It’s about Tim

IT’s HOT!

ITsHOT
Originally uploaded by SendakSeuss

I think it’s time to buy a window unit. I think I am melting for real.

A compilation of Writers’ Resources at Google

Google Directory - Arts > Writers Resources > News and Media > Weblogs.

I’ve not had the opportunity to review these yet, but I’m sure a few will benefit me as I begin to take writing more seriously. Might help some others out as well. Dad? Are you reading this?

More lessons learned through fun - my mock battle

This one is from ages ago.

Back in 1992 when I was stationed in Okinawa Japan, I went with some friends to play paintball. Although my friends and I were playing for fun, I learned that day why paintball is such a valuable training tool for the military. If you’re smart enough to learn, getting popped with a paintball can be a very powerful combat teaching tool - without the nasty side effects of real bullets.

We were playing capture the flag. Two teams of about 15-20 had bases on opposite sides of hill. The center of the field was mostly open with trees around the edges for taking cover like so:

Referees stood on the high ground in the middle of the open field where they had a fairly good view of everything going on.

On my first time out I was point for a trio of red scouts moving along the western side of the map. Very soon in our patrol we came across a trio of blue scouts and got into a skirmish. We had slightly better cover and managed to get two of them fairly quickly and then it was three against one. The last guy was doing his best to put up resistance and then I heard him swear. His gun had jammed. Not one to give up he took paint balls from his cartridge and started lobbing them at us. Realizing that the balls have to travel pretty fast to break, I decided that I would just move to flank him because he wasn’t going to be able to throw hard enough to hit me. I moved out of my cover then heard several guns fire and felt the sting of no less than seven shots on my back. “HIT! HIT! HIT!,” I yelled and walked off the filed hoping my two guys would realize where the enemy was since rules state a person who has been shot cannot point out the enemy. Continue reading ‘More lessons learned through fun - my mock battle’

Some lessons learned through fun on the bike

For some reason many metaphors have been playing in my head lately. Most of them have to do with the bike. Sometimes I like long road rides, and the lesson they teach me about getting myself committed to the point where bailing out costs more than completing the ride. We can lose a lot when we don’t follow through.

I don’t like to ride alone on the road because there are far too many angry people driving cars these days, but even when riding with someone else there is a time to be alone - whether it be off the front or back of the pack. I use that time alone to take in the scenery and to think as my fellow cyclists do.

I remember learning about drafting several years ago when I first started riding a road bike in Greensboro, North Carolina. Folks who follow NASCAR know about drafting, as do people who try to increase their gas mileage on the highway; in both of those cases the benefit is focused more on the individual. In cycling it’s more about the group or team; about taking turns pulling and being pulled.

Continue reading ‘Some lessons learned through fun on the bike’

Fun with photos taken back in April

John Piper won the Red Bull challenge at the Pocohantas State Park Mountain Bike Festival back in April. Here’s his victory depicted with My Comic Life.

I wish that I was going to Shea’s farewell.

I’m not much of a concert-goer anymore.

I loved going to the big conerts when I was in my teens and twenties - R.E.M, Jane’s Addiction, Soundgarden - but at some point I just started losing interest in anything other than smaller jazz or blue grass performances. Maybe it had something to do with the price of tickets, or maybe I’m just an old man. Or maybe there’s this elitist side of me that says “I refuse to be one of those people that pays ever-increasing ticket prices to see the same band they’ve been going to see since they were teenagers.” I mean really, over a hundred bucks to see Aerosmith or Pink Floyd? Get out of here.

I’ve only seen a small number of shows over the last five or six years. Ashley and I went to see Tori Amos several years ago. I love all of our Tori Amos CDs, but somehow the live performance failed to impress me and I did not join the crowd in their shouts for “Encore!” What really draws me to Tori is her piano and I think I might have enjoyed her more if it was just her and the piano without the band. Maybe. Especially if it was in a small bar.

The last big show we saw was Ben Folds, and it was just Ben and his Piano at Davidson University in North Carolina. The show was incredible. Continue reading ‘I wish that I was going to Shea’s farewell.’

Into Manhattan

Tomorrow I have the pleasure of visiting the Carnegie Corporation as I continue my search for employment where I can continue to make a difference. I’m excited and nervous as this is the first time I will be heading into Manhattan alone. The few times I have been, I have relied on Ashley’s experience and knowledge of public transportation to get us to where we needed to be.
Recently I was turned on to Idealist.org and my eyes have started glowing at all the opportunities in New York with organizations that are working to improve people’s lives. Never thought that I would be working in New York, but it’s looking more and more attractive.
Gambarimasu.

Love seeing new things

Bird nerd that I am, I glanced up at our feeder this morning while Ashley and I were sitting in the back yard with Erica and Damien - and saw a bird that I had not seen before. What an honor to be visited by such a handsome bird. Unfortunately, this shot is taken through a somewhat dirty window as I did not want to scare him away after retrieving my camera.

Curtis came to visit

Our good friend, Curtis Wilson the nomad, was in town last week for work with the Golf Channel. Our neighbors, Erica and Damien joined us for dinner in the back yard. We ate a great meal and had wonderful conversation and played for hours with a gyroscope ball.

It’s great to have friends visit, and we hope more will do so while we are in the crazy New York area.

We will miss Richmond

Every morning as I walk out my front door I look left and am amazed to live in such a charmingly beautiful neighborhood. Ashley and I may return to Richmond after three years up north, if so I will probably push for a house in Church Hill.