Musings

General-purpose musings

There are 780 posts filed in Musings (this is page 12 of 78).

Still feeling the pain

Yesterday I had a talk with a business owner friend of mine about how I might help him out. He and I have known each other for over ten years and I’ve done work for him in the past. He should have been the ultimate friendly audience for me to explain where I’m at right now. Even so, I could hear the stress in my voice when I explained my skills and expertise. Losing my job still stings.

I dropped my daughter off at a friend’s house for the afternoon on Tuesday. Her friend’s mom asked if I was working from home that day. Not wanting to go into the messy details, I told her I had the day off. Which I suppose is technically true. My guilt in losing my job overrules my guilt in fibbing about it. Either way, it sucks.

I suppose the pain shows that I really cared about that job. Certainly I tried hard to make it work. And yet, in looking back those last several weeks were not good for my health.

I’m ready for my next chapter to begin. I just hope I can soon put the last one behind me for good.

Workout or job?

On my walk to pick Travis up from school I passed the neighborhood mailman. Wondering what he might think of the frigid weather, I stopped to ask.

“You work outside a lot, right?”

He nodded.

“Which do you prefer: blazing hot or freezing cold?”

Without hesitation he answered, “blazing hot.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he said. “When it’s blazing hot I can carry extra water and it feels like a workout. When it’s freezing cold, well … that’s when it feels like a job!”

Target and data breaches

Target_logo

As you are most probably aware, the Target department store suffered a data breach which exposed 110 million of its customers’ credit cards to hackers. It’s not news that these commerce juggernauts are targeted (pardon the pun) by thieves, but what is news is that you heard about it.

Companies get hacked every day. Most handle their data breaches quietly, afraid that the news of the breach would hurt their company’s reputation. Target has been refreshingly upfront about its data breach, with a full-page message from Target’s CEO running in today’s paper. This is outstanding public relations. Being a bit of a network security wonk and an observer of public relations, I applaud how Target has taken ownership of this problem. What’s more, I hope other affected companies will follow Target’s lead and be more willing to own up to their security breaches.

We can’t pretend that hacking doesn’t take place; we all know security-through-obscurity doesn’t work. A better approach would be to acknowledge the scope of the problem and to collaborate on ways to strengthen the tools we all use to keep our networks secure.

Lonely times

It can be lonely times when one is between jobs. I don’t exactly feel like anyone’s hero right now. It can be challenging to keep my spirits up while focusing on next steps. In-between states like this always make me very uncomfortable.

Then again, the situation I just exited wasn’t a lot of fun, either. If there’s a silver lining to having choices, it’s that I have a say in the future.

Five tips to a fast checkout at Costco

Coasting through Costco's checkout

Coasting through Costco’s checkout


I’m often asked by no one in particular (well, I mean no one, in particular), “Mark, how does one pick the fastest line at Costco?” Today’s your lucky day, MT.Net readers, as I’m going to let you in on the secret.

1. Scan the competition. Approaching the checkout area, you’re notice that everyone’s looking around in a daze, waiting for something or someone to say “hey, this line!” Don’t be like them! Step number one is to act quickly. Upon reading this, savvy reader and shopper, you will confidently stroll up to the right line every time. Take advantage of the daze and confusion by being sharp and focused!
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Just Say No to D.A.R.E.?

Whatever you do, don’t think of purple elephants on pogo sticks.

I mean it.

Don’t.

Just Say No.

Did it work? Are you blissfully unaware of purple elephants on pogo sticks? I’m guessing not. Chances are, you weren’t thinking at all of purple elephants on pogo sticks until I told you not to think about them.

I believe it’s the same with kids and drugs. I believe kids would rather do a gazillion other things before drugs, yet there is a program called D.A.R.E. which goes into schools and attempts to educate kids about drugs.

While I applaud the intention of the program and I know the many fine police officers who participate in D.A.R.E. truly care about the kids, I’m unsure that D.A.R.E. is the right approach. Numerous academic studies have shown that D.A.R.E. has had a negligible impact on teen drug use. Negligible. In some cases, D.A.R.E. may have actually increased drug use. Millions and millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent on this program and the results are dismal.
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Oakwood North progressing

The Oakwood North subdivision is progressing nicely, though the schedule is quite aggressive. The first two homes are due to be built by February, which doesn’t leave a lot of time. Crews have cleared and graded the property and septic lines have been installed. The cut-through has been cleared and work has now begun to connect the Edmund Street end to State Street. A crew was working yesterday on a wall on the back of the second lot. I assume this is part of the temporary retaining pond but it could be a drop in elevation (the tree protection area is right behind it).

A huge pile of tree debris remains on the property. I heard the tree stump grinder, a huge machine, was busy working on the pile when the cutter surface shattered, sending metal shards flying. The contractor has been working to repair this machine, causing a many-day delay in removing the debris.

This week, KB Home put up its sign at the edge of the property, announcing the subdivision. Strangely, the sign is angled towards Edmund Street rather than State Street, where it would gain more visibility.
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No, dogs are NOT people

This is not a person

This is not a person


At a dog adoption event last weekend, the governor’s wife, Ann McCrory, explained her philosophy about training dogs. She said “consistency is key.”

“It’s no different from raising children,” she said, “making sure they eat properly and don’t go into the kitchen like my husband and take chocolate chip cookies by the handful.”

Now, I have a lot of sympathy for Mrs. McCrory; it can’t be easy being an introvert in such a high-profile position not of your choosing. I also know this might have made sense in its particular context. Yet with all due respect for Mrs. McCrory, she has no experience with raising children and has no real idea what she’s talking about.

Back during a May public hearing on Raleigh’s dogs-in-parks problem, one speaker ended her statement with this gem. Whatever points she had just made in her statement flew completely out of my mind:

“Remember, all dogs are people in innocent little fur coats.”

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Iran and America

Looks like Iranian hardliners are organizing protests against the United States again. I found this quote particularly telling:

“Fighting the global arrogance and hostile policies of America is the symbol of our national solidarity,” said Saeed Jalili, who lost to Rouhani in June’s election and later was replaced as the country’s top nuclear negotiator.

See that? Iran is driven by its hatred of America (or at least that’s what its hardliners would have us believe). America, on the other hand, couldn’t give a shit about Iran. The last protests we had against Iran were 30 years ago before the Iranian hostages were freed. We’ve moved on. Iran apparently hasn’t.

Kinda sad, isn’t it?

Kelly and What’s His Name

Kelly-Neuse_River_Greenway-20131103
File this under ‘sappy.’

My family and I went to a campaign fundraiser earlier this fall. Mingling with the guests, I met a man who, after introducing himself, sheepishly mentioned that he’s the husband of a woman known for her amazing volunteer work. He laughed and said he didn’t mind at all being known as the husband of Mrs. So-and-so. There was pride in that statement.

Lately I’ve been thinking the same thing of my status as husband of Mrs. Kelly Swanson Turner. We attended a reception last night for Leadership North Carolina, where she works, and my ears were ringing all night from the praise Kelly was getting. Every time I turned around someone else was telling me what an amazing woman she is, and they weren’t just being kind.
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