Sláinte!

I’m a Homebrewer.., and I play one on TV

It’s true, I’m a homebrewer. Here’s proof:

• I have an online Homebrew log.
• I’m known on ‘.TV’ as a homebrewer.
• I have a bumper sticker that reads, “I’d Rather Be Homebrewing” (thanks Brian & Deana)
• I know how to measure specific gravity and calculate alcohol by volume (& weight)
• I’d be embarrassed to be seen drinking Budweiser or Miller Beer (sorry Dad), but proudly display my affinity for Guinness and Bridgeport IPA.
• I’ve shown up at parties with Nalgene bottles filled with my creations.
• I have a refrigerator in my garage that is primarily devoted to chilling 5 gal kegs of homebrew.

My Flickr Profile Widget

I actually have posted more than 500 pictures. The number above represents those that I keep available to everyone. Most of my pictures are kept private and shared with friends and family to protect the subjects of my photos who are children.

If your Flickr account isn’t currently listed in my list of contacts and you think it should be, just let me know and I’ll add you.

I’ll get Enough Sleep When I’m Dead

Yeah, that may be true, but maybe I’m getting enough now. According to Steve Pavlina‘s article, “How to Become an Early Riser“, I’m doing okay — I’m not sleep deprived.
Steve writes,

The optimal solution for me has been to combine both approaches. It’s very simple, and many early risers do this without even thinking about it, but it was a mental breakthrough for me nonetheless. The solution was to go to bed when I’m sleepy (and only when I’m sleepy) and get up with an alarm clock at a fixed time (7 days per week). So I always get up at the same time (in my case 5am), but I go to bed at different times every night.

I still kind of doubt that this will help my wife stop worrying about me and the rather large difference in hours of sleep she and I get.

I’ll bet those super-managers about whom I wrote in my last entery are early risers.

Book Review: (wait, I don’t know how to read)

I follow a few business manager’s blogs who fairly frequently post entries reviewing books they recently read. I don’t understand how these guys have the time to work, participate in family activities, research new business/management/productivity ideas, develop these types of ideas themselves, post tons of blog entries, comment on everyone else’s entries, and then have the time (and desire) to read books and write reviews.

Maybe they’re listening to audio books in their car. Maybe they’re blogging on PDA’s while in meetings. Maybe they’re reading Cliff-notes or someone else’s review. Or, maybe they’re not really human – just super-intelligent aliens or robots. Whatever it is, I don’t have it. I wish I could read. I would love to be able to post book reviewing entries and carry conversations about it. I love to talk about books I’ve read. Unfortunately, I haven’t read a book that wasn’t an assignment or part of a book group since leaving the Navy. I’ll just blame it on college burnout.

It’s hot enough, I’ll be unemployed at 5pm, and it’s Friday…

… so, I think I’ll go home during my lunch break and make some Guinness Popsicles (for consumption after work of course).

Yup, today is my last day working at George Fox University who contractually, forbids its employees and undergraduate students to drink alcoholic beverages.

In about a week, I’ll begin my new career at Stockamp and Associates, who recently hired me to be their newest associate in their “Corporate Applications” team. I’ll still be writing code, but now it will be on Windows servers in VB, ASP, and Microsoft SQL. I’m looking forward to the change, but I’ll definitely miss a few elements of the job I loved for almost three years. I often said, “I can’t believe they pay me to do this! I work with awesome people and write php code all day.”

Top 10 things I’ll miss about working at GFU

10. my window seat. (I will be moving into my very own cubicle)
9. Walks to the Cottage for my “giant mocha with whip”
8. noon hoops
7. TV/movie theme song of the day
6. my 10-minute walking commute (0.67 miles)
5. prayer before meetings
4. discussions with the Gentle Philosopher
3. 10+ non-work related phone calls from Brendon and/or Peter
2. walking home for lunch
1. my family at work (including all, but not limited to the people on this page)