Happy New Year

May your New Year be happy, joyous, and full of new adventures!

I have two resolutions this year: to write and share more and to make healthier choices.

Building Homes with Recycled Material



In a funny and inspiring talk at TED in Houston, contractor/designer/dumpster diver Dan Phillips discusses his philosophy of design and construction and the need to tap into our more primal selves to avoid the waste and uniformity that current design/construction impose.

Dan Phillips - TED Oct 2010

Doctor Who - A Christmas Carol

I did not realize this was showing on Christmas Day, but TiVo was nice enough to record it for me, so I had a day after Christmas gift waiting for me.  Michael Gambon (Dumbledore lives!) starred as a "Scrooge" type character who the Doctor goes back in time to befriend and influence to be a better man.  

The story is sentimental but yet manages to include flying sharks and a Marilyn Monroe elopement.  I am thoroughly enjoying the latest Doctor.

It is showing on demand, so if you get a chance, try it out.

Snowstorm Moves In

At 8 a.m. the snow was due to be done by 9. At 9 by 10. At 10 by 11. Now stopping mid afternoon but starting again at 4 pm.

Even though it has snowed all day it was the 8 am snow that nearly killed me. Missed slamming into a car that had slid down a curved road into the curb. As I slowly accelerated toward the same spot, I knew that if I applied the brakes, I would hit the car with the brakes firmly in place. I also knew that if I steered aggressively the back of my car would have hit what I was trying to have the front of my car avoid.

So, I gently steered to left and quietly prayed that the trajectory I was on would miss the car. It did by a terrifyingly small measure.

I missed that car but now in my slightly new trajectory I was careening toward the other car just sitting still in the middle of the road. A slight correction to the right allowed me to avoid that car.