Wednesday, December 29, 2004

Work Random Pictures

Individuals in the pictures are: Tim, Dana, and Cleo. Cleo is the little one. Pictures were taken on the day of the Christmas party for the kids of Hyperion employees.



Monday, December 27, 2004

Not a "New Year Resolution" list...

Here is a list of items that I consider to be a "life" list. A list of things that I plan to accomplish or desire to accomplish in my life. Some of them are "actionable" at this time, while others are "future" based.

Not a fan of New Year Resolutions... absolutely no reason to wait for a day to arrive to start!

Skills
  • Learn to fly an airplane

  • Learn to ride a motorcycle

  • Learn a martial art

  • Learn to play a guitar


  • Vanity / Health
  • 6 pack abs

  • Great cholesterol levels (either with medicine or ideally without)

  • Run a mile in under 10 min


  • Relationship
  • A relationship that makes me want to scream out loud with love and happiness

  • Spend at least a couple of hours a work doing volunteer work



  • Thursday, December 23, 2004

    Call me "Handyman Tim"

    With a little help from the internet, I have repaired my treadmill. Amazing!!

    The tread roller at the backend of the machine, had a screw pull thru the plastic cover. Therefore the roller was not attached to the machine anymore... a big problem. I attempted a couple of "in house" fixes but the plastic cover just wasn't going to work.

    Jumped on the internet, within 10 minutes had the replacement part order. Delivery took place late last week and the reconstruction of the machine was accomplished successfully last night.

    Wednesday, December 22, 2004

    Tuesday, December 21, 2004

    Wow, is it dark outside

    Today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year.

    I was just sitting at work and felt it was late. Later than normal for me to be at work. I then saw that it was only 5 pm and got back to work.

    An hour later, I realize that today is the shortest day. I guess I noticed that fact without actually realizing it...

    Saturday, December 18, 2004

    Left Handed Presidents

    Had this topic come up the other day. Did you know that the last 4 out of 6 Presidents were left handed?
    Here is the complete list of left handed Presidents:
    • James A. Garfield
    • Herbert Hoover
    • Harry S. Truman
    • Gerald Ford
    • Ronald Reagan
    • George Bush
    • Bill Clinton

    Thursday, December 16, 2004

    Sandy Engle

    Bainbridge Township - Sandra Joann Drake Engle, 57, passed on Thursday, December 16, 2004, at the Hospice at Home, The Meadows, Buchanan.

    A memorial service will be held 2-5 pm Tuesday, Dec. 21st at the Van Buren Country Intermediate School District's Tech Center, 250 South Street, Lawrence, MI 49064.

    A graduate of Central Michigan University, Sandra earned her Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Journalism and Library Science. She retired from the Dowagiac Union Schools were she taught for 28 years. Sandra served as K-6, K-4, 5-8 and 7-8 librarian. As library department chair for seven years, she either led, or co-chaired, the annual community book fair held at Southwestern Michigan College for many years. A Junior Great Books advisor at Central Junior High, she was also a mentor in the at-risk program. Upon retirement, Engle received recognition for being the president of the Dowagiac Education Association for 21 years and 28 years as an association leader in a variety of local, regional, state and national positions.

    Engle was appointed to the Michigan Dept. of Education, Office of Professional Preparation and Certification Library Media Advisory Committee on Standards and Testing for 1997-1999. She also served on the school's district-wide professional development and school improvement committees and wrote publicity articles for the district for many years.

    She was a member of the Michigan Association of Media in Education and the American Library Association. She also served on the Dowagiac United Way Board of Directors for two years and on the LINK Teen Crisis Intervention Center board in St. Joseph for a year. Engle is a past secretary of the Sister Lakes PTO and was active in the Sister Lakes Athletic Association.

    Before beginning teaching, she was a staff writer for the Herald Palladium newspaper, wrote for the Southwest Michigan Tourist Council and was director of public relations for Bronte Champagne and Wine Company.

    Survivors include her husband of 35 years, Bryce; two daughters - Tristan Engle-Maney (Michael) of Wilmington, DE, and Meghan Engle of San Francisco, CA; father Charles William Drake (Barb) of Greenville, OH; stepsisters Shannon Fleak of Delphos, OH and Denise Drake of Las Vegas, NV; and stepbrothers Charles Drake of Pique, OH and John David Drake of Cridesville, OH. Preceding her death was her mother, Eleanor.

    In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the University of Chicago in care of Dr. James Mastrianni, CJD Research Project, 5841 S. Maryland Ave., Chicago, IL 60637, the Hospice at Home, Inc., 4017 Chamberlain, Buchanan, MI 49107, or the Dowagiac Education Association Scholarship Fund, in care of Patricia Nawrocki, 575 Invicta Drive, Niles, MI 49120.

    Sad Day

    Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. --from a headstone in Ireland

    Tuesday, December 14, 2004

    Bill Cosby at the Flint Center.

    Internet Onsale Info
    Onsale to General Public:
    Sat, 11/13/04 12:00 PM

    Internet Presale Info
    Presale:
    Start: Thu, 11/11/04 12:00 PM
    End: Fri, 11/12/04 10:00 PM


    Monday, December 13, 2004

    Current Top 10 Artists on my ipod

    Here is the current top 10 artists based on # of songs played on my ipod. Included is an indicator on whether or not the artist's position has changed since I last reported a top 10.

    1. Van Morrison +0
    2. Bruce Hornsby + 1
    3. Grateful Dead - 1
    4. Ryan Adams +3
    5. Joe Jackson - 1
    6. The Wallflowers - 1
    7. The White Stripes *
    8. Smashing Pumpkins - 2
    9. 10,000 Maniacs *
    10. Jackson Browne *

    * means the artist is appearing in the top 10 for the first time.

    Sunday, December 12, 2004

    Quick Update on Backyard work

    Arriving home from my week in Stamford CT late last night, I was curious if my backyard was done.

    The backyard gate and lighting on the redwood screens are done. The lights look great, nice effect. Will look even better once the vines are in place and growing up the screens.

    The last piece that is needed to be finished is the fountain. It is still sitting in my garage.

    Monday, December 06, 2004

    These Are Days

    Has to be one of my top 10 songs.

    These Are Days by 10,000 Maniacs

    These are
    These are days you'll remember
    Never before and never since, I promise
    Will the whole world be warm as this
    And as you feel it,
    You'll know it's true
    That you you are blessed and lucky
    It's true that you
    Are touched by something
    That will grow and bloom in you

    These are days you'll remember
    When May is rushing over you
    With desire to be part of the miracles
    You see in every hour
    You'll know it's true
    That you are blessed and lucky
    It's true that you are touched
    By something that will grow and bloom in you

    These are days
    These are the days you might fill
    With laughter until you break
    These days you might feel
    A shaft of light
    Make its way across your face
    And when you do
    You'll know how it was meant to be
    See the signs and know their meaning
    You'll know how it was meant to be
    Hear the signs and know they're speaking
    To you, to you


    Fun/Interesting Things for Julian and Joan (The J&J Event Reminder)

    Jerry Seinfeld at the Flint Center.

    Tickets go on sale 12/10. The show is on March 4th.

    Sunday, December 05, 2004

    Quote of the Day

    "We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give."
    -- Sir Winston Churchill

    Saturday, December 04, 2004

    Complete Hornsby 11/24/04 Palace of Fine Arts Show

    Here is the entire Bruce Hornsby show from 11/24/04 at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.

    It will be interesting to see how well my DSL high speed connection does as well as just how many people will download the show.

    Link to the show

    Bruce Hornsby
    Palace of Fine Arts
    San Francisco, Ca.
    11/24/04

    Disc 1
    Classical Snippet*
    How Far Am I From Canaan*
    Night on the Town*
    Lost In The Snow*
    Gonna Be Some Changes Made
    Resting Place
    Big Stick
    Jacob's Ladder>
    I Put a Spell on You
    Mandolin Rain (w/ quote from Row Jimmy Row)

    Disc 2

    Hooray for Tom*
    Fortunate Son*>
    Comfortably Numb>
    Fortunate Son
    The Way It Is(in F#, request was for all black keys)
    Boo Radley
    Spider Fingers(w/ quick Rambler's Hornpipe quote)
    Standard in B flat>
    End of the Innocence
    See The Same Way
    Valley Road (w/ quote of Aerosmith's Rag Doll)

    Disc 3

    Encores:
    King of the Hill>
    First There is a Mountain>
    Mystery Train
    Nobody There(tune he wrote for Willie Nelson)

    *Solo (or started Solo)

    recorded and posted by Art Cube

    Friday, December 03, 2004

    Makes Me Happy

    Sliding 5 feet in my socks on the hardwood floors.

    My Company's New Place

    Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Hyperion moved its headquarters. I am on the fourth floor of the building on the left. The complex used to be the HQ for 3Com before they pulled up and moved to the East coast.

    The thing I like the most is the stairs. Going up and down four flights of stairs on a daily basis at least a few times will help with my overall general fitness.

    My commute time is maybe about 3 minutes faster. The prior building is maybe 1.5 miles from the new place.

    btw: I don't plan to take advantage of the $5000 program to purchase an energy efficent car.


    Thursday, December 02, 2004

    New Car for Tim?

    Here is a new program at Tim's company, Hyperion Solutions...

    Hyperion Solutions Corp. is offering its employees $5,000 toward the purchase of fuel-efficient cars, the business-performance-management software vendor said Monday.
    Under its "Drive clean to drive change" program, Hyperion will reimburse employees $5,000 when they purchase a vehicle that gets 45 miles per gallon of gasoline or better. That standard is achievable by fuel-efficient cars that use hybrid, diesel, and electric motors, the company says.

    Hyperion aims to provide the $5,000 reimbursement to as many as 200 employees per year. Employees who have been with Hyperion for one year or longer are eligible on a first-come, first-served basis. Employees can get the reimbursement for one fuel-efficient vehicle every four years.

    Switching from a car that gets 20 mpg to one that gets 45 mpg can reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by as much as three tons per person per year, Hyperion says. Many scientists suspect that rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is a primary cause of global warming.

    Based in Santa Clara, Calif.--the heart of Silicon Valley, which is notorious for its crowded highways--Hyperion employs approximately 2,500 people in 20 countries

    Backyard Project Update

    Quick update on the backyard project.

    I am guessing it is 1 to 2 days of work still left.

    Grass, lighting, fountain installation, and gate are all that is left. The landscape dudes will be at my place on Friday to try to finish all of these items.

    The backyard is looking great. I can already tell and feel that it will be comfortable and peaceful place to hang out.

    If all goes well, I might have the final pictures on the site on Saturday.