Ernesto on March 10th, 2009

I hadn’t planned on seeing much scenery while in Utah. Work took me out here, and I flew in late on a Sunday night and fly out dreadfully early on Friday morning.  My days here are busily occupied in a glass building in an office park in a room with whiteboards on the walls and [...]

Continue reading about Rock Canyon: a bit of Utah scenic wonder

Ernesto on February 28th, 2009

Leafing through old (very old, these days) notebooks from college attests to the fact that I was back then (and occasionally still am) a doodler. Which does not mean I wasn’t paying attention in class. In fact, the secondary task of doodling can demand just enough cognitive function to keep the mind more attentive to [...]

Continue reading about Doodling is good for concentration? Knew it all along…

There were a couple of Catholic-related stories on the tech news pages today (which I was, ironically, reading on my phone while eating lunch), both related to Pope Benedict’s embrace (with important caveats) of new communications and social media tools in his message anticipating the upcoming World Day of Communications.   He praises these tools, saying:
“Young [...]

Continue reading about Pope calls new communication tech like social networks a “gift to humanity,” markets brand on YouTube.com

Ernesto on January 1st, 2009

New Year’s Day 2009 Run!
Originally uploaded by Ernesto and Kristen Burden
Mulling over some resolutions for 2009 during my run today. I came up with a long list of ever more complicated resolutions, many with clauses, appendices and exemptions, some with deeply-nested if-then statements. Embarrassing, I realized as I sat down to type [...]

Continue reading about New Year’s Day 2009 Resolutions

Ernesto on December 20th, 2008

One of the best parts about in-town living is the great neighbors we have.  And though we all get along and really like each other, we don't see them all that often.  Busy lives, different schedules.  But almost every time there's a good snow, you're sure to find neighbors from two or three of the [...]

Continue reading about Hidden social benefits of a snowstorm

I rented a tux for a buddy's wedding a few month's back, and got a coupon for Men's Wearhouse.  So I took the coupon and went 'back-to-school' shopping and bought a new sport coat for work.  It had been quite a few years, and my old ones were starting to look threadbare…Anyhow, I loved the coat, [...]

Continue reading about Men’s Wearhouse: Crazy Good Customer Service Story, With a Cost of Acquisition Business Moral

Ernesto on October 25th, 2008

USPS: We care (?) Originally uploaded by Ernesto and Kristen Burden
The latest issue of Guitar World arrived today… shredded (ha!).  The note on the bag holding  torn up mag (no way to decipher the sheet music in there!) and  shattered instructional DVD: we care.  But then no evidence in the  following three graphs [...]

Continue reading about USPS: We care (?)

A neighbor yells at kids for climbing a tree in front of their own house.  Then after the mother refuses to make them stop, the neighbor calls the police.  Sheesh.
 
Makes me happy to have always had great luck in neighbors.  The ones with kids have known first hand the fine line between protecting them and [...]

Continue reading about Sometimes Does *Not* Take a Village: Neighbor Calls Police on Kids Climbing Tree in Their Own Yard

Ernesto on September 20th, 2008

The bluest sky

Originally uploaded by Ernesto and Kristen Burden

We hiked Uncanoonuc with the kids. Now I’m lying on my back on a rock at the summit while the kids gambol about the alpine meadow. The sky is as blue as a painted ceiling. Sweet.

Continue reading about The bluest sky

Ernesto on June 24th, 2008

An annual part of moving from spring to summer for me is the ritual transition from the beloved warm amber of the single-malt Scotch to the icy clear shimmer of the gin martini, up, dry, with a twist of lime. Which is not to say that I’d decline a Scotch June, July or August, [...]

Continue reading about Gin event makes for nice transition to summer