Guys who can write

There are some writers I love -- I'll read anything they throw out there. One is Malcolm Gladwell. Check out his New Yorker article, In the Air, that deals with innovation, inventions, and the idea of multiples. Gladwell's articles always take some time to read, but they're always worth the effort.

Another guy is Chuck Klosterman. Check out his latest article for ESPN The Magazine on the Shaq - Kobe feud, This Just In. Klosterman's always got an interesting take on sports-related issues.

Taking technology for granted

One of the things I'm starting to take for granted is my cell phone. My wife had gallbladder surgery today, and I'm happy to report that everything went well. As I mentioned in a previous post, I didn't make it to Pierre to be with her. But throughout the day today, I was getting text messages from Ashlie with updates, complete with pictures. I got a picture of the gallstones they removed (yuck!), the flowers Sayra got, and even a lovely picture of my better half as she's recovering in her hospital room. All courtesy of a cell phone with a camera on it. (And a teenager that knows how to run it.)

And I spent most of the day in a meeting, away from my desk and my computer. So the fact that I've got this thing hooked to my belt, with me almost 24 X 7, is great too.

Wasn't it just like 10 years ago these things were the size of a brick, and about as heavy?

The Mallets of Invention

So, what does a fella like me do when he's got more time on his hands than he's used to? He spends his time bouncing around YouTube checking out Frank Zappa-related videos. Like this beauty, called The Mallets of Invention, which talks about how Ruth Underwood, a classically-trained percussionist, joined the Mothers back in the late 60's. I think it demonstrates the true genius of Zappa -- the way he tailored music to people in the band. It also points to the fact that he was a total music geek, the way he looked to "electrify" different percussion instruments.

Approved for adoption!

Got word from our adoption agency today that everything is in order for our dossier, and we're officially on the list waiting for a child (or children). Also got the letter from the CIS giving us the green light. So it's time to sit back and wait! According to the specialist from the agency, average wait time for an infant from Ethiopia is 7 - 9 months, and since we're open to toddlers, it should be less than that. Woohoo!

Offsetting the good news is the fact that Sayra has her gallbladder removed in Pierre tomorrow morning, and I won't be there with her. I'm not entirely comfortable with that, but it's just too far to travel for what should be a straightforward procedure.

There's gotta be an easier way to get from point A to point B. Someone get on that.

First post!

Why a blog, you may ask? Seems like there's been stuff I want to put on my Facebook page, but no good place to put it. So I'm dumping it here.

Not exactly divine inspiration, I know.