Wednesday, November 28, 2007

In defense of sanity

OK, first, frakking bursitis flare up in my right knee today.  Gorram it.

Second, I realized that I just wasted about an hour this morning trying to spin up my brain and got to thinking.  I was up until 11:00ish last night working.  I usually work from 8:30am to 7:00 ~ 7:30pm, and I'm usually the FIRST to leave.  That's quite a few hours on a regular basis (11 hours daily 5 to 6 days a week for those that are bad at math).  I usually eat lunch at the desk, so get away very little.  It's my thought that eventually the brain gives up.  That when there is no ability to decompress, eventually the brain becomes no more logically useful than the automic nervous system, just reacting to stimulus and not able to cognitively think. 

Now my mother is a nurse and does 12 hour shifts, but never 5 in a row.  Yet my industry (the company that I'm sub-contracted to in particular) seems to think that this is the model to use to get the most out of their people.  Frankly, they are wrong.  It's stupid.  The companies talk so much about "work - life balance" which has become a comical reference to meaning NO balance... just work.  The company that I'm actually employed by DOES a fantastic job frankly.  They are getting it.  Unfortunately, the companies that hire us are rarely so forward thinking. 

For those fellow developers... I am NOT talking about crunch mode and deployment times.  These parts of a project happen... but they MUST be short bursts. No more than 1 month.  Otherwise, the situation on a project goes down hill very very fast. 

I don't know where I'm going with this... but I'll have to think more and post again later.


V

Monday, November 19, 2007

Got the new Gig!!!

   So, I made it through a rigorous screening to get the BI gig with Microsoft out of Seattle.  I'm still working for Avanade of course, it's just the project is run by MS. I was concerned about the travel, but apparently the rumors of a Sun-Fri travel arrangement were just that.  Rumor.  The project is a Mon-Thurs night engagement per Avanade travel policy. 
   There are some really nice parts about the arrangement.  I'll have a corp apartment this time as it's a 6 month gig.  Which means week one I just pack all my clothes up and then I can travel REAL light for the rest of the project. The only thing I was afraid of for this project was the hard travel requirements... now it's looking fantastic.  I'm VERY excited to be on this one. 

V

Friday, November 16, 2007

Diet Day 4.5!

Wow, I can't believe how disciplined I've been able to be.  I thought for sure I'd have given up by now.  Go figure.
I will make this recommendation to anyone wanting to try this burst.  Have as much variety as you can get.  I was so bored with the limited food I was able to travel with that I was going crazy. 
However, I got Strawberries, Avocado, Bananas, Kiwi, Walnuts, and Tomatoes last night for my meals until Sat night.  All of these foods would not have traveled well, so its REALLY good to have them.  I think that variety is going to let me make it over the next 30 hours.  Although, the thought of cheese is now filling my thoughts.... Mmmmmm, cheeeeze. 

I feel great. I really do.  I stepped on the scale this morning and am significantly down from where I started (not unhealthily down, but noticeable) .  I think I may have days in the future where I do this,  but it'll be a while before I go raw for over 5 days again. 

V

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Diet, day 3.5

I broke my fast this morning with a great plate of fruit.  A bunch of pineapple, strawberries, cantalope, and berries.  I also ate a grapefruit.   The strange part is, my tongue is tingling.  It's like I ate too much pineapple, but different.  It's impossible to explain.  Tip of the tongue and the upper sides just feel all wild. 

Overall, I feel quite well.  (a little hungry right this instant as I wait to head to the airport, I ate my last bit of fruit about an hour and a half ago.)    My energy level is very constant... I'm not getting the afternoon sleepys like I have in the past and I wake up ready to go.  At night, I sleep like a baby. 

Cravings are starting to get a little strong now.  Bread, and Pasta. 

Gotta run to the airport.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Raw diet, Day 2.5

Feeling pretty decent today... however there is a thanksgiving potluck today.  I'll go look through things and see if I can raid a veggie tray or something like that, but I'm going to try and stick with the plan.

I'm gonna head up to the mountains this weekend with a buddy and my lady on Sat.  The plan is to go to Beau Jo's in Idaho Springs on the way back down, this will end the dietary experiment.  Right now the thought of hot pizza is drool inducing. 

I'm not certain if this diet works on a chemical level, or if it's due to the tastebuds getting bored and waking up.  I'm certainly not starving myself... it's just the variety of foods that's very limited.  When I hunger, I eat.  Be it an apple, some almonds, or what not, I am starting to appreciate aspects of certain foods, textures, smells.  Overall, it's been a good experience so far.  Although raw carrots take a LOT of chewing.

As far as my physical reactions, I'm feeling really good. I am starting to crave certain foods, pasta, coffee, and bread specifically.  I think a trip to the Saucy Noodle in Denver may be in order early next week.  Damn it... now I'm drooling again. 

V

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Diet, day 1.5

well, interesting things so far. 
I've recently been having digestive issues.  Feeling bloated and gassy most of the time.  These have already cleared up.  So that's a plus.
I also seem to have a little more energy while I'm awake... but I slept 10 hours last night.  I was asleep by 10 and slept right through my 7am alarm.  I don't think that was diet related. More travel related.  That always takes a lot out of me.
I also may have made a tactical error.  When I pack, I'm always thinking 3 days... because that's how many pair of socks and underwear and shirts I need to put in the bag.  The problem is I translated the 3 days into food as well... as you can see... it's 4 DAYS, and 3 NIGHTS!!  I think I'm going to run out of food. Luckily the breakfast bar downstairs has raw fruit, so I can buy more.  I think I'll make it.

I also found that when I eat, I'm filling up quickly.  That's an interesting side effect.

I'm also snacking raw almonds (thanks to my honey for getting me a big bag from costco) almost constantly.  I have found that raw almonds and bannanna taste amazing together.  yummy desert.

Anyhow, I feel pretty good... I'm still craving a frakking snack cake... but I'll get over it.

V

Monday, November 12, 2007

on a "Diet" this week

well, not so much a diet. rather restricting what I eat. the concept
is to eat nothing processed in any way. nothing cooked, nothing
pasturized, pretty much every thing raw. Several chefs i've known have
done this. the purpose is not weight loss, but rather to cleanse the
pallate of all the crap our society puts in its mouth.

i'm thinking that waking up the pallate the week before thanksgiving
is a good idea. it does mean that I had to travel with a cooler filled
with fruits and vegies. i'll keep my blog updated with my progress.

v

--
-- Forget about US, you gotta keep an eye on them. My goodness, if you
don't watch them, they are going to come back and bite you.

Thursday, November 08, 2007

A Beautiful and Sad song

"The Green Fields Of France"
performed by Dropkick Murphys

[Originally by Eric Bogle]

Oh how do you do, young Willy McBride
Do you mind if I sit here down by your graveside
And rest for a while in the warm summer sun
I've been walking all day, and I'm nearly done
And I see by your gravestone you were only nineteen
When you joined the great fallen in 1916
Well I hope you died quick
And I hope you died clean
Or Willy McBride, was is it slow and obscene

Did they beat the drums slowly
Did they play the fife lowly
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down
Did the band play the last post and chorus
Did the pipes play the flowers of the forest

And did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind
In some loyal heart is your memory enshrined
And though you died back in 1916
To that loyal heart you're forever nineteen
Or are you a stranger without even a name
Forever enshrined behind some old glass pane
In an old photograph torn, tattered, and stained
And faded to yellow in a brown leather frame

Did they beat the drums slowly
Did they play the fife lowly
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down
Did the band play the last post and chorus
Did the pipes play the flowers of the forest

The sun shining down on these green fields of France
The warm wind blows gently and the red poppies dance
The trenches have vanished long under the plow
No gas, no barbed wire, no guns firing now
But here in this graveyard that's still no mans land
The countless white crosses in mute witness stand
To man's blind indifference to his fellow man
And a whole generation were butchered and damned

Did they beat the drums slowly
Did they play the fife lowly
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down
Did the band play the last post and chorus
Did the pipes play the flowers of the forest

And I can't help but wonder oh Willy McBride
Do all those who lie here know why they died
Did you really believe them when they told you the cause
Did you really believe that this war would end wars
Well the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame
The killing and dying it was all done in vain
Oh Willy McBride it all happened again
And again, and again, and again, and again

Did they beat the drums slowly
Did they play the fife lowly
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down
Did the band play the last post and chorus
Did the pipes play the flowers of the forest

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Podcast

I have found a new podcast.  It's called Hot For Words.  It's a surprisingly nice little podcast (with the opening tag line of "Intelligence is Sexy")about the origins of certain words used in the English language.  Ones I've already watched ones about the origins of the phrase "Three sheets to the Wind" and where Duct Tape is not the right name of it :)   The name of the podcast is from the fact that this is a very attractive lady doing the vodcast, however, that's just an obvious hook.  The material in the vodcast is a lot of fun and well worth a listen.

V

Upcoming Movie

OK, I'm not normally a fan of horror films.  But this one caught my eye...  Steven King's The Mist .  This is based off a short story of his that he wrote a very long time ago, when he was still moderately fresh and had a tiny bit of talent.  The story is a very simple plot, but the execution of it was very captivating.  I will probably see this film, but I may wait until it's on DVD (horror films usually have a quick turnaround) as not many of my friends enjoy Horror.

V

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Location: Thornton, Colorado, United States

I'm a geek, plain and simple. I used to fence, I play poker when I can, and am learning to play lacrosse. I also work WAY too much.

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