Ye Gads!

...and I say, "Gadzooks!"

I can't believe (well, maybe I can...) that it's been over a month since I posted. I had all good intentions to keep up with this blog when I dived back in last month. Oops. Well, time to rectify the situation.

Events of the past month?

• I've applied for many jobs and had one interview. I was not the lucky candidate.
• I've sent my CV to many wineries...to no avail.
• I've marked another birthday (always a reason for introspection, in my book).
• I've started a diet and lost a fair amount of weight. Only 98 lbs. to go!

This last item is the most important. It is the first step toward regaining my professional, emotional and psychological mojo.

Stay tuned...great things are on the way!

Smart enough to be dangerous

So, this morning, I decide to visit the Weber County Main Library in Ogden, Utah. Not much in that decision, just wanted a change of view form my normal job-hunt location of the sun porch.

Laptop in tow...check.

Ensconced at a study carrel...check.

All plugged in and ready to go...check.

Library WiFi connected with Internet access...check.

Of course, we know where this is heading.

Yep, I could not access the WiFi log in page, let alone anything on the 'net beyond the firewall. I had this problem the last time I visited a Weber County library, but we resolved that issue.

This is where the dangerous part comes in. We may have fixed the hard-coded DNS issue before, but I blithely presumed that that fix had been permanent. I tried everything else to rectify the problem only to admit I was stumped why this should happen again.

The tech-savvy library assistant came over to my carrel at my request, clicked a few system links, tapped a few keys and located the hard-coded issue.

HA! I can laugh now at myself. As I said, "Smart enough to be dangerous." After all, I was in the IT industry for 12 years.

On the hunt...

“The time has come,” the Walrus said,
“To talk of many things:
Of shoes—and ships—
And sealing wax— of cabbages—and kings—
And why the sea is boiling hot—
And whether pigs have wings.” *

One thing of which we may choose to speak is the fact I am in between assignments at present. A kind and gentle way of saying I am looking for work. I'm not saying I'm special in any way because of this; I know there are many more people who have been out of work far longer than me.

As my CV states, I have good things to offer:

Internationally experienced wine marketing and communications professional with managerial and leadership experience in developing/driving the strengths of industry stakeholders in wine and regional tourism industries; passionate about wine, food and delivering superlative customer experiences in a tasting room environment.

My unemployment, if I may consider this a positive point, was of my choice. It became evident that I was not a good fit for the last position I held (and vice versa). Rather than being relieved of my responsibilities, I read the very large writing on the wall and gave my notice.

So, here I sit in a friend's sun room, 2000 miles from that last position, contemplating my next move. Is the wine industry wherein lies my future? Quite possibly; however, I cannot deny myself the opportunity to reach for the brass ring of new and exciting opportunities as they appear.

* “The Walrus and the Carpenter“ by Lewis Carroll, in his book Through the Looking-Glass, published in December 1871.

directions

south...east
   west...north
spin the needle
  plot a course

what makes the caged bird sing
...when will my clue phone ring?

thoughts
  on paper
    write them down
      give them life
peace of mind

Good grief, Charlie Brown!

Golly, gadzooks, gee whiz!

It's been a while since I poked my nose into my own little patch of cyber space, hasn't it? Let's remedy that post haste.

I've signed the consent form for the surgery - no suing the surgeon now! I've also had an appointment with the respiratory therapist and was viciously attacked by aliens posing as pathology nurses in a failed attempt to get blood from an artery to determine my blood gas levels. [If my blood has gas, I beg your pardon here and now.]

I also have the impending joy of an at-home sleep study to determine 1) if I have sleep apnea [umm, hello, I'm male, over 40, over weight and on blood pressure medication - of course I have it] and 2) just how often I stop breathing during the night. I'm not too concerned about doing the "study" as it's for my own good. At least I don't have to do it in a strange, oddly quiet, white room in some hospital or sleep clinic, knowing there are actual people monitoring me the entire time.

That's kind of spooky and exhibitionist/voyeuristic at the same time...

Image no doubt (c) estate of Chrales Schulz or some person/organization

it's a date

Well, the date for lap-band surgery has been set, and what an interesting ride it will be from now until 10/10. At first, the surgeon's office suggested 12/09.

"HA!," I laughed.

That's the day before I head to the US for 2 1/2 weeks to visit my brother and attend my 25th (gasp!) high school reunion.

With the date set for October, I also have to follow a VLCD, or very low calorie diet (read protein shakes) for 4 weeks. If you do the math, you can see that I 'should' have only shakes for my time overseas.

"HA HA!," I laughed again.

Well, as is oft said, "What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger." We'll see about that. ;^)

Just a thought...

...if, in doing lap-band surgery, they have to poke holes into your tummy (abdomen to the non-childish minded in the audience), why can't they just suck some of the fat out and give you a head start on your weight loss?


[pic copyright James Jensen www.jjenson.com]

Journey of a lifetime

I've been quiet on this blog for a few weeks - a month, more or less. Lots of things on the proverbial plate...

...and that's precisely the crux of the situation. For most of the past 30+ years, I've always looked at the plate as never large enough. I've always wanted more. This is spifferific if we're talking metaphores for living life to it's fullest.

Alas, we are not. Rather, we're talking food portion control. For most of those aforementioned 30 years, I have been "larger than life", "Rubens-esque"...overweight. Some people reading this may recognize the routine, substituting their own abused substance: I live; get depressed; eat any carbohydrate in sight; get sedantary and stop exercising; gain weight; feel I need to punish myself, so eat more; get sick and tired of being sick and tired; attempt behavior modification (Weight Watchers, go to the gym, etc); lose some weight; feel on top of the world; start to treat myself; becomes two treats; becomes larger treats; gain weight; get depressed; and, golly-gee!, we're back at Square Numero Uno.

Well, it's come to the point in my life that this monkey on my back (or the girth around my midsection, as the case may be) needs to be kicked and kicked far, far away, never to return. Therefore, I have elected to have lap-band surgery. All things going to plan, I should have this done in Melbourne in August. None too soon, if you ask me.

I am so looking forward to gaining this tool that will assist in keeping the weight at bay. So, you're on notice and forewarned that this blog may turn into, for a time, at least, a journal of this journey...of an extended, healthy and joyous lifetime.

acqua di vita

aitch_oh_aitch
silent...supple
raging...roaring
falling...fertility

aitch_oh_aitch
ebb & flow
crash upon the shore

soothe my soul

mobility

life is about

moving...

always foreward...

with

strength

dignity &

a bit of

panache

Long time...no blog

Greetings, fellow blogbots!

I will fess up to this right now: I have been in a bit of a prolonged funk/a cave/my own private Idaho. Why? That's for me and my therapist to discuss.

Suffice it to say, the desire to blog has returned. Whether or not you benefit from my bloggings, that's for you to determine. I'm doing this for me, dammit. Love you like my luggage, but if you know how I treat that... .

This blog is all about me. So, sit back; fasten your seatbelts and make sure your tray tables are in the upright and locked positions.

Thanks for taking this journey with me.

...and where were you?

Despite all the coverage in the papers and on TV, it says something about me, I suppose, that I didn't immediately post something about the event of five years ago.

I was just on the phone and the subject came up. Where was I? Well, I had just moved to Japan 12 days earlier and had spent the better part of that Tuesday dodging the raindrops & puddles of Typhoon Danas - 400mm/16" of rain - while looking for a place to rent ("dana" means "to experience" in Tagalog; however, the Japanese don't name storms, so this was Storm 15).

I was sitting on my bed in the Kanto Lodge (the 'hotel' on Yokota Air Base), trying to dry out, eating a late dinner and channel surfing when I turned to CNN seconds after the first tower was hit. That was 9:48PM. I didn't get to sleep until well after 3AM.

Whether or not one is a supporter of the US military, or any military for that matter, there is something to be said about an organisation trained to react to certain circumstances. By the morning, the base was a different place. Cherry pickers were parked along the inside of the base wall, overlooking the highway running past. Military personnel were inside the camouflaged bucket, armed with serious fire power. ID checks were everywhere, and not only to get on base.

Before 9/12/2001, I was never required to show ID before then when entering a bank, hotel, grocery store, service station or Burger King.

running the gamut

Computer on the fritz...injured wrist...the avocado incident...all these conspired to keep me from posting. Of course, I must not be that compelled to blog if I didn't find another computer from which to post. Be that as it may, perhaps I'll be more diligent over here in the land of ntycement in the future.

Live long & prosper. Nano nano.

comfort food

For many people I know, and I won't name you all here, the concept of comfort food is a pig-out session with some bag of crisps or cold pasta leftovers. While I've been there with the crisps/chips and leftover pasta, for me, the comfort is in the making.

While cookies won't always be the comfort food of choice, it seemed only too right to share this with the blogosphere tonight. These were one of those recipes that just appeared in my youth. Mom probably got them from her mother, a girlfriend, or the newspaper. Regardless, these entered the Light household decades ago and have never left.

Coming soon to a convection oven in Cheshunt, I present the humble...

Oatmeal Macaroons

Preheat oven to 350F/175C
Makes 2 dozen

1 c oatmeal
1/2 c butter (1 stick)
1/2 c plus 2 T sugar
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 c flour
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 c nutmeats (optional) OR
1/2 c chocolate chips OR
1/2 c raisins

Melt butter and add oatmeal
Brown lightly, stirring constantly
Remove from stove and allow to cool
Add sugar, salt, flour and baking powder
Add slightly beaten egg, vanilla and nuts/chips/raisins if using
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets
Bake 10-12 minutes
Allow to cool slightly on sheets, but remove to wire rack while still warm to complete cooling.

random ntycement

I had no idea about what to post today. I entered some random word into Google (I can't even remember how lame the word was!) and hit "I feel lucky". But that only takes you to the first site the Google search returns. I managed to enter two words back-to-back that generated Wikipedia sites. Been there, done that.

In exasperation, I entered "jumpin jehosophat". Here's a site that wasn't Wikipedia. Be prepared for hours of entertainment.

Monster Horror Chiller Theatre

I do so love the serendipity of the blogosphere. Having taken a day off from blogdom, I log in to find two postings by my good frend, Laura E Goodin. Not only do Laura and I share a middle initial, but a fairly well versed (read: obscure/unique) sense of humour. For whatever reason, her comment on my Friday posting fired just the right sequence of synapses to send my warped thought patterns to Canada, crica late 1970s-1984ish, and the wonderfully crafted Second City TV.

As for MHCT, the late night horror film show that never quite manages to book really scary films. Hosted by Count Floyd, aka Floyd Robertson, co-anchor of the SCTV News. He often gets 3D films, invariably starring those masters of the genre, Doctor Tongue (played by John Candy) and his sidekick Bruno (played by veteran character actor Woody Tobias Jr.).

Woody and Tongue also taught screen acting on Sunrise Semester; other important Dr Tongue and Woody Tobias Jr episodes include:

• Helping the Elephant Man during Pledge Week
• Repairing the SCTV satellite to block CCCP1
• Escaping Towering Inferno
• Woody Tobias directs 2009

For an insight into all things Laura, visit Dr Tongue's 3-D House of American exPat Dramatists here.

Into the blog...Day 3

Ramblings for this post. Had my first experience with comment spam this morning. Offers of internet-based full frontal nudity first thing in the morning...nah, don't think so. I am rather embarrassed to say, it took me 30 minutes to figure out how to remove the interloper. I don't blame the time of day on this lack of ability--rather feel humbled due to my infancy in the greater blogosphere.

frigedæg

I was thinking to myself this morning, "TGIF." Then I wondered just why it is we call Friday "Friday" and not "Blogday" or "Squeekday" or the like. What to do? Why turn to the friendly Wikipedia, of course...

The name Friday comes from the Old English frigedæg, meaning the day of Frige, the Germanic goddess of beauty, with similar cognates existing in most Germanic languages. The word for Friday in most Romance languages is derived from the name of Venus (vendredi in French, venerdi in Italian, viernes in Spanish, vineri in Romanian etc.), while in Germanic languages it is named after Freya [pictured], the Norse goddess of love and fertility (Freitag in Modern German, vrijdag in Dutch, fredag in Swedish, Norwegian, Danish etc.).

In India, Friday is Shukravar. It is based on Shukra—Vedic god of Venus.

So it seems that Friday lives up to its name during happy hours across the globe (in alcohol-drinking cultures), when, with the more alcohol consumed, everyone turns into someone else's Frige, Freya, Venus or Adonis.

Hi-ho, happy campers!

Well, here it is: my first entry to my first blog. Should this be a momentous occasion? I'm not quite sure.

Part of me wants to slip quietly into the ethers of the blogosphere, hanging out my shingle in the hopes someone will stumble across this space. Then again, it's much more my style to broadcast to all and sundry that this blog is here and it's all about me.

Well, maybe not all about me. I don't look like this picture. Rather, pride of place as the first posted picture on this blog will go to Buster. I rescued Buster from the RSPCA in Adelaide in 2004; he was the only dog in the entire kennel run with a personality worth noticing, was absolutely ecstatic I was standing in front of his kennel, and, most importantly, was in kennel 927, which just happens to be my birthday.

I am sure I will have much more to say about Buster in coming postings. He seemed to be the logical major subject of my first posting.

Hasta la vista mis amigos.