Sunday, May 20, 2012
Working Hard For The Song
Artistic creativity often happens at
the spur of the moment. Ideas come very quickly. You always hear stories about people who write songs in a matter of minutes
or sketch out ideas for a profound product on a napkin.
When I read the obituary of Donna Summer, it mentioned
how she wrote many of her own songs. She wrote one of her biggest hits "She Works Hard For The Money" after a trip
to the bathroom during a Grammy Awards party.
Apparently, she was very impressed by the cleaning lady in the room.
She literally wrote the song on pieces of toilet paper. She didn't have time to do a fancy job in a notebook.
Great
ideas happen at any time. The key is to capture, develop and shape them into the finished product.
10:34 am edt
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Stocking Up
I have some money in a stock account
with Ameritrade. They allow you to buy small amounts of stock on-line. I have not done anything in the past year with it.
The money is just sitting there and gaining no interest.
With the all of the trading hype for Facebook stock, I
decided to buy five shares. It's an order for $200. It's a relatively small risk if the stock takes a nose-dive.
My success with stocks has been mixed. Back in the .com era, I bought some stock in a company one day for $14.50 a share.
It never went up one penny. In fact, the company went bankrupt and the stock value went down to less than one cent.
Facebook is certainly a company with great market value. Nobody knows how the stock will do on Monday. It should be exciting
to see what happens.
In the worst case scenario, I will end up with a capital loss. Those are never good or welcomed.
It's a risk you take when you do this stuff.
1:00 am edt
Friday, May 18, 2012
Not A Good Contract
It seems like people are losing their
ability to write using proper grammar and sentence structure. When I write this blog, I am always hesitant to use contractions
and partial sentences.
As a kid, I was taught that every sentence must have a subject and verb. During my
government career, I was told that we should not use contractions when writing anything formal.
Newspapers
seem to have no problem using contractions. My local one appears to suffer from lack of editorial review with some of their
writers.
On a recent front page story, the writer used the contraction "he'd". It didn't seem to
make any sense why they did not say "he would". I have never seen that one used. I actually looked it up on a grammar
website.
When I write this blog, I occasionally use some contractions such as "didn't", "don't"
and "I'm". I give thought to anyone I use. There are many I prefer not to use such as "would've", "could've" and
"should've".
Many blogs have a nice flow to them even with their use of contractions and fragmented sentences.
Sometimes, I think my writing is too formal in structure. I feel like my tone sounds too administrative and bureaucratic.
Maybe if I grew up in today's time, I could get away with contractions and fragmented sentences. I have a huge problem
with the use of "your" and "you're", but that is a story for another day.
Contractions have
their role. In the end, I had to make a conscious effort not to use one during this writing.
11:25 am edt
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Changing Seasons & Clothing
I think one of the real challenges during
this time of year is to dress for the weather. When I went running yesterday, I wore warm-up pants and a long sleeve
shirt. It was in the 60's , but very humid. By the time I finished, I felt like I had too much on.
After lunch,
I went to get a haircut. I wore shorts and a polo shirt. I felt quite comfortable until I decided to go to Market Basket.
I noticed most people had a jacket on. It made me think back to the winter when I saw people dressed like myself going into
the store. They always looked like they were comfortable, but I was cold just looking at them.
Once I got inside,
it was a different story for me. My original plan was to explore the aisles of their new super-store. My plans were cut short
because I was freezing. I felt like I was in a refrigerator.
I love warm weather, but have a hard time going from
warm to cold. I don't want to be wearing a jacket when it's in the 80's, but I hate being cold. It seems like I do better
during the seasons when you need to wear a jacket.
10:51 am edt
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
A Record Shaved
I keep track of how long I can
use one of my razor blades. I just changed to a new one after setting a new record of six months and one day. It beat
the old record by a few weeks.
I started using the old one last November 14th. At the time, I wondered how long
it would last. To get to six months, I would need to use it through the Boston Marathon.
In the end, I made
it plus four more weeks. I will admit that the shaves could have been better the last week. It was definitely time for a change.
The key to longevity for a blade is to shave after showering and rinse it under hot water. My face is always easier
to handle if I shower first.
With this new blade, I hope to make it through the New York City Marathon on November
4th. It will be an interesting journey.
4:02 pm edt
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Leave It To Beavers
I believe in wildlife protection and
conservation. We need to do a better job in not destroying all that is nature out there. We see confrontations these days
between people, coyotes, bears and other animals.
A local story about beavers shows how this can get out of hand.
Some of them have built a dam at a local golf course. When it rains, parts of the course get flooded and become unplayable.
This causes the course to close down for play and lose money.
Beavers are protected from being hunted or captured.
Getting a permit to trap them almost takes an act of Congress. Meanwhile, these critters continue to do their thing and impact
humans. A local neighborhood was flooded last year as a result of one of their dams.
I'm in favor of protecting
these animals, but where do you draw the line? At some point they become a nuisance. Usually, nothing gets done until someone
has suffered property damage or there is an eminent public safety issue.
People should be allowed to deal with
beaver dams on private property if there is a chance of their land being damaged.
10:37 am edt
Monday, May 14, 2012
Free Entertainment
AARP is a very powerful lobbying group
when it comes to related issues before Congress. They certainly advocate for items effecting their membership which is for
those over age 50.
I joined a few years ago for only $12 annually. In return, they send you their monthly
magazine and bulletin. They also give your address to insurance companies and others who inundate you with offers you don't
want.
Their publications border on being amusing. They motivate me to take care of myself and not get old and decrepit.
Their latest monthly bulletin had ideas on how to save on money when it comes to entertainment. One item that really
popped out discussed saving money by attending sporting events, concerts and plays at local schools.
I have
no doubt that students are passionate about what they do, but we are talking about school sports, plays and concerts. This
is not exactly at the professional level. Most of the audience at these things are family and friends of those involved.
I went to my high school class senior play, but never had the desire to attend another one at that level. I'm
not about to start attending soccer games.
The funniest item suggested taking in free entertainment at local bars
and restaurants. I really don't know how many people are doing this. Usually you go to these places and stumble across the
entertainment.
AARP can keep sending the monthly magazine and bulletin to me. I find it entertaining without leaving
my home.
4:24 pm edt
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Autumn Advertising
In advertising, it's all about placing
your product in the best light possible. Appearance means everything. It's all about grabbing the consumer's attention right
away.
I was watching a commercial for a couple local golf courses when I noticed that all of the scenes were from
autumn. There was a brilliant contrast of colors as the trees were in full color. It was a scene right from a post card.
It makes a great deal of sense to show the courses this way. It would have been a stark contrast if they showed them
during the peak of the summer when everything is green. It all blends in, but when you show all of the colors, the smallest
details stick out.
The places look so much better.
11:29 am edt
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Right On Target
A story on the news last night mentioned
that Hollywood has the ability to start trends based on the content of their movies. Their latest is the increased interest
in archery because of the movie "Hunger Games". I have no interest or plans to see the movie, but one of the main
characters is an archer.
All of a sudden, everyone wants to grab a bow and arrow. Instructors report a huge spike
in lessons, but how long will this last? Naturally, parents will think this is their way for their precious one to get their
gold medal in the Olympics.
We see this in all of the traveling teams for youth sports. Everyone is hoping for
the college scholarship, if they don't make it to the pros. Parents are so delusional in their thinking. I worked with people
who actually thought their kid had a chance at the pros or Olympics.
A year from now, this whole archery hype
will have blown over. It will be like the fitness craze. Homes across America are filled with treadmills that get no use other
than for hanging clothes.
3:17 pm edt
Friday, May 11, 2012
Everything, But Taste
I finally tried the free sample I had
of Gatorade SERIES PRO Recover 03. It's a fancy name for a drink without much taste. I tried the orange flavor and never made
it past two sips. I poured it down the drain.
I probably should have consumed it back after the Boston Marathon
when I got it. At the time I didn't want to drink it.
It certainly packs a punch with 43 grams of carbohydrates
and 16 grams of protein. It's also loaded with sugar. Drinks like this are great to have after a strenuous workout. It just
doesn't make for a casual drink.
I don't think the other flavors would make any difference. It tasted so
differently from the Gatorade G2 I drink.
8:35 pm edt
Thursday, May 10, 2012
The Slow Process
I have an email account for my website,
but I don't check it as often as I should. I get very few emails on it. In the past, I saw no reason to check it every day.
I have the option of linking it to my AOL email, but I never took the next step. I probably should because checking
the website takes longer than it should.
I timed myself to see how long it would take. I got to my in-box in just
under 90 seconds. That seems a bit extreme and should be a lot quicker. That's one of the problems with the software I use
for my website.
No matter what task I do, speed was never built into the programming. I'm hesitant to do anything
at this point. I had a hard enough time getting this site up and running three years ago. I should probably enable the link
to my AOL mail.
3:24 pm edt
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
The $29 Offer
I didn't want to cancel my subscription
to Sports Illustrated. The annual price went up to $89. I felt it should be cheaper than that. In the past, I have found that
magazine publishers will eventually offer a better price if you keep throwing their solicitations away.
Since the
beginning of the year, I have discarded notices offering me a change to subscribe again. The other day, I received the price
I have been waiting for. They offered me an annual rate of $29. I wrote a check and send it to them.
Not only do
I get the magazine, they will also send me the NFL warm-up jacket that is always two sizes too big and cut to fit someone
who weighs 300 pounds. I'll donate it to a charity clothing box.
In the past, I did the same for their ugly
sweatshirt. They must get a real good deal on this stuff. That's why they give it away. Nobody would spend their money on
it.
12:17 pm edt
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Too Busy To Get Back
I think all of the social media has
caused people to have fewer conversations in person or over the telephone. Texting is the chosen form of communication for
young adults. Some people spend their entire day posting nonsense on Facebook.
I saw a classic illustration of
the demise of conversations the other day. A friend of mine of Facebook wrote on another person's wall asking them to call
and discuss something. About two hours later, the other person wrote on the first person's wall and said they were too busy
to text, but would get back to them later.
In the end, neither person spoke to the other about whatever issue they
were involved in. During the time they spent writing on each other's wall, they could have either texted or made a quick phone
call.
They also let everyone on Facebook know that they were too busy to hold a simple conversation.
4:53 pm edt
Monday, May 7, 2012
Not The Type
I just finished reviewing 45 applications
for scholarships given out by my running club. There are eight awards up for grabs, each worth $1,000. The candidates are
required to complete a personal profile form and write an essay on "what running means to me".
The
application is pretty generic with biographical information, sports played, honors, awards, outside activities and future
plans. The club uses the same form every year. The essay should be about one page.
Apparently, none of the kids
have a parent who owns a typewriter. The essays were done in a WORD document format, but the profiles were painful to read.
I can't believe how poorly these kids print. Some were almost illegible. It doesn't put the reviewer of the application in
a positive frame of mind.
I guess it would have been unreasonable to expect clear printing by them. I realize they
don't teach cursive writing in schools, but the printing, for the most part, looked like it was from second graders.
I try not to bash the education system in this country, but I still believe in teaching some of the basics. I might be wrong,
but I think it's important in life to be able to at least print clearly when it really matters. They might have another
time in their life when they need to do it.
5:26 pm edt
Sunday, May 6, 2012
A Ceremony For Everyone
I think graduation ceremonies have lost
much of their decorum over the years. Some speeches are too long and never make a point. Family members yell and cheer as
if their graduate was the most important one. Beech balls are tossed back and forth to the distraction of many.
I saw a picture in the paper today from the Northeastern University ceremony. Some girl had a large air horn that she felt
should be blown no matter what. I don't think it added anything positive to the ceremony, but she wanted everyone else to
hear it.
I think one of the strangest trends is having a ceremony for pre-schoolers graduating to kindergarten.
This is done strictly for the parents and doesn't have any meaning for the kids.
The only think crazier than this are
the parents who buy the ad in the local paper congratulating their kid for graduating from kindergarten, eighth grade, high
school or college. What's the big deal about graduating from kindergarten? I never heard of anyone not doing it.
People think their kids are more special than someone else's. I don't get it, but then again, I don't have kids.
12:28 am edt
