Miscellany

Got a feeling...

jamesjk@gmail.com — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 02:27:21 GMT

For the first time in 2 years I've got a hankering. Gonna put some thoughts on "paper" and see how it flows.

Could be nothing.

Could be something.

Happy Holidays

jamesjk@gmail.com — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:29:00 GMT

I'm amused at the continuation of comments on the blog but I can assure you that I truly did end my contributions to it with the last post. If you're curious as to what I'm doing, join Facebook (and/or Twitter) and watch me try to summarize my thoughts in a very-restraining 140-character limit (as per Twitter's limitations).

A good 4 years

jamesjk@gmail.com — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:51:08 GMT

Yep, I’m doing it again. I know, I know, the last time I did this it was about a month and I was right back into blogging again. I can’t guarantee that I might or might not do that in the near future but for now I figured what I’ve written since 2005 (3-5 times a week) was a good snapshot into my life. Obviously there are things I don’t put out for public consumption since I always have to assume my employer and future employers will scan anything I’ve put out there and use it against me and never for me. When I reference future employers I’m not implying I have a new job, nor have I interviewed for any. I’m just saying that in today’s Facebook/MySpace/Twitter world, anything you post could have ramifications down the line.

One thing that I wanted to do when I installed Google Analytics on this blog last year was to see what states and countries were hitting the site. I half-heartedly joked to myself that once all 50 states had perused the site at least once that it would be time to place the site to rest. Interestingly enough, the only state that hasn’t sent a request to the site (on purpose or inadvertently) was South Dakota. So to heck with you, South Dakota! I’m turning out the lights and not waiting for your call.

Blogging’s a tricky business. While it gives any schmoe an outlet to express their opinions or to spread news around, very few people do it properly. I do like how it keeps entities like the government and the standard media outlets in check, calling them out on inaccuracies or flat-out lies, but there is a seedy underbelly to it too where unchecked rumors can ruin people and there’s nothing a public figure can do about it. I compare blogging to Las Vegas – it represents all that is right and also all that is wrong with the world today.

The fact remains that when I initially expounded on semi-lucid rants and random life occurrences, I wanted to keep family stories out of the site. What happened though is all I really care about at this point are my two precious daughters and awesome wife. What doesn’t need to happen is me putting their life out there for all to review. Since that’s all I seem to concentrate on and care about in this stage in my life, there’s no sense maintaining a site to give updates on mundane family life. This isn’t an attack on those who have blogs about family life, as there are a few sites that I love reading their updates. It’s just that I don’t want to do it and since my inspiration to write lately is all about family, I’m gonna keep those entries offline.

I really want to thank my blog host who, in addition to providing me with a place to host the site also was the one to purchase this URL for me and keeps renewing it. He didn’t have to do that but has done so all these years out of the goodness of his heart and I appreciate all he’s done for me. I’m also extremely thankful to all those who post comments and keep me in check. For those of you who lurk and read only, I’m amazed at just how far this blog spread and for that I’m grateful for you reading it too. One thing that’s become obvious is I’m in the wrong freakin’ profession! I have printed out my output for the past 4 years and the manuscript is almost 6 inches thick. And that’s from only writing for 5-10 minutes a day, usually during my lunch break.

Again, this doesn’t mean I’m done writing online but if I do revive my passion, it will be good to change the focus on what and how I write about things. In the meantime, I’ll be actively updating my Twitter and Facebook feeds (see the links on the lower right) and anyone can still email me using the Contact Me box (also on the lower right corner of the site).

Adios, amigos. Let’s all hope the next time you’ll see me writing online it will be when we’re based in an area of the country that has one or more of their sports teams that are named after the Ursidae family (Yes, that’s a hint and there are several possibilities, none of which I will confirm or deny).

It’s been fun.

Where's my head?

jamesjk@gmail.com — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:22:59 GMT

Who TF knows

Sad news

jamesjk@gmail.com — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:04:01 GMT

For those of you who went to Bradley around the same time frame as I did, I have very sad news. A truly good friend of mine - Susan Dallas - passed away in her home last night. She is survived by her husband Chris and son Evan.

I'll write more about her when I can compose my thoughts. For now, please keep Chris and Evan in your thoughts as they traverse through this extremely difficult time.

Social Circles and Groups and Webs, Oh My

jamesjk@gmail.com — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:27:06 GMT

Overexposed? Yes.

Lunches that don't cost bunches

jamesjk@gmail.com — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:03:05 GMT

Bringing my lunch to work a majority of the time (3-4 times a week) has three benefits for me personally. One is to watch what I eat. The second is to save money. Third, and I consider this a key component in my “decompression time”, is to be able to read the newspaper or peruse stuff online during my break (followed by a short walk). I’m fortunate where I have a job that allows an hour lunch break which allows me to eat and relax at a leisurely pace.

I bring all this up because, at the risk of sounding like an old fuddy duddy, I’ve noticed the increase in, at least what I consider, the Mendoza Line for a cheap lunch. Back when I started working in 1995, you could find lunches for under $5 if you looked. As someone who wasn’t making much scratch right out of college, I considered it a good fiscal move to eat at the Chinese outlet in the food court at the Merchandise Mart (Lai Lai) where the orange chicken, generously served, was just under $5 total if I ordered an ice water.

Now, $5 wasn’t a breaking point for me but I’d say most lunches at “quick eating” places in the Loop in Chicago would run anywhere from $4.50 - $8. Obviously there were plenty more expensive options but those were not a reality unless my boss was buying. Periodically I’d splurge but always have that guilt that I didn’t really need TWO Portillo’s hot dogs plus onion rings plus a drink or some other comparable lunch.

There were always the exceptions like the time, as an intern, my boss took me and another intern to a bar where we proceeded to have a burger, fries, and pitcher of beer each. A nice buzz at 12:30 sure takes the sting out of being in relative poverty but it also makes it hard as hell to concentrate on your afternoon tasks! When a co-worker back at the office suggested we all should chew gum, I realized that a liquid lunch really isn’t a professional way to go about your business, even if it’s your boss getting you loaded and paying for your alcohol.

But I digress.

Fast forward to 2008 and any lunch under $8 or $9 is considered a bargain now. If I go to the local noodle or sandwich shop, a basic lunch will be in that price range without any extras. A walk to the local pub for Friday lunch with co-workers will set you back $15 with tip (no beer, just burger, fries and Coke). This really isn’t a complaint but more of an observation, mixed in with the curiousness of what will constitute an “affordable” lunch in 2021.

Of course, with 2 kids who will be of college age by then, I won’t be worried about my “cheap” $100 lunch from the food court. It will be the $15,000 per credit hour that will put Megan and I into the poorhouse.

Dipped in magic

jamesjk@gmail.com — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:02:45 GMT

It’s just now getting to be cool down here and finally feeling like fall. One of our maple trees out front is just turning and I took a picture of this partially-changed leaf.

And for the sake of contrast, I placed the same leaf on one of our retaining walls.

Filtered through a filter

jamesjk@gmail.com — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:57:25 GMT

Something actually cool created at Chuck E Cheese

The Stall Ninja

jamesjk@gmail.com — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:55:18 GMT

Sometimes shyness rears its head in the oddest ways for me. Sure, I was voted Shyest Guy for the 8^th grade yearbook and I didn’t really come out of my shell until college and the liberating effects of alcohol brought me out into the open to be able to eventually converse with people while sober.

That opening missive was a roundabout way to segueing my inability to reveal myself after I go #2 at work. What I mean by this is I don’t like to be identified as the one just walking out of the stalls after I make a poopsie. If I’m almost done wiping and someone comes into the bathroom to use the urinal, I will wait until they’re leaving the bathroom before I make my exit from the stall.

It’s not like I have some atomic stink to be embarrassed about. As anyone who has used a public restroom knows, sometimes the bathroom can be an assault on the senses. A lot of guys take pride in their Fecal Ferocity and gladly take credit for a nasal assault that borderlines on being a misdemeanor. Me? Not so much. Same thing with farting; if you hear me do it in public, it’s a mistake (with a few exceptions, some of you who read this blog are in that inner sanctum – you’re welcome).

If someone is occupying the stall next to me and begins to finish up at the same time, I slow down my progress so as not to a) walk out of the stall at the same time or b) announce my presence at the sink as a toilet partner in crime. The other scenario I don’t like to be involved in is when you enter a restroom with the intent of doing #2 and someone at the sink gives you a salutation that includes your name. If there is someone in the other stall, now they know it’s me when I eventually make my way to the toilet and my cover is blown. I like to be anonymous when I’m performing that Highly Underrated Internal Housecleaning chore.

Look, I’m not ashamed of what I do. It’s a bodily function. I read Everyone Poops like the rest of you. It’s just there are some functions I’m not thrilled about announcing. Oddly enough, I don’t have a shy bladder like a lot of guys understandably do. Most men’s rooms don’t have a divider between urinals which never made sense to me. There should be some sanctity and privacy when touching one’s own genitals in a non-sexual manner.

I debated even posting this since I’m cringing at the potential responses.