So there goes my life

It's 12:21 am, and I don't really feel like sleeping. I'm in my room, and it's comfortable. The mood is perfect, exactly how I like it when I feel like relaxing. My room has really become my center lately. Work has been intense, big projects, steady workload, deadlines fast approaching. So it's nice to come home to a sanctuary - a realm for my mind to leave the trials of now. My ears are typically my preferred escape route. Tonight I chose City and Colour. Dallas Green. The album is called Sometimes. Amazing music to crank up and absorb. In an online world, it was really nice to venture out to a record store and put 15 bucks down for a disk of this calibre. I keep thinking to myself that I haven't enjoyed work this much since starting this job way back at the beginning of this universitary interlude. I perform when I'm under pressure from all directions. I thrive on extra pressure. There's just something about that last rock that drags me right in. And that's what I've got right now. The game is in my hands. Ultimately, I don't think I could have it any other way. For now, I will unwind in my sanctuary, then crawl in for a good night's sleep. Life is still out there - so I must absorb this moment while I can.

Retrograde

At work earlier this week, Susan, a colleague of mine, warned me to back up my hard drive because of Mercury retrograde. I nodded obligingly, stating "Yeah, it's been a while since I've backed up! I should do that". I don't really take astrology very seriously, so I still haven't gotten around to backing up.

This morning, Brandon signed on to MSN, and his name alluded to a serious computer hardware failure. Upon further investigation, I learned that his brand new Seagate hard drive had failed. It would boot, albeit with that damned depressing ticking noise. After 4 or 5 minutes, the computer would crash and the drive would konk out.

Coincidence? Maybe. Eerie? YOU BET.

Being the curious type, I investigated and found this: http://medicinegarden.com/astrology/merc_retro_030206.html

Mercury Retrograde occurs about 3 times a year, during the period in which Mercury overtakes the Earth in our eternal race around the sun. If we were giants and could stand atop the earth, peering out across the landscape of our solar system during Mercury Retrograde, it would appear as though Earth were traveling backwards with respect to Mercury. Sure it's an illusion, but illusions are fun, aren't they?

Are we to believe that, while our planet goes about its business, another big rock traveling through space zings past us three times a year, slamming a shockwave of space gasses and dust (and maybe a bit of karma) into our atmosphere, causing massive data loss, lack of self-confidence, failed business practices, and accounts for all of those socks that I've lost in the dryer?

Finally, an explanation that adds up. I leave you with a poem:

MERCURY RETROGRADE
by Linda Anderson

When the telephone rings, but nobody's there,
It's Mercury Retrograde in the air!
When you're stuck at the airport, your flight's been delayed,
You're waiting with Mercury Retrograde!
When you can't communicate, everyone's in a trance,
That's Mercury Retrograde doing its dance!
When you can't get on-line to talk or to trade,
You're dealing with Mercury Retrograde!
When the folks you work with can't get along,
That's Mercury Retrograde singing its song!
When the TV's on and the screen starts to fade,
Just remember it's Mercury Retrograde!

But, when you're late for a meeting, you don't need to fret,
With Mercury Retrograde, no one's there yet!
When the mail doesn't come, there's no bills to be paid,
Shout hooray for Mercury Retrograde!
When the car keys get lost, you can't go anywhere,
Just stay home and read in your plush easy chair.
Eat lots of cookies, and drink lemonade,
And toast your friend Mercury Retrograde!

There's no point in striving to keep up the pace
When Mercury Retrograde gets in the race.
Take time to relax, and your nerves won't be frayed
These three weeks when Mercury goes Retrograde!

The River of Life

So I was clicking through my daily six sites (http://www.webuser.co.uk/news/81267.html?aff) and stumbled upon a post from Larry Osterman's blog.

It can be found here: http://blogs.msdn.com/larryosterman/archive/2004/08/31/223355.aspx

In it, Larry discusses the following parable:

Once upon a time there was a town that was built just beyond the bend of a large river. One day some of the children from the town were playing beside the river when they noticed three bodies floating in the water. They ran for help and the townsfolk quickly pulled the bodies out of the river.

One body was dead so they buried it. One was alive, but quite ill, so they put that person into the hospital. The third turned out to be a healthy child, who then they placed with a family who cared for it and who took it to school.

From that day on, every day a number of bodies came floating down the river and, every day, the good people of the town would pull them out and tend to them - taking the sick to hospitals, placing the children with families, and burying those who were dead.

This went on for years; each day brought its quota of bodies, and the townsfolk not only came to expect a number of bodies each day but also worked at developing more elaborate systems for picking them out of the river and tending to them. Some of the townsfolk became quite generous in tending to these bodies and a few extraordinary ones even gave up their jobs so that they could tend to this concern full-time. And the town itself felt a certain healthy pride in its generosity.

However, during all these years and despite all that generosity and effort, nobody thought to go up the river, beyond the bend that hid from their sight what was above them, and find out why, daily, those bodies came floating down the river.

It seems today that...umm...all you see is violence in movies and sex on tv... I just had to keep the lyric going..

...but seriously, it seems today that the average member of society tends to focus their efforts on solutions to effects, not causes.

As an engineer, it's my job to look for solutions to problems. Even my "role" in society accepts this somewhat flawed idea of looking for solutions to effects. That's because it's often way easier, and more practical in the short term. Also, dealing with effects is way more profitable...if solutions aren't found, then the effects will continue to be felt, and the money will keep flowing.

Engineering, medicine, our personal lives, etc. Examples are everywhere. Take tylenol...the ultimate symptom masker. Why can't I just fix the cause of my headache instead of hiding the symptom? Answer: Because most of the time, there are way too many things that could be wrong, and narrowing down the cause would take way more effort than allowing nature to just run its course. So while nature is doing its thing, I might as well make things a little bit more bareable by popping a pill or two.

Exhausted at work? Got get a coffee.

Cut yourself? Get a band-aid.

Bad day? Write a blog post.

The Macaroni Battle

While the water comes to a boil, the soldiers sit patiently in a measuring cup. The call comes in and the seven minute march toward al dente begins. The clash ignites immediately, turning even the strongest into soggy limp noodles. Casualties fall along the way...out onto the kitchen floor. But the battle roars on. A warning beep sounds. The final countdown beings. All involved wait in anticipation for the final beep...that ear-piercing war-ending beep. Seconds remain. BEEP.... BEEEEEEEEP.. The battle ends.

The next day, while sweeping my dirt pile into a dust pan, I lay my eyes on the fallen soldiers. The battle can't always stay in the pot. I pause to remember those lost in the great Macaroni Battle. I weep. Then I sweep. I sweep the remainder of my pile onto the dust pan and deposit its contents into the garbage pail. As I reach for the light switch, my mind drifts off to thoughts of future battles. The room goes black and I head to bed.

Sunday Nights

I crave two-way communication.
The simplest exchange will do.
Confirmation of existence, significance.
Trained to tread on egg shells,
Dismissed for personal reasons.
Is there nothing I can say to break through?
I open my mouth and hear nothing.
The gears turn, and shallow attempts are made,
but my words never attain adequacy.
But that's okay...
Nothing a good night's sleep won't improve.
We'll start the week tomorrow.
Coffee?

Scott Results

Okay, so I was wrong. Well, no. I was partially wrong. :)

Here were my calls!

Nova Scotia vs. New Brunswick - Yay, I was right :)
Nova Scotia vs. Quebec - Yay, I was right :)
Alberta vs. British Columbia - Yay, I was right :)
Alberta vs. Canada - Boo, I was wrong...Canada won
Newfoundland vs. Ontario - Boo, I was wrong...Ontario won

So instead, there are only 5 teams that have qualified for playoffs. Quebec and Newfoundland are playing right now in a tiebreaker, and it looks like Quebec is gonna win.

Anywho, this was fun. My prediction skills need a little bit of work. Maybe for the Brier in 2 weeks :)

My Scott Tournament of Hearts Predictions

So Curling fever has swept around the world, thanks to the Olympics! Right now, the Scott Tournament of Hearts, the Canadian women's national curling championship, is monopolizing the air waves. Three games a day all week, culminating with some (hopefully) exciting finals this weekend.

I feel like playing a little prediction game here. There are two draws left before the playoffs are set. Only the top four teams will qualify!

Right now, there are 6 teams in contention for those 4 spots. They are:

BC 8-2
Nova Scotia 7-2
Team Canada 7-3
Newfoundland 7-3
Alberta 6-3
Quebec 6-4

There are five games left that have any bearing on these standings. My winning preditions are in bold

Nova Scotia vs. New Brunswick
Nova Scotia vs. Quebec
Alberta vs. British Columbia
Alberta vs. Canada
Newfoundland vs. Ontario

Summing all that up, all six teams will qualify for at least tie-breakers.

1st- BC 9-2
2nd- Newfoundland 8-3
3rd- Nova Scotia 8-3
T-4th- Alberta 7-4
T-4th- Team Canada 7-4
T-4th- Quebec 7-4

Team Canada will play Quebec, and the winner will play Alberta for the final playoff spot.

Here's to hoping I'm right :)