Kocka in the City

Yep, that's my fiancee... you heard it here!

Here she is at the wharf after a nice matinee opera - trying to look all mature and classy.

Check out that scarf. Even Roy couldn't come up with a scarf that awesome.

San Francisco is still pretty cool, by the account of this picture... with the TransAmerica building in the background.

Happy December,

P

Welcome to the Blue Lagoon...

December 17, 2006

It's 6 AM, and I'm still up doing year-end financials, so I take a look out of the expansive suite I'm in. I'm not sure if it's Atlantis or Jersey. Looking south, if you had really good eyes, as good as mine, and obviously better than my camera, you could make out the Statue of Liberty in the distance. While her figure and torch amount to barely a speck just to the left of the office building, both are almost inconsequential compared to the color of the world this morning. It was so blue that I almost couldn't believe it. No filters here, and I feel that the blue of the picture isn't nearly as vivid as the world was this wonderful Sunday morning. Unfortunately, I had to go to work in a couple hours, so I didn't get to enjoy it, but I did get to see it, and that is good enough for me.

18 December 2006
Lower Manhattan and TriBeCa by night. For those of you who are not sure what Tribeca is, it's the triangle below Canal Street, between the Hudson River and Broadway. Half a decade ago, you would have seen two relly tall buildings in the right side of these pictures, but that floor space is now empty on the island as people still work out what to do with the space. Sadly for the families of those who perished, the longer people argue over what to do there, the more opportunity others have to strip funds from the budget for the memorials.
It is rather disgusting to think of stripping cash from the memorial for some pork-barrell project elsewhere, but that's politics.

In the realm of the special interests, the longer something takes, the less power it has, and people with different priorities take no shame in pulling resources from what may be the right, or honorable thing to do. It's very American to look forward, while remembering but not dwelling on the past. It's why we are good at overcoming challenges, but more prone than most to repeat mistakes, generation after generation, and administration after administration.

All the facts may some day come out, or they may remain as obtuse as the location of JFK's brain, but one thing we know now is that 60% of the companies whose main operations were in the WTC no longer exist. That's a pretty good arguement for keeping a copy of everything. 

Sweet Home Chicago

 
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Gosh, it was awesome to be back in Chicago, outside of the IT department at the client I was visiting. They really squashed my tots. Pardon the Napoleon Dynamite reference, but I had to get someone from IT to let me into the data center, and I had to borrow a key from them to go to the bathroom, and I had to go to the mailroom and bother someone with something better to do just to let me in to talk to the IT people to get into the data center or go to the bathroom.
 
Confused? I was too.

However, It was great to see Faith, and all of her very cool and hospitable family! (There's a weakness for chocolate that runs in the genes, I found out....)

So, all in all it was fun to be in the city - top pic is from the client's office, and the bottom is one of those cool, fountains I forgot about that augment Chicago's linear geometric architectural habits... 

It ain't easy being cheesy...

I was reading this slate article by Bill Gifford, about the perks, perils, and prejudice of riding a bike everywhere. If you wonder what my life is like, with a bicycle as my prime mode of transport, it's a good article to read. Even in one of the most bicycle-friendly American cities, journeys can be perilous and expensive. There's the "Cheesegraters" of Market Street, where the ventilation grates for the subway have long slots that are perfect for destruction of a $200 racing wheel, and they just had the foresight to install a brand-spankin'-new set of these grates at 8th and Market, which I was so lucky to encounter the second day they were installed. THANKS!

Today was also another one of those nerve-racking days for the commute... with the first rains of the season upon us, the streets are slick from the built up grease and oil - but worse is the steel plates covering road construction that are installed on streets throughout the city. As I navigated my way to the Financial District this morning, I was jammed up in bumper-to-bumper traffic, only to find a series of several of these steel plates. These are probably the most treacherous elements in a damp city to an unsuspecting, inexperienced bicyclist, and I also felt nervous as I crossed over these slick plates, smack between two SUVs. It was the one behind that worried me, as one slip would put me under the bumper of the heavy, tailgating machine. Ultimately, all went without a major mishap, although a minor slip brought a major adrenaline rush.

But, that's not to say that it isn't worth it. Probably the best part of my existence in San Francisco at present is the freedom my bicycle presents. So, stop looking at those bikers funny, get your own two-wheeler, and leave your car behind when you can!

Whitewater Rafting at the Advent Offsite.

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Originally uploaded by prodnet.

The third weekend in September was pretty cool. Not only did we go whitewater rafting, but we also took Harrah's by storm, and ran into some very cool women... made for a very interesting night, indeed!

Disaster?

disaster
Originally uploaded by prodnet.

Oh, yeah, disaster! Which is greater? I'm not sure. Honestly, I'm surprised Bush didn't take a vacation to ease the stress of the hurricane in his mind. Then again, he might have ended up taking it in Houston, and that would have cost us a bunch more money to evacuate him and his pals before Rita showed up. Then again, maybe they could have picked up a few stragglers on Air Force One before they left everyone stranded on jammed highways...
Truly a testament to Eisenhowers vision in completing the Interstate System. Too bad we haven't kept up on the transportation innovation and effiency. Can I have some pork-barrel transportation spending please? I might find a way to put it to good use.

Jake's wedding... a few words on how to give the longest wedding speech.... ever!

Jake's wedding
Originally uploaded by prodnet.

Yes, that's right, I astounded, bored, and almost made everyone blush at the wedding with my verbal fortitude. "Yak away," I say, "it may be the last chance you get." So, yak I did. No script. That's the best. Then you say something really embarrassing about the groom, and then something even more embarrassing about yourself to put it all in perspective. Best part about Jakey Poo, is that I didn't have to lie when I said he made the right choice, and chose quality in his life. That, he did all by himself. Thanks for making it easy!

Toast to a Job well done

Toast to a Job well done
Originally uploaded by prodnet.

Here we are, before the reception officially begins, with me trying to get the groomsmen drunk... or shall we say relaxed... before we have to put on a good impression in the front of the room.

I still am amazed at how well this wedding came off. Truly a beautiful day. I guess Jake and Faith set the bar for the rest of us to come.

One thing that really made you know this was in Wisconsin: An open bar, with six bartenders, and there was still a continuous line... even hours after it had become a cash bar!

Party on Jake... Party on Faith...
Excellent!