Dirty Jobs to Congress

Mike Rowe makes a very concise argument to the Commerce, Science and Technology Committee about the need for support for specialized services. A good point he makes is that as we age, our curiosity about how things work begins to fade. If you would like to combat that, I would recommend checking out The Works by Kate Ascher. The book summarizes in page after page of infographics how New York City operates. I am a Civil and Environmental Engineer and even I was stunned by how beautiful and organized the book was.

Yes, it is a link to Amazon. I would recommend going to your local independent bookstore first. If you are in Ithaca, I recommend Buffalo Street Books Coop.

Time to Catch Up!

Whoa, I really let my little blog lapse. Time to catch up!

A Year's Worth : Homelessness

Returning to Ithaca, I realize that truly this is home. The people I hangout with are here. My job is here. My current life is here. However, one major aspect is missing as I arrive : a home.

That's right, I am facing about three months of homelessness in the great Ithaca, NY. By the virtue and graces of my friends, I will not have to face the cold and lack of shelter as many have offered me places to stay. But, still, not having a home has already taught me how spoiled I was with my previous life and makes me appreciate smaller things. So, the homeless engineer has a few suggestions and pieces of advice.

Always Wear and Bring Extra Socks

Feet tend to get stinky. They are sweaty and moisture from the ground gets in them fairly quick. A simple recommendation for everyone is to keep an extra pair of socks with you at all times (or at least when you are carrying a backpack or purse). Although you may never need them, if you get a foot wet a couple of hours before a meeting, you may be paying the price later.

Shower, often

If you are feeling funkified, take a shower. Hygiene, as we all know, is extremely important. People judge you off the first impression. If they can smell you (or your feet, see above) even before you introduce yourself, you are shooting yourself in the foot. Take. A. Shower. Especially college nerds, you can't get a girlfriend if you don't respect and take care of your body first.

Additionally, it shows a sign of mutual respect/trust when you are at a friends place. Taking a shower is much different than simply using the restroom.

Lockers

My last tip of the day is rent lockers or store extra stuff in your office. Now some may say that you can verge on a pack mule, but don't over due it. Store essential items. Backup toothbrush, a pair of pants, etc. If you have a safety stash, you can recover from many things and feel more comfortable.

These points are mostly made in jest, but in truth if you strive to take care of yourself, people are more likely to like you. Mostly, I'm just blowing off steam in response to my new lifestyle. However, I think this will be an interesting endeavor.

A Year's Worth : Adventures

Why I am sketchy on uploading items these days. Too busy enjoying life.

A Year's Worth : Homeward

Tonight, I pack once again. Nothing special, I have done it hundreds of times before. Road trips, bus rides, and airfare have all whisked me across the globe as I chase after something that resembles life. Each Christmas, though, I make the trek home to visit and spend time with those people that helped to make and define me. However, more and more, it feels like just that, a visit.

As the world shrinks, the more adventurous and explorer types tend to find it easier to maintain relationships with those that you love, even when they are half a globe away. However, it is impossible to supersede the distance, relationships thrive when the person is half a block away. Shared experience, face time, moments that do not feel forced or limited are important. And above all, the most important thing for a relationship is time. Time to laugh, to love, to hate, to hurt, to grow, and to do the none too important things.

How we spend our time defines us (a very "duh" statement, but I'll say it to sound smart). As I have aged, I spend less and less time with my family, my base and more with the world at large. I have developed an intricate social network with some of the most interesting (to me) people in the world. They are my family away from my family.

But why should I develop another family in the first place?

As I get ready to leave home once more, I am hounded by a guilt that I have abandoned those that mean the world to me. My mother, my father, and my sister each propelled me into the future. However, I have a nagging suspicion that I just used them and now have left them behind. A balance must be struck.

I suppose, mostly the shift in internal thought process has come about by simply getting older and maturing. Will I continue to abandon the relationships that mean most to me for the next exciting challenge? Will I be content to return home someday? Is this nothing more than being fearful about being homeless, car-less, and soon country-less?

Questions. The answers are the stuff of life.

-Nomad

Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear

From my vantage point at the rally.

Success: Bizarre Attempt at Tomato Soup

{from thekicthn.com}

Long time no posting. What writing a paper means. I was pulled out for a moment and had the chance to try a very tasty Tomato Soup Recipe. Although I failed horribly at emulating what was on the recipe, I did manage to create an interesting onion-garlic-tomato-pimento stew. Note to self, inversion blender needed. For my efforts, I was awarded half an unbeatable homemade apple pie. Fair trade!