprising to me. Great work, and let's hope our quality young'uns stay put for one more year. Next year could be something special if Roe, Green, and Herzog (not to mention Derrick Nix and Garrick Sherman) can fill in the paint. I am confident that our backcourt will be alright without Walton (although he'll be missed!), but we need a big to step up.
I've got all summer long to obsess about it. How long until football? 
Obviously, I am pulling for the Spartans in tonight's championship game. Do I think the Spartans will win? That's a tough call. I am sure they *can* win, but it is far from an answered question. UNC is outrageous, and they can drop some big scores. If the MSU D is solid, it is a good game. If the D is porous, we have issues. It is good to see at least a few (non-MSU, non-Detroit) people around the country seeing that it isn't a foregone conclusion like some people think. I know MSU isn't favored, but they play the game for a reason -- this is the tourney, anything can happen.
I am looking forward to having elevated blood pressure for a couple hours this evening. I love the NCAA tourney, I truly do.
Go Green!
Oh, and I would like to point out for the record (regardless of the result of tonight's game):
- Big East teams in the finals: 0
- Big Ten teams in the finals: 1 (MSU)
- Big East teams dispatched by that Big Ten team: 2 (Louisville, UConn, both 1 seeds).
Sorry Big East, I guess your vaunted league just couldn't hang with the Big Ten's finest. Maybe the media love fest got to your heads?
Those Spartans do play some good ball. Enjoy the game from the sideline... Good Luck, Spartans!!!
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