Hi.
This is a long overdue post, and I am choosing to do it after a day of technical academic writing.
You see today I finished my PhD prelim document. It is a behemoth that has haunted me for three years. Now, after minor revisions, all I will have left standing between me and three rediculous letters after my name is my actual dissertation. I am done with taking classes, and the next year will be filled with more writing and lots of teaching, just like my eventual real job. So hooray. I would be more energetic if my brain was not a nice grey and white puree right now.
There is so much I want to catch up on that I don't know where to begin. With that in mind, I think I'll be making a fresh blogging start soon. Hopefully there will be a link on T Loves Buddha to my new iWeb blog sometime in the next week or two. That blog will be directly connected to my redesigned website, which lies in wait on my Mac as I type.
I have to write more tonight, but first I am going to eat some Chinese food and stare at the book I am currently attempting to read for pleasure, The Dharma Bums. It is an awesome book, but every time I get to it I am in a semi-zombie state from making all the science words. But I really do love my job. I promise.
I hope everyone is well.
Peace,
Joe
things i've noticed, things others have noticed for me, and things i hope to notice later.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Monday, December 11, 2006
You clip like several demure traffic cones.
Mr. Alligator doesn't make much sense this morning. But hey, it is Monday.
I am writing to apologize to my giganic (by gigantic, I mean family and a few friends) readership. This is the longest pause in posting I have had in a long time. I would like to say that it is because I have been weaving together a magical new website which is now ready to go, and that this is the grand reveal for said website, but I can't. I have been putting together a new site, but it is not ready and when I put it up I will not be calling it a "reveal."
Not much news here. This is finals week, but I have no finals and am giving no finals. So it is sort of just "finishing up a bunch of manuscripts week." A week from today Daddy and I pick up Nick from the 2nd phase of Ranger school. I can't wait. This last weekend Tonya and I chopped down and decorated the Christmas tree with Mama and Daddy in Anniston, and that was awesome. My parent's fireplace is fixed, so we had fire, beer, Mata's, and a fresh Christmas tree. Best way to charge up for the final week of the semester. Ever.
This weekend I will see Carl and Drew in the midst of end-of-semester celebrations... I haven't seen either in a while, so ROCK ON. I want to eat at Surin West to celebrate. Mmmmm. Thai food.
So that is all from the T-town for now. One of my new year resolutions is to put up the new website and begin really posting again. We will see.
I hope everyone is well!
Peace,
Joe
I am writing to apologize to my giganic (by gigantic, I mean family and a few friends) readership. This is the longest pause in posting I have had in a long time. I would like to say that it is because I have been weaving together a magical new website which is now ready to go, and that this is the grand reveal for said website, but I can't. I have been putting together a new site, but it is not ready and when I put it up I will not be calling it a "reveal."
Not much news here. This is finals week, but I have no finals and am giving no finals. So it is sort of just "finishing up a bunch of manuscripts week." A week from today Daddy and I pick up Nick from the 2nd phase of Ranger school. I can't wait. This last weekend Tonya and I chopped down and decorated the Christmas tree with Mama and Daddy in Anniston, and that was awesome. My parent's fireplace is fixed, so we had fire, beer, Mata's, and a fresh Christmas tree. Best way to charge up for the final week of the semester. Ever.
This weekend I will see Carl and Drew in the midst of end-of-semester celebrations... I haven't seen either in a while, so ROCK ON. I want to eat at Surin West to celebrate. Mmmmm. Thai food.
So that is all from the T-town for now. One of my new year resolutions is to put up the new website and begin really posting again. We will see.
I hope everyone is well!
Peace,
Joe
Monday, October 23, 2006
I love Plutonium
So says Mr. Aligator in his return to my posts. I hope he doesn't have any plans for it. We might have to go BACK TO THE FUTURE!!!
So, a few things to mention. First, my jump to my new and fancy website is taking a bit longer than I originally thought. Such is the way of things. I've love to take a whole afternoon to get it up and running, but that would require being ahead on all of my other work. And that is a funny thought.
Well, not so much funny as awesome, and not funny in a haha way so much as funny in a "like that is going to happen way." Yes.
Also, Fiddler's has come an gone again. But there are a few things of note to mention this year, out of the ordinary from other years.
First, the given things:
1) It was awesome, relaxing, and recharging.
2) The weather was amazing.
3) My fingers hurt like holy crap for the week following it from all the jamming. What a lovely pain to have.
And now, the out-of-the-ordinary:
1) Will, Meghan, Liam, and Liz all made it from various places around the country this year. The older I get, the more seeing family is my favorite part of Fiddler's. Still, Peeg, Stacy, and Nick were all missed.
2) The judges apparently drank a lot before Old Time Singing, because I won fourth place. Will backed me up with some fancy finger pickin', and the train rumbled through as I sang "Railroad Bill." As a Chandler, I had to say something about the fact that the railroad was rumbling by while I sang about it. I think that this "cheek" is what got me a place. Still, I got $25, a blue ribbon, and an awesome surprise.
3) I passed on the Harmonica to a new generation of Chandlers. Actually, to a Chandler. Liam got one of my old Honer's. Since then he has played for me on the phone. He is already better than me. Hooray!
Ok, so my post is being cut short by a service call. I must away!
I hope everyone is well!
Peace,
Joe
So, a few things to mention. First, my jump to my new and fancy website is taking a bit longer than I originally thought. Such is the way of things. I've love to take a whole afternoon to get it up and running, but that would require being ahead on all of my other work. And that is a funny thought.
Well, not so much funny as awesome, and not funny in a haha way so much as funny in a "like that is going to happen way." Yes.
Also, Fiddler's has come an gone again. But there are a few things of note to mention this year, out of the ordinary from other years.
First, the given things:
1) It was awesome, relaxing, and recharging.
2) The weather was amazing.
3) My fingers hurt like holy crap for the week following it from all the jamming. What a lovely pain to have.
And now, the out-of-the-ordinary:
1) Will, Meghan, Liam, and Liz all made it from various places around the country this year. The older I get, the more seeing family is my favorite part of Fiddler's. Still, Peeg, Stacy, and Nick were all missed.
2) The judges apparently drank a lot before Old Time Singing, because I won fourth place. Will backed me up with some fancy finger pickin', and the train rumbled through as I sang "Railroad Bill." As a Chandler, I had to say something about the fact that the railroad was rumbling by while I sang about it. I think that this "cheek" is what got me a place. Still, I got $25, a blue ribbon, and an awesome surprise.
3) I passed on the Harmonica to a new generation of Chandlers. Actually, to a Chandler. Liam got one of my old Honer's. Since then he has played for me on the phone. He is already better than me. Hooray!
Ok, so my post is being cut short by a service call. I must away!
I hope everyone is well!
Peace,
Joe
Monday, September 25, 2006
72 Degrees!
Nope, this is not the name of a new boy band.
Nor is it the low for this evening.
As I type, the temperature outside is 72 degrees. Not. Kidding. Fall is coming, and boy howdy I am ready for it. You see, for me, fall means a lot of wonderful things:
1) Mornings that feel like mornings. I have never felt like it was morning when you get to your car @ 7am and it is already in the 80s. Morning should have a nice chill in the air; perhaps enough to wear your favorite sweatshirt. Fall provides that.
2) Football. This one is three fold: 1. Alabama football (yes, I have become a rabid fan during grad school), 2. Dallas Cowboy football (yes, I pretend that T.O. is not T.O. but someone else, like perhpas Drew Pearson of old), and 3. playing football... on the quad, with my dad, with my brothers... oh man.
3) Working outside. You see, grad students work all of the time. At least during the fall you can sit at a nice picnic table with your laptop instead of the closet I sit in that is my "office."
4) Hiking. I can't during spring or summer because of the ants. But when it gets cold enough they retreat underground!
5) FIDDLERS. The fiddler's convention is on par with every other major holiday for me (at least in secular terms). Its in two weeks and I can't wait!
6) Family. We're talking Fiddler's, Peeg's birthday, Thanksgiving, and lately, the birth of children. Liam, Maddox, and soon... John Patrick.
I love fall. And it has put me in one of those mushy moods where you forget about the 4,000 pounds of work you have to do and sit outside in a giant captain's camping chair and grill Hebrew National hot dogs. Specific, I know, but I am a man who knows what he likes.
I hope everyone is enjoying this as much as I am (if not more).
Peace,
Joe
PS... Mr. Alligator will return next post.
PPS... I am considering moving my blog to my main website (which is currently under a brand new make-over thingie... you'll see). I'd like to know if my readers (i.e. my family and a few friends) like the current theme or think it is time for a change. If you think that I should re-work stuff, let me know. And if so, please suggest a theme. You know, like, "Tubby eats a Pound of..." or the like. Yes, and thanks.
Nor is it the low for this evening.
As I type, the temperature outside is 72 degrees. Not. Kidding. Fall is coming, and boy howdy I am ready for it. You see, for me, fall means a lot of wonderful things:
1) Mornings that feel like mornings. I have never felt like it was morning when you get to your car @ 7am and it is already in the 80s. Morning should have a nice chill in the air; perhaps enough to wear your favorite sweatshirt. Fall provides that.
2) Football. This one is three fold: 1. Alabama football (yes, I have become a rabid fan during grad school), 2. Dallas Cowboy football (yes, I pretend that T.O. is not T.O. but someone else, like perhpas Drew Pearson of old), and 3. playing football... on the quad, with my dad, with my brothers... oh man.
3) Working outside. You see, grad students work all of the time. At least during the fall you can sit at a nice picnic table with your laptop instead of the closet I sit in that is my "office."
4) Hiking. I can't during spring or summer because of the ants. But when it gets cold enough they retreat underground!
5) FIDDLERS. The fiddler's convention is on par with every other major holiday for me (at least in secular terms). Its in two weeks and I can't wait!
6) Family. We're talking Fiddler's, Peeg's birthday, Thanksgiving, and lately, the birth of children. Liam, Maddox, and soon... John Patrick.
I love fall. And it has put me in one of those mushy moods where you forget about the 4,000 pounds of work you have to do and sit outside in a giant captain's camping chair and grill Hebrew National hot dogs. Specific, I know, but I am a man who knows what he likes.
I hope everyone is enjoying this as much as I am (if not more).
Peace,
Joe
PS... Mr. Alligator will return next post.
PPS... I am considering moving my blog to my main website (which is currently under a brand new make-over thingie... you'll see). I'd like to know if my readers (i.e. my family and a few friends) like the current theme or think it is time for a change. If you think that I should re-work stuff, let me know. And if so, please suggest a theme. You know, like, "Tubby eats a Pound of..." or the like. Yes, and thanks.
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