Shallow Thinker

I am a football fan.  I love to watch football at any level.  PeeWee football is fun just because it’s PeeWee football.  High school ball is fun because you get to see the star athletes shine, but you can also watch teams of unknowns achieve success.  College ball is more refined because all of the players are athletes, but it is slightly tainted by individuals that want to be bigger than the team…or by teams that want to be bigger than the university.  Pro football has its divas and payrolls and all sorts of other things that make it like a soap opera.  But it also has phenomenal athletes and very complex strategies.  I  could give you more reasons, but at the bottom of it all, I’m completely enthralled with the sport.

This Sunday brings up a dilemma for me.  I’m trying to decide how to properly watch the game.  I know that everyone has a party and it’s a big whoop-de-do, but for me, it always seems like a let down.  At the end of the night, the cheese dip has solidified.  The chips are ground into the carpet.  The pizza boxes are stacked on top of the trashcan.  I, however, am paying attention to how the TV has gone silent, the microphones in the booth have been removed, and the shoulder pads have been put away.  The lights in the stadium are turned off for one last time.  Football is over.

If you knew that one of your deepest loved ones was going away, how would you handle it?  Would you want a party to celebrate all of the good times that you had together and send them on their way with joy?  Perhaps you’d want to take in your last few moments together in a quiet setting, just the two of you, savoring each second that passes.

This Sunday presents a difficult decision.  A part of me wants to celebrate with my friends, but I know that on the inside, I will feel empty…like the salsa dish at half-time.  Another part of me wants to watch the game alone and absorb each hit, but I will long to be comforted by those who appreciate my love as much as I do and will share in my grief.  I really don’t know if I have the strength to decide for myself.  Please…someone help this misery end.

Editor’s Note: If you even think of mentioning something like “It’s all about the commercials”, I will drive to your house and bludgeon you with this empty salsa dish.  Attempts to console me with mentions of the probowl game may result in death.  It’s not a game, it’s a dance…at best.

My second semester as graduate student is underway and is shaping-up to be a tough one.

Previously, see the link above, I detailed the awesome manner in which I will be sitting through 1.5 classes in an attempt to receive credit for 2.0 classes.  For the first week, this didn’t seem too bad.  The professor that I am sitting in for the 0.5 class let class out early and I didn’t miss anything.  This was not the case last week.  He went over some pretty important concepts that I had to miss.  After talking with the professor, he has decided that he will be in his office every Monday when we are supposed to have class so that if I have any questions, I can come by and see him.  I made a visit this past Monday and it’s shaping up to look like I’ll be visiting this upcoming Monday as well.

In addition to constantly playing “catch-up” in class 0.5, class 1.0 is intense.  The professor uses the full extent of the 3 hour period to drop knowledge upon us.  Teach one concept, build on it.  Teach another, build on it.  Put the two together, build on that.   I can’t decide if I should be thankful that I’m missing the other class instead of this one or not…

I think an illustration might be better.  Have you ever tried to walk through mud so thick that it tries to pull your shoes/boots off?  That’s what this semester feels like.  Does anyone have any tips for walking through academic mud?

Yesterday morning I was late to work.  I usually try to walk in the front doors around 8:00.  On the few occasions when I overachieve, I get in around 7:45.  If the day started slow, it will be closer to 8:15.  Yesterday, however, was a 9:30 morning.  Normally, I would be a bit peeved by this, but yesterday, I couldn’t have been happier.

At 8:30, Butterfly and I arrived for Donuts with Dad at her preschool.  We walked into the large room and saw numerous other dads scattered between the tables that had been set-up.  First, we chatted with one of Butterfly’s friends from church and then we found her teacher and our assigned seats.  Butterfly proudly displayed the crafts that she had made for me and instructed me to wear my name tag.  I didn’t have my name, but referred to me as her father.  (I’m OK with that.)

The excitement was too much to bear and Butterfly declared that we should go get our donuts.  We both selected the standard glazed and got our small cups of orange juice.  As we ate, I got to speak with a few of the other fathers from her class in between Butterfly’s stories about class and crafts.  When we finished our donuts, we still had a few minutes before her class began.  Butterfly came up with a wonderful way to fill the time.  “Hey, I know.  We could get another donut!”  My mind threw up several stop signs:  I’m watching what I eat, she doesn’t need too much sugar…  Five minutes later she was overjoyed to be sharing a donut with her father, and I was very happy to be sharing one with her.

We cleaned up, gathered my gifts that she worked on for the past several weeks, and headed to her classroom.  I was fortunate enough to find Kelley walking in with Ladybug.  Ladybug ran to me and gave me a hug and let me excort her to her classroom.  I say “escort” because she wouldn’t let me hold her.  She demanded to pull her little school bag and walk in all by herself.  As I left her room, I asked for a kiss and she puckered her little lips.

The clock said 9:00…time for them to spread their wings.  More difficult for me, though, was that it was time for me to let them. Most mornings, I drive to work formulating a plan on how to attack the workload before me, listening to the news, checking my incoming messages, and jsut doing stuff to be efficient with my time.  Yesterday, I drove in the silence, wishing that I wouldn’t have to taint the purity of the morning with the dirtiness of the day.

This is the Official Shallow Thinker Fitness Report (OSTFR): Volume 3.  If you’d like to catch-up on things, here’s Volume 1 and Volume 2.  Go ahead and read them now.  I’ll wait here.

Up to speed now?  Here are the results.  If you wonder why there are two lines, the short answer is that I’m a nerd.  The long answer is below -

The blue line is my daily weigh-in.  For consistancy, I weigh in every morning at the same time, wearing the same thing.  This removes some of the variation.  Realistically, though, there is still a lot of “noise” in the process.  Not only will my weight fluctuate from day-to-day, but the scale has variation in its process.  For instance, I can step on the scale 10 times in a row and get a few different readings.  Most likely, they’ll be close together, but there’s still some variation.  So, in order to filter out some of that variation and to see if there are any real trends in the data, I put in the red line.  It’s basically a rolling average of the previous 3 days.  This helps to smooth out some of those peaks and valleys and lets me get a realistic view of where I’m headed.

I think on of the problems for people who are weighing-in constantly is that they don’t understand how easily weight fluctuates.  My day 6, for instance, looks horrible and could have easily given me a reason to quit.  A week’s worth of work and no improvement.  When I understand that there’s variation in the process and I look at the trends as a whole, it’s much more encouraging.

So, the summary of OSTFR #3 is that I’ve lost 4 pounds.  I think that really, I’ve lost 10 pounds, but I put 6 more pound of muscle because I am ripped.  A beefcake.  Ladies, better take a number now because there will soon be a line around the block.  (and they’ll all have restraining orders)

As my previous post indicated, I was in training all last week.  I maintained e-mail access, so I was able to stay in touch on a few issues that came up.  By Wednesday of last week, my workload for this Monday was overflowing with plenty of catch-up work.  By Friday afternoon, I realized that most of that work would not get done.  Why?  Meetings.

On my calendar, I already have six (6!) meetings scheduled for tomorrow.  SIX!  This is crazy stuff.  The rest of the week isn’t as bad, but I still have more to attend.  Not to mention, all of the catch-up work that needs to be done.

I’ve come to the conclusion that corporate America has an addiction to meetings.  I’m trying to work-out a system to help solve the problem, but I can’t figure out how to discuss the problem like other groups do because that would require…..a meeting.

To all three of my loyal readers, I apologize for my hiatus.  I’ve been in class all week learning how to use some software.  If you are bored enough to care about what it is, you can read below.  If not, just ignore the following and go buy yourself something fancy on amazon.

We purchased a laser scanner.  It’s pretty awesome.  We run this thing over a part and it gives us a bunch of little points in 3D space that represent what the laser saw.  Here’s an example of what the points look like from far away -

If you zoom in close, you can tell that it is made of a bunch of tiny dots -

One of the really neat things that we can do is use all of these dots to compare a part that we have to what is should be.  Since we have a model of this part on the computer, we can see how well they match.  Green is good, red means that the part is higher than what the model says that it should be and blue means that the part is lower.  Here’s what it looks like:

So what does all this mean?

It means that when I get some time, I’m definintely going to scan my face!  I’ll post some pictures when get the chance.

Tomorrow, millions (maybe more) will gather across the globe to watch the inagauration of a new president.  Obama certainly does know how to draw a crowd, doesn’t he?  Some embrace this change, others are leary of it.  Some can’t wait for the next four years to start while others pray that it passes fast.  No matter what the political beliefs are, people are paying attention to this administration.  Meanwhile, in the background, another man quietly steps off the platform and into the shadows.  His administration has run its course.

I have spent a little time over the past year reading about past leaders and historic wars.  I have listened to debates about what our Presidents should and should not do.  I have heard horror stories of what war does to an individual, as well as families, and I have seen the effects of a vicious regime that goes unchallenged.  Each day the sun rises, the President of our nation must make decisions that will have deep and grave consequences.  Saving lives on one hand may require extinguishing them in another.  And no matter what decision is made, it will be questioned, dissected, weighed in front of millions, and ultimately, become a part of the “legacy” that follows this person throughout our nation’s history.  No budget is small enough. No contribution is big enough. No war is brief enough. No defense is long enough.  Decisions that must be made in an instant are weighed for a century.

I saw a news article that showed pictures of the most recent presidents before their term beside their pictures as the left office.  The weight of the office had taken its toll on each and every one of them far deeper than the standard aging cycle.  I’m sure if I made decisions that affected millions, had to define and defend them before the press, and then watched others take my best intentions and make me seem like a monster, I might age a little, too.

To our outgoing President, I would like to say “Thank you” for taking the helm of our nation and for steering us through some rocky times.  I can question and complain about it all I want, but I will never know the weight that you carry for each of those decisions.

To our incoming President, I pray that you may lead with courage, passion, and dignity.  I hope that this path you travel will be kind, though I fear you will walk on unfriendly ground.  I wish that your actions would be met with love, though I know you will receive hate.  I desire that our people would unite in our passion to support our nation, though I know that we will remain divided.  This is the torch that will carry throughout your service.  May you find rest and peace along your journey.

Last night, I started back to class.  I expected it to be a little choppy on the first night and then a ton of information from there on out.  Here’s what the schedule is supposed to look like (yes, that’s foreshadowing that you see):

Mondays
4:30-5:45 - Facilities Planning

Wednesdays
4:30-5:45 - Facilities Planning
6:00-9:00 - Materials

I arrived at my first class of the night.  This one will be taught by an Indian gentleman (as in India, not America).  His accent is still very heavy, but I can follow him if I pay close attention.  He informed us that he’s going to do our entire class a favor and only have class once a week.  Wednesdays from 4:30-7:30.  “Any problems?”  he asks.  Since the class had some undergrads in it, they all yelped with joy.  Using my keen sense of mathematics, I quickly realized that the new end time of 7:30 is after the start of my next class.  I informed the professor of my conflict.  Immediately, in his strong Indian accent he simply said “It will be Okay.”

What?  That’s it?  Just “It will be Okay”?  I tried to talk with him after class, but I think that my southern accent must have confused him.  At the end of it all, he finally said that he would do lectures during the first half of the class, which I will attend, and do problems during the second half…which I will not.  So, an hour and a half into the first day, I have learned that I can only be present for half of the course time and will have to make-up all of the rest on my own.  Great (said in a Charlie Brown kind of way, not Tony Tiger.)

The Materials class is taught by a lady that is a native of Poland.  Her accent is very strong, as well.  For some reason, though, I can understand her much better.  Our first class was a review of a bunch of stuff that I should remember from my undergraduate Materials course…10 years ago.  I can’t remember where I put my wallet this morning.  Recalling the lattice structure of polymers is definitely out of the question.  While this class will be difficult, I think that the material will be very helpful.

So, there you have it.  I’ll spend Wednesdays attending 1.5 classes and the rest of the week stressing about the other 0.5.  YAY!

The scales arrived and I’ve weighed myself several times to get an accurate average.  Here are my official starting points.

Weight        - 179 lb
Fat %          - 18.4%
Muscle %    - 62.5%
Water %     - 57%
Bone Mass   -7.0

The goal here is to bring the weight down around 170-172, decrease the fat% and increase the muscle %.  I don’t know what the water % means and I figure my bones should remain constant.

After posting my resolution, my work place announced a contest for teams to lose weight.  (It’s officially called the “2009 Spring Couples Challenge” but that doesn’t sond manly enough to put on my blog.  I’ll just leave it out.) The only requirement for the contest was that each participant’s BMI had to be over 25.  Weighing in with my work clothes, I topped 187 and had a BMI enough to join.  With my resolution in place, a contest at hand, and a friend at work willing to help me out, here’s what I’m doing….as of right now.

Running - Mondays and Wednesdays during lunch are devoted to a run.  We’re shooting for 5k per run.

Fit Club - Tuesdays and Thursdays during lunch are spent in a “cross-training” class which mixes cardio with light strength training.  Thus far, Brian and I are the only guys in there.  The ladies must be thrilled with my leotards.

Dog Walks - Each morning…well, most mornings…I take the dogs for a brisk walk.  We only go about a mile because of my time constraints, but they seem to enjoy it and it gets my blood pumping for about 15-20 minutes.  Not to mention, the 26 degree weather wakes me up pretty good.

Eating - I’m still eating.

Int 2 weeks, when I weigh-in for the work competition, I’ll post an update.  Brian and I have decided to be bold and guarantee a top 4 finish.  I just hope the other participants don’t get demotivated and quit when we magically turn into muscle men.

Sunday night, Kelley and Butterfly fluttered off to their respective choir practices while Ladybug and I stayed home.  We played with barbies and trains (football was on in the background, of course) and had ourselves an excellent time.  It just so happened that this evening would also serve as bath night.  Normally, we chunk both girls into the tub, tell them to stop splashing, put soap in their eyes, rinse them while they’re screaming, and pull them out right as they’re getting used to it.  In my fatherly wisdom, however, I decided that our evening alone would afford Ladybug some time to enjoy the tub all to herself.  And she did.

I got the water temperature and level perfect.  Ladybug sat down and immediately began playing with the toys and enjoying herself.  I went ahead and bathed her and washed her hair.  Then, I put in some clean water and decided to let her play for a few minutes to enjoy the toys without her big sister.  She was doing well, so I decided to prepare the bedrooms for bedtime.  You’re not supposed to leave your child unattended in the tub, and I’m over-protective.  These combined caused me to run, throw the pillows on the bed, and come back to check.  Run, pull the pajamas out, come back to check.  One thing, check, one more thing, check….

At one point in my checking, Ladybug was looking at me with a sly grin.  I asked “What are you doing?”  She proudly responded “Tee tee in bathtub!”  I gave her a playful scolding: “Don’t you go tee tee in my bathtub!”  She grinned.  We both knew that she’d already done it.  (And let’s be honest, who hasn’t.  From time to time, I still…..er…um….let’s get back to the story.)  I finished prepping the rooms and went to rinse the fresh tee-tee off the girl and get her out.  As I looked into the tub, something was awry.  One of these toys was not here when we started.  I stood her up and looked down.

“Did you go poo-poo in my bathtub?!”
“Ew gross.  Daddy clean it.”
“You went poo-poo in my bathtub!”
“Daddy clean it.  Ewwwww gross.”

I hosed her down with the sprayer and took her into the room for pajamas.  After that, I put her down so that I could remove the evidence of her past meals from the tub.  The whole time she kept smiling from ear-to-ear and repeating “EW, GROSS!  daddy clean it.”  If she weren’t so cute, I’d have to get rid of her.

Have you ever had one of those days when…

…you worked hard and were busy all day, rushing around to get stuff done, but at the end of it all, you don’t have anything to point to as an accomplishment?

No?  Forget I mentioned it.

Life in the office can get kind of boring, so I figured a pet would be nice.  Here’s my new office mate -

Kelley and I got this thing about 3 years ago.  He was such a good pet.  He would clean our floors faithfully and dutifully.  As Butterfly got older, her toys became more numerous.  We soon realized that it took more time to clear the floor for the Roomba to work than it would take for us to actually vacuum the floor.  Not to mention, we think that he had been secretly scratching some of our flooring.  We were so disappointed.  Kelley cried a little as we packed him up and put him away.

About a year ago, I found a good place for him and sent him home with a coworker.  (The trade involved me getting a Chick-fil-a sandwich.  I’m pretty sure that I came out on top with that deal.)  The battery was shot and wouldn’t hold a charge.  He invested some money and got a used battery on E-bay and was happy….for a few months.  Once again, the little fella was packed-up and put away.

Today, the coworker came into my office asking if I wanted it back.  I was hesitant at first.  Would it be awkward after all this time?  Would I still be hurt because of the floors?  You know what…I’m a forgiving soul.  I figured it wouldn’t hurt to have an office vacuum.  So I took the old fella in and spent some time with him.  He was so tired when I first got him that he couldn’t even find the charging station.  I’ve given him some food to power him up.  After my meeting this afternoon, I’ll unplug him and see if he can do a couple of laps.

I sure hope the old fella holds up.  If not, I guess the only thing to do would be to retire him in true southern fashion.  We’ll take him out back and shoot him.  It’s the way he would want it.