• Eleven Twelve

    I can’t be the only one that still sings this song when I count, right?

    Talk about a catchy song. It’s probably been over thirty years since I have seen this bit on Sesame Street, and I still sing it in my head as I count.

  • Bacheloring it

    Three weeks ago when my Mother-in-Law had her heart transplant the Wife left to be with her. She took a leave of absence from her job and plans on staying with her Mom until she is able to be on her own. She is doing really well, and out of the hospital now. She just has to stay in a nearby apartment for a few more weeks before she can go home.

    So I’ve been bacheloring it!

    It’s still hard to get use to how quiet the house is. I did finally turn the TV on last night for the first time since the Super Bowl. I have a lot of Netflix that I’ve been meaning to watch for a long time now. I always seem to find other things to do rather that sit on the couch. I’m actually looking forward to doing it again tonight.

    As for housework, I do most of it anyway, but my underwear drawer is getting low. Laundry is the one chore that I never do. I don’t think I have done it since 1999. It’s on my list of things to do tomorrow. Wish me luck.

  • New heart

    Last night, at eight o’clock, my Mother-in-Law got the call. Five hours later doctors were cutting her open and giving her a new heart. We’ve been full of mixed feelings. On one hand it’s scary. She has been doing really well with her LVAD in. She is stronger than ever. The transplant will put her through a lot again, and may add some complications. I guess it’s a good thing though. The LVAD isn’t a permanent solution. It’s probably good that she got her heart now when she is strong. She should be able to recover from the transplant baring any complications. I had a coworker that had a lung transplant last year, and she was too weak, and didn’t survive.

    My Wife and most of her family headed down to the hospital this morning. I stayed back to take care of the dog. I haven’t heard how she is doing yet, so I’m assuming she is doing fine. She has been out of surgery for eight hours now. It’s going to be a long few weeks of recovery, but it will probably be nice for her to not have to carry around her LVAD battery packs anymore.

    I’m amazed by our scientific knowledge. It’s pretty amazing that we can cut someone open, remove their heart, and put in someone else’s heart, and they survive. I’m not going to be thanking a miracle, or some imaginary god, for her recovery. The reason this is possible is because of science, and the amazing doctors.

    Then there is the sad reality that someone had to die for her to get her heart. We’ve been looking at the recent deaths in the area, and are curious as to which one was the one. I’m sure we will never know, but to that person’s family, thank you. And to any of your who aren’t donors, why the hell aren’t you?

  • Amateur Astronomy

    It’s killing me that I haven’t been able to try out my telescope yet. We’ve had a beautiful winter so far this year, but the few nights that I have had off work it’s been too cloudy, and now I think winter is probably here to stay. It’s below zero now, and our high for today was only 7 ºF, not really good outside weather.

    One thing that has got me really excited to try out my telescope has been Fraser Cain, from Universe Today, and his Virtual Star Parties. They are something that he is just starting to do using Google Plus, and they are totally awesome. He gets amateur astronomers to hook up their telescopes to Google Plus, and we all can see the various objects. Last night I watched his first two Star Parties, and learned a ton. Someday I’ll have to catch one live. I’m so excited to keep on learning, and maybe be able to actually call myself an amateur astronomer one day.

    It’s been a long time since I started a new hobby, and it exciting to learn something new. There have been a few hobbies that I have wanted to start, but never wanted to spend the time or money to get started. Maybe it’s time to start a few of them. Three hobbies that I can think of now that I wanted to start are home brewing beer, learn to play guitar, and amateur astronomy.

    I haven’t even used my telescope yet, and I have already found a few I want to upgrade to. I think I will hold off on them for a while, and get a good pair of binoculars first. That’s what most people say to start with. They say you can see more than you would think, and it’s a great way to get started and find out if the hobby is for you before spending a ton of money.

  • Spinal cord injuries, can we get a cure?

    I don’t know how much national coverage it has gotten, but last week a Minnesota high school hockey player suffered a horrific neck injury, and was paralyzed. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be sixteen years old, and know you will never walk again. Being paralyzed is probably one of my worst fears along with being burned. When I played football in high school I always made sure I made tackles with my head up, and hit with my shoulder. I feared hitting with my head like so many players do nowadays. One awkward hit with your head could change your life forever. The coaches I had taught that, and I listened.

    I’ve never played hockey, so I can’t really relate to the injury and how it happened and if it’s something that can be prevented in the future. I just feel horrible for the kid. I hope someday these kind of injuries will able to be repaired by surgery. How great would it be to repair all neck and spinal cord injuries? That and a cure for cancer are two thing I hope to see happen in my lifetime.

  • My favorite Christmas present

    2011-12-27 at 13.15.05

    So Christmas is over for another year. Things are starting to slow down and get back to normal around here. It feels weird that winter really hasn’t gotten here yet. I hoping it hold of for a few more weeks so I get a chance to play with my favorite Christmas present.

    I got a telescope for Christmas! I’ve always wanted a telescope, but never thought I would use one enough to justify buying one. As a kid I loved my microscope, and chemistry set, but I never had a telescope. It’s just an entry level telescope, but that’s all I really need for now.

    Monday night would have been a perfect night with Venus and the Moon to the west and Jupiter still in the east as I left for work. Tuesday it was cloudy, and last night it was raining. Rain in December? WTF? Today when I got the mail it really felt like spring out. It’s really going to suck when winter finally gets here. I hoping to be able to try out my telescope tonight, since my next night off wont be until January 2nd, and winter might be here by then. 

  • My favorite Christmas song

    I originally had a long post about the stupid argument between “Happy Holidays” and “Merry Christmas”, but you know what? It’s Christmas, who the hell cares? Maybe ignoring that stupid argument will make it go away.

    Instead here is my favorite Christmas song, “White Wine in the Sun”. Enjoy.

    Here are the lyrics to “White Wine in the Sun”, and if you don’t understand the title, Tim Minchin is from Australia, and Christmas is a summer time holiday down there.

    I really like Christmas
    It’s sentimental, I know, but I just really like it
    I am hardly religious
    I’d rather break bread with Dawkins than Desmond Tutu, to be honest

    And yes, I have all of the usual objections
    To consumerism, the commercialization of an ancient religion
    To the westernization of a dead Palestinian
    Press-ganged into selling Playstations and beer
    But I still really like it

    I’m looking forward to Christmas
    Though I’m not expecting a visit from Jesus

    I’ll be seeing my dad
    My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum
    They’ll be drinking white wine in the sun
    I’ll be seeing my dad
    My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum
    They’ll be drinking white wine in the sun

    I don’t go in for ancient wisdom
    I don’t believe just ’cause ideas are tenacious it means they are worthy
    I get freaked out by churches
    Some of the hymns that they sing have nice chords but the lyrics are spooky

    And yes I have all of the usual objections
    To the miseducation of children who, in tax-exempt institutions,
    Are taught to externalize blame
    And to feel ashamed and to judge things as plain right and wrong
    But I quite like the songs
    I’m not expecting big presents
    The old combination of socks, jocks and chocolate is just fine by me

    ‘Cause I’ll be seeing my dad
    My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum
    They’ll be drinking white wine in the sun
    I’ll be seeing my dad
    My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum
    They’ll be drinking white wine in the sun

    And you, my baby girl
    My jetlagged infant daughter
    You’ll be handed ’round the room
    Like a puppy at a primary school
    And you won’t understand
    But you will learn someday
    That wherever you are and whatever you face
    These are the people who’ll make you feel safe in this world
    My sweet blue-eyed girl

    And if, my baby girl
    When you’re twenty-one or thirty-one
    And Christmas comes around
    And you find yourself nine thousand miles from home
    You’ll know what ever comes
    Your brother and sisters and me and your Mum
    Will be waiting for you in the sun
    Whenever you come
    Your brothers and sisters, your aunts and your uncles
    Your grandparents, cousins and me and your mum
    We’ll be waiting for you in the sun
    Drinking white wine in the sun
    Darling, when Christmas comes
    We’ll be waiting for you in the sun
    Drinking white wine in the sun
    Waiting for you in the sun
    Waiting for you…
    Waiting…

    I really like Christmas
    It’s sentimental, I know…

  • Social network burnout

    I think I’m pretty burnt out over social networks. I have Twitter for my online friends, and Facebook for my family and real friends, and that’s about all I need. I barely post to them the way it is. I love Google+, but I’m just not into it. I read it from time to time, but that’s about it.

    While I’m sitting at my computer I usually have one monitor with Tweetdeck open. I try to keep up on Twitter then, but I gave up trying to keep up when I am away from my computer. I hate missing stuff, but that’s just the way Twitter works. It took me awhile to just let go and allow myself to miss tweets. With DVRs and RSS I never miss TV shows, podcasts, or blogs, so Tweets are about the only thing I miss. It drove me crazy at first, but I have learned to accept it. When I’m out and about with family and friends, I’m there to spend time with them, and not to have my head buried in my phone.

    I just recently signed up to Instagram. When Instargram first game out I couldn’t get an iPhone, so it wasn’t an option. A few weeks ago I realized I don’t take nearly enough pictures with my iPhone, so maybe Instragram will get me taking more pictures. Who knows how often I will be posting to Instragram, but my goal is once a day.

    I have never seen the point of Foursquare, or any of the location based networks, so I have never even signed up for any of them. They just annoyed me so bad on Twitter, that I set up my apps to block them.

    I don’t need any more social networks. I’m sure a bunch more will come out, and I’m sure I’ll sign up, but I won’t like it. I don’t need anymore.

  • Go Broncos!

    I never blog about sports. Mostly because sports talk and interviews bore me. It’s mostly just stating the obvious.  I’m not a huge fan of any sport that isn’t football anyway. I haven’t seen a baseball game since ‘91 when the Twins won the World Series. I couldn’t tell you the last time I saw a basketball or hockey game. I guess I did watch a college basketball game a couple years ago when NDSU made the NCAA tournament.

    Football is a different story. If there is an NFL game on, and I am anywhere near a TV, I am watching it. I don’t care who is playing, I am watching.

    I may have mentioned my favorite team is the Denver Broncos. I’ve been a Broncos fan since ‘84, when I first started paying attention to football. This year there has been a lot of talk about their QB, Tim Tebow. He seems to be either loved or hated. I’m mixed on him. I cringe when ever he talks religion, but honestly, 99% of football players do it. It doesn’t bother me that much. They are football players. They obviously haven’t spent much time in science class, so I don’t hold it against them.

    Tim Tebow is a good, hard working kid. The only question I have is his quarterbacking abilities. His style is unorthodox. His throwing accuracy isn’t that great. If anybody can improve themself it would be him though. I’m rooting for him. The one thing he has is the ability to win games. He is an amazing 5-1 as a starter, and has turned around the team. It probably has more to do with John Fox’s change in offense, and their improved defense, but like always, the QB gets more credit and blame than he should.

    This weekend I get to see him in person. It will be the fourth Broncos games I have attended. My third in the Metrodome, and I saw them once at Mile High Stadium. It should be a good time. When I first bought tickets I didn’t think the Broncos would stand a chance, but the way both teams are playing now, I like the Broncos chance.