The Exploits of a TurboGeek!

So…  What super power would you want if you could have one.  To get things off to a good start, I’m only talking about the big powers.  If you want to exert mental control over small birds or something, you’re not really in the super power framework.  Sure, it is a power, but not too spectacular.

I’m going to focus on Super Strength, Flight, and Invisibility.   We’ll add more as you comment!

To start with, I’m going to have to invoke Strongbad on the topic of Invisibility…  I think he has a good treatment of why being invisible isn’t all that grand.  I also think, that it would depend upon the type of invisibility I got.  If I was the type of invisible where only I disappeared, but everything else, like my clothes, were still visible, that wouldn’t be too useful.  First, I’m not the type to wander around naked.  Especially since I no longer live in Southern California, and the weather in much of the world doesn’t favor nudity…  At least not the parts of the world where I hang out.

There is also the fact that, I think part of the utility of invisibility is the ability to become visible at the right time.  I don’t think that one can suddenly appear, buck naked, and claim that it was the “right time” to do so.  Lastly, as you all know me well…  I could never survive very long without all the stuff I keep in my pockets.  Wandering around naked and pocketless is totally not my style.

As for Super Strength…  Well, I don’t often find myself in situations where I need more strength than I already come equipped with.  Sure, when there is a Home Depot truck stuck on the beach, being super strong would be great.  But, being super inventive and having some equally super inventive friends at your disposal quickly solves that problem.  And the super inventive strategy lends itself to a better story.  Remember the time TG got the Home Depot truck stuck on the beach, then just picked it up and put it back in the parking lot?  That is a lame story.  What really happened was much more entertaining.

I don’t think I need super strength.  That is what cranes are for.

Flight…  Flight is a tough one.  First off, do I get the flight where I need wings, or some room to move around?  I’d need some big wings, and that would make it hard to fly around indoors.  Also, if I need like a runway, that would be rough.  I’d like to be able to fly to the top of the aisles in Home Depot and Sam’s club.  If I need wings or something, that would be rough.  Also, I already have some trouble finding clothes that fit.

If I have the flight that is just more of the levitation variety, that would probably be the coolest.  I’d probably never not levitate.  I’d never have to buy new shoes, since I could just push off stuff and glide around.  I also could just jump off anything, or on anything.  I could take awesome photos, because I could just float over to the best possible vantage.

I think I’m going to pick levitation style flight.  Your turn…

Whew,

Well, work nearly got the best of me.  I’ve been back for less than three weeks, and already worked over 170 hours.  Most of it was fun, but the last 40 or so have sucked royally.  That, and I’ve been terribly sleep deprived.  So, I haven’t been on much.

Tonight, I swam, and downloaded email for the first time in several days.  That is about it.  It was a good day   Now, for some relaxation, and living a good life here…  I hope

Wow, with a title like that, you might think this post would be about muppets.  You’d be wrong though.  Today’s tale is about how fate sometimes appears cruel, and the importance of a good attitude.  It is about drama and triumph, exertion and satisfaction.  Well, it might not be about any of those things, but that is how it is in my tired little head right now.

Here are the end points of my tale.  When I left for a short day of work yesterday morning, it was a beautiful sunny day.  The weather was a balmy 11C (52F), and I was lamenting that my bike is still at the shop (though repaired).  When I left work this morning, it was -3C (26F), and there was a light dusting of snow on the ground.

The astute reader has probably noted a few oddities.  Fatigue, comings and goings, general loopiness.

You see, I spent the night at work, as I often do of late.  My colleagues and I were faced with a challenge that almost bested us, but as we came down to the wire we somehow produced a success where none of us could have confidently predicted we could.  It was a fun night.  The type of night you have when you spend a good several hours gaming with friends, celebrating each other’s minor misfortunes, and lampooning each other’s successes.

Today’s post was almost titled:  “The Miracle in Missouri” or “Winter Weather Advisory”.  We were cooped up with but one news channel to watch, and the stories kept repeating.  We almost sang along through each cycle.  Or it could have been about how I spent 12 hours trying to fix a critical bug with some the best experts in the world at my side, but at 11 hours the only thing anyone could brag about was that I figured out how to change the background color on the system clock.  Hardly auspicious.

But this isn’t really about work.  This is more about reminding myself how much I do enjoy a good challenge, and that while I often work too much, I do derive a good deal of pleasure from doing my job well.

Yeah, it was a bit surprising, after entering my building with a bright sun at my back, to be greeted by the frigid dusk that had descended.  I sort of lamented the day (and the night) lost.  But, I spent my time in company of friends, and we did have a lot of good laughs.  We’ll relive this night again, I’m sure.

As I got to my car, and wondered if I had a jacket, or my ice scraper in the trunk, I caught sight of a rare wonder.   On the fence by my car, was a spiderweb, perfectly frozen, and gently swaying with the winds.  No matter how rough my night was, nor how great my shock at the change in the weather, I somehow doubt I have as much call to be dismayed as that little spider does.  I kind of wished I had a camera to photograph that web, but at the same time it was nice to just admire it.  The juxtaposition of conditions that make a frozen spider web so rare are the same as any other remarkable phenomena.  It would be great to take a photo to record that vision, but that alone almost desensitizes it.

Perfect moments in life can’t be captured.  They’re fleeting, and they just need to be enjoyed.

So, I scraped my windshield while my car warmed up, with Meatloaf blaring on the radio.  As I drove home, I crested through the fog and watched the sun rise through the valley, obscured by the frozen haze.  The illumination set each hill aglow, as the sunlight worked through the cold and damp.  Higher in the sky, I could see a crescent moon, clear and crisp in the cold air.  The moon, flanked by a glowing Saturn reminded me that there is a comet in view, at sunrise these days.  Bright enough to be seen in broad daylight, and big enough to make out the tail as it screams past the sun.  All visible to the naked eye.

I momentarily lamented the fog, but, such is life.  There is almost always something dazzling (or terrifying) just ahead and out of reach and sight.   Here and now there are wonders worth savoring too.

I don’t normally get home from work at dawn (thankfully).  I don’t normally get to watch the sunrise (sadly).  I don’t know when I’ll see the sights I saw this morning ever again.  I’ll remember them though, and fondly at that.

Wow, two happy revelations and an eleventh hour success.  I should pull all-nighters more often!

Or not write when I’m exhausted

Howdy.

Still not much new to write here.  I’ve been working quite a bit, and on the overnight, so it has been a bit rough.  I must say, I’m still in high spirits.  Kind of puzzling, really.  I have been pulling 12-14 hour days at work, and busy for the bulk of it.   However, I am exhausted when I get home, so I get good quality sleep.  Then I go back to work.

Well, I guess part of the goodness is, that I’m working with some of my old colleagues from LA, which is very nice.  They are a great crew, and it is good to see them again.  Also, we’ve been enjoying some good successes during the work marathons, so I’m pleased with that as well.  All in all, things are going OK.  I’m looking forward to when my work week dips back down below 60 hours, though… Under 70 hours would be a step in the right direction…

New Zealand, eh?  That sounds nice.  I’ve been talking with Scott about a trip to Australia in March.  The logistics have been rough, but we’re still checking it out.  I wouldn’t mind hitting NZ for New Years, that sounds like fun!  I also had this funny idea…

Wouldn’t it be nifty to celebrate New Years once, in every time zone?  A nice 20-odd year plan?  I think I might set that as a minor goal.  First, to just start hitting new time zones, then if I have any measure of success, trying to knock them all out.  Given all my varied travels, I have my work cut out for me.  With the exception of the last two years, I have spent every New Year holiday in NY.  Now, I’ve got Central Europe and Japan (I don’t know what that Time Zone is called) down.  21 to go!

Anyone else want to play?

Howdy,

Not much happened today either.  I’ve been working the late shift at work, and pulling about 13-14 hour shifts, so I’ve been boring of late.  What have you been up to?  Something grand, I’m sure.  I hope you’re well!

Until next time…