Reality Me

Category: Daily Life

Ramblings, often stream of conscious, journaling the events of my life.

  • I did not help him

    As a teenager, I knew my purpose in life would be to change the world for the better. I may have been overly optimistic.

    Any philosopher will tell you that your interaction with another human, however minor, can change that person’s destiny forever. Perhaps that friendly ‘hello’ made a suicidal stranger rethink his terminal plans and he went on to create a foundation to reach out to suicidal people saving countless lives. Who changed the world there? Stephen R Covey’s Book First Things First he writes that people have a need "to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy." When you influence someone’s life, positively or negatively, you leave that legacy.

    Today the weather is wet. Rain is pouring from the sky. October has brought lower temperatures than just a couple of weeks past. As I turned into Tyson Park, I saw a man sitting in the first parking space of the park, on the asphalt. My first thought was a runner was in distress so I slowed the van. As I approached him, I realized he was a homeless person. His plastic bags were on the ground beside him. His pants were pulled down over his thighs. He sat bare assed on the asphalt. A bridge in sight 50 yards to his left and another 300-400 yards to his right. He was drenched. As I passed him, his head turned and we made eye contact. I have nothing for him. No umbrella in the van. Nothing. Ah, in hindsight, I did have a tarp. However, he was not seeking shelter. Is suspected he might be relieving himself. In all likelihood, we was working the system. It’s a game those of us one paycheck away from homelessness don’t yet know how to play. I suspect he was hungry and cold. His behavior is certain to get him a stay in a jail cell with a few meals. So I made the call. I spoke with the non-emergency number of the Knoxville Police Department and asked not if they could arrest him but if they could help him. In his case, it is probably one in the same.

  • What would you tell your younger self?

    If I could travel back in time, I wouldn’t tell my younger self anything. I’d look me in the eye and punch me in the face then walk away. This may have already happened.

  • …

    fo

  • From the mouths of babes

    Me: “Alexa, play Dr John Radio.”
    Alexa: “Playing Latin jazz on Tunein.”
    Aunt Mary’s ghost: “Enunciate boy!”

  • Our police watch too many movies.

    Holy crap! I just found a bomb on my wrist! Oh, wait, the skin is white. Everyone can relax.

    For those who do not understand, read about this future rocket scientist (yes, that’s a NASA shirt he’s wearing in front of his handcuffs)
    See: https://imgur.com/PMgDR7m

    Watch: https://youtu.be/3mW4w0Y1OXE

    Read: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/northwest-dallas-county/headlines/20150915-irving-9th-grader-arrested-after-taking-homemade-clock-to-school-so-you-tried-to-make-a-bomb.ece

    This is NOT how we inspire future scientists. This is NOT how we progress as a society. This is NOT how we make students excited about education.

    This IS how we instill fear. This IS how we control future generations. This IS how we stagnate intellectualism. This IS how we destroy innovation.

    #endtheabsurdity #bringbackcommonsense

    Just Found A Bomb On My Wrist!

  • So long…

    …thanks for all the fish.

  • More cord cutting

    I did it. I committed to being a Comcast customer for the next 2 years. $109.95 per month set in stone. 50Mbps down/ 10Mpbs up. Unlimited. $200 installation fee; $150 rebate. And yes, if I terminate in less than 24 months, I’m on the hook for 75% of the remainder. So if 6 months remain when I cancel, I’d owe $495.

    Negatives? No television whatsoever. Positives? No more data cap.

    My overage charges alone in July were $110.

    Now, saying, “I’m going to pay $2638.80 for two years of Internet connectivity” sounds ludicrous. Add in Netflix roughly $20 a month. $3118.80 and Hulu ($7.99/mth) $3310.56. And now add cellphone service: $12,358,56. So, if my family wanted to cut out all entertainment and phone services, in two years, I could take them on one of the cheaper Disney vacations. Or, we could skip Disney and stay current with The Walking Dead.

  • Why did they put Doug in a padded room?

    Because "The type or namespace name ‘ScriptManager’ does not exist in the namespace ‘System.Web.UI’ (are you missing an assembly reference?)"

  • Genuine Dad

    I played catch with my son with a football and discussed proper kicking technique. I leveled up as a dad today.

  • Simply Pleasures

    Nothing is quite as amusing as joking with the cashier about the year supply of discount condoms in your purchase.

  • Trapped in Knoxville

    And then there was that one time I drove to the airport with nothing but the clothes on my back intent to leave…and the airport was closed.

  • For Labor Day, I labored

    When we have three day weekends, I like to take a personal day to try to have a 4 day weekend to work around the house on all that I neglect due to work and volunteer obligations and to be with my family. More often than not, this translates to working on the computer to earn extra money. Today was no different. Despite the beautiful weather, I did no yardwork. I made no clubhouse repairs. I washed no cars. Instead I programmed, rather troubleshot a non-functioning program with little success.

    ToolsI did take a few minutes to repair the door knob on our front door. It had become so loose that it failed to open the door. Fixing it you would think would be a couple twists of a screwdriver. But symbolic of all things in my life, it was not so simple and required an allen wrench (technically ‘key’), flashlight (technically iphone), phillips head screwdriver, and a pry bar.

    As darkness falls, the stress of the quantity of unfinished planning for scouts, paperwork for other things, unsent communiques, failed budgeting, and misplaced dreams for this 4 day weekend are trumped only by the snarling and nattering of my overdone children and wife. At this exact moment, my aching back would like nothing more than a beer and to lounge in front of the television. Instead, some vitamin I, some coffee, and headphones with loud music will power me into the night. "Alexa, play cyberpunk."

  • The Final Boom’s Day

    I went to the very first Boom’s Day and the next four after that. I committed to myself that I’d go to everyone but after that 5th event, I quit going. Tonight is supposedly the last Boom’s Day. I think it’s a guerrilla marketing effort to raise attendance. Nonetheless, I chose to keep the family home, not fight the crowds, and work on the house and a client’s website. A great deal of yard work was completed. So much more remains. If I had the means, I’d take a year off just to work on my home and family. It’s now dinner time. I head out to park the car and the front door complains, refusing to open if the handle is pressed down instead of raised up. I can fix it. I will fix it. The door knob is a metaphor for my life under constant repair. But I can fix it. I will fix it. I want to accomplish so much more. So much more than has been done. Nonetheless, I am content.

  • The day thus far

    This Sunday of Labor Day weekend thus far: I’ve cursed Microsoft extensively as I fight an ASP.NET solution. I’ve repaired the weedeater and taken my ire out on the lawn. I’ve also decided the last Booms Day will have to happen without my family.

  • What do you do in the morning?

    It’s Saturday morning on a three day holiday weekend. What am I doing? Cooking Sunday night’s dinner, of course.