Now that I own and operate a clean burning and fuel efficient propane grill, I've noticed that I'm going through some pretty major changes in life - namely, I have super-human strength. I may not look like much of a beefcake, but let's just think logically here: Russell rhymes with "muscle" for a reason.
Story: I was sitting in the video archive waiting on yet another slow file transfer when all of a sudden my phone rang. It was my friend Caroline. The door to her apartment shut behind her and stuck. It would not open. She was trapped outside. "I'll be right there," I said. As my name also rhymes with "hustle," I was there in a flash.
Upon arrival, I employed my usual MacGuyver-ish skills on the door but to no avail. This was obviously not an ordinary door; I ceased my inner physics lesson about leverage, fulcrum, and durability of metals, plastics, and faux-wood. With the politeness to preemptively apologize for any property damage, I went old school and laid into that mo-fo with a BOOM! As the dust settled, I emerged triumphantly through the doorway - not a bruise, scratch or reportable property damage anywhere to be seen. With a quick readjustment of my necktie, I was on my way...another public service project complete.
Upon hearing the story, Lara was - how do you say - amazed.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
A Moment of Reflection
The benefits of doing my IPSP here at home in Arkansas are quite different from those of my compadres in the rest of world - different in the sense that their experiences are new and somewhat detached from day-to-day life back here in the States. My experiences outside my project on the otherhand are familiar and routine - after IPSP work, I go to the school and battle the Mac for a few hours, then go home late in the evening, get in trouble with Lara, sleep on the couch or the doghouse, and wake to start it all over again. So my social comfort zone rarely receives any threat to the norms.
So, when on June 3rd I returned from lunch to find my dear friend Allison waiting for me in my office at AEDC, I had a feeling something was wrong. I instantly knew, but hearing the words made it real. Our friend Cooper had passed away at age 26 from advanced leukemia. Though he and I had lost touch in recent years, I found myself struggling with my grief: what to do, what to say, what to think, how to act...
Soon thereafter I went up to Iowa with the intent of visiting family only to find the heartland bandaging its wounds as it began the healing and recovery process. The scars of the recent weather disasters were still very visible both on the land and in the souls of the people: towns obliterated by tornadoes and swept away by floods, people with nothing, and a fragile hope fighting to survive.
All of this made Eleanor Clift's program all the more powerful for me. The school will likely post a blog or at least a news story about her program which will tell what she said, who she talked about, and the overall impact, but I wanted to tell what I heard. Her program was powerful, informative, and candid. I'd almost forgotten what it is like to sit in a public program here at the school. Her subject? Life, death, and dealing with it all in the public and private sphere. It was nice to hear someone treat it and the issues surrounding it with candor and humor and pain. It was important to understand that we all must deal with these things at one time or another, and it was even more important to hear her say that, contrary to what is "expected," we each will have to deal with it in our own way - there is no right or wrong. We have to find a way to work through it, remember it, and ultimately inspire us.
There is a difference between getting trapped in personal sentiments and in mourning a loss. Often we linger in the former. In this sense grief is understandably a personal and selfish emotion; a past but very real part of our own lives is lost in the tragedies before us. However, because we live and because we are untouched, we are in a sense sad because our past is now and forever only a memory. And, that hits home very hard. In another sense though, grief is also a very communal emotion. In my recent experiences, two communities held close to each other in effort to usher everyone through the toughest of times. I think that grief and sadness are all too often the unfortunate glue that holds together the bonds of humanity. However, it is from those bonds and those collective experiences that we can move on and find inspiration in them.
Here at home, I have found myself debating myself on many things in the past several months: what is right, what is appropriate, what to do, etc. And I think Ms. Clift is correct; we must all handle these situations as is appropriate for each one of us and not hold others accountable to our personal mettle. I am sorry to ramble on and on. Ms. Clift's program gave me an opportunity to reflect and try to make sense of some things. If anything, her message and her story were therapeutic for me.
So, when on June 3rd I returned from lunch to find my dear friend Allison waiting for me in my office at AEDC, I had a feeling something was wrong. I instantly knew, but hearing the words made it real. Our friend Cooper had passed away at age 26 from advanced leukemia. Though he and I had lost touch in recent years, I found myself struggling with my grief: what to do, what to say, what to think, how to act...
Soon thereafter I went up to Iowa with the intent of visiting family only to find the heartland bandaging its wounds as it began the healing and recovery process. The scars of the recent weather disasters were still very visible both on the land and in the souls of the people: towns obliterated by tornadoes and swept away by floods, people with nothing, and a fragile hope fighting to survive.
All of this made Eleanor Clift's program all the more powerful for me. The school will likely post a blog or at least a news story about her program which will tell what she said, who she talked about, and the overall impact, but I wanted to tell what I heard. Her program was powerful, informative, and candid. I'd almost forgotten what it is like to sit in a public program here at the school. Her subject? Life, death, and dealing with it all in the public and private sphere. It was nice to hear someone treat it and the issues surrounding it with candor and humor and pain. It was important to understand that we all must deal with these things at one time or another, and it was even more important to hear her say that, contrary to what is "expected," we each will have to deal with it in our own way - there is no right or wrong. We have to find a way to work through it, remember it, and ultimately inspire us.
There is a difference between getting trapped in personal sentiments and in mourning a loss. Often we linger in the former. In this sense grief is understandably a personal and selfish emotion; a past but very real part of our own lives is lost in the tragedies before us. However, because we live and because we are untouched, we are in a sense sad because our past is now and forever only a memory. And, that hits home very hard. In another sense though, grief is also a very communal emotion. In my recent experiences, two communities held close to each other in effort to usher everyone through the toughest of times. I think that grief and sadness are all too often the unfortunate glue that holds together the bonds of humanity. However, it is from those bonds and those collective experiences that we can move on and find inspiration in them.
Here at home, I have found myself debating myself on many things in the past several months: what is right, what is appropriate, what to do, etc. And I think Ms. Clift is correct; we must all handle these situations as is appropriate for each one of us and not hold others accountable to our personal mettle. I am sorry to ramble on and on. Ms. Clift's program gave me an opportunity to reflect and try to make sense of some things. If anything, her message and her story were therapeutic for me.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
the Mac and Me
No, I'm not talking about a nostalgic trip into memories of the great 80's movie about a little alien stuck on Earth. This "Mac" is the computer in the video archive. It and I are engaged in a great and epic battle...a techno-battle for all time, I think. And I am losing. It has broken my will time and again - I will feel victory in my clutches only to watch helplessly as the MAC dooms yet another project hopeful just as it nears completion. It is sucking my soul from my body as I am left to launch unspoken expletives time and again at the machine to no avail. So, I've drawn Nikolai into this conflict as well...he's useless, plain and simple. Just kidding.
Today, however, marked a turning point. Programs ran correctly for the most part, and I successfully navigated through trials and errors to complete the necessary sortie. Until today, Mac has owned me. But this day, it all changes. EAT IT, MAC! Your reign of cyber-terror is over! You will not hurt these people again!
I am proud of myself and I just thought everyone should know. And perhaps, I've gone a bit crazy.
Today, however, marked a turning point. Programs ran correctly for the most part, and I successfully navigated through trials and errors to complete the necessary sortie. Until today, Mac has owned me. But this day, it all changes. EAT IT, MAC! Your reign of cyber-terror is over! You will not hurt these people again!
I am proud of myself and I just thought everyone should know. And perhaps, I've gone a bit crazy.
Monday, June 23, 2008
On the Homefront
Continuing the trend of disaster over past four years in the "Bakerman" of the United States, floods and tornados are ravaging Iowa and Missouri. Though the worst of the flooding has passed according to news and weather forecasters, major damage continues to occur along the river towns. An already taxed FEMA must again shuffle supplies and shelter across the country to people who have been left with nothing.
My mom's family has called Iowa "home" for more than 150 years - many of my relatives live on parcels of the family's original tracts. We are farmers (though much of the land is now leased to larger productions.) My great aunts and uncles are still up there, still on their farms, and still rockin' in the free world while pushing their own century mark. It never ceases to amaze me. Nevertheless, despite the genetic hardiness and ability to withstand nature time and again, my great aunt Irene and her husband Paul had to call on Uncle Sam to help them evacuate. My 95 year old aunt and many others were carted off in a convoy of soft top National Guard hummers as the flood waters from the Cedar River encroached upon their homes. It is a funny mental image to think of them in such a domestic battalion.
My family is fortunate to have missed considerable damage, and everyone is back home. But I am sure that neighbors were not so lucky. We grow crops - corn, soybeans, etc. Heavy rains and floods are not necessarily bad things for plant nutrition. Those with livestock have a little tougher time. I heard a sad story about a drove of pigs that managed to escape their enclosures, swim the floods, and survive the storm found refuge on a makeshift levy. Their weighted movements made the dam all the more fragile; and, they were sacrificed to save the town.
Homes and lives of all creatures are in the midst of tragedy. Images of neighborhoods floating down the floods rivers and lodging en masse against railroad tressels are all too common.
After seeing Ivan, Charlie, Katrina, and Rita as well as their aftermath, my thoughts are focused on power of water and flood; and, I will be seeing it with own eyes. Lara and I are heading to the Hawkeye State with my folks this weekend. We've planned this trip since before the wedding, but it appears that we've managed to have a date with disaster on top of our mini-reunion. So, I've dusted off my PDA shirts and work gloves. My hope is that no assistance is needed due to a return to normal life. However, we've seen what can happen, and we know what we can do when nature comes knocking.
My mom's family has called Iowa "home" for more than 150 years - many of my relatives live on parcels of the family's original tracts. We are farmers (though much of the land is now leased to larger productions.) My great aunts and uncles are still up there, still on their farms, and still rockin' in the free world while pushing their own century mark. It never ceases to amaze me. Nevertheless, despite the genetic hardiness and ability to withstand nature time and again, my great aunt Irene and her husband Paul had to call on Uncle Sam to help them evacuate. My 95 year old aunt and many others were carted off in a convoy of soft top National Guard hummers as the flood waters from the Cedar River encroached upon their homes. It is a funny mental image to think of them in such a domestic battalion.
My family is fortunate to have missed considerable damage, and everyone is back home. But I am sure that neighbors were not so lucky. We grow crops - corn, soybeans, etc. Heavy rains and floods are not necessarily bad things for plant nutrition. Those with livestock have a little tougher time. I heard a sad story about a drove of pigs that managed to escape their enclosures, swim the floods, and survive the storm found refuge on a makeshift levy. Their weighted movements made the dam all the more fragile; and, they were sacrificed to save the town.
Homes and lives of all creatures are in the midst of tragedy. Images of neighborhoods floating down the floods rivers and lodging en masse against railroad tressels are all too common.
After seeing Ivan, Charlie, Katrina, and Rita as well as their aftermath, my thoughts are focused on power of water and flood; and, I will be seeing it with own eyes. Lara and I are heading to the Hawkeye State with my folks this weekend. We've planned this trip since before the wedding, but it appears that we've managed to have a date with disaster on top of our mini-reunion. So, I've dusted off my PDA shirts and work gloves. My hope is that no assistance is needed due to a return to normal life. However, we've seen what can happen, and we know what we can do when nature comes knocking.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
HP Techno-savior
Recently I quipped about the potential loss of Arkansas' telecom giant, Alltel. Jobs, future state investments, and - to an extent - state economic stability are all on shaky ground. Verizon could very easily pull up Alltel's roots and trek off to whereever they want it to go.
In steps HP - yes, the computer people. Just hours ago, the Governor announced that HP has chosen Conway as a site for a new multimillion dollar manufacturing facility. In an instant, uncertainty - due to the Verizon deal - has been snatched from the abyss. HP's investment brings with it the potential for more white-collar investment from the information and technology industry. 1200 jobs were created with a flip of the wrist and couple "John Hancocks" here and there. Thank you HP.
Perhaps, I need to re-examine the potential IT foreign investment options such as the Samsung and others...
Folks at the Commission were pretty ecstatic this afternoon. AEDC was a happy office, and I could faintly hear the big-wigs giggling with glee.* Verizon could still play party pooper and take away Alltel's presence, but at least we have a nice replacement waiting in the wings.
In steps HP - yes, the computer people. Just hours ago, the Governor announced that HP has chosen Conway as a site for a new multimillion dollar manufacturing facility. In an instant, uncertainty - due to the Verizon deal - has been snatched from the abyss. HP's investment brings with it the potential for more white-collar investment from the information and technology industry. 1200 jobs were created with a flip of the wrist and couple "John Hancocks" here and there. Thank you HP.
Perhaps, I need to re-examine the potential IT foreign investment options such as the Samsung and others...
Folks at the Commission were pretty ecstatic this afternoon. AEDC was a happy office, and I could faintly hear the big-wigs giggling with glee.* Verizon could still play party pooper and take away Alltel's presence, but at least we have a nice replacement waiting in the wings.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Chad, come back!!!
As I began preparing my South Korea business report for AEDC, I had a realization that the future economic development of Arkansas - at least in the short term - might lie precariously in the middle of this Alltel-Verizon merger. Though the details of the buy-out are not yet fully known nor will they be for some months to come, this was a hostile takeover and an Arkansas business was the target. The reality of the merger dawned on me as I was investigating potential foreign investment into the e-business, logisitics, and telecommunication industry: Arkansas might experience some unpleasantness as a result of it all.
Alltel was a Little Rock company, and it quietly owned most of the telecommunications infrastructure (towers, cables, networks, etc) in the country. That is the way Alltel made all of it's money; all of the other telecommunications companies - ATT, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc - had to use Alltel's hardware to develop their networks. In a very real sense, Alltel held the lynchpin to the success of the entire industry. Thus, Arkansas - as Alltel's home - was privy to this success. In addition, Arkansas also saw a major logistics and e-business player rise in the form of the Axciom which does major business within the international economic and corporate world. With these two corporations, Arkansas had the ability to cultivate the industry and attract related businesses and manufacturers.
My current project is Korea. The ROK is home to some heavy hitters in the telecom industry; Samsung comes to mind. If Verizon decides to pull its Alltel operations out of Arkansas, it could greatly impact that state's presence in this industry. Nevermind that thousands of people work there. Nevermind the void that it could leave in Little Rock. The ability to attract major economic investment to the state is, in the long term, perhaps more important. If Verizon maintains a major operation here in LR, who knows what investments might call Arkansas home?!
Now, this is not some Doomsday announcement, nor is anyone really worried about it all...except for Alltel's employees and their spouses. Arkansas is doing just fine and will continue to do so. It did make me realize, though, that some big shifts are taking place right here at home. When a big piece of the puzzle leaves town, someone else has to fill the void. I guess that filling the void is part of my job at AEDC. I'm wrapping up Korea, and I have found some interesting crossroads between our two worlds that merit further investigation. I wish I could offer more recommendations than I will. However, one can not recommend industry expansion when the industry itself is hanging by a thread.
Alltel was a Little Rock company, and it quietly owned most of the telecommunications infrastructure (towers, cables, networks, etc) in the country. That is the way Alltel made all of it's money; all of the other telecommunications companies - ATT, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc - had to use Alltel's hardware to develop their networks. In a very real sense, Alltel held the lynchpin to the success of the entire industry. Thus, Arkansas - as Alltel's home - was privy to this success. In addition, Arkansas also saw a major logistics and e-business player rise in the form of the Axciom which does major business within the international economic and corporate world. With these two corporations, Arkansas had the ability to cultivate the industry and attract related businesses and manufacturers.
My current project is Korea. The ROK is home to some heavy hitters in the telecom industry; Samsung comes to mind. If Verizon decides to pull its Alltel operations out of Arkansas, it could greatly impact that state's presence in this industry. Nevermind that thousands of people work there. Nevermind the void that it could leave in Little Rock. The ability to attract major economic investment to the state is, in the long term, perhaps more important. If Verizon maintains a major operation here in LR, who knows what investments might call Arkansas home?!
Now, this is not some Doomsday announcement, nor is anyone really worried about it all...except for Alltel's employees and their spouses. Arkansas is doing just fine and will continue to do so. It did make me realize, though, that some big shifts are taking place right here at home. When a big piece of the puzzle leaves town, someone else has to fill the void. I guess that filling the void is part of my job at AEDC. I'm wrapping up Korea, and I have found some interesting crossroads between our two worlds that merit further investigation. I wish I could offer more recommendations than I will. However, one can not recommend industry expansion when the industry itself is hanging by a thread.
Friday, June 13, 2008
A Right of Passage
When Lara came back from Alabama with some additional wedding gifts that had to be left behind after the wedding, I knew that the time had come when I could use the term "man" to accurately describe myself. For in one of the gifts the power of manhood resides: a Lowe's gift card. Instantly I knew what must be done; I must buy a grill.
I mistakenly took the little lady to help choose which grill will bring the most joy for many years to come. I say "mistakenly" because she gave the grills one look and left me to go look at garden hoses. I called her back for her opinion on the matter only to find that she picked a small transportable 4 burger grill and deemed it sufficiently adequate. I laughed, "no." That's when I had an epiphany: choosing a grill is my solemn duty, one that I shall not take lightly. Serious questions needed answering.
Sure charcoal is the only way to go for taste; but in times that call for quick preparation, does charcoal produce the best use of my time? What if I wanted to invite the whole class over for burgers? Or, ribs? How many square inches is the "perfect" cooking area? Is a grill supposed to be shiny? Are all these "bells and whistles" necessary for success, or do they compensate for something else?
At first these questions were overwhelming, but I shook myself clear of this convolusive trap. I chose a beauty that can handle 30 burgers or 4 racks of ribs or, well, you can figure out where I'm going with this... And, following the advice of grilling master from Arlen, Texas, I chose clean burning sweet lady propane and propane accessories to evenly cook my meats (and veggies.)
I am yet to bring it home and install it near my back porch, but I already feel wiser and more confident.
I mistakenly took the little lady to help choose which grill will bring the most joy for many years to come. I say "mistakenly" because she gave the grills one look and left me to go look at garden hoses. I called her back for her opinion on the matter only to find that she picked a small transportable 4 burger grill and deemed it sufficiently adequate. I laughed, "no." That's when I had an epiphany: choosing a grill is my solemn duty, one that I shall not take lightly. Serious questions needed answering.
Sure charcoal is the only way to go for taste; but in times that call for quick preparation, does charcoal produce the best use of my time? What if I wanted to invite the whole class over for burgers? Or, ribs? How many square inches is the "perfect" cooking area? Is a grill supposed to be shiny? Are all these "bells and whistles" necessary for success, or do they compensate for something else?
At first these questions were overwhelming, but I shook myself clear of this convolusive trap. I chose a beauty that can handle 30 burgers or 4 racks of ribs or, well, you can figure out where I'm going with this... And, following the advice of grilling master from Arlen, Texas, I chose clean burning sweet lady propane and propane accessories to evenly cook my meats (and veggies.)
I am yet to bring it home and install it near my back porch, but I already feel wiser and more confident.
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