Disconnected

The other night, I happened to be channel-surfing, looking for something worth watching. When you only have broadcast television, and it's summer re-run season, this can prove to be a difficult thing to do. Fortunately for me, there was a documentary on PBS entitled "Disconnected".

I caught it only after about 10 minutes had elapsed, but it drew me in quickly. The basic premise of the documentary was to show the effects of giving up computers on the lives of three Carleton College students who agreed to try it for three weeks.

As someone who works online for a living, I knew it would be a tough job for a college student to go cold turkey. Not only is the use of a computer a given for doing assignments and research, college students really don't have a memory of not being able to do things online. When I think that most college freshmen today probably were born in the 1990s, my blood runs cold.

The funniest thing in the film was watching two of the students work together to figure out how to work one of the library's typewriters in order to get a paper done. A close second was seeing the face of one of the students when he realized there was no "delete" key.

The lone female of the trio actually ended up doing well. She realized some of the negative effects of being online so much. The quality of her papers went up as she really had to plan out exactly how she wanted to say something rather than cut and paste large chunks and move them around on the screen. She realized that most of the email messages she exchanged with her friends were not very important and could be replaced quite easily with more face-to-face time and longer conversations.

All in all, a good show. I definitely enjoyed it. I would recommend it highly. Check it out at disconnecteddocumentary.com.

Who I Resemble

I tried this cool feature from MyHeritage where you can upload a photo and then be told what celebrities you most resemble. Interesting results...

An "Office Space" Day

Most meetings are downright awful. I happened to have an entire day filled with them today. At the end of the day, I couldn't help but think of this great clip from "Office Space." (Sorry that Hulu makes you log in, but rest assured that there is no foul language in this clip.)

I'm not saying that my workplace is like this. But I'm not not saying it either.

Obvious? Apparently not

This came from the Kentucky-Notre Dame NIT game recap from the AP wire:

Asked about how he feels about all the judgment he's facing after posing a 40-27 record in two seasons at Kentucky, Gillispie said: ''There's only one judgment I'll ever be concerned about, and I hope I pass that judgment. That's the only one I'll ever be concerned about, and I'm really proud that that's the only judgment that will ever have a real affect on me, and I hope I pass that one with flying colors.'' Gillispie declined to answer when asked whose judgment he was referring to, saying it was obvious, apparently referring to Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart.

Apparently it isn't "obvious" to this AP writer. It was to me.

A High Degree of Awesomeness

Isn't this awesome?

(And, no, this isn't Erik. Although it kind of looks like him. Maybe that's what makes it even funnier for me.)

Hulu? Hulu!

I have a new current obsession: Hulu.com.

For the uninitiated, Hulu is a Web site that shows full-length TV shows and movies-- for free. The only catch is that you have to watch the occasional commercial. No biggie there.

The great thing is the selection. There are tons of current and "vintage" shows out there. For example, I'm going through the first season of Picket Fences, and I am having a blast. I didn't really appreciate the quality of the show like I do now.

In a world that has way too many reality shows and game shows, I really enjoy seeing some of these old favorites. It's nice to go back to a time when networks actually had scripted shows with originality and well-developed characters.

My Current Obsession

Music always has been a big part of my life. I remember learning all of the album names for the songs and groups that I was into during my teenage years. (Obviously, using the word "albums" dates me.) I used to think that I would go into the music industry somehow. Of course, not knowing how to sing and having only a two-year orchestra stint on cello on my musical resume most likely would have relegated me to a behind-the-scenes role.

Of course, none of that worked out. As often happens with our early idea of our life's ideal, things get added, dropped, and refined along the way. Even though I'm not in the music industry, I still have a strong appreciation for music.

I was listening to mashups a few weeks back when I discovered the very excellent "Every Car You Chase" by Party Ben, which combines the 80s classic "Every Breath You Take" by The Police with the modern-day "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol. And since I've heard that song, I can't get it out of my head. But in a good way.

I didn't even know they had used the original Snow Patrol version on "Gray's Anatomy", especially since I've seen about 15 minutes total of that show. But I do admire that show's taste.

If I lay here/If I just lay here/Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Happy 1/2 Birthday Mike

I have two wonderful little boys. (Well, maybe "little" isn't the right word, since they both are way about average in size.) Today was the 1/2 birthday of the younger one, Mike.

Happy Birthday, Mikey! You're growing up so fast; I now understand why my parents used to say that about me and my siblings.

In honor of the "Little Guy," check out his rendition of the popular local chant "Go Pack Go!" Of course, as with everything, he is accompanied by Erik.

(I only hope Mike continues to grow up quickly, so that his voice changes soon.)

Long-Term Thinking

This past weekend, I worked both Saturday and Sunday for a total of about 22 hours or so. The project that I'm working on is behind schedule, so the natural response is to put more hours against it.

But is that really the best way? Why is the willingness to work longer hours seen as a desireable trait? I don't really understand that rewarding someone for being ineffective and planning poorly is done so consistently in our work society.

Don't get me wrong-- I'm not trying to get out of doing my job. Actually, I'm doing more than that. I'm trying to get out of doing my job poorly and inefficiently. I would think that, as an employer that is struggling to turn a profit in our current economy, my company would embrace my opinion and ask how we can do things better. But that's not happening.

It seems like this is yet another case when the necessity of the short-term goal (completing this project by a certain date) drives out any hope of addressing a long-term goal (how do we prevent this type of occurance from happening again?). But why should I be surprised? Isn't that the way our society works these days?

Look at our personal savings rates. Look at the current mortgage crisis. Look at what our politicians do and say while campaigning in a particular state right before its primary. Look at how our schools chase after any fad in the hope that it will "fix" our education system.

The Law of Unintended Consequences has proven true in situations too numerous to count. Yet we still continue to live in such a short-sighted way.

Yes, This is Lame

I've noticed that my postings on this blog have really taken a hit. Not that I was ever Stephen King or anything, but I had planned to write more than I have. I promise to do better, so watch out! At least this is a start, even though it is rather lame.

Erik on YouTube

A star is born!

Now everyone will know that he was a talent from the very beginning!

The Ties That Bind

I was having a conversation with a co-worker this afternoon, and it wasn't until I got home that I thought about how cool it actually was in retrospect. My co-worker is Indian, and I am Texan. According to a lot of people, there is absolutely nothing we should have in common based on our backgrounds, ethnicity, religion, and whatever other divisive classification you want to think about. But we were talking about our kids, and that made whatever other distinctions melt away.

It just became two guys who are still trying to figure out the whole fatherhood thing while each raising two boys. It's nice to see that there's no difference in those areas when it comes to the joys we have when our boys tell us they love us. There's no difference in how we feel when we see our boys "get" something for the first time. And there's no difference in how we are stumbling around, trying to be the best fathers we can be without really having any prior experience.

I think one of the reasons God decided to have us born into families is to give us a better idea of how he feels about us. Without knowing what it's like to have to care for children, how could we ever have the slightest idea about how God feels caring for us? I think it's pretty awesome, and it's obviously not relegated to those in a Christian home.

Red Light Special

It's scary that the entire tone of my day at work can be determined by a red light. Allow me to explain.

My job is not a 9-to-5, check in and check out kind of thing. I support enterprise-wide systems that have to be up and running 24x7x365, and no one hesitates to call you in the middle of the night if something isn't working. In addition to this lovely support time, I also have new development in the pipeline. And, you guessed it, it's always something of a critical nature.

So if I come in to the office and see the little red light on my phone indicating that I have a voice mail, a chill goes down my spine. I know that whoever left that message for me may have changed the entire plan that I had for myself that day. And that's just the way this job works.

But, hey, I have two young boys, so I'm used to having my plans changed for me.

Snow!

I can't believe it. It's April, and it's snowing here. This is definitely not what I had in mind when I agreed to move up to Green Bay two and a half years ago. Sure, I knew I'd see snow every year; that is unavoidable in the Frozen Tundra. But in April?!

The funny thing is that I didn't even know it had snowed. I'm in the middle of a large windowless room containing a giant cube farm, so I was working along oblivious to what was happening around me. I guess that's supposed to make me more productive.

But the good thing is that the snow was gone by evening. In that sense, it reminded me of those good old Texas snowfalls. But there's more snow in the forecast for Wednesday and again over the weekend. Will it ever stop?

And where's that global warming when you really need it?

Lefties

I was surfing the web tonight, in a very successful attempt to avoid doing the self-assessment portion of my performance evaluation, and I found a blog that someone I used to work with publishes. I won't bother mentioning it, mainly because it was filled with lots of stuff that was incredibly hateful and offensive to me. As a Christian, I have certain beliefs about God and Jesus Christ that mean everything to me. This blog belittles those beliefs and considers me to be just another right-wing fundamentalist Christian freak. The funny thing about all of this is that I worked with this guy for years. We hung out together after hours, had some good times, and shared a lot of common interests. But for some strange reason, the topics of religion and politics never came up. I guess it was good that they didn't, because we definitely would have had a major debate. People often assume that I must be a Democrat or a liberal. They look at my last name and assume quite a bit. I wonder how many people would be surprised to know the following things about me:

• I never have had alcohol. (Unless you count communion wine.)
• I go to church (almost) every Sunday.
• I believe in the Bible 100 percent.
• I don't believe that humans are causing global warming.
• I am against illegal immigration, even though I am part Hispanic.
• I believe that parents should have the right to use vouchers to go to a school of their choice, even though I used to be a public school teacher.
• I don't believe in affirmative action, even though I probably have benefited from it.
• I think abortion is absolutely wrong.
• I don't believe in evolution.
• I think the government should be doing only about 10 percent of what it currently does.
• I believe Christianity is the way to heaven.
• I could see myself as a pastor.
• I think English should be the national language of the United States.
• I agree with most of the views of Michael Savage.
• I believe Jesus will return during my children's lifetime.

So does that make me some NASCAR-loving, backwoods redneck? Am I somehow stupid and unenlightened? (I would hope that my Yale degree would say otherwise.) And what would those people who worked with me back in Austin for so long say if they saw this list?

I pray for people who have hardened their heart to the Gospel. By subscribing to the idea that moral relativism is cool, they've made it easier to promote all sorts of things that clearly are against what God has told us for thousands of years is wrong. (Oh yeah-- I didn't mention that one: I think there actually is an absolute standard for what is right and what is wrong. God has written that on our hearts.)

Now, does any of this mean I'm perfect? Far from it. Because I believe all of these things, it helps me to know that I have a spot in heaven because of Jesus and not because of what I've done or not done. Is it logical? Can it be explained? Not in any way except through faith. There is that voice in me that tells me to be still and know that Jesus is Lord. And I do. It's as simple as that.

So, all you liberal, hating ex-coworkers of mine-- now you know. Hate me if you will; it's not like we're that close anymore anyway.

Interactive Mike

I had a great experience with my younger son, Michael, today. We actually had some time together where it was just the two of us, and we were able to connect and interact without anyone or anything else getting in the way. It was pretty cool.

Cindy was busy in the other room doing chores or something, and Erik was using my laptop on the dining room table to make sure he had seen every ounce of content on The Wiggles' Web site. Mike and I had the "play room" (the family room that has no actual furniture in it, instead having most of the boys' larger toys) all to ourselves.

I was able to chase Mike around the room. He darted into the "tunnel," a birthday present we got for both boys to learn to play together with things. I looked at him in the tent connected to the tunnel, and he smiled at me. That smile definitely was telling me that he wanted to continue the game, so I went around the other side and surprised him. He let out a little yell, smiled, and then crawled off into the Pooh Tent (a Winnie The Pooh toy tent connected to this other tent/tunnel combo) and then looked back at me with another great smile.

I'll admit that, for just about all of his 12 months and 3 weeks "on the outside," I really haven't seen him as his own person. He's just been this thing that we take care of-- feed, change diapers, and wash occasionally. Erik, my 3-year-old, has been way more fun to play with. Maybe I'm just not a baby kind of person. Nevertheless, tonight was fun. I'm looking forward to more of it. Maybe I should start going to work earlier so that I can get home sooner to have more time with my littlest little guy.

Company Holiday Party

I went to my company holiday party last night. Due to a lack of babysitting options, Cindy took care of the boys all on her own, leaving me free to work my business connections.

These parties are a strange thing to behold, sociologically speaking. It's a very interesting thing to see people that you work with suddenly become a social creature, complete with alcohol. It's usually during these events where I realize that, were it not for us working at the same place, I probably would not want anything to do with many of these people.

One bonus, though, is that I got to meet Scott's girlfriend. She's a very sweet gal, and I definitely could see them getting married in the next year or so. You heard it here first!

Our party theme was "A Night in New York." If I didn't know that beforehand, I never would have guessed it, as there really was nothing to indicate anything Big Apple-ish. But I assume most of the people in the room haven't been to the City anyway, so no harm, no foul, I guess.

James Kim

James Kim is dead. I just read the news on CNN.com.

For those of you who may not know, Kim was the man who left his wife and two young daughters in their stranded car in the Oregon wilderness in order to look for help. They had been trapped for nine days in their car, surviving on berries and melted snow.

Obviously, after so long of a wait, they must have thought they weren't going to be found where they were. They were going to have to do something. So James Kim did the only thing that he could do: he decided to leave the relative comfort and safety of their vehicle in order to find help.

I can't imagine being in that situation. I'm sure both adults felt like it could be the last time they ever saw each other in this world, and both kids probably had no idea of the gravity of that moment.

Ephesians 5 talks about how a man should sacrifice himself for his wife (and, by extension, his family) just as Christ sacrifices himself for the Church. There is no more clear embodiment of that sacrifice than James Kim. It just breaks my heart. I hope that his daughters will, one day, realize just what their dad did to help them. May God comfort them all.

Reintroduction

Well, it's been such a long time since my last post that I think I should just consider starting over. With that said, allow me to reintroduce myself and this blog.

I'm Jay. I'm a Texan now living up in the Land of the Frozen Tundra. I have been married for six and a half years. My wife's name (as well as my mother's) is Cindy. (They are two separate people-- I told you I was from Texas, not Appalachia.) Cindy and I have two wonderful little boys: Erik (age 3) and Michael (age 1). I work at Schneider National as an application developer, and Cindy stays at home with the boys.

Of course, all of these facts are only part of the story. If you've read The Little Prince, which you should do immediately if you have not, you know that grown-ups often think they know a person based on these facts. You've probably already gotten some kind of mental picture of me and my life based on these few sentences. Maybe you're spot-on, but you're probably not. Over the lifetime of this blog, you'll learn more and more about me and how I see the world.

You'll find out more of these facts, of course, but you'll also discover my philosophy of life, the types of people I like to have close to me, the things in the news and elsewhere that interest me, and just how random one person's mind can be. Fasten those seat belts; it's going to be a bumpy ride!

A Little Housecleaning

If there's actually anyone out there reading this blog, you may have noticed a couple of things. Number one, I haven't posted in a really long time. It's not that there isn't anything to write; it's that there's too much to do. Number two, you may notice there's no formatting right now. I'm working on that, so you may just have to wait. And, if you have been reading this blog, you definitely should be used to waiting.