What a great evening

On Sunday, Emiley and I decided that the "What do you want for dinner?", "I don't know, what do you want?", "It doesn't matter" discussion that often led to PB&J had to stop. So, I said I would make sure we had a healthy-ish dinner each night.

Tonight was day 1 and so far so good. We had baked sweet potato, steamed purple cauliflower, and chicken in a red wine sauce with baby bellas, scallions, and cherry tomatoes. Em also had some roasted summer squash (her favorite). Fish and venison kabobs are on the menu for later in the week.

After dinner and a boat load of dishes, K of K&R came over and we did a 15 mile bike ride to help with her sprint tri training. It is Soooo much nicer riding with someone as it makes it go so much faster.

Em got her 50+ sunflowers planted and now it's time to unwind, put some thoughts into words and begin making my list for tomorrow.

It's always helpful to write things down. Each day, I make a list of things that I'd like to accomplish at the office. Unfortunately, with phones ringing, emails, and water cooler banter I usually only get through about half of the daily list.

I'm also finding that it's helpful to write type things here. My mind is full of random thoughts such the aptly named blog Wandering Thoughts. This forum allows me to focus even if just for 10 minutes or 10 lines of text.

So to keep form, here's tomorrow's to-do list (so far)
1. upload photos from helmet fitting event
2. write letter for Capital Coexist
3. dinner options (we're bored with our usuals)
4. meet to discuss public input opportunities
5. do bike/ped notes
6. ride

Isn't Technology Great?

Isn't it great to be connected? We've got Facebook, Twitter, texting (except Kelly and Rob), Blackberry Messenger, email, IMing, and blogs. I don't IM and I haven't advanced to Twitter yet, but the rest are a part of my daily life. My Blackberry is constantly flashing indicating MY Yahoo and Gmail messages along with Capital Coexist emails.

There has been desire interest an inkling to increase our technology use at the office to improve our public outreach and public input opportunities. This is great!. The keynote speaker at the 2010 MPO Conference in Syracuse gave a great presentation on the differences complexities of the different generations. It really kept our interest and rejuvenated many of us with the idea that...CDTC can be doing more. It's going to be an internal fight against the tech-scared and those that are overly comfortable with the status-quo. Better buy stock in Advil because new technology will not happen without a few headaches.

Interestingly enough, these discussions at work and my multi-layer connectedness, have created a HUGE desire for a tech-free weekend (at least). Emiley and I are going away in July to New Hampshire as our final getaway before Baby Purvis arrives. I'm so looking forward to turning off the BB and not really caring about reading what everyone had for breakfast or who's husband/wife did something stupid (again). I'm looking forward to a REAL book with a binding and pages that I can fold and the sunrise/sunset. The only technology I will embrace is my camera which has to be feeling lonely lately as it hasn't been out in public for quite a while.

I've also been talking (a lot) about our January 2011 trip to Hawaii with K&R. We'll have our laptops with us to upload photos periodically because Hawaii can result in 100's of photos per day and I'm not interested in having to *work* when I get home in getting photos uploaded....much rather do it sitting by the pool or at one of the lagoons each afternoon. Kelly agreed to give up FB for the week if Rob would give up cable TV. Personally, I'm taking both challenges (and turning the BB off) for the week on Oahu and I WILL succeed. Bring on the paperbacks and maybe a magazine or two for the 9.5 hr flight. I might even refuse to take the elevator when I'm not pushing the stroller.

Technology is great and it's wonderful to be connected but enough's enough!

Change is good, right?

Having worked in a toll booth through grad school, I have a problem with the way people hand others money that contains both bills and coins. I've seen several different methods:

1. There's the place the coins on the president's face of the bill and then fold the bill over the coins into a little package. Just asking for disaster and then the bill is wrinkled and has to be unfolded.

2. There's the hold the bill on top of the coins and then during the hand off try to slip the coins into the receiver's hands. It is impossible to see the coins and is just asking for them to fall on the ground.

3. There's the hold the bills in your palm and holding the coins with the forefinger and thumb. This usually results in shoving the bills into someone's hand and forcing the coins into the receiver's hand. This results in the receiver having to delicately pull the bill out from under the coins in his hand to count the money.

4. There's the wad everything into a ball in your hand and holding a fist out in front of you. How is anyone supposed to grab something that you are letting go of from fist. Just plain stupid.

5. My preferred method is to give the coins and then the bills in two separate movements. This allows the person receiving the money to count the coins and then accept the bills. The order is important...giving the bills and then the coins often results in having to say "I've got the 11 cents.".

repair it, clean it out, or cut it off

My right knee has been sore for over a week. The MRI last Wednesday produced some amazing images of the internal workings of my knee. The unfortunate thing is I have not idea how to read the images and won't know until I see the Dr again on Thursday.

Something has to be done...the pain is nearing unbearable. Hence, repair it, clean it out, or cut it off. Either way, I have to be fully recovered by the summer so that I am mobile when Emiley and I welcome our first child (September 18th +/-). I can't be on crutches or unable to bend/straighten. I hate to wish time away but can't wait until Thursday to find out what's next.

Welcome

Welcome to my blog. For the longest time, I was against blogging because my experiences were focused around anonymous comments at the end of newspaper articles. If you're going to comment, have the courtesy to provide a name. Lately, I've started following some local blogs and have read several articles about how blogging is influencing how people obtain/share information.

It's like public agencies using Facebook or other social networking sites. Sure, there's some risk of abuse but I think the benefit of reaching more people is worth the risk.

I'm hoping to continue with posts that will share experiences, invoke thought, maybe make us laugh and selfishly promote Capital Coexist, a localized bicycle education campaign