Tonight my fellow boardmembers elected me chair of Raleigh’s Parks, Recreation, and Greenway Advisory Board. It’s an honor and a privilege to serve in this capacity. I am indebted to outgoing chair Jimmy Thiem for his leadership and mentoring. He’s a hard act to follow but I’m looking forward to the challenge.
September 2011
When it rains it pours
While the cool downtown Raleigh business chose another person for their IT opportunity things are going very well for me. I’ve got three pending phone/in-person interviews over the next few days and will probably add another one soon, too.
One thing I was told from one of the companies I’ve already spoken with is that there doesn’t seem to be many sales engineers in the Raleigh area. Maybe that accounts for the attention I’ve been getting.
What should the White House do? Panic!
Here’s a CNN op-ed by James Carville. I think he’s on to something.
As I watch the Republican debates, I realize that we are on the brink of a crazy person running our nation. I sit in front of the television and shudder at the thought of one of these creationism-loving, global-warming-denying, immigration-bashing, Social-Security-cutting, clean-air-hating, mortality-fascinated, Wall-Street-protecting Republicans running my country.
The course we are on is not working. The hour is late, and the need is great. Fire. Indict. Fight.
Magic
Magic
Olivia Newton-John
Come take my hand
You should know me
I’ve always been in your mind
You know that I’ll be kind
I’ll be guiding you
Building your dream
Has to start now
There’s no other road to take
You won’t make a mistake
I’ll be guiding you
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Constitutional amendment vs. Facebook
Jason Saine doing the people's work
House Representative Jason Saine (R-Lincoln) decides Facebook is more important as the House Rules Committee “debates” an amendment to the state’s Constitution on Monday.
Blogosphere fame
Out of all the thousands of people at Reynolds Coliseum today I was amused to see Shawn Rocco walking by, a day after the photo he took of me ran in the newspaper. I stopped him and said hello.
“Thanks for the picture, Shawn,” I told him. “That was great.”
No problem, he told me, and asked if it had led to anything yet. I laughed and told him no but I was staying hopeful.
“Hey,” he said. “I didn’t realize you were so big in the blogosphere!”
Well, that makes two of us! I chuckled and shook my head.
I’ve had others tell me that and it’s always news to me. Sure, my blog has a brag page and each of the things on it are most certainly true. My blog is but one of millions, though, and I really only write here because I love to write. It seems some people take it more seriously than I do, or at least consider it more seriously than I do.
And that’s fine. I enjoy sharing my thoughts here. Some of them I may even be proud of. But I do it really for me and if other folks enjoy my blog I consider it a bonus. For those of you who’ve been following along, thanks!
(… and don’t let the others know I’m making this up as I go!)
Obama at N.C. State
Obama visits N.C. State
Well, any doubt I had about enthusiasm for Obama was answered today when Obama spoke in N.C. State’s Reynolds Coliseum. Actually, those doubts were allayed yesterday when I saw thousands of people waiting to get tickets for today’s speech.
I drove to N.C. State’s McKimmon Center around 9:30 and soon ran into my friend Alan Porter and his daughter, Audrey. We rode the shuttle to campus and waited in line together. Audrey was a wonderful companion, talking with me the whole time. I know she and my daughter Hallie would hit it off.
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Cheap thoughts: Dogs and concussions
How is it that dogs can shake themselves vigorously and not give themselves concussions?
Solar pioneers needed
Photo by Gray Watson
I got this email from a organization I signed up for, One Block Off The Grid. It seems Raleigh is only 67 homes short of qualifying for this program of group-purchases of solar panels.
If you’re interested in going solar, sign up at One Block Off The Grid and let’s close the gap!
Hi Mark,
Our national campaign for solar is going strong! So far, 2,198 counties in the U.S. have active group deals on solar available and hundreds of homeowners have received free solar roof evaluations in 40 different states. There are still 943 U.S. counties, though, where the group deal on solar hasn’t tipped yet.
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Job creation reminder at the NCGA
Since I don’t have a job I thought I would head over to the North Carolina General Assembly and remind the bozos in charge that their job is to create jobs. Shawn Rocco of the N&O snapped my picture.
How does this get me a job?
I might not have a job yet but at least my marriage is now safer from teh gays.
Update 9:39 AM Tuesday: My photo ran prominently at the top of page 6A of today’s paper. Maybe I’ll get my question answered, after all!
In all seriousness, I really, really do want the NCGA leadership to explain what this issue has to do with creating jobs. And they were wise not to take public comment yesterday because I would’ve given them an earful. My expression in this photo is one of legitimate frustration.