VIP Parking: 200 Yards from the Door

Spotted recently at the far side of a giant supermarket's massive parking lot:

Maybe this is a common practice and I just never seem to park far enough away to notice?

But common or not, it was the first time I have ever seen one of these kind of 'Gentle nudge that you'd probably be better served walking a little bit rather than circling the first few rows of spaces waiting to swoop in like a vulture once someone clicks their remote door unlock'.

There were two interesting things I noticed when I saw this sign - one, that in a pretty crowded lot, that the space was indeed empty; and two, someone had left an empty shopping cart on the grass right next to the space, (you can see one of its wheels peeking out in the corner of the picture), rather than return it to the cart corral that was about 50 feet away.

Doing the right thing - walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator, parking an extra 100 yards out when lots of closer spaces are free, having a side salad instead of the onion rings, is still stubbornly, maddeningly, and definitely harder than it should be. I think most of us know the 'right' choices to make, and we even want to make these right choice, at least most of the time. But as we see from the constant stream of research and news about America's continuing problems with obesity, (a recent example is here), the problems persist.

I really feel for the folks whose job and really life's work is to make or at least try to influence the rest of us fatties to make the right, or at least the better choice a little more often. As I saw from the abandoned cart left next to the 'park way out here because you know you could use the walk' sign, getting people to change or at least try to change is very, very tough.

I hope you have a great long holiday weekend!

Christmas Past: Smokes, Guns, Chicken, and Beer

Just a quick note to wish everyone a fantastic Christmas, Happy Holidays, and to simply take a well-deserved break from the hamster wheel.

Like many folks, sometimes I like to look back over the years and reflect on special occasions and holidays and think about what is different about them today, when compared to the sometimes sketchy recollections of wonderful and idyllic holidays of yore. Sometimes our memories deceive us, certainly, and we often color our memories to fit our pre-determined conclusion, whatever that conclusion might be.

After thinking about this carefully for some time, and trying hard to be as clear and unbiased as I could, I came to a conclusion: Christmas used to be WAY more fun. And here is the evidence that I submit in my argument that Christmases of year's past were much more of a white-knuckle ride of guns, booze, smokes, and chaos compared to the kind of tame celebrations of today.

Exhibit A - Nothing says Christmas like some unfiltered goodness. Ron Reagan would not steer you wrong!

Exhibit B - You know what is great to wake up to on Christmas morning? Guns!

Exhibit C - And after the gifts are unwrapped it's time to eat! Pass the bucket of chicken.

Exhibit D - Nothing like a cold drink to wash everything down. You know what would go perfectly with that bracelet? A cold Bud!

I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea.

Anyway, I hope you have a fantastic holiday, even if your holiday doesn't include smokes, guns, greasy food and booze.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving To All - Especially to Robot Toys

To all my US friends and readers - have a fantastic Thanksgiving Holiday and long weekend. 

This year I am especially thankful for all the great friends I had the chance to see and spend time with, and for all the new friends and colleagues I have met along the way as well.

And I am also thankful for the recent increased interest in this blog, which I attribute almost completely to people landing here after searching on Google for the words 'robot' or 'robots'. Go figure.

So with that, I will leave you with one of the coolest and most moving little robot videos you will ever see, a short piece called 'Address is Approximate' by The Theory. It's for everyone that has journeyed today to be with family and friends, and even for those of us who couldn't make the physical journey, but are still thinking about the people that mean the most to us. Note - Email and RSS subscribers may need to click through to see the video.

Enjoy!

Address Is Approximate from The Theory on Vimeo.

Have a fantastic Thanksgiving!

Go Gamecocks!

A Lucky Christmas

My best wishes for a Merry Christmas, fantastic New Year, and small break from the grind of work, school, stress, looking for work, or polishing off that personal brand.

Maybe, if you have been good, and get really 'lucky', this guy will turn up at your holiday celebration bearing gifts- 

Flickr - jon williamson - ad from 1960

Man, the holidays really used to stink back in the day. Or maybe it was our expectations that led us to think Uncle Leo marching in with 12 cartons of Luckies just said Christmas.

Have a great, less Lucky Strike filled holiday!

Barbecue and New Beginnings

Today kicks off that annual end of summer celebration in the United States known as Labor Day weekend.

As I write this, it's late and I can't be bothered to look up the specifics about the origin of the Labor Day holiday, but I am fairly sure it was born from a long history of employers exploiting the workforce with long hours, unreasonable pressures, low pay, poor working conditions, and unrealistic expectations.  

Thankfully, those days are long behind us. 

They are, aren't they?

These days Labor Day weekend is mostly about transition, the change of the seasons, the end of summer vacation for students, and the start of 'serious' business since vacation and holiday time is pretty much over for most workers.

And of course Labor Day weekend is about barbecue.  Who doesn't spend at least some time on Labor Day weekend at the grill, burning perfectly searing some steaks or concocting their favorite burger recipe.

For me, I plan on spending some quality time with three of the things that have come to mean a lot to me - my butcher, my smoker, and my grill.

I hope you have a fantastic long holiday weekend.  No matter how tough things may be out there for you, Labor Day offers the promise of the end of one phase of your life and the start of another.  

I mark this transition with gobs of smoky, delicious meats, how you mark it is up to you, but for sure once Labor Day is passed, it all starts over again.