Runnin'

Uploaded the tracks from the watch this morning and thought I would post a map of this one.  Sara always likes to go for runs on the beach when we go places.  I sometimes don't mind running on the beach.  This one on Playas Samara in Costa Rica was nice.

perfect word count

Check out the word count on this paper I am working on.  I feel like that is a sign that it is done and I should stop editing it.  That has to be good luck or something...

late christmas

My new headphones just came in today.  Pretty excited about them.  I have been looking for some that I can wear for like 6 or 8 hours a day and not be too painful like earbuds or 'on the ear' headphones can be. So I was looking around for some that had some noise canceling/isolating powers and were 'around the ear' so my delicate ears didn't complain.  So far so good.  These are from Panasonic.

(mom and dad - this is what I replaced the others with...)

Dissertate

This week I heard back from some peeps at the U. of Chicago that they are going to let me use a data set that they have.  Kind of big news.  As in, I can now start working on the dissertation big news.  Only downside is they have already published a lot off of it, but I think I can make something work out of it.  

So, now I am all excited to really dive in on the reading and what not.  I was holding off a bit because it would be sad to do all the reading and never have data to run stuff with.  Thus the study couch for the night.  Sara is working, so it is just me and the beautiful coffee porter reading about physicians, beliefs, decision making and everything that will solve the world's problems.  Cheers. 

students

so there are a few funny things about teaching.  I just gave an exam this past week and there were some short answer questions.  One of the students drew me a picture of a ninja and wrote: "this is a ninja holding nunchucks, fighting off your red pen from marking this question wrong.  Proceed with caution.  Ninjas are an example of a counterculture."

I almost gave him like .05 points for creativity.  but then the questions was not about countercultures, and ninjas are likely a subculture and not a countercultre anyways, so I decided against the .05 points.  So close.  So close.

New lens!

I have been saving Christmas and birthday money up for a good bit of time now to get a new camera lens.  We went and got it last week and here is the first picture with it!  Excuse the messy kitchen...

'friends'

Recently a facebook 'friend' went through his entire friend list and wrote something about each person.  This is one of those friends that I never got to know very well but we had some meetings because of a project we were working on together.  Great guy.  Anyways, he did this with his whole list of facebook friends and my first thought was that I was really impressed he was able to do that.  Then my second thought was that it is very sad that I was impressed he could say something about all of his 'friends.'

I hope that the facebook meaning of 'friend' only becomes a term for something specific - a network connection on facebook - and not something more general - real life friends.  Sometimes technology has a tendency to shift our values and perceptions of reality, but I hope that I never am impressed that a friend of mine is able to give a short one sentence description of who I am.

Maps

So one of the classes I am going through this semester is one that focuses on how to do spacial modeling of things.  This is kind of fun because most anything that happens in the 'social world' is also tied to the specific location.  Places have different laws, taxes, different programs with more of less funding, different jobs... you get the idea.  Below is just a quick one I made the other day for class, but is fun because it is a map.  And I made it.

Anyways, this is a map showing the distribution of poverty for people under 18 years old by county.  Children in poverty is tied to a lot of other things and blah blah blah.  Enjoy.  (and you can click on that there map and make it bigger)

Good Day

For Christmas Sara got me a toy to make running a little bit more fun that tracks pace, distance and all that good stuff.  Pretty sweet.  So, naturally I went on a run today.  This is all just a side point because I thought you should know that.

Quite possibly the greatest accomplishment of my day came after the run.  It is warm here today - like 71 or so.  As my Ramen Noodles were making their rounds in the microwave, I am looked through the refrigerator for something else that sounds like a good post-run something.  At first I thought a Dr. Pepper sounded good, but then I thought, no.  A beer sounds better.  It is '5pm somewhere,' after all.  In the end I decided on.... that's right.  An apple.

I felt good enough about that that I thought I needed to write a pointless, rambling blog about it.  Go have an apple.  It won't get those 5 minutes back for you, but it will make you feel better about the loss.  Most likely.