Ben Nevis is a mountain in Scotland that I have visited several times. This particular mountain is the highest in Scotland at about 4,400 feet. Several years ago on my first trip to the mountain I went with a group of friends to hike to the top. We caravanned together to Fort William, a small city in the mountains where we started and ended our hike. Everyone in the group talked about the excitement they were feeling about climbing to the highest peek in Scotland and the United Kingdom. Reaching the top would be the biggest challenge we faced in several years. We eagerly anticipated the views we would see from the trail as we ascended the mountain looking back to where we came from. Maybe there will be waterfalls, as well, to enjoy as we climb.
Located at the foot of the trail was Ben Nevis Inn where we lodged for two nights. The inn’s location was the perfect place for the group to start the adventure. Upstairs was a pub where hikers and guests of the inn could stop to enjoy a nice cooked meal and a pint of beer after a day of hiking. Downstairs was a hostel with capacity to sleep twenty-four people. The hostel had three open areas which accommodated eight people with four sets of wooden bunk beds in each area. The bed was surprisingly comfortable with the small mattress that was provided. Each person had to bring their own pillow and sleeping bag or sheets and blankets as they were not provided. The showers and toilets did not have separate areas for women and men but at least there were doors for some sense of privacy. The bathrooms were located on one side of the sleeping area and on the other side was a kitchen and sitting room.
The morning of the hike started with a light fog and a chill in the air. After breakfast we packed enough food and water in our backpacks for eight hours, not knowing how long it would take to reach the top and return. We started the hike walking through a meadow where sheep would graze but none were in sight. We had to climb over several rock fences using a ladder that was built onto the fence for the hiker’s use. As we walked, the area went from the meadow to mossy tundra to rocky outcropping to a desolate area--no trees just rocks and boulders with small patches of grass growing between the gaps in the rocks. It’s amazing how plants thrive in areas where conditions are not amiable for growth. We would stop and admire the small waterfalls cascading down the mountain. We watched as the water flowed over a ledge and splattered on the rocks below and rejoined the water flow continuing to the next ledge displaying a chorus of beauty. Waterfalls have always fascinated me; watching the water spray as it hits the ground and hearing the roar as the water continues it journey.
About four miles into the hike, we came to stairs built into the rock that seemed to go on and on. It must have taken about 30 minutes to climb the stairs. At the top of the stairs we reached the base of Ben Nevis and the start of our ascent to the top. The trail was made using a zigzag pattern called switchbacks. The ground became steeper as we hiked the switchbacks challenging our minds to overcome the pain and discomfort our muscles and lungs were experiencing. As we progressed up the trail the sun was in full force with no trees for shade. We did not need the shade to block the heat of the sun due to the temperature plummeting as we went higher but because the sun was in our face at times and would be nice to have a tree or two for cover. Next trip sunglasses would be a necessity.
Some of us stopped to catch our breath and to look around to take in the beauty of the landscape. The city had become very small from our vantage point and the cars below barely perceivable. There was a small lake about half a mile off the trail situated between two small mountains. The lake had a smooth surface like glass and I could see the clouds reflected as they passed by. As the mountain trail went steeper Vince, the oldest on the trip, needed to stop more frequently to catch his breath. At the switchback turns there were benches for people to stop and rest. At the benches we would take the opportunity to talk with other hikers--no particular conversation just about the views and desires to reach the top. Closer to the top the ground leveled off and was snow-covered. We walked through the snow and at times was knee deep making it hard to stay on the trail.
After four hours of hiking we finally reached the summit. We quickly forgot how our bodies felt and with jubilation we congratulated ourselves for the accomplishment. Walking on the top we found a stone marker with a metal plate inscribed with the location and elevation marked the highest point on the mountain. We all had our photo taken at the marker to prove we were there. There was also a small windowless building where we took shelter from the cold and wind and ate lunch. While enjoying the moment of standing at the top of Scotland taking in the beauty of the view, the clouds moved in and obscured the view. We were in the clouds. It was time to start the hike back down.
We started the trek down following the same path we came up. In two hours we arrived back at Ben Nevis Inn. The journey down the mountain was hard on the legs from the jarring of stepping down. After a nice hot shower we went upstairs to the Pub for dinner and had the best hot lamb stew ever with a pint of Scottish ale. We felt recovered and ready for the next adventure: a drive to Loch Ness.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Computer Predicament Revised
In 2008 I decided to return to college full time after completing my service in the Air Force. I considered what I needed to be successful in the college environment. I knew that most colleges had moved into the digital age so I wanted to ensure I could utilize the computing power. I chose to purchase a laptop computer for the ease of transport to school and home. In June of 2008 I ordered a laptop computer from Dell. I ordered the XPS model 1710 which was not the top of the line but was an advanced system.
The laptop I ordered was meant for high end computing processing and gaming. My laptop had a dual-core CPU with each core operating as a separate processor and together increases the computer speed significantly. The memory was two megabytes of random access memory with an option of adding one additional megabyte for a total of three megabytes. The video card was a single card with 512 kilobits of memory to increase the speed of producing a high quality image on the display without using the main memory. Dell offered one of the first high definition blue-ray disk players at a substantial cost of 1,000 dollars. I chose the DVD drive with the ability to read and write a disk and to use the lower standard compact disk. The battery was six cells which did not provide more than two hours of operation. The laptop did have a 17 inch display with high resolution. The price tag for the system was 1,700 dollars and was more reasonable cost than the 5,000 dollar high end machine.
In December my laptop quit working three months after the warranty expired. I spent 600 dollars to replace the video card and was grateful to have the laptop working again. Friday the computer quit working again but this time a loud pop emanated from the back and the computer turned off. It would not turn back on so I feel the power supply had shorted out and is now defunct. I was able to power it up on the battery but have no method of recharging the battery. I am in a quandary as to repairing the computer or go and purchase another laptop. A new computer will cost about 800 dollars where the repair could cost between 200 and 400 dollars. I find it difficult to toss out a system that originally cost 1,700 dollars but knowing I could buy a similar computer for the price of repairs.
originally Published as Computer Predicament on March 25 2010 at 4:21 PM.
The laptop I ordered was meant for high end computing processing and gaming. My laptop had a dual-core CPU with each core operating as a separate processor and together increases the computer speed significantly. The memory was two megabytes of random access memory with an option of adding one additional megabyte for a total of three megabytes. The video card was a single card with 512 kilobits of memory to increase the speed of producing a high quality image on the display without using the main memory. Dell offered one of the first high definition blue-ray disk players at a substantial cost of 1,000 dollars. I chose the DVD drive with the ability to read and write a disk and to use the lower standard compact disk. The battery was six cells which did not provide more than two hours of operation. The laptop did have a 17 inch display with high resolution. The price tag for the system was 1,700 dollars and was more reasonable cost than the 5,000 dollar high end machine.
In December my laptop quit working three months after the warranty expired. I spent 600 dollars to replace the video card and was grateful to have the laptop working again. Friday the computer quit working again but this time a loud pop emanated from the back and the computer turned off. It would not turn back on so I feel the power supply had shorted out and is now defunct. I was able to power it up on the battery but have no method of recharging the battery. I am in a quandary as to repairing the computer or go and purchase another laptop. A new computer will cost about 800 dollars where the repair could cost between 200 and 400 dollars. I find it difficult to toss out a system that originally cost 1,700 dollars but knowing I could buy a similar computer for the price of repairs.
originally Published as Computer Predicament on March 25 2010 at 4:21 PM.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Spring is for biking 2
I look forward to spring’s arrival. To have warm days to venture outside to ride my bike or run five miles without the need for six layers of clothing for warmth. I also enjoy the cool of the evening so I can still sleep curled up under a thick blanket. I do not particularly care for the rain that will come with spring but the rain will nourish. My mother would tell me “April showers bring May flowers”. I just ask for less rain this year compared with last year’s near record level down pours so I can play.
Winter has been very hard on my physical and spiritual well-being. I did not have the opportunity to play on my bike to prepare for the racing season. My first mountain bike race this year was scheduled for January 2 in the mountains of Dalton Georgia. It was not a good day to start due to the snow falling as I drove from Atlanta to Dalton. I was resolved to ride in the snow but with the temperature outside hovering at 18 degrees Fahrenheit I questioned my sanity. Preparing my bike for the 6 hour ride in the current conditions I become colder and started shivering. I looked in the gear bag for more clothing to wear but I had everything on; I became demoralized. I decided to sit in my truck to warm up and contemplate the situation. At registration the riders were offered trash bags to wear over our feet and legs to stay dry crossing the creek. The creek had 16 inches of water and there is no way to ride across without causing mechanical problems. This revelation about the creek played into my next decision not to participate in this race. When I made the decision not to race the snow started coming down heavier. At that moment I knew the right decision was reached.
When the racers departed I tossed my bike back into the Xterra and started the drive back to Atlanta. The next day I heard from several friends about the conditions that they faced. The most prevalent issue was the water freezing cables which caused an inability to shift gears. Another problem was an inability to warm up. Jim told me about having to sit in front of a heater for an hour to warm his feet to regain feeling in them. I made the right decision not to race that day, but I would have enjoyed clearing my mind during the six hours of riding. Spring will bring a renewal of life and spirit and I will be outside taking advantage of the warm days.
Revised from blog Spring is for biking published March 14, 2010 at 3:39 PM
Winter has been very hard on my physical and spiritual well-being. I did not have the opportunity to play on my bike to prepare for the racing season. My first mountain bike race this year was scheduled for January 2 in the mountains of Dalton Georgia. It was not a good day to start due to the snow falling as I drove from Atlanta to Dalton. I was resolved to ride in the snow but with the temperature outside hovering at 18 degrees Fahrenheit I questioned my sanity. Preparing my bike for the 6 hour ride in the current conditions I become colder and started shivering. I looked in the gear bag for more clothing to wear but I had everything on; I became demoralized. I decided to sit in my truck to warm up and contemplate the situation. At registration the riders were offered trash bags to wear over our feet and legs to stay dry crossing the creek. The creek had 16 inches of water and there is no way to ride across without causing mechanical problems. This revelation about the creek played into my next decision not to participate in this race. When I made the decision not to race the snow started coming down heavier. At that moment I knew the right decision was reached.
When the racers departed I tossed my bike back into the Xterra and started the drive back to Atlanta. The next day I heard from several friends about the conditions that they faced. The most prevalent issue was the water freezing cables which caused an inability to shift gears. Another problem was an inability to warm up. Jim told me about having to sit in front of a heater for an hour to warm his feet to regain feeling in them. I made the right decision not to race that day, but I would have enjoyed clearing my mind during the six hours of riding. Spring will bring a renewal of life and spirit and I will be outside taking advantage of the warm days.
Revised from blog Spring is for biking published March 14, 2010 at 3:39 PM
Adventures Unlimited
I consider myself to be adventurous and a thrill seeker, but not to the extreme. One type of adventure I had was two years ago vacationing in Belize. I took the opportunity to swim in sting ray alley with about two dozen rays. It was unique to swim with the rays and to touch them as they glided around, but this adventure was not a heart pounding thrill. Another type of adventure I enjoyed was riding my bicycle in the mountains of north Georgia near Dahlonega. The adventure is in pushing my body and mind to their limit as each one fights for control to quit, but luckily neither decides to quit at the same time. The biggest challenge is riding to the top of Hog Pen Gap due to the long steep climb. On those occasions that I peddle up Hog Pen Gap I am thrilled knowing the descent makes the effort worth the suffering. The descent started quickly as the road dropped to a twelve percent grade which pushed me to speeds of 60 miles per hour. The ride down lasts only minuets however the thrill from traveling at top speed last for a time.
This past December I took a trip to Chattanooga Tennessee to participate in a caving adventure. I was hesitant with going for one main reason, I am a bit claustrophobic. This adventure was different then swimming with the sting rays and riding a bike up a mountain and screaming down the back side. My life was not in peril in the sense of riding off the side of a mountain or having a sting ray tail stab me. The peril was not real or a tangible situation only a mental struggle. As we ventured further into the cave I kept my fear at bay as long as I had some space to move. When we came to areas that were tight I was able to move through them as long as the group kept moving forward. There was one section of the cave system I could not travel through inspirationally called the birthing canal. I was attempting to enter the enclosed area but the people in front were having difficulties maneuvering through the opening. The claustrophobia started to take over so I back out of the opening and told them I would wait for them. It took about 20 minuets to come back for me and I used the time to settle my mind down. I thought about school and math problems I needed to solve for a distraction while I waited. That was the only section I could not complete. I was thrilled with completing the adventure and recovered from a mental challenge. The next big adventure I will participate in is hiking a 19,000 foot mountain called Kilimanjaro and hope it is just a physical challenge.
Revised from blog Limited Adventure published March 25, 2010 at 9:13 PM
This past December I took a trip to Chattanooga Tennessee to participate in a caving adventure. I was hesitant with going for one main reason, I am a bit claustrophobic. This adventure was different then swimming with the sting rays and riding a bike up a mountain and screaming down the back side. My life was not in peril in the sense of riding off the side of a mountain or having a sting ray tail stab me. The peril was not real or a tangible situation only a mental struggle. As we ventured further into the cave I kept my fear at bay as long as I had some space to move. When we came to areas that were tight I was able to move through them as long as the group kept moving forward. There was one section of the cave system I could not travel through inspirationally called the birthing canal. I was attempting to enter the enclosed area but the people in front were having difficulties maneuvering through the opening. The claustrophobia started to take over so I back out of the opening and told them I would wait for them. It took about 20 minuets to come back for me and I used the time to settle my mind down. I thought about school and math problems I needed to solve for a distraction while I waited. That was the only section I could not complete. I was thrilled with completing the adventure and recovered from a mental challenge. The next big adventure I will participate in is hiking a 19,000 foot mountain called Kilimanjaro and hope it is just a physical challenge.
Revised from blog Limited Adventure published March 25, 2010 at 9:13 PM
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Oil filters are important
I enjoy performing my own vehicle maintenance. At a child I was fascinated with watching my father change the sparkplugs, change the oil and other fluids. My fathers even replaced the brake pads and bleed the brake system. When my brother and I became old enough my dad had us assist him with working on the family vehicle. Helping was dad’s way of ensuring that we could maintain our own vehicles. My family did not have much money to put into new Automobiles so all the vehicles we had were older and required some tender loving care or TLC to keep them running. When I was able to afford a nice vehicle I purchased a six year old pick-up truck. It was easy to maintain and fun to work on. There was plenty of space in the engine compartment, so most components were readily accessible.
Cheryl, my spouse at that time, hated the truck. It seemed to her every time she drove the truck it would quit operating and left her stranded. I would go to where she abandoned the truck to repair it, but it would start and run fine for me. Cheryl convinced me that we needed a new vehicle. I relented and we traded it in for a Honda Civic. This was the first new car I ever owned which was a double edged sword. I could not perform my own maintenance due to the warranty being voided if I worked on it. That was the positive side. The other side was paying someone else to maintain the Civic when I could do most of the servicing for less then half the cost the dealer charged.
I enjoyed the Civic but it was too small for me. I traded the Civic for a Nissan Xterra SUV and was a better fit for me. When the warranty had expired I started performing routine maintenance because I enjoyed working on the vehicle and was on my time.
When I started dating Jennifer she knew nothing about maintaining her vehicle and always took it to the dealer for all the maintenance. Her father never took the time to show her the basic maintenance of changing the oil, air filter and checking the fluid levels. I offered to work on her car and to show her how to do the maintenance also. She was a quick study and was always eager to change the oil and had even replaced the passenger side mirror. The only part she had trouble with was removing the oil filter due to its location. Jennifer has requested I teach her roommate to change the oil in her vehicle. I said yes.
After all this time of performing maintenance for myself I have become complacent. I have changed the oil but have chosen to replace the oil filter every three oil changes. Well that has come around to bit me. I had gone three oil changes without changing the filter so I should have changed it this last oil change two weeks ago. Before I change the oil I started hearing a tapping sound and just thought the oil maybe low. I changed the oil and the tapping stopped but it came back the next day and kept getting worse. I had resigned to the idea that I would have to take the Xterra into a repair shop for an engine overhaul. My last thought the night I was taking it to the shop was the oil filter had not been changed in a while and maybe it was clogged. I changed the filter and the tapping stopped. The oil that was in the filter was black not light. So I almost caused the demise of my vehicle. I have owned the Xterra over ten year and it is still running barely. I made Jennifer make me a pinkie promise not to tell anyone. I am not looking forward to the price I will have to pay for that promises.
Cheryl, my spouse at that time, hated the truck. It seemed to her every time she drove the truck it would quit operating and left her stranded. I would go to where she abandoned the truck to repair it, but it would start and run fine for me. Cheryl convinced me that we needed a new vehicle. I relented and we traded it in for a Honda Civic. This was the first new car I ever owned which was a double edged sword. I could not perform my own maintenance due to the warranty being voided if I worked on it. That was the positive side. The other side was paying someone else to maintain the Civic when I could do most of the servicing for less then half the cost the dealer charged.
I enjoyed the Civic but it was too small for me. I traded the Civic for a Nissan Xterra SUV and was a better fit for me. When the warranty had expired I started performing routine maintenance because I enjoyed working on the vehicle and was on my time.
When I started dating Jennifer she knew nothing about maintaining her vehicle and always took it to the dealer for all the maintenance. Her father never took the time to show her the basic maintenance of changing the oil, air filter and checking the fluid levels. I offered to work on her car and to show her how to do the maintenance also. She was a quick study and was always eager to change the oil and had even replaced the passenger side mirror. The only part she had trouble with was removing the oil filter due to its location. Jennifer has requested I teach her roommate to change the oil in her vehicle. I said yes.
After all this time of performing maintenance for myself I have become complacent. I have changed the oil but have chosen to replace the oil filter every three oil changes. Well that has come around to bit me. I had gone three oil changes without changing the filter so I should have changed it this last oil change two weeks ago. Before I change the oil I started hearing a tapping sound and just thought the oil maybe low. I changed the oil and the tapping stopped but it came back the next day and kept getting worse. I had resigned to the idea that I would have to take the Xterra into a repair shop for an engine overhaul. My last thought the night I was taking it to the shop was the oil filter had not been changed in a while and maybe it was clogged. I changed the filter and the tapping stopped. The oil that was in the filter was black not light. So I almost caused the demise of my vehicle. I have owned the Xterra over ten year and it is still running barely. I made Jennifer make me a pinkie promise not to tell anyone. I am not looking forward to the price I will have to pay for that promises.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
A close friend who I have not talked with in about two years sent me an email message this week. I have been friends with Sara for six years. We had been stationed at Robins Air Force Base together but had not met from work related activities. I had signed up to become a spin class instructor because the base gym had lost three instructors. The class I signed up for was in Atlanta at the Crunch gym located in Alpharetta. My instructor at the base gym mentioned there was another person from the class going to the instructor class and I should look for her.
We meet at the class but did not have much time to talk due to the fast pace of the class. We meet up the following week in the spin class in the base gym. We both began our mentorship under Lorenzo. He was the person who inspired both Sara and I to become instructors. Sara and I started teaching and helping each other with encouragement, music selection and practicing the different systems.
Sara was so enthusiastic with the spinning that she ordered a spinner bike to practice at home. She even went a step further and found a great deal for a spinner bike for me. She wanted to purchase the bike for me but I was content she found one for me at half the cost. I still have it and use it occasionally. Sara was also great as selecting music for the rides because the tempo of the music is and intercept part of the spin class. She helped me find music and to design the beats for the ride. We had fun playing.
We lost touch soon after she was reassigned to San Antonio Texas three years ago. The new position did not work very well and she was having some health issues. She retired from the Air Force a year ago and like me went back to school. The type of school she is going to was a path I looked into. She is going to culinary school with a concentration in pastry and baking. She moved to Tennessee to be with her family and have their support.
She wrote about the opportunity to meet a few of the chefs that have programs on the Food Network and how privileged she felt to have their encouragement. I am envious of her but I made a chose to pursue engineering not culinary. The obstacle that pushed me from culinary is the long hours needed to be put in and working the weekends. I enjoy having the time to participate in the biking events.
It was good to reconnect with Sara, now I need to go visit and sample some of her culinary master pieces.
We meet at the class but did not have much time to talk due to the fast pace of the class. We meet up the following week in the spin class in the base gym. We both began our mentorship under Lorenzo. He was the person who inspired both Sara and I to become instructors. Sara and I started teaching and helping each other with encouragement, music selection and practicing the different systems.
Sara was so enthusiastic with the spinning that she ordered a spinner bike to practice at home. She even went a step further and found a great deal for a spinner bike for me. She wanted to purchase the bike for me but I was content she found one for me at half the cost. I still have it and use it occasionally. Sara was also great as selecting music for the rides because the tempo of the music is and intercept part of the spin class. She helped me find music and to design the beats for the ride. We had fun playing.
We lost touch soon after she was reassigned to San Antonio Texas three years ago. The new position did not work very well and she was having some health issues. She retired from the Air Force a year ago and like me went back to school. The type of school she is going to was a path I looked into. She is going to culinary school with a concentration in pastry and baking. She moved to Tennessee to be with her family and have their support.
She wrote about the opportunity to meet a few of the chefs that have programs on the Food Network and how privileged she felt to have their encouragement. I am envious of her but I made a chose to pursue engineering not culinary. The obstacle that pushed me from culinary is the long hours needed to be put in and working the weekends. I enjoy having the time to participate in the biking events.
It was good to reconnect with Sara, now I need to go visit and sample some of her culinary master pieces.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
The little costs.
A good friend is organizing a group of hikers for a trip to Tanzania Africa for the opportunity of hiking Mount Kilimanjaro. The trip will also include a six day safari in the Serengeti National Park. What an opportunity of a lifetime to participate in one of the adventures but to accomplish both in one trip. The cost of the trip is estimated at $5,000. The cost is significant especially for a person in school full time, but is manageable without going into debt.
The group of fourteen met for the first time this past weekend to discuss the details of the trip. The first item was the cost break down. The hike will cost $1,550 and the safari will cost $1820. The airline cost will range from $1,000 to $1,800 due to the option of flying into Kenya or Tanzania. Flying into Kenya is cheaper but requires a five hour bus ride. The bus ride could be a nice prelude to the safari and time to acclimate to the altitude. The travel visas will cost about $150. These cost were what was expected and came close to the $5,000 estimate but only covered the significant cost for the trip.
The presentation covered additional expenses associated with the trip and individually are not very much but combined represented an additional 30 percent to the cost. Traveling to undeveloped countries requires vaccinations to protect the traveler from diseases normally not exposed to. The vaccinations include yellow fever, tetanus booster, hepatitis A and B, malaria, and typhoid. The cost for the vaccines will be about $600 with the cost of the Doctor consultation included. Travel insurance at a cost of $160 is needed for hospital care in the possibility of injury or sickness while on the trip. The expenditure most surprising are the tips required to pay the guides, cooks, porters, and drivers who accompany us on the two trips. Maybe not required but highly suggested at $500 total between the two trips.
The last expenditures is on equipment needed but is considered a one time purchase. A zero degree sleeping bag is required, a day backpack and duffel bag, a good pair of hiking boots, hiking poles, dark sunglasses or glacier glasses, and clothing to keep warm and dry. The cost of the equipment varies from $300 to $500 but at least it will be used again. At what point does a trip become cost prohibitive? This trip is approaching that limit but I am still on the list to go.
The group of fourteen met for the first time this past weekend to discuss the details of the trip. The first item was the cost break down. The hike will cost $1,550 and the safari will cost $1820. The airline cost will range from $1,000 to $1,800 due to the option of flying into Kenya or Tanzania. Flying into Kenya is cheaper but requires a five hour bus ride. The bus ride could be a nice prelude to the safari and time to acclimate to the altitude. The travel visas will cost about $150. These cost were what was expected and came close to the $5,000 estimate but only covered the significant cost for the trip.
The presentation covered additional expenses associated with the trip and individually are not very much but combined represented an additional 30 percent to the cost. Traveling to undeveloped countries requires vaccinations to protect the traveler from diseases normally not exposed to. The vaccinations include yellow fever, tetanus booster, hepatitis A and B, malaria, and typhoid. The cost for the vaccines will be about $600 with the cost of the Doctor consultation included. Travel insurance at a cost of $160 is needed for hospital care in the possibility of injury or sickness while on the trip. The expenditure most surprising are the tips required to pay the guides, cooks, porters, and drivers who accompany us on the two trips. Maybe not required but highly suggested at $500 total between the two trips.
The last expenditures is on equipment needed but is considered a one time purchase. A zero degree sleeping bag is required, a day backpack and duffel bag, a good pair of hiking boots, hiking poles, dark sunglasses or glacier glasses, and clothing to keep warm and dry. The cost of the equipment varies from $300 to $500 but at least it will be used again. At what point does a trip become cost prohibitive? This trip is approaching that limit but I am still on the list to go.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Limited Adventures
I consider myself to be adventurous but not of the extreme nature. On vacation to Belize I took the opportunity to swim in sting ray alley. It was unique to swim with the rays and to touch them as they glided around. I have road my bicycle in the mountains of north Georgia near Dahlonega. I do not always ride to the top of Hog Pen Gap but on those occasions I am thrilled. The climb to the top is difficult as my bike creeps along at 3 miles per hour but knowing the descent will make the effort worth while. The descent started quickly as the road dropped to a twelve percent grade which pushed me to reach speeds of 60 miles per hour. The next adventure I will participate in is hiking or climbing a 19,000 foot mountain called Kilimanjaro.
An adventure I can never participate in would be sky diving. Climbing Everest is not on my list but for different reasons. The cost is very prohibitive and my physical abilities would not allow me to survive. Sky diving on the other hand I can do physically but it is the mental aspects of the sport I do not believe I can over come. Depending on someone to pack the parachute correctly would be the first obstacle to overcome. Loading into the airplane would not be an issue unless it is a tight fit then claustrophobia would overwhelm me and I would have to leave the airplane. If I manage to stay in the airplane the biggest obstacle to overcome would be next. I think of walking to the door for the jump as my death march. I recall the cliché ‘why do I want to jump out of a perfectly fine airplane’. If the equipment does not work properly once I am outside the airplane I have no options but to plummet to the earth at terminal velocity. I will not dwell on that aspect due to the mental issues I am having just contemplating falling. My lack of desire to sky dive is not due to physical issues but having to overcome the mental hang-up associated with falling.
I have three friends that have sky dived. One loves the thrill and has completed over 50 dives. Another was so fear struck on the way down that he screamed the entire time. The last friend had completed three dives successfully but the fourth dive his parachute partially opened only slightly slowing his descent. He spent 6 months in the hospital as his body healed. I do not like the odds of having a pleasant experience.
An adventure I can never participate in would be sky diving. Climbing Everest is not on my list but for different reasons. The cost is very prohibitive and my physical abilities would not allow me to survive. Sky diving on the other hand I can do physically but it is the mental aspects of the sport I do not believe I can over come. Depending on someone to pack the parachute correctly would be the first obstacle to overcome. Loading into the airplane would not be an issue unless it is a tight fit then claustrophobia would overwhelm me and I would have to leave the airplane. If I manage to stay in the airplane the biggest obstacle to overcome would be next. I think of walking to the door for the jump as my death march. I recall the cliché ‘why do I want to jump out of a perfectly fine airplane’. If the equipment does not work properly once I am outside the airplane I have no options but to plummet to the earth at terminal velocity. I will not dwell on that aspect due to the mental issues I am having just contemplating falling. My lack of desire to sky dive is not due to physical issues but having to overcome the mental hang-up associated with falling.
I have three friends that have sky dived. One loves the thrill and has completed over 50 dives. Another was so fear struck on the way down that he screamed the entire time. The last friend had completed three dives successfully but the fourth dive his parachute partially opened only slightly slowing his descent. He spent 6 months in the hospital as his body healed. I do not like the odds of having a pleasant experience.
Computer Predicament
June 2008 I ordered a laptop computer from Dell computers. It was not the state of the art computer but the laptop was considered an advanced system. The top of the line computer in 2008 had a quad-core computer processing unit also known as the CPU. My understanding of a quad-core is each core is a CPU and the four together increases processing significantly. The memory installed into the top computer was four megabits of random access memory also known as RAM. The video card was two video cards stacked and operated as one card. The video card had its own memory of one meg of RAM to increase the speed of producing an image on the display without using the main memory. Dell offered one of the first blu-ray players on the high end systems at a substantial cost of 1,000 dollars. The blu-ray was not going to fit into my budget. Most systems had a DVD drive with the ability to write to and read from a disk and to use the lower standard compact disk. The power would be supplied from a nine cell battery providing longer use of the system before needing to recharge or plug into a standard outlet for power. The last significant component would be the display. A 17 inch display with a high resolution equal to the high definition television was standard. The top of the line computer was envious but with a price tag close to 5,000 dollars it was well above my budget.
The laptop I ordered from Dell computers was an XPS model meant for high end computing processing and gaming. My laptop had a duel-core CPU and was considered a step down from the quad-core but still providing a great processing speed. The memory was two megs of RAM with an option of one additional meg for a total of three megs. The video card was a single card with 512 kilobits memory and produced a high quality image. A DVD drive was part of the package. The battery was six cells which did not provide more than two hours of operation. The laptop did have a 17 inch display with the high resolution. The price tag for my system from Dell was 1,700 dollars and was more reasonable cost then the high end machine.
In December my laptop quit working three months after the warranty expired. I spent 600 dollars to repair and was working fine. Friday the computer quit working again but this time a loud pop emanated from the back and the computer turned off. It will not turn back on so I feel the power supply had shorted out and is now defunct. I am in a quandary as to repair the computer or go and purchase another laptop. A new computer will cost about 800 dollars where the repair could cost between 200 and 400 dollars. I find it difficult to toss out a system costing 1,700 dollars but knowing I can buy a similar computer for the price of repair.
The laptop I ordered from Dell computers was an XPS model meant for high end computing processing and gaming. My laptop had a duel-core CPU and was considered a step down from the quad-core but still providing a great processing speed. The memory was two megs of RAM with an option of one additional meg for a total of three megs. The video card was a single card with 512 kilobits memory and produced a high quality image. A DVD drive was part of the package. The battery was six cells which did not provide more than two hours of operation. The laptop did have a 17 inch display with the high resolution. The price tag for my system from Dell was 1,700 dollars and was more reasonable cost then the high end machine.
In December my laptop quit working three months after the warranty expired. I spent 600 dollars to repair and was working fine. Friday the computer quit working again but this time a loud pop emanated from the back and the computer turned off. It will not turn back on so I feel the power supply had shorted out and is now defunct. I am in a quandary as to repair the computer or go and purchase another laptop. A new computer will cost about 800 dollars where the repair could cost between 200 and 400 dollars. I find it difficult to toss out a system costing 1,700 dollars but knowing I can buy a similar computer for the price of repair.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Last Will
Having a will prepared is not a strait forward process. My experience in the past with going to a lawyer’s office to have the legal document prepared had not been very positive. A form is provided to take home for completion. Return the form at a later date and wait a week for the will to be drawn up. On returning to the office the lawyer sits down and goes over the document to ensure the information is correct and states the desired information. The cost for the document is 400 dollars but at lest the state does not decided the disposition of assets upon my demise.
I prepared a will this week using an online legal company and surprisingly the process was not overly complicated. The information that is asked for begins with my name and the city I am a resident of. Other information was about children and if I wanted to provide for children hereafter. What are the desires for my remains? Is my body to be buried or cremated or donated to science? The idea of donating to science is an interesting concept but it is hard for me to think that someone will be poking and prodding or other uncomfortable procedures to my body after I depart this realm.
I appoint a personal representative to be the Executor of the will. Someone whom I feel confident will carry out my desires. An alternate Executor was chosen incase the original person dies before me. A few items collected over the years should go to friends or relatives like a sports car, jewelry, stamp collection, and the rock collection. Yes, there is a rock collection and it is extensive. May be I will write about the collection in another blog adventure.
I am intrigued by the ability to specify gifts of cash to people and the money comes off the top of my estate value before the estate is divided with other people. I needed to think about whom to give cash to and how much. I have people in my life that have made a difference to the enjoyment I have experienced. What about my brother and sister receiving cash? I contemplate these questions for a time and decide what I would do.
The last part of information needed was the disposition of my estate. I could give the remainder to one person or split it among numerous people and specify the percentage the individual would receive from one percent to one hundred percent. More thought needed to go into whom to provide for and to whom to just make their day. I had to dig for a few names but I think it is well worth the effort. It has been a few days and I have thought about changes already. A will seems like an easy process but it is not.
I prepared a will this week using an online legal company and surprisingly the process was not overly complicated. The information that is asked for begins with my name and the city I am a resident of. Other information was about children and if I wanted to provide for children hereafter. What are the desires for my remains? Is my body to be buried or cremated or donated to science? The idea of donating to science is an interesting concept but it is hard for me to think that someone will be poking and prodding or other uncomfortable procedures to my body after I depart this realm.
I appoint a personal representative to be the Executor of the will. Someone whom I feel confident will carry out my desires. An alternate Executor was chosen incase the original person dies before me. A few items collected over the years should go to friends or relatives like a sports car, jewelry, stamp collection, and the rock collection. Yes, there is a rock collection and it is extensive. May be I will write about the collection in another blog adventure.
I am intrigued by the ability to specify gifts of cash to people and the money comes off the top of my estate value before the estate is divided with other people. I needed to think about whom to give cash to and how much. I have people in my life that have made a difference to the enjoyment I have experienced. What about my brother and sister receiving cash? I contemplate these questions for a time and decide what I would do.
The last part of information needed was the disposition of my estate. I could give the remainder to one person or split it among numerous people and specify the percentage the individual would receive from one percent to one hundred percent. More thought needed to go into whom to provide for and to whom to just make their day. I had to dig for a few names but I think it is well worth the effort. It has been a few days and I have thought about changes already. A will seems like an easy process but it is not.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Spring is for biking
I am looking forward to the season of spring. Having the warm days so I can go outside to ride my bike or run five miles without wearing six layers of clothing for warmth. I also like the cool evening so I can sleep with a thick blanket on the bed and not over heat. I do not particularly care for the rain that comes with spring. The saying I heard from my mom and others is “April showers bring May flowers” just not as much rain this year as last years near record level down pours.
This past winter has been very hard on my physical and spiritual well-being.
My first mountain bike race this year was January 2 in the mountains of Dalton Georgia. It was not a good day to start due to the snow falling as I was driving from Atlanta to Dalton. I was fine with riding in snow but the temperature outside at the base of the mountain was 18 degrees Fahrenheit. Standing outside preparing my bike for the 6 hour ride in the current conditions I become colder and started shivering. I looked in the gear bag for more clothing to put on but I had everything on, I became demoralized. I decided to sit in my truck to try and warm up and think about the situation. At the registration office the staff was offering trash bags to wear over our feet and legs to stay dry while crossing the creek. The creek had 16 inches of water and was not going to be fun to walk across and there is no way to ride the bike across with the water at that depth without causing mechanical problems. This revelation about the creek played into my next decision not to ride this race. When I made the decision not to race the snow started coming down heavier. At that moment I knew the right decision was reached.
When the buses and trucks departed I tossed my bike into the back of my truck and started the trek back to Atlanta. The next day I heard from several friends about the conditions that they faced. The most prevalent issue was the water freezing cables which caused an inability to shift gears especially when starting to climb and needing an easier gear. Another problem was the cold and the inability to warm up. Jim told me about having to sit in front of a heater for an hour to warm his feet to regain feeling in them. I know I made the right decision not to race that day, but I would have liked the 6 hour ride to clear my mind of the winter doldrums. Maybe in February the race will have better conditions?
Spring brings the renewal of life and I will be outside taking advantage of the warm days as the trees start to bud and the flowers bloom.
This past winter has been very hard on my physical and spiritual well-being.
My first mountain bike race this year was January 2 in the mountains of Dalton Georgia. It was not a good day to start due to the snow falling as I was driving from Atlanta to Dalton. I was fine with riding in snow but the temperature outside at the base of the mountain was 18 degrees Fahrenheit. Standing outside preparing my bike for the 6 hour ride in the current conditions I become colder and started shivering. I looked in the gear bag for more clothing to put on but I had everything on, I became demoralized. I decided to sit in my truck to try and warm up and think about the situation. At the registration office the staff was offering trash bags to wear over our feet and legs to stay dry while crossing the creek. The creek had 16 inches of water and was not going to be fun to walk across and there is no way to ride the bike across with the water at that depth without causing mechanical problems. This revelation about the creek played into my next decision not to ride this race. When I made the decision not to race the snow started coming down heavier. At that moment I knew the right decision was reached.
When the buses and trucks departed I tossed my bike into the back of my truck and started the trek back to Atlanta. The next day I heard from several friends about the conditions that they faced. The most prevalent issue was the water freezing cables which caused an inability to shift gears especially when starting to climb and needing an easier gear. Another problem was the cold and the inability to warm up. Jim told me about having to sit in front of a heater for an hour to warm his feet to regain feeling in them. I know I made the right decision not to race that day, but I would have liked the 6 hour ride to clear my mind of the winter doldrums. Maybe in February the race will have better conditions?
Spring brings the renewal of life and I will be outside taking advantage of the warm days as the trees start to bud and the flowers bloom.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Ode to the Doughnut
Ode to the doughnut
Your simple circular shape becomes desirable
Your beginning reveals not the pleasure you bestow
The lowly start of measured flour combined with sweet sugar
Your baker adds the blessing of salt and starts the process of sifting
Out goes your lumps one by one light and airy you now become.
Butter imparts lush essence to enhance the flavors you impart.
Milk and yeast combined for life bubbling and gurgling stretching.
Your wonder provider yeast brings you up from flat existence.
Mixing and needing combining for whole
Rest for a while rising to be reduced
Your last opportunity to play as the dough
The machine beckons to be filled with your bounty
Extruded out a perfect circle one by one
Floating on the river of oil to sizzle and bubble on you expedition
Golden brown your bottom becomes
Over your pushed to brown some more
Finishing your trip now left to drip
One final mix of sugar and milk for your coat
Final coat to grace you now
Your desirable presence for all to enjoy
I removed “Milks tempered desired temperature 110 degrees Fahrenheit.” because it did not help the flow of the ode and did not add to the understanding even though the temperature is important for the yeast.
I changed “Butter in liquefied state imparts lush essence of enhancement for flavor you impart.” to help with the flow and improve readability. It just seemed to long and I felt rushed to finish the line. There were a few lines that I changed a word to enhance how the line sounded.
I added “One final mix of sugar and milk for your coat” because I told the reader about the final coat being applied but did not tell the making of the coat.
I rearranged these two lines.
Milk and yeast combined for life bubbling and gurgling stretching.
Your wonder provider yeast brings you up from flat existence.
Milk and yeast are combined before adding to the mixture.
The changes I have made affected the readability and flow of the discourse in a positive manner. The changes also affected the chronological order and put the sequences of how to make a doughnut in the proper order. The main difference from the changes would be the clarity of what I conveyed in changing the chronological flow and the readability of the ode. My desire in writing is to improve upon what is already there and seems to be a continuous process.
Your simple circular shape becomes desirable
Your beginning reveals not the pleasure you bestow
The lowly start of measured flour combined with sweet sugar
Your baker adds the blessing of salt and starts the process of sifting
Out goes your lumps one by one light and airy you now become.
Butter imparts lush essence to enhance the flavors you impart.
Milk and yeast combined for life bubbling and gurgling stretching.
Your wonder provider yeast brings you up from flat existence.
Mixing and needing combining for whole
Rest for a while rising to be reduced
Your last opportunity to play as the dough
The machine beckons to be filled with your bounty
Extruded out a perfect circle one by one
Floating on the river of oil to sizzle and bubble on you expedition
Golden brown your bottom becomes
Over your pushed to brown some more
Finishing your trip now left to drip
One final mix of sugar and milk for your coat
Final coat to grace you now
Your desirable presence for all to enjoy
I removed “Milks tempered desired temperature 110 degrees Fahrenheit.” because it did not help the flow of the ode and did not add to the understanding even though the temperature is important for the yeast.
I changed “Butter in liquefied state imparts lush essence of enhancement for flavor you impart.” to help with the flow and improve readability. It just seemed to long and I felt rushed to finish the line. There were a few lines that I changed a word to enhance how the line sounded.
I added “One final mix of sugar and milk for your coat” because I told the reader about the final coat being applied but did not tell the making of the coat.
I rearranged these two lines.
Milk and yeast combined for life bubbling and gurgling stretching.
Your wonder provider yeast brings you up from flat existence.
Milk and yeast are combined before adding to the mixture.
The changes I have made affected the readability and flow of the discourse in a positive manner. The changes also affected the chronological order and put the sequences of how to make a doughnut in the proper order. The main difference from the changes would be the clarity of what I conveyed in changing the chronological flow and the readability of the ode. My desire in writing is to improve upon what is already there and seems to be a continuous process.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Can I Play?
http://www.time.com/time/today-in-pictures/0,31511,1958926,00.html
I imagine taking this photo of the White House in Washington DC in awe of the beauty of the snow as it lies on the fenced in lawn. Thinking back to the time I lived in Nebraska and the winter snow fall I would play in. I would take the time to make a snowman and dress it up with charcoal eyes and a carrot for its nose. I kept a top hat in storage just for the occasion and would place it on top of the snowman’s head. It was a wonderful experience.
Looking at the White House lawn I think how fun it would be to be inside the fence playing in the snow. Rolling out the three sections I need to build my snowman. I know there are people that would want four sections but I think the stability of three is best and it would also be a challenge to lift the fourth section onto the top to make the head. As I am building the snowman I stop to watch the children and their parents play. Some children are lying on the snow sweeping their arms and legs back and forth making snow angles while other children are having a snowball fight. The children would be running around chasing each other and hiding behind the snow covered trees to escape the inbound snowballs. All the people there are laughing and enjoying the time spent together. Just watching the activity around me brings a smile.
I return to completing the task at hand of rolling out the sections of my snowman and then start the process of assembling. I recruit some parents and children to lift the middle section onto the base. They help pack in snow between the sections to ensure the top does not roll off. I then place the head on the top and it completes the snowman perfectly. I did not have charcoal or a carrot to make the face but made indentations for the facial features. I stand back and admire the work and notice the United States flag flying over the White House and I know this is a special place and I am honored to be here.
After everyone is tired and needing to rest The President and his family come out to see the snowmen and angles that were made and comments on how wonderful it is to see the children play. The first family offer hot chocolate with marshmallows and hot apple cider to everyone. It is a welcome pleasure to warm our bodies and lift our spirits even more. The President’s children encourage the other children to go back and play, so the adults stay back and watch and remember back to a time when they were young.
I imagine taking this photo of the White House in Washington DC in awe of the beauty of the snow as it lies on the fenced in lawn. Thinking back to the time I lived in Nebraska and the winter snow fall I would play in. I would take the time to make a snowman and dress it up with charcoal eyes and a carrot for its nose. I kept a top hat in storage just for the occasion and would place it on top of the snowman’s head. It was a wonderful experience.
Looking at the White House lawn I think how fun it would be to be inside the fence playing in the snow. Rolling out the three sections I need to build my snowman. I know there are people that would want four sections but I think the stability of three is best and it would also be a challenge to lift the fourth section onto the top to make the head. As I am building the snowman I stop to watch the children and their parents play. Some children are lying on the snow sweeping their arms and legs back and forth making snow angles while other children are having a snowball fight. The children would be running around chasing each other and hiding behind the snow covered trees to escape the inbound snowballs. All the people there are laughing and enjoying the time spent together. Just watching the activity around me brings a smile.
I return to completing the task at hand of rolling out the sections of my snowman and then start the process of assembling. I recruit some parents and children to lift the middle section onto the base. They help pack in snow between the sections to ensure the top does not roll off. I then place the head on the top and it completes the snowman perfectly. I did not have charcoal or a carrot to make the face but made indentations for the facial features. I stand back and admire the work and notice the United States flag flying over the White House and I know this is a special place and I am honored to be here.
After everyone is tired and needing to rest The President and his family come out to see the snowmen and angles that were made and comments on how wonderful it is to see the children play. The first family offer hot chocolate with marshmallows and hot apple cider to everyone. It is a welcome pleasure to warm our bodies and lift our spirits even more. The President’s children encourage the other children to go back and play, so the adults stay back and watch and remember back to a time when they were young.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The Collection
Yesterday I mailed three payments for magazine subscriptions. One was a renewal for biking magazine and the other two were unsolicited financial and cooking magazines. Why subscribe to magazines when I do not have the time to read them and fully appreciate the information that is offered? Some days my resolve to just say no is not strong.
I have ten subscriptions currently and with the new additions brings me to twelve magazines. They very the gamut from Consumer information, Health and fitness geared towards men, biking, mountain biking, computer, cooking and now a financial magazine. I know I need to have a mechanical and electronic magazine also but someone has not figured out that I really need them yet. I do find them interesting to read through, but more of a skim looking for the tidbit of information that I feel would benefit me. I mark the page of a recipe that looks enticing or article that I wish to come back to when I have more available time. After looking through the magazine I place it in the magazine basket on top of the 30 to 40 other magazines place there.
I have a hard time tossing magazines into the recycling bin due to one or two interesting articles and not wanting to loose the information and at the time seemed important. Eventually I go through the basket and start the purge. It is not an easy process needing to look through each magazine before placing it in the discard pile or keep pile. After looking at about six to eight magazines I start to fade from the task and the demarcation of which magazine to toss comes to what the cover lists as the key information contained in its articles. At times I have removed pages to keep and dispose the rest of the magazine but that creates other problems with where to put the pages and when do I look at them again. After 30 minutes of sorting I stop the process and after a short debate with myself on weather I should keep any in the toss pile I place the magazines in the recycling container.
Why do I need more magazines? It is not that I need more it is because the solicitations I receive in the mail make it difficult to not to subscribe. The financial magazine’s pitch was 80 percent off the news stand price which brought the cost to eight dollars a year and in addition I could subscribe for two years at the same rate, which I did. I can always use financial advice. The cooking magazine had the same pitch but at the rate of twelve dollars a year and I wanted Rachel’s newest quick meal recipe. I do not always give into the solicitation but I was having a moment of weakness.
I have ten subscriptions currently and with the new additions brings me to twelve magazines. They very the gamut from Consumer information, Health and fitness geared towards men, biking, mountain biking, computer, cooking and now a financial magazine. I know I need to have a mechanical and electronic magazine also but someone has not figured out that I really need them yet. I do find them interesting to read through, but more of a skim looking for the tidbit of information that I feel would benefit me. I mark the page of a recipe that looks enticing or article that I wish to come back to when I have more available time. After looking through the magazine I place it in the magazine basket on top of the 30 to 40 other magazines place there.
I have a hard time tossing magazines into the recycling bin due to one or two interesting articles and not wanting to loose the information and at the time seemed important. Eventually I go through the basket and start the purge. It is not an easy process needing to look through each magazine before placing it in the discard pile or keep pile. After looking at about six to eight magazines I start to fade from the task and the demarcation of which magazine to toss comes to what the cover lists as the key information contained in its articles. At times I have removed pages to keep and dispose the rest of the magazine but that creates other problems with where to put the pages and when do I look at them again. After 30 minutes of sorting I stop the process and after a short debate with myself on weather I should keep any in the toss pile I place the magazines in the recycling container.
Why do I need more magazines? It is not that I need more it is because the solicitations I receive in the mail make it difficult to not to subscribe. The financial magazine’s pitch was 80 percent off the news stand price which brought the cost to eight dollars a year and in addition I could subscribe for two years at the same rate, which I did. I can always use financial advice. The cooking magazine had the same pitch but at the rate of twelve dollars a year and I wanted Rachel’s newest quick meal recipe. I do not always give into the solicitation but I was having a moment of weakness.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Little Store
Welty uses a visual layout and time structure as she describes the area around the side walk that leads to the little store. She walks down the sidewalk she reflects back in time to people and events that have transpired on previous trips on the sidewalk. She also reflects on events people who lived by the sidewalk had but were not related to a trip to the store like the story of Lindsey.
She continues the visual and mixes in time as it progresses and also reflects to previous events. The location of the store is given and with the description she tells of her intimate knowledge of the path she takes to walk to the store. She uses a metaphor with how well she knows the path and states “I know even the sidewalk to it as well as I know my own skin” (155). She goes through a litany of games and activities she enjoyed on this sidewalk as well as her bothers and friends. Her descriptions express a positive and happy time playing and reflect the joy she has when she journeys to the store.
Welty’s effect of presenting the visual of being happy playing games and other activities bring about a since of joy and good feeling before we enter the store with her. When she enters the store she begins to describe the smells as “… almost tangible smells-licorice recently sucked in a child’s cheek…and perhaps the smell of still-untrapped mice” (156-157). I understand the smell of licorice but the rest of the descriptions have me trying to understand the smells. Is the licorice sweet and mixed with other aromas? I also know the smell of caged mice so I use that knowledge to help understand.
Welty reflects back to the time spent playing on her block and the visits to the store with the use of a metaphor with part of her analysis. She eloquently wrote “I believed the Little Store to be a center of the outside world, and hence of happiness-as I believed what I found in the Cracker Jack box to be a genuine prize, which was as simply as I believed in the Golden Fleece” (158). I believe she stated how she felt both of the store and her childhood and compared them to finding the big prize. She uses a simile in describing how well she knows the path to the store by the saying “I knew even the sidewalk to it as well as I know my own skin” (155). A good analogy showing she made frequent trips to the store.
She ended the story on a sad commentary about tragedy at the Little Store and even with tragedy life teaches both good and bad. Some people looked for just the good while others found the bad.
She continues the visual and mixes in time as it progresses and also reflects to previous events. The location of the store is given and with the description she tells of her intimate knowledge of the path she takes to walk to the store. She uses a metaphor with how well she knows the path and states “I know even the sidewalk to it as well as I know my own skin” (155). She goes through a litany of games and activities she enjoyed on this sidewalk as well as her bothers and friends. Her descriptions express a positive and happy time playing and reflect the joy she has when she journeys to the store.
Welty’s effect of presenting the visual of being happy playing games and other activities bring about a since of joy and good feeling before we enter the store with her. When she enters the store she begins to describe the smells as “… almost tangible smells-licorice recently sucked in a child’s cheek…and perhaps the smell of still-untrapped mice” (156-157). I understand the smell of licorice but the rest of the descriptions have me trying to understand the smells. Is the licorice sweet and mixed with other aromas? I also know the smell of caged mice so I use that knowledge to help understand.
Welty reflects back to the time spent playing on her block and the visits to the store with the use of a metaphor with part of her analysis. She eloquently wrote “I believed the Little Store to be a center of the outside world, and hence of happiness-as I believed what I found in the Cracker Jack box to be a genuine prize, which was as simply as I believed in the Golden Fleece” (158). I believe she stated how she felt both of the store and her childhood and compared them to finding the big prize. She uses a simile in describing how well she knows the path to the store by the saying “I knew even the sidewalk to it as well as I know my own skin” (155). A good analogy showing she made frequent trips to the store.
She ended the story on a sad commentary about tragedy at the Little Store and even with tragedy life teaches both good and bad. Some people looked for just the good while others found the bad.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Air Force Brat
Were I am from is a hard question to answer. My father was in the United States Air Force, so my answer to the question has been I am an Air Force brat. My reason for such a clouded answer is due to my father being assigned to a new location every three years. I have lived in seven states and one country as a child which makes it difficult to choose one location as the place I am from.
When I answer the question of ‘where are you from’ people look at me funny so I must go into a list of places I have been. I was born in Illinois, where I lived for six months. I moved to Missouri for three years then on to Montana for another three years. I then went to Texas for a year while Dad went somewhere he could not bring the family.
When Dad returned we moved to the second best place I lived which was Alaska. As an adult I do not appreciate snow very much but as a child I thought it was the greatest thing to play in. I remember building an igloo and hiding in it to escape the snowball fights. I also enjoyed sledding down the big hill in the back of complex. Three and a half years later I moved to Ohio which was not as exciting as Alaska.
After three years in Ohio I moved to the place I enjoyed to most, which was England. I enjoyed listening to the English people talk because their accent was so different then mine. It also seemed that everything was old and antique. I started high school in England which school was over an hour drive from where we lived. Due to the distance I had the opportunity to live away from my family during the week which was a great experience. Three year went by quick and I was moving to another place.
The place I do call home is Fort Worth Texas because this was the last assignment dad was given before he retired. He still lives there which makes it easier to call Texas home. Texas has made an indelible mark on me as did all the other places I have lived. I do enjoy Texas barbeque much more then southern barbeque, but I make due with what is available. I had also picked up a laid back style so I do not worry about problems just wanting to think the issue through before reacting. I have learned to take care of the important issues and the rest of life will flow.
The two other important places which have left indelible marks on me have been Alaska and England. Alaska has shown me how to play in the snow and to just let go and enjoy the moment. Nature has so much to offer and if I do not go out to nature, nature will not come to me. England has helped me to be interested in my American heritage and history. The English people have so much history and they show them so proudly to the visitors. London had so many places to see that I could not see them all in a day. Because of England I have taken the opportunity to learn about the history of America by visiting historical places like Gettysburg and Philadelphia. These places show the heritage of the American people but I wanted to go visit these places to feel the history not just read about them.
I am glad I had the opportunity to live in several places and do not feel like I missed out on being in one place as I grew up. I may not recall what one location did for me over another, but I feel privileged to have lived in such diverse places and each place has left its mark on me.
When I answer the question of ‘where are you from’ people look at me funny so I must go into a list of places I have been. I was born in Illinois, where I lived for six months. I moved to Missouri for three years then on to Montana for another three years. I then went to Texas for a year while Dad went somewhere he could not bring the family.
When Dad returned we moved to the second best place I lived which was Alaska. As an adult I do not appreciate snow very much but as a child I thought it was the greatest thing to play in. I remember building an igloo and hiding in it to escape the snowball fights. I also enjoyed sledding down the big hill in the back of complex. Three and a half years later I moved to Ohio which was not as exciting as Alaska.
After three years in Ohio I moved to the place I enjoyed to most, which was England. I enjoyed listening to the English people talk because their accent was so different then mine. It also seemed that everything was old and antique. I started high school in England which school was over an hour drive from where we lived. Due to the distance I had the opportunity to live away from my family during the week which was a great experience. Three year went by quick and I was moving to another place.
The place I do call home is Fort Worth Texas because this was the last assignment dad was given before he retired. He still lives there which makes it easier to call Texas home. Texas has made an indelible mark on me as did all the other places I have lived. I do enjoy Texas barbeque much more then southern barbeque, but I make due with what is available. I had also picked up a laid back style so I do not worry about problems just wanting to think the issue through before reacting. I have learned to take care of the important issues and the rest of life will flow.
The two other important places which have left indelible marks on me have been Alaska and England. Alaska has shown me how to play in the snow and to just let go and enjoy the moment. Nature has so much to offer and if I do not go out to nature, nature will not come to me. England has helped me to be interested in my American heritage and history. The English people have so much history and they show them so proudly to the visitors. London had so many places to see that I could not see them all in a day. Because of England I have taken the opportunity to learn about the history of America by visiting historical places like Gettysburg and Philadelphia. These places show the heritage of the American people but I wanted to go visit these places to feel the history not just read about them.
I am glad I had the opportunity to live in several places and do not feel like I missed out on being in one place as I grew up. I may not recall what one location did for me over another, but I feel privileged to have lived in such diverse places and each place has left its mark on me.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Seeing up the Mountain
The first week of English 1102 I was assigned to read Seeing by Annie Dillard. From the reading assignment I was asked to venture out to a place to see the uncommon and to write about the seeing. I also needed to consider the addition of using eight quotes from Annie Dillard’s work in my writing.
It seems only the die hard hikers come out on a rainy day to trek up Kennesaw Mountain. The weekends are normally packed with people looking to venture into nature but the parking area still had plenty of places for me to park my car. My thoughts were focused on what I needed to look for or see as I ventured on a hike up a mountain.
The path started out about 10 feet wide and narrowed to about 4 feet and at times just enough room for one person to transverse. “Still, a great deal of light falls on everything.”
As we walked I commented on the strategically placed trees that were ether in the middle of the trail or just on the side as I climbed a rocky area. The trees help with keeping me stable and I think of the quote “We miss a great deal because we perceive only things on our own scale.” Because I only looked to the tree and path and not what was around me.
As I came around a bend of the trail I looked down to the bottom of the mountain and the white contrast of a large estate in the gray and green of the surrounding area was strikingly vivid. Annie Dillard’s quote “...sense impressions of one-celled animals are not edited for the brain: "This is philosophically interesting in a rather mournful way, since it means that only the simplest animals perceive the universe as it is." This helped me consider that we as people try to change our little bit of the universe and not just see the universe as it is. I also considered that a summer hike would not have allowed that observation because the trees would have their leaves fully extended and hiding the white estate. The detail of seeing what was not there at that time had me consider the quote "If I can't see these minutiae, I still try to keep my eyes open.” If I could not see the white estate I would still keep looking for other details.
As I arrived to the top of the first mountain there was a cannon pointed out towards the valley below. I consider the quote "I reel in confusion; I don't understand what I see." I did not expect to see a relic from the civil war here nor in such good condition. I believe that the park service maintains the cannons to keep them from deteriorating and to help preserve history. Sue, a member of my hiking group mentioned that the cannons were dragged here in one night by men not horses.
At the top of the mountain I looked southeast towards Atlanta and could only make out minor details, because the low cloud cover or what could have been fog obscured most of the Atlanta skyline. On the return hike to the top of the mountain the clouds had lifted and I could see downtown Atlanta or at least the tall buildings which make up the Atlanta skyline. I consider the quote "It's all a matter of keeping my eyes open" to see there are three distinct high rise areas in the skyline of Atlanta. Maybe one day I can spend time pondering the reasons for the three areas but my main focus is on seeing not trying to surmise an understanding.
Nature is opportunistic. The quote "I had been my whole life a bell, and never knew it until that moment I was lifted and struck." seemed to fit the next seeing. An observation I had was seeing a small tree growing from a small crack in a large rock. I found it peculiar that I have a tree in my house and it barely survives due to my lack of caring for it where the tree in the crack of the rock seems to do flourish.
I looked at two trees which had fallen down and the base was hollow except for the outer third. A tree lives while its middle becomes hollow? I know not all trees are like this because I have a nice dinning room table and it does not seem to be missing part of the center of the tree. From my table I consider the last quote "I see what I expect" because the table is whole as it should be. The hollow tree is like people that go about their lives and on the outside they look happy but inside they are empty.
It seems only the die hard hikers come out on a rainy day to trek up Kennesaw Mountain. The weekends are normally packed with people looking to venture into nature but the parking area still had plenty of places for me to park my car. My thoughts were focused on what I needed to look for or see as I ventured on a hike up a mountain.
The path started out about 10 feet wide and narrowed to about 4 feet and at times just enough room for one person to transverse. “Still, a great deal of light falls on everything.”
As we walked I commented on the strategically placed trees that were ether in the middle of the trail or just on the side as I climbed a rocky area. The trees help with keeping me stable and I think of the quote “We miss a great deal because we perceive only things on our own scale.” Because I only looked to the tree and path and not what was around me.
As I came around a bend of the trail I looked down to the bottom of the mountain and the white contrast of a large estate in the gray and green of the surrounding area was strikingly vivid. Annie Dillard’s quote “...sense impressions of one-celled animals are not edited for the brain: "This is philosophically interesting in a rather mournful way, since it means that only the simplest animals perceive the universe as it is." This helped me consider that we as people try to change our little bit of the universe and not just see the universe as it is. I also considered that a summer hike would not have allowed that observation because the trees would have their leaves fully extended and hiding the white estate. The detail of seeing what was not there at that time had me consider the quote "If I can't see these minutiae, I still try to keep my eyes open.” If I could not see the white estate I would still keep looking for other details.
As I arrived to the top of the first mountain there was a cannon pointed out towards the valley below. I consider the quote "I reel in confusion; I don't understand what I see." I did not expect to see a relic from the civil war here nor in such good condition. I believe that the park service maintains the cannons to keep them from deteriorating and to help preserve history. Sue, a member of my hiking group mentioned that the cannons were dragged here in one night by men not horses.
At the top of the mountain I looked southeast towards Atlanta and could only make out minor details, because the low cloud cover or what could have been fog obscured most of the Atlanta skyline. On the return hike to the top of the mountain the clouds had lifted and I could see downtown Atlanta or at least the tall buildings which make up the Atlanta skyline. I consider the quote "It's all a matter of keeping my eyes open" to see there are three distinct high rise areas in the skyline of Atlanta. Maybe one day I can spend time pondering the reasons for the three areas but my main focus is on seeing not trying to surmise an understanding.
Nature is opportunistic. The quote "I had been my whole life a bell, and never knew it until that moment I was lifted and struck." seemed to fit the next seeing. An observation I had was seeing a small tree growing from a small crack in a large rock. I found it peculiar that I have a tree in my house and it barely survives due to my lack of caring for it where the tree in the crack of the rock seems to do flourish.
I looked at two trees which had fallen down and the base was hollow except for the outer third. A tree lives while its middle becomes hollow? I know not all trees are like this because I have a nice dinning room table and it does not seem to be missing part of the center of the tree. From my table I consider the last quote "I see what I expect" because the table is whole as it should be. The hollow tree is like people that go about their lives and on the outside they look happy but inside they are empty.
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