Thoughtful Boredom

The lazy, not so hazy, days of summer have altered the course of post frequency here but I sort of expected and explained that in the last post. Time spent off the computer has been quite enjoyable, here is some of the stuff I have been up to and thinking about during the Rochester summer.

- I finally got a notebook computer! People really couldn’t believe that I have been using a desktop all my life but it had better purpose for what I was doing. Desktops were more powerful, customizable, cheaper, and adding a second 22″ screen made graphics intensive and spreadsheet analysis tasks much more pleasant. Unfortunately, or fortunately, my computer needs have become more mobile and thus the laptop was required. My phone sufficed as a notebook replacement for as long as it could but ultimately it remains just a phone.

I went with the mid 2009 unibody MacBook Pro 15″ with a few upgraded specs and I really can’t be happier. The structural design of the thing is nothing short of beautiful, the display is gorgeous, and the software has been a pleasure to use. I can’t give a full review quite yet but perhaps that post will be coming down the road.

- I have been spending a lot of time listening to new music. I have never been a huge fan of music but I’ve dedicated a part of this summer to finding new decent music, and it isn’t very easy. I had long given up on FM radio in favor of podcasts or AM but for whatever reason, the summer months invoke a desire for music and dance, or maybe that’s the cocktails, which also seem inherently more prevalent in the summer months. Either way, I have found that Pandora is a wonderful application for sampling new music and iTunes offers a good selection of easy stuff to find. If you have any suggestions, let me know.

- I was lucky enough to escape up to Lake George for a few days to spend time with some friends. The Today Show happened to be up there the same day highlighting Lake George as one of the “Top 4 Vacation Destinations in the USA”, I would have a hard time arguing that esteemed recognition. While all of the Adirondacks are beautiful in their own way, Lake George offers something unparalleled in scope. I’d highly urge anyone thinking about visiting to pull the trigger and head up there, you won’t regret it.

- The best of summer has been the opportunity to spend time with my family and brothers. Anyone with younger siblings can identify with the “younger siblings going from annoying brats to good friends” transition. While I used to escape their antics, now I welcome them. If you don’t already, follow Matt on Twitter @SportsMeister and for you well placed school district people, Shane will be looking for a student teaching gig soon. While we butt heads and differ often, I feel very lucky to have such a happy and intelligent family.

- Speaking of Twitter, I have started using the emerging service a bit without totally diving into the deep end. I’m still studying the strategy of mentions, trending, linking, and following. Like I said in the last post, Twitter, or at least the real-time search technology built within, is not going anywhere. Like any kind of technology, I like it. People have this negative stigma against technology. Why? Did people resist the light bulb and the telephone? If something is new and better, I am in favor and willing to try it. Twitter makes information faster and more readily available, I can’t see what is wrong with that.

- I had an impressive reading list lined up for the summer but haven’t put anywhere near the dent in the pile I had hoped I would, but I’m not all that disappointed with myself. Summer is a good chance for all of us to recharge the batteries a little bit, even if it is only 71 and overcast everyday. I’ll get to reading those books but I can’t reclaim memories of the laughs I have had this summer. Plus, I have been getting my reading fix in other ways, mainly health care lately, and it is a vast and overwhelming subject. I want to write a blog with some of my thoughts but it would be quite the expansive task. Needless to say, it is complicated and flawed anyway you look at it.

- The Yankees are currently 2.5 games in first in the AL East heading into a four game series with 2nd place Boston where anything can happen. I really like our chances down the stretch here. I think Cash Money will look to add a 5th starter in a waiver move before August is over and Boston is looking at an absolutely brutal schedule going forward. If the Yanks take this series, they can really step on the gas and lock up the division early. But Boston is always tough and Tampa is a very good team. Either way, it has been a lot of fun to watch this season’s Yankees and the new stadium.

Anyway, the blog is back, huzzah. Going forward, I will strive to make each post incredibly valuable to anyone who comes across this space. If you want more often updates, follow my Twitter feed to the right.