I can’t be honest. Not anymore…not since 2008, basically. My honest, analytical opinion would hurt too many feelings and likely get me fired, or sued, or jailed. Suffice it to say, there are things I’d like to get off my chest and express that I just can’t. That’s hard, because my blog has always been the place where I did that, consequences be damned. Well, these days, “consequences” includes four other people. ...
This is part confessional, part “working it out on paper”. I am an intuitive, synthetic problem solver. That is, more often than not, a holistic solution pops into my head. I don’t really work it out; I just wait for inspiration to strike and then try like hell to keep up with it. It oftentimes feels like someone else solved the problem when I’m done. So, what’s the big deal? I mean, the problems get solved, and my paychecks keep coming, so what of it? Well, it’s tough being a Computer Scientist with this frame of mind. ...
I was in a training class last week, and thought these quotes were interesting: Game time is not the time to improve skills. It’s the time to apply the skills. Projects have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Operations go on forever. Marry not the person that makes you happiest, but the person that makes you least unhappy. Metrics allow you to get rid of the losers. They DO NOT let you pick the winners The difference between a job and a career? About 20 hours a week.
(As related to Kim Tegge, the lone coffee holdout at work) Stage 0: Coffee?! BLECH! Does smell good, though. Stage 1: Coffee?! BLECH! I’ll take a Mocha Frappuchino, please. Stage 2: Coffee?! BLECH! I’ll take an instant French Vanilla Cappuccino, please. I drink one of these every couple of weeks or so. Stage 3: Latte, please. I can’t stand coffee. This is my first one this week. Stage 4: Hmm…no latte? No Starbucks? Need something…I’ll take some coffee with my cream and sugar. Never had this before. ...
[Insert obligatory apology/observation about not updating my blog here] It’s a brand new me, folks. Less introspective. Focused on “What” and “How”, not “Why.” ‘Why’ is an empty question where one can spend one’s whole life. I’m 30 now. I’m married. I have two kids I love very much. I also have no idea who I really am. Most of this blog from these many years is complete B.S., I’m afraid–at least the stuff about me. ...
I haven’t blogged in forever…I guess it’s just the omnipresence of Twitter and Facebook that have me being “unfaithful” to my blog. Over the years, I’ve liked to record the way my day goes, just so I can look back and say, WHAT WAS I THINKING?! A rundown of a typical day for me: 5am – wake up, hit snooze button 5:09 – wake up 5:18 – NO REALLY, WAKE UP. ...
I’ve been keeping up with twitter, but no so much on my blog. It just seems like such a futile time to be writing much of anything. The world economy is dying. We have (er…had) a super-optimized consumption machine going, with a supply-line stretching from the third world (where stuff was made) through the first world, where stuff got consumed and thrown away. The consumers bought the stuff with their white-collar paychecks funded by the 100,000+ people per year who became finance majors, because only suckers become engineers or scientists (too hard, involves math, can’t BS your way to the top). ...
Stolen from Susan * * * 1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? Traveled to both coasts–New England and Kalifournia. 2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Didn’t make any, so yep. 3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No. 4. Did anyone close to you die? One of the founders of our church died, but no one too close, no. ...
I don’t know if this is common or not, but when I have prolonged time off work, I find it nearly impossible to relax. I always feel like I should be doing something or working towards something, even if it’s at home. Take right now, for instance. Whitney and I are granting one another some alone time today. Joey’s in Louisville until tomorrow night, and Maria’s enjoying her post-Christmas toys. She’s taking the morning shift watching Maria, and I’m taking the afternoon. ...
I’ve kinda “lost that bloggin’ feelin’” myself. I … Jeff Roberts - Dec 3, 2008 I’ve kinda “lost that bloggin’ feelin’” myself. I think mine used to be more “Look at the hole I dug!!!” and thanks to drought and being busy at everything BUT the yard, I’m not sure I could find the back 4 acres right now.
Well, today’s the day. Either way it goes, we make history–the first African-American president, or the first female vice-president. Whitney got up and voted a little after 6, and faced a long line at our polling station. I went a little after 7; while there were lots of folks, I was done in 10 minutes. Everyone was chatty and “up”–we know this is a big deal today. I guess that ever-present barrage of advertising (particularly in the vitriolic McConnell/Lunsford Senate race) is good for something! ...
The Beamer that Vicki never got to drive is no more, sent on to its new owner Grady from Indianapolis. Overall, it was a tremendous selling experience, with a detailed ad via craigslist (for free) and the buyer contacting me via email asking intelligent questions throughout the following week. This has been on my heart for some time now; glad I finally manned-up and did it.
Duuuuuuuuuuuude! Jeff Roberts - Oct 3, 2008 Duuuuuuuuuuuude!
I’ve got a guy driving in from Indianapolis this afternoon; perhaps this is the BMW’s last day with me. Part of me’s not taking this so well…I got up nauseated and I was very cranky, right down to being very mean to Joey at the breakfast table. Which caused Whitney to get really mad at me (rightly so). I apologized to him on the way to school for it, but still…I’m just OFF today. ...
….or “This is what Susan’s Been Saying since High school” Nice personal interest piece in the Herald-Leader about what an economic depression might be like. Point taken–in our relativistic society, if people get down on their luck, they’re not going to just sit and starve to death. They’re going to start stealing and causing anarchy to survive. That’s the joy of living in a “globalized” economy–global points of failure. We don’t MAKE ANYTHING in this country anymore. Ugh.
Yeah, there I sit on 6 acres and I can barely grow… Jeff Roberts - Sep 1, 2008 Yeah, there I sit on 6 acres and I can barely grow grass :-) We would probably hunker down at Grandmother’s. Old school know-how, plenty of acreage, and armed to the teeth. :-) Yeah, in hindsight, this MIGHT NOT have been the best time to piss-off my parents, though their house isn’t what I’d call defensible. ...
Taking a leap out there today. Listing for the BMW I don’t need to carry 3 cars through the winter, particularly since I have my eye on getting a 5-series come Spring. Pray for me guys…this is really hard for me, but it’s what needs to happen.
From here: Stevey’s Blog Rants Just took a typing test 106 wpm, 99% accuracy. w000t!!!
“You need a hobby…that you can WALK to.” Yep.
Is that a bus factor statement? Don’t ride or auto… Jeff Roberts - Sep 2, 2008 Is that a bus factor statement? Don’t ride or auto-x or you could get hurt and we lose all your know-how? Hmm, I may not have that much know-how but I guess the odds of ME being hit by a bus are pretty good. Church bus that is. ...