Survived Another One
Ha! 33 couldn’t hold me down, and I advance to 34.
July 14, 2008
February 10, 2008
Christmas 2007
Elizabeth and I headed to the comfortable environs of Niwot, Colorado for our winter vacation, from December 23, 2007 through January 1, 2008. At the home of her parents, we celebrated Christmas and New Years. It was fun to be part of their Christmas traditions. Since there were so many (adult-aged) people around for the gift-opening, it took nearly all day! Quite a celebration. Attendees included Elizabeth and me, her parents Janice and Richard, her aunt Mary Frances, her brother Chris and his girlfriend Amy, her brother Greg and his wife Nicole, and her brother Andrew.
There were many other activities while we were there. Of course, most vacation days are orientated around meals, and there always seemed to be something tasty. We made use of the Longmont health club, to try to work off the ridiculous amount of food. I used cross-country skis for the first time, and there were occasions that I could almost imagine that could possibly be a very efficient form of transportation. We enjoyed a couple of cups of coffee at the Winot Coffee Company. We visited Elizabeth's brother Greg and his wife Nicole, in his new auto repair business. The mellower evenings involved watching the Season 2 DVD's of The Office and reading Alan Greenspan's autobiography.
December 30 was our second anniversary! (See wedding pictures here, and here for our first anniversary.) We celebrated with a lavish dinner at the Greenbriar Inn, a lovely restaurant near the mountains. Interestingly, one of the highlights of the meal was the cheese plate with dessert... Lots of delicious choices.
September 09, 2007
Sillickfest 2007 and Autumn Adventures
Belatedly, I've attached some pictures from the August Sillickfest adventure. This was another fun week in upstate New York, at the refurbished Standing Pines camp (near Inlet).
I've enjoyed each of my trips up there. This time around, some of the activities involved getting used to the new setup. Elizabeth forced me to swim around the island three times (each on different days), but that was a record for me. The water was cool and clear. The 2006 trip is documented here, while 2005 (an important trip!) and 2003 are also available in the archives.
I've also attached a couple of pictures from a hike with some co-workers up Mount Baldy (August 11, immediately after returning fit-and-trim from New York). We took the Ski Hut trail, and descended straight down the bowl. It was a moderately difficult hike, and it was pleasant to be down off the mountain before dark.
July 30, 2007
Infantry In Battle
I just finished reading through George C. Marshall's Infantry In Battle, a "lessons learned" document from World War I. (I stumbled across a reference to it from an old co-worker's blog.)
It contained a number of case studies from the Great War, used to illustrate a number of infantry concepts (obscurity, simplicity, terrain, time/space, mobility, surprise, orders, command/communication, fire/movement, artillery, etc). The case studies are morbidly fascinating... In each example, anywhere between tens to thousands of men slogged it out in the fields of Europe, often loosing their lives due to bad information, shaky leadership, or sheer chance. There have been a number of movies that depict the trench warfare of WWI (dark skies, muddy trenches, another wave of men getting cut down by in a hopeless charge at machine guns), and this is a good complement to understand why those things were happening (on a tactical level).
It follows, then, that the leader who would become a competent tactician must first close his mind to the alluring formulae that well-meaning people offer in the name of victory. To master his difficult art he must learn to cut to the heart of a situation, recognize its decisive elements and base his course of action on these. The ability to do this is not God-given, nor can it be acquired overnight; it is a process of years. He must realize that training in solving problems of all types, long practice in making clear, unequivocal decisions, the habit of concentrating on the question at hand, and an elasticity of mind, are indispensable requisites for the successful practice of the art of war.
July 15, 2007
Summer trip to Indiana
 | With some scenes very similar to 31st Birthday, Elizabeth and I spent a very pleasant week with my family in Indiana. We celebrated the Fourth Of July, my birthday (several times), and, well, we celebrated anything that we could think of. |
July 14, 2007
Birthday Again
May 28, 2007
PCH on Memorial Day
Elizabeth and I did a pleasant drive on this Memorial Day, along the Pacific coast and through the Malibu hills. We've done this drive many times before, and it is always a pleasant one.
May 01, 2007
2007 Festival Of Books
Elizabeth and I spent several hours on a pleasant Sunday wandering around the LA Times Festival Of Books, held on the campus of UCLA. Los Angeles is moving towards "June Gloom" weather, with the marine layer burning off in the late morning and sliding back in the early evening, but it was clear and sunny when we were out. We walked around Royce Hall, observing the people at the Festival as much as exhibitors in their tents.
April 29, 2007
Wedding Flickrshow
I ran across a nice little javascript library/service called Flickrshow, which allows a publicly-available Flickr photoset to shown as a slideshow on your own webpage. I've made one up for some of our wedding pictures (after the break).
April 15, 2007
Easter Dinner 2007
As in the past, Elizabeth and I spent a pleasant (three day) Easter weekend in Los Angeles. Although there were some tax-related activities, we also spent time walking around the neighborhood, watching movies, playing at the beach, and eating food. (Pictures attached.)
February 18, 2007
Getty Villa
 | Elizabeth and I hadn't visited the Getty Villa here in Los Angeles since it had reopened, so it was about time. Actually, I had wanted to go last month, but I hadn't realized that one needs tickets in advance. (The tickets are free, but it took about a month before we could get a weekend time.) |
The Villa is set up like an archaeological dig, with patrons entering from the top of the canyon above the main museum. I imagine that this was due to the limits of the plot of land: The villa is situated in a fairly small canyon. The architecture, as with the Getty Center, is almost more interesting than the exhibits themselves. That said, I enjoy statues, and the Greek and Roman period, so it was a very pleasant afternoon. Pictures attached below.
January 10, 2007
Winter Break 2006-2007
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Every year, we usually have some significant vacation time between Christmas and New Years. (See 2003-2004, 2004-2005, and of course, last year's wedding between 2005-2006.) This year, Elizabeth and I went to visit the Borlik side, in Indiana. (We spent time with her family in Colorado over Thanksgiving, and anticipate switching next year.) |
October 30, 2006
San Simeon Kayaking
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Over the Labor Day weekend, Elizabeth and I drove up through the central coast of California. (Yes, I am almost two months late in posting these pictures.) We stayed some in San Simeon, famous for the Hearst Castle. It was peaceful and relaxing; a welcome change of pace. |
October 29, 2006
Dawkins At Caltech
Richard Dawkins, a well-known author and evolutionary biologist, gave a lecture at Caltech this Saturday, sponsored by the Skeptics society. We were fortunate to attend, thanks to a co-worker who is a Caltech graduate.
The Beckman Auditorium (on Caltech's campus) was sold out, and there were lines of people waiting to get it. The auditorium seats 1150, and we got seats in the back of the first level. There was a surprising (to me) number of senior citizens, considering that Caltech contains many young students. (Other people in my group, based on their experience with other extra-curricular lectures on campus, pointed out that older members of the nearby community are the most likely to attend these types of things.) It was definitely a friendly crowd for Dawkins, and they erupted into cheers and applause at several of his statements. There were relatively few nutcases. The afternoon began with the president of the Skeptics society advertising their email list, lecture series, and upcoming geology tour in southern California and Nevada ("Evolution: The fossils say 'Yes!'").
Bathroom, Part 3: Days 6 through 10
Well, much progress was made last week on the bathroom but there is still a lot to do. A history and some pictures below.
October 22, 2006
Bathroom, Part 2: Days 4 and 5
The saga of the bathroom reconstruction continues. I've attached some pictures from Thursday and Friday night.
September 04, 2006
August Vacation
Our summer vacation had been pushed to August, rather than the usual July, because of scheduling conflicts. But it was a great two weeks of frolicking with both families.
The first portion of the trip was to the Adirondacks in upstate New York, for the annual Sillickfest. I've been there twice before, in 2003 (see blog entries here, here, here, and here) and, most notably, last year, where Elizabeth and I were engaged. The second part was in Boston, hosted by our friend Marcy. The third part was in the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee, with my family. (Pictures and story below.)
August 20, 2006
Passed Her Quals
Congratulations to Elizabeth, who passed her qualifying exam! Now, she can read this comic strip and laugh in recognition.
July 11, 2006
Time To Bust A Lime
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This may be the only time that we will make Key Lime pie with fresh limes. Tasty, but a lot of work. |
June 22, 2006
Our Wedding
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There have been many huge events over the past couple of months, and nothing has been posted to this blog. It is a crying shame, of course, but now that school is complete (more on that later!), perhaps I can fill in some of the gaps. The biggest gap on this blog, of course, is the story of the successful start to my marriage to Elizabeth. The wedding ceremony was held on Maui, Hawaii, on December 30, 2005. Before then, we had about a week on the island with our families, and after the ceremony, Elizabeth and I took our honeymoon on the island of Kauai. |
November 07, 2005
Announcement In South Bend
The South Bend Tribune ran the engagement announcement on Sunday:
August 27, 2005
Engagement
I asked and she said yes. Elizabeth has consented to marry me.
July 05, 2005
Indiana Summer
 | Over the Fourth of July weekend, Elizabeth and I traveled to Granger, Indiana, to spend time with my family. It was a pleasant and relaxing weekend, as the weather in Indiana was comfortable and sunny. We didn't really have to drive anywhere, but rather spent the time enjoying the green backyard and chatting with my parents. |
June 05, 2005
Catalina Adventure
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During the long Memorial Day weekend, Elizabeth and I journeyed to Santa Catalina Island, which is about twenty miles off of the shores of Long Beach. We spent the time wandering through the streets of Avalon, boating in the harbor, touring the interior of the island, and looking at fishes. |
May 11, 2005
San Diego Weekend
 | A couple of weeks ago, my parents visited the lovely southern California town of San Diego. Elizabeth and I joined them, and we had an excellent time. On Friday, we drove through Mission Beach up to La Jolla (pictures below). On Saturday, we had breakfast in Old Town San Diego and toured the amazing San Diego Zoo. On Sunday, we had a brunch on Coronado Island (which is not really an island at all). |
April 10, 2005
Parker Mesa Overlook
One of my favorite hikes near Los Angeles is the "back" way to Parker Mesa Overlook, part of Topanga State Park. (The venerable guide Afoot and Afield in Los Angeles refers to it as "Topanga Overlook", but I'll go with the trail markings.) Today was perfect for a hike, with cool ocean breezes, a sunny clear sky, and green hillsides (from the winter rains). So, I strapped on my backback (dusty, and unfortunately not necessarily mountain dust) and headed on a little walk.
March 28, 2005
Work Projects At Home
So what is the boundary between work projects and home projects? This past weekend (and tonight), I’ve been working on a piece of C++ code that will be used to do some specialized data lookups / interpolation at work. Why in the world should I be doing this, when there are other personal projects that I could be doing? (These questions sound like they might be rhetorical devices, and I’d use it as a point to jump into some philosophical allocution that emphasizes the virtue of work. While I certainly think that work is virtuous, there are lots of ways of being productive, and I am honestly trying to figure out if I should do things like this.)
March 27, 2005
Easter Weekend
It seems appropriate to celebrate the springtime, as the fertile earth
brings forth a new growth. Elizabeth and I enjoyed a warm and sunny LA
weekend by walking through our neighborhood, driving on Pacific Coast
Highway, and cooking a delicious dinner. Yes, there are more food
pictures attached.
March 06, 2005
Weekend Fix-Its
There were three things that needed fixing this weekend. Hopefully, all of the tasks were accomplished.
First, I needed to replace the fluorescent light in my office. I had tried replacing the bulbs, but that didn’t work (and the new bulbs worked in a different fixture). So, I decided to replace the ballast and the lapholders. The ballast was fairly inexpensive, and the trick was just to match the same voltage and power settings as the previous. The installation had a couple of hiccups: The wires from the new ballast were shorter than the old ballast, so I had to use pieces from the old wires to reach all of the way to the lapholders. I set the wires up so that I do not have to replace the lampholders if I replace the ballast. Also, I accidentally mis-connected one of the lapholders, so the light would not start at first. After talking with my dad, and double-checking the connections, the problem was solved. I am now bathed in the cool bright light.
Second, my stupid heavy laptop stopped booting. This was a major problem, as there was some critical data on that machine. Interestingly enough, Sony’s support page does not even recognize that my laptop (a Sony Vaio PCG-GRT150 according to the box) exists. I did find some very helpful advise on the Hardware Analysis Forum which seems to indicate that there are thermal issues in the RAM chip bay. After following some of the directions in the post, and leaving the RAM access panel open (for improved heat flow), it seems to work okay. Backups were made. I plan on implementing some sort of network folder redirection, as discussed here and here, to avoid the fear of lost information.
Third, MovableType and MT-Blacklist seems to handle comment spam fairly well, especially in the newer versions, due to the comment moderation feature. However, an increased number of bastards are starting to use Trackback as a mechanism for spamming sites, and that gets put onto the blog immediately. No good. I’ve installed jayseae’s MT-Moderate, which will hopefully take care of some of this problem.
February 21, 2005
Palm Springs
 | In the tradition of other long weekends, Elizabeth and I drove to Palm Springs, over the President's Day weekend. It was a special opportunity to relax after midterms, and celebrate the ending of Elizabeth's chemo treatment. Although there was some rain, we had an excellent time lounging at the beautiful resort hotel, looking around the town, and exploring the nearby Joshua Tree National Park. |
January 08, 2005
Winter Break 2004-2005
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I've continued the virtuous tradition of spending a week or two with my parents (and extended family) in Indiana, over the Christmas season. It is always a good time, and an excellent opportunity to rest, relax, and prepare for the coming year. |
I've attached some photographs from the trip below.
December 11, 2004
Christmas Wish List 2004
It is that time of year again: My family and I exchange wish lists, to aid in our gift searches. I've attached my list to this entry. Also, please see last year's list for reference.
September 23, 2004
Oregon Visit
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Over the long Labor Day weekend, Elizabeth and I were the well-treated guests of Mary Sillick (Elizabeth's aunt), in Eugene, Oregon. It was a relaxing trip, with visits around the University of Oregon and Eugene, the local pools, and Mary's comfortable backyard. The highlight of the trip was an overnight camping trip to Lake Waldo, about 60 miles southeast of Eugene. I've attached some pictures from that trip. |
July 14, 2004
Birthday
Let's just say that I am 0x1E years old today (hexadecimal), or 036 (octal). 11110 (binary) years just looks silly. Or (switching back to base-10), I am 10957 days. Or 946,707,779 seconds (at least, I was at 11:20am CST). The big one billion (seconds) is coming up in about a year and a half. That's a lot of candles.
Last year, I said that I would like to do interesting work, learn good stuff in the MBA program, continue to improve my relationships, travel more, improve my house, play my saxophone more, write more, and stay ambitious. I can safely say that I have done interesting work this past year (especially on the Long Range Strike Aircraft and VAATE programs, as well as NexSys work). And the FEMBA program has been very good. I have greatly enjoyed being back in the academic world, and I think that I have learned a lot about being successful in the business world. My relationship with Elizabeth has grown and flourished over the past year, and I can point to that as a success. Unfortunately, my traveling hasn't been as wide-ranged as I would like, nor have I really written or played music as much as I should have.
As my twenties end and my thirties begin, what can I say? I sometimes feel like I've always had the mindset of a thirty-year-old anyway, even as a teenager. Today is a day like any other, and if there are transitions in life or in my character, they tend to happen so slowly that I don't notice them. The past 30 years have been really good, and I have every reason to believe that the next 30 will be as good or better.
The summer intern that I am working with this summer was surprised that I am so happy and smiling on my thirtieth birthday. Why shouldn't I be? I am working towards a good life, doing things that I love.
June 06, 2004
Camp Pendleton Mud Run
Several of my co-workers and I decided to run in the Camp Pendleton Mud Run. The mud run is a grueling ten kilometers of hills, dust, water, and mud, on the US Marine base near San Diego. Individuals can race too, but we chose to run as team of five, and thus had to cross the finish line together. Proceeds from the race benefitted the Marine Corp and Navy.
San Simeon Mini-Vacation
| Both Elizabeth and I had Memorial Day (May 31) as a vacation day. What better way of honoring the patriots that secured our freedom than to enjoy that freedom, with a couple of days in the sun? The drive up the central California coast was beautiful, and it was good to get out of the hustle of the big city (or would the term "wide" city be more appropriate for Los Angeles?) and into the relatively quiet countryside. |
April 29, 2004
Elizabeth Swim Competition
Elizabeth participated in a swim meet on April 18, at Loyola Marymount college . She swam in the 100, 200, and 500 freestyle events, and took home ribbons in each. (She got 2nd, 1st, and 3rd, respectively, in her age group. Nice job!)
I played a critical role, by being her official lap counter.
March 07, 2004
Getty Center
 | It was a warm and sunny day today in Los Angeles, with temperatures in the 80's and a cloudless sky. (I suppose that it isn't a very unusual occurrence, as weather reports show.) We decided to enjoy the day by spending some time at the Getty Museum, which overlooks west LA. The Museum has beautiful architecture and gardens, as well as interesting artwork. I took some pictures, for your enjoyment. |
February 15, 2004
Valentine's Day Dinner
Elizabeth and I have been dating for eleven months, which is definately worth celebrating (especially since it was Valentine's Day yesterday). We had originally planned for a weekend in Palm Springs, but I couldn't get a hotel reservation anywhere. We decided to make dinner together instead. Continue reading "Valentine's Day Dinner" »
February 08, 2004
Linebacker Lounge
Sooner or later, everyone ends up at the 'Backer.
January 17, 2004
Winter Vacation 2003-2004
I always have several weeks off at the end of the year, as my division of Honeywell gives a paid vacation between Christmas and New Years. (This is an aerospace industry tradition, I believe.) This gives me some time to return to the land of my fathers, my birthplace, my motherland: Granger, Indiana. The sights are familiar, and the warmth of my family more than makes up for the coldness of the weather.
We had several celebrations over the course of the stay, so I had the chance to see many of my extended family. My dad's siblings and their families joined us for Christmas Eve dinner, we went to my grandfather's house for Christmas day, and we hosted three other parties (a reunion with my mom's cousins and families, New Year's Eve, and my dad's birthday). This, as well as the holiday preparations (including gift buying and other preparations), kept everyone busy. The time went by too fast, but these pictures document its passing.
December 24, 2003
My Christmas Tree
While I was attending grad school (at the University of Texas in Austin), I purchased a little Christmas tree, to decorate my spartan apartment. I've continued to put the little tree up each year, since moving to Los Angeles (about five years ago). Now that my townhouse is bigger and less spartan, it might be time to get a bigger tree. I've attached some pictures of this year's assembly, as well as of my lovely assistant.
Thanksgiving in Colorado
I had the fortune of spending the Thanksgiving holiday with my girlfriend's family, in Colorado. The food was plentiful, and the trip was quite pleasant. I've attached a couple of pictures from the trip.
December 07, 2003
Christmas Wish List 2003
My family and I have gift exchanges on Christmas. I've attached my wish list on this blog, to make it easier to transmit. Please note that this only covers a small part of what I want... Unfortunately, the stuff that I need most (time, inspiration, improved cognative function) are not acceptable candidates for gifts.
I have to apologize for the shortness of the list. I will attempt to add more to it, especially when I dig up my reading list.
November 16, 2003
Elizabeth Birthday Dinner
 | On November 2, my girlfriend Elizabeth became 30 years old. As I am a much much younger man (29.5 or so), I really don't understand what it is like to have the wisdom that comes with such an age. Still, such an occasion should be embraced and enjoyed, and we invited a number of friends to my place for a little dinner party. Elizabeth and I made lasagna for our guests, and they brought side-dishes. About ten friends were able to make it out on a Sunday night, and it was an enjoyable time. |
October 26, 2003
Vegas Reunion
 | During my senior year of Notre Dame, I lived in a six-man in Grace Hall. My roommates have proven to be excellent friends over the years. (Four of us live out here in Los Angeles.) We were all there last year when Sasena got married, and the experience was so pleasant that we all managed to get together this year in Los Vegas. The 2003 Grace Hall 911 reunion was held at the Vegas Hilton, on October 10-12. |
October 18, 2003
Laura's Wedding
 | On 2003 September 27, my first cousin, Laura Borlik, married Mark Sniadecki. The ceremony took place at Saint Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Church, in New Carlisle, Indiana. Elizabeth and I made the trip from Los Angeles, to ensure that Laura was safely wed. I only have two first cousins (Laura and her brother Mike), so these kinds of events are important. |
September 07, 2003
Family Visit
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NEW PHOTOS ADDED Several weeks ago, my parents and sister came out to visit me in Los Angeles. My dad helped me fix my plumbing problems and sundry other repair tasks, which included making an 11pm run to Home Depot. We did more than just fix my household problems, though: We went to Huntington Gardens near Pasadena, visited the Santa Monica beach, and ate at several good restaurants. |