Category: Podcast

October 17, 2022 – Revisiting Hardware and Software

October 17, 2022 /

I knew that I wrote about this once. I looked it up and it was April 13, 2020. In that context, I was talking about spending money on things that accessorize my shop equipment rather than another tool. Today, I am taking about having experiences versus stuff primarily. I some ways, the two are closely related.

End Your Programming Routine: This is something that I battle with. I am stuck in the ‘how can I use this’ mentality of what would make this experience better the next time I do it. The challenge is tempering the exuberance of getting better with the reality of investing for future experiences.

October 10, 2022 – Table Topics and Misadventure

October 10, 2022 /

Ever do something that you know that you shouldn’t do but do it anyway? I did and I talk about it today. I also talk about what I do differently and how it has changed my life since. All the while, I continue to practice my delivery. If you are like me, there is help for us in terms of a support group.

End Your Programming Routine: I know that I am weak speaking impromptu. I think that I am pretty good when I am prepared. At least when it comes to structure and content but I also know that my delivery could certainly improve. I am going to do more ‘Table Topics’ in the future because I don’t ever want this forum to fall into a rut. That falls part and parcel with my initial vision of ‘polymath daily’.

October 3, 2022 – From Dependable to Dependant

October 3, 2022 /

This is a tough one. Once again I get personal on dealing with an aging parent that refuses to accept reality. This has cause a lot of hurt and anger and talking about this is one of my therapy techniques. I guess that I would say that podcasts are a better forum to get more personal, maybe this is not what you want? Well, it makes me feel better anyway. If you don’t like this line of content, then please suggest some other topics.

End Your Programming Routine: Maybe I should have studied philosophy instead of chemistry. I have come to appreciate the discipline of logic and reason when it comes to the these complicated and controversial topics. I don’t really appreciate being in the middle of it, but I hope that my insight today gives you comfort in your difficult situations. You are not alone.

September 26, 2022 – Adding More Adventure in Your Life

September 26, 2022 /

On the heels of my recent evaluation of my goals and accomplishments, my wife isn’t completely happy with what we got done so far this year. In fact, we had a conversation about selling everything to free us from the obligations of maintaining a home. I of course am pretty tepid about the idea preferring to see what we can do with what we have where we are at.

Today, I am talking about some my mindset issues and how I got to where I am. But it is not just problems, I look a what I want to do and ways to approach them. Hopefully, it is a good way to compromise with everyone.

End Your Programming Routine: I am within three years of having an empty nest and life changing thoughts. I am inclined to sit tight until that point, but who really knows what will happen in the meantime. I am open to consider change but what I really don’t want is moving for change sake and then moving again a few years later when the kids decide ultimately what they do.

September 19, 2022 – What to Know About Data Integrity

September 19, 2022 /

I recently watched part of the Hulu mini-series ‘The Dropout’. Assuming what we saw was true, it was very apparent why Theranos crashed in a big way. What really boggles me more is how it rose to such heights without a solid foundation in accepted science. You can hear all about it right here.

End Your Programming Routine: When things are too good to be true, don’t be surprised when they are. I know that I have the benefit of hindsight, it is much easier to take the moral high ground. But, I also lay the blame on all the people who invest in ideas that they don’t understand. It is not to say that you need to know how to build a widget, but you should at least understand how the widget fits into the product landscape.

September 12, 2022 – Quality Family Time

September 12, 2022 /

Alone on the Friday of Labor Day weekend, I take some time to reflect on being a father and spending family time together. We spent most of our weekend at the beach as and extended family to honor my wife’s father. As promised in the podcast, the picture below is the view from our rented beach house. Pretty nice to have a full oceanfront view.

At the time that I recorded this, the weekend had just started (for me). It turned out to be a beautiful weekend and the worst days weather wise were in the past. You couldn’t ask for much better weather on the Oregon Coast.

End Your Programming Routine: For me, it is probably best to have some sort of outline before podcasting. As I listened to this for editing, I realized that I spent the most time talking about father’s imparting information to their children and less so on family time. Nevertheless, both are covered and I think that the entire podcast still contains useful information and transition context.

September 6, 2022 – The Modern Consumer

September 6, 2022 /

I hope that everyone had a great Labor Day. Unofficial Fall is here and my kids go to school tomorrow. I have tried a couple of newer mechanisms to get goods for my projects and my experience was less than stellar. Today’s podcast is all about my opinions on what the modern consumer can expect.

End Your Programming Routine: I am coming around to the realization of the statement ‘Ignorance is Bliss’. Before the internet existed, a person would go to a store and whatever they carried is what was possible. In today’s world, we have so many choices, but getting them when you want them makes it very difficult to end up being satisfied by your choice. I feel like this has to get better, but that will be a different podcast.

August 29, 2022 – Back To School… Drama

August 29, 2022 /

My kids are a little over a week away from starting school again. You can listen about the drama that I am talking about. I was going to use this slot to tear a new one into the school system but as I was writing the outline, I thought that I could turn that around into something more constructive. So, that is what I did.

End Your Programming Routine: I think sometimes that if we don’t think critically about a situation, we can forget our power and role in the situation. Change your mindset so that it is not what the world is doing to you but how you respond to the world. That is mastery of yourself.

August 22, 2022 – Summer 2022 Status Report

August 22, 2022 /

There are a lot of twos in this title. As fall is right around the corner it hit me that we are trending toward the year wrapping up. It is nearly over 2/3 over. With summer ending and fall in sight, I felt like I needed to take stock of where I am at with things.

End Your Programming Routine: Goalsetting is integral to getting stuff done. I don’t get too down not meeting my own expectations as this is a busy family season in life. I don’t want to totally dwell on the downside because I got stuff done too. I think the key is to improving is to do a more frequent goal assessment and do things in the right order. I am looking to get better at that.

August 15, 2022 – Keep Your Enemies Close

August 15, 2022 /

I don’t have much to add that I haven’t already said in the podcast. Shoot the Breeze with Paul Evans was a campaign fundraiser that I participated in a little over a week ago. I will let you draw your own conclusions from the podcast.

End Your Programming Routine: Just like Jack Spirko says, just because you don’t agree with the systems doesn’t mean you don’t try to use it to your own benefit. So, I definitely don’t support Oregon Democrats, but my neighbor that is also a member in my fraternal order and willing to help with causes that I am involved is probably worth keeping a relationship with.