The total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017, was my fourth complete solar eclipse. I've seen two annular eclipses, 1994 and 2012, and two total eclipses, 2001 and 2017. Annular eclipses, or rings of fire, are worthy spectacles but nothing compares to a total solar eclipse. Some things have to be experienced to be fully … Continue reading Still Totally Awesome
Category: Diary
My Final Facebook Fuckoff
It’s the start of a new year and much has changed. This week we moved into a new house. Our move has been an eight month and four state ordeal but I am hoping we will be here for some time. I am tired of moving and our frequent moves are confusing our self-appointed digital … Continue reading My Final Facebook Fuckoff
A Bloggy Christmas Letter
It’s been a year of blogging badly so I might as well end it with a Christmas letter. I won’t excuse my absence from these bloggy pages; I have repeatedly warned my readers that I blow hot and cold. I am either all in or all out. For most of 2016 blogging has been off … Continue reading A Bloggy Christmas Letter
Milliblog: Photo Captions
This blog is still alive and kicking. I post when I post. Currently, my energies are deployed on other fronts. If you absolutely must get your Analyze the Data not the Drivel fix look over my extensive millibloggy photo captions. Here’s a typical example: The “miraculous staircase” in Santa Fe's Loretto Chapel. After paying your … Continue reading Milliblog: Photo Captions
The Santa Fe Trail
In the last ten years, we’ve moved five times.1 In a few days, I will increment that count. We are moving to Santa Fe New Mexico. Our previous perambulations were driven by work. We went where the jobs were and they were all over. Because I have spent a lifetime moving for work I have … Continue reading The Santa Fe Trail
For Carl’s Memorial
Carl in his basement apartment surrounded by his drawings and hugging Puff: one of his long-lived cats. Carl was a good friend for most of my adult life. During the many years I lived in Edmonton I spent a lot of time with Carl. It’s rather odd that I have so few pictures of him. … Continue reading For Carl’s Memorial
An Honest Resume Personal Statement
While updating an online version of my resume a nagging web page advised me to include a personal statement: apparently the personal statement is my chance to stand out, make that all important first impression, and firmly affix my lips to succulent corporate ass. Being programmer oriented, the web page suggested I write about my … Continue reading An Honest Resume Personal Statement
What hobbies do you have? Have you learned anything useful from them?
This is my first "cross-posted" entry. I composed this on Quora. I was asked to answer the title question and I did. I probably won't do this very often. Still, a little experimenting is fun. Answer by John Baker: The short answer is many and yes. The longer answer is pretty much everything I do, that … Continue reading What hobbies do you have? Have you learned anything useful from them?
Cutting the Stinking Tauntaun and other Adventures in Software Archeology
The other day a software project that I had spent a year on was “put on the shelf.” A year of effort was unceremoniously flushed down the software sewer. A number of colleagues asked me, “How do you feel about this?” Would you believe relieved? This is not false bravado or stupid sunny optimism. I … Continue reading Cutting the Stinking Tauntaun and other Adventures in Software Archeology
Mahin and Carl
On the very memorable date of New Year’s Eve my wife’s mother Mahin died. From now on the dropping ball will remind us of her. Mahin had a long and honorable life. She was loved by children, grandchildren, and in-laws. She was the calm matriarch in the storm of her family. I meet her late … Continue reading Mahin and Carl
