What I've accomplished.....Thinking

I spent 30 years inside the four walls of IBM. Great years and great experiences. Mr Watson was a great thinker which led to great innovations. So much so that on most desks was a plaque that simply said THINK in black letters on a white background. That was the company motto.

This class caused me to THINK outside my box. When you don't have to do much of something you can become stale. While I don't think I became stale I have become crusty or dry like bread. Stale to me is yuk, dead, rotten...... Crusty can be made into stuffing for a turkey or whatever.

Create a blog? What is that? Sounds like something other people would do. What"s in it for me?

Why would I want a blog. Obviously someone figured out there was something in it for me and offered to teach me how. Thank you!

In 2005 my wife and I took a cruise with our daughter and her husbands family to the Baltic. That story is for another blog. When we got home there were loads of digital photos to display. A friend of mine, a retired IBMer, left their computer behind when they retired. They asked me if I had a web site. A web site? I don't even have a blog. If I had one I could have sent some photos that way.

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to create a Blog. Unpleasantly surprised at how difficult it is to manipulate a blog at times. Actions I thought were supposed to happen didn't or are still floating in cyber waiting for me to find them. I surprised me at times too. Something would be happening I didn't want to happen. A little experimentation and "oh look, it isn't doing that anymore."

The photo experience was fun. I will share more pictures later on too. I learned how to share them with anyone that wants to look. Found out they can be enhanced in most any way you desire. I'm able to get them from Flickr into my posts but am doing so the long way. For some reason the "cut and paste" thing has not sunk into my skull. But I figured out how to work around my thickness. That in itself makes me feel good. At my age going the long way around is just going slower. I seem to be heading that way.

Taking the time to take this class has made me realize there is a whole world of things out there I might get involved in. I mentioned the violin in a previous blog. I actually got it out yesterday, tuned it up and drew a few strokes of the bow across the strings. Rusty? You betcha I am. I won't be touring Carnegie Hall for sure. Tour, I won't even be doing that. But just playing it the short time I did made me realize there is something more for this Old Dog.

Just realized this is a first for me. The first "online" class taken. Would I do it again? If it was something that interested me, you betcha. Might even be convinced to try something that didn't interest me just to broaden my horizons.

Till our next venture, Shortchange Gene

Posting You Tube

I attempted to post the video showing the little video box with the start arrow in it. After two attempts and getting an error message I'm posting it differently. If you go the this address you will find it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfOivQW_8 I used to think this was a "guy" activity until I attended a few activities of this nature. The "gals" are into it just as much if not more that the guys.

If my failure in posting with the little TV window in it keeps me from getting the prize, oh well, so be it. I don't buy lottery tickets either.

I think I know the trick to get the truck up in the air. Will be looking for you readers comments with your ideas of how. I might be wrong and you can tell me.

Shortchange Gene

Self asessment

I'm glad I took this class. It was stimulating for my brain which needed a different challenge. Since I spend hours at my computer anyway making them more constructive was a good thing. My computer is my hobby.

This experience has opened up new avenues of usefulness to me. Areas I would not have explored were it not for this class. Why? Because I associated them with things I'm not interested in. Example, MP3 players or format. All I ever heard about MP3 was it played music that isn't "my cup of tea" so that is how I labeled it. I've learned that MP3 is much more than that.

The NYPL card opened new avenues. I used it to get items needed for two assignments for this class. In doing so I learned there are lots of other interesting places to enjoy there. I do have a question about the card. I discovered that once I logged in I appear to be logged in permanently because when I went back to their site I was able to jump right in. I don't like that because it leaves me vulnerable. I could not find how to log out. Can anyone help me please.

This class has been enjoyable, frustratingly so at times but never-the-less enjoyable. Those posting comments to my blogs, thank you. Would I take another class? You betcha!! Am already thinking of it.

My Father had a violin. I took lessons in school and private and became proficient enough to play in the school orchestra. Over the years I've dabbled at playing it but not very seriously.
Shortly after starting Old Dogs a BCC Continuing Ed catalogue fell into my hands. In it I discovered "Anyone Can Fiddle: Beginning Fiddle for Adults." "Perhaps you had lessons as a child but have not touched it since. If so, this is the class for you!" Someone must have told on me. I'm going to check and see if the class will be offered again. It is a group class so if I squawk wrong I can blame it on "the other guy." Just kidding. Bet I'll know if my son reads this blog.

Learning should be a life long experience. Sometimes it takes prodding an Old Dog to get him going. Thank you Pam for all your hard work to make these classes possible. I hope the lesson schedule will be online long enough for me to keep a copy for reference. Another benefit of this class has been learning where to find something. I might not remember the detail but with the direction in the lesson plan will be able to get the detail.

Shortchange Gene

Podcast

Another success story from Shortchange Gene. iPlodded and iPlodded till the Podcast could resist no longer. Not sure which bate worked. Well actually gave up on baiting for a Podcast and downloaded iTunes. After waiting a long time for it to load I found it was not a bad site to use. Or it was beginners luck.

Navigating down the page I came on Garrison Keillor's Lake Woebegone dialogues. I love them because he makes the town and its residents so real. Do you know why Lake Woebegone does not appear on any map? It is because the town lies exactly on the center of the state line and the line obliterates the town mark. I learned that from listening to another of Garrison's dialogues.

There is so much available in the cyber world. Will we someday not go to a physical school building? Rather we will go to the computer to link up with the class. Each student being accounted for when they link to the class. As with this class your progress can be monitored by whether and when you send in your assignments. Subject material will be handled in the same manner as this class. When group teaching becomes needed the class will conference together with the teacher. Seem far out.? So were Dick Tracy watches and sleek cars when I was a child.

Shortchange Gene has spoken......

Contrasts

Scary thought! I managed to get two pictures on one post. No stoppin me now. OK I'll get serious.

The picture on the left was taken Jan 18, 2008. My twins birthday. I am parked under the dark cloud with snow crystals pelting down on me. At the same time I'm enjoying the view of blue sky and sunshine in the distance. This was one of the first snowy delivery trips I made.

The picture on the right was taken March 28, 2008. This was the last snowy delivery trip I made. Fortunately the weather had been warm long enough that the roads were just wet, for the most part. There is always the exception and in some of our delivery areas it is just a "given."

It is well known that I would like to live where it is warmer longer and colder shorter. But I have to admit also that there is something about the four seasons as we know them here that is invigorating. With the exception of driving in the snow I enjoy them all.

While I was born and raised in an urban environment, Binghamton, NY area, I much prefer the rural/country setting. The air is different, fresher to me. I'd have liked to have some open space for my children to enjoy. But I'll admit that my 50' X 130' lot is much nicer to take care of as I mature. As with my PCjr my children learned to live within our small yard.

These pictures were taken from the same location and direction. The Rt 20 corridor has afforded me some nice pictures. Sometimes I have to remind myself that my primary purpose is delivering books to worthy library's and patrons.

Canadarago Lake is another interesting spot. In the summer it is bustling with all the summer residents. As the ice thickens in winter it becomes "ice hut city" with all the fisherman out there. There are obviously favorite spots to ice fish as there are clusters of huts scattered here and there.

Earlier in this note I mentioned "rural/country" settings. One of my "retirement" jobs was servicing funeral directors at the cemetery. I did the vault installation with all the set up necessary to do the burial. I mentioned one time how I much preferred to do burials in the "country." The cemetery care taker was incensed I called it "country" and told me so. So now I generally make reference to "rural" when mentioning anything out of the city.

When I look back on everything I've done since being encouraged to take my companies "buy out" I've enjoyed everything. Including my current position. From scenery like the pictures here to all the nice people I've met in and around the libraries. Every once in awhile when I'm sorting at the back of the van someone will thank me for the service we provide. Those thank yous take the edge off the winter drives.

Shortchage Gene is signing off for now.

Remaining calm in a "shaky" situation

Most, if not all of you, are aware there was an earthquake in several Midwestern states this week. The video link at the end I found very interesting. I thought Byron Douglas handled himself well through the experience.

It must have been very disconcerting to watch what was happening on the big screen in front of him. The shaking picture was from their outdoor camera while overlaid on the screen were the current and projected conditions. From Byron's remarks he could feel something in the studio but it does not appear on the studio camera.

I have not experienced an earthquake. Neither is it on my "to do" list. But years ago while en route to my job in Owego there was an earthquake locally. I don't recall the intensity of it but my wife did feel it. I'm told that you don't feel an earthquake while moving in an auto. I guess that is so as I didn't feel it. Or maybe it has to be a certain richter scale level.

While visiting a museum of science there was a granite block with a richter measuring gage mounted on it. I was surprised at the sensitivity of it. I hit the granite surface with my fist and the needles moved. Not much but enough to change the chart reading.

So for an example of how to act "under earthquake" go to the following link.

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?cl=7456649

This is directly from a morning news cast in Evansville, IN. I realize news casts are copy righted but I don't think I'm violating any rules by sharing it in the open. Should I win the prize at the end of this class that could be a different matter. Oh great and wonderful teacher don't let that stop you from drawing my name. I'll deal with the problem in good order.

Another successful post by Shortchange Gene

Clipped by Clip Art

The clip art is how I feel right now. Part of the problem is I am using an ancient
word processing program. It came with the first real PC I had. No the second PC.
The first was a PC jr which did me real justice. All my children used it through
their school years. They learned how to format and print their work. Then they
would add the graphs or pictures by hand. They were the first "survivor" program.

I see my art keeps dropping down as I line down. As long as it doesn't "drop out"
I'm not going to worry about it.

My second and third PC's were the "real thing." But I kept the old Lotus word processing when I got the third PC. It is catching up with me now. While at Ruthann's, 39 year old college daughter, I mentioned my dilemma. She just might get me up to date for my Dad's day or my B'day from a remark she made.

A'ha, did you notice I stopped the mummy in mid air? Actually played till I pushed it back up a bit so it isn't quiet so dead.

Now to what I really wanted to do for this project. About the same time as this project was posted a system wide note was sent regarding the new set of twin boys born to the GFJ Children's Lib. gal. Brought back 35 years worth of memories. My Philip and Paul are the youngest. The older brother and sister are 43 and 39. I and my wife are living proof that this family will survive. Multiples are a handful, no doubt about it. When I look back on those years the good times far outweigh the difficult ones.

Can I tell them apart? When they were at home growing up I had to see them from the right direction or I wasn't sure which one was which. Then they left the nest and Philip grew a mustache. It was easy then along with the fact their times together were fewer. That in itself made for interesting times when they did get together. Their bond of love becomes immediately evident when they see each other. And the banter picks up right where it left off from the previous time.

Feeding multiples. Two wasn't too bad. Although if one was cranky it could get bit difficult. On one occasion when they were older I was feeding both. I digress a bit. Out children were not
"free range" children. They were in playpens until the appointed time, determined by my wife. for "free ranging." I had fed both and put them in their playpens. Going back into the kitchen I discovered a partially empty bottle. Returning to the living room with it one boy jumped up and I plugged it in. As I unplugged it I realized I'd given it to the wrong one. Oh well!

I could go on but will spare you. Should anyone from GFJ read this please give the family my congrats.

TAFN from Shortchange Gene