I am a chopper of wood and carrier of water, a keeper of bees, digger of soil, and washer of dishes, but when people ask me "what do you do" I usually satisfy them with "I'm in information technology." If they really want to know, I'll tell them about the decade as a wilderness guide. Some jobs are vocations, some are avocations, but that one was an evocation. I also wrangle pixels and try to herd them into representations of coherent thoughts, which is a provocation. :-)
I was camping in New Mexico one summer and I had driven into a small town for some supplies. In the checkout line ahead of me two guys were having a conversation. One of them told me they were planning to do some hiking around the area cliff dwellings. Their Burrberry shorts and Birkenstock sandals … More The Locals
If you consume news fodder you’ve probably seen the word “chaos” in the headlines quite frequently this year. If you believe the headlines, it would seem that the entire world is suffering from chronic emotional acid reflux. They say it’s unprecedented. It isn’t, but that kind of news doesn’t keep shareholders happy. Nevertheless, news fodder … More Chaos Theory
Some of the best advice any writer can take is to write what you know. I try to keep that in mind during those weeks when there’s not much to say. The problem with writing what I know is that with every passing year, I seem to know less. There was a time, for example, … More On A Personal Note
A year ago I bought a “contractor grade” hose at one of those despotic home stores with the big boxes and bigger parking lots, and paid almost $100 for it. Today it leaks at both ends from its cheap mystery-metal fittings. That’s fine if you like to shower while you’re washing the truck, but I … More Contractor Grade
I loaded up the truck and headed down the road the other day to do some property maintenance. I was carrying a tool bag and a socket set, a steel tamping rod and half a bag of Sackrete for straightening up some road signs. I had a gas string trimmer with a container of fuel … More Watch for Snakes
New Zealand’s success has been attributed to a combination of science, coherent leadership and a population willing to endure short term discomfort for long term gain. … More A Cold Solder Connection
If you let them, some of the good habits you pick up in the military will stay with you for a lifetime. You may also gain perspectives that can function as a workable template for many situations. Not every situation, but many. Viewing every situation in terms of conflict is unwise, but conflict is all … More Messenger (Bag) of War
New recommendations for world health authorities signed by 239 scientists will soon be published in the journal, Clinical Infectious Diseases. The guidance is based on overwhelming evidence that a person infected by COVID-19 can spread the virus from 30 feet away, not the 6 feet that currently informs social distancing guidelines. Today I’m writing to … More An Appeal
Over the weekend we disconnected from the infomatrix. It was nice to relax and spend time with family, but we started the week without being properly conditioned and now we’re not sure what we’re supposed to worry about. When I have a chance, I’ll login to Facebook and I’m sure someone will let me know. Someone told us last week that … More Professor Karen’s New Rules for Age Old Problems
Some years ago, I took down an old barn to salvage the wood. The wood was a treasure, hand hewn oak and heart pine that grew as saplings at least a century before. I thought so much of the wood that I stored it under a shed which had been built to keep my tractor … More Build to Last
Outside The Box 