Tech Talk #004

My father-in-law forwarded me an interesting video clip on some new technology that Microsoft is developing. It's called Microsoft Surface and it's a new way to interact with technology. Basically, with Surface you can "grab" data with your hands and move information between objects (like digital cameras, cell phone, laptops, etc.) with natural gestures and touch. It's actually pretty cool. If you've got a few minutes, give it a look!

Cool Plane - Cessna's Citation Mustang

Here's a video clip for a cool new VLJ biz jet from Cessna called the Citation Mustang. I wouldn't mind having one of these!

A Sad Day

Doesn't seem like it's been two years already, but alas, time keeps marching on.

Just taking a moment to remember and reflect - we miss you Mom!

Barbara Ann entered the world on February 27, 1925 born to Blanche and John. Throughout her early years, she was a spirited youth, exuberant and prone to mischief. From waking her baby sister Phyllis up at midnight convincing her it was time to dress for school to climbing out her bedroom window to go dancing at Diamond hall, she always met life on her own terms!

She met Ramon in the early 40’s, but was not convinced of love at first sight. He was tenacious in pursuing her, going to great lengths to prove his unwavering love for her. His perseverance finally paid off and Barbara realized what a wonderful man she had for life. They were united in marriage on September 14, 1946, and were inseparable from that day on, sharing 56 extraordinary years together.

Barb and Ray spent the next years raising three children – Judy, Patti and Greg. With such wonderful role models for parents, reared in a warm and nurturing home, they grew to be happy adults taking loving partners of their own. Judy & Bob, and Patti & Tom provided Barb and Ray with four amazing grand children – Kevin and Sara and Matthew and Sandy. The grandchildren were loved and spoiled with Grandma and Grandpa’s time and attention and will forever treasure the precious bonds they have with them. Greg and Kristine had the dubious distinction of introducing the beloved grand-dog Harley who will surely miss the special treats Grandma offered him.

Barbara was uniquely unselfish in her dedication to family, community and church and was a long time member of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish. Along with tending her family, she took great satisfaction in volunteer activities. From being a Den Mother for Greg over several years to offering her time and talents at church, she continuously demonstrated what it meant to be a true Christian and friend. Of all her accomplishments, she most enjoyed her years as a volunteer in the surgical family waiting room at the former Butterworth Hospital. While performing her duties there, she came to be loved by patients and doctors alike. While pouring hot beverages for anxious family members waiting through their loved ones’ surgeries, she also poured out her compassion, comfort, and encouragement.

Barbara had a zest for life and an appetite for adventure, always making everyone that she interacted with feel at ease with her warm smile and outgoing personality. She loved to travel, taking many cruises and visiting interesting destinations over the years. She had a particular fondness for a city called Las Vegas which provided her with an unending source of amusement and entertainment. If luck be a lady, her name was Barbara!

Barbara will be deeply missed and fondly remembered in love by her family, friends and the community. But it is certain that she would not want us to grieve, but rather celebrate her life well lived and loved. There is a thought that provides one perspective of her years: “Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Champagne in one hand, chocolate in the other, totally worn out and content exclaiming WOW - What a ride!”

Tech Talk # 003

Today's Tech Talk expands on with the theme from TT002 by focuses on some of my favorite web development online tools.

I realize there are tons of links to numerous online web development tools, technologies and trends. Everyone has their favorites; these are just a few of mine that I use often:

• To get a jump start on a brand new page or site, I like to check out Cool Homepages.
• For Cascading Style Sheets I like Glish, Dynamic Drive and the CSS Tutorial.
• Here is a really cool tool for picking colors along with a handy Color Names chart.
• Here's a nice DHTML reference site.
• And last but not least, a nifty Designer's Toolbox.

Hope you find some of these useful for your web design & development adventures!

Tech Talk # 002

Today's Tech Talk focuses on my favorite HTML editors.

I still do web page design and development as time permits. Having worked in this space for the better part of 10 years I've come to rely on a trusty standby and a more recent (relatively) entry in the HTML editor arena.

My first choice continues to be HomeSite 5.5. This cool tool does a lot in a very light environment! It's fast, intuitive and feature rich. Maybe it's because I cut my teeth learning HTML with it, or maybe it's just a great tool, but either way I like it a lot!

The new comer for me was a simple product I found a year or so ago. It's called Note Tab Light. While I don't use it as much as HomeSite (I usually use it for quick changes and have it installed on all my workstations at home & the office) it's a nice, light, flexible tool. And the part I like best is that its free!! With tabbed file management (similar to IE7) it makes working with multiple pages (files) a breeze. And because it's so small, I carry it on my thumb drive as part of my digital toolkit. It's also a great replacement for Windows Notepad

Check them both out and see what you think!

The Blizzard of '07!

Well winter finally caught up with us in West Michigan today. The National Weather Service has officially declared a blizzard. Here's the exact text:


GRAND RAPIDS --
A BLIZZARD WARNING is in effect for much of West Michigan. Around 11:20 a.m. Saturday, the blizzard warning was extended into Berrien and Cass Counties. Snow showers will intensify this morning, as the second of two Arctic fronts moves through the region. In addition to heavy snow showers, winds will increase dramatically this morning. Temperatures will drop into the single digits. With the gusty winds, our wind chills will drop into the "Danger Zone" today, holding at -10 to -20. Blowing & drifting snow will become a huge concern, especially in the rural areas. Some north-south roads may almost drift shut, and become virtually impassable.

BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING... A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES WITH TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ANTICIPATED FOR TODAY AND THIS EVENING. WEST WINDS WILL GUST AT TIMES TO 40 MPH THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY EVENING. IT IS DURING THIS TIME THAT BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED...WITH FREQUENT WHITEOUT CONDITIONS DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. TRAVEL WILL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE. WIND CHILLS OF 10 TO 20 BELOW ZERO TODAY WILL LOWER TO 20 TO 30 BELOW TONIGHT. THIS MAY RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS...DRESS IN LAYERS AND MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND GLOVES.


I took a few pictures in the 30+MPH winds and 6 degree temps - not very nice out there...

Tech Talk # 001

Welcome to a new feature debuting today on SS!

I have had numerous requests from family & friends to share my insights, opinions, successes and failures regarding technology. To that end, I'll post information, reviews, "how to's", etc. from time to time as I come across things that interest me or that I have somehow become (or been forced to become) familiar with. I'll even look back at some of the existing technologies I have implemented and discuss those too.

To start off the inaugural Tech Talk (TT) posts, I'm going to focus on the Google Reader. This gadget (actually it's a web site) is a pretty handy and downright cool tool. It's designed to help you keep track of your favorite websites, blogs, RSS feeds, etc. I have two accounts, one I use for work related information and the other for my personal stuff.



So, how does it work? Well first you need a Google account. Once you have your account, go to the Google Reader login page and sign in with your account information. Once you're logged in, follow the detailed help prompts to subscribe to your very first feed.

In case anyone out there is wondering what some of my subscriptions are, here's a partial list:


One of my favorite work-related blogs that I visit daily is Google SEO extraordinaire Matt Cutts (this is a great site to add to you're subscription list if you are into SEO & SERMA). Anyway, Matt has a great post on the reader and some of it's cool features.

So talk a few minutes and check out the reader sometime, hopefully you'll enjoy it and find it as useful as I have!

2007 Full Moon Names & Notes

Here is a listing of all the full Moon names, as well as the dates and times for 2007. Unless otherwise noted, all times are for the Eastern Time Zone.

Jan. 3, 8:57 a.m. EST: The Full Wolf Moon. Amid the zero cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. It was also known as the Old Moon or the "Moon After Yule." In some tribes this was the Full Snow Moon; most applied that name to the next Moon.

Feb. 2, 12:45 a.m. EST: The Full Snow Moon. Usually the heaviest snows fall in this month. Hunting becomes very difficult, and hence to some tribes this was the Full Hunger Moon.

March 3, 6:17 p.m. EST: The Full Worm Moon. In this month the ground softens and the earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return of the robins. The more northern tribes knew this as the Full Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signals the end of winter, or the Full Crust Moon because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night. The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees, is another variation. A total lunar eclipse will take place on this night; the Moon will appear to rise and will be totally immersed (or nearly so) in the Earth's shadow over the eastern United States. The rising Moon will be emerging from the shadow over the central United States, while over the Western U.S. the eclipse will be all but over by the time the Moon rises.

April 2, 1:15 p.m. EDT: The Full Pink Moon. The grass pink or wild ground phlox is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names were the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and -- among coastal tribes -- the Full Fish Moon, when the shad came upstream to spawn. This is also the Paschal Full Moon; the first full Moon of the spring season. The first Sunday following the Paschal Moon is Easter Sunday, which indeed will be observed six days later on Sunday, April 8.

May 2, 6:09 a.m. EDT: The Full Flower Moon. Flowers are abundant everywhere. It was also known as the Full Corn Planting Moon or the Milk Moon.

May 31, 9:04 p.m. EDT: The Blue Moon. The second full Moon occurring within a calendar month is usually bestowed this title. Although the name suggests that to have two Full Moons in a single month is a rather rare occurrence (happening "just once in a . . . "), it actually occurs once about every three years on average.

June 30, 9:49 a.m. EDT: The Full Strawberry Moon. Known to every Algonquin tribe. Europeans called it the Rose Moon.

July 29, 8:48 p.m. EDT: The Full Buck Moon, when the new antlers of buck deer push out from their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, thunderstorms being now most frequent. Sometimes also called the Full Hay Moon.

Aug. 28, 6:35 a.m. EDT: The Full Sturgeon Moon, when this large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water like Lake Champlain is most readily caught. A few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because the moon rises looking reddish through sultry haze, or the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon. A total lunar eclipse will coincide with moonset for the eastern United States. The Central and Mountain Time Zones will see the Moon's emergence coincide with moonset, while the western United States will see the entire eclipse.

Sept. 26, 3:45 p.m. EDT: The Full Harvest Moon. Always the full Moon occurring nearest to the Autumnal Equinox. Corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice-- the chief Indian staples--are now ready for gathering.

Oct. 26, 12:52 a.m. EDT: The Full Hunter's Moon. With the leaves falling and the deer fattened, it is time to hunt. Since the fields have been reaped, hunters can ride over the stubble, and can more easily see the fox, also other animals that have come out to glean and can be caught for a thanksgiving banquet after the harvest. The Moon will also be at perigee later this day, at 7:00 a.m., at a distance of 221,676 miles from Earth. Very high tides can be expected from the coincidence of perigee with full Moon.

Nov. 24, 9:30 a.m. EST: The Full Beaver Moon. Time to set beaver traps before the swamps freeze to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Beaver Full Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now active in their preparation for winter. Also called the Frosty Moon.

Dec. 23, 2:51 a.m. EST: The Full Cold Moon; among some tribes, the Full Long Nights Moon. In this month the winter cold fastens its grip, and the nights are at their longest and darkest. Also sometimes called the "Moon before Yule" (Yule is Christmas, and this time the Moon is only just before it). The term Long Night Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed long and the Moon is above the horizon a longtime. The midwinter full Moon takes a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite to the low Sun.

Done for the Year

Well it's hard to believe that it's December 31st, 41 degrees with rain, and no snow on the ground! Guess I should have left the heater on - could have been swimming! Anyway, the pool project is complete. The power cover was installed in early November and the pool has been winterized and is taking a bit of a rest until Spring (which I hope comes early in 2007!).

Below is a final picture showing the cover in place, lack of snow on the ground and a relatively tranquil look to the back yard.

On that note, hope everyone had a great 2006 and best wishes for a happy & prosperous New Year!

Almost Done!

We're closing in on completion of the project. There are a few more small items to complete, but we expect most everything to be wrapped up by the end of this week.

Here are a few more pictures of the almost completed project!

Fill'er Up!

After 1.5" of snow last Thursday and more rain through this past Tuesday, the weather finally cooperated and we got a dry and relatively warm day (60 degrees) yesterday. That was enough of a window to let the pool crew plaster the pool and fill it, late in the day. So as of now, we have a pool that is operational but darn cold (58 degrees)! Here's how the day progressed...


The plaster was sprayed on starting with the walls


The crew worked in small sections at a time


It took from 10:00am until mid-afternoon to finish the plastering


The finished product was a snow white smooth marcite finish!


The water tanker arrived a bit after 5:00pm to deliver the first load


This is how the pool looked after the first 14,000 gallons


View from the deep-end half full


The remaining 13,000 gallons begins to be pumped in


It takes about 18 minutes to empty the full tanker load (14,000 gallons)


The "tanker" on it's final delivery of our water


The pool the way it looked today. The mechanicals worked perfectly and the power falls were way cool!

Push Continues

The push continues, but again progress is slow due to the residual moisture and the forecast for yet more rain. More of the plantings were completed on day two of the push and some of the bark was spread. Hopefully in the next week we'll be able to get the pool plastered, filled and wrap up most of the miscellaneous tasks remaining!

Last Minute Push!

Well progress was slowed significantly last week due to 4" of rain over a two day period early in the week. With 4 days of sun & wind, the soil dried enough to let the team begin the irrigation and continued landscaping today. Now the rush is on to get as much done in the next two days since there are predictions of sharply colder temperatures and possible accumulating snow by the end of this week.

Tomorrow the fencing should begin, irrigation should wrap and the remaining plantings should go in, followed by the bark & field stone, and the tile work on the front of the pool should get going. All in all it promises to be a busy couple of days!

The pool can't be plastered this week due to the potentially bad weather. That is now scheduled for early next week which means water may go in as early as next Wednesday the 18th.

The good news is that most of the stone work is done (which I'm sure the masons are thankful for!) They did an awesome job on the stone - take a look...

Transformation!

Wow! What a transformation this past week. I was in Japan on business and when I arrived home late Saturday afternoon I couldn't believe the difference from when I left.

All the dirt piles were gone, the grading was competed and top soil laid down. Some of the larger landscaping was started including several trees, shrubs and boulders. The trampoline was installed in-ground and the remaining cap stone around the pool was installed. The tile in the pool was grouted and even some of the low-voltage landscaping lighting was installed. The bottom of the fire pit was placed where the hole will be, and most of the drainage lines have been run & buried. It's really starting to come together.

Next week the irrigation goes in, more landscaping, the stone work should be wrapping up and the pool interior will be plastered, targeting to fill with water around 10/9.

Stone Work

The stone work is progressing nicely. The cultured stone is about 75% complete and the pavers are all in. The tile around the inside of the pool at the water line is in as well. Everything is looking great! The landscaping should start next week, weather permitting.

Working Hard!

The teams really worked hard Thursday & Friday, taking advantage of the dry and warm weather. And a big thank you to the Bluewater, Signature and Cultured Stone crews for giving up their Saturday and working really hard! The pavers on the sun deck are pretty much done, ready for the flexible mortar, and the cultured stone on the pool wall is just about complete as well (nice job hiding the power falls!). The stone on the steps leading into the pool looks awesome, and most of the stone on the steps leading up from the lower patio is also done.

The teams will have their work cut out for them next week as the forecast is more rain and colder temperatures. The schedule includes the tile on the front pool wall,the remainder of the stone around the pool lip, and the cultured stone on the retaining walls along with the pavers on the lower patio. It promises to be a busy week!