I won’t draw this out, but seeing how it is clouding our days right now, I can’t but mention it.

The lesson learned¹; don’t fix what isn’t broken.

W. and I decided to refinish our bedroom furniture over the holiday weekend. It didn’t go as planned and we ended up painting it black. Not that black furniture isn’t contemporary and all that, it isn’t what we had in mind at all. And now we can barely stand to have it in our room. In fact, we’re sleeping in our basement guest room tonight because our bedroom smells like paint. Poor W. is lamenting over the entire matter and there is little I can say to assuage her feelings of discontent. Moving on.

I golfed 18 holes yesterday while taking pictures for a golf site I’m working on. I had a great time, golfed well, and got some color on my bald head. Now I look like a blushing Casper.

As I went to water my vegetables and herbs on my deck this morning I noticed some critter had chewed holes in my basil. Upon closer examination I found some shiny beetles gorging themselves. I’ll be keeping an eye out for them. Might need to mix up some sort of deterrent to keep them away. More research needed.

Summer is going by so fast and I can’t shake the feeling like I should be getting more done. Need to breath and relax. Breath and relax. Now focus.

Image: I had considered posting before, during, and after pictures from this laborious refinishing project but didn’t have the heart for it. I wouldn’t want to remind W. of the pain suffered should she ever decide to read this blog. This is me mustering the strength to push on.

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1. Reinforced might be a better description [↩]

As I wrap up a design project that has taken me that last couple months, I’m considering taking on another. I met with L. and K. over the weekend and have exchanged a few emails about expectations, time frames, deliverables, and the like. It is an interesting project with some fun technical challenges. A proposal hasn’t been inked yet but already my mind is chewing on it.

When I start on something and am seeking a clear direction, my mind chews on it almost constantly. I’ll wake up in the middle of the night, puzzling, shifting, pondering, moving pieces and ideas around in my head waiting to hear the “click” of sense and clarity.

Though I’m referring to my moonlighting projects, my work projects are just as interesting but definitely more challenging in sheer scope, complexity, with challenges of communication and coordination aplenty. My projects at work are too big to accomplish alone and always involve numerous people. Working with people is something I enjoy very much even though it can be particularly challenging.

Image: This is Bailey The Cat stabilizing W.’s hand while he carefully chews on “pet-grass” with his back teeth. We’re growing this on our deck. Both cats go crazy for it and eat it like it’s candy.

It was a hot, humid, stormy, sunny day filled with creative thinking, reading, and interaction.

My alarm went off at 2:40 AM¹ which I promptly reset for 4:40². Then my watch alarm went off at 2:45 AM which was in my closet and too far away to turn off. I just let it go. It didn’t seem like W. heard it though³. When it was finally time to get up, I put in my 3 miles on Octane then had breakfast with W.

Work was quiet for the most part. I spent most of my day answering emails. Some questions require a lot of thought, research, then careful articulation before you can hit “send.” Such is work.

Toward the end of the day I wrapped up a meeting and headed to the golf course. There was a crazy storm following me. Once at the clubhouse it hit and we had to hang out drinking Two-Hearted (so delicious) until it passed. And it did pass. I shot a 48. My partner shot a 39. I lost about 5 balls…maybe more. But it was a beautiful night so what the hell.

After the round we hung out on the deck at the clubhouse and had dinner. For some reason my blog came up and I mentioned it to K⁴. The blogosphere still fascinates me and I’m always curious to learn what people think about it. It is kind of crazy. Mortimer knows what I’m talking about as he got a look at my blog because he was confused.

So here it is, after 11 PM. I don’t normally stay up this late but I figured I’d pound out a post before I crashed. W. is probably asleep by now and my cats are waiting for their late-night snack so they can curl up and crash when I go to bed…which will be any minute.

My golf game started out crappy. Toward the end I picked it up…even had a couple pars. Overall I golfed just okay. I realize it doesn’t matter how I golf. What I appreciate is the interaction with people in the league and the people that run the golf course. A big thanks to the ranger at the first tee that just smiled and laughed instead of giving us a hard time. Maybe it isn’t so much about the game but who you play and how you get along that matters. Maybe how you play matters a little, but not that much.

Image: This is one of the many pictures I took tonight. Every week I take a couple dozen pictures of the round and the group we’re playing and post them to a private golf league site.

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1. This is when I got up on Wednesday for a release at work. [↩]
2. This is when I normally get up. It’s kind of sick, no? [↩]
3. Sorry if it woke you up W. [↩]
4. This one’s for you K. You know who you are. [↩]

Work, like life, has a certain organic quality to it. Projects grow from ideas and become these things that need care and attendance. Some projects are like weed/vegetable gardens while some are like Zen rock gardens. Some are organized, some are organic and evolving. I see our lives as a combination of both.

Though the routine of home life is comforting because it is routine, I have to admit that routine is not always routine. What we become used to changes over time because things around it are changing. We adapt and grow, keeping pace (or trying to keep pace) with what is around us. If you don’t grow, you become like a rock. Not growing. Even though some things don’t seem to change, everything is changing all the time and to forget this is to invite confusion.

Technology is changing our lives in dramatic ways. Though I chatted with my boss today, we never actually talked or came face to face…even though I could stand up and talk to him over my cube wall if I wanted. Something about electronic communication and the imposed constraints afford a unique paradigm for communication. Like everything, this approach to information sharing is growing and evolving into something that is unlike anything that exists. It is a form of new growth. Sometimes I wonder if it is a way of sharing information that is more concentrated and focused. To some degree, sure, but what does it mean for interpersonal relationships?

I’m fascinated with the way computers, the Internation, and technology are impacting our lives. I look forward to seeing how humanity and society in general evolves in a world of blogs, twitter, instant messaging, email, and web publishing. Such potential combined with growing isolation and interaction. Where will it take us?

Image: A picture of our vegetable garden we’re cultivating on our deck. Jalapenos, banana peppers, chile peppers, cherry tomatoes, rosemary, pet grass, mint, oregano, basil, and catnip. It’ll be fun to see how things grow throughout the summer.

It’s practically Friday, and I’m glad for that. The weekend will be short, like they always are in the summer, but I welcome it. Not that I’ll get to slow down much.

Last night W. and I saw Jack Johnson in concert at DTE. This isn’t my favorite of venues, but it wasn’t that bad. The guy puts out some great music and has a real stage presence. His sound is consistent and smooth. Maybe “mellow” is a better word. The place was packed like crazy and we spent most of the concert trying not to suffocate. Two young guys next to us were practically chain smoking…in a no smoking area…so we got to enjoy their second-hand smoke. I eventually asked them to give us a break and they seemed to let off a little. Punk ass kids anyway.

We got home after midnight though so it was all good. I took it slow this morning and wasn’t into work all that late. I’m getting old. I know. Don’t care though.

Had a good time at golf tonight. The weather was near perfect. There were some clouds, some sprinkles here and there, but the temp was mild and the wind slight. I shot a 49. Not so bad for the back nine.

It’s already pushing 11PM (my default designated bed-time). I’m catching up on email then decided to blog before I crash. Such is this. Not deep, philosophical, or terribly thought-provoking, but they can’t all be like that. What fun is that?

Image: One of my better shots from last night. I toggled my cybershot to take black and white photos then captured this one.