WT8P's Notes to Self

The high-level observations for today: “Invited” speakers tend to be better than those that are… not invited.

While rummaging through my study looking for an old tax return, I found my second grade report card.

Costco called last night to let me know the tires I ordered were in — not that I expected to wait long for a set of all-weather radials compatible a 2002 Subaru, especially in this neck of the woods.

While I was driving around Tucson, I was struck by how differently the traffic lights sequenced.

[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/carson/770964221/) Chili and Diet Dr Pepper I officially ran out of tchotchkes last night at 6:59 p.m., just as the reception was winding down.

The keynote this morning was by Michael Wynne, Secretary of the Air Force.

[](http://flickr.com/photos/carson/sets/72157600718562712/) Last night I assembled my bike in anticipation of seeing the greater Cincinnati area up close and personal.

The white noise and vibration during the takeoff phase of an aircraft always puts me to sleep.

Last night’s ride home was a doozy because of the torrential downpour… easily the wettest I’ve been since RSVP 2004.

Drown in a barrel of feral, plastic monkeys Unnecessarily provoke a “Code Elmo” alert with the Portage Security Association — they’re much like our TSA, but with better accents and 20% more common sense Contract a fatal infection from the paper cut he got…

Today’s keynote speaker, Daniel Simons, talked about inattentional blindness, the inability to perceive features in a visual scene you’re not paying attention to.

[](https://cdn.wt8p.com/i/gwynnfalls.jpg) Ginormous map!

I will be participating in — and completing — NaNoWriMo the month after next.

Last year a coworker was planning to buy a bag of high-quality raw coffee beans from the San Cristobal Coffee Company.

(See my update on this topic.)

There was an interesting discussion on the Cascade Bulletin Board speculating whether a ticket received for a bicycling infraction would cause your auto insurance rates go up?

I’m coining a new term, fomplicated, to describe a product that requires deliberate intervention and expertise from a customer beyond what any sane human being would consider reasonable.

Last December I was lamenting the industry analyst forecasts were all over the map.

One motivation for the exercise last week in reviewing 10-Q/Ks was to come up with some forecasts on the marketplace.

[](https://cdn.wt8p.com/i/issaquahtotofino.jpg) Map During Labour Day week, we took a rare vacation, spending four days in Tofino and two days in Victoria.

I had a weird dream last night.

[](http://www.hoteldouglas.com) We took a vacation last week to Tofino, BC, last week.

This may seem far-fetched, but I got a paper cut from picking up a cardboard box.

For you newly-minted pilots who have asked me, “should I buy an airplane?”

Why the hell am I doing this?

In June, a New York Times article said there were fewer complaints about cubicles from job seekers.

(Continued from Part 1, (Map, annotated altitude Profile, Preride Guide) Twelve Monkeys beware!

I finished the two-day version of STP (Map, annotated altitude Profile, Preride Guide) and lived to tell about it.

What is the game of “Chicken?”

Director Mitch pointed me to an article on the interview twists and turns some HR people will inflict upon candidates.

(for maximum humor value, mouse-over the dashed lines.)

About nine years ago I started flying as a way to blow off steam from the stresses of work.

To trim expenses, I consolidated my web and email providers this week.

I’m taking a photography class in hopes that I can improve my technique.

There’s a great urban legend that says a penny tossed off the top of the Empire State building will impact with enough force to embed itself in the ground.

The Seattle PI recently wrote about the disappearance of “A day in the life of” blog from someone named “Ted” on my employer’s recruiting site.