Category Archives: GeekWorld

Family, Friends, GeekWorld

Our Servants

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Beltane                                        Waxing Planting Moon

A business meeting took most of the morning.  Our new pull behind wagon for the lawn tractor has come in and I need to go pick it up.  Also, I have to purchase two sprinkler heads, both to replace ones dug up and removed by Rigel.  She does not like the sound of that water in the pipes.  Of course, I also have to solve the problem at its source, the irrigation timing itself.

Yesterday there was no power at all to the wall to which the irrigation clock connects, therefore, no irrigation.  After a number of moves, a tripped GFI switch on the west wall of the garage turned out to be the  culprit.

I often marvel at the number of electro-mechanical servants we have.  The irrigation clock controls twelve different zones allowing us to water different sections of our property at different times and with amounts appropriate to the area.  If we need to go somewhere, we hope in a metal cabin, turn a switch and an internal combustion system comes to life to move us along on our journey.

When we have food that needs long term storage, we put it in a metal box that provides temperature cold enough to keep it frozen.  Food that doesn’t need that level of refrigeration go into either our upstairs or downstairs refrigerator.  Though both cooking devices we have in the kitchen run with gas, if we need an even heat we can use the convection feature in the oven, or we can use the toaster oven.  The microwave cooks foods in a manner inconceivable when I was a boy.  A blender and food-processer save long bouts of stirring with spoons or paddles while an electric mixer will kneed dough and work with flour.  There is, of course, the dishwasher as well.

When we want entertainment, we turn on one of the hd tv’s which receive their programming through a cable attached to our house.  The same cable brings in broad-band internet service which connects our three home computers to the world–quite literally.  These computers allow us to send mail, buy almost any retail product, research all manner of topics, read the news, even watch movies and tv shows if we were so inclined.

That’s not all.  If we want to talk directly to friends or family near or faraway, we can pick up a small phone, independent of any lines at all and call toll free, all amazing from the reference point of my childhood.

In addition of course we have the lights powered by electricity in every room of our home and in outlying sheds as well.

Now, go back over this list and imagine the number of servants it would take to water the property with the kind of precision and control I achieve by pushing a few buttons.  Think of all the work in the kitchen that would require either a cook or a stay at home parent.  The internet and cable tv afford us opportunities that were simply not available in my childhood, global reach and multiple forms of entertainment–at home.

Staying connected with friends and family has become casual, not requiring long trips or extended conversations via letter.

Then there’s the matter of all those candles.  Replaced by light switches.

And, oh yeah, how could I forget in Minnesota:  the furnace and the air conditioner.

This is, truly, an age of miracles.  But, the miracles come at a cost, don’t they?

Cooking, GeekWorld, Humanities

Going for the Circuit

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Beltane                                                  Waning Flower Moon

So much for a quieter day.  I group errands until I have enough time to do many at once. Today I hopped in the car and took off for the post office where I got my long delayed Oxford Latin Dictionary.  It now stands right next to my OED.  Can’t wait to use it.

Next stop, Lights on Broadway in Brooklyn Park, trying to get the halogen light fixtures we bought there a couple of years ago repaired.  Got great assistance from Adam, but no joy on an immediate fix.  He’s going to see if we can get a warranty replacement.

When I left Lights on Broadway, I gritted my teeth and prepared to encounter that most oxymoronic of all terms:  Comcast Customer Service.  Whoa.  Big surprise. Went smoothly.  Talk about disintermediation.  I pick up, deliver and install all of my electronic devices for them.  I’m old enough to remember the smiling gas station attendant who would offer to check under the hood.  Sigh.

Next stop Teavana where I picked up 4 ounces of Copper Hongcha and 4 ounces of Jasmine Pearl.  After tacos at a place next to the Sleep Comfort bed folks, I headed back home.  2 hours plus round trip.

Aging, Art and Culture, Faith and Spirituality, Friends, GeekWorld

Every Life Is A Universe

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Beltane                                      Waning Flower Moon

As you can tell, cybermage Bill Schmidt has contributed again to this blog.  He set me up on WordPress and has updated this software from time to time, including the new photograph.  The old one has only been retired, not eliminated.  We would like to find a couple of more photographs I could rotate over the course of year, perhaps a seasonal array.  Thanks again, Bill.

In the docent lounge today I saw Wendy talking with Linda.  This was a moment to remind us that we can never tell what lurks in the life of people we see casually from a distance.  These two women talking, not remarkable.  A woman recently treated for breast cancer and another whose son recently died of an overdose of oxycontin talking, more remarkable.  It took my breath away.

I’ve spoken with both of them over the last few weeks and I can only say that the resilient and yet unblinking attitude they both have is a testament to the human spirit.  We never know the full story of those we meet, even those closest to us, because the inner life exists encased in an impenetrable place, the mind and heart of another.   Still, we do get clues, signals from the interior and they often come in moments of tragedy.

(Pissaro:  Conversation)

One of the truest things I have ever read is that each death is an apocalypse for an entire universe dies each time a human dies.  This makes these encounters with it more telling, for the stakes are so high.  So, the next time you see two people engaged in casual conversation, pause a moment to celebrate this oh so simple, oh so magnificent act.

GeekWorld

Construction over except for the side roads

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Beltane                                            Waning Flower Moon

Installing the new modem and router, as far I’ve gotten, went well.  Surprised the dickens out of me.  The last time I configured a router I gave up and called Geek Squad.  The only time I’ve ever used them.  This thing sets itself up, sort of.  Now I have to configure the wireless connections on the laptop and my study computer, but it’s all working here on the computer I use for the internet, blogging and e-mails.

So, little to no down time on that account.  Whaddya know?

Family, GeekWorld, Health, Humor

Sandwich a Bio-Hazard?

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Imbolc                                        Waning Wild Moon

Those in the health care world, at least the care provider part of it, use medical in a way most of us lay folk don’t.  They ask people they meet, especially spouses like me, if they’re “medical.”  Kate payed me a compliment in this vernacular a few months back by saying, “He probably doesn’t realize how medical you are.”

What does it mean?  In part it means a familiarity with the everyday life of medicine, that is, a life dealing with blood, sputum, questions about constipation or overactive bladders, stitching up wounds or struggling with life or death in a code blue type situation.  I sense, too, that it refers to an acceptance of the brute facts of life.  Illness and trauma happen and they happen to all sorts of people at all sorts of times in their lives.

At some point the news can be bad, “He didn’t make it.” or “You have lung cancer.” kind of bad.  They also know, better than most of us, that death comes in many forms and that it comes to us all.  There is a contradiction here; however, since contemporary medicine sees death as the enemy and procedural medicine as their chief weapons in this apocalyptic struggle.  I use the word apocalyptic here in reference to the universe that dies with each person.

Medical also means going into the refrigerator for something to eat, taking what looks like a sandwich in a ziploc bag and discovering the container says:  Specimen Transport Bag and has the red and black bio-hazard emblem with BIOHAZARD written in bold black letters against the red field.

Being medical does put you in a world different from the day to day, where we consider normality health, enjoy a certain consistency to our routine and find trauma or illness an upsetting deviation.  It’s been a privilege, this past 20 years, to learn about it from the inside.

Family, GeekWorld, Weather +Climate

The Common Experience

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Imbolc                                                  Waning Wild Moon

“The one common experience of all humanity is the challenge of problems.” – R. Buckminster Fuller

I’ve had a lot of our common experience today.  Both of my computers have gone mute.  The Gateway, on which I’m writing my novel and doing art history research, I don’t mind.  This one, though, on which I listen to music from Folk Alley, Skype with the grandkids and watch videos on many websites, well, I do mind.

I spent several hours today under the hood of this device, trying this, trying that.  I don’t know.  My main speaker doesn’t show any electricity getting to it, but I’ve checked all the connections.  Frak, as they would say on Galactica.  Part way Geek but not far enough.  But enough about my common experience, Bucky.

We’ve had a run of weather that has not suggested much in the way of commentary for my weatherblog on the Star-Trib weatherwatcher site.  High pressure has kept us stable and reasonably warm.  Not a bad thing, even, perhaps, a good thing, since evaporation without rapid melting reduces the chance of flooding in the Red River Valley.

Kate has got her sewing machine humming, churning out princess regalia for the soon-to-be 4 queen in waiting of Pontiac Street.  She bought 4, 4, tiara’s for Ruth today.  A couple of cute outfits for the Gabester’s 2nd birthday, they’re both April babies, and a new shower head completed her longest shopping excursion since her back surgery.  She’s feeling a lot better, more stamina.  More sass.

Family, GeekWorld

Full Wild Moon

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Imbolc                            Full Wild Moon

Close to the horizon, appearing large and red, the Full Wild Moon lit the sky on my way home from the Vietnamese Restaurant where my Woolly brothers and I broke spring rolls together tonight.

The moon remains one of the under appreciated natural events, in my opinion.  It goes through its phases every 30 days, passing from absent through quarter, half, then full and then disappearing in the reverse order.  It’s presence in our sky affords an opportunity for beauty unsurpassed by mountain range, ocean view, desert and all we have to do is go outside at night and look up.  The moon shows up in spite of city lights and its beauty shifts and changes, giving us an astronomical show free of charge, available to all.

On another note.  The precocious grandchild:  I received this picture, a month in advance of her fourth birthday.  It came in an e-mail in which the subject line was:  All by herself!ruthwrites

I know.  Cute and a genius to boot!

Grandkids are special.  Each and every one.  Precious, too.

I sent them back an e-mail that read:  Great!  Now all she needs is her own checkbook.

Art and Culture, Dogs, GeekWorld

The Grand Tour

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Imbolc                                      Waxing Wild Moon

Met the Grout Doctor today.  Turns out he wears a yellow weatherproof  jacket, very new jeans and rubber duckies.  Allan came by to give us an estimate on what it would take to rehabilitate some aching tiles and bring that new installation gleam back to the steam bath.  More than I’d imagined, but less than we were willing to pay, so Allan will return on Thursday to get started.  Gonna give the whole shebang an acid bath.  Sounds very Hannibal Lecter to me.

Fiddled with the new Panasonic camera we got today, too.  The number of things it can do amaze me.  It can focus on an object and then retain focus on that object as it moves.  How can it do that?  If you turn a little switch, it will shoot HD quality video using any of the settings it has for still photography.  How can do it that?  The twelve megapixels it shoots my buddy Jim Johnson tells me is just at the minimal range of what magazines expect in photos.  Well, at least the camera’s good enough for the pro mags.  I haven’t shot any images with it yet.  I want to devote a day or so to using all the various gadgets, learn how it performs.

Also put together an 8 object tour for next Friday, the public tour  Highlights:  Art from 1600-1850.  My theme is the Grand Tour, which was popular in that time frame.  In my Grand Tour though we will visit all but the Australian continent, while retaining the traditional focus on European art of France, Italy and the Low Countries.  I’ve begun to use the new Grove Dictionary of Art.  It has depth and breadth.  It taught me today about the Grand Tour and the various phases through which it passed before finally dying out as the middle-class began to travel more.  Just wasn’t the same with all those shopkeepers in the Uffizi.

Put in more words to the Unmaking.  I’m close to the middle, maybe a bit passed it.  We’ll see how it is after I finish and it sits on the shelf for a while.  Then I’ll have a better view of it.  Right now it’s so close to me, I can’t tell anything.

And Vega came inside limping tonight.  Limping makes us take deep breaths, because it can mean the onset of cancer, has meant the onset of cancer in at least three of our dogs.  On the other hand it might be an injury.  We hope.

Commentary on Religion, Faith and Spirituality, GeekWorld, Great Wheel

A Bit On Science

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Imbolc                                      Waxing Wild Moon

As the Great Wheel turns, as the earth flies in its unimaginably long ellipse around the sun, we go on pretending in a terra-centric universe.  The sun rises?  The constellations rotate through the sky?  The moon rises and sets?

It’s no wonder the Catholic church was so reluctant to buy it.  I mean, who was this guy Galileo and this other guy Copernicus compared to the Church Fathers?

Woolly Buddy Tom Crane surprised me at our recent retreat on a matter related to this.  I’d read a New Yorker article about the execution of a man in Texas convicted of arson in the death of his children.  The point of the article was to demonstrate that an innocent man had died as a result of our use of capital punishment.  It did this by using a renowned arson investigator who critiqued the arson investigators who sealed the man’s fate.  (I just did a quick look and I can’t find the article right now.  If I find it, I’ll post a link here.)

Anyhow, I mentioned it to Tom, a forensic engineer, and he said, “Oh, yeah.  Evidence-based science.  That’s we talk about all the time.”  He went on to say that it was a great tragedy.

What struck me though was this notion of evidence-based science.  My first reaction was, is there any other kind?  Then, I realized:  intelligent design, climate change deniers, any time ideology substitutes conviction for evidence, we risk non-evidence based science.

It was Francis Bacon in his Novum Organum who made the wonderful analogy about method.  If, he said, your method chose the wrong path for you on which to run, running faster would only take you further from your goal.  He proposed that method was all and that the empirical method was the right one for science.  This idea did not catch on overnight and there are still realms it has not penetrated, most notably of late of course, the GW Bush Whitehouse.

GeekWorld

The Ordinary Is Extraordinary

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Winter                            Waning Moon of Long Nights

I went on the great errand run this morning.  To the pharmacy for drugs.  To the jewelers for two watch batteries and to leave a pocket watch for repair.  Then over to the Spectacle Shoppe to have them repair the glasses that Vega bit.  Mildly unsatisfactory, but workable.  After that spectacle, all the way over to Lights on Broadway to buy unusually sized bulbs for this and that.  A completed circle then brought me back home.  Maybe 40 miles or so.  Strange.

There were the small oblong pills, tan in color, containing a chemical the somehow regulates the uptake of serotonin in my brain, a pill that I read recently doesn’t help me.  Not sure about that, so I’ll keep on taking them.  Tiny batteries, smaller than the nail on my little finger, power watches for years, a triumph of miniaturization; yet, the watch I sent off for repair, made a hundred years ago or so, works, as watches had for centuries by quick tweaks of the thumb and forefinger.  These glasses, plastic frames and round, cost almost as much as the lenses within them, lenses that correct my vision so I can read highway signs before I’m on top of them.  Then the small lamps that light my workspace, halogen bulbs, but special and difficult to find, fan lights also difficult to find.  These items replace the candles or gas light or kerosene lanterns of not that long ago.

The length of the journey seemed outsized to me until I began to realize the stunning technological distance each separate product represented.  That they are available to me in so small an ambit is the amazing thing.  That they are available at all depends on the brain and its mysterious companion, consciousness.  Every day is a wonder, even the mundane.