I noticed on the MSN homepage today that there was a link to an article about 100 Things Every Man Should Know How To Do. Thinking I'm pretty handy around the house and growing up with a dad who could fix anything and a mother who cooked, sewed and generally ran a tight house, I figured I'd surely ace this thing. I only know how to do 77 of them.
Here's the link to the story.
http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/bigger-picture/articlepm.aspx?cp-documentid=11258170>1=32001
Let me know how many of them you're able to do. By the way, I was disappointed that "filet a fish" was not on the list!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
My Brush with Greatness
I had written about my daughter's chance meeting with Paula Abdul. Honestly, I was a bit jealous because I never meet anyone famous or even semi-famous. Okay, there was the one night I saw Peyton Manning in the men's restroom at the Murat Theater in downtown Indianapolis but looking at a guy while standing at the urinal is generally frowned upon so we just won't mention it.
Anyway, every once in a while I work concessions at a Colts, Pacers or Indianapolis Indians game to raise money for my daughter's dance. It's not a bad deal - sell a little food, a little beer and collect money to help pay for her costumes and lessons. This past Saturday night we were prepping the stand and food when a tall older gentleman walked up to the counter and asked if we had any coffee ready yet. I got him a cup, he paid me and as he walked away, nearly everyone in the stand yelled "Boom Baby!". It was Bobby "Slick" Leonard - former coach of the Pacers in the ABA days and current color man on the Pacers radio broadcasts.
Anyway, every once in a while I work concessions at a Colts, Pacers or Indianapolis Indians game to raise money for my daughter's dance. It's not a bad deal - sell a little food, a little beer and collect money to help pay for her costumes and lessons. This past Saturday night we were prepping the stand and food when a tall older gentleman walked up to the counter and asked if we had any coffee ready yet. I got him a cup, he paid me and as he walked away, nearly everyone in the stand yelled "Boom Baby!". It was Bobby "Slick" Leonard - former coach of the Pacers in the ABA days and current color man on the Pacers radio broadcasts.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Charlie's Angels
Since my oldest son, Kyle, has been singing a capella music for the past few years, I've become a big fan. A few of Kyle's friends graduated last year and moved on to Ball State University. They've now formed an a capella group there, Charlie's Angels.
The name comes from the fact that the Ball State mascot is a cardinal named............you guessed it.........Charlie. Anyway, here's a shameless plug for them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtXuhpLOxnU
Also, if anyone likes this music, check out Straight No Chaser. SNC started as an a capella group at Indiana University and the group still exists. Anyway, most of the original guys in SNC were recently signed to an Atlantic Records contract and just put out their first CD, "Holiday Spirits". Their most well-known song "12 Days of Christmas" can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8
Hope you enjoy it!
The name comes from the fact that the Ball State mascot is a cardinal named............you guessed it.........Charlie. Anyway, here's a shameless plug for them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtXuhpLOxnU
Also, if anyone likes this music, check out Straight No Chaser. SNC started as an a capella group at Indiana University and the group still exists. Anyway, most of the original guys in SNC were recently signed to an Atlantic Records contract and just put out their first CD, "Holiday Spirits". Their most well-known song "12 Days of Christmas" can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8
Hope you enjoy it!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Life with Libby
My good friend, Shelley, has her own blog that she's much better at keeping up-to-date than I am with mine. Being much more computer-experienced than myself, she has her blog arranged by different categories. One such category is titled "Life with Libby" where she writes about her relationship with her brown lab, Libby. Every time I see that category, however, I always think of my 13-year old daughter, Libby. Feel free to browse through Shelley's blog here: http://whatifitdid.com/
The past few days my kids have been on Fall Break and my wife is in New Orleans on business so I decided to take a few days off just to hang around the house with the kids. Now, if you've ever had a teenage daughter, you'll understand when I say that they're not always easy to deal with.
My wife left early Wednesday morning and won't be returning until mid-day Saturday. We've talked on the phone every day and I find it interesting that she asks the same question every day: "How was Libby? Have you killed her yet?" You'll be happy to know that we've actually gotten along very well in spite of her moodiness and haven't had a single confrontation yet. Yes, I'm surprised, too! Hopefully, we're rounding the corner on all this puberty stuff and she'll actually become somewhat likeable in the very near future. Of course, I'm not really holding my breath as my soon-t0-be 15-year old son is still driving my wife and I completely crazy!
And for those of you who are wondering: Yes, we did eat some meals at home. Yes, the dishes have been done. Yes, the house is recognizable. Yes, the kids did get everywhere they were supposed to be. And most importantly, yes we are ready for my wife to come home!
The past few days my kids have been on Fall Break and my wife is in New Orleans on business so I decided to take a few days off just to hang around the house with the kids. Now, if you've ever had a teenage daughter, you'll understand when I say that they're not always easy to deal with.
My wife left early Wednesday morning and won't be returning until mid-day Saturday. We've talked on the phone every day and I find it interesting that she asks the same question every day: "How was Libby? Have you killed her yet?" You'll be happy to know that we've actually gotten along very well in spite of her moodiness and haven't had a single confrontation yet. Yes, I'm surprised, too! Hopefully, we're rounding the corner on all this puberty stuff and she'll actually become somewhat likeable in the very near future. Of course, I'm not really holding my breath as my soon-t0-be 15-year old son is still driving my wife and I completely crazy!
And for those of you who are wondering: Yes, we did eat some meals at home. Yes, the dishes have been done. Yes, the house is recognizable. Yes, the kids did get everywhere they were supposed to be. And most importantly, yes we are ready for my wife to come home!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Going, going, GONE!
I attended an auction a couple of weeks ago. The items being sold were from a competing surveying company that closed it's doors (presumably from lack of work). Going into the auction, I was excited to possibly pick up some equipment at a good price.
However, once I got there I certainly didn't have a good feeling knowing that another surveyor had been forced to sell all his equipment, vehicles, office furniture, supplies, etc. I only stayed long enough to see most of the high-end equipment being sold. Due to the tough economic times everyone is facing, most of these items were going for probably 25 to 35 percent of their real value. I had an idea of buying a lot of this stuff and putting it on E-bay but didn't since I wanted to see the equipment stay in the hands of local surveyors.
I'm still a little torn as to how I should have felt coming out of the auction. Scared because survey companies are going out of business? Relieved that we're still in business? Regardless, it certainly gave me the motivation to work hard to establish new relationships and continue our old ones to insure that work would continue coming in the door.
I guess the whole moral to the story is what we've always heard. Be grateful for what you have now because it may not be there tomorrow.
However, once I got there I certainly didn't have a good feeling knowing that another surveyor had been forced to sell all his equipment, vehicles, office furniture, supplies, etc. I only stayed long enough to see most of the high-end equipment being sold. Due to the tough economic times everyone is facing, most of these items were going for probably 25 to 35 percent of their real value. I had an idea of buying a lot of this stuff and putting it on E-bay but didn't since I wanted to see the equipment stay in the hands of local surveyors.
I'm still a little torn as to how I should have felt coming out of the auction. Scared because survey companies are going out of business? Relieved that we're still in business? Regardless, it certainly gave me the motivation to work hard to establish new relationships and continue our old ones to insure that work would continue coming in the door.
I guess the whole moral to the story is what we've always heard. Be grateful for what you have now because it may not be there tomorrow.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Embrace The Pace
I had the good fortune of spending a weekend away with my wife a few weeks ago so we decided to head to Nappanee, Indiana and stay at a bed and breakfast. Nappanee has a large concentration of both Amish and Mennonites - thus the town slogan of "Embrace the Pace".
When we made the reservations at the B&B, the inn owner asked if we would be interested in attending a dinner hosted by an Amish couple. She noted that she had set this up for others who were staying at the inn and always ones to try new experiences and learn of other cultures, we very quickly said yes.
We arrived at the house at about 5:15 and met the owners, Mose and Etta. Mose took us on a buggy ride down the county road in front of their house. I was lucky enough to sit up front with Mose. Having grown up in a rural area myself, I was able to have a conversation with Mose about farming, raising livestock, etc.
Once we got back from the buggy ride, we were welcomed into what I can best describe as a pole barn with a poured concrete floor. In the corner was a kitchen where Etta was preparing a very large meal. She had fixed chicken, ham, potatoes, vegetables, bread and way more food than any of us could have eaten in two meals. Not to discredit my mother or my wife, but this may have been the best homemade meal I've ever had. Then she brought out the two desserts and the three pies.
After the meal was over, Mose asked if we had any questions about the Amish and their beliefs and traditions. Mose and Etta answered every single question we had and probably would have stayed longer if my wife and I (and the other guests) hadn't felt like we were keeping them from other things they needed to be doing with their family.
I certainly came away from our dinner with Mose and Etta having a different idea of the Amish faith and, more importantly, the reasons for these beliefs. I have to wonder sometimes if they might not have a more fulfilled life being out of the "rat race" that the rest of us English people (as the Amish call us) have become accustomed to.
I know that the next time I feel that my life is getting a little crazy running kids around, working and being involved so much, I'm going to take a deep breath and think back to my evening with Mose and Etta and "Embrace the Pace".
When we made the reservations at the B&B, the inn owner asked if we would be interested in attending a dinner hosted by an Amish couple. She noted that she had set this up for others who were staying at the inn and always ones to try new experiences and learn of other cultures, we very quickly said yes.
We arrived at the house at about 5:15 and met the owners, Mose and Etta. Mose took us on a buggy ride down the county road in front of their house. I was lucky enough to sit up front with Mose. Having grown up in a rural area myself, I was able to have a conversation with Mose about farming, raising livestock, etc.
Once we got back from the buggy ride, we were welcomed into what I can best describe as a pole barn with a poured concrete floor. In the corner was a kitchen where Etta was preparing a very large meal. She had fixed chicken, ham, potatoes, vegetables, bread and way more food than any of us could have eaten in two meals. Not to discredit my mother or my wife, but this may have been the best homemade meal I've ever had. Then she brought out the two desserts and the three pies.
After the meal was over, Mose asked if we had any questions about the Amish and their beliefs and traditions. Mose and Etta answered every single question we had and probably would have stayed longer if my wife and I (and the other guests) hadn't felt like we were keeping them from other things they needed to be doing with their family.
I certainly came away from our dinner with Mose and Etta having a different idea of the Amish faith and, more importantly, the reasons for these beliefs. I have to wonder sometimes if they might not have a more fulfilled life being out of the "rat race" that the rest of us English people (as the Amish call us) have become accustomed to.
I know that the next time I feel that my life is getting a little crazy running kids around, working and being involved so much, I'm going to take a deep breath and think back to my evening with Mose and Etta and "Embrace the Pace".
Friday, September 5, 2008
Assumed Bearings
Yes, it's another survey-related blog today so if you're looking for an update in what's going on in my life, you can skip this one!
We just finished a boundary survey project here in the office. In all the deeds except for one, the same bearing system was used. The descriptions appear to have been used for quite some time, so the basis of the bearing system could not be determined but the deeds were tied into two section lines so they were easily established.
Anyway, the other description appeared to be written by a large firm here in Indianapolis. The first call from the point of commencement was described as "South 87 degrees 11 minutes 35 seconds West (assumed bearing)". Since we had used GPS to establish the location of the section corners and lines, I checked to see what our bearing was on that line. Guess what? It matched exactly to the "assumed" bearing!
I had kind of wondered why, if someone was assuming a bearing, they'd assume South 87 degrees 11 minutes 35 seconds West. Normally, we're not that good at guessing directions in the field so we probably would have assumed due west.
I guess the point of my post today is this: NOT EVERY BEARING BASE IS ASSUMED! If you established the bearings based on published coordinates, say so. If you established the bearings based on record descriptions from adjoiners' deeds, say so. If you established the bearings based on GPS observations, say so. It certainly makes it much easier to retrace your steps if we know what was used to establish your survey.
We just finished a boundary survey project here in the office. In all the deeds except for one, the same bearing system was used. The descriptions appear to have been used for quite some time, so the basis of the bearing system could not be determined but the deeds were tied into two section lines so they were easily established.
Anyway, the other description appeared to be written by a large firm here in Indianapolis. The first call from the point of commencement was described as "South 87 degrees 11 minutes 35 seconds West (assumed bearing)". Since we had used GPS to establish the location of the section corners and lines, I checked to see what our bearing was on that line. Guess what? It matched exactly to the "assumed" bearing!
I had kind of wondered why, if someone was assuming a bearing, they'd assume South 87 degrees 11 minutes 35 seconds West. Normally, we're not that good at guessing directions in the field so we probably would have assumed due west.
I guess the point of my post today is this: NOT EVERY BEARING BASE IS ASSUMED! If you established the bearings based on published coordinates, say so. If you established the bearings based on record descriptions from adjoiners' deeds, say so. If you established the bearings based on GPS observations, say so. It certainly makes it much easier to retrace your steps if we know what was used to establish your survey.
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