April 30, 2007
Back to Work
Today marked the end of vacation and my return to work. It actually would have been the perfect bike commute day if I didn't have multiple errands to run at lunchtime (insurance agency, registry of motor vehicles, and an oil change at Mobil). The insurance agency didn't have my paperwork ready (they only had the entire morning), so by the time I got to the RMV there was no way I could wait for the 15 people who were there ahead of me... my lunch is only one half hour. I forgot that today was the last day of the month- NOT the day to go to the RMV. So, I accomplished two out of three errands: insurance paperwork and oil change.
Despite a busy day, I still caught up on a little job-related reading during breaks in the action today. Specifically, I was browsing a trade magazine that I subscribe to. I mention it, because a year or so ago I wrote an article about poor customer service which I considered submitting to them for publication. This month's issue featured a new column and writer who wrote an article very similar (it even had the same title I had chosen for it). My point being that perhaps I should follow through on more of these ideas. I might be surprised at the results.
Tomorrow, it is back to the bicycle commute. I do still have that RMV errand to run, but I will have to do it by bicycle. There is no way I am letting any more of these gorgeous days pass me by.
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April 16, 2007
Weathered the Storm
How did everyone weather last night's storm? Aside from a few branches in the yard- including a very large one that bounced off of our picture window in the early morning hours, we rode out the storm without any serious effects. The weather station here in East Falmouth registered a maximum gust of 62.4 m.p.h.... probably the one that launched that big branch I mentioned. So far, April has been the month that came in like a lion. Here is to hoping it goes out like a lamb.
It could have been snow! NOAA forecasts that our vacation destination is still getting snow. We can only hope that the majority of it has melted before we get there. We're doing our sun dance!
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Posted by capecodcyclist at 07:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 14, 2007
Toyota Tundra Blues
It is unfortunate that my first blog post in such a long time has to be about something negative, but I am at a loss as to what more I can do other than vent at this point. Two months ago, we decided to trade in both of our little Scions and upgrade to a safer, more long-distance travel friendly, full-size vehicle. At the end of January, after doing some research and taking it for a test drive, we settled on purchasing a left-over 2006 Toyota Tundra. The financing was sweet, the crash test ratings don't get much better, and how many complaints have you ever heard from a Toyota owner? We couldn't have been happier, until...
At approximately 750 miles, Jesse left work at lunchtime to run a few errands. When she turned the ignition key, the starter began cranking, and cranking, and cranking for what seemed an uncomfortable eternity... as though she were holding the key forward. When it finally stopped cranking, she tried to start it again- not even a click. A couple of minutes later, she got the truck to start, but it ran as though it were running on 7 of 8 cylinders. After lunch, she called me at work to tell me what had happened. I told her that I would call the Toyota dealership to have it towed. The truck was towed in, and we drove there after work in our other transportation (a used, 1997 S10 p-up that I had just purchased for our second vehicle). We were told they hadn't had a chance to diagnose the problem yet, and we were given a Toyota Highlander as a loaner.
The next day, they diagnosed the problem as "an internal short in the starter motor," and they began the process of trying to find us a starter. We were going away for the weekend, so the loaner would remain ours for the next several days. To make a long story short, we received the "repaired" Tundra back 5 days later. This repair visit converts into 4 dealership days if you are counting- which we weren't... yet.
All seemed ducky with our Tundra until a month (approximately 700 miles) later. The whole situation repeated itself. Everything reoccurred, right down to the truck being parked in precisely the same parking space at Jesse's work. This time, when the truck finally started, there was a strong fuel odor and the truck again ran horribly. The dealership service advisor's answer to this repeat event was to give advice on not trying to start the truck right away when this no-start situation occurs. Needless to say, this was not the answer I was looking for! As far as I was concerned (as any new vehicle owner should), we should not have a brand new $30,000+ truck repeatedly exhibiting a no-start condition... PERIOD! I scheduled another appointment for the truck to be checked out.
To make a long story endless, this trip to the dealership lasted far longer than the first. We were given a very tired Rav4 as a loaner (the brakes were grinding and the starter was making noise). During the first week the Tundra was in the garage, I received daily updates from a service advisor. They were unable to duplicate the condition and they could not find anything wrong. However, he did mention that there were some "unexplained body codes," that pointed to "some sort of communication problem involving the computer." So, I was elated... Now we were getting somewhere! Perhaps we were closer to a fix? I shouldn't have gotten so excited...
The daily updates stopped the day after I was told that they were waiting for a Toyota field representative to come look at the truck. A few days later, I was called at work and I was asked in a conference call to outline exactly what the factors had been leading up to this situation occurring both times: temperature, drive time, idle time, mileage, etc. They were going to make one final attempt at duplicating the conditions of both failures, because they had yet to pinpoint the problem. I should mention that it was 20 degrees warmer, and above freezing when the Toyota representative finally arrived. Two days later I was called, and told to come pick up the truck. They said that they could find nothing wrong with it. The trouble codes? They said that it was the computer searching for a keyless entry system that the truck was not equipped with. Why wouldn't they have known this when they first told me of the trouble codes?
I mailed a letter claiming my rights to a refund or a replacement vehicle under the Massachusetts Lemon Law on the morning of the day that they called to tell us to come pick up the truck (what a coincidence!).
The truck ended up being at the dealership a total of 13 days this time around (that converts to 11 open dealership days). If you combine these with the duration of the first repair attempt, we did not have our new vehicle for 18 days before even having made our second payment on the truck (the first failure occurred before having made one payment). The Massachusetts Lemon Law gives the dealership 15 days, before the consumer can pursue their rights to a refund or a new vehicle, giving the manufacturer one final repair attempt of 7 days. In other words, the dealership contacted us to pick up the truck on the 15th day. Do you think they were counting? We were by that point!
Toyota received our Lemon Law complaint and scheduled the truck to be dropped off and be checked out again on the Friday of the week that we had picked the truck back up. It was obvious that they were just going through the motions of performing their end of the final repair attempt. My wife was given the royal welcome and given a 2007 Toyota Avalon to drive for the day. They called us back later that afternoon to inform us that the vehicle had checked out fine, and that they were unable to duplicate the condition.
At risk of rambling and beating a dead horse, I will only point out my amazement at our treatment during this whole fiasco. Before becoming a Toyota owner, I had never heard anything but good things about Toyota and their local facilities here on Cape Cod. Since purchasing the Tundra, I have not witnessed the Toyota excellence that everyone raves about. To add insult to injury, after the Toyota representative saw the vehicle for its "final repair attempt," we received it back with shoe prints and scratches on the front bumper!
Keep in mind, this is a truck with 1400 miles on it. What responsible, trained technician does that?
We bought Toyota due to its reputation for reliability. We have yet to experience it. We can only hope that this was some freak happening that will never revisit us. If you have experienced a similar situation with your 4.7L Toyota Tundra, I would love to hear from you. Toyota claims that the situation can not be duplicated and, as such, no defect exists. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has documentation or the fix to a similar problem.
Please contact me at: d r e w w b at g m a i l dot com
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Posted by capecodcyclist at 11:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 31, 2006
Recent events, appreciating being in one piece
I haven't found the motivation to climb back on my bicycle since I was cut off and run off the road on the way to work last Wednesday. It is not that I am still in pain (just a bit sore), but I have to admit that I might be a little scared. If it weren't for that dome of plastic that I keep atop my head when I ride, I honestly don't think that I would be here right now. That scares me. I would hate to lose such an important part of my life (cycling), but drivers have really gotten much more combative toward cyclists and much worse in their general driving habits (even in the 5 or 6 years since I have been cycling on the road). The day after the accident, I had a new helmet FedExed to me, but I have yet to take it for a ride. Perhaps it will just take time, but in all honesty, I just want to move somewhere less congested. I am really tired of the increasing number of self-centered, oblivious people with whom we are now sharing this little spit of land we call home.
Oh, and if you think that piece of plastic on top of your head is just for that professional cyclist look-- think again. I have a helmet I can show you with a crack running through it that most definitely would have been my head. Street smarts are definitely important for riding out there, but nothing can afford you better protection than a properly fitted helmet... especially in the face of incidents during which street smarts and riding skills will do nothing to help you. I'm not trying to scare anyone. I'm just warning everyone of the real danger we face when we get out there on the road.
Posted by capecodcyclist at 06:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 07, 2006
Holy Mother of all Beetles!
This bugger appeared to be laying eggs in the remains of a recently ground-up stump in my back yard. I could use help identifying it, as my Audubon Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders doesn't seem to come close to describing it (unless I missed something). It may look small in the pictures, but I would estimate its size to be in the neighborhood of 1 1/2-2" (38-51 mm).
Photo taken July 07, 2006, Cape Cod, MA
Somebody get me an Entomologist!
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June 28, 2006
It's a Girl!!!
But we knew that... Jesse and I are now an aunt and uncle. A beautiful and healthy baby Jordan was born this morning at 12:16 a.m. She weighed in at 9 lbs. 2 oz., and she measured 21" tall. I could hear Jordan crying in the background when my mother called with the news at 1:00 a.m. I have a vague recollection of hearing her mother's cries (screams) from outside the same hospital after her birth 35 years ago (it was summer time and all of the windows were open).
Alison was exhausted after a long day of labor, but she and the baby are recovering nicely. I can't wait to get out of work today so we can go see them!
* Other historically significant events and births for June 28th
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May 28, 2006
Lincoln Grows Up
Lincoln has done a lot of growing in the last two weeks. Photograph taken today: 10 weeks old
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April 15, 2006
Weekend Plans
A busy Easter weekend:
- Web surf, email, blog
- Finish assembly of new grill
- Bachelor party (just dinner with Jesse, my sister and my brother-in-law, but Bachelor party sounds better)
- To Truro for a visit and some wedding preparations (only a week away!)
- Easter Dinner out with Prissy
- Rest up for the coming week, which I have the feeling is just going to fly by
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April 07, 2006
Drew & Jesse's Wedding
This is probably a little too much self-disclosure, but I wanted to see how it looked...
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March 24, 2006
Little to say
I apologize if you have been looking for posts of substance here lately. I have set my daily del.icio.us links to post to my blog (a handy bookmarks back-up tip from Lifehacker), but other than that, there hasn't been much going on.
Since the acquisition of my iMac, I have been using most of my free time to get my computer/online surroundings set up just so. Is there a point when you have to accept that things have been tweaked enough? The problem is that there are always new toys, tips and tricks to check out, so you could really waste your time away trying to find ways to save yourself time. There are definitely a few of my favorite tools that I wish were better integrated with each other, but enough is enough.
It is time to accept the tools I have, and make the most of them. What a great time it is to be a geek...
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March 16, 2006
SLACKER!
"'Wherever I go, there's my bicycle.' The bicycle obsessed pursuits of a Cape Cod cyclist."If anyone (anyone?) was wondering where I have vanished to, and why the lack of blog posts, I have a couple of excuses:
- I have been doing some renovations over at Cape Cod Cyclists' Escape... sprucing things up a bit after a couple of years collecting dust.
- I have been playing with a few of my online addictions:
and a few others I won't bore you with.
With the wedding only a month away, there is obviously much happening on that front as well. Tomorrow we go to the town hall for the marriage license, and Sunday Morning Blog (Dead Bloggers Society, Commute-a-Blog, etc.) will soon be joined forever with Jesse Loves Brady. Amazing!
I'll do my best to keep up with the posts, but at least now you all know what I am up to with my disappearing act.
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March 11, 2006
Cow Pie for the Brokeback Guy
So with a title like this, this post has got to be worth reading... right? Sorry folks, move along. It was just a funny title I thought of, and I had to throw it out there. Stay tuned, a cartoon may be in the works.People are talking:entertainment, Brokeback, cow pie
Add to Del.icio.us | Add to Technorati Favorites! | Blogroll Me!February 27, 2006
Firefox: Build the Super Bowser
Check out: The Super Browser
Anyone who has spent any time using Firefox and its many extensions will appreciate this one. Splasho.com has a great post about running Firefox with 100 of the most popular extensions installed! The non-Firefox user probably won't appreciate the post, but I thought it was great for a laugh. I am currently using Flock as my default browser, but I had used Firefox exclusively for some time. Still, I never had more than 6 or 7 extensions installed...
HERE is the FULL SIZE SCREENSHOT of this beast of a browser.
A tip of the hat to digg for this story.
People are Talking:
online, cyber life, Firefox
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Posted by capecodcyclist at 06:35 PM | Comments (0)
February 26, 2006
Thinking in Web 2.0: Sixteen Ways
"Thinking in Web 2.0"I highly recommend the above post for an excellent read regarding present and future online technologies. It is a great read for developers and users alike.
To summarize Dion Hinchcliffe's points:
1. Before you even begin, understand your goal simply.
2. The link is the fundamental unit of thought.
2a. Everything on the Web is linkable with a URI or URL (and if isn't, it should be!)2b. Saving any link lets you get back to what the link originally referenced, and it lets you share it with anyone, anywhere, at any time.
2c. The anytime piece in #2 is crucial and means the link is really a permalink that won't change or go away without good reason and prior warning.
2d. Links should be human readable, consistent, and their purpose self-evident.
3. Data belongs to those that create it.
4. It's about data first, experiences and functionality second.
5. Be prepared to share everything with enthusiasm.
6. The Web is the platform; make it grow.
7. Understand and embrace the "capability gradient".
8. Everything is editable. Or it should darn well be.
9. Identity on the Web is sacrosanct.
10. Know thy popular standards and use them.
11. Obey the law of unintended uses.
12. Granulate your data and services.
13. Provide data and services that are for user's individual benefit.
14. User-driven organization and filtering are not just nice to have. Not critical, but very important.
15. Offer/use rich user experiences.
16. Embrace and enable rapid change and feedback.
Read his entire post:Thinking in Web 2.0: Sixteen Ways
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Posted by capecodcyclist at 09:16 PM | Comments (0)
February 23, 2006
Trying to use Flock With Movable Type
Movable Type - Flock Community:
"When setting up a Movable Type blog in Flock you might encounter an error near the end of the wizard that says 'There was and error detecting your blog settings'..."
Lately, I have been all about trying new Web 2.0 apps and such (PageFlakes and News Alloy are the two most noteworthy of these). So, it should come as no surprise that I have also been checking out "browsers" that claim the ability to combine many of the features I have been enjoying: blogging, tagged bookmarking, aggregating, etc. Tonight I decided to take Flock for a spin. No offense to you Flockers, but what a let down.
First, I am no newbie to any of this. I use Mars Edit to do most of my blogging now when I am at home. I didn't have any problems setting this up with my MT blogs. However, despite perusing bug reports, forums and comment sections, I could not get my Movable Type install working with Flock for the life of me. Hopefully Flock makes this an easier transition for MT users before they go public. I spent the entire evening trying every tip and hint I could mine from Google, and all I can say is, "What the Flock?!?!"
I give up. It's time for bed.
UPDATE: Spent my entire morning trying to connect to my blog through Flock... still nothing. I can connect and post to my blog through Flickr, Mars Edit, etc., no problem, but Flock will simply not let me log in.
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Posted by capecodcyclist at 10:09 PM | Comments (0)
February 19, 2006
Apple Store: Derby Street
Jesse and I took a road trip to Hingham for the grand opening of the new Apple store at Derby Street yesterday. The line and the wait to get in was surprisingly long, especially considering temps were in the 20's and the wind was howling. They would have done well to get more unconverted Apple fans out. Most of the participants already seemed to be dedicated Apple users. Who else would stand around in the freezing cold for so long?
We did have a good time despite the cold and the wait. We scored new T-Shirts, hit some of the other stores (REI was the highlight for me), and did lunch at Rustic Kitchen... a nice weekend date.
Other people are talking about the grand opening at: The Unofficial Apple Weblog
*Peter and Rebecca Wood's photo gallery of the event
*Another photo gallery at V1beta.com
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February 17, 2006
The Snoozing Affair
You know you are due for a weekend off when:
You awaken to find yourself fondling the snooze button... trying to milk out that last bit of slumber.
Is the weekend here yet?
People are Talking:
sleep
Posted by capecodcyclist at 06:45 AM | Comments (0)
December 29, 2005
Three Months, Three Weeks, and Three Days
It is hard to believe that THE BIG DAY is coming up so quickly: three months, three weeks, and three days to be exact. "They will be hitched in three and three," as Chuck Woolery would have said, had he been our personal Love Connection host. Five hundred and seventy-nine days after that half-joking IM conversation that Jesse and I had about our fantasy marriage, we will be newlyweds. How many people have been united by blogging do you think? Nobody could have ever convinced us of the love we would find together. If we had known, we probably would have run the other way. I am glad we didn't.
I never thought I would be so lucky. I LOVE YOU JESSE!
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December 21, 2005
Happy Holiday Birthday to Me!
2005: the year political correctness snuck in and took a bite out of my birthday.
People have always taken pity on December babies such as myself. One would think that sympathy, so freely given, might find its way to other victims of the season. Do you think we might also consider pitying those who are being denied their rights to publicly celebrate Christmas this time of year? Yet, we can find it within ourselves to openly pity the "gift-giving-shaft" those of us born this time of year are assumed to receive. How respectful and concerned are we about all people's celebrations: personal, spiritual, religious and secular?
This year, I received my first "Happy Holiday Birthday" card. It was cute, because of its novelty. Novelty, to a Christmas time baby, is receiving birthday wrapping paper instead of "holiday" paper. Obviously, the love and caring that accompanied the card was unchanged by its secular message. However, its message, by its very uniqueness, reminded me of how considerate we can be of some, yet how ignorant we can be of others.
Christmas time babies are worthy of their very own "Happy Holiday" birthday cards, yet we do not value the same people enough to allow and celebrate their personal beliefs with them? If we did, there would be "Merry Christmas" birthday cards on the store shelves. I challenge you to find one.
Posted by capecodcyclist at 06:19 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 20, 2005
Small Rodents, Taking Inventory, and Ass Over Tea Kettle
Do strange things happen at every family's birthday parties? Last weekend we had a birthday celebration at an elder family member's house, and the bizarre happenings continued. The oddity of the day was when Brady (the cat) went bounding through the room with what appeared to be a gigantic ball of lint hanging from his mouth. The curious little boy in me immediately went to investigate said lint ball and its origins, only to find the ball was actually a mouse nest (with no current occupants). For the record, it should be noted that I was chastised for explaining that my evidence of the lint ball's being a mouse house was "terds." Although I am sure in eighty plus years, our birthday celebrant had heard worse than "terds," apparently you do not say "terds" at grandparent's birthday parties... lesson learned. So, from this evidence it was established that mice had somehow infiltrated the previously impenetrable lair of Brady. Brady the cat was predictably perturbed by this, and has been spending the majority of his waking hours in pursuit of the invaders. He is inconsolable.
This past week, the family member noted above took it upon herself to purchase some mouse traps at the local hardware store (and no, they are not Have-a-Heart traps-- I already asked). On Tuesday, she prepared the upstairs guest bedroom for a one night visit from Brady. It should be noted that one stair is a feat for this individual, never mind climbing up and down the stairs twice: once to prepare the room, and another trip with Brady under arm. She closed him in the room, strategically placed the traps about the house and went to bed for the evening. The following morning, she gathered up the traps (all empty) and went about her day. The dish water from the previous night's dinner dishes was still in the sink, and when she went to drain the water, there was something obstructing the drain. She reached into the water, and removed the blockage. There, in her fingers, was one of the mice who had successfully avoided the many traps. Yes, another successful mouse trap invented: we will call it the Have-a-Pool. Just remember, to prevent escape, never leave the sink to counter ladder in place... the mouse will eventually tire of its swim, and the Grim Mouser will come. Drowning is supposedly a very peaceful way to go. Don't forget the bleach for the post-death sink and counter cleaning.
Yes, one would expect it to be difficult to top off a week with such excitement, but not to fear. There was more excitement to be had. This weekend was the biannual inventory at my place of work. Yippee! In this business, it seems we all inventory to a different drummer. I would like to say our inventory management is an exact science, but I am afraid it is only as good as the tired employees who perform it. In my opinion, an inventory should be a shelf by shelf, row by row, accounting of just what is present. I have yet to see one performed this way by everyone involved. Instead, in my industry, you have pairs of people walking around with computer print outs, often in search of what is on the sheets in front of them. If you are only looking for what is on the sheets, it is not a complete inventory-- you aren't catching everything that is present. Sure, with most products you are counting everything in the particular section that is on your count sheet, but you are not going from one corner of the store to another counting everything in the building. Also, with something as repetitive as reading off endless rows of consecutive numbers, there is always room for error by the reader whose eyes go cross-eyed as the day wears on. The person marking the count sheets can not possibly pay perfect attention to such repetitive recitation of numbers either. Aside from the big box stores, bar code scanners have been slow to catch on in the retail side of my business, but most warehouses use them to advantage (again, only as good as the operators). I look forward to the day when we enter the modern era, and bar code scanners can be used for store inventories. Shuffling around, rattling off numbers to someone, who nine times out of ten is unfamiliar with the numbering system to begin with, is monotonous, tiring, and error prone. The joys of retail...
The finale to the week was the phone call I received from home toward the end of inventory day. The same family member who I noted has trouble simply climbing stairs managed to venture to a local mall for some Saturday shopping. It seems the adventure took a turn for the worse, when she was plowed down by an inattentive driver who came around the end of an aisle without looking for people crossing the road. Plenty of passers-by came rushing to her aid, and luckily some bruising and swelling were the only results (not sure if her cane suffered any from its blow from the car as she shouted at the driver to stop). Of course, she stubbornly refused a trip to the hospital. She is now at home, using a borrowed walker that someone brought her, and feels more comfortable sitting than standing. We are just grateful that it wasn't worse.
While we wish we had been there with her, it is probably best that we were not. Unbelievably, she was just grateful nobody she knew was there to see her sprawled out on the pavement. Had we been there, I would have been more concerned about losing my cool at having yet another in an endless series of run ins with Cape Cod drivers not paying attention. You can tell the holidays are in the air, as more drivers seem to be suffering from cranial inversion. Open your eyes people, there are others sharing the road with you (and some of these get out and walk and ride bicycles once in a while). Parking lots are not extensions of our roads... very little gas pedal should be applied when navigating them. Mass. Law Flash: Pedestrians and cyclists have the same rights to the road that automobiles do (except pedestrian's ALWAYS have the right of way); please drive accordingly.
Another entertaining week...
Posted by capecodcyclist at 05:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 19, 2005
You Can Pick Your Friends, But You Can't Pick Your Llamas
I love the smell of llama in the morning! I try not to give away too many clues as to where I live, but this one could almost guide you to my front door. I don't imagine llamas are all that common on Cape Cod, but at my house, llamas are part of the landscape. I must admit, the smell is really not that noticeable. Every once in a while you get that Barnstable County Fair, petting zoo scent teasing the olfactory membranes. It is somewhat like hearing that song on the radio that brings back happy memories of people, places or events. The barnyard smell also reminds us that a farm is nearby, and provides an odoriferous remembrance of the days when farms were more common.
I remember when we first moved in, our next door neighbor asked us to sign a petition trying to oust the llamas from the neighborhood. I did not sign of course. Although I pity our neighbor's dilemma- visitors to his backyard pool must get blasted by the barnyard scent at times (there are chickens too), I certainly would not deny someone the right to their animals or livelihood. The avian flu has come to mind when considering the proximity of their chicken coops, but I am not planning any visits to the farm, so there shouldn't be cause for concern. The llamas, although I am not certain of their benefit, have never bothered me. The smell is not obtrusive, we just get a reminder of their presence on occasion.
The most excitement regarding our neighbor-herd was when the window and siding company arrived with van loads of illegal immigrant Ecuadorians (honest, I didn't check their papers). Apparently, llamas are more common in Ecuador than Massachusetts, and it was like old home week here at the farm. The wide grins, excited jabber, and pointing fingers all expressed recognition of their native beasts (or maybe they were just thinking barbecue). This is the closest the llamas have come to celebrity here since our move, but not everyone can brag of such neighbors. In Hyannisport they have the Kennedy's; in our neck of the woods, we have the Llamas. I will let you decide which neighbors I consider more respectable (and which more pleasing to the senses).
Suggested reading: The Twenty-One Most Commonly Asked Llama Questions
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November 11, 2005
Back to Sunday Morning
I'm back. It took me all of two months to get back to blogging on my home page. I don't know that you can call one post "back" really, but it is a start. Two months ago, I was asked to start my "own" blog on Cape Cod Today. I am honestly unsure about what moved me to go back after my bad experience with them earlier this year. Having more of an audience to interact with is surely a plus, but it also has its drawbacks. Once you are in the spotlight, it becomes difficult to stop arguing and defending your views. However, babbling to oneself can get a little tiresome, and that is often how it has felt here. On CCToday there is rarely a concern of having no audience. Here, it is often like dropping a pebble into a bottomless pit.
Blogging has become an online diary for many people, but for other's it is so much more. In May of 2003, way back in the beginnings of this blog (which was then titled Life by the Drop, before finding that name was already in use) I was making posts about things political and expressing my support for Cape Wind among other things. Back then I received no feedback, so the politics and expression of my views were limited and not quite so passionate. On CCToday I get that feedback, and it brings out the conviction of my beliefs. Blogging in that kind of environment is like being part of a live editorial page. There is certainly no shortage of fans or critics. Blogs in forums like CCToday should allow commenters thumbs up or thumbs down options to accompany their comments. Perhaps that would be forcing people to be too black and white about their opinions though. So often there is that middle ground that a thumbs up or thumbs down just can't convey. On CCToday, you rarely if ever witness that grey area. It is all or nothing, pro or con, black or white, good or bad... there is rarely middle ground (except by those who have proclaimed themselves the sole posessors of open-mindedness). When the middle ground appears it is only an illusion. It is a trick played by those who are casting themselves in the light of their own game of self deception.
What I am trying to say is, blogs like CCToday are chock full of B.S. artists and people who are so vain they can't see beyond their own grand vision of themselves. They are so self-important and seem to have such a monoploly on right thinking that there is no possibility of reasonable discourse. That is the fun of it I guess. Debating the issues is what I was after, so I really can't complain. Placing value on opposing views is critical to getting along with people, and there seems to be far too little of that going on. For now, we should be happy that everyone is not just running through neighborhoods burning cars I suppose. At least there is some communication, although perhaps not between the people who should be expressing themselves.
This is certainly not my typical blog post. I promise an attempt at regaining that humble, back to blog feel again. I will leave the CCToday site for the politics and matters of culture and society that I feel most passionate about. I will work toward restoring Sunday Morning to its simple beginnings as a window into day to day Drew... if for nobody else, then just for myself.
Posted by capecodcyclist at 06:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 17, 2005
Much Needed Rain and the Alarm Clock
I think we've sprung a leak...
This was the situation we awoke to at 12:00a.m. this morning. I had to jump up and run about the house slamming windows in the face of a deluge. Yes, it now seems quite silly in light of our southern friends' plight, but this morning it seemed quite serious (thunder and lightning included). The storm must have been somewhat localized, as there is no mention of heavy rainfall on the local weather sites. Is there a cloud over my head?
"Holy mother of all rain!" I exclaimed.
"What time is it?" was all Jesse could mumble.
"12a.m.... that is real time, not Drew time" I replied.
At some point in my teens (I do not remember when), I resorted to setting my alarm clock ahead by half an hour, in an effort to trick myself into not being so late in rising. Now, many years later, the habit continues despite my waking long before the thing tries to roust me. Conditioning has taught me to quickly calculate the half hour's difference when asked or checking the time; I don't even have to think about it. Having someone nearby to report "real time" to , causes me to examine the comedy in this.
Posted by capecodcyclist at 02:36 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
August 30, 2005
A New Beginning
One would think that one blog were enough, and I would have to agree with this premise. However, I have found that a blog takes on its own life, developing a tone and a path of its own. I woke up this morning with inspiration to begin publishing another blog, and I could not deny the urge to start right away. I have chosen to explore other ideas and open new lines of expression. I have no idea what the fruits of this new passion will be, but time will tell.
If you are interested in checking in, feel free to visit over at Dead Bloggers Society.
Posted by capecodcyclist at 10:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 27, 2005
Sunday Morning Bloogle
[current state| 
google-eyed]
Hello, my name is Drew, and I am a Googleholic. I admit that I am powerless over Google and that this obsession has become unmanageable. Publicly exposing this weakness is the first step toward escaping this obsession. What are the rest of the steps for working through this addiction? I don't know, but let me Google that question. If you would like to join my discussion group regarding this problem, I can be reached via Gmail or Google Talk, which are just a click away in my Google Desktop sidebar. By the way, if I have trouble remembering that conversation or where I put that file, all of my email conversations, chats, photos and Openoffice documents are neatly indexed by Google - just a quick search away. Do you need directions to our next Googleholics meeting? Try Google Maps.
Yes, I have gone over the Google-edge. It began years ago when I began using Google instead of adding favorites. It was just as easy to type a couple of letters in a Google search bar as it was to save that link. Then, a month or two ago, I added the CustomizeGoogle extension to Firefox. During the past couple of weeks, it has all snowballed into this giant Google install frenzy. I refer to this as my Googleout; similar to a blackout only without the darkness... just swirls of Google colors. I have been searched, indexed, Gmailed, Google Talked, created a Google sitemap and became a purveyor of Google AdSense. Heck, a couple of weeks ago my wife-to-be and I even had our first Googlefight! That was shortly after I took her on a Google Earth tour of the Grand Canyon. Were there a way to make Google my operating system, I would. Who would need Windows Explorer when one could have GoogleView? If I could have a Google cell phone account I would. What would you like for dinner? I would be happy to Google that recipe for you. My dream is to create a Google Desktop add-on that will edit and publish blog entries, handle blog comments and index them all for future reference. I have joined Google forums and emailed suggestions on improvements to their various new offerings (drag and drop capabilities, etc.). What will be next?
For now, it is a lazy Saturday afternoon. The weather is beautiful, but there are 735,000 Google search results for "afternoon nap." 735,000 instances of why I should shut my eyes for a snooze instead of venturing outdoors. It is good to know I have Google on my side. For those in denial about their Google addiction, I hope my story empowers them to get the help they need.
If anyone has further questions about this growing problem, I would refer them to this site.
Posted by capecodcyclist at 05:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 24, 2005
Bicycle Blues
[mood| 
depressed]
I was up before the sunrise this morning (5:15 a.m.), in hopes of getting to cycle to work. Paying over $30.00 at the gas pump last night was some incentive, but my main purpose is to regain the stress relief and fitness I have lost with that part of my routine. Just getting out of the car and into the open air would be pleasure enough.
Unfortunately, It has been so long since I got on the bikes that I misplaced my helmet and gloves and burned 5 minutes looking for them. Getting it all together and packed for the ride took longer than usual (I am out of practice after all), and I ended up having to nix the whole thing. At 7am, I knew the ride would take me long enough that by the time I got there, the 15 minutes it would take me to get ready for work would make me too late. Nothing I did this morning would have changed this. It just took me running around in circles and getting the bicycle ready for me to realize.
I need a nine to five job where I can get in early and ready myself.
Posted by capecodcyclist at 07:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 16, 2005
In Dream Land
[current state| 
sleepy]
I need help interpreting this early morning dream:
I am at a yard sale(?) of sorts in a mini-mall parking lot. As I am getting ready to leave, I notice a large, odd shaped object wrapped in a tarp. I unwrap it, to find a hand made canoe. I instantly become giddy about my find. I inquire as to its balance and water-worthiness. The seller(?) tells me that he has not had a chance to spend much time getting the hang of it, but he had a hard time keeping the small craft upright. I ask about the price, and he tells me to make an offer. I fire off $200 as my first bid, which he readily accepts.
At this point, the dream takes an odd twist, as the scenery changes to a crowded indoor meeting place (a restaurant?).
I am now feeling guilty about my purchase and I am trying to be secretive about the expense (not sure why or who I am trying to hide it from). I am inside a glassed-in doorway, telling the canoe maker not to tell anyone how much I have purchased it for. As I am saying this, a full-size Ford Bronco pulls in the parking lot and the guy in the drivers seat mouths (I am reading his lips) "I heard that." I intuitively know that this guy is deaf and has read my lips as I asked the canoe maker to keep our secret.
The retelling of the dream is taking longer than the actual events. This all took place in a matter of minutes.
The dream scape now focuses back inside, where I am trying to work out the details of the $200. I am thinking that if I use this womans(?) debit card, I can transfer my money to her account. I am not sure how she became involved, but she readily hands me her money card as she is deeply involved in conversation with those around her. As I am waving her card over this ATM-like terminal, I realize that I must be confused. How can I use her card to put my $200 in her account? I then return her card, apologizing that I will just withdraw the cash from my account with my card.
End of dream. I know, I have a bizarre dream world. Any ideas? I think it all relates to the money transfer dilemma, and the invention of this ATM-like terminal where money might be transferred from one person's account to another's with the wave of each person's cards. Obviously, the "secret" purchase is critical to my emotions in the dream.
I must get to work. Have a great day!
Posted by capecodcyclist at 06:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 07, 2005
Driver Courtesy on Cape Cod's Roadways
A couple of recent editorial page letters to the Cape Cod Times have me a tad riled. In question, is whether or not “driver courtesy” does more harm on our local roadways than good. Granted, there are instances where waving a person out into traffic is inadvisable (when blind to oncoming traffic, or in multi-lane roadways). However, a little courtesy would not kill you people.
The anti-courtesy letter writer complained of nearly plowing into the rear of people stopping to let others out of side streets and parking lots. If you are nearly rear ending people you are either: (a.) following too closely, (b.) driving too fast for surrounding conditions, (c.) not paying attention to the conditions ahead of you, or (d.) all of the above. Put down your cell phone and pay attention.
A year and a half ago, I took a trip to Oregon. When I returned, I spoke of my amazement at the west coast drivers' courtesy toward pedestrians, cyclists and fellow drivers. In Oregon, as a pedestrian, you always have the right of way. Here on Cape Cod, the pedestrian only has the right of way if there is law enforcement present. I have had difficulty walking (or running) across Route 6A on numerous occasions. This is a forty-five mile an hour roadway at its safest, yet people speed up to fifty when they see that you may attempt to cross their paths. Cape Cod drivers are just plain self-centered and rude.
Speed limits are just as much for traffic flow as they are for safety. Here on the Cape, we habitually speed along in places that we have deemed safe straightaways. We fail to aknowledge that we are the first to complain when trying to pull out onto that same roadway from a parking lot or side street and the traffic is flying at us too quickly to safely enter. In the summer, in-town traffic is regularly moving along at stop and go pace, yet nobody wants to let anyone out. Drivers act as though that one car length will be the difference in their days. It is painfully obvious that nobody wants to give an inch. Patient and kind drivers are definitely in the minority here. What we need is a lot more courtesy and a little more enforcement of our safety laws. Unfortunately, it will take more than a few small voices to make this happen.
Posted by capecodcyclist at 03:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 01, 2005
Interesting
| Your IQ Is 125 |
 |
Posted by capecodcyclist at 05:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 22, 2005
Freedom to Blog
[mood |
anxious ]
We have a lot to be grateful for here in the United States. I think we (or at least I) lose sight of that sometimes. I was reading an article this morning telling of how Microsoft was enabling the Chinese government to censor blogs and their content. Words like “freedom,” “democracy” and “demonstration” are being blocked from being published. It is not like you can eliminate these basic ideas by regulating blogs and their content, but the intentions are there to stomp these peoples' freedoms. I wonder if Google will agree to block search results for such words too? Scary. I am proud to be an American, allowed to express myself freely. We take so much for granted here.
It was just a couple of months ago that I asked links to my blog be removed by a certain local site. I was irritated at their censorship of certain blog entries (by omission from front page links) that conflicted with their own personal agenda. We live in America. I am free to express my views and, luckily, I am free to choose where and when those views will be expressed. To have a local site linking to my blog and playing Microsoft to my blog entries offended me. It is sad that some don't see that what we are doing here is expressing ourselves for our own personal benefit... not the benefit of others. Happily, there are local folk around who realize this importance and offer us an unedited forum for our ideas.
Posted by capecodcyclist at 06:56 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
July 06, 2005
Putting My Two Cents In
Posted by capecodcyclist at 08:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 30, 2005
Trying to Keep it Local
[mood| surprised]
Some of you may realize my feelings about WalMart and the big chain stores. WalMart, specifically, sucks up 7% of all retail spending, and I think that is just too much of a piece of the pie for anyone. It is for this reason that I try to give my shopping money to locally owned stores when I can. Unfortunately, this philosophy does not always prove the easiest to follow.
After work last night, I headed to Crane Appliance to see if I could pick up a dehumidifier for the new homestead. I was pleased when I walked in the front door and found several models right there next to the a.c. Units. I was standing there comparing them for several minutes, when I decided that I might have to approach one of the several sales people sitting at their desks ignoring me. I turned, caught one of the salesperson's eye, and he asked if he could help me (without rising from his seat). I asked about the dehumidifiers, and I was told that they would be receiving a shipment tomorrow, but they only had one particular 60qt model left on the shelf. I inquired about the price of the units they had left on the shelf, and the salesperson had to ask another desk bound associate if he had “ever found the price” of these units earlier. I stood there for five more minutes (no exaggeration) waiting for an answer from these two “salespeople,” but never received one. I left, telling them I would be back tomorrow when they received their shipment. This should have been understood as code for: “I am going to WalMart, see you poor excuses for salespeople later!”
At WalMart, I found the dehumidifiers exactly where I would expect to find them and I purchased TWO! Three hundred and forty-two dollars that could have stayed local. So much for the anti-big box store philosophy. I tried... I really did.
Posted by capecodcyclist at 06:31 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
June 29, 2005
No Spinning Time
[mood| depressed]
So, for a web about cycling, this blog sure has a lot about everything but bicycles. Yes, I am afraid that lately the bicycles have taken the backseat to everything else going on in my world. I hope I can at least get back to the bicycle commutes soon, but late nights working on the house leave little time for sleep. Sleep time is critical at this point, so the bicycle commutes will have to wait until we are caught up on the home projects.
Lets hope that time comes soon. I am ready for a break (and a bike ride).
Posted by capecodcyclist at 06:42 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 16, 2005
The Days Fly By
[mood|
anxious anticipation]
I came home from work today and was faced with a big question. What has happened to me? I think I asked myself the same question a few times last week too. My routine has changed so much in the past several months. I used to ride my bicycle to work and then home. At least every other night, I would then “work out.” I would run a few miles or bicycle more every night, and every other I would lift weights. Lately, I come home and I think about doing these things, but the motivation just isn’t there. I still feel great - that is the strange part. A year ago, if I didn’t get a workout in I could feel the stress levels climbing. Today, I am on a fairly even keel with or without the exercise. Physically, I don’t feel at my peak, but it could be worse. It must be the relationship (Jesse and I) maintaining me… because it certainly isn’t the exercise!
There are so many things I would like to be doing with my fitness that have just been put on hold. The longer commutes have put a damper on things. The seemingly endless wait to get into our new home has played a role too. Soon enough, we will be in a normal routine with our own space. We will have the ability to be the authors of our own lives. A new chapter begins. I just hope I can get my ass out of this chair to enjoy it!
Posted by capecodcyclist at 06:22 PM | Comments (1)