A person running a grater in the kitchen should be called a gratist. And the best one should be the greatest gratist.
Things That Make Me Go Hmm…
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I Earned A New Certificate
In my efforts to keep moving forward in my career, I’m currently working on the Google Project Management Professional certificate. Today, I obtained a new certification as part of that: Project Initiation: Starting a Successful Project. I guess we could call this a sub-certificate. I guess…
Anyway, project management has always been a key part of who I am. And I see that it will be a key part of my future. From my time in the Navy to the present day, a lot of what I do is keep projects moving. Whether its typing minutes or notes, updating tracking documents (Project or Asana), or following up with stakeholders, projects have been a key part of my career to date. And I’ve been told, multiple times over the years, that this is something people value about me. In the end, I love completing things. I love getting projects across the proverbial finish-line. And I love helping people be successful.
So, I seek to keep moving forward. Everyday presents opportunities for forward motion, and I intend to take advantage of them.
Aerogel, The Coolest Of Matter
Ok, I have to be honest, I’ve never heard of aerogel until today. YouTube, in all its glory, recommended this video to me. And, well, I’m enthralled.
I’m sure YouTube offered me this since I’m a fan of both Neil deGrasse Tyson and Adam Savage. I feel gratitude for this video, so offer thanks to the great algorithm!
Anyway, aerogel is simply beautiful it’s appearance, and amazing in it’s properties. I really want to explore this further…in my spare time…*ahem*
Anyway, are you familiar with aerogel? With any applications?
Unexpected Dad Jokes
One of my favorite online comics, Lunarbaboon, featured this dad joke today:
In the comments, Derek S. left this gem of a dad joke:
I went to see my new doctor today, and I have to admit, I was a little shocked. He was from Madrid, and he had sleeve tattoos and tattoos on both hands. My surprise must have been obvious because he said “it’s okay, you’re not the first. No one expects the Spanish inked physician.”
It hints at this classic Monty Python sketch, which I’ve added below for the edification of those unfamiliar with Monty Python.
Haiku, Reply Haiku
I read this haiku over on Charlotte Digregorio’s blog.
out of the blue
the window washer
brightens my day
by Tom Painting (USA)
Modern Haiku, Vol. 37.2, Summer 2006
This reminded me of an experience I had back in the 90s. I worked on various projects at a variety of firms. In one of them, I was at a law firm in the Columbia Center, a 73 story building in downtown Seattle. We were located on the 60th some odd floor, and one of my colleagues was startled by the window washer appearing outside her window. The ensuing shriek garnered all of our attention, and amusement…including that of the washer.
sixtieth floor
an amused window washer
my startled colleague
Last on the Card – November 2023
Fandango posted his response to Bushboy’s blogging prompt “Last on the Card“. The basics of the prompt: post the last photo on your phone or camera’s SD card that was shot in November.
I opted to hop on my phone and see what’s there. So, I was at an event last night, a Book/Movie Discussion for Killers of the Flower Moon. We had a table there with a few resources to learn more about the Native American experience, both in the US as well as local tribes. I took a photo of two books I did not have.
These are books I hope to attain. The one on the right was written by a local author, Jay Bowen, who was at the event. I spent quite some time talking with him last night, so I have a valued connection.
Walking at night: a haiku
walking through the cold
feeling the grace of the night
soon the rains return
It was a good night for a walk. Brisk air was mitigated by my jacket. My main challenge: being near invisible to the passing cars. But most of my walk was far off the main roads. Thus, my key sensation was tranquility.
You Can’t Have It All
One of my digital friends, Bernie, wrote this blog post featuring Maria Popova, a writer I admire greatly. In the article, Popova writes about the grief feels upon the passing of her beloved friend Emily Levine. She explores how poetry impacted that journey, and how it can help us all manage the finitude of our lives. I love her line “[N]ow that Emily has returned her stardust to the universe…” as a descriptor of death. Makes me think of Carl Sagan’s line that we’re all made of “star stuff”. There’s infinity within our finite nature. So very Zen, I guess.
Anyway, I highly recommend Maria’s post, and all of her work.
Tonight’s Haiku
I came up with this one on my walk this evening. It was a clear night, and the air brisk.
The image was pulled together with Canva, and the rest done with TikTok’s app.
A Haiku For The Day
gazing to the west petals dancing in the breeze as the sunlight fades
It’s been a hot minute since I last posted a haiku, so here’s one for you today. This photo is from my walk along the Edmonds Waterfront. It was a lovely day; started sunny and slowly clouds drifted in. It stayed dry, fortunately for me.
I adore writing haiku, though I’ve been trying to write about my explorations into tech. More professional, I guess. I’ve been told to focus on your brand with your social media. But, what is my brand? I mean, I’ve written tons of haiku, and they’re some of my most popular content. But, they don’t bring in the money, do they? Maybe I need to work to monetize them. Oooohhh…I can be an influencer?
Anyway, I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do with myself next. I’ve been focused on IT, web design, and other technology “things” for the past few years. With that, though, I’ve received constant feedback that I should look at Project Management. Instructors, supervisors, family…constant stuff. And by the same people who then ping me to fix their printers.
I guess I’m still trying to “find my way”. Maybe my way is to take pictures and write haiku? Not gonna get rich at that, but it’s fun. Who knows?
Let me know what you think! Anyway, talk to you soon.