The Internet is a cool place. I have an upcoming event in which I will be the Master of Ceremonies (MC). This event will be a themed event to help drive the point of the message home.

Today I was researching “how to make a whip,” yes a whip. I only need a prop but it will significantly add to the theme if I am costumed. The event centers around the idea of treasures and heroes, so I have chosen to dress up like Indiana Jones. The costume itself should be relatively easy, except for that bullwhip.

That brings me back to the Internet. A quick search of google takes me right to How the make a duct tape bullwhip.

Today I needed a slight diversion from work. It was one of those days where I realized I was sitting there staring at the computer screen watching the progress bar slowly crawl across the screen. I’ve got five other applications open at the same time and was trying to do what little I could on each. It was not too long before I realized that I was staring at the screen for almost 10 minutes waiting for some application to respond so I could do just a little sliver of work.

Somewhere inside my mind something clicked and said, “Wouldn’t this be a good time for a twenty minute break, if I’m lucky I will have access to my computer by then?” I pulled up the geocaching.com website, found a cache less then 500 feet from my desk and set out.

It took longer than expected to find a tube about 2½” long by ½” diameter. When I went out I had no idea what shape or size I was looking for but it did not take long to deduce that it must be pretty small. Eventually, I figured out to pick up a partial brick, which was quite out of place. The brick had a small hole drilled to exactly the size of the bison tube.

I certainly love caches so well camouflaged because it gives me a mental workout, but on the other had I’m not sure why it takes so long to figure it out. It helped that the cache name was “A Rock of a Different Color.” You certainly can’t give too much more away without handing it to someone.

It’s been quite a while since I’ve picked up my GPS.

Well I pulled it out this last weekend and uncovered 3 caches within easy walking distance from our house. A few years ago there were two within 3 miles of our house.

Look at the map below…

1½ years ago there was one other cache within 20 miles of Big Lake. (circled area is Big Lake, Alaska.)

Now we’re looking at more than 64. You see this brother-in-law! Wohoo! More RV off-roading! (well maybe we can find an older RV again)

In August 2003 is cost me $1.87/day to commute to work.
In August 2004 is cost me $2.20/day to commute to work.
In August 2005 is cost me $2.91/day to commute to work.
In August 2006 is cost me $3.44/day to commute to work.
In August 2007 is cost me $3.14/day to commute to work.
In August 2008 is cost me $4.17/day to commute to work.

Why am I even stating what is so apparent to my readership?

That’s easy because in 1998 I worked a bit closer to home and gas prices were what they had been; hovering around the same number for 20+ years.

In 1998 I spend 43% less time on the road.
In 1998 it cost me $.59/day to commute to work.

59¢ to 417¢ per day. Too bad my pay has not risen by a factor of 7 in the same 10 years.

Finding a life-work balance can be a tough one in today’s culture.

One has to decide whether they live for working or work for living. I clearly know which side of the fence I am standing on but that doesn’t make the day-to-day decisions less stressful.

We sleep for 33% of of each day and typically spend 42%+ (@ work, commuting to/from work or miscellaneous related to work) – that leaves about 25% of a typical workday to eat, spend time with spouse and quality time with kids, watch/read the news, maintain friendships and veg.

Not much time left in our typical day for personal and spiritual reflection.

Today is the second first anniversary to my spouse. It was 1 year ago that we tied the knot again following an arduous few years. The occasion was great and I believe it helped prepare us for the roller coaster that would follow….

Over the last year both of us had major changes in our employment situation. Major financial stresses came our way. We had extended family visits, always enjoyable but always effecting change in the normal routine. We mitigated huge changes in our still-at-home children’s education. We changed churches and left a close circle of dear friends, as we introduced those still-at-home kids to a new circle of friends. We worked at easing the life burden of our not-still-at-home adult child’s life and responsibilities by showing love and compassion through his extremely tough situations. Both myself and my wife went through medical and emotional challenges, and on and on.

I think just about everything that could hit us in the last year has – except a household change – and in the current market that would cost us greater than $50,000.

It’s all pulled us closer together, closer than ever. I wouldn’t change this year for any of the joy it has brought.

All known problems with this blog have been fixed!

I even fixed a few that were lurking undetected. It’s a pain to find the bugs in someone else’s code when you’re not even familiar with the code/logic involved.

My mind can rest.

I have been postponing a software update for this blog for several weeks. I was still recovering from a update earlier this year. I still had that fear that nothing would go right. I am tenacious and will overcome the obstacles, but I’ve got better things to do than work on a challenge I don’t have time for.

This morning I finally bit the bullet and went for it. What a pain! The upgrade proper went OK and without much heartache, except for loss of connection in getting updated files to the site – that took three tries. It was from there that Murphy’s Law took hold and it has been one thing after another. Several hours wasted!

I still have a short list of “mystery” problems that I need to correct. I will try my best not to obsess on these issues and tackle them one at a time over the next few days. There is nothing major but I just didn’t need all this headache. I just want it to work!

It’s for this very reason that I have been trying to move away from a career in anything technologically oriented. Why does newer always mean more complex? I just want it to work! I just want it to work!

It’s been a while since I posted. I did return from Mexico City. I did travel only in “safe” taxi’s and my eating was confined to room service – as recommended to me by my Mexican business associates. The trip was only extended once but it was a nail biter to determine if it would have to be extended further.

My posting today is about something far more philanthropical in nature. Last night I was reading and ran across a web site that I had previously encountered about a year ago when a co-worker pointed it out to me. It has to do with the world of micro-finance.

The web site is www.Kiva.org and their stated purpose is:

We Let You Loan to the Working Poor

Kiva’s mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.

Kiva is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world.

The people you see on Kiva’s site are real individuals in need of funding – not marketing material. When you browse entrepreneurs’ profiles on the site, choose someone to lend to, and then make a loan, you are helping a real person make great strides towards economic independence and improve life for themselves, their family, and their community. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can relend to someone else in need.

You will notice the link on the right sidebar of this blog as indicating that as a family we’ve decided to participate as a lender. The concept appeals to my wanting to give the underdog a break. American’s have much and are responsible for much both at home and in the ever decreasing size of this world.