Now a ‘yaker

I finally, did it. I have been reading up on kayaks for quite some time in preparation for my return to Florida.

After many articles and comparing features to my intended usage, the Heritage Redfish 14 comes in as #1.

I bought two, one for my son and one for myself. I will add another one as soon as my wife acclimates to the idea of kayaking instead of powerboating. It really makes a lot of sense when you know where I fish.

I moved back to the coastal area of East Central Florida (Melbourne). The area is dominated by the Indian River Lagoon, a saltwater estuary of national significance.

Now I can resume our favorite activity, fishing shallow water for Snapper, Grouper, Redfish and Trout (in that order). Pompano is a welcome addition.

Opt-Out Bonanza Link

Don't you just hate the junk mail offering pre-approved credit cards? I know I do. Talk about a personal risk. I shred all mine to little tiny bits in an industrial shredder. Even though I do this, I still don't like getting them in the first place.

Want to reduce the volume? Along with other anoyances? The Federal Trade Commission has a web page for information. You can call a number and an easy to use automated system opts you out of the four major credit reporting bureaus where a lot of the companies verify your credit prior to sending you the little nasties. Just go here, and you can do that along with lot of other things to reduce the daily bother. The web site says it lasts for two years, but on the phone you are offered a 5-year and a permanent option. If you just want the number:

Taken from the "Unsolicited Mail, Telemarketing and Email: Where to Go To “Just Say No”" web site:

The credit bureaus offer a toll-free number that enables you to “opt-out” of having pre-approved credit offers sent to you for two years. Call 1-888-5-OPTOUT (567-8688) for more information. When you call, you’ll be asked for personal information, including your home telephone number, your name and your Social Security number. The information you provide is confidential and will be used only to process your request to opt out of receiving pre-screened offers of credit.

Strange impositions on the world

This link is about the record of one woman's grandfather's photos series in WWII representing his experience in the Asian theater. As I watched the link with the Flickr slideshow option, I happened to be listening to a set of comfortable songs from my iTunes collection. It kind of brought a new sense of how we view or influence the world around us. As the camera captured scenes from 1945-1947, I am sure the photographer was not aware of the influence western societies would exert on their cultures.
I got a sense of our approach to the rest of the world, at least from my perspective. I felt as an encroacher, even though I obviously have no influence due to the separation of time. Spooky. Now put time as a lens between this photo series and our current experiences. Influence stands out very starkly, not entirely to benefit, from a world perspective or from even an Americo(is that making sense? I know it is a word I probably just made up…) view. What does that say? I am not sure.

My apologies to this company

In the past, I have spoken and thought very poorly about corporations in general.

After reading this article about a man saved by his co-workers from a tumor growing at the base of brain, I am very pleasantly proven wrong about this company at least. At the end of the story is the main thing that makes me happy to see. The workers donated to pay for a scan that saved his life, but then the manager is kind enough to repay them through the payroll even though the manager clearly did not have to.

OverWrought and OverRidden

I read this and found many things on the list were very applicable to me. I DO tend to take on too much and expect that I can get it all done. Not very realistic and this is a good reminder for it:

Editing your life

Retired young(ish)

Light. At the end of the tunnel. Finally, after eons in the bowels of the borg, I have been offered a retirement package to exit. It was unexpected, but in retrospect, should have been seen coming as signs were there.
People. God (does he exist?), do I respect the peers and people who reported to me. As a collective, they allowed me to survive. Their support at times of crisis was critical. Most of the rest of the borg, with three notable exceptions, exist as employees for reasons that escape me. Of course I don't know every employee, but if the law of averages holds true, then the statement is not off by much.
How do you feel after 32 years and now idle? Hard to express in words, but I'll try. At first, there was an almost imperceptible relief. Little things started to fade away, some other things started coming into focus, mainly the life things, family, friends, time coming back to non-compressed mode. Time had been moving in detrimental ways yet I did not notice the change into that mode. 12 hours, 14 hours, 16 hours, who cares? The slide into this work pattern happened gradually, but became my 'new normal' for work. Is that all their fault? (the borg's) No, it took both sides to reach this, one side demanding and the other accepting without real thought. I accept my portion. I did it.

Now move on and grow.

Tang Bubbly

Not super into this, but found it interesting in how simple this is:

http://www.blogontherocks.com/2006/01/tang_brew_tangpagne.html