This is a brief post, but if nothing happens of goodness for the rest of the year, I've had a wonderful connection tonight. My good buddy Flanders and I were talking about one of our very good friends who was in the Navy, and we (I) couldn't find him. I had tried repeatedly for ten years. Flanders pulled a resource (not to be named, or we'd have to kill you, or him/her), and we found him. We had a great conversation, and I look forward to many more. It is so wonderful to reconnect with people, and this is one of the most important people from my past with whom I'd like to connect. If I haven't said it, thank God for the power of the internet....
Lookin' forward to having Dennis back in our lives...

Holy cow! I had to send my wonderful notebook computer to a service depot some time ago. Unfortunately, I was so eager that I didn't read the directions for shipping very well. I sent the notebook by USPS (which got there just fine, thank you). They repaired the system (sort of), and sent it back by FedEx. I got the system, and wondered who paid for it. Well, I found out. I got a bill. I paid the $103 dollars, and Sun paid me back.

A few days after I sent the payment, I got an update on the invoice. I figued it had been two ships passed in the night, so I let it go. A month later, I received an update that I had missed the payment. So? I called FedEx and asked about the issue. After a bit of communication, the customer service rep gave me the good news. We've credited you the amount of the second bill. Of course, I was concerned that the second bill was $30 less than the original bill. She informed me that that bill was probably part of the shipping bill. Well, I sent the product by USPS, and I had the feeling she felt that she was doing me a favor. Fine. It was going to be more of a problem to fight the issue for $30. I wanted to fight the $30, but felt it was better to just let it go.

Guess what I found in the mailbox today? A collection agency asking for the money that I "owed" to FedEx. Can you imagine the bad day that someone is going to have today? I assure you it won't be me... I'm trying hard to clean up my credit report from bad credit resulting from ex-wives. This will be cleared up quickly...
*&^(^$&^%)*&(*^%^(*&)_... Can't describe my feeling...

I just spent the last hour buying books on-line. This is a dangerous thing for me, because I have trouble stopping myself. Of course, I had to pre-order the new Harry Potter book, and the new Terry Brooks book, and there was one book for me that is actually already in print! I then went to work looking for book for Annie. That was where I got into trouble. I bought a couple of books for kids with divorced parents. Yeah, I know it's a little late, but she has started questioning me again about it, so I thought it would be a good idea. I bought a Dr. Seuss book, because I love Dr. Seuss. The only problem I have with Dr. Seuss books is that they often contain words that are made up, and Annie thinks they are real. We have revised the "Alphabet Game" that we play when we are driving to school or wherever. Instead of looking for letters on signs (there aren't that many between home and school) we go through the alphabet, and say words that begin with the letters. Sometimes Dr. Seussisms show up: "W - Wizzle-Wuzzle". What? "It was in the Dr. Seuss book, remember?" She gets credit for recognizing it starts with W, but I really like to hear real words.

I then turned my attention to children's books with horses in them, and fell prey to the bookstore marketing of Buy Both of These Books for a Discount. Several books later, I forced myself to checkout to the tune of about $160. I'm pleased, though. I bought a couple of engineering books a few months ago, and one of them was $160. And that's not a fun read, although wouldn't it be cool if Annie started reading it? Maybe she could explain Fractal Anntennas to me, and I wouldn't have to read it!

So, I'm now anxiously awaiting the arrival of these new treasures. I couldn't take advantage of free shipping, or I'd not get my books until September (a result of pre-ordering non-released books). Annie's books and one of mine should arrive within a week, and then I have a book arriving in July, and then another in September. Not bad intervals, actually, but I have a feeling that Harry Potter and I will be spending an entire Saturday together, and then I'll be clamoring for another book!
Are they here, yet? Are they here, yet?

When Annie is away from me, I sometimes become a bit nostalgic. I went online (gotta love the 'Net), and located a friend of mine from college. We were pretty close, but drifted apart when he left school for "the Real World", and I continued on through graduate school. I was surprised to find that he was no longer a mechanical engineer, but had become a web designer/marketer. I had tried to call once before, but couldn't get him in person. I didn't leave a message, because I couldn't resist messing with him a little. Last night I finally got him:

Me: Mr. S?
Him: Yes, this is Mr. S.
Me: I'm sorry to bother you so late, but I wanted to talk to you about the possibility of you designing a web site for me.
Him: Ok. You have probably seen our web site showcasing some of our work. Unfortunately, it's a little out of date. We've been very busy.
Me: I understand. A plumber's house always leaks!
Him: (laughs) Exactly.
Me: Can you tell me about some of the work you've done?
Him: (Patiently explains to me some of the work he has done, and some of the clients.)
Me: Interesting. Well, I'm looking at starting an adult web site. Have you had any experience with pornography sites?
Him: Um... No... I haven't... er... actually worked on any ... um... of those kinds of sites...
Me: Paul?
Him: (I can almost see the look on his face.) Yes?
Me: This is David Hockanson.
Him: (complete silence as relief floods through him, and memories pour in)

At this point I just busted out laughing. It was great, and he has vowed to get me back somehow. We had not heard from each other in over ten years, but started talking like we had seen each other yesterday. We ribbed each other about our kids: "your son has your ears!", "thank goodness your daughter doesn't look like you!" We tried to update each other on our lives as best as we could, giving the highlights of the past ten years in about an hour. I dare say, his highlights were much more pleasant than mine, and I was very happy that things were going well for him.

It was great to reconnect with someone I used to be close to. We shared many beers over lost loves and dreams of creating the next Bell Labs. They were great dreams, and those lost loves are resigned to memory without regret.

If you ever find yourself wondering what someone from your past is doing (hopefully not ex's), find them. It is worth the effort.
We're not old, just kids trapped in aging bodies...

The gauntlet has been thrown down. The war is on. Much like World War II, it is happening on two fronts. The first conflict was a decisive win by me. The enemy came in, breaching the outer perimeter of our fortress, believing that our defenses were down. However, after the last conflict (over a year ago), I left the defense lines in place. The demons came in and feeling that they were already victorious, they began to feast on their winnings. They ate everything they could. One of the feasts was a trap: rat poison. I happened across the remains of this first wave, and mercifully finished the job. I don't believe in torture.

The initial wave of combat comes from the rodents. Having been made aware of their massing of troops, I countered. I have cleaned the chicken coop, and the adjoining storage shed. I know this to be their headquarters. I have left my chemical warfare in various places. I may be outnumbered, but I have technology on my side. Their timing was important, they began the onslaught when the weather was too wet for me to cut grass, and the jungle surrounding the house provides great cover. Should it ever dry out, I will break their support lines, and I'm sure I'll be victorious.

At the same time, another pest decided to try to breach my defenses, figuring I had committed my resources against the rodents. They were wrong. The ants have found many avenues into the house. At each entry and focal point, they now find bait. They can grab all they want, and take it back to their home. I'll win this one, too.

Outnumbered, but well armed

It's been a good day. I woke this morning at 2:30 am, and couldn't get back to sleep. But, I read for a while, and went with brain-fog to take Annie to school. I saw in a note from school that today they were going to put eggs in an incubator today. So, I took an egg and a large bowl to school to talk about eggs. I was sooooo tired, but I wanted to do this. We talked about the need for food as the chick is developing, and went through the whole anatomy of the egg. However, Mrs. Friedlund brought up the air pocket in the egg, and I realized I didn't know the purpose of the air pocket.

I'm looking forward to going tomorrow and telling them that I found out. My favorite question, and I use it all the time, is "why?" As humans, our lives are about curiosity. That's what we do.

Well, I'd better get back to work...

Yolked

I was typing today, and noticed that my hands are starting to look old. Hard to believe that my infantile mind could be housed in a 35 year old body. My memory is such that I can look at my hands and see so much. When I was a foreign-exchange student, I sat through some classes in school that I was just not capable of keeping up with. I used to spend my time learning all the cracks and lines of my hands. I thought it interesting that people say they know something 'like the back of their hand', and I didn't know the back of my hand before that time. My hands have changed, though.

I worked fast food when I was sixteen. I have burn scars from changing 350 degree cooking oil, and spilling it. I was cleaning some stainless steel one time, and my hand slipped. I have a pretty good scar from the cut that resulted. In college, I reached into a trash bin, and had a tin lid cut deep into my hand. I still have the evidence. My physical scars are a matter of pride. You know? It's the scars that can't be seen that are the deepest.

I haven't talked to my first wife in a long, long time. I just discovered that her father died last month. Funny, but I can't quite figure out how I feel about it.
Just thinking...

Not a bad life. I have a fire in the chimnea, the sun is slowly descending under the ridge line, and the shadow of the mountains is working its way up the opposite valley wall. I have a cold Sierra Nevada, and I'm still punching away at the work keyboard. I could ask for more, but why bother?

On another note: while sitting out on the deck continuing my diligent work, I just saw two squirrels chase each other down a redwood faster than they could fall. I wish I could do that...
Content

When I first moved to California, I thought everyone was rude, because they don't wave or say "hi" to each other. I've since revised my thinking. In Rolla, I would wave at everyone that I saw on the 12 mile stretch from home to school. Of course, there weren't that many people there to begin with, and I figured they all lived in what we would call a neighborhood for the area. In general, they would wave back (with all five fingers). When I moved to my current location, I continued to do the same, but with fewer responses (at least, polite ones). I've unfortunately, pulled back my radius from home where I'll wave, but I think I've figured out the equation.

The Bay Area has refined their association with people with whom they feel a comradery. When I ride the motorcycle to work, every Harley rider waves at me. In fact, virtually every motorcyclist waves at me (sometimes the crotch-rocket riders snub me). I've even had bikers in oncoming traffic on the freeway (clear across the median) wave at me. I also drive a 3/4 ton diesel pickup. It is your typical contractor's vehicle for my area. Contractors wave at me when I go downtown, assuming I'm one of their own. Day Laborers saturate the local grocery store in the morning looking for work, and try to wave me down if Annie isn't with me, assuming I'm looking for helpers.

So, I've come to grips with my new belief that people here are not rude. I'ts just that the density of people is so incredible, they don't feel they have anything in common with the general population, and have to find something they feel a kinship for in order to be friendly. In the grocery store, no one says anything to each other, but I can't tell you how many people have pulled up next to me at a signal light and yelled "nice bike!"
Continually increasing my comfort level here...

Yeah, well, it's been a little crazy. I've been struggling to write something interesting, but work and life has made me a bit preoccupied lately. I have a work problem that has been sucking my time down in the lab. Annie has been overly needy, the house is a freakin' mess, and I'm just barely staying sane. It will all work out, though. Annie just ran out with a book to read, so I'm going to go do what makes me happy... making her happy. Hopefully, I'll have something interesting to write tomorrow...
Life is a struggle, but it works...