Merry Christmas!!

Good gosh where has the time gone? Going to Return of the King, tomorrow with friends. I'll try to post some updates as what's been going on--maybe in a day or three.

Earworms! Fun & Games

This looks interesting...
CNN.com - 'Survival' author: Taking responsibility is key - Oct. 28, 2003

Here's some cool science...

Researchers: Monkeys use mind to move objects

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/science/10/13/monkey.brains.reut/index.html

--Bennie

International Talk like a Pirate Day - Sept. 19th.
http://www.talklikeapirate.com/piratehome.html

Very productive weekend. Completed my drawing table project. Looks beautiful!

Just came across news of an MP3-like, music format that's open source called, Ogg Vorbis. Site: http://www.vorbis.com/index.psp

Cool thing is it's totally free, open source, and the format is recognized on various computer operating systems, the likes of Unix/Linux, Windows, Macintosh, BeOS, and PS2.

Other neat thing is a site called the Kahvi Collective. Site: http://www.kahvi.org/index.html Their mission: "to gather and provide free electronic grooves area of operation: Internet."

I just downloaded a few of their songs and the sound quality is like nothing I've ever heard. (I use Winamp for my mp3 music player. Winamp also recognizes the Ogg Vorbis format, extension ogg.) The two I did listen to seem more in the vein of Finish/Norweigian ambient music, but I'll explore around some more.

Very Euro. I like.

Looks like the popular "blackout" photo of the NE US was a fake, according to an article on Space Weather.com. Here's the brief:
"BLACKOUT? NOT: The now-famous blackout of August 14th really happened, but this is not a picture of it. It's a fake. The image, widely circulated around the Internet, claims to show city lights across the USA and Canada after nightfall on August 14th. The continent appears brightly lit except for a deep black area in the northeast. How do we know it's fake? There are many reasons, mainly genuine images of the blackout reveal that not all cities in the affected area were dark. The blackout simply wasn't as black as this image suggests. Incidentally, there is no such thing as satellite ISAT Geostar 45--the purported source of the photo."

Here's a link to the REAL picture...http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/swpod2003/18aug03a/dmsp.gif

/BB

Back into calisthenics mode. Summer break is over. I’ve shared with the ADS gang I’ll put up a web site soon to display some of my drawings, etc. What-a-meza-saying?

A Transarchitect: an architect, artist, composer, and theorist who employs algorithmic techniques to design actual, virtual and hybrid intelligent environments.

Source: CyberAtlas

This looks cool: Wikipedia: http://wikipedia.com/

Buzz, buzz, buzz. I'm busier than a bee. Productive writing the past several days. Getting back into researching several story ideas based on characters from earlier works I've created. Still thinking my way through various magnetic, electromagnetic, thermal, and gravity theories on creating portals in time and space. My work notes build on each other, lately, so that's a good thing. I may not include a lot of my research into the actual stories--BUT if I can understand the universe I want to create (or write within), the more believable the world will be. Besides, I love doing this anyway!!

Back from the weekend-blitz, Comic-Con 2004 and "7-Habits" class held Monday and Tuesday. Wonderful information.

What a week! Completed all the work I needed to do before taking a few days off. Spent most of the day just hanging around and doing a little cloths shopping. Found some great specials!

I’m making some notes on people I want to meet at the Con, mostly names I’ve come across lately in reading blogs and interviews. Here are a few of the names: Keith Griffen, Jai Nitz, Kelly Sue Deconnick, Peter Rose, and Laurenn McCubbin. Of course I also hope to see ADS’r Anne and Colleen Doran. Got a lot scheduled to do at the Con, but I’m looking forward to having fun!

The Martial Arts of Middle Earth
An Interview with Tony Wolf, Fighting Styles Designer for the Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy
http://swordforum.com/articles/ent/tonywolf.php

Work still piled to be accomplished before I take a few days off this next week. Saw Pirate of the Caribbean, Thursday evening. Awesome movie. Loved Johnny Depp. I’m even considering seeing it again!

Spoke with Sis, earlier today. Poor Guilis is having problems again. I feel for him deeply, but he needs to decide things for himself.

Got a lot of work to do today...I think it's a Loreena McKennitt music day, with the headphones on. In memory of the "Old Ways!"

Another day. Buckling down to do some work. Survey's out the door and the SAGE 950 guide is up next.

I'm all hung up on this User Guide Survey I need to get out the door tomorrow. Gonna wear my kicking boots and drop kick those Qs right out the door, Bam-Yoew, right out the door I tell ya. Next, need to jump back into the SAGE 950 Test Procedures. ...At least I have my CDs to dance to. ;-)

Plans to go see Pirates of the Caribbean, this Thursday with “The Gang.” ....Arhhhhhg, avast!!

Spent a lot of the weekend re-watching the Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring, extended edition Appendixes.

"There are moments in out lives,
there are moments in a day, when
we seem to see beyond the usual.
Such are the moments of our great-
est happiness. Such are the moments
of our greatest wisdom. If one could
but recall his vision by some sort of
sign. It was in this hope that the
arts were invented. Sign-posts on
the way to what may be. Sign-posts
towards greater knowledge."

Robert Henri (1865-1929)
The Art Spirit

Another day and, MAN, the bookcases were the perfect choice. Pat myself on the back. Ugh, now to rearranging the the "Think Tank" room. No, no. this one goes there. That one goes here!

I re-thought the bookcase idea and ended up purchasing some taller, five-shelves, wooden storage shelving and put them together this afternoon. The door I was using for the table, now fits on one shelf on each unit. So now I have double duty book shelves AND my hobby table. Also set up my drawing table at another spot in the room! Looks great.

"To draw a tree, to pay such close attention to every aspect of a tree, is an act of reverence not only toward the tree, and toward the earth itself, but also our human connection to it. This is one of the magical things about drawing—it gives us almost visionary moments of connectedness."
— Alan Lee
from Endicott-Studio.com/biolee.html

Whirlwind week, but a short work week! :-) Just hanging out on a Friday, mostly cleaning and making plans to do a little carpentry work soon. Need to build some book shelves--either modular or hand-made and get my books out of their boxes. Setting up my drawing table soon too. Today, Earth is at Aphelion, its furthest distance from its yearly circuit around the sun. Current distance estimate: 1.017 AU

Getting ready for the last day of presentations. Nervous? Like, yeaha! Do bears live in the woods? Shaa. I'll feel better later...

Monday--really busy prepping for my presentation tomorrow on Documentation Design and Process. Spent some time over the weekend reading through some of artists John Howe and his work, on his site. Also came across an interesting article on an exhibit that includes photographic work of Viggo M. Found the link to the Denmark exhibit, on The One Ring.net.

Had to go into super focus mode yesterday, but I got all my Project Contribution forms filled in. Need to work on finishing up my Self Assessment form today and then hand the "stack" of papers to my manager. (Picture an Arakis Carry-all, dumping tons of paper on to a small, fragile desk somewhere.) Next Monday and Tuesday is getting closer, thus I must remember the litany..."Fear is the mind killer: I will face my fear and let it pass through me." Thanks Frank Herbert wherever you are, out there on some distant world, walking the sands of Dune.

I'm REALLY not looking forward to next week. No, not at all. Performance Assessments and Project Contributions are due by Monday, and we kick off the two day--all day--training program for company managers. My number's up on Tuesday to lead the session on my stuff. Ugh. Back to working from home to get all my project forms back early to the office.

Found out from Eric that I can get some server space from him so I can start my web pages, with a good URL. I may do some web design to break up the routine over the next couple of days. I'm also looking to route my Blog over to the new area, but I need to research a blog app.

Another thought...
I seemed to get a flash of insight about how I view people, more specifically Creative Types...or/and others. I'm only secondarily concerned with what they do in the way of actions and contributions to society. I'm primarily concerned with the person themself: who are they, what motivates them, what affects the inner person? I'm more interested in the creator than their creation.

Sprinklers on the brain. I've wanted to know WHEN the sprinklers at the condo turn on in the AM. (Main reason is to get a handle on when the water comes on in the mornings--and if the system turns on everyday or every-other day.)

Rear system is on 3:43 - 3:58 AM - 15 minutes
Front system is on 4:23 - 4:38 - 15 minutes

...It's like I have nothing better to do, like SLEEP or something. Geshhh.

Long day! Our group went to the Lodi Boys and Girl's Club this afternoon. The main reason for going out there is to ID possible ways we can help out in the community and use some of our skills (and time and assistance) to contribute to the efforts at the club. Very eye opening, seeing kids from ages 6 to in their teens. There's a big need there and I'm considering what I can do, since I have so many talents to share. It's really cool that Vivian headed this up.

Here's a homepage of artist, Hiro Yamagata: http://hiroyamagata.com
Hiro says this about his work... "I am especially focused on the elemental force of light as manifested in the sun."

Good chat with Dr. J (aka Joseph) lastnight. Worked a bit more on my sundial stuff. There's a new word that's changed my perspective on sundial making. The word is Analemma, and www.sundials.org explains analemma as a "figure-eight shape that results if the sun's position in the sky is recorded at the same time of day throughout the year." This stuff is getting deeper!

Took multiple readings of the sun's position this morning and was able to obtain some other readings throughout the day. Watched the remaining parts of Children of Dune. Also spoke earlier with Kevin, my neighbor, on the state of our condo association.

Friday: very busy, but FUN! Went to a picnic at work and later attended the beginnings of a "Toastmasters" meeting to explore if we want to form a chapter at Pac-West. I'm signing up. Got the okay to take some leave in July and I signed up to attend the Comic Con July 19, 20, and 21st. Saturday: This morning I began my new sundial outside, since it's the start of the Summer Solstice. Very nice.

Sneaking in an apple break at work. "Apple a day keeps the ...yadda yadda away." Posted a question to the ADS board asking if anyone's going to the San Diego Comic Con in July. Like sure. Internet "netizens" are so trusting and so open minded. "Sure Ben, lets do the Con thang!" Like, right. Sure. Uh-ha. Back to the Matrix.

Yesterday was a whirl-wind. Is it already Thursday? Somebody STOP ME (trying to imitate Jim Carey's voice in The Mask). Got up early this morning. Something I need to do on the side is do my final Sundial research, since tomorrow (June 20th) is when the sun ends its northerly transition towards the Tropic of Cancer. Saturday begins a new sundial and new markings on my dial as the sun slowly moves (from our perspective) southward. I gotta get busy!

Happy Wednesday to me.
There's a mish-mash of work going on today. Head's in a muddle. Got a really nifty "Star-Slinky" today. What fun. Coffee van stopped by this morning. Nothing like a White Chocolate Mocha to kick the day into overdrive. Outta my way!! This dude's going places.

Long Day. AWS went off well and I spent some of the afternoon recovering. Went home early, since I worked later yesterday, and finished watching the Making of AniMatrix DVD content. Awesome. I'm really mentally exploring getting back into art, drawing, etc. I so miss it and often times feel like a part of me is not alive, simply because I don't outwardly express things in some created form, the way I used to. But there needs to come a time when I step beyond "thinking" and I simply "do." Walk the path. Don't think, but walk.

Rush, rush, rush. Must be on time. Early breakfast with the AWS "Roadie" crew and then hoofed it to work. Made some final sketches of the As We Speak equipment layout and then went back to my desk to finish a few more things. Rush, rush... Just needed to open the windows and overlook the vast landscape of Cyberia for a moment and feel the digital breeze caress my digital residual self. Gotta unplug and get back into the "other world."

Evening. Busy day. Judy's back! We all celebrated by going to Baja Fresh. **Yummy** Attended a phone system class later on and learned heaps of things I never knew my phone could do. Sorry , it still can't boil water. Helped prep for tomorrow's company video conference, with your's truely planned to run camera again. "But I'm a technical writer for peat's sake!*!*!" ...They never listen. Went to a birthday celebration for Allan's wife, Angie. Very sweet. Had a nice time. Published a few responses on A Distant Soil, Colleen Doran's site. Goodnight Cyberia.

G'day. I just decided to begin a new tradition on my birthday. This morning I took a balloon that was tied to my office area wall, and I cut the ballon loose, took it outside, and let it float into the air. Goodbye balloon...may your dreams come true. /BB

Productive day. Cleaned the car. Watched a little bit of MI2 and Contact. "I believe in aliens too!"
My friend, Joseph, called and wished me a happy birthday; and my sister (affectionately known as Sister Bear) even gave me a ringy-ding to wish me a happy birthday too. **Sniff**What's a guy to do with so many caring people?

Happy Birthday to me. It's "still" great to be alive. Here's the first entry to a hopeful long habit of posting things of interest to this site. --Benster