Shuffle Wahig

Scanning Grandfather's Civil War Letters

2011-02-15T19:57:00.001-05:00

Dad speaks at the tail end of this little video.

It's Happened!

2008-06-11T09:54:00.001-04:00

2 months ago, my landlord asked me to move out, so he “could reclaim the space.” I was already talking to my girlfriend about buying a house together. I could not really afford to do it alone.

So…Wow! We bought a great house last Friday and are trickling things in.

For those that care to compare, it is a 1925 American Foursquare, in an older neighborhood that is in pretty good shape. We paid $187,500 for it. Here’s a link, (with the realtor/owner’s furniture in it): http://www.flickr.com/photos/wahig/2477661522/in/set-72157604767104121/

See more progress on: Buy a House

What If?

2008-02-03T23:52:00.000-05:00

What would it be like if I could be truly honest in my blog?

Milk Cans 2, Heini's Cheese, Ohio

2008-01-16T21:52:00.001-05:00

Milk Cans 2, Heini's Cheese, Ohio
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

Ogilvy and Mather India has shown interest in this photo? Will I be famous on the Indian sub-continent? Stay tuned.

Please Be Aware of Dog Notecard

2007-11-14T00:08:00.001-05:00

Please Be Aware of Dog Notecard
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

Wow! Someone bought one of my photo notecards, and it was a stranger too.

Etsy :: Signs of Richmond

2007-11-09T22:02:00.000-05:00

Etsy :: Signs of Richmond

I have set up shop on Etsy. I'd love it if a stranger found and bought one of my notecards. Let's see what happens!

Sun Studio Desk with Typewriter

2007-10-14T22:04:00.001-04:00

Sun Studio Desk with Typewriter
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

It has been a week since I got back from Memphis for my training, which was good by the way.

This shot is from the secretary's office in the old Sun Studio, where Elvis was discovered by Sam Phillips.

For those that actually read this thing, I am reading the Bible a lot, though I am still ambivalent about church.

Seagrove Potteries Trip

2007-09-16T22:21:00.001-04:00

Pottery Window
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

Worker and I went to Seagrove, North Carolina this weekend. It was so cool -- as in neato-o! Weather was perfect too. It's only 4 hours from my city! Over 100 potters in the area and we went to maybe 10 galleries total on Saturday afternoon and Sunday mid-day/. Awesome work! Can they make a living? We sure hope so. The potter in this shot was not even one of the best, in my opinion, but he had a nice studio.

I Live Here, Actually

2007-09-11T20:57:00.001-04:00

I Live Here, Actually
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

Well, tonight I went out to eat with Dr K. I'm just using the pic of my living room as an anchor. I only took the photo for my friend The Home Stager, but some flickr people seem to like it.

I am working full-time now, which means I can go back to the dentist and therapy come October. The job is going okay. We have an easy week, which means I am ahead on my monthly reports and that gives me some breathing room. Maybe I can actually take time to think clinically instead of just trying to keep up with the paperwork. I don't mind doing it, but there are lots of jots and tittles.

Thinking also foo taking on short-term roommates to help with the budget deficit. We'll see.

Oh Brother

2007-06-06T23:28:00.001-04:00

Well, I did NOT get the job that I thought I was a shoo-in for. Now I must apply in earnest elsewhere.

See more progress on: Update My Resum� Online and Apply for Jobs

Wood Pile

2007-05-28T23:04:00.001-04:00

Wood Pile
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

Also on Saturday, I scanned some negatives from a camping vacation that I took around 1989 with Dr. B. Uploaded to flickr, of course. I really like this shot of the woodpile at Robert Frost's place.

Long Weekend

2007-05-28T22:49:00.000-04:00

Well, I've made it through 4 days on my own.

Saw the folks for a little while on Saturday night, as Mom was not feeling well and I took her some stuff. Went to church service Sunday morning, sat by myself, greeted a few people including Pastor and wife, and then just left. Dropped a half dozen moo cards off at the main post office. Party for Dad was cancelled, so...lessee....I think that's when I went to Borders.

At some point over the weekend I bought Stuart: a life backwards, by Alexander Masters, and am enjoying it very much. I actually TURNED OFF THE COMPUTER today to sit and read for a stretch. Deals with homelessness, mental illness, poverty issues, and stupid laws that put social workers in prison for not "seeing" a drug deal! Insightful and well-written. Wish I had a British/American glossary handy though.

Highlights of the weekend include phone conversations with my friends overseas.

Tonight I bought an Australian decor mag and went out for a hamburger and fries, right before a huge storm.

1 Beer

2007-05-28T10:57:00.001-04:00

I had one beer WITH my meal and later, when I thought I wanted another, I had a glass of milk instead. (and yes, I actually like milk.)

I just stopped and asked myself what I was wanting before I just “grabbed a beer.”

It was great to be clear-headed and actually read a book.

See more progress on: stop drinking

Two of My Moo Cards Made It to Brazil!

2007-05-27T16:09:00.001-04:00

Moo card - from Wahig
Originally uploaded by Rafael Nogueira.

For those that are following the moo story, here are 2 that I sent to Brazil. I am still waiting for Rafael's to arrive here in Virginia. Maybe Tuesday?

One can only hope!

it is kind of entertaining to have tiny photographs and notes going all over the world.

Party Postponed

2007-05-26T22:36:00.001-04:00

Supposed to have my Dad’s 79th birthday party tomorrow, but Mom was not feeling well tonday, so she put it off.

I went to the grocery store and got her some ginger ale, chicken bouillon, and saltines. She seemed to really appreciate it.

(Also talked my dad into selling me his Koni-Omega Rapid, since he was trying to sell it to strangers fro $150.)

See more progress on: spend more time with my parents

Bookish Moo from dyetochange

2007-05-25T15:23:00.001-04:00

Bookish Moo from dyetochange
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

And introduced her to LibraryThing.

Shrek Got One of My Moo Cards

2007-05-22T23:21:00.001-04:00

moo from wahig
Originally uploaded by dyetochange.

This one went to moo veteran dyetochange in Texas.

London Bridge Girl Moo from KhE 龙

2007-05-19T20:49:00.001-04:00

London Bridge Girl Moo from KhE 龙
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

In case you haven't heard, I am nuts over moo cards. Here is the first one that I received from overseas. He included a print of the snapshot as well. What a nice bonus.

It is a wooden sculpture of a girl that is near London Bridge.

Since I put my moo index up last Saturday I have generated over 40 trades and have received 12 cards already. Sweet!

I am still waiting for my first trade from Australia to arrive though...

Applied to the County

2007-05-19T01:05:00.001-04:00

Met the deadline to apply for the job at the place where I work now. It seems like I’m a shoo-in, even though there may still be hoops to jump through.

See more progress on: Update My Resumé Online and Apply for Jobs

Cannot Believe

2007-05-19T01:02:00.001-04:00

It is hard to believe that no one else has tapped into this goal! I am so psyched about trading moo cards. I have lined up like 30 trades in a week and already have 9 wonderful photo cards from other people, that I have received in the mail.

See more progress on: Swap MOO MiniCards

SWEET! Its a moo!

2007-05-17T08:54:00.001-04:00

SWEET! Its a moo!
Originally uploaded by splitlenz.

This guy in Brooklyn reported receiving the MOO card that I sent him. Maybe that means I will get one soon.

I have 8 more to send out today!

Something Needs to Change

2007-05-12T22:49:00.001-04:00

It’s like I know that if I quiet down and pray and actually read the Bible, I become less stressed, more centered, more pure, happier, more focused, and more ME.

Why is it so hard to do this?

Worker and I bought Calvin Miller’s 40-day study, A Hunger for the Holy. She called me about it earlier today and we read and discussed some over the phone. And prayed too.

I am stuck on repentance. Basically I feel angry and like I don’t want to.

Guess I enjoy being miserable and disconnected?

See more progress on: Do a Quiet Time Study for 40 Days

MOO 2 to Trade

2007-05-12T14:18:00.001-04:00

MOO 2 to Trade
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

Just got 2 each of 50 MOO cards and posted my overview. Already have 4 trades in the works.

Fun!

Fun Looking at Houses!

2007-05-09T09:48:00.001-04:00

Worker and I went out with Realtor to see 8 properties in 6 neighborhoods. They are all under 140K (USD). The top 2 are actually new construction; one is a Victorian 2-story, the other is an open ranch. On the former it may be possible to get up to 21K in neighborhood redevelopment funds. I am not sure about the latter.

Realtor is putting me in touch with Broker to see what kind of financing I may qualify for to make something happen. It remains possible that I might move in the next 2 months! If I don’t, that would mean I need to work for maybe 6 months to get my down payment together I guess. Let’s see what she says.

I really liked the second house the best of all that I looked at. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a completely open living, dining, kitchen area. No “hall.” Front 2 bedrooms and shared bath are off the living room and master bedroom with bath is off the back corner of the kitchen area. If I can get a down payment grant I will consider it.

The neighborhood seems a bit off the beaten path for my taste, but the if the deal is right, I might do it. Dr. K wants to go look at it this weekend.

I just met the realtor in person yesterday. I originally picked her out of the paper 3 years ago because she was young and didn’t have big hair. She’s great!

See more progress on: Buy a House

Hate to Say This

2007-05-06T23:38:00.001-04:00

I am getting really discouraged. In fact, this is the worst I have felt for a long time.

What good is it to be inner directed if people don't like you?

The main problem is on the work front.

I truly don't know how to resolve this. I am so angry. I told Dr. K this morning that I was "full of rage." The anger seems to be about old stuff, but I don't know how old it is. I would go back to therapy but I do not have the cash flow right now.

I am not drinking as much as I was 2 weeks ago. I went 3 days in a row last week without any alcohol.

I do not look forward AT ALL to work this week. I will get through it somehow, because the clients deserve it. With Supervisor on vacation, I will have virtually NO support for 10 hours a day, unless I go see Dr. Vole.

Then there is the whole thing with Dr. Vole. The one person that is reaching out to me right now...

I really, really miss CFJ, who is not available to contact as much right now.

Drove Around

2007-05-06T23:29:00.001-04:00

Drove around the neighborhood that I am interested in. Not for everybody. Across the street stuff is falling down. The guy next door was fixing a car in front of the house I was considering and while I was there, he pulled a drum set out of the same car and carried the drums into his house. But he was a nice guy and the row houses are brick, not wood frame.

I took Worker with me and she agreed that the area is truly coming up.

I think, since I need a really cheap house (I pay $525 rent for 1400 square feet with 2 bedrooms), that I need to seriously look at this area. Realtor thinks I can “more house for the money” in a different neighborhood, but I like living smack in the city.

See more progress on: Buy a House

Kinks in Trippermap

2007-05-05T11:32:00.001-04:00

I have been corresponding with the developer about weird effects with photos showing up in the wrong place on the map. It is starting to get a little frustrating.

That is, if the application does what it says and gets geotagging info from various sources (flickr/yahoo! map, flickr tags, or Google Earth), then why does one photo show up correctly and another tagged for the same location show up at a different place?

It is cool enough that I am willing to wait for improvements.

See more progress on: Geotag My flickr Photos With Trippermap

Fat! Ick!

2007-05-05T10:47:00.001-04:00

I set my camera up on a stool and took 3 pictures of myself – front, side, and back. I kept my clothes on or it would just be too too ugly. For the back shot, I took off my T-shirt and I was honestly appalled at the rolls of FAT. I had no idea that I had gotten this bad. It kind of answers the question, “How do people let themselves get that way?”

Action must be taken!

I will go for a walk today if it kills me. Which it won’t, of course.

See more progress on: Lose 30 pounds

Baby Step

2007-05-05T10:43:00.001-04:00

I talked to Realtor this morning and she is doing an MLS search for me. We will get together on Tuesday probably and look at houses.

I told her my parameters, which are basically “dirt cheap” and in the City. She suggested that I look further east than I think I want to, rather than in the urban redevelopment area. Hey, she’s the expert, so I will go with the flow. I believe the worst thing that can happen is that I have to wait a year to buy.

See more progress on: Buy a House

Work. Sigh.

2007-05-04T23:39:00.001-04:00

I am still procrastinating on updating the résumé/CV. And no matter what, I am going to have to apply online, even for my current employer. Just the way it is these days.

So check this out. My current part-time gig could turn in to a full-time one with benefits. I actually told my supervisor that I would take the job if it was offered to me and she was glad.

However, I had a conversation the same day with a co-worker who was not exactly warm to the idea of me coming on board. A couple of mixed messages there and very weird communication—thankfully not on my part this time.

This is sending me back into the “I better apply for other jobs” mode. Annoying. Also, I don’t want to tell Supervisor, though she already knows about the weird conversation and will be sympathetic.

And then there is the part where the neighboring county offers starting pay that would be 9K more to start than the one I am in now.

Hmmm.

See more progress on: Update My Resumé Online and Apply for Jobs

Ray Charles

2007-05-04T00:44:00.000-04:00

Tonight I went shopping and saw the coolest 5th grade art project displayed at the store!

See more progress on: flickr

Like, Have I Actually Mentioned?

2007-05-04T00:28:00.001-04:00

I have been surfing the local ERA website for a couple of weeks and finding some awesome house deals for first-time home buyers. Methinks it would behoove me to call the realtor on Friday, which is my day off, and see what I can see.

See more progress on: Buy a House

Enough with the Drama, Already

2007-05-01T16:30:00.001-04:00

Home of FFV Cookies and Crackers
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

Girl Scout cookie factory!

Coming Back Around to Lose 30 Pounds

2007-05-01T15:37:00.001-04:00

I really need to lose more than that, but this is a good intermediate goal. I dropped this goal off and just put it back today. It kind of goes along with my goal to stop drinking and other health-related goals. My weight has crept up to a new all-time high of 189 and drinking beer and eating ice cream does not help!

I am going to try and do weekly stats here and keep daily ones on the Palm.

Got the Weight Watchers scale working again and utilized the calculators on Health Central to come up with the following:

Weight Current/Ideal: 189/146

Body Fat Current/Ideal: 39%/22%

This means that I am carrying around about 74 pounds of fat! The balance at the ideal level will be around 32 pounds of fat. Ultimately I need to lose up to 42 pounds of fat, but I am aiming for 30 for now. That will be challenging enough.

It has probably been about 20 years since I weighed under 160, so this will take a lot of effort.

See more progress on: Lose 30 pounds

Where I Left Off

2007-05-01T13:58:00.001-04:00

The fact that I even have to think about it, means I have a problem. It might not be a big problem or it might not be as big as some other person’s problem, but it’s a problem.

Right now there is no alcohol in the house, but I have had something to drink for each of the past 4 nights.

I told Worker and Librarian. I told Librarian that I was “still working it out.” My friends seem to be waiting for me and not pressuring me.

So I will say that just for today I will not drink.

Last night I told Librarian that I think I am bored.

This morning I realized just how much I miss Vriendin. Maybe I have never allowed myself to feel that loss. I have acknowledged it plenty of times from my head, but…

Today I made a paper list of stuff I want and need to do.

Maybe if I keep moving, it will ignite a spark of interest.

Then there is the whole spiritual life/church/relationship thing, which just gets me down.

But today I will not drink.

See more progress on: stop drinking

Not as Easy as I'd Hoped

2007-04-24T09:33:00.001-04:00

The last couple of nights have been a bit bumpy, with me going all the way to the quick mart for beer the night before last and realizing I didn’t have any cash. I sat in the parking lot for a minute, contemplating going home to get cash or going somewhere where I could use my debit card, but I chose to go home and stay instead.

Little things set me off. In that case, I had lost my cell phone and felt frustrated and then angry. Using even a small amount of alcohol has been replacing my emotion regulation system. Impatience and anger seem to be at the root of this. (Found the cell BTW.)

Without alcohol, I have to listen to all of the broken and lonely thoughts I have and find answers for them.

Need to change the “self talk” so that I can take care of myself without using alcohol at all. Also, while it may seem obvious to some, I need to practice the presence of God and “be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit.”

Tonight I will go out with friends who are used to me having a couple, and I think I need to tell them I have given it up.

See more progress on: stop drinking

Crazy

2007-04-22T09:12:00.000-04:00

The day before the horrible shooting spree that occurred this past week, I picked up the book Crazy by Pete Earley. He interweaves the story of his own desperate attempt to get his son help for his mental illness with a history and indictment of the debilitated system of mental health care in the United States. His son had to commit a relatively benign crime before anyone could intervene to compel him to take medication.

No time to read the book? Here's a transcript of a CNN interview with Pete Earley, relating to the events at Virginia Tech. It begins about a fourth of the way down the web page.

I am surprised we have not seen more about this problem in the current press coverage.

The Treatment Advocacy Center has a blog post that summarizes some of these concerns in relation to the unfortunate Virginia tragedy.

Sleepy

2007-04-19T23:26:00.001-04:00

Sleepy
Originally uploaded by Cryptia.

This one is posted for Bear.

Tonight's the Night

2007-04-18T16:07:00.001-04:00

I have to admit that alcohol is my drug of choice. I have to admit that though I have quit drinking before and did not drink for years, that I can start back up at any time. I have to admit that even though I don’t drink as much as “other people,” that I am not other people; the way I drink is bad for me! I have to admit that I cannot drink socially or “only when I eat out.” Once I give myself permission to have one beer, I will work my way up to more and more daily use over time.

Today I am stopping. I will ask my friends for support.

About 15 months ago someone offered me a drink and I took it, even though I had been sober for like 5 years! Then I started buying a 24 every now and then with a rule that I could not keep it in the house. Now I have worked my way up to 2 or 3 almost every night and I always have some in the house. I make sure it is there. I do not drink until I black out. I do not drink and drive. I simply depend on alcohol every day and it is time to break this habit.

My wake-up call is that I have had 4 drinks on 2 different nights in the past week for no reason.

Last night was the LAST NIGHT.

Tonight I will pour the alcohol down the drain.

See more progress on: stop drinking

Thai Diner Too

2007-04-18T01:41:00.001-04:00

Thai Diner Too
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

Supper tonight with Worker at Thai Diner Too. Lunch with Pastor S's wife, India. Starbucks to read in the afternoon.

so I was not sitting at home surfing the net. Trying to carry my camera so pulled off some good shots today.

Came home and watched 2 episodes of The Wire.

Oh yeah, Worker suggested having a bible study. What will this look like?

Finally Got My CRC!

2007-04-17T00:44:00.001-04:00

This is a national certification (U.S.) for Masters-level rehabilitation counselors. Rehab counselors traditionally work with people with physical and/or mental disabilities. A major focus is on life skills and vocational placement. People may be more familiar with “vocational rehabilitation” as a term for this profession. Currently the field includes broader target areas, such as substance abuse counselor training (depending on the program). In my program a good foundation is laid for eventually becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor.

Here is a link to the The Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification

See more progress on: Become a CRC - Certified Rehabilitation Counselor

Helped Folks with the Yard on Friday

2007-04-16T22:17:00.001-04:00

My mom tipped me off that grandson was not really going to help Dad with the yard. She suggested just telling him that I was going to come, so I did. I worked on 5 little projects: filling the bird feeder with sunflower seeds, using the leaf blower to clean off the porch and put the picnic table down, blowing all of the accumulated leaves off the garden so it can be rototilled, pulling the spines off of an old bird feeder cage so they could be thrown out, and going over the lawn with weed killer.

It was a beautiful day and I actually enjoyed myself plus it really blessed my parents.

See more progress on: spend more time with my parents

Morning Has Broken

2007-04-11T09:16:00.000-04:00

Met with Pastor S yesterday. I was a little nervous because I had contacted him twice by email since I talked to him last. Both times I had been in my freak-out process mode. I had to remind myself before going that this was the result of the way I process and has very little to do with the other person, even if they were to have a negative reaction.

When I got there I started out by talking about that process. Then I took a breath and told him about my past. I included having to realize that I was, in fact, homosexual, before I could do anything about it. I went through a period with the online group (BA) that helped me move to acceptance that gay because I was gay ("if it quacks like a duck") and a Christian, by virtue of the fact that I had placed my trust in Jesus' death and resurrection and their effectiveness. Whew.

Pastor S had already asked me to think about what I would contribute to a church-wide conference on sexuality that will be planned. I brought my favorite book on the subject, Falling Forward. I also spoke about giving my own testimony in context and having mixed feelings about it, the more healing I get.

We had a good talk about the way the church should receive gay people. I talked about everyone in the church being held to the same standard of purity and not expecting homosexual people to meet a higher one. Pastor S and his wife have many years of working with these issues in the church on at least 3 continents.

Pretty encouraging.

My Arms Are Falling Off

2007-04-10T22:57:00.001-04:00

I have been flickring for hours over the last couple of days. it is really great fun, especially for people who love to tag and organize things. I’ve discovered groups and joined several and posted photos to them. Like 43 Things, if you want engagement, you must engage. It is fun to connect with others around common interests in photography. Most obscure group I’ve joined is probably Pallet, which is for photos of well, pallets.

See more progress on: flickr

Waiting for the Bus

2007-04-08T09:04:00.001-04:00

Waiting for the Bus
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

This photo got me an invitation to the flickr group "My Favorite Busstop," which is run by a German guy.

Dutch Village

2007-04-07T16:34:00.001-04:00

Dutch Village
Originally uploaded by Wartaga.

Fine photo of a VW in a Dutch village circa 1962 or so. I found it by joining the 1960's group on flickr.

Jefferson Saloon

2007-04-07T16:31:00.001-04:00

Jefferson Saloon
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

I hope I'm not the only one documenting the vintage advertising around Richmond. This shot would actually be better without the shadow from the "Do Not Enter" sign, but it's nice to have the bike there.

Technology Reflection

2007-04-05T00:18:00.000-04:00

K. I've thought about this before. The GPS camera for a thousand bucks. Besides the fact that it equals the cost of a trip to Europe. Where I would want to utilize it. Not that I wouldn't use it here. K. So I would really have to raise the money by selling a bunch of other stuff, including the current camera, to allow myself to get one. I am looking at getting a GPS unit instead, but that kind of defeats the purpose, because I can look up the lat-longs when I get home.

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

2007-04-04T23:07:00.000-04:00

Last night I went out for Ethiopian with Teacher. Yum!

Did NOTHING at work today. How is that even possible? I was just not motivated. I did pop most of the keys off of my keyboard and clean it with a wet cloth and compressed air. Gosh, it was yucky.

Looking a great website on living abroad -- meaning living outside the U.S., although I am sure there is good advice there for other people too. It's pretty rich.

And, oh yeah, I ran into Artiste yesterday at the bookstore that I hardly ever go to. I know it is a small town, but what are the odds of that?

Gotta take the car in in the morning for its 12 thousand. I forgot to factor in that I need to pick it up before 5 and I have to teach at 5 and 6. Oops! Long "lunch."

Getting my hair cut on Friday by a new guy that I hope is cool.

"Hi, I'm Wahig. It's been 3 months since my last haircut."

Try, Try Again!

2007-04-03T17:01:00.001-04:00

Okay, so I met with Advisor and he told me about the program that he and another faculty member in the department utilized. It is in the same university and it must be a well-kept secret, because I failed to discover it on my own.

There are core requirements but essentially you can put together your own sort of major and minor concentrations. This might be a way for me to really pursue what interests me if I do not get into clinical psych.

Now the plan will be to apply to both programs for Fall of 2008 and see what happens. Of course the joy of clinical is that it is so well funded. The other program is less so, but allows for more “part-time” completion and so fits my learning style and lifestyle better. At least on paper.

Anyway, it is encouraging and way better than the policy-oriented doctorate in my old department.

See more progress on: Get into a PhD program

Anxious

2007-04-03T00:34:00.000-04:00

Is is just the coffee? I dunno. I realized that I have a pattern of hesitancy and fear followed by outbursts of trust which have "damn the torpedoes" quality. I feel like I said too much in email to Ppastor S, but then again I didn't say anything too earth-shattering. I just said a lot all at once. He wrote back and suggested a time to meet on Thursday, but of course I am working. Another time.

Mainly I wrote about how I am being convicted about my selfishness and some vision I have to remedy that. Housemate? Do stuff at church? I dunno.

Realize I am kind of fearful generally. Also think that I should give up caffeine and I would feel calmer, but I'm not sure. Health stuff again.

{rant: There is a little yappy dog nearby. If he was a tad louder I might have to go knock on the owner's door! Is is after 12:30 at night. (Blogger timestamp is off by an hour.) What are people thinking when they have dogs that bark at night? From my point of view, this is unnecessary. Train them or get rid of them. /rant}

Church Positive

2007-04-01T23:07:00.001-04:00

Church this morning was good & Worker came with and liked it.

Small group was at the new location, which is still odd to me. Pastor S is a good guy. Really. I had to come to grips with what Jesus was trying to do in my heart instead of freaking out. Surprised no one really challenged me in that direction. Except Holy Spirit. :-)

Anyway, I wrote Pastor a longish email about the things that are on my heart to change and how I might serve at church. I want to sit down with him and his wife (who's a dear) and tell them about my past -- to be known, and for accountability I guess.

I may invite my Indian friend from grad school to Easter service. They are Hindus.

Going to my little beddy before midnight!

straw hats

2007-04-01T00:08:00.001-04:00

straw hats
Originally uploaded by tofu_minx.

Just a nice photo I saw on flickr because she marked two of mine as favorites.

Going to bed....

Hurray!

2007-03-31T23:17:00.000-04:00

75 stickers!

Season Two of the Wire

2007-03-31T22:25:00.001-04:00

I’m in the middle of season 2 of The Wire, right after Dee got killed in prison.

It is a great series, illustrating the complexities of daily life for many people. They are my ‘peeps,’ as I work as a substance abuse counselor in the criminal justice system.

I read The Corner last year and highly recommend it as well.

See more progress on: watch all episodes of The Wire

With Aviator

2007-03-31T19:37:00.001-04:00

With Aviator
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

I like this shot from a 2004 airshow that was taken by another visitor. I just flickred a batch.

Internet Crazy, That's Me

2007-03-30T22:50:00.000-04:00

I am about to give up on my "goal" of not spending so much time on the Internet. Maybe I shouldn't worry about it!

Just posted a video clip from Amsterdam on vimeo and there should be a little thumbnail of it at the top right of the blog too.

Crazy.

Friendly Friend

2007-03-30T22:35:00.000-04:00

Last night Artiste left a note with a tract ("flyer," he called it), in my front door. It fell out on the porch when I got home. Well-written piece about criticism and how destructive it is. He left his phone number.

Tonight I called him from the Barnes & Noble and left a voice-mail. He called back and we had a nice chat. He verified that he's in town. Offered to give me a ride to small group, which I accepted.

On Not Zooming

2007-03-30T16:11:00.000-04:00

Oh my gosh! Yes, zooomr has promise, but it is sooo cumbersome to use, especially the geotagging. I cannot even believe how frustrating it is both to figure out and to manually utilize. MAYBE it will all come together when GPS cameras hit their stride, but for now it is truly AWFUL. Unitl then, flickr is still king. Maybe the young developer is the next Steve Jobs, but I'm not sure.

It made me look again at GPS cameras, but as of this writing the cheapest one is around USD 1,200! The 'better' ones are nearly $5,000. Possibly I could afford the low end if I sell my current camera, my video iPod, the old Handspring PDA, AND my Panasonic digital video camera. Yikes!

Is There Art in My Future?

2007-03-30T12:22:00.001-04:00

I took ceramics 2 years ago. It was a hand-building class, which was great, as I had no idea those techniques existed. I built a 25-pound sculpture using coils. It was a lot of fun and added some cool artwork to my house.

I am kind of stuck on what I want to do next. I took drawing over 10 years ago. On my own I have worked with unit origami, polymer clay (beads mostly), and collage. There is also the photography, some of which is truly art.

I have considered getting art therapy training and need 15 credits in studio art and a portfolio before I can apply to masters-level programs. That means I need to take 3 more studio classes if I eve want to do this.

See more progress on: take an art class

What's Next?

2007-03-29T11:59:00.001-04:00

Okay, I did not get into the grad school program of my choice. Whether or not I discover a fallback degree program, I need to update my résumé and post it to my state job bank. I will also then have the foundational info to utilize in county searches and any other job applications as well.

I am working 32 hours a week on a part-time contract that ends in mid-July.

See more progress on: Update My Resumé Online and Apply for Jobs

Alweer een rimpel erbij?

2007-03-29T00:40:00.000-04:00

You-know-who sent me a birthday card in Dutch with one of those wrinkly dogs on it. I am fairly certain that I did a good dynamic equivalent translation of it.

zooomr

2007-03-29T00:23:00.000-04:00

Thinking about switching my photo site to zooomr since I haven't uploaded all to flickr YET.

However, there are still quite a few things better about flickr, namely better geotagging, an accessible help system, and a clear way to blog the photos.

On the other hand, zooomr is multi-lingual from the front door and the developer is 19 years old, so I'm assuming he'll catch up to flickr and surpass it by thinking outside the box.

So, we'll see.

I read about it on BBC.

Not Even Close

2007-03-25T22:49:00.001-04:00

I am thinking of fasting from home Internet use for a month, except for Skype phone calls to Europe on a couple of days. I mean: no 43 Things, no flickr, no snapfish, no email, no Google, no BBC news, no Dutch lessons, no nuthin’!

I feel like my online life is just sucking up all my time – not that I am clear with what I will do with it when I have it back.

I need to read more, the Bible, real books, go outside, visit people, I dunno, spend time physically praying (i.e. not just “thinking” prayer).

Life.

See more progress on: spend less time on the internet

Fabulous Foto Framed

2007-03-24T22:43:00.001-04:00

So after all the energy I put into the mat-it-yourself project, I found I could get Ben Franklin to cut me a perfect mat for 10 bucks. Now I have a lovely setting for the photo of the loading dock.

I am going to swap out the Kandinsky print from its better frame and put the photo in there.

See more progress on: hang pictures

3-Columns and Updates

2007-03-23T16:33:00.000-04:00

Finally located a template to make the blog three columns instead of two. I think I like it. It's a bit busy, but everything important shows up near the top.

LibraryThing is down though, so I will have to regenerate the random book template later.

Speaking of books, Vriendin found a parallel Dutch-English-French-German New Testament on this page. I had asked for help to find a Dutch-English one, and this may be the best we can do. It made my day!

The poster print came in. Unfortunately the bottom edge is cropped, removing the red, but this will probably look okay once it is matted. The resolution is fine!

It's a beautiful day and I need to get off my butt and get out of the house!

Loving's Produce Loading Dock

2007-03-22T23:30:00.003-04:00

Loving's Produce Loading Dock
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

This is the poster that is coming.

Yet Another

2007-03-22T23:30:00.001-04:00

Ordered another poster print from snapfish This one is a size bigger and the “warned” me that it the photo resolution might not be fine enough for the size, but I took the risk.

I’ll probably go frame shopping on Friday and find out if they can cut a mat for me on-site at Ben Franklin.

See more progress on: hang pictures

Hope Springs Eternal

2007-03-20T00:13:00.001-04:00

Part of my problem with church in the (near) past was mine. I have grown, even through the difficult parts, and I am more mature as a person. I have better boundaries. I know that I shouldn’t put the leader on a pedestal. I know that I need to take more direct responsibility for my own spiritual growth. No one else (friend, pastor, guru, therapist) can live my spiritual life. That is between me and God.

God is the Creator who sent his son to die as a sacrifice for sin. God is BOTH just AND the justifier. He doesn’t ask us for anything that he is not willing to pay for.

I just need to get to know him better.

Anyway, I am going to have sit-down on Tuesday with the pastor of this church that I have now decided to join.

See more progress on: find a church

Indian Fiction

2007-03-19T23:19:00.001-04:00

I read very little fiction at all. I do like short story anthologies and have enjoyed the selections by writers from India. I tried to utilize Library Thing to find an anthology of Indian short fiction, but it hasn’t been too fruitful (Sorry, Tim & all). I read a great article on wikipedia on Indian English literature and decided to get The Vintage Book of Modern Indian Literature for starters.

We’ll see how it goes once it shows up in a couple of days.

See more progress on: Read More Indian Fiction

Long Story Short

2007-03-18T17:43:00.001-04:00

I have been in 2 different churches in the last 9 years and, for lack of a better term, had irreconcilable differences with each.

I have been visiting another church for a couple of months now, after formally resigning my membership in the last one. I am sorting out what it means to “join” based on my past experience.

See more progress on: find a church

Not Happy

2007-03-17T23:19:00.001-04:00

I need to buy a better frame for the bookstore photo. The one I got is not heavy enough. It’s basically a poster frame with a plastic cover. The picture really deserves more weight and non-glare glass to make it look really great.

And it’s hanging on the wall by the front window, not over the couch or the fireplace.

See more progress on: hang pictures

Ben Franklin to the Rescue

2007-03-16T18:57:00.001-04:00

Went to the Ben Franklin store today. They had some half-way decent frames for half price. I bought 2 larger ones and 2 for my diplomas. Also got a 16 dollar mat cutter and 3 pieces of mat board which cost 17 bucks a piece.

I learned how to use the mat cutter on my diploma mat. Took me 3 tries to get one without too many waves. I’m using it. The diplomas are for the office. I put them in frames that were the same size and used a store-bought double mat on the smaller one. I can always re-mat the masters if I get better at it and get inspired.

Also framed my snapfish poster print of the bookstore in Amsterdam. This was my fourth attempt at cutting a mat and I found I could actually do it batter by eye than by pressing against a straight-edge (as advised). Sheesh. Originally it was going over the couch, but I may hang it over the fireplace.

See more progress on: hang pictures

Treat Me

2007-03-14T17:26:00.001-04:00

I had some “beginner” oil pastels and tried them out yesterday morning, but I did not like the feel. I went to the art supply store yesterday and bought some decent “chalk-based” pastels and some 40 pound paper. I’m hoping that learning this medium will ignite my drawing skills.

See more progress on: learn how to draw with pastels

LibraryThing: Better internationalization

2007-03-14T03:09:00.000-04:00

LibraryThing: Better internationalization

Cannot sleep...

So note to self about LT international pages.

American diaspora - Katrina

2007-03-14T02:52:00.000-04:00

American diaspora - Katrina

A fascinating map that shows how people dispersed from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Who figures this stuff out?

Really Started!

2007-03-11T16:06:00.001-04:00

Got out my trusty Palm diet calculator and entered the goal of losing 34 pounds in a year. That is just under 3 pounds a month. I know I can lose 14 because I was at that weight for a couple of months 2 years ago. I’ll worry about the other 20 when I get there.

I am therefore aiming to reach the intermediate goal by mid-August. I will be on about 1500 calories a day which is pretty do-able. I found in the past that if I just kept track and made a game out of reaching the goal, the weight came off. All that without adding adding exercise.

I entered my meals in for today already. I have 677 calories left, which is a lot really.

Oh, and last night I bought the cheap diet scale at Target.

See more progress on: Lose 30 pounds

Alone & Wiki What?

2007-03-11T13:34:00.000-04:00

I have spent the whole weekend entirely alone except for dropping Doctor K at the airport Friday evening. By the time I go back to work, I will have been alone for 3 and a half days. Sad.

Worker did not want to do anything. I watched the first half of Ocean's 12, which is pretty dumb, but okay.

Like I tell my clients, you have to go where people are to meet people. I did look into the possibility of an art class but I am not sure I want to spend $175 right now and of course, the classes I really wanted don't meet at times I am free.

So I am interacting with people I don't know on 43 Things and spending too much time on the web. I guess. What difference does it make? There is no one to do anything with. Guess I will go to the movies by myself later and may or may not go to the healing service.

Last night was DST and I slept until old 10 or new 11, so I did not go to church. My preferred cycle is stay up until 2 and get up at 10. However, I really need to be at work by 9 and that means I must get up by 7 if I want to actually be normal by the time I get there. 7. Ick.

So this morning I am trying to learn TiddlyWiki and I have my own at wahig's TiddlyWiki. I am not sure if it will be any more useful to me than this blog or 43 Things, but I'll see. It's interesting anyway.

Norsk Experiment

2007-03-11T00:43:00.000-05:00

It has been my great joy this evening to discover a website by a Polish guy who documents how he taught himself Norwegian without any translation. In other words, without any previous knowledge of Norwegian, he began reading and listening to it and over a period of months really began to learn it. In fact, in a couple of months he was able to read a novel in Norwegian.

His approach is much more aggressive than my approach to Dutch, but all the same it has much in common with my beliefs about language learning, i.e. that bi-lingual phrasebooks and translating back and forth with one's native language simply slow you down.

I need to formally learn more of his approach and apply some of it to my process.

Framing Flurry

2007-03-10T18:23:00.001-05:00

Moved the picture that was over the couch to the wall next to the front window.

Put eight of my 5 by 7 prints from recent trips into frames. Hung 2 of those in place of the African watercolors—which ought to have better frames, then a new location. Put one in the bathroom.

Ordered a poster print of Athenaeum Boekhandel to hang over the couch.

Need to investigate framing costs for real and get some of my drawings properly displayed instead of having them leaning on the wall.

At the same time I need to find out about getting my diplomas framed.

See more progress on: hang pictures

Plan B Again

2007-03-09T22:42:00.001-05:00

So i talked to Doctor K on the way to the airport and told her that I might try to do the doctorate with my masters department—I almost certainly would get in. The good news is that it is a faster degree and I could probably do the research that interests me, The bad news is that it is not funded at all (as far as I can tell) and it is less clinical and more managerial. Anyway, it would be worth having a sit-down with my old advisor and seeing if it’s the right thing.

Then again, Doctor K suggest voluteering for a prof in the program akin to the one I was not accepted to.

I think I am looking at Fall 2008 now, but I’m not sure.

See more progress on: Get into a PhD program

Don't Blow It!

2007-03-09T15:26:00.001-05:00

This will be a new experience since I usually find a big ticket item to “blow” my refund on. Wisdom dictates that I leave the bulk of it in the bank and use part of it to pay Dell and my dental (yuck!) credit. Then my only debt will be student loans.

If I can be really disciplined I can hang on to a cushion and work towards buying a house before I try to get into grad school for the Fall of 2008.

See more progress on: Hang on to My 2006 Tax Refund

Geek Geek

2007-03-09T00:07:00.001-05:00

So now I am going to the etv.nl website and recording the individual sound files for words from woordwijzer lessons so I can then add the sounds to the flashcards in BYKI.

“Two little rooms to come home to—nobody there to say, “Hi.”

See more progress on: Make BYKI Flashcards for Taalklas & Woordwijzer

Plan B for a Doctorate

2007-03-06T23:22:00.001-05:00

I only applied to one program in my field. However, the program from which I got my Masters has a Ph.D. which might allow me to achieve my goals.

Obstacles: it is not funded and it is administratively- rather than practice-oriented.

Still, I should consider it.

See more progress on: Get into a PhD program

Flashcard Frenzy

2007-03-06T20:11:00.001-05:00

Well, this obtuse goal means I need to extract all of the word lists from each Woordwijzer class – no mean feat. Then I need to type them in to the BYKI program. Do I risk recording sound files for a language I am learning? I could probably pull them off the website one at a time and record them but that seems tedious and geeky.

Anyway, I actually tried the print file card function in BYKI and it took me like 5 tires to get backs to print on the correct fronts. That is truly annoying, but now I know how.

Countdown to Kodo

2007-03-06T19:36:00.001-05:00

One week from now we will be at the Kodo concert! Chef has never even seen anything about them, so I am pumped to share it with her. Hope it is not fuh-reezing that night so I do not have to lug my coat. Not a lot of space at the venue.

Small Group Email Traffic Today

2007-03-06T17:12:00.000-05:00

Today I wrote privately to the group member that was by-passing leadership. His girlfriend later wrote to the whole group, emphasizing what a great idea boyfriend had. I wrote her privately too and told her that I had encouraged boyfriend to contact leadership. She wrote me back saying, "This also didn't seem to be specific to derailing or taking over anything on Sunday nights though" I certainly had not suggested that he was trying to derail anything. But he did say in his original email, "In the spirit of giving shape to our new small group, I've been thinking we could take a turn toward Scripture."

Later, Artiste sent out an email to the whole group that pretty much encouraged us to run things through Guy first. It was quite KJV, so I hope group can hear what he said. I wrote to thank him for doing that.

43Things & Blogger are Talking

2007-03-06T17:10:00.000-05:00

Hurray! Now I can choose to send posts over from 43Things straight to the blog without having to re-write or cut-and-paste. Wonder how long it has been working? My blog would have a lot more entries if it had been working all along.

Called Doc Today

2007-03-06T17:09:00.001-05:00

Had told my dad that I would call a psychiatrist and see what was needed for him to go in. He has one already but no one is doing medication management and he has been very depressed lately. I am pretty concerned about it. Anyway, I called the doc and then called Dad to give him the info. The ball is in his court to make the appointment, though I said I would go with him.

See more progress on: spend more time with my parents

Small Group Hope

2007-03-05T22:33:00.000-05:00

I had a very good conversation with Guy about things that are happening in small group. One member sent out an email to the group with his ideas about what we all "could" be doing = giving the group direction. Guy, our leader, doesn't even have email!. I called Guy up and discussed how to address the situation. He had not been made aware of it. I'm going to sleep on it, but I will probably respond to the writer and suggest that he speak to Guy first next time.

The end result so far is that Guy and I had a really profitable conversation and got to know each other better. I told him a bit about my history and he shared about how Pastor S had really been supportive and gentle with him in all that he had gone through.

Present

2007-03-05T22:31:00.000-05:00

Artiste gave me an Episcopalian hymnal from 1940 Sunday morning. Sweet!

Lunar Eclipse Richmond, Virginia

2007-03-03T22:59:00.001-05:00

Lunar Eclipse Richmond, Virginia
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

At least I saw it. Makes me want to get a better camera. There are awesome photos on flickr from around the world!

Infamous

2007-03-03T13:05:00.000-05:00

Just finished watching Infamous, the "other" movie about Truman Capote and In Cold Blood.

It was quite moving and more shocking than the more well-known Capote. Infamous seemed truer to life, giving a more well-rounded portrayal of every character and the intensity of their emotions than did Capote. Just goes to show how politics and small decisions affect outcomes in life. I enjoyed Philip Seymour Hoffman's portrayal, but I think Toby Jones delivered a more well-rounded portrait.

I read the book 30 years ago and think I may re-read now that I have seen both of these films.

Ph.D. Admission Thoughts

2007-03-03T12:59:00.000-05:00

I am pretty much chronicling my thoughts about not getting in to the Ph.D. program of my choice at 43Things.

Did Not Get In

2007-02-27T23:11:00.000-05:00

Cannot let the day close without recording that I found out this morning that I will not be going for the Ph.D. this fall. Disappointing but now I have a wide open door to figure out what I will do.

Finance Grad School: Every Little Bit Helps

2007-02-24T17:45:00.000-05:00

Well, if they take me I will get tuition remission plus $1,000 a month, but I will still need at least $1,100 more to meet all of my obligations. Some of that must be found in habit changes like eating out far less. I am going to try and generate some online revenue. Work on the "How to Learn Dutch" website and perhaps set up an Amazon associate thing. I just signed up for Google's AdSense, but must generate more traffic for it to be of any benefit. But who knows? I may find enough passive instruments such as this to reduce what I need to borrow.

Tongeren Basilica Archaeologist

2007-02-24T11:16:00.001-05:00

Tongeren Basilica Archaeologist
Originally uploaded by Wahig.

Working on the photos this morning and found a really neat website on the Tongeren excavation.

Buncha Stuff

2007-02-20T20:29:00.000-05:00

Ramble, ramble. Okay, I just got off the phone with Teacher. It was good to hear from her and we talked for 45 minutes, addressing some of the issues with deficits that people have that prevent them from doing their homework. One 12 year old she described had not gotten a lot of sleep, having stayed up until 3 a.m. the previous night.

43Things is strange. I recently replied to a 13 year old guy who is worried that he is fat. Where are the frickin' adults? I still cannot believe that I am one, ya know? But I am

Waiting to hear back on the Ph.D. application. I expect I will know one way or the other by the first week in March. I really need to investigate financial options. Oh! Can you say, Do your taxes?" Yeah.

Church is making me nervous, but I am going to keep it up for a season. Home group is a bit hinky, since words like "expected" get bandied about. Then there is the guy that I "like," Artiste....

Today we had a planning day at work and Officer M and I managed to avoid each other in a small group of 7 people. All the words we exchanged were initiated by me. I had dreaded even going but it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be.

I am actually going to go to bed after this. Wow. I should be asleep before 10, which is a minor miracle.

Message from Cairo

2007-02-17T20:46:00.000-05:00

I just got an email - I can only presume because of LibraryThing, wherein a French Catholic priest in Cairo asked to me to send him the table of contents of a book I own. At first I thought it was a "Hi, I from Nigeria" type of email scam or something, but I looked up the organization and found the book in question and it appears to be a legitimate request. He has the book in Arabic and is trying to complete a bibliographic record in English. Part of his signature file was in Arabic, so I hope Uncle Sam doesn't come knocking over my international correspondence.

Living on the edge again.

Action Day

2007-02-16T19:24:00.000-05:00

I sure will be happy when blogger fixes the bug that prevents posting directly from 43Things. I post a lot over there and I could just blog the posts and well, less stuff to write.

So I have found 43Things to be really helpful in making realistic goals, prioritizing stuff, and dreaming big. It is also nice to have a record of stuff you have already done in the past.

Today I 1) did less online, 2) wrote thank you notes to my grad school interviewers and actually mailed them, 3) sent my transcript request to get my credential, and 4) cleaned out the car after carrying around 50 pounds of magazines in the trunk for 6 months. Not bad since I am usually a vegetable of the lowest order on Fridays.

Now I'm thinking of going out. I missed the 7-ish movie times. I'm interested in Breach. Got season 2:1 of The Wire here from Netflix though, so maybe I'll just go to the Bookstore.