Well, what a nice morning it has been so far. A nice fresh load of Asiago Cheese bread and some excellent Cabernet and I'm on my way to continuing the celebration of the initial weekend of my retirement.
So, as I munch, I'm watching a Sergio Leone western and I'm getting more and more mellow. This HD TV setup (with the new speakers) is pretty nice and it lures me into watching movies (almost as much to hear them as to see them) ... perhaps too much. But there's always the bicycle to ride and many dances to dance. Life is good ... later ...
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Beautiful Things ...
My fortune cookie the other day said "you have a great appreciation for beautiful things." Although I've missed out on one of the most beautiful in my life (my own fault), I have to say that one thing that is true for relationships is that when they concentrate on "me", they are doomed to fail. The reason is that if a relationship is really good, then your partner will take care of you ... and you will do the same for your partner. The way a relationship gets there is through trust. Now it's true that trust must be earned ... but once earned, it should be relied on. Because if it can't be counted on then the relationship cannot last anyway. So, indeed, do take care of "me" (because everyone has to do that to some extent) but don't let that straightforward process subvert the true beauty of a relationship with that special person ... don't let it destroy the trust.
In other news, I've got 85 miles on the bike this past week but I say that it's time for warmer weather!
Later ...
In other news, I've got 85 miles on the bike this past week but I say that it's time for warmer weather!
Later ...
Monday, March 17, 2008
Happy Birthday to Me ...
Not much else to say, eh? Enjoy a green beer and sing an Irish song ... and, of course, everyone loves a parade. Well, on this birthday I have to say that there's not much I would've done different in the past year, but there is one thing I would change in the past month. Sometimes, you have to admit, it's just too late, though. And the most difficult thing is often accepting your own choices and actions, no matter what drove them.
Tonight I had dinner at the Greek restaurant here in Cedar Rapids. It has a special meaning to me. I wondered if certain things would happen there, but they didn't ... so that's that (pretty cryptic, eh?). However, I met Greg and Wendy and they invited me over to their table for a birthday beer (some French beer ... pretty nice of them). I talked with them for about 40 minutes and then went out to City Beat to see the karaoke folks. Had a few drinks bought for me there and sang a few songs. Interestingly enough, a guy named Mike came up to the bar to get a pitcher of green beer. Well, the bartender informed him that they were out of green beer ... so, ta da!, I stepped in and said that I'd brought along my blue dye (yellow + blue = green) and would be glad to help them out. I was declared Mike's "hero" and the day was saved ... plus, of course, he bought me a drink for my birthday. Had a few dances, a few drinks, a few songs ... then went home. Only one person was missing. But that's not going to change ... ever. Overall, it was a fun night ... oh, and I got a card signed by about 15 people as well as a cupcake from Normandy. Didn't have any corned beef and cabbage today but *my* parade was pretty good (for being cold and damp).
Good night ... *sigh*.
Tonight I had dinner at the Greek restaurant here in Cedar Rapids. It has a special meaning to me. I wondered if certain things would happen there, but they didn't ... so that's that (pretty cryptic, eh?). However, I met Greg and Wendy and they invited me over to their table for a birthday beer (some French beer ... pretty nice of them). I talked with them for about 40 minutes and then went out to City Beat to see the karaoke folks. Had a few drinks bought for me there and sang a few songs. Interestingly enough, a guy named Mike came up to the bar to get a pitcher of green beer. Well, the bartender informed him that they were out of green beer ... so, ta da!, I stepped in and said that I'd brought along my blue dye (yellow + blue = green) and would be glad to help them out. I was declared Mike's "hero" and the day was saved ... plus, of course, he bought me a drink for my birthday. Had a few dances, a few drinks, a few songs ... then went home. Only one person was missing. But that's not going to change ... ever. Overall, it was a fun night ... oh, and I got a card signed by about 15 people as well as a cupcake from Normandy. Didn't have any corned beef and cabbage today but *my* parade was pretty good (for being cold and damp).
Good night ... *sigh*.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Cycle Computer, Cadence/Speed, no Wires!
First ride of the new year for me today. Went my usual 14.2 mile route but burned about 700 calories! That means it was much harder work for me than last year (well, at least after midsummer). Normally, that would've been about 480 calories (59 minutes, so pretty slow). And I can feel it, but it's still a good feeling. Washed the sand and gunk off the bike at the end but it needs a few adjustments as I can tell that the cables must've stretched during the winter (haven't ridden for almost 4 months).
But the good news is that the bike shop came through with a very successful wireless cycle computer (the Neuro 4.0 from Blackburn). This unit has a 2 GHz wireless interface to both the cadence pickup and the speed sensor and, by golly, it really seems to work. Never missed a beat as far as I could determine. Seems to be a little high on the miles ridden but only about .08 miles out of 14.2. I attribute that to the fact that I had to move the speed sensor to the back wheel and it's more worn that the front (more load back there, ahem!) so it actually is the *slightly* smaller tire of the two at this point in their 2500 mile lives. By quick calculation, I think that the wheel turns about 10,600 times in 14.2 miles and if I re-calibrate it to be just 10mm "smaller" then it should read about 350-400 feet less distance over the ride (that's about .08 miles). Anyway, the toughest 14 miles of the year is now behind me, whew! And I like the new speedometer, although there are some errors in the user's manual and it has a few idiosyncrasies that I think I've figured out. I'll probably write up a more detailed review in the very near future.
Well, as it stands, at the start of the riding season I'm weighing in at 163 lbs. at a height of 70.5 inches. Yes, I know, my "ideal" BMI is really 159 lbs., but I'll get there in the next month or so. This year I plan to figure out a nice highway ride up to Waterloo. It will be a little more than 100 miles (maybe 110 I would guess) but it really can be a pain to ride on several portions of the Cedar Valley bike trail between Cedar Rapids and Waterloo so I want to find a good (and safe) road route. Should be fun and I think I'll probably scout it out on the motorcycle first. With $4/gallon gas in the offing, I'm guessing I'll get quite a bit more miles on that motorcycle this year.
Sounds like a night to sing and smile as I consider my impending retirement (March 28 is my last day of work). On my birthday I plan to have dinner at a Greek restaurant here in Cedar Rapids ... so I guess it'll have to be in honor of the Greek-Norwegian-Irish in me, eh? Well ... don't worry, it will actually be a fairly quiet event.
Later ...
But the good news is that the bike shop came through with a very successful wireless cycle computer (the Neuro 4.0 from Blackburn). This unit has a 2 GHz wireless interface to both the cadence pickup and the speed sensor and, by golly, it really seems to work. Never missed a beat as far as I could determine. Seems to be a little high on the miles ridden but only about .08 miles out of 14.2. I attribute that to the fact that I had to move the speed sensor to the back wheel and it's more worn that the front (more load back there, ahem!) so it actually is the *slightly* smaller tire of the two at this point in their 2500 mile lives. By quick calculation, I think that the wheel turns about 10,600 times in 14.2 miles and if I re-calibrate it to be just 10mm "smaller" then it should read about 350-400 feet less distance over the ride (that's about .08 miles). Anyway, the toughest 14 miles of the year is now behind me, whew! And I like the new speedometer, although there are some errors in the user's manual and it has a few idiosyncrasies that I think I've figured out. I'll probably write up a more detailed review in the very near future.
Well, as it stands, at the start of the riding season I'm weighing in at 163 lbs. at a height of 70.5 inches. Yes, I know, my "ideal" BMI is really 159 lbs., but I'll get there in the next month or so. This year I plan to figure out a nice highway ride up to Waterloo. It will be a little more than 100 miles (maybe 110 I would guess) but it really can be a pain to ride on several portions of the Cedar Valley bike trail between Cedar Rapids and Waterloo so I want to find a good (and safe) road route. Should be fun and I think I'll probably scout it out on the motorcycle first. With $4/gallon gas in the offing, I'm guessing I'll get quite a bit more miles on that motorcycle this year.
Sounds like a night to sing and smile as I consider my impending retirement (March 28 is my last day of work). On my birthday I plan to have dinner at a Greek restaurant here in Cedar Rapids ... so I guess it'll have to be in honor of the Greek-Norwegian-Irish in me, eh? Well ... don't worry, it will actually be a fairly quiet event.
Later ...
Saturday, March 1, 2008
HDTV Coming to Kenny Lee
Well, I ordered a 40" LCD HD television for the living room. I'm really thinking that Plasma is probably what I want for the basement but I'll wait on that for awhile. Probably best to get about a 50" plasma for downstairs. At any rate this is a Samsung LN-T4081 unit and it has 120Hz refresh rate and new LED technology for the pixel backlighting. Of course it's also 1080p. Should fit nicely on the stand I have up here and I don't see me ever mounting it on the wall (but I can get a wall mount if necessary).
The TV should get here by around March 10. I've really got the living room cleaned up as I've been moving my Gateway PC downstairs and getting all the wires, etc., organized up here. Probably next on the technology list will be an HD player (BluRay) but no big rush to get that done. Meanwhile, I have 19 working days left before I retire, so I'll have to be more budget conscious as I'll be on a fixed income (i.e., need to buy toys now).
I also need to make this upcoming season the "Spring of Throwing Things Out" as I streamline this place ... I'm tired of all the junk that hangs around for years and years and I never use it (ha-ha, bet you've never heard that before).
Later ...
The TV should get here by around March 10. I've really got the living room cleaned up as I've been moving my Gateway PC downstairs and getting all the wires, etc., organized up here. Probably next on the technology list will be an HD player (BluRay) but no big rush to get that done. Meanwhile, I have 19 working days left before I retire, so I'll have to be more budget conscious as I'll be on a fixed income (i.e., need to buy toys now).
I also need to make this upcoming season the "Spring of Throwing Things Out" as I streamline this place ... I'm tired of all the junk that hangs around for years and years and I never use it (ha-ha, bet you've never heard that before).
Later ...
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