Dissertation "wordle"

Since my dissertation is now ready for defense, I figured I would create a Wordle. So, here it is:



Cheers!

Create your own Wordle in seconds at http://www.wordle.net/

Identity of a Pack-rat

I've been accused of being a pack-rat before, and for good reason. I am. I'm pretty sure I'm not in danger of ending up on the TV show Hoarders, but I certainly own way more crap than one person should own. Rather, my stuff owns me to a certain degree.

Until tonight, I've credited this toward a potentially unhealthy sense of self sufficiency. Since my first year in college, I've tried very hard to have everything I need for any foreseeable situation I might choose for myself. For example, I own a bunch of camping equipment because I will conceivably camp at any moment (although I rarely do). Conversely, I don't own snow skis because I don't ski and don't imagine I would randomly decide to find snowy slopes tomorrow. I keep almost all of my boxes because I move a great deal. You get the idea.

Well, tonight I'm realizing some additional reality. It's about identity. To a certain extent, it's my challenge as an introvert--so much of my personality is internalized that I surround myself with expressions of myself for others to see. Perhaps more importantly, it comes down to my choices of when to move on with my vocational and life journey. You see, this is the second time I've ended a chapter of my journey without knowing what comes next. This creates an unusual paradox. On one hand, moving should be a time of rejuvenation and purging--getting rid of things that aren't worth moving. On the other hand, with this type of move into the unknown, my life is lacking in purpose which challenges my identity; as such, I cling to my possessions which help define me rather than purging them for some known future. There's the paradox: a time for renewal and a struggle to maintain identity.

This just occurred to me about five minutes ago, so I'm not sure what to do with it right now. I'm well into the moving process, and I have a job interview in the morning. For now, I think I just need to keep moving forward. Now that I realize the paradox, perhaps I can effectively deal with it at a later time. Right now, I need sleep.

Preparing for tour

This has been a slow period for blogging...my apologies.

However, things are getting revved up as I prepare to move out and move on.  I will soon start my unemployment travels, and I've set up a special blog just for the occasion:

http://davestour2010.blogspot.com/

Cheers!

Give Muzak a Chance?

I'll admit that this is a strange post, even for me.

If I hear the word "Muzak," I think of tacky elevator music, often lame songs that have been stripped of their lyrics to become more lame. I don't have a completely changed perspective, yet, but I'm getting there. It appears that Muzak has reinvented itself (or maybe I just never understood it before) in the age of satellite radio and streaming digital music.

I ended up at the Muzak site thanks to Qdoba who apparently is in cahoots with the music service provider. I'll simply say that I was treated to some cool music.

Anyway, this is really just a post to share the following image borrowed from Muzak's site:

Not only do I find this to be a cool ad, but I agree with the message (in general, not necessarily in promotion of a music provider). I am an iPod shuffler. Generally, I love it! However, as much as I appreciate no longer flipping through my CDs and picking out 6 to go in my changer, I do find myself missing the album experience. Granted, Muzak is not selling the "album" concept--they are selling non-so-random mixes. Regardless, full albums often reveal the real story of songs.

I think I'll start playing full albums more often. Do I actually owe Muzak "thanks" for waking me up?

Love and Luck

Sorry it has been so long since posting. I must admit that the dissertation and associated efforts have kept my attention recently.

I decided to post song lyrics today, although I try not to make a habit of such activity. Somewhat fittingly, my last post was for Valentine's Day. The song is Jimmy Buffett's "Love and Luck" (which, for some reason, does not appear on his own lyrics page). I have no lessons here within--take from it what you will. Cheers!

LOVE AND LUCK
Better days are in the cards I feel
I feel it in the changin' wind
I feel it when I fly
So talk to me I'll listen to your story
I've been around enough to know
That there's more than meets the eye

Everybody needs a little good luck charm
A little gris gris keeps you safe from harm
Rub yours on me, and I'll rub mine on you
Luckiest couple on the avenue

Chorus:
With a little love and luck you will get by
With a little love and luck we'll take the sky
In this megalo-modern world you've got to try
Try a little love and luck and you'll get by

Mysteries don't ever try to solve them
We're just players in a game
And no one's keeping score
So have your fun
Go ahead and tell your story
Find yourself a lover
Who will glue you to the floor

Everybody needs a little good luck charm
A little gris gris keeps you safe from harm
Rub yours on me, and I'll rub mine on you
Luckiest couple on the avenue

[CHORUS]

Kole Sere, Kole Sere
Kole Sere, Kole Sere
Kole Sere, Kole Sere
Kole Sere, Kole Sere

[CHORUS]

Valentine's Day 2010

It's time for the [almost] annual Valentine's Day blog entry.  I don't think I've done one since moving to BG, though.

One perspective has not changed in the years that have passed…I truly believe that anyone who finds love to celebrate on Valentine's Day is fortunate.  I also believe that anyone who does not find love to celebrate on Valentine's Day should look around and re-discover love that is there.  This day is not just about "expressing" love, it's about realizing love.  Although I gave up my chance to celebrate romance many years ago, I am still blessed for all of the love in my life.

All of that being said, let's get down to brass tacks.

Thanks to my great friend, Erich, I am able to share the following photo for this year's V.D. edition:

Yes, that is right.  For all the wonderful people in the world that associate their love with White Castle, our friends in Cincinnati are helping to insure that today remains special thanks to their reservation hotline.  Sadly, I'm failing to find an appropriate love/"slider" pun for this image.  While I do appreciate the White Castle reservation concept, it's the phone number that makes me laugh--x10.  Really?  Is this White Castle so enormous that it's management and work force demands multiple extensions for outside callers?  Wow!  A White Castle that grand probably does require reservations.

If there where a White Castle near me, I probably would have visited simply to express my love for the "slider."

I guess that is all for this year's edition.  It's getting close to midnight, so I need to get this posted.

Love and peace to all!

Pork marinade

I recently posted a spectacular marinade for steak (beef) on Facebook.  Well, today I have another combination (not quite a recipe), but this time for pork.  For my cooking adventure, I was using thin-sliced center-cut pork chops cooked in a slow cooker (Crock Pot).  I plan to use again for thicker chops or possibly a roast.  My particular cut of meat and presentation was not photo worthy, but yummy!

Ingredients (other than pork)--roughly in order of content quantity:
Water
Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce
sweet onion--1 thick slice lightly chopped
minced garlic
dry mustard
black pepper
Tabasco sauce (hint/dash)

I mixed the marinade the night before and refrigerated to allow a good mixture, but I did not marinade the meat in advance because it was still thawing.  Not real sure a marinade is necessary when slow cooking anyway.  I would recommend a 2-6 hour (or overnight) marinade if choosing to bake, fry, broil, or grill the pork.

Quantity: for the slow cooker, I made sure to start with enough water to cover the pork.  From there, add BBQ sauce until appropriately flavorful (probably 1 cup per pound of meat--start with less and work up so as to avoid wasting the sauce). 1-2 slices of onion per pound of meat is fine, more or less to suit your taste.  Garlic--roughly 1 Tbls per pound of meat, or one clove if using fresh; I probably used 1 tsp. in my mixture.  The garlic is a companion in this sauce, not the main event. Dry mustard = 2 tsp per pound.  Black pepper: probably 1 tsp, but I imagine up to 1 Tbls would be fine.  Tabasco: use your judgment--it's giving a little extra "tang" to the BBQ, but your limit for "kick" will determine how much to use.  I'm thinking 1/2 tsp - 1 Tbls per pound.

I served the marinade/sauce over the cooked pork, which is why I left large pieces of onion--yum!