Majorer Milestones
By admin | July 25, 2010
4 hours and 15 minutes.
That was not my marathon time although I wish it was. That was how long I waited in line for my pre-ordered iPhone 4 and it was worth it. Despite the antennae issues and host of other problems, it is the best technology purchase I’ve made in a while. It has replaced my camera, GPS, and mp3 player.
5 hours and 30 minutes.
My third marathon was incredibly fun. Faced with the prospect of flying to Europe the next day, I decided to run at a slower pace. It was the best decision I could have made. It was my first pain-free run of this marathon cycle. I didn’t need much recovery time either which was a fantastic. However, for future marathons, I look forward to having family in the crowd to root for me and provide the lift for the last half of the marathon (the 6.2 miles).
2 hours and 45 minutes.
My wedding. Top of a beautiful mountain in Cinque Terre, Italy. It was a difficult hike and we were drenched in sweat after our adventures. It was perfect.
Eternity.
I’m waiting for my wife to get back to Seattle after her eight difficult months working in Germany. This feels like the last part of the winding line for the iPhone. It feels like the last 3 miles of the Rock and Roll Marathon. I can see the goal in sight and every minute before we get there feels like forever.
This has been an incredible few weeks and an amazing year!
Topics: Personal, Travel | No Comments »
Major Milestones
By admin | May 31, 2010
The difference between a half marathon and a full marathon is THE WALL. The wall is the point of the run where your body stops burning carbohydrates and switches over to fat; this usually occurs at the 14 to 18 mile mark. For most people, this is the point where a marathon pushes them to their limits.
I finally made it past the wall this week. I hit it hard and it finally came down instead of knocking me back. Even with this success, I can’t see how I can manage 26 miles in a month. I was bleeding in places I’ve never bled before. It was brutal.
The Lost series finale was last Sunday. It was brilliant. After so many lackluster endings to my favorite shows, it was refreshing to see Lost stay true to its character. With only a short dreary lull between mid-season 2 to the penultimate episode of season 3, Lost has set a high bar for entertainment in its six seasons.
It’s scary to believe that the show that defined my return to cilivization after the Peace Corps is ending. I’m having my own personal “Lost” experience this weekend as I will be attending the wedding of one of my closest Peace Corps friends. Like the finale, it will be like a reunion of some of my favorite people from the most memorable years of my life prior to us moving on to the next step in our lives.
I spent this Memorial Day weekend relaxing after another long run. I also watched three seasons of a kid’s show called Avatar: The Last Airbender on netflix watch now. M. Night Shamalayan is turning it into a movie. The show will be a tough act to follow; I haven’t been this enthralled with anime since the classic “Spirited Away”.
Topics: Hobbies | No Comments »
Testing commitment
By admin | May 1, 2010
Over the past 6 months, I’ve gone through a number of computers:
- HP 2140
- Viliv S5
- Lenovo Thinkpad X200s
- HP 5101
- Sony Vaio P
- Toshiba NB305
- HP 5102
- Lenovo Thinkpad X201s
It’s becoming clear I have a problem – I can’t commit to my gadgets. While I’m ecstatic that eBay allows me to buy and sell them with few financial consequences, I’m wasting far too much time looking for a miracle. My goal has been to find a perfect combination of battery life, portability, features, and performance. I’m not going to find something that makes me happy.
However, I’ve found satisfaction with my new Apple iPad. It is simply the best portable device I have ever used. The touch features and battery life are in a class of their own. As an e-reader, it can’t be beat; I’ve read more books than I have in years using the Kindle application. I love working on blogs and documents with its gorgeous display. Despite the wonderful applications that can be used on an iPad, it’s clear that it can’t be used for everything. It has virtually no way to connect to any USB devices, no real file system, and there are no applications that allow me to code websites.
A net book is a cheap, slow, and smaller version of a regular laptop. An iPad is something new entirely. Over the past month, I’ve realized that it’s perfect for all my portable needs and I can’t be without it.
I’ve placed an order for a new 15 inch MacBook Pro. I feel convinced that a MacBook plus an iPad will meet all my needs. I’ve decided that I’m going all in with this theory. I’ve purchased AppleCare which is a three year warranty on an Apple product. This MacBook will be my last computer purchase for the next three years. Wow. That’s scary.
I’m getting married this year; commitment is a big deal for me this year 
Topics: Hobbies, Tech | No Comments »
Life unexpected
By admin | April 9, 2010
I’m engaged. I can’t believe it.
My fiancé, Megs, is in Germany for a two year contract with the US Military as a civilian nurse. The distance makes the relationship challenging, but we’re having fun exploring new ways to stay connected. The future looks very interesting for the both of us.
I’m typing this blog post on an iPad. I didn’t expect it to be a useful device but it is a game changer. A few more weeks and I will write down my thoughts on the iPad and it’s impact on computing.
Quick thoughts – people say that the iPad should replace a net book. I disagree. With an iPad, I feel like a regular laptop can be replaced with a net book. For media consumption, the iPad is a phenomenal device and it isn’t too bad with content creation. For significant content creation, I would argue that a net book isn’t much worse than a regular laptop. Conclusion: iPad + net book > laptop + net book.
Topics: Personal | No Comments »
Golden Pig
By admin | January 24, 2010
Sometimes an event occurs that is so memorable that it defines all similar events. When Kanye West got on stage and stole the spotlight from Taylor Swift, it was something so unclassy and unexpected that it became known as the “Kanye”. It wasn’t the first time that a drunken stooge got up on stage and humiliated himself and ruined a celebration. However, it gave us a new name to call these special occasions.
This weekend, I had a “golden pig”. It occurred at a Euchre card game in Aberlyne, Wisconsin. I had never played Euchre before and I had no idea what I was getting into. The card game was an annual event and all the players were seasoned veterans. It’s a team game where four people play at a table and two players are paired up. The winner moves on and the loser stays at the same table.
For the first hour, I never moved. I was a blight upon any Euchre player partnered up with me. Despite their best attempts, I just wasn’t getting it. The second and third hour were not significantly better but I started to enjoy myself and accept my plight. Between meeting all the new people and learning the game, I was having a great time.
After the game, the host gave out awards. I earned the best award ever – a large wooden pig painted in gold a bottle of male sexual health pills. There were only 57 pills in the bottle of 60 and it had expired in 2004. However, the pig was the real prize. It has such an awkward, silly grin.
I came to an event were I knew no one, I embarassed myself, and I left with a golden pig. I had no expectations and I had an awesome time. I later realized that this wasn’t my first golden pig. I have a special talent.
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
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