tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59983194162169608432024-03-05T04:54:36.114-05:00Wearing the Inside OutRantings and ravings about all things Apple, Mac, music, politics, culture, social issues, nit-picks, technology, spirituality, science, and life-changing trips from a 20-something professional.davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.comBlogger236125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-21600130732747817682009-08-20T07:36:00.001-04:002009-08-20T07:36:28.555-04:00On time and attentionBen Franklin famously divided his day up into sections, some for productive work, some for dining, some for letter writing and conversation, with a few hours left each day to sleep.He knew that his time and attention were valuable. There were only so many hours in a day, and in order to have the maximum impact, his time was divided according to his priorities.Many of us don't lay out our daily davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-27736346328966073882009-07-30T19:06:00.001-04:002009-07-30T19:09:02.081-04:00Take Back the Beep[An open letter to AT&T rep, Mark Siegel, in response to David Pogue's "Take Back the Beep" campaign. I sent this in an e-mail to Mr. Siegel at 6:57 p.m. today.]Mr. Siegel,As an iPhone user, I'm lucky. My voicemail greeting does not burden a caller with an inanely-long "after the beep" message. I realize I'm one of the lucky few, however, because I face this message every time I call someone davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-2630161440849302632009-07-28T18:32:00.001-04:002009-07-28T18:32:51.320-04:00Fear & Loathing at Beer Fest 2009 It's not hard to see why an idea like Beer Fest would be so popular. Take 8,000 drunks, seclude them in a riverside park, isolate them on all sides, and turn them loose with thousands of kegs of beer.If that's not an American ideal, I don't know what is.Thanks to the Michigan Brewers Guild, Beer Fest takes place every summer in Ypsilanti, sandwiched between Independence Day and the end of davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-71123973799305752782009-07-16T23:35:00.001-04:002009-07-16T23:35:39.947-04:00Will work for MacsFor the third time in my life now, I've been directly involved in the purchase of a new Macintosh computer.The first was my first, an iBook G4 that still serves as my home base computer. The other was helping Katie buy an iMac.But this one, a 15" MacBook Pro, is strictly professional. It's the result of our credit union's umbrella organization, the Jackson Co-Op, taking a chance on my design davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-41977440129746454672009-07-13T19:12:00.004-04:002009-07-13T19:17:42.693-04:00On bird watchingIt is remarkable how such a simple thing – an evening walk, a bird in a tree yelling its head off – can manage to cut through so much mental entanglement, can revive you when you are tired, can bring an almost immediate sense of well-being. And it occurred to me that evening that one of the things about the world is that it is largely indifferent to the human stories that we weave.It's called "davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-8650510281976017812009-07-07T17:41:00.002-04:002009-09-15T15:33:21.918-04:00On 'Into the Wild'Americans can be placed in two diametrically-opposed camps: those whoe view Henry David Thoreau's experiment next to Walden Pond as a great idea, worthy of copying, and everyone else.I've long placed myself in the former category. The idea of spending two years alone in the woods, with a self-built shelter and a bean garden, sounds pretty darned gnarley. Thoreau allowed himself walks into town davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-21742304715102785192009-06-26T19:19:00.005-04:002009-06-26T19:25:48.493-04:00Devils in the detailsBecause the specifics matter. It’s one thing to say that Citi wasted some of the money taxpayers sent its way via the bailout; it’s another thing to say Citi wasted some of the taxpayers’ money by upholstering the pillows on the private jet Sandy Weill took to Mexico over Christmas vacation with Hermes scarves. It’s one thing to say Wall Street bankers felt pressure to chase profits; it’s anotherdavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-23818202831957714612009-06-16T22:19:00.004-04:002009-06-16T22:56:47.574-04:00The best there ever will be."You can be a good person and do everything right and it doesn't guarantee you anything." - Owen HartI can place the era that I started watching wrestling again, when I was 13, and it was mostly because of two events: the return of the Undertaker at SummerSlam 1994, and the fact that Bret Hart was the reigning WWE (then, the WWF) champion.It's astonishly easy to admit: Bret "Hitman" Hart is a davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-38038779877472140972009-06-08T07:40:00.003-04:002009-07-11T09:29:54.959-04:00Dave Lawrence earns Jackson Magazine's '30 and Under' Yup, that's me. I was honored to receive Jackson Magazine's "30 and Under" honor - a special profile section of young professionals in Jackson, MI.The magazine profile tells about my involvement with Recycling Jackson and Rotary, and my environmental efforts at work.davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-51801993317853158082009-06-05T16:12:00.000-04:002009-06-05T16:13:12.566-04:00Changing life's guitar stringsI haven't changed my guitar strings in years. My electric guitar has been sitting in its case for at least two years, while my acoustic still hasn't forgiven me for my neglect - even though I've picked it up more often these past few weeks.Old strings, though, they break a little easier. They're cruddy and grimy and - if you haven't played in a while - are a bit out of tune. New strings not davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-82086452287822423192009-05-06T15:49:00.002-04:002009-05-06T15:56:08.844-04:00Criticism is a good thingJohn Siracusa, from Ars Technica, in his post "Hypercritical":How is it that Pontiac and Oldsmobile managed to find their way into the hearts and minds of consumers (ask your parents about it) while perfectly competent Dell and HP have not? I contend that it's at least partly because the auto industry has enjoyed a rich history of subjective, high-quality criticism, while the technology industry davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-28839301247177392622009-04-29T17:26:00.001-04:002009-04-29T17:26:33.691-04:00Now for something completely different.Next week, I face the first week-long vacation of my adult life where I have no plans.I've never taken time off from work and done nothing.By "nothing" I mean no cross-country trip, of course. My first dose of vacation time took to me my first solo trip, a long weekend in Chicago, and from then on it's been 1,000 miles or more. It's the only way I know how to operate.But it's not like I have "davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-76070776964252425432009-04-19T12:11:00.001-04:002009-04-19T12:11:22.480-04:00On resting, and living, in peace.My mother passed away last Wednesday. She left us peacefully, in her sleep.Her death stands in stark contrast to the freewheeling life she led. Us kids, my oldest sister and me, were merely along for the ride. Many that know me know that I cut off any relationship with my mom in high school. It wasn't due to any lack of love, but I had my own self-preservation to think about. A decent life davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-85735240145860422062009-04-08T19:35:00.001-04:002009-04-08T19:35:33.098-04:00Hit the road, Jack.My life is renewed when tires meet the road.It's always been that way, for as far back as I can remember. When I feel pressed down, or stressed, or worried, I hit the road and I'm made whole. Maybe it's the self-induced isolation, or maybe it's giving myself time to think and unwind and enjoy the scenery. I don't know enough to explain it, but I know that it works.So it was this weekend, when davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-75517313450685138952009-03-23T22:28:00.002-04:002009-03-23T22:32:45.851-04:00America 2.0Someone, sometime soon is going to start describing the climb out of this impressive hole we’ve dug for ourselves, and they’re going to call it “America 2.0”. Clever, yes. We need a new version of ourselves and that’s going to involve bright, unexpected ideas from those we least expect them from, and they’re going to strike you as impossible. All you need to do to understand these terrifyingly davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-12474425062464678392009-02-25T07:29:00.001-05:002009-02-25T07:29:23.394-05:00Something to digestA true test of any fitness level is the paczki, a Polish doughnut usually eaten in America on Fat Tuesday. They're a big hit around Michigan, Toledo, and areas of high Polish-population density. And they're delicious.My test came after I devoured my paczki on Tuesday. Because I'm diabetic, I have to be careful about eating carbohydrates. My body doesn't produce insulin on its own, so if I eatdavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-75199887935881923322009-02-22T18:59:00.002-05:002009-02-22T19:00:48.292-05:00Humility in this day and ageHumility is in plentiful supply these days. And why not, since people are losing their jobs, losing their homes, and losing their sense of purpose and dignity. Us Michiganders have felt it for years now, of course, and now we stand to lose names like "Pontiac" and "Chrysler" down the giant economic drain hole.That's humility. Now it's being felt all over.But no matter what we learn during davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-2780050456123536122009-01-31T19:34:00.004-05:002009-01-31T19:41:30.194-05:00Winning the fucking NewberyAuthor Neil Gaiman, after finding out (via speakerphone at 5:45 a.m.) that his book won the Newbery Award:You are on a speakerphone with at least 14 teachers and librarians and suchlike great, wise and good people, I thought. Do not start swearing like you did when you got the Hugo. This was a wise thing to think because otherwise huge, mighty and fourletter swears were gathering. I mean, that's davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-10580726058193954912009-01-22T22:00:00.001-05:002009-01-22T22:00:31.715-05:00On answering the call to serve.During his campaign for president, Barack Obama asked the American people to give of themselves to help steer us out of this national funk we're in. Service, he said, helps us help our fellow citizens, lifts our spirits, benefits the economy, and fosters a sense of responsibility in America's destiny.I didn't need to be told that by President Obama. The benefits of service and altruism, to me, davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-12434467499212319252009-01-09T19:07:00.000-05:002009-01-09T19:08:06.844-05:00Standing at the waterline."Civilization ends at the waterline. Beyond that, we all enter the food chain, and not always right at the top." - Hunter S. Thompson, 1986* * * * *As General Motors and Chrysler crumble and teeter like a top-heavy Jenga game, I can't help but feel apathetic. These are the people who inspire the need for a new car. In fact, their whole business (or lack of) depends on Americans buying davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-63133395664473808582008-12-24T20:53:00.000-05:002008-12-24T20:54:32.685-05:00So much for auld lange syneNothing says "cliche" like a list of New Year's resolutions. To avoid such a stigma, I've compiled a list of to-do items for 2009.RUN A REAL 5KAbout a month ago, I took Planet Fitness up on their $10/month gym membership offer - and so far, so good. I didn't realize how much I missed running until I started running again. An annoying pain in my knee stopped my previous running effort just as Idavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-46034488964481630762008-12-08T19:36:00.001-05:002008-12-08T19:36:27.222-05:00See how they twist and shout.It wasn't so long ago that music had an appreciable impact in my life. I remember, in high school and in college, making music as big a part of my life as anything at the time - the long road trips for concerts, buying CDs on their release day, talking bands and influences and learning how to play my favorite songs on the guitar.These days, it's vastly different. In fact, I've always thought davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-75228466908521374542008-11-25T21:40:00.003-05:002008-11-25T21:41:57.450-05:00We are all one.A neat idea from ProgressiveBuddhism.com - that all religions, when you break them down, are about one idea: the one dissolving into the whole.The one (us, our spirit, whatever) eventually finds the whole (God, Brahman, etc.). We lose ourselves in religion.davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-71739956525188479132008-11-20T17:44:00.001-05:002008-11-20T17:44:39.577-05:00Everything's amazing, nobody's happy.Money quote: "You're sitting in a chair in the sky."It's all so true. My big foible is sitting at red lights, and people not going fast enough down suburban streets. To think: I could be walking in November while it snows.PBS had a marathon re-showing of "The War," an amazing documentary about World War II and its impact on four American towns. One scene in particular spoke to me, and it's davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5998319416216960843.post-73880120037629845262008-11-17T21:56:00.000-05:002008-11-17T21:57:14.813-05:00Party like it's 1979.Polaroid film may not be available for long, but man - I'm glad an application like Poladroid is.If you're a photo fiend, and a Mac user, you have to download this app. Poladroid basically takes your digital snapshots and "Polarizes" them using vintage light filters and settings. You can see the results above after I messed around with a few of my Flickr photos.Seriously - this is a hoot. Whatdavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09283836989069080511noreply@blogger.com0