We survived

Well, Hurricane Irene's been and gone. And we survived. Other than not having any power (along with over 1 million other households statewide), we're fine. Our house (and my mom and in-laws as well) escaped damage. One of my neighbor's wasn't as lucky. Nothing catastrophic, but they've got a nice hole in their roof.

Got our debris cleaned, helped our neighbors get the worst picked up and managed to clear the roads out of the neighborhood. Now, I'm already exhausted and hurting. Bleh.

Tomorrow's not going to be pleasant.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

New employee

Well, after the earthquake yesterday, we had a couple more employees join the staff.




Little fruit bat that was living somewhere decided try and escape. Too bad he ended up on our floor instead. Third one since yesterday.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

And the earth moves under my feet

With apologies to Carole King for the horrible misuse of song lyrics ...

As most of you are aware, the East Coast just got hit by a pretty hefty earthquake.  5.9 on the Richter Scale, it was located just outside of the Charlottesville, VA area.  That's about an hour away from where I'm sitting (as the crow follows the road).  It got interesting.

I work in a nice, secure building that's entirely made out of concrete and rebar.  No windows.  When a quake can make this building move ... the occupants scatter like ants out of a smashed anthill. 

Now, today's been one of those days where I've been fighting dizzy spells.  A couple of them were rather nasty.  When the building started shaking, I was trying to figure out why my dizzy spells were getting so bad, suddenly.  Now, they DO get that bad, but they usually work their way up to that point, and they hadn't yet.  When the soda machine started trying to dance with me ... well, I figured at that point it wasn't just my head acting up.  Of course, my next thought was, "What did the contractors hit the building with this time?"  They'd already taken several good chunks out of one corner with a bucket lift, so it was possible.

Oh, well.  Family's all safe - even though my mom slept through it until her dachshund started going bonkers over the quake and my mother-in-law needs to learn to turn her cell phone on while babysitting ... Other than that and an overloaded phone system, it looks like we've managed to avoid major damage.

Now, if we could only keep that trend when Irene pays us a visit this coming weekend.

As one of my coworkers said, "We've had forest fires (Great Dismal Swamp), earthquake and a hurricane this coming weekend.  Any other natural disasters want to come join in the fun?"

Oh, well.  Time to get back to work.  Time to cut of the stream of conciousness ramble.

-- Sham

NPR's top 100 Sci Fi series/books

Okay, so it appears that a meme has struck.   Kahr40 at From The Barrel of a Gun has his list of NPR's top 100 Sci-fi books/series up.

Now, I'd read through the list when NPR first put them up (and even voted for mine when voting was opened).  Never thought of listing which ones I've read.  So, here goes.  The ones in bold are the ones that I've actually read.

1. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien
2. The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
3. Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card
4. The Dune Chronicles, by Frank Herbert
5. A Song Of Ice And Fire Series, by George R. R. Martin
6. 1984, by George Orwell
7. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
8. The Foundation Trilogy, by Isaac Asimov
9. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
10. American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
11. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
12. The Wheel Of Time Series, by Robert Jordan
13. Animal Farm, by George Orwell
14. Neuromancer, by William Gibson
15. Watchmen, by Alan Moore
16. I, Robot, by Isaac Asimov
17. Stranger In A Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein
18. The Kingkiller Chronicles, by Patrick Rothfuss
19. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
20. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
21. Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, by Philip K. Dick
22. The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood
23. The Dark Tower Series, by Stephen King
24. 2001: A Space Odyssey, by Arthur C. Clarke
25. The Stand, by Stephen King
26. Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson
27. The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury
28. Cat's Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut
29. The Sandman Series, by Neil Gaiman
30. A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
31. Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein
32. Watership Down, by Richard Adams
33. Dragonflight, by Anne McCaffrey
34. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, by Robert Heinlein
35. A Canticle For Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller
36. The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells
37. 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, by Jules Verne
38. Flowers For Algernon, by Daniel Keys
39. The War Of The Worlds, by H.G. Wells
40. The Chronicles Of Amber, by Roger Zelazny
41. The Belgariad, by David Eddings
42. The Mists Of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley
43. The Mistborn Series, by Brandon Sanderson
44. Ringworld, by Larry Niven
45. The Left Hand Of Darkness, by Ursula K. LeGuin
46. The Silmarillion, by J.R.R. Tolkien(does it count if you start it, get bored out of your mind and wander off to find something to save what's left of your sanity?)
47. The Once And Future King, by T.H. White
48. Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
49. Childhood's End, by Arthur C. Clarke
50. Contact, by Carl Sagan
51. The Hyperion Cantos, by Dan Simmons
52. Stardust, by Neil Gaiman
53. Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson
54. World War Z, by Max Brooks
55. The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle
56. The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman
57. Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett
58. The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever, by Stephen R. Donaldson
59. The Vorkosigan Saga, by Lois McMaster Bujold
60. Going Postal, by Terry Pratchett
61. The Mote In God's Eye, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
62. The Sword Of Truth, by Terry Goodkind
63. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
64. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
65. I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson
66. The Riftwar Saga, by Raymond E. Feist
67. The Shannara Trilogy, by Terry Brooks
68. The Conan The Barbarian Series, by R.E. Howard
69. The Farseer Trilogy, by Robin Hobb
70. The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
71. The Way Of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson
72. A Journey To The Center Of The Earth, by Jules Verne
73. The Legend Of Drizzt Series, by R.A. Salvatore
74. Old Man's War, by John Scalzi
75. The Diamond Age, by Neil Stephenson
76. Rendezvous With Rama, by Arthur C. Clarke
77. The Kushiel's Legacy Series, by Jacqueline Carey
78. The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. LeGuin
79. Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury
80. Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
81. The Malazan Book Of The Fallen Series, by Steven Erikson
82. The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde
83. The Culture Series, by Iain M. Banks
84. The Crystal Cave, by Mary Stewart
85. Anathem, by Neal Stephenson
86. The Codex Alera Series, by Jim Butcher
87. The Book Of The New Sun, by Gene Wolfe
88. The Thrawn Trilogy, by Timothy Zahn
89. The Outlander Series, by Diana Gabaldan
90. The Elric Saga, by Michael Moorcock
91. The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury
92. Sunshine, by Robin McKinley
93. A Fire Upon The Deep, by Vernor Vinge
94. The Caves Of Steel, by Isaac Asimov
95. The Mars Trilogy, by Kim Stanley Robinson
96. Lucifer's Hammer, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
97. Doomsday Book, by Connie Willis
98. Perdido Street Station, by China Mieville
99. The Xanth Series, by Piers Anthony
100. The Space Trilogy, by C.S. Lewis


It's amazing to think about how much of these I've read (45/100).  It's even scarier to think about how many times I've REread some of them (the Dragonriders of Pern books, the Xanth novels, the LotR trilogy, and others).  I can't even begin to count the re-reads.

Looking at this list, it gives me a lot to add to my "to be read" list.

A Confused Conservative

I originally wrote this on another blog.  The majority of the points are still pertinent. 


-----------------------------------------------------------
I know what y'all are thinking. Any conservative person in America today has to be confused. Far be it from me to disabuse you of the notion.

I should say that I'm a confusing conservative. I believe in several things that put me in that camp.

I believe:

1. There is a God who sent His Son to die for us over 2000 years ago.
2. Every person (male, female, black, white, purple, etc.) has the right to my respect.
3. Every person has a right to lose my respect as soon as they prove that they are no longer worthy of having it.
4. Every person has the right to live their life as they choose, in the boundaries of their own values, as long as they don't force those values upon me (see #3 above).
5. Every person has a right to be free of me forcing my beliefs on them. A corollary to #4 above.

Given these beliefs I tend to fit in to the conservative group.

Where things get confusing is that, while I am very conservative (Def: "Favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.", primarily the "oppose change" part), I am very much an independent thinker. I don't fit into any one whole. I am an octagonal peg being shoved into a triangle hole.

I am pro-life. I believe that all life is sacred and special. However, I understand that not everyone agrees with me. I understand that others believe that taking that life before it ever gets a chance to start is acceptable.

I am for the freedom of speech. I won't necessarily agree with what you are saying, but I will fight to the death to defend your right to say it.

I am all for debate prior to making a decision. However, once that decision is made, our support should be behind that decision. A classic example of this is the war in Iraq. I did not believe all of the rhetoric given for going in prior to it starting (I still don't), but I support the effort going now, because I believe our soldiers need all of the support at home that they can get. I've seen what happens when soldiers return home and get scorned, tormented and abused. I've seen friends' fathers withdraw from their family and friends because of this treatment. This is a lesson we need to learn from Vietnam. These men and women need our support.

I am an avid gamer. I play all kinds of computer, board, and role-playing games. Yes, role-playing games. That's a whole OTHER rant. I'll probably get to that tomorrow.

My politics are even more confused that my personal beliefs.

• I believe in a small, minimally interfering government. However, I believe in a state supported welfare system.
• I believe in a state supported welfare system. However, I believe that it should be limited in scope, time, and have responsibility on the part of the recipient to earn/work for these benefits.
• I believe in a strong, well paid/supplied military. However, I think that some of the decisions made by said military are down right stupid.
• I believe that killing people is wrong. Period. Full stop. HOWEVER, comma, I believe that the death penalty is a viable punishment for certain offenses. One way that my thinking has changed over the years since this was first written.  Anyone who threatens my life or safety or the life/safety of my wife and children are taking their lives into their own hands.  I will not refuse to use force, up to and including the use of deadly force, if my life, or the life of my family is endangered.  While this might seem like a stretch, it's just a tweaking of my thoughts on the death penalty.  It's just a little more immediate.  If someone chooses to violate the social contract to the point of jeopardizing me ore my family, well, they made their choice.  I'll deal with the consequences to my conscience, but I'll still have my family around to help me with that.

In this past Presidential election, I was in a bit of quandary. I disagreed with all of the candidates. And I agreed with all of the candidates. See what I mean about being confused?

Oh, well.

*wanders off scratching his head*

A Piece of History

My wife is probably going to get very upset with me over this post.  Not because it's bad, or depicts her in a negative way.  It's something that will remind her of a very scary afternoon.  One that still haunts her to this day.  Anyways, this post originally appeared back on September 6, 2005.  The events described happened on that Labor Day.

Anyways, here it goes for posterity's sake.

You know how they say, when you're dying, your entire life flashes before your 
eyes? Well, I had a similar experience this past Labor Day weekend. Only, it wasn't 
my life flashing before my eyes. 

It was my daughter's.

It's amazing to think that in a span of seconds, memories that span almost four and 
a half years can flip through your mind. Images of the sweet little girl (that blessed little 
girl, after three boys) in her mother's arms at the hospital. Images of her sitting in her 
bouncer just smiling up at her daddy as she played quietly. Thoughts of how, as a 
baby, she would wake up in the middle of the night and only be calmed by Daddy 
cradling her against his chest on the couch. Images of her taking her first steps. Thoughts 
of her "hugs around the neck" and the exuberant delight that she had in sharing them. 
Thoughts of her gentle kisses on my cheeks as she climbed, sleepily, into her bed at 
night. Thoughts of her laughter as she was spun around the pool just earlier that afternoon.

All of that flashed through my mind's eye in the time it took me to travel fifty feet. That's 
the distance from my father-in-law's chair in his den to the far side of his pool. See, my 
daughter had decided that she was going to ignore the rules, and get in the pool without 
an adult with her. She's tall enough that she can stand in the shallow end and have her 
head above water. Well, she was playing with a little toy boat and it started drifting along 
the wall towards the deep end of the pool. She managed to stay on the edge of the pool 
where the water is the same depth as the shallow end. Once she reached the far side of 
the pool, she slipped and went under the water.

I thank God that my wife's uncle chanced to look over there at that moment. The dear 
man jumped into the pool to save her, even though he can barely swim himself. I also 
thank God that my wife's cousin is also a certified lifeguard and responded faster than 
I could. If not for these two men, my life today could be very different than it was that 
Saturday morning.

Fortunately, my sweet, bright little girl remembered everything that we'd taught her 
and her brothers about swimming underwater. As soon as she felt herself going under 
the water, she grabbed her nose, closed her eyes and held her breath. This right here 
is what gave us the time to get to her and help her.

My wife, bless her heart, heard a comment from her aunt ("Is she dead?") as we were 
laying her on the diving board to check her out. She (my wife) actually handled it 
better than I would have expected. She got upset, and worried and only a little 
hysterical. Many mothers would've completely gone off the deep end (no pun 
intended). Needless to say, we have taken a little extra time with our (extra) precious 
little angel over the last several days.

Ever since this happened, I've been beating myself up, trying to figure out what I 
could've done to have prevented this. There were several adults outside with her. 
When I got out of the pool (I was the last adult out), I made sure that she came out of 
the pool with me. She had been playing with her brothers in the yard. Between one 
moment and the next, she decided that she'd get back in the pool and play with the 
boat. She's been outside there playing, a lot. Our children are blessed with grandparents 
nearby and get to see them on a regular basis. Every other time that she's been outside, 
she's respected the rules and stayed away from the pool. I'm not the kind of father to 
chain his kids into one place and not allow them to have any fun, especially in an 
environment where they are (so I think) safe and familiar with the rules and expected 
behaviors.

Anyways, I think now, I'm going to go upstairs, and peek in on my darling little 
girl and give her one more good night kiss. And then again in the morning (just to 
make sure that she's okay). I'm entitled to a little overanxious paranoia, now. 
Aren't I?

After all that, she's growing up to be a talented, intelligent and wonderfully well adjusted young lady.  She's still Daddy's little girl.  Oh, and she's not afraid of the water, at all.  She's turned into a little fish.

Why I do what I do

An article over on Wings of Iraq (a milblogger that's crazy enough to be a runner AND a Lawn Dart, erm Blackhawk driver) by a guest blogger (MajorMikeLyons) sparked something in my head.  The article was a "No, seriously, thank you for your service!" article fisking an editorial in Bloomberg (link shameless used from the WoI article).

  As a computer professional, I could get a job in any field and make a good living at it.  Why did I choose (and choose to remain in) a job with a Department of Defense contractor?  That gets a little deeper than "the pay's good" and "needed to support my wife and the family we'd started".  Sure, both of those factors played big roles in the decision, but there's something deeper in it. Something that comes from deeper inside.  I am a patriot.  I'm not a raving, flag waving, mouth-breathing fanatic (even though I've been known to do all of that from time to time).  I'm a firm believer that America is good, right and worth defending from all enemies, foreign and domestic.  It's part of why I get so bent out of shape over what the ... well, let's just say misguided Congresscritters are doing to our country.  Many rants will be coming out of those feelings.

This patriotism and belief in country is why I wanted to join the military while growing up.  As an Army brat, I got to see a lot of things, places and people that proved to me that America IS worth fighting for.  Because of this, I spent 4+ years in high school as part of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp (JROTC) in preparation for ROTC in college and, ultimately, a commission as an officer in the United States Army.  Sadly, that was not to be.  As a freshman in college, I was participating in an orientation course for a program for selected freshmen at the university.  A 1 credit hour fluff course, but required for participation in the program.  It was so fluffy, the instructor let us choose between rollerblading along some bike paths in the next city over ... or a food and drink gab session in the classroom.  The class voted to do the rollerblading.  To make a long story short (I can hear the "too late!" from the back of the room, so hush!), I ended up injuring my knee when I stopped to repair a broken skate lace.  Trying to stop on roller blades and then hitting a patch of gravel is not pleasant.  The Orthopedic doc I saw told me that I was lucky that I'd already had 2 prior injuries to that knee and stretched my ACL.  If I hadn't, it would've torn.  As it was, it was close to it.  Nice birthday present to myself.  Oh, I didn't mention that this entire fiasco was on my birthday?  Ooops.  Although, the nice side of it ... seeing someone injured brings out the maternal side of many a college coed... :D

Now, this was all back in the early 90's, during Bush I and Clinton's series of Reduction in Force (RIF) draw downs.  Recruiting standards got particularly tough and the recruiters had to be very selective.  Because of the injury and the timing, I was informed by the Army that my services where not going to be required.  It was a rather hard blow.

After more work in college (still not finished ... note to self - get yourself back to work!), I went to work for a small-ish Defense contractor near my home town.  Since I couldn't directly serve, I was (and still am) bound and determined to give the guys and gals out on the pointy end of the stick the tools that they need to do their job.

There you go.  Since I can't do what I wanted to do, originally, I'm doing the next best thing.  I help those who serve by providing tools they need to make the job of standing in harms way, just a little bit easier.

For our men and women in uniform, I just want to say, "Thank you."  For all that you deal with on a daily basis, and still remain willing to charge towards the sounds of the guns, "Thank you" is really a small reward.  For me, "Thank you" is just my way of saying, "Thank you for doing what I wish I could, but never got the chance to do."  God Bless you all, and may He grant that you return home safely, if you are deployed.

-- Sham