365 Journal Entries

An Endangered Species

2009-10-16T06:40:00.037-04:00

chevy at a light
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

Everyday another endangered animal is added to the endangered species list. Well, today, I'd like to add another one:

The Good Driver

I haven't been able to find a good driver in their natural habitat for some time. And I find that odd because unlike other endangered species, their habitat is growing larger everyday. It's not like they are running out of highways and roads to drive on.

Still, good drivers are really hard to find.

At 6:30 a.m. I passed a commuter doing 35 in a 55 mph zone. As I passed him I noticed that he had earbuds connected to his handheld device, was bent forward engrossed in adjusting his GPS, and his interior light was on. He was busy doing everything except driving. It's my conviction that he thought he had already arrived at the office and just forgot that his foot was still pressing the accelerator in his car.

Last month I saw a guy do a u-turn at a red light in front of our four lanes of traffic. Our light had just turned green. He was driving one of those low-slung modified Hondas with the the cigar muffler. He gunned it at the turn but the torque was so great it sheered off his lug nuts and spun the tire off the rim. The back driver's side frame hit the pavement and his car stopped in an instant. The loose tire spun out past him and joined our approaching traffic. He looked a little disappointed as he sat watching our cars navigate around him.

Yesterday I saw another guy eating a sandwich out of his lap while driving past me. He was pressing out the sandwich wrapper across his knees and up under the steering wheel while negotiating a turn through a yellow light next to me.

This morning, as I pulled up toward a Mc Donald's drive-thru, another driver pulled in front of me. They had come through the Exit Only access, did a three-point turn, and then pulled up to drive-thru. They actually had to back up to make the turn to avoid hitting the drive up squawkbox.

What is wrong with these people? Hungry, I guess. Hungry, scavenging animals do crazy things.

We need more good drivers, there are so few of us left. We are a dying breed. I feel so all alone. But I guess endangered species naturally feel lonely.

...dave
If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough. - Mario Andretti

Theoretically Related Posts
Stoplight Sketching

floored, I'm sure

2009-10-06T20:40:00.007-04:00

wood floor
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

A friend called earlier this week to ask if I'd help them "get started" installing their wood floor.

"Sure, no problem, glad to help."

So yesterday after work I went over to 'get them started.' But there were several challenges ahead.

First I had to tie the new floor into two other floors of adjoining rooms, one of which was the hallway laid 10 years earlier. Worse, some of the boards had no groves. In fact, the ends looked like they'd been hacked off with an axe.

While sanding them true with a Dremel tool their boxer came over to check things out. He was curious and so stuck his nose within inches of the sander.

"Hey, I can't see what I'm doing here, you mind?"

He didn't seem to.

I also noticed that this hallway was the only access that he knew of to get to the other rooms and it seems that he needed to go to them frequently.

As I worked nailing in each piece, the owner kept me supplied with a steady stream of "approved boards." Each and every one was compared with the ones already nailed before it could be approved.

If the board didn't meet with her approval, she'd lay it in a pile behind me or lean it against the wall beside me. Soon boards were stacked everywhere. Several times I turned, knocked a board, and like a starting domino, it crashed into the rest of the rejected timbers all of which then became a pile like kindling strewn across the floor. That got the boxer mad so he came at me barking.

When the approved piece was finally handed to me, I'd nail it in place and wait patiently for the next one. Sometimes the approved board was missing the grove because it was a cut piece from the prior row. Not noticing it until I nailed it in place, I'd then spend some quality time with the crowbar.

To get the boards to fit snugly, I used a small length of material as a whacking board. After several rows I couldn't locate it again. After an extended search I was meekly told that it was the perfect board for a previous row. I turned to look, there it was, nailed into the row behind me.

Five hours later we were out of boards and out of nails but plenty of floor lay ahead. There wasn't enough material to finish.

Rats. I hate that for them.

...dave
If God wanted us to bend over he'd put diamonds on the floor. - Joan Rivers

the barrel cup

2009-10-04T20:17:00.012-04:00

starbucks barrel mug
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

It's getting a little cooler now. It's about 50 degrees outside and inside it stays about 70 or so. The AC doesn't kick in nor does the heater. It's really perfect indoors.

It's early now. Still dark outside.

By the time I shuffle into the kitchen and turn the coffee and hot water on I'm awake already. I use the hot water to pre-heat the mug. Once the mug is pre-heated the coffee stays hot for about 15 minutes.

I fire up my Google email and read last night's posts, deleting most of it before actually reading the details. I can tell by the subject line it's not for me.

But I mainly write this post to tell you about the latest Starbuck's mug I bought. (No, I don't work for them nor get any revenue for mentioning them here. In fact, truth be told, they get revenue from me regardless of what I write.)

Anyway, this Starbuck Coffee Barrel Mug is the best yet.

starbucks mug
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

I already own the tall (Venti sized) ceramic mug for drinking on the road. And another beautiful mug I've never ever seen in any Starbucks shop since Hawaii.

However, this new mug is the one I grab now.

Just think about it:

it IS heavy, weights 15.7 oz empty (31.6 oz filled)
has a creamy white porcelain finish
has a 3-finger handle
has an ever-so-slightly curving top and bottom (thus the "barrel" look)
it only cost me seven frog skins

But here's the best part:

It holds 16 oz (not 8 or 12 but 16 oz!) of pure hot liquid java. To die for.

(Now I know some of you people drink iced coffee, but that's just wrong, pure and simple. No coffee snob would put ice in their java just as no self-respecting sommelier would even dream of putting ice in a jammy cabernet sauvignon. It's just morally and ethically wrong.)

Wait a second, I hear the coffee maker slurping. That means it's ready. I'll make my undetected journey in the dark (it's 4:22 a.m.) and retrieve the oily liquid. Be right back.

Now it's true, I have plenty of mugs and I ought not buy yet another but this mug feels so wonderful cradled between my two palms. It's about the size of a grapefruit but smooth like glass.

barrel Starbucks cup
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

And when I peer down into the depths of the inky black liquid I feel like an oil tycoon that has just discovered a golden vein.

This is the perfect WFH (work-from-home) mug, no spillage, sits flat, holds a large amount of liquid which means few return trips to the coffee maker.

Odd thing is, I couldn't find any pictures of this mug on starbucks.com nor on flickr.com nor even on google images. That's really weird.

So I took my own picture and drew a quick sketch.

Wow, it's time for another cup.

...dave
A morning without coffee is like sleep. ~Author

TESOL Sketchnotes

2009-09-29T20:48:00.005-04:00

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Some time ago I attended a TESOL class here in Atlanta. It's just now I'm getting around to posting my full sketchnotes.

Enjoy.

Note: TESOL = Teaching English As a Second Language

...dave
Good teachers are costly, but bad teachers cost more. ~Bob Talbert

Theoretically Related Posts
TESOL Class

UX Week

2009-09-28T19:11:00.004-04:00

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Attended UX Week (user experience design) in SFO. Awesome stuff.

Here are my sketch notes from the sessions.

...dave
Create your own visual style... let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others. - Orson Welles

a kissing iguana

2009-09-15T10:38:00.008-04:00

a kissing iguana (close up and personal)
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

Just a quick post that is out of the ordinary from my regular sketch posts. Just because I've never, ever seen a kissing iguana. This is a rare event for sure. (Maybe it'll be the theme for a future sketch?)

And I swear, it truly looks like the guy, and I use "guy" lightly here, is puckering up for this kiss. He actually leaned in to give it to her. He is absolutely emotionally attached to her, and she to him. And I'd hate to break anything like this up but...

Does this seem strange to anyone else? I mean, I would not even think of trying to press my lips to a lizard's scaly mouth parts, let alone attempt it.

But that's just me, maybe I'm strange.

We saw several folks out with their pets at the Castro Valley Craft Fair in California. Most were walking common animals like dogs on leashes. We saw very few iguanas. In fact, come to think of it, just this one.

snake stud
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

We did see a guy with a pet snake. Could there be some craft fair pattern here?

Why is it these folks have developed friendships with slithering animal creatures? Don't they have enough enemies evoking this behavior? (You know what I mean, slithering people creatures.)

Ruth has become very brave. She actually took this picture. When she asked if she could take it, he asked what kind of pose she wanted.

"Whatever you want." she said.

So he stuck out a studded tongue. She could not have asked for a better pose. Studs and snakes seem to match up just fine for me. (She doesn't have a blog, so graciously allowed me to post this picture. But next time I'll be more brave and take my own picture.)

I think I lead a very boring life. Maybe I should get an potty trained iguana or a snake necklace or a studded tongue.

At least I wouldn't feel so out of place at these craft fairs.

...dave
One reason a dog is such a lovable creature is his tail wags instead of his tongue.

a full day of email

2009-09-01T23:49:00.011-04:00

After a full day of emailing I feel as though I really didn't get anything done. Could that really be possible. Is this really true?

What a horrible thought.

It all seems so, so, temporary. And I guess that's because our company doesn't keep email longer than three weeks.

How insane is that? I can't even search my Inbox for significant messages.

What if I get asked a question someone else has asked a month ago. I'll have to compose it all over again. Can't search for it in my Inbox or Sent mail. How productive can that be?

...dave
She said she was approaching forty, and I couldn't help wondering...from what direction?

tough guy

2009-08-23T09:11:00.011-04:00

Been doing lots of painting these days...painting the inside of a friend's condo that is.

I guess I sort of enjoy painting because although I painted all yesterday afternoon, I felt compelled to paint this guy this morning.

I drew him from a link on the Internet. (Sorry, had to remove the link of my sketch because the artist didn't want me to copy from her without including a link to each of her sketches. Originally I didn't because of the words she uses in her illustrated journals were not family friendly.) I found on the Internet yesterday, he looks so much more menacing painted.

I do feel like such a cheat sketching other peoples sketches, but it's a great way to learn. They've already done the hard part by simplifying the image for me. My goal is to be able to do these kind of sketches in public, from life. Right now, I just don't have the confidence to do that.

Ever had the experience of a little kid peering over your shoulder and then leave just seconds later, and overhear him say: "He ain't that great mom." Some people's greatest fear is speaking in public, not me. My greatest fear is sketching in public.

(How do the Urban Sketchers do it?)

It's great though to be able to visit any place via the Internet. I think this guy might be Russian and wearing a Ushanka. But I can't be sure since there wasn't much information about him on the net.

Of course, there is nothing like actually visiting the country and feeling totally out of my element. Not understanding a word spoken to me. Not certain I'll ever find the hotel. That's the stuff of foreign travel.

In fact, I've been reading Lavinia Spaldin's book "Writing Away" about travel writing. Great ideas on making lists, getting details, and what to record.

...dave
“You have this preconceived notion of him [Sly Stallone] as a big, tough guy, but he speaks four languages and he likes to watercolor.” - Rachael Leigh Cook

reading for pleasure

2009-08-18T21:13:00.006-04:00

(Sorry, had to remove because artist took issue with me "coping" her work without adding a link to each and every sketch of her's.)

...dave
People will not be better than the books they read. - Bishop Potter

the tractor ordeal

2009-07-03T22:39:00.001-04:00

retaining wall
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

This tractor caused us way too much trouble. It all started so quietly on a Friday evening while the neighbors ate their dinner.

The weekend project was to knock down the old retaining wall, clear some dirt, and begin the process of building it up again. But we'd have to earn our stripes before we got to that.

The plan was to off-load the tractor the night before. Jim arrived at 7:00pm.

When he arrived he first backed his rig up the 30 degree driveway incline, put it in park, and climbed into the tractor on the trailer, started it up and idled a bit.

When we drove the tractor off the trailer at the top of the driveway it upended the front of the trailer. Of course it was attached to the hitch on the truck. The hitch rose high in the air thus lifting the back wheels of the truck clean off the cement. This left only the front wheels on the pavement, which were not blocked. So they began to roll forward down the 30 degree incline.

Oooopppppppsssss.

Since the truck lost it's traction it began a long slide down the driveway with trailer in tow and Jim still in the tractor, which was idling on the back of the trailer.

It seemed forever and in slow motion as the whole rig slid down the hill. I thought about jumping into the cab but since the rear wheels were off the pavement, I wasn't convinced it would do any good. Besides, I had this image that when it reached the bottom of the drive, it would keel over onto it's side crushing the prickly bush and mailbox with me inside. It didn't seem like a wise move to me. So I watched motionless as Jim receded down the drive in the small cab of the tractor, on the trailer towed by the truck.

When the truck reached the bottom of the drive, it jackknifed, which wedged the trailer hitch on the ball and the tongue of the trailer under the bumper. The front edge of the trailer pined itself into the left rear tire. Jim was half standing, as if to jump, but it was too late for that so he sat back down to assess the damage.

We were in a jam because as the trailer scraped down the driveway, the tread ramps flipped up and locked the tractor onto the back end of the trailer. It couldn't go forward and it couldn't go backward. If we drove it backward it would most likely bend the axle of the truck since part of the trailer was sitting on the top edge of the wheel. Remember, this tractor weighs almost two tons.

The result of all of this was that the bumper was bent upward, which prevented the back door from opening. (It's a fully enclosed Tahoe truck) It also dented the left rear quarter panel and dinged the rear wheel rim.

What are we going to do now? This wan NOT a good beginning.

We fist let the air out of the left rear tire.

Next we removed the pins holding the ramps to the trailer.

Then we drove the tractor off the trailer, hooked the chain to the rear of the trailer and pulled the trailer off the wheel and partially back up the drive.

Finally we re-filled the tire with air, and drove the truck over the lawn into the street. (Jim later straightened the bumper using a tree and come-along.)

I didn't get much sketching done today.

...dave
If I can't be a good example I'll just be a horrible warning.

Whoa, 14,161 steps!

2009-06-21T09:51:00.003-04:00

seven miles in a day
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

Love my step counter. The other day I was in The Home Depot a good part of my day gathering stuff for various projects. I tracked 14,161 steps -- that's 7 miles!

That place is huge. It's almost two football fields or about 100,000 square feet. Walking back and forth meant all this exercise. I need to visit that place more often. In the hot summer and in the cold winter it's a great place to do walking exercise. (I wonder if other people do this too? You know, find a huge building and walk it's length just for exercise. Sure is hard NOT to buy stuff though.)

...dave
Hey, the way I figure it is this: if the kids are still alive by the time my husband comes home, I've done my job.
- Roseanne Arnold

a carpenter's pencil holder

2009-06-11T21:48:00.006-04:00

a carpenter's pencil
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

I really like well designed things. (Maybe I've mentioned this before?)

No, but seriously, it's a beautiful thing when I discover some clever item that is so well thought out I wonder what I did before it's invention. That's the mark of a great design.

When I find this kind of stuff I think to myself: "Why didn't I think of that?"

So here we have a carpenter's pencil holder.

The pencil itself is fairly well designed. Unlike a regular #2 pencil, it's flat so it doesn't roll off the roof if you drop it. And it's easy to sharpen, just flip it on either of it's sides and slice a sliver of wood from it's side to reveal a fresh, sharp tip.

But when the pencil has been sharpened to a stub it's hard to find in a tool belt. And because of it's flat shape, you can't just stick it behind your ear.

So this hollow aluminum shell with clip makes a good design. It never disappears in the pouch and it's always the same length. As the pencil wears down, you just push it deeper into the holder.

I love stuff like this.

Since I'm only a weekend carpenter I have no way of knowing if real carpenter's use this stuff or find it helpful.

But who cares what they think?

...dave
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.

Designers waste my time

2009-05-29T22:32:00.010-04:00

time wasting
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

I'm frequently amazed at modern designers who have total disregard for my time. They absolutely have no concern. I can tell by the manuals that come with the incomprehensible devices they create.

These modern electronic devices have shrunk in size while the manuals for the tiny things have the heft of a New York City phone book. Worse, they expect me to read them.

Camera phones

I tried to turn off my Blackberry's camera sound, which is absolutely annoying. I don't understand why the designers of these digital devices insist they need to make the noises their mechanical grandfathers made. It's absolutely ridiculous. I spent 30 minutes searching through the menus and then another 30 minutes in Google.

However, I should't have bothered trying to discover how to shut the sound off as . . . there is no way to do it!

Are you kidding me? What if I mute the phone? No? Not!

So what designer thought of this clever feature? Who designs this stuff? Kids? What a total waste of time.

A chair

I went to OfficeMax to buy a chair. I sat in several leather chairs checking for comfort, tilt, and swivel. I found the best in the bunch. It was on sale. It had a piston mechanism that allowed for height adjustment. The only thing it didn't have was tilt. All the other chairs had it. I couldn't imagine this one didn't.

I tried the knob under the chair but that didn't do it. I tried forcing myself back in the chair, thinking that if I just pushed hard enough it would disengage the stiff back and let me rock backward, but it didn't. I was frustrated and started to leave. I didn't care how much of a discount there was, if it didn't tilt back I wasn't interested.

But then I thought about my thin wallet of little cash. I needed a chair for the office. I needed this chair. So I flopped back into its buttery soft leather pillow seat and inhaled the wonderful fragrance of the chocolate colored tanning finish. I've got to get this wonderful piece of furniture.

My hand dangled downward in complete surrender and hit the lever I'd been playing with and suddenly the chair rocked backward.

What did I do? How did that happen? I sat forward, leaned over and jiggled the lever again to see if it was just an accident. Suddenly the chair back stiffened again.

What on earth? What's happening?

After 30 minutes I discovered what I was missing. I had to pull the lever outward to release the back. Ohhhhh...you pull the lever outward. I get it. Clever design that.

Who would have ever figured that out? I only did by accident.

This is what drives me crazy. A simple embossed arrow on the plastic handle could have given me a clue.

But the designers either didn't think of it or were too busy to bother. I can hear them in the R & D lab:

"How can we make the seat rock backward without adding another lever and mechanism?"

"Let's just make this up/down lever double as the back release."

"Hey, what a great idea. Think of the money we'll save. Less hardware, more markup."

"How do we give the user a clue as to how this will work."

"Ah, let them figure it out."

Designers waste my time.

...dave
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who don't have it. - George Bernard Shaw

I learned this from that

2009-05-21T21:46:00.009-04:00

sketch a dog
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

I have a friend that likes to tell me stories. They are sometimes long stories but they are interesting nonetheless.

He told me the story of his long stay in a hospital. Next to him was a biker laid up from an motorcycle accident. His friends would come to visit him dressed in leather jackets, tattoos, and body piercings. My friend, Kevin, is a friendly guy and so he soon struck up a conversation with the biker and eventually they got to know each other very well.

Eventually the guy really took a liking to him and told him one day that he'd like to give him a gift. He said that he'd like to give Kevin a house. He'd inherited it from his father but didn't like it much. He wanted to do more traveling. So he sold Kevin his house for about half of what is was worth at the time. (Really a gift considering the California housing prices at the time.)

Kevin told me: "I learned this from that: Never judge a person on face value and always show genuine personal interest in other people."

I failed at that. I had a friend that actually worked on my team for about a year. He later went off to another team and we'd see each other occasionally. I'd make it a point to go see him and ask about his family etc.

One day during our quick catch-up talk he said: "You seem like a pretty happy guy Dave."

"Yeah, I am. Love my family, my job, my friends. You seem like you have a good sense of humor too Ted, like that story you told me about mowing your lawn."

"Yeah, I guess, but I do get a little down sometimes. Maybe we can get together and talk?"

"Absolutely, anytime Ted. We could do some lunch this week if you'd like."

"Yeah, I'll call you."

But Ted never did. And I never followed up.

And now he's gone. He took his life just a few weeks ago.

I go over and over his words to me: "I get a little down sometimes." How I wish I could rewind the tape, push the replay on the remote of life, and redo my response. But he's gone now and so is the opportunity.

The sadist thing for me is that I didn't even tune in. I was totally clueless of how deep his depression had become. How could I be so ignorant?

I learned this from that: Live in the now. Tune in. Realize when a friend needs your help. Reach out to them. Don't let the daily noise of life distract you from tuning in to your friend's voice.

...dave
Mistakes are often the stepping stones to utter failure.

A Recipe for a work / art bag

2009-05-09T07:32:00.009-04:00

I've been experimenting with simpler designs. I want to develop a freer hand and a looser style, especially since I enjoy washing my ink sketches in watercolor.

What's in the mix?

In order to obtain this freer style I find it's best to simplify what I carry in the bag. In going back and forth to work, I need to carry a notebook PC, an 8.5 x 11 work journal and lunch, that's heavy, and I haven't even added any of my sketch paraphernalia.

Mix in a moderate amount of art supplies

The only thing that I add to the heft of my work bag is my 5.5 x 8 journal, a waterproof ink pen, travel watercolor kit of half pans, and a water brush.

A pen?

For the pen, light, quick, and easy are the watch words. Oh, and it must absolutely have waterproof ink so that the page will accept watercolor washes. I usually bring my fine nib Waterman fountain pen, loaded with Bulletproof Noodlers. That's usually what I have with me going to work.

Sometime though I just carry several UniBall Vision Micro pens. I don't care if I loose one, they are easy to clip to my journal without falling out, they have a 0.5 point rollerball tip, and they are filled with jet black water proof ink.

Where to sketch

So when I stop off for breakfast or lunch I simply bring in my journal and pen. (I leave the other stuff in the trunk.) If I'm able to outline some scene in the restaurant with ink, I'm happy. Later at home I try to remember the basic colors of what I saw. However, I often change the colors to be more pleasing. I prefer muted colors in my sketches so I'll often adjust what colors were actually there.

This process gives me the ability to sketch anywhere, without too much notice, and without spending too much time. I want to develop a quicker eye that can capture the essence. It's not necessary to build up so much detail, the eye will fill it in. Color, balance, and interest is what I'm trying to achieve.

Speed Chess

When I was a teen we'd play five minute chess. It's very crazy. I had to make split second decisions given the position of the players on the board at that moment. There was no real thinking ahead other then a few moves. The strategy was that if I played speed chess I'd sharpen my game. First because I could see immediately the success or failure of each move. Second, I'd play more games in any given allotted time.

Quick sketching is like speed chess. You have to make quick decisions with limited tools in a limited time.

So, what's in your bag? Lighten and loosen. If you do, you'll sketch more frequently and you'll soon have more higher quality sketches to share.

...dave
The only difference between bloggers and homeless people who talk to themselves is . . . the the bloggers have computers.

Trapped

2009-05-01T17:12:00.012-04:00

illustrated journal 2009
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

I'm committed to slowing down, no matter what it takes.

I'm maxed, slammed, throttled, and choked with calls, voice and SMS messages on my cell phone. I'm tired of it interrupting my life. My life was fine without the thing, as far as I remember.

So, I'm tossing my cell phone. I don't need it.

Yep, I'm quitting technology . . . for good . . . permanently, well, except for work. I kinda need technology at work. It's just, what I do.

But I'm serious about the cell phone. I've been without it now for a week and a half and nothing bad has happened to me.

And I didn't receive any vital calls. Just to make sure, I check my cell's voice mail when I get home from work. Nope, nothing urgent. The world didn't come to an end while I was out.

And I haven't needed to call anyone from my car to help me find my way. I haven't gotten lost. Except, I did get a little turned around last night. But I recovered nicely on my own without needing a friend to guide me out of the subdivision maze.

And I haven't needed anyone to rescue me from the side of the road or help me with a flat tire or fetch me a gallon of gas. That little out-of-gas light in my dash is a no-brainer. It gives me a clue when I'm running low. It's nice that the car manufactures provide that so you don't need to call someone from your car when you run out.

Yes sir, I've done quite nicely without the cell phone. And think of the money I'll save when I cancel my service.

I know, I know, you're thinking I've lost it. Cell phones are so necessary you say. Hogwash.

The way I see it, they ain't. If I did need a cell in a public place I could always borrow a cell from someone else. They're everywhere now. In fact, I can't get away from the stupid things.

Today I went into Borders with my 40% discount coupon but some guy was screaming into his phone about all his insecurities. Dude, find a shrink. It was so disruptive to my train of thought, I had to leave the store. I simply couldn't concentrate on what book I wanted to buy. A very rare occurrence.

I think technology has become too invasive. We can't even visit face to face with our closest friends without being startled by the thing ringing, buzzing, or vibrating from a call, SMS, or twitter.

And don't get me started on twitter. Talk about invasive. I just don't get it.

...dave
You can only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.

Theoretically Related Posts

Bluetooth Headsets? Are you kidding me?

Callaway Garden

2009-04-19T10:28:00.032-04:00

Callaway Garden bugs
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

We took a day trip to Callaway Garden, about two hours south of Atlanta Georgia. It was 68 degrees and perfect weather for a five mile walk.

The highlight of the garden was the Raptor Show (raptors = day active hawks, eagles and falcons).

Did you know that hawks see 80 frames a second? That means that television will never interest them. The TV paints images 30 frames a second, fast enough for our brain to think we are seeing moving images. But to a hawk the images look like a slide show, a very slow slide show. Their ability to see 80 frames a second means that it can see a humming bird's beating wings as still images.

Some other interesting things about the hawk:

It eats 6-7 field mice a day

It can read a newspaper from a football field away. (However, it's comprehension isn't great.)

Callaway Gardens - Georgia
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

That day they happened to have a barred owl. Some interesting things about the owl:

It's eys are shaped like mushrooms (stem side out) so they can't rotate them like ours.

It's neck has 14 vertebrae, which enables it to turn in a 270 degree radius. (This is important, see above.)

If our eyes were a big as an owls they'd be the size of grapefruits and weigh five pounds each.

Barred owls make the sound "who cooks for you, who cooks for you all" when it calls. (So don't get it confused with your mom's challenge.)

Their ears are asymmetric (not in the same place in their heads). The left ear is low on their head and faces downward, the right side ear is high and faces upward. They can hear your heart beating from hundreds of feet away.

A big thrill of this bird show was feeling their wings swoosh by, just a inch above our heads.

Callaway Gardens - Georgia
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

The butterfly exhibit was very peaceful. You can't chase butterflies. You need to sit and let them come to you. I think of them as the cat personality of the insect world.

Toward the end of our tour through the garden I snapped a few frames and created some HDR images from them. (HDR = High Dynamic Range) You can see a slide show of some HDRs here.

Callaway Gardens - Georgia
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

...dave
We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever. - Carl Sagan

April 11th - illustrated journal 2009

2009-04-13T14:10:00.001-04:00

illustrated journal 2009
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

...dave
Free advice generally costs more than the other kind.

April 4th - illustrated journal 2009

2009-04-11T14:08:00.002-04:00

illustrated journal 2009
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

Just a post from the journal. Nothing more, nothing less.

...dave

Write just one minute a day...

2009-04-10T06:18:00.021-04:00

I stumbled across the One-Minute Writer blog. (Where DO I find this stuff?) Very cool.

You have 1440 minutes in each day. Why not dedicate one of them to writing?

Write online, in a journal, on a throw-away card, or just respond via a comment to the daily writing prompt at the site. Use the handy little timer on the page.

So this post represents one minute of writing.

Go to the blog to get your inspiration each day.

Still, this IS a very short post.

(AFTER the one minute: It took another five minutes to re-write some of the sentences. I wanted to write more but ran out of time. I will tell you, one minute will NOT be enough. The one minute writing exercise will catapult you into writing beyond a minute. You have been warned.)

...dave
Enough about me, let us talk about you. What do you think about me?

Work Journal Sketching

2009-04-04T07:06:00.028-04:00

3/27 Design Journal
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

I've been sort of overworked these days and haven't done much sketching. I start work at 7:00 a.m. and finish at around 6:00 p.m. I have even been working right through lunch. So not a lot of free time. It's rather ludicrous these days. But, don't get me wrong, I'm happy to have a job. Really.

But the truth is, I rarely get out like I used to and sketch at the mall or at Borders during lunch. That's a good time to do some sketching.

As I sat at my desk yesterday, bummed about not being able to sketch, I looked down at my work journal for the next To-Do to accomplish and then it hit me, I've been sketching everyday, in the work journal.

3/26 Design Journal
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

Well, it's true, it ain't people, or buildings, it's more of a design sketchbook, but a sketchbook nonetheless.

So I paged through it looking at some of the stuff in the last couple of months and scanned a few. (There are some notes at flickr.com on the pages itself if you click on any of the pages here.)

I can't go a day without drawing some idea in the book. The book is not really for reviewing the day, although at the end of the week I use it for my status report. But I really use it to help me stay focused on the task at hand.

3/5 Design Journal
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

It's amazing how useful it really is, not just to myself but to my team and even my boss. The other day I was in a meeting when she asked me to pass over my book wherein I'd drawn a diagram of screen design. She copied the sketch into her notes so that she could share with her boss.

In the back I keep an index by subject and what page(s) in the notebook I can find the information.

The numbers are created using an auto-numbering machine I bought a OfficeMax. That way, I can buy my favorite book size and format (8.5 x 11 blank pages please) and add my own numbering.

Page 995 had some notes from a meeting I attended about coaching my team. Occasionally I'll refer back to them for reminders.

(More design journal pages here.)

...dave
I'm not writing it down to remember it later, I'm writing it down to remember it now.

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the cats sleep

2009-03-28T19:23:00.004-04:00

China Chickens - LongJi
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

Since our cats didn't grow up together they are always fighting. I don't understand it. We have enough food for the both of them. There is plenty of space in the house for the two of them. Both of them we cuddle. We even have separate dishes for them, in separate places, by separate doors. But none of that seems to matter.

They hiss through dagger teeth and slap with razor claws and finally fall asleep exhausted within three yards of each other. So far, no blood has been spilled but there are some claw marks in my leather ottoman where one of them missed a slice through the air. Stupid cats.

And now they are just as cute as kittens, Snickers has one paw over his eyes and Chips is curled in a ball next to the door, breathing deeply.

Why can't they just get along?

Next time I'm going to get chickens.

...dave
Do not put statements in the negative form.

Stop the blogs, I want to get off.

2009-03-25T21:18:00.008-04:00

February 28th 2009
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

I don't know about you but I spend way too much time browsing the blogs, especially the sketch blogs. I just can tear myself away it seems.

I wonder if there is an BA (blogs autonomous) help group?

I simply drool over some of the tallent I see out there. Instead, I should be drawing, NOT reading.

I was reading Jennifer Kraska's photostream, not really a blog I know, I know, but just as absorbing. What fantastic talent.

"Just one more page." I tell myself. Then an hour later I realize I'm late for work.

Stop the blogs, I want to get off.

...dave
Don't ring for death. Knock on his door and run. He hates that.

The Simple Things

2009-03-15T22:35:00.006-04:00

Lobster
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

The rain patters outside my window. Like little padded feet the droplets drum the leaves and I feel warm inside.

The rain pauses for a moment, all is quiet, but then it returns with a maddening roar, increasing for a time, hurling water at the defenseless plants in a deafening crescendo. But not for long, it subsides again, exhausted for the moment. Waiting for a time until it can gather energy for another return.

Being inside on a rainy day is one of life's pleasures, a simple thing.

The only element that could make this experience better is a cup of piping hot, crude oil, black coffee.

And so I fetch me a cup. It's as black as a moonless night in the mountains. What could be simpler?

It's quiet now, it's just 5:30 a.m. No one is stirring. All is quiet in the house, except for the burping of the final water through the coffee maker, and of course, the sound of the rain. It's gentle now.

I can hear only a faint hum of the notebook I type on, but only when I pause to think. When I start up again, there is just the sound of the clicking keys.

I type into my text window, but other windows appear beneath, tempting me to click on yet another site on the net. Some windows still show moving images from the various web sites I've visited this morning. I've visited many. One window shows 75 simple things people enjoy most.

For example, people enjoy breakfast with a friend, tea in a park, or bicycling through their neighborhood. These things cost little, is available to just about anyone, but most of all, they bring great satisfaction.

Interestingly, people who win lotteries still find that that the simple things in life bring the most joy.

And that all makes sense to me. If I had all the money in the world and spent a month buying whatever I wanted, what would I do next?

Buy more stuff? Yeah, why not?

I think I need a new bicycle and a new neighborhood.

...dave
If you eat a live frog in the morning, nothing worse will happen to either of you for the rest of the day.

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ways to be cool

2009-02-27T08:18:00.009-05:00

Over at Notebookism.com they posted a page of someone’s notebook:

"Ways To Be Cool"

Don’t know where they found this, or why they posted it, but it got me to thinking that I wish I'd seen this list long ago.

Here I've been agonizing throughout life never realizing WHY I'm not cool. At least now I know. I wonder if it’s too late to start on this list? Should I start at the top? Or maybe do one of the easier items on the list first?

I also wonder if I’m cool just doing a few of the items on the list?

You know, I could start out with a leather jacket, helmet and a motorcycle but do the Mohawk thing next week. Of course, if I did have a Mohawk, how would anyone know until I got off the motorcycle and removed my helmet? Unless, of course, I rode without a helmet in a state that doesn’t require them, like in Florida. But then, if I didn’t have a helmet . . . that wouldn’t be cool.

I do have a few other questions, Where is Williamsburg? Is that where they speak European?

...dave
Drawing on my fine command of language, I said nothing.

365 Journal Entries

An Endangered Species

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floored, I'm sure

the barrel cup

TESOL Sketchnotes

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UX Week

a kissing iguana

a full day of email

tough guy

reading for pleasure

the tractor ordeal

Whoa, 14,161 steps!

a carpenter's pencil holder

Designers waste my time

I learned this from that

A Recipe for a work / art bag

Trapped

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Callaway Garden

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