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More iPad playtime

May 31st, 2010
by Ed.
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I’ve been trying to get some relaxation time in over this holiday weekend, and part of that (aside from soaking in the pool …) has been more drawing playtime with the Autodesk SketchPad Pro app on the iPad.

Eye One

They recently released v. 1.1.0 which includes a number of neat new features – particularly involving blending between layers.  As I mentioned recently, I’ve never really played with electronic drawing other than CAD drafting.  My drawing experience has all been with pencil, charcoal and paper.

So, it’s been interesting learning about combining layers, shading, blending, etc.  I’m starting to “get” the whole layer thing.  For instance, just today, I finally discovered a process of shading a drawing with two shading layers – one multiplies with a gray wash to darken areas and another screens with a white wash to add soft highlights.

Eye Two

Eye Two

I’ve also never really played around much with color, either.  99% of my prior work has been done in shades of gray.  So, I’ve been fiddling around with how color works in this world as well – and it’s not like blending pencils or Conte crayon, that’s for sure.

But, even with the short time I’ve been playing around with this tool, I’ve started to understand how this all works.  The biggest challenge for me so far is just figuring out how to make something look the way I want it to look.  In the physical media world, I just plonk my thumb on to the paper and blend graphite and

John Spencer

charcoal and such – and I know what that looks like and how to achieve the blend that I like.  As a beginner digital “artist” it’s been different – but then one would expect that, I guess.

Of course, the quickest thing I’ve discovered is that the digital tools don’t help the actual DRAWING much!  I still get hands wrong and have a hard time getting the shading of things to look natural – particularly when the subject is dramatically or strongly lit.  My drawings have always had a bit of a “cartoony” look to them, but that’s the style that I’ve developed over the years.

Super Hero

What’s really cool though is that with these tools, I can pretty much make things look like anything from a pencil sketch to a watercolor.  The tools can look like paint, pencil, wash, Conte, etc.  It’s just a matter of figuring out which settings to use for what.

Just like any artwork, the time invested in each piece of work is what makes it work.  My best drawings have always been the ones I’ve spent days or weeks on rather than minutes or hours.  The ones from today are the result of only hours and are, truly, sketches.

But as a learning experience, this whole digital drawing thing might work out in the end.  After all, I’ve been drawing most of the day and my hands, fingers and shirt are all clean!

Posted in: Drawings.
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Memorial Day

May 31st, 2010
by Ed.
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This isn’t really about Memorial Day.  It’s being written on Memorial Day.  I guess it kind of makes a connection to one aspect of Memorial Day though.  I’ve been thinking about the idea that one person really can make a difference.  I’ve been thinking about how the leadership of one person matters – or can if that one person recognizes that it matters.  This is something that I’ve come to realize only really quite recently.

I’ve found myself, recently, thinking of myself like George Bailey.  Specifically, George Bailey in the middle of the movie when he discovers that Bedford Falls is Pottersville and Mr. Gower actually gave the kid poison…

Why?  Well, almost three years ago, I made a decision about my life, my career and my future which not only turned out badly for me, but left a large number of people who trusted me, relied on me and respected me in a lurch.  Is it my fault that their situation got more miserable after I left?  No.  But I just can’t help but think that if I’d stayed where I was, all of our situations today would be much happier.

I have more than one Clarence the Guardian Angel in my life.  Unfortunately, I’ve not been very good at listening to them in the past.  Most, if not all, of them are a whole lot smarter than I am.  I should listen more.

When one looks at one’s decisions in life and starts toting up the pluses and minuses, one begins to realize where one could have made better decisions.  Can those decisions be changed now?  Of course not.  Each decision in life acts as a lesson taught – whether or not it is recognized as a lesson learned.  I’ve tried hard to learn from my prior decisions in order to make better ones in the future.  I guess I just need more practice.

Psychiatrists will tell you that when something is causing you distress, you can do one of two things about it – one internal, one external.  You can change how you feel about the situation or you can attempt to make a change in the situation itself.

My method has almost always tended toward the latter rather than the former.  So now, I find myself in a situation caused by my reactions to a situation which was caused by my reactions to a situation which was caused by my reactions to yet another situation a few years ago.  Am I in a “bad” place?  Heck no.  I have a great job, a decent roof over my head and a life that many would envy, certainly.  I have nothing to complain about – honestly.  Am I “happy”?  Well, that’s a whole other question.  I’m certainly happy that I have health and life and friends and family.  What little I can complain about is stuff I really have no right to.  It’s all whiny, selfish, unimportant, self-absorbed crap.  I’m in a city and state I don’t like.  I’m dealing with a climate I don’t like (and it’s not just the heat in summer … I never in a million years would have thought I’d ever get sick of sunshine – but I’m sick of it).  I run in to people around this place every day that I don’t like and I really miss my old friends.

And when two weeks ago, my home was burglarized … well, that didn’t help either.  That’s never happened to me before.  No matter where I’ve lived.

But, one thing I can say without doubt.  The actions and leadership of a single person can make a difference.  In some cases a huge difference.  I used to consider myself simply one cog in a large, immovable, unchangeable machine.  I used to hear compliments that people would make about my talents and abilities and slough them off – after all, I was raised in New England humility where you didn’t trumpet your accomplishments because you were told, confidently, that good, hard, high quality work would be rewarded on its own merits when seen by others.  I used to think that my presence – or any one person’s presence – on a project or on a team or in an organization wouldn’t matter one way or the other.  Sure, the team matters, but most teams don’t do very well or feel very good about themselves without a good leader – or a good coach.

I wish I’d come to realize this earlier and I wish I’d come to realize earlier that I am that good leader.  I am that good coach.  People have been telling me this for years.  Now, staring 50 in the face, my ears have finally opened to the news.

Posted in: Personal Thoughts.
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Playing with iPad

May 16th, 2010
by Ed.
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rawing of bmw R-1150-RT-P Police motorcycle

I bought myself a birthday present last week. You can also argue that I may have bought in to th hype surrounding Steve Jobs’ latest gadget, I suppose. I’ve got the 64 GB version with 3G and so far it is acting pretty much like the laptop replacement I expected it to be.

Anyway, One thing that the device has sparked in me again is my creative side. I created the drawing here with Autodesk Sketchbook Pro completely on the iPad. I used a Pogo Sketch conductive stylus for most of it, since I have yet to become really comfortable drawing with just my fingers.

Posted in: Technology.
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Pool – next steps

Apr 30th, 2010
by Ed.
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Well, it took me nearly six months to get around to it and get the money together, but the previously torn up area around the swimming pool is done and ready for plants

The main part of the new area is covered with 6″ x 12″ travertine pavers.  The crushed stone is 1″ decomposed granite.  The areas of crushed stone will eventually hold planters (to hide the pool equipment) and trees and shrubs at the far end of the pool to gain some privacy and shade back again

Posted in: House Design & Construction.
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New Year, New Yard

Jan 30th, 2010
by Ed.
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There hasn’t been much to talk about in the last couple of months.  I’ve been busy at work and that’s about it.

However, recently my Architect and I got back to work and we’re moving toward the point of calling in structural and mechanical people for the next round of design work.

Meanwhile, I’ve been prepping the back yard for some work.

Here’s the yard last August:

Lush and Green in Summer

And after recent work by my tree guys, here’s what it looks like in January:

Stripped. A Blank Canvas

The useless ornamental orange trees are gone as are all the trashy shrubs and other detritus.  Opens up the whole yard and makes space to plant a number of shade trees.  I will also put back a dwarf orange tree and a dwarf grapefruit tree that actually bear edible fruit…

Posted in: House Design & Construction.
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… almost finished

Nov 22nd, 2009
by Ed.
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Almost finished pool

Almost finished pool

Well, this week marked the last stage of the pool project (at least for the pool guys anyway)

All 27,000 +/- gallons of water are in, initial startup has been accomplished and now it’s “brush and backflush” for the next few days while the new surface cures and the remainder of the excess lime and cement that weren’t removed by the acid wash are removed by the filtration system.

Of course, now I have to put the hardscape back around the deck.  Luckily, we have that all american four day weekend called “Thanksgiving” coming up – perfect time to get that accomplished.

Posted in: House Design & Construction.
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Rememberance & Thanks

Nov 11th, 2009
by Ed.
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helmets_flagI, probably like most people, have people in my life who are either currently in military service or who have served.

I, probably like most people, have people in my life who have been affected by war … some having given the last full measure.

And I, probably like many people, don’t give anywhere near the level of respect, love, admiration and thanks to these people that I should.

Paradoxically, many of the people in my life who are or have served would also bristle at the very idea of what I just wrote in that last sentence.

It is on this day, now called Veteran’s Day, formed after WWI as Armistice Day, that we as a nation pause to recognize those who have served in our armed forces.  Unlike Memorial Day, we honor all who have served – past and present, dead or alive, young or old, man or woman.  Today, we as a nation make it a point to thank our service people.  We hold parades and special church services.  Politicians make speeches.  People who do that sort of thing attach even more magnetic ribbons to their cars.

What I find curious, however, is the general approach that many of these people (at least the ones I know) take toward all of this public adulation – many of them just hate it.  I suppose to a certain extent, this is simply a reflection of how most of us are – reasonably humble about ourselves and uncomfortable with a great deal of praise.  It’s interesting to me to hear from these folks that they don’t feel right about the thanks and the praise.  They were just doing their jobs.  They were just following orders.  They were professional soldiers, sailors, Marines.  “What are people thanking me for?”

Maybe some of it is the idea of being singled out as individuals.  For most of these folks, they’ve spent their careers as part of a very large team.  They’ve gotten used to being addressed as a group.  Individual recognition, while fairly common, comes as the result of a direct action by the person, not just “for your service”.  Perhaps that’s part of it.  Perhaps the discomfort comes from being thanked by people in the general public, who generally have no idea what these folks have gone through or how they’ve lived, simply for being employed in the job they do.  It’s almost as it they feel like someone is thanking the girl at the checkstand of the local grocery store just for coming to work at 7:00 am.

I don’t know either.  I am not a veteran.  I’ve never served my country other than trying to be a good citizen.  So I’m in the category of the majority of the rest of the population who has no real idea how these folks have actually lived.  Oh sure, I’ve heard the stories -but the stories I’ve heard are all “civilianized.”  Spend a little time around a group of folks who have served together and you, as the full-time-never-served civilian will feel distinctly out of place very quickly – and not because these folks are mean or trying to be anti social – but merely because they have a jargon, a language, a set of common experiences that I can’t share … and most of it I don’t understand.  It’s no different than one of my non-technical friends sitting in a room full of Broadcast Engineers.

What I do know is that over the years, I’ve learned to temper the amount of thanks I send out to our veterans.  I appreciate their service and their sacrifice.  I am thankful that they have chosen a life of service and sacrifice.  But I stop short of just sending out blanket thank-you’s because the last thing I want to do is to make my friends feel uncomfortable.

But there are days when, I’m sorry good friends, I’m going ot be a bit more effusive about this.  Our service people and veterans have given much to our country and to people all over the world.  No matter how you feel about the politics of any particular situation these people are or were in, they chose to serve and they chose to do the job they’ve done.  For that, they absolutely deserve my thanks and the thanks of a grateful nation.  These are, in most cases, amazing yet quiet people who have dedicated their lives to the rest of us.

So, Veterans … thank you for your service.

Sorry if that makes you uncomfortable.

Posted in: Personal Thoughts.
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Big Concrete Tank in the Ground

Oct 21st, 2009
by Ed.
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pool-1001Roughly 9 hours of work gets the pool from nice and comfy to something that looks like it belongs on the set of a disaster movie…

The pictures represent two frames from the timelapse video that I’m assembling of the project.  It’s working well so far and as soon as I decide on the best way to post it or a piece of it, it’ll be available to view in all its speedy glory.

Posted in: Personal Thoughts.
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… and so it begins – really.

Oct 17th, 2009
by Ed.
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pool_drainingThe pool renovation begins Monday morning.  My neighbors are going to love me – the first step is demolition featuring lots and lots of jackhammering.  Although, from the sounds of things down the block this morning, someone else is also doing a little work on their see-ment pond.

I’m playing around with some different image capture utilities in order to make a time lapse movie of the process. I have a Logitech Webcam Pro 9000 hanging up outside the house to capture the action.  We’ll see how it goes.  The apps that make time lapse easy don’t utilize the full resolution of the camera, so the process may end up being a bit more manual than I had been hoping.

What’s funny to me so far is how everything that was under the water is actually in a different place than I thought it was when the pool was full – amazing the power of parallax error.  I’m also very impressed with the little tiny sump pump that the contractors dropped off yesterday.  I’ve only had it running so far for about six hours and the water level is down well more than half way.  When I first saw the pump, I figured it would take all weekend for that thing to drain the water, but it looks like it’ll be empty by tonight.  Finding a handy old RV drain over in the side yard helped too – now I don’t have to flood the yard with highly chlorinated pool water and put my trees in even more distress than they’ve be experiencing because of the leak.

Posted in: House Design & Construction.
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Again with Bank of Umm….

Oct 4th, 2009
by Ed.
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bankLast month it was no access. This month access was fine, but somebody hit the big reset button in the sky and made my bill pay go away…

It’s things like this that get my neo-digital Luddite blood simmering. This is what happens when systems become so complicated they’re almost impossible to manage. When software is managing software. These are the sorts of things that are the precursors to “SkyNet”.

I go to pay bills yesterday and discover that BofA had shut off my bill pay system. Nothing was wrong, there had been no hacks (that they’ll admit to), there had been no unusual activity on my accounts, etc. No, I appear simply to have been the victim of software managing software during a bank merger.

As many people know, Bank of America has been working a purchase of Countrywide Financial through the courts for some months now. Apparently, on September 30th, they did the final computer file and records merge to bring all those Countrywide customers on board with online banking.  In the process of doing that, I guess someone clicked the wrong thing or whatever and ended up hosing a bunch of existing online bill pay customers.

OK, fine.  I get this stuff.  This merger can’t have been easy – particularly given all the B.S. political crap that’s floating around the whole financial world right now.  But here’s the thing – it’s not the like WHOLE system was hosed and that I had to start over again – that would have almost been preferable to what did happen.  Here’s a quick timeline:

  • 9/21 – I get a letter in the mail from BofA informing me that they haven’t been able to send me online banking alerts because my e-mail address isn’t working.  It was, actually, and upon going in to my online account and sending a test e-mail, it worked fine.  The CSR’s at BofA couldn’t figure that one out.
  • 9/30 – BofA “accidentally” shuts down my bill pay and resets all the customized data in my online account settings back to “factory default” – nothing major with this, it’s mostly account nicknames I had set up and other “usability stuff”.  No data was lost, all pending debit card transactions are there, etc.
  • 10/3 – I go to pay bills and discover what happened on 9/30 and spend about an hour on the phone with BofA getting me access to my bill pay again.  “It can take up to 24 hours for this to take effect, so please check your online account tomorrow”…
  • 10/4 – I go to pay bills and discover that while bill pay has been turned back on, not all of my checking accounts are available as “pay-from” accounts – AND, payments that I had scheduled prior to the Wednesday meltdown had been cancelled.  Another two calls to BofA and here’s the part that makes me nuts … they can turn on the pay from accounts again, BUT, they can’t reinstate the scheduled payments that they canceled without my permission, without notification and without warning.  Well, heck, that’s OK – turns out I find out this morning that they still have my OREGON drivers license number on file.  I ask to change that and ……………… I have to physically walk in to a baking center to get my new license number recorded.

It seems to me that if a company, a bank, an insurance company or whomever is going to embrace online technology, then for cryin’ out loud embrace it all the way and do a better job of it.  Online, I can change my physical address and phone numbers, passwords, security questions, add and subtract payees to and from bill pay and initiate all manner of transfers and payments from accounts both inside and outside of BofA – but I have to go to a bank and show a teller my driver’s license “for security purposes”.

It almost (almost) make you want to go back to just writing checks and dropping them in the mailbox.

Posted in: Personal Thoughts.
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