Easy tear shedding to be had over at the NY Times website, where they are collecting people's comments on Barbaro, who sadly passed away yesterday. Call me cheesy, but I cried a little when I heard the news on the radio this morning.
To quote one of the posters:
"Rest in Peace with many fresh carrots Barbaro. "
Whaaa!
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Untapped genious
One of my projects at the moment is creating a birthday card that takes advantage of schmancy analytics to create a personalized message indicating what tests and treatments you may be looking at in the coming year. People like birthday cards, and we like engaging with people about their health. So, win win.
We're working on content that is all very professional sounding, meaning it's pretty blah and safe. For fun, I submitted the following for consideration:
1. Ode to Prevention
Prevention’s a word oft bandied about
But what does it mean, and what happens without?
Some quick, simple tests that your doc can arrange
Will give you some insight on your target range
For cholesterol, lipids, blood pressure and more
Peace of mind is a gift you can’t find in a store!
2. A Seussian Birthday
We hear it’s your birthday!
Hoorah and hooray!
So have you been eating
Five fruits every day?
In the year that is coming
We wish you the best
And want to remind you
Of some treatments and tests
3. Hallmark Tryouts
A flu shot, a Pap test, perhaps a vaccine,
When did you last have your cholesterol screened?
It’s a lot to keep track of
And that’s why we’re here
To help keep you healthy
In each passing year!
Haiku, limericks, and beat poetry available upon request.
I think they'll go with a more traditional approach...
We're working on content that is all very professional sounding, meaning it's pretty blah and safe. For fun, I submitted the following for consideration:
1. Ode to Prevention
Prevention’s a word oft bandied about
But what does it mean, and what happens without?
Some quick, simple tests that your doc can arrange
Will give you some insight on your target range
For cholesterol, lipids, blood pressure and more
Peace of mind is a gift you can’t find in a store!
2. A Seussian Birthday
We hear it’s your birthday!
Hoorah and hooray!
So have you been eating
Five fruits every day?
In the year that is coming
We wish you the best
And want to remind you
Of some treatments and tests
3. Hallmark Tryouts
A flu shot, a Pap test, perhaps a vaccine,
When did you last have your cholesterol screened?
It’s a lot to keep track of
And that’s why we’re here
To help keep you healthy
In each passing year!
Haiku, limericks, and beat poetry available upon request.
I think they'll go with a more traditional approach...
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Social science and running therapy
Yesterday wrapped up one of the more frustrating weeks I've had at work in a long time. Pressure from all sides to give definitive answers on ideas that franky are not developed. Trying to manage projects without the authority to actually manage anything. I was pretty much ready to quit and start up a business selling other people's crap on eBay, or walking dogs (even in this freezing weather).
Perhaps it is connected to the recent pseudo-scientific study revealing this week to be the worst of the 52 in a year, with Monday the 24th standing out as the worst day. How do I know it to be true? It's simple math:
Worst day of the year = 1/8W+(D-d) 3/8xTQ MxNA
The key to the above formula is as follows:
W: Weather
D: Debt
d: Money due in January pay
T: Time since Christmas
Q: Time since failed quit attempt
M: General motivational levels
NA: The need to take action
There are several flaws in the formula, including the assumptions that one celebrates Christmas, one overspends on holiday shopping, and one creates some sort of resolution each New Year. In fact, I would imagine that Christmas actually causes more stress, given all the family obligations. And all that annoying holiday advertising... That said, I think I'd move T to the numerator, counting the time since Xmas as a positive operator.
Others agree with me that there are some flaws to be found here. Reading through some of the comments on the article linked above, there are some gems. My personal favorite: "Rubbish - I was born on this day and I light up everyone's life."
One of the things saving me this week was the simple act of running. Not only did it warm me up as the mercury dropped (and dropped, and dropped again...), but it also just helped to stop my mind from spinning out of control.
I tried to stay outside as much as I could, although yesterday I gave in and hit the indoor treadmill. To make that a little less boring, I started playing with the settings every 1/2 mile or so. Incline change here, speed change there... Definitely made it a bit more interesting. Here's the breakdown, according to my Nike+ thingy:
Perhaps it is connected to the recent pseudo-scientific study revealing this week to be the worst of the 52 in a year, with Monday the 24th standing out as the worst day. How do I know it to be true? It's simple math:
Worst day of the year = 1/8W+(D-d) 3/8xTQ MxNA
The key to the above formula is as follows:
W: Weather
D: Debt
d: Money due in January pay
T: Time since Christmas
Q: Time since failed quit attempt
M: General motivational levels
NA: The need to take action
There are several flaws in the formula, including the assumptions that one celebrates Christmas, one overspends on holiday shopping, and one creates some sort of resolution each New Year. In fact, I would imagine that Christmas actually causes more stress, given all the family obligations. And all that annoying holiday advertising... That said, I think I'd move T to the numerator, counting the time since Xmas as a positive operator.
Others agree with me that there are some flaws to be found here. Reading through some of the comments on the article linked above, there are some gems. My personal favorite: "Rubbish - I was born on this day and I light up everyone's life."
One of the things saving me this week was the simple act of running. Not only did it warm me up as the mercury dropped (and dropped, and dropped again...), but it also just helped to stop my mind from spinning out of control.
I tried to stay outside as much as I could, although yesterday I gave in and hit the indoor treadmill. To make that a little less boring, I started playing with the settings every 1/2 mile or so. Incline change here, speed change there... Definitely made it a bit more interesting. Here's the breakdown, according to my Nike+ thingy:
It's been a pretty good week for miles, and technically I could still add to this week's count if I was so inspired. Sitting here in my pajamas, however, I am not sure that will happen. The miles from last night helped to keep me on top of a little running challenge I'm part of. I post it here because it is shocking to me that I could be in first place. Yes, that is my dorky comment on the right...
I'm in two other challenges at the moment. Participants are from who knows where, and the top four people just blow the rest of us out of the water in terms of miles. While I clock in just over 200 miles, the top folks are closer to 850. How can that be real? Still, I'm happy that I'm closing in on the top 50.
While it's fun running with strangers, I sure wouldn't mind if some folks I actually know would get hooked into this. Or maybe we can create something outside of the Nike+ gadget. A little healthy competition amongst friends? Winner picks the restaurant? Anyone in?
Ending this post is a little piece of news I just got last night. I think I am going to a small house party next Saturday to meet Hillary Clinton. Ah, the benefits of living in Manchester, NH during presidential campaigns. I already had to turn down the opportunity to meet Barack Obama (which I'm still sad about). What should I talk to her about?
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Mid Day History Lesson
I am a trivia collector. Random bits of info enter my head and don't leave. Want to know the names of Rocky's turtles? Just ask. How many ridges are on the edge of a dime? No problem. Sometimes I find myself randomly poking around for information. So I wasn't surprised when I suddenly had the urge to review some of my Manchester trivia. Knowing about the town in which I live is one of my hobbies (habits?) and I generally become a pseudo tour guide for people that come to visit. Whether or not they want this type of tour is not as certain...
That said, I found a few sites of interest. They listed facts I knew (first capital city of New Hampshire was in Exeter, our main street, Elm, is believed to be the only main street in the country ending in two dead-ends), and some I didn't (in 1828, about 400 mill girls walked out of the Dover Cotton Factory enacting the first women's strike in the United States, Levi Hutchins of Concord invented the first alarm clock in 1787).
I do love living New England, where there is a true feeling of where it (it being the America experiment) all began exists.
And Manchester, from a NH standpoint, is important for many things, if nothing else for being the town where General John Stark lived (his house is on Elm Street, sitting there sort of lonely looking). If you don't know him by name, you will know him by a toast he offered (via post) for an anniversary reunion of a Revolutionary War battle:
"Live free or die. Death is not the worst of evils"
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Manchester morning sights
Three things work noting this morning:
1. I saw someone running near my neighborhood. A rare and pleasant sighting!
2. As I approached a stop sign about two blocks from my office, I noticed a fire truck approaching. I held still. As I sat there, a total of seven fire trucks and the firechief's red SUV arrived. Never have I seen so many trucks in one place, outside of the news. All the firefighters ran to a house that didn't appear to be on fire. So, either it was a major drill, or a major false alarm. The firefighters looked pretty disappointed that there was nothing to save.
I wonder if it was just a cat stuck in a tree?
3. Entering work from a back door, I watched as two women stood by a dumpster, smoking. It is maybe 15 degrees out there. The whole scene was pretty ugly. What an unfortunate addiction.
1. I saw someone running near my neighborhood. A rare and pleasant sighting!
2. As I approached a stop sign about two blocks from my office, I noticed a fire truck approaching. I held still. As I sat there, a total of seven fire trucks and the firechief's red SUV arrived. Never have I seen so many trucks in one place, outside of the news. All the firefighters ran to a house that didn't appear to be on fire. So, either it was a major drill, or a major false alarm. The firefighters looked pretty disappointed that there was nothing to save.
I wonder if it was just a cat stuck in a tree?
3. Entering work from a back door, I watched as two women stood by a dumpster, smoking. It is maybe 15 degrees out there. The whole scene was pretty ugly. What an unfortunate addiction.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Much better now
I didn't hit my 6 mile goal, but whatever. I feel much better. It was one of those days that I knew in my soul that I wanted to be anywhere else but the office, but didn't leave. Man, was I in a rotten mood.
Once I hit the pavement I started feeling like me again.
I ran a nice little 4.5 mile loop that I can easily increase to 6 or 8 if I'm feeling a desire to run about a bit more. I like loops. There were a bunch of people out on the route, which surprised me. I am generally the only person I see out running whenever I am in the streets of Manchester. I guess I haven't been running around the right neighborhoods.
It is a cold, clear, and beautiful night out there. I was actually overdressed. I don't have any options for cold weather jackets aside from my soft shell, and that is a toasty little creature. By the end of the run my pockets were stuffed with my gloves and hat. I would have shoved my jacket into my jacket pocket if I could have.
Oh - Lance Armstrong (via Nike+) congratulated me for hitting the 250 mile mark. That was nice of him. He's popped in before to announce my best mile time, which is also kind.
A few minutes after arriving home, I was pleasantly surprised to find out I had screwed up P's work schedule (even though she reminded me of it last night) and she was actually coming home. Things are always better when she's around. For example: I had planned on eating potato chips for dinner, but with her home I was insipred to cook. I didn't cook for her, mind you, but I was a little embarrased to eat cheddar and sour cream chips when she was right there... It was good all around.
We watched the L Word. Again, what a dumb show. There was one kinda sweet moment when Bette gives a soliloquy about her boss (played by an overly plastic surgeoned Cybill Shepard), but that was about it for any sort of genuine dialogue.
I noticed that the lesbian night at The Planet was on Thursdays. That has been my experience in real life - at least in Boston. Is that a universal thing?
Once I hit the pavement I started feeling like me again.
I ran a nice little 4.5 mile loop that I can easily increase to 6 or 8 if I'm feeling a desire to run about a bit more. I like loops. There were a bunch of people out on the route, which surprised me. I am generally the only person I see out running whenever I am in the streets of Manchester. I guess I haven't been running around the right neighborhoods.
It is a cold, clear, and beautiful night out there. I was actually overdressed. I don't have any options for cold weather jackets aside from my soft shell, and that is a toasty little creature. By the end of the run my pockets were stuffed with my gloves and hat. I would have shoved my jacket into my jacket pocket if I could have.
Oh - Lance Armstrong (via Nike+) congratulated me for hitting the 250 mile mark. That was nice of him. He's popped in before to announce my best mile time, which is also kind.
A few minutes after arriving home, I was pleasantly surprised to find out I had screwed up P's work schedule (even though she reminded me of it last night) and she was actually coming home. Things are always better when she's around. For example: I had planned on eating potato chips for dinner, but with her home I was insipred to cook. I didn't cook for her, mind you, but I was a little embarrased to eat cheddar and sour cream chips when she was right there... It was good all around.
We watched the L Word. Again, what a dumb show. There was one kinda sweet moment when Bette gives a soliloquy about her boss (played by an overly plastic surgeoned Cybill Shepard), but that was about it for any sort of genuine dialogue.
I noticed that the lesbian night at The Planet was on Thursdays. That has been my experience in real life - at least in Boston. Is that a universal thing?
How can it only be Tuesday?
This week is molasses. I feel like it should already be next Wednesday...
Our home has dried out at this point, and if I were 10 years younger I might be up for letting the ceiling mess stay for a while. As this stage, though, I think I should be more adult and work on getting it fixed.
The insurance people sent out a claims inspector to check it out, and she estimated the cost at around $200 higher than our deductible. She also let me know that we could potentially lose our "no claims filed" discount of $207 if we went ahead with things. Stinky. So I closed the claim, and we'll find another way to git 'r done. Suffice it to say you may come over for dinner and find there is a hole in the kitchen ceiling...
The claims person was nice. We ended up talking for a while. There is a part of my aura that encourages relative strangers to tell me their personal details, and thus I know that she had gastric bypass surgery in October. And that she still throws up a lot of her food.
Sometimes, I wish I didn't have this part of my aura.
On the bright side, it is nearly 5pm and it's still light outside. I am going to head out running from my office tonight, as it is flatter here than at my home. I am not really in the mood to have the last mile of my run be uphill. I'm feeling ready to nap right about now, but I credit that to the fact that I live in a cube world and have had one too many meetings today. That just doesn't inspire activity. Once I hit the chilly winter air I'll be fine.
Goal is 6 miles. I made a bet with myself that if I didn't run 75 miles in January, I'd give up chocolate for all of February. I'm going to hold myself to it, and can't imagine going all of February without chocolate. Shortest month or not, it's a long time. I thought the half marathon would put me ahead of the game, but it acutally put me behind, given the days I took off before and after. My own naivite got me.
That said, I'm off to layer up and get out there.
Our home has dried out at this point, and if I were 10 years younger I might be up for letting the ceiling mess stay for a while. As this stage, though, I think I should be more adult and work on getting it fixed.
The insurance people sent out a claims inspector to check it out, and she estimated the cost at around $200 higher than our deductible. She also let me know that we could potentially lose our "no claims filed" discount of $207 if we went ahead with things. Stinky. So I closed the claim, and we'll find another way to git 'r done. Suffice it to say you may come over for dinner and find there is a hole in the kitchen ceiling...
The claims person was nice. We ended up talking for a while. There is a part of my aura that encourages relative strangers to tell me their personal details, and thus I know that she had gastric bypass surgery in October. And that she still throws up a lot of her food.
Sometimes, I wish I didn't have this part of my aura.
On the bright side, it is nearly 5pm and it's still light outside. I am going to head out running from my office tonight, as it is flatter here than at my home. I am not really in the mood to have the last mile of my run be uphill. I'm feeling ready to nap right about now, but I credit that to the fact that I live in a cube world and have had one too many meetings today. That just doesn't inspire activity. Once I hit the chilly winter air I'll be fine.
Goal is 6 miles. I made a bet with myself that if I didn't run 75 miles in January, I'd give up chocolate for all of February. I'm going to hold myself to it, and can't imagine going all of February without chocolate. Shortest month or not, it's a long time. I thought the half marathon would put me ahead of the game, but it acutally put me behind, given the days I took off before and after. My own naivite got me.
That said, I'm off to layer up and get out there.
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