Brewing Update

It's been a while since I commented on my home brewing activities -- a pass time that has been particularly fun for me.

I brewed my 15th batch of beer of the year yesterday -- an India Pale Ale.  I've begun to modifying the formulas somewhat on the prepackaged kits, to try to tailor the taste of the beers to my own particular preferences.  The IPA, for example, had about double the quantity of hops in it compared to the kit -- one I'd brewed before, and one where the hops seemed a bit light.

Yesterday, I also sampled my second batch of Delirium Tremens clone beer.  The first one was excellent, but didn't quite have the flavor punch of the original.  This batch is definitely more heavily spiced, but I detected a lingering sweetness that wasn't present in the first batch.  I might have gotten the sugar content pre-fermentation a little too high.  Or it might not be carbonated fully, and that could be impacting the taste a bit.  Either way, it is still good, just not a perfect knock-off of the commercial brew.

On tap right now I have this Delirium Tremens clone, and a Belgian Witbier.  And I've got five gallons of Russian Imperial Stout aging (to replace the Witbier once it is gone).  In bottles, I have a little Sam Adams clone beer, and my first all-original beer -- Berbere-flavored Ale (based on the Ethiopian spice, Berbere, added to a strong scotch ale base).

Of the 15 brews, I would only consider 2 to be strikouts -- a Honey-Sage that smelled terrible, and a wheat beer that was cardboard-like.  Both were from kits, and I don't think I did anything wrong with the production.  They just aren't good beers.

My only current brewing problem is I've started a diet.  Figuring out how to reserve enough calories to sample my own wares is a challenge!

Free Speech?

Credit for the basic thinking behind this post belongs to AR who writes the Intramuralist blog.

Consider two quotes, the first by Chic-Fil-A CEO Dan Cathy, the second from then presidential candidate Barrack Obama:

“We are very much supportive of the family – the biblical definition of the family unit.  We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.  We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles.”


“I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman.  Now, for me as a Christian – for me – for me as a Christian, it is also a sacred union.  God’s in the mix.”

While both statements contain phrases that are associated with "anti-gay marriage" attitudes, and intolerance, I'm not terribly surprised only one seemed to spark outrage and controversy.  Certainly, we can theorize there has been a major change in attitudes and acceptance of gays since Obama's statement was made.  Or perhaps people read Obama's statement as insincere, and simply what he had to say to get elected.  For whatever reason, Cathy's statement seemed to ignite a firestorm, while Obama's did not.

What's great about living in the United States is that you can express your opinion without fear of governmental reprisal, and under the full protection of the law, regardless of its popularity or unpopularity.

Or can you?

I read some pretty amazing comments on Twitter following the Cathy statement -- people outraged over the intolerance and "hate" implicit in Cathy's words, people calling for a boycott of Chic-Fil-A as a result of the expression of Cathy's personal opinion, people wanting to see his head on a pole.  And with the exception of real calls to violence, those people are exercising their right of free speech, which I support 100%.  Just as I do Cathy's right to make his initial statement.  That's the way our system is supposed to work -- state your opinion free of reprisals (from the government, at least), and let the cards fall where they may.

Want to personally boycott Chic-Fil-A because you disagree with Cathy -- do it.  Want to try to organize a million of your friends to do so -- more power to you.  Want to carry a sign of protest in front of Chic-Fil-A's headquarters (or Cathy's house) -- feel free, as long as you are within the bounds of the law.

But the mayors of Boston and Chicago crossed the line when they used the power of their elected political office to attempt to injure Chic-Fil-A by denying them the right to expand in their cities.  It is not the job of the government at any level to determine the "rightness" or "wrongness" of any opinion.  Yet these mayors are using their elected offices to squash the free speech rights of Cathy.  This is a clear violation of our Constitution and what our country stands for.  And I would make the exact same statement if Cathy expressed a pro-gay marriage opinion, and the mayors of Birmingham and Salt Lake City tried to squash his right to expand in their cities.  My concern here isn't about the issue itself (a topic of lively debate), it's about the larger disregard for the Constitution.

Recovery

Maybe I'm just being overly optimistic, but I can't believe it might take months for this knee to recover.

I'm one week post surgery, and am already in less pain than I was before the work was done.  Swelling is long gone, incisions itch like crazy -- which usually means they're healing (wish I didn't have to wait another week to get them removed).  I can walk normally, go up stairs normally, can't quite descend them normally, however, but I'm close.

Yet the surgeon told me it would be months before I would be fully healed.  More months before I could attempt running.

I'm anxious to meet with the doc, just to hear what he has to say after the surgery.  Something strange, or am I just seeing (and feeling) what I want to see?

Waiting for the other shoe to drop

Tonight I'm sitting in front of the television, post arthroscopic knee surgery, and relaxing.

Something about this seems...odd.  Yes, I have a big bandage on my knee.  Yes, it's wrapped in an ice pack and elevated.  Yes, the crutches are laying on the floor next to me.

But where's the pain?

I can feel a tiny little sting above the knee -- fairly minor, really.  There is a little stiffness, which could be swelling-induced (impossible to tell, under the bandage) or it could just be the layers of wrap around my leg.  But honestly, I expected some serious pain.

Haven't had a pain pill since I came home twelve hours ago -- not even a Tylenol.

Maybe I'll pay tomorrow, but so far I feel like dancing a jig!

Stupid Knee!

I've complained a time or two over the last couple of years about my left knee.  When I was still working at Lindsay, I hurt it one morning during a run on a concrete "trail."  I ended up with swelling and moderate pain for a few days, and eventually purchased a couple different knee braces, confident I had some kind of tendinitis, or garden variety "runner's knee."

Since then, the pain has gotten progressively worse, and my running mileage has dropped down to zero.  When I reached mid-winter this year, I decided to lay off the road/treadmill for an extended period, and just work out on the elliptical trainer.  The logic was simple -- give the bum knee a longer period of time to heal.

That didn't work.

By the time summer rolled around, I was starting to experience pain even on the elliptical, or climbing stairs.  It even hurt sometimes when I was sleeping.  I delayed doing anything until after our vacation, and then went to visit the trusty orthopedist last week.  He sent me for an MRI on Tuesday, and we discussed the results today.

So, I'm having arthroscopic surgery next Wednesday to repair (cut out, actually) a tear in my meniscus, and also remove a cyst from the knee.  Sigh.

I'm grateful I live in a time when such things can be "fixed," but I'm kicking myself for not having the problem looked at earlier -- could have saved a lot of time and discomfort.  Full recovery (if it occurs) is several months away, and for a few days I'll be on crutches, followed by a period of hobbling around while I start flexing and strengthening the joint.

Oh, and I need to lose a few pounds to make life for my knees easier.... That may be the most difficult part of this -- especially when I'll be very limited in my exercise options.

Hawaii was Beautiful, but...

My family spent a week in Hawaii recently, and it was a pleasant experience.  We stayed at the Aulani Disney Resort on Oahu, in the Ko'Olina area.

The resort was opened in October of 2011, and while all the recreational areas were open, not all the rooms have been completed.  As a result, I think things were less crowded than they will be once construction of everything is finished -- a nice, if not sustainable, feature.  Even saying that, we still had some difficulty locating shady places to sit in the afternoon -- woe to those who follow when the resort is more crowded.

The resort featured plenty of water fun -- two slides, a "lazy river", a saltwater "reef" complete with tropical fish, a stingray pool (extra fee required -- more on this later), a huge pool, multiple spas two of which had terrific views of the lagoon, and a semi-private beach on a constructed cove.  We spent most of our time taking advantage of the water, and only briefly experienced some of the "other" features of the resort (not counting eating and drinking, of course).  There were several dining choices at the resort, all of which served tasty food -- our favorite was 'Ama 'Ama, situated near the beach.  The resort is located only half a mile away was Paradise Cove, which had a nightly luau for you and 700 of your closest friends.

We spent one day on an excursion to the "Big Island" to visit a waterfall, Mona Loa Nut Farm, and Volcano National Park -- a wonderful, though exhausting, experience.

So what were the "buts?"

Hawaii's a long way away.  Duh.  I knew that already, but the point was emphasized over and over by the three small children with us on the flights.

The ocean is cold.  I suppose some would say 75 degrees isn't all that cold, but I wore a shorty wetsuit to snorkel, and would have been out of the ocean in twenty minutes without it.

The sun, on the other hand, is intense.  Even our three little kids (who are from Ethiopia, for those who don't know) were sunburned.

Traffic is terrible in Honolulu.  We didn't have to deal with it much, but every activity that required driving had lots and lots (way too much, in most cases) of padding in the schedule.

Everything was expensive.  I realize it's Hawaii, and it's a resort, but $16 for a cheeseburger?  Really?

All things considered, however, we had a good trip, and I would recommend the quality of the Disney Aulani resort -- at least while the crowds stay manageable.

Off to conquer number 49

One thing I was able to partake in to my heart's content (and then some) while I was a senior executive, was travel.  Extensive travel.  All over the United States.  All over the world.  I've got the details posted on my website at www.tomspears.com.  At last count, I've visited 61 countries (this count is always a little fuzzy as some things I wouldn't necessarily count as a separate country ended up in the totals), and 48 of the States.  And just in case  you're wondering, I don't count a  location in my total if I never left the airport.

The two states I've never been to are Hawaii and Vermont.  Yeah, I know, kind of an odd combination

We lived in Boston for the better part of two years, but never made it to Vermont.  Never had a good reason to go there, it seemed.  And since there aren't a lot of manufacturing businesses there, I've never had a business reason to visit, either.  Not that I wouldn't mind seeing the fall color change on the trees, but Vermont isn't, and has never been, a high priority.

Hawaii is another matter.  I've searched for reasons to go there, but never found a business reason I could buy off on.  In a few days, however, I will be knocking Hawaii off the list.  Yes, we are taking the whole crew (eight of us) to the new Disney resort (Aulani) on the island of Oahu.  I am definitely psyched.

I'm a bit torn by the plans for the trip, however.  Normally I would rush around trying to see everything there is to be seen.  But my heart is telling me that this trip should primarily be about relaxing.  Maybe there will be a little of each, with a bias toward the relaxing part.

Right now, I'm rushing around trying to get all the remaining tasks at home done (or at least "done enough") to be able to completely forget about everything.  Hope I can remember my computer password when I get back!

Graduation, Take Three.

Graduation for child number three is this weekend, and I face the event with mixed feelings.  I'm proud of Anna for the person she's become, and her achievements in High School.  As much as possible, she's ready to go away to college in the fall.

On the other hand, she's not quite ready to be out on her own just yet.  As an illustration, I offer the following incident, which in retrospect is funny.

On Monday, Anna had a dentist appointment in Fremont, and for the first time she was going to have to drive there on her own.  She'd been to the office many times before, but always as a passenger, and admitted that she didn't remember exactly how to get there.

A bit earlier in the day, I'd overheard her mother suggest she might want to print some MapQuest directions.  Anna replied that her older sister had recently printed some, and she would just use those.  I had an appointment that required me to leave the house about twenty minutes after she was planning to leave.

Five minutes before her planned departure, she was angrily poking buttons on the computer and growling about the printer.  I could only guess she couldn't find the already printed directions, and had, perhaps, waited a bit too long to get them.  I offered my help by hand-sketching a map (which she considered useless -- admittedly not a great rendition), and ended up finding and printing turn-by-turn directions for her.  These I handed to her as she rushed out the door, already running late.

I breathed a sigh of relief.  About five minutes later, the phone rang.

"Dad, I have a flat tire," Anna said.  Sigh.

I looked at my watch, and realized I needed to leave in ten minutes myself.  After briefly considering ordering Anna to call AAA, I loaded some tools in my Suburban, and rescued her on the side of the road.  To her credit, she handled the situation with poise -- not fuming or panicking about being late to the dentist.  It might have been my fastest tire change, ever.  I thought back to the famous scene in "A Christmas Story" as I was taking off the lug nuts.  I made it to my appointment on time.  Anna was forty minutes late, but the sympathetic dentist accommodated her.

Yesterday, I drove her car in to have two new tires put on the rear (the flat was shot, and the tread was so low on it's mate, it wasn't worth keeping).

So, you see, ready for college, but probably not ready to be on her own.

A Little Cheese with that Whine?

I was a little surprised to receive an anonymous comment on my most recent post -- the one concerning getting the boat dock ready for use this spring.  The comment essentially said -- anyone who has a boat on a lake should refrain from complaining.

I admit, I've never liked criticisms, and so this bothered me a bit.  Maybe it hit a sensitive spot.  I responded with a smart-ass quip about how cowardly it is to provide anonymous criticisms.  But a few days later, it was still bothering me.

I re-read the post.  Was I complaining?  It wasn't my original intent to do so, although I freely admit I don't like this particular type of task.  I'd intended to give an illustration of why that old saying, "a boat owner's happiest two days are the first day he owns his boat, and the last day," has some validity.

Would you like a little cheese with that whine, mister Spears?  Yes, it did get a little whiny.  Yes, I was complaining a bit, as well as telling what I thought was a head-shaking and modestly amusing tale.

But was the critic correct?  Did I really have no right to complain, since I live in such an environment of luxury?

I don't think so.

Complaining is a human preoccupation.  I've listened to billionaires complain.  And I'll bet everyone you know well, at one time complains about something.  Your economic condition doesn't dictate whether you need to whine once in a while, but it does probably dictate how bearable it is to listen to the complaints.  I might have crossed the line.

In my defense, I'll note that the "boat" is a pontoon boat with a 50 hp motor -- not exactly high luxury.  My entire lake recreation set-up is one of the most modest on the lake.  But yes, it is still a luxury item, and yes, I do currently live more comfortably than most.

Based on my observations in Ethiopia (and elsewhere in the third world), a refrigerator is a luxury item, and so is air conditioning.  I'm certain my critic would never complain if his automatic icemaker broke every year, and to fix it he had to load it into a truck and haul it to the store while standing in cold water.  That would almost be be a similar hassle factor.

So in conclusion -- yes, I probably will continue to occasionally complain a bit.  Hopefully, I can do so in an amusing way which entertains.  But if it does seem like I need a little cheese with my whine, just move onto another blog post.  No need to comment.

The #@%&!! Spring Boating Tasks

Every spring we go through a new episode of the boating follies.  Or maybe it's a new chapter of boating for dummies -- I'm not sure which.  It seems that no matter how well I've thought through the getting-everything-ready-for-the-season process, and no matter how many times I've practiced it before, every year there's something throws me a curve ball.

This year was no exception, although I suppose I should have recognized what was going on and dealt with it last fall.  It was then, after all, when I noticed the boat lift wasn't going all the way down.  What was the first sign?  When we had our Labor Day party, and I had to have nearly everyone get off the boat once we had loaded so I could back it off the lift.  A few weeks later, when we wanted to take a ride, I had to push the boat out.  By the time I was taking it out of the lake for the winter, it took two of us to shove the stupid thing off the lift.

Yeah, I knew back then that I needed to dredge under the dock.  You see, the lake is shallow where my dock is located.  When I bought the dock, we ended up tying the boat to the side for almost an entire year because the lift wouldn't go down far enough to allow us to get the boat on it.  Eventually, when the property was groomed during construction of our house, I asked the contractor to dig out the spot with a backhoe.

That worked out pretty well -- for about four years.

Over time, entropy sets in -- sand slides downhill into the lake from the yard, and eventually drifts into the hole due to wave action.  Eventually, the hole fills in enough that the lift hits it.

As I thought about this problem during the winter, I decided in the spring I would call a company that advertises regularly in a local magazine to come and dredge the dock area.  But I failed to save a copy of the magazine, so when I was ready, I didn't have the ad.   Couldn't even remember the company's name.  I waited, and waited.  Finally, anew issue of the magazine showed up, and...the ad wasn't there!

Okay.  Murphy's law, I suppose.

I decided I couldn't wait any longer.  I started pouring over the yellow pages.  The only dredger listed nearby I'd talked to four years earlier, and they weren't interested in such a small job.  Damn!  It took me a few days, but I finally realized I should look under "excavators," and I found a company listed right here in Ashland. And they would do the work.  Problem solved.

Well, not quite.  There was still the physical work to do.  On Wednesday, I put on my waders and disassembled most of the dock moorings (can't scoop out the sand under it, if it's still sitting there).  I finished up on Friday morning, and pushed the dock aside.

The excavator showed up right on schedule.  The thing was huge.  It rumbled into the back yard, and in about thirty minutes had scooped enough sand out to make a small mountain on the beach (which I will probably spend the entire summer spreading around the yard).  Another thirty minutes spent working on the dock's ramp area, and we were ready to re-assemble.  Fortunately, the contractor stayed long enough for me to push the dock back into place and secure the mooring lines along with one of the two anchor posts (the other one, alas, was undermined by the scooping, and will have to be reset by the dock company at a later date).  I say "fortunately" because the ramp must weigh three hundred pounds, and it doesn't float.  Getting it reattached to the dock required some fancy work with the excavator, some chain, and the huge one inch bolts used to pin it to the dock.  Eventually, after a few scrapes and much cursing, it was completed.

Today, I managed to get the boat onto the lift, and then put the cover on the dock.  The only remaining tasks are to get the jetski on it's lift, and put out swim markers -- tasks that are at least familiar, if not pleasant.

Oh yeah.  And do something with all that sand...

As I sit here writing this post this evening, my hands hurt from all the rough treatment, and the dozen or so nicks and cuts from all that sharp metal.

And people call boat ownership "fun."  Hmmmm.

Hitting the Road, Again.

After several months without my beloved running routine, I made a first attempt to return today, going out for a modest 3 mile run (well, a trot at best, really).

Knee problems -- which I believe are simply inflammation from overuse -- seem to have finally calmed down.  I've tried to maintain a modest level of cardio fitness by working out on an elliptical trainer, but have failed to keep my weight in line.

So today, I waddled out in the 20 MPH wind, and 90+ degree temperatures, to give it a whirl.  At first I was alarmed by an unfamiliar bounce -- it was all the flab I've added in the past half year having it's elasticity tested. Yuck -- what a crappy way to have to face up to that issue.  Perhaps it will provide the needed motivation to do something about it.

I left my watch at home -- there would be no timing of this event.  Slow and steady was my motto.  I even acknowledged I might need to take some walking breaks.  Yeah, I'm that far out of it.

But all went well.  I managed to complete the three miles without expiring and without walking.  When I got home, I didn't even notice any knee trauma.  But the real story will be written on that tomorrow -- which is when any residual soreness will be most noticeable.

The Cost of College

I listened to a presentation yesterday by a Professor of Economics yesterday. In addition to it being interesting (yeah, I know -- economics interesting? Seriously?), the presenter hit on one of my current pet peeves -- the cost of higher education.

So here are the numbers he offered. The professor was going from memory, so he asked not to be "quoted," as he wasn't certain he had the numbers exactly right. I am, however, going to do it anyway.

1983 - present

CPI increase 150%

Medical cost increase 450%

Higher Education cost increase 750%

These numbers sound about right to me -- at least as it applies to tuition at state universities. In 1983, when I was at Purdue, it seems to me that tuition was around $1,000. $7,500 sounds like it's in the ball park for today for a state resident -- perhaps even a bit on the low side.

The economist (and remember, he is a university professor), railed at the inability of schools to manage their own costs. And I have to agree -- what are these schools doing? Are they just charging what the market will bear, and saving the difference in their endowments? Are they too busy building expensive monuments? Do they just let wages and numbers of employees grow without limit? What's the excuse for this wild cost escalation which, on the surface, can't be justified by anything I can think of?

Back in the dark ages when I went to school, most majors "paid off" quickly -- meaning that if you invested the cost of the education, it would pay back in a relatively short time after graduation. The increase in salary you could expect would allow you to pay back any investment, and make a tidy return. At the current University price levels, a prospective student should be seriously questioning whether that math still holds up. I suspect that for many majors, particularly those offered at expensive, private institutions, the answer is -- it doesn't.

Remember, prospective students, you're making a call that will impact you financially for years to come (assuming you will have to take on debt to get the degree), so choose wisely.

Which brings me to my personal pet peeve...Why are students and graduates angry with their lenders for expecting repayment of their loans, instead of angry with their schools for their complete lack of cost control. People should be outraged with the universities, and thankful for the availability of the loans. They should be demanding an explanation from their schools as to why the costs are so out of control.

Instead, they tend to get angry about the last vestige of what was, perhaps, a bad decision -- their student loan. They rail about the monthly cost. They complain about how long it will take to pay down the balance. They demand the government "forgive" their loan -- which is shorthand for saying: "I expect the rest of you taxpayers out there to pay for my education, even though you had nothing to do with deciding which degree I pursued, the school I selected, and the costs I racked up."

Our area of the country needs more trained welders. As a taxpayer, I'm much more interested in funding the training of additional welders (which might actually help the economy), than forgiving the loans of a newly minted lawyer from an expensive private institution. In general, however, I'm against forgiving anything retroactively -- these people signed the loan documents obligating them, and they (presumably) knew what they were doing. We have to take personal responsibility for our actions and stop expecting others to compensate for our mistakes.

So, there -- enough of this rant. I'm sure I've offended someone out there, and ask for my own "forgiveness" in advance. And I acknowledge I could be missing something in all this. I'd be happy for a more enlightened reader to point out the error of my ways in the comments section below. I'm open to being convinced I'm wrong, but it's going to take logic, not an emotional appeal.

Something About This Just Seems...Wrong

I spent my Wednesday afternoon taking my two older daughters (age 21 and soon-to-be 18) to the tattoo parlor. Apparently I was giving the 18 year old a tattoo for her birthday. She selected a quote from a Beatles song to have written on her rib cage, and her older sister wanted a complimentary (but different) quote.

Something about Daddy facilitating his little girls' tattooing desires just seems so...wrong.

But being an obliging sort, I took both of them, along with two of their friends, to Grin and Barrett in Omaha. The younger one went first -- quaking with nervousness, chattering away non-stop, wincing as the needle did its work, and ultimately shedding a tear or two. The older daughter was second -- she was stoic, and pointed out -- more than once -- that this, "...wasn't her first rodeo." (she has a small anchor tattoo on her hip.)

Two hundred and fifty dollars later -- which reminds me that daughter number two still hasn't paid me back for HER tattoo -- both girls were sporting new tattoos.

In case you can't quite read them: "All you need is love", and "Love is all you need".

All-in-all a strange dad experience.

Book Signing Results

Four pleasant hours spent at Cheri O's last weekend resulted in 8 book sales and a few conversations with interested buyers. I hope a few of them went home and purchased on Amazon.

So was it worth while?

On balance, I would say yes, but not overwhelmingly so. I'm encouraged enough to consider doing another one -- perhaps this time somewhere in Omaha. And when INCENTIVIZE is "released" on Amazon, perhaps I could do another signing at Cheri O's.

Next time, however, I think avoiding sub-zero temperatures would be better.

Beer update, and other stuff

The beer was actually good (at least one bottle of it!). I half-expected to encounter a heavy, sickeningly sweet, flat and hazy fluid. Instead it was clear, properly carbonated, and nutty with only a slight hint of sweetness. Kind of reminded me of Newcastle brown ale, only a little nuttier. So I can call the first brew effort a success. I have a seasonal sage bear in the fermenter right now -- it can be bottled this weekend. And a mix for an IPA to make next. When I do so, I will be trying out some new equipment, a nylon bag to hold the grains/hops, and to make the beer clearer going into fermentation. I love to experiment and try new things.

On a more sober note, the house is currently filled with the smell of burning electrical insulation. When Paula went in to wake the twins this morning, the PTAC (compact heating and air conditioning unit -- like the ones you find in some motels) that heats their room was off. She started it, and it sparked a couple times, but began running. When I went in a few minutes later, it was sparking again, and smoke was billowing out of it.

Thank God this happened in the early morning, rather than late at night -- I could easily imagine the thing starting fire.

Now the smell is everywhere.

Of course, Thomas, whose bed is forty feet away, slept through the whole thing, and had no idea what I was talking about when I ordered him out of the room in the midst of all that smoke. Man, that kid sleeps deeply.

Now awaiting the arrival of the HVAC repair people. Undoubtedly this will be expensive, but at least no one was hurt and the house is still standing.

"I Like Beer...

...it makes me a jolly good fellow."

That song still makes me laugh. So does "Beer is Good" by Psychostick.

For Christmas, I received a home brewing kit. After a couple of weeks of waiting for additional equipment and ingredients to arrive (why do kits always seem to be lacking an item or two, like a strainer?), I brewed my first home-made beer. It is a nut brown ale -- yeah, I also had to get some chestnuts and roast them for this concoction. Finding chestnuts was harder than I expected, despite their reference in a famous Christmas song.

Anyway, the brewing took about four hours from start to finish. Then the beer ferments for two weeks. Then I had to bottle it, which was a bit trickier than I expected. After bottling, it has to sit for another two weeks while the newly added sugar (in the form of honey mixed with a little water) carbonates the brew in the bottles.

Now all the required time has nearly passed, and tomorrow I am ready to sample. Wondering if it will be delicious, or will be sipped once and immediately dumped down the sink...

A Book Signing

When I was a teenager, I used to greatly enjoy watching reruns of Monty Python's Flying Circus on PBS. I recall an often repeated line from that program "...and now for something completely different."

So I was wondering if a Tom Spears book signing qualifies as something "completely different"?

It sure feels that way.

If someone told me a couple of years ago, that I would be signing and selling copies of my first novel at a local cafe, I would have looked at them like they were crazy. And if that person had suggested I'd be excited about it, I would have known they were crazy. I was too deeply engrossed in the business of business at that time to even be interested.

And yet, here I am -- my first official book signing scheduled for "Cheri O's" in Ashland on Saturday from 10AM to 2PM. And I'm psyched about it.

Not that I'm expecting to be overrun with fans, but it certainly seems symbolic -- showing that, yes indeed, I really am an author.

Umm, I think your computer's dead...

As a bit of a break from my series of posts on work lessons, I must whine a bit about computers.

Today (and for the last week), I've been working on a Dell Inspiron Mini, one we bought a few years ago to keep in the kitchen. Much of it's life has been spent looking up recipes, or performing targeted web searches. An easy existence, as computer's lives go. This last week, I've discovered it is NOT a machine suitable for writing novels. The screen is quite small, the keyboard is very tight, and it uses our (sometimes working) WiFi connection for access to the web.

I pine away for a replacement....
....which I already purchased. From Best Buy on Monday. I stayed with a laptop, but added a huge screen, a CD drive, lots of memory and a full sized keyboard (and a lot of additional weight, but I'm usually only carrying the thing around the house). I'm excited to get to work on the new machine.

So why am I still using the mini?

Because I foolishly asked Best Buy to transfer my data to the new computer. It seemed like a great idea at the time -- spend a few dollars (eighty), and then I don't have to waste my hours doing it. That was five days ago. So why isn't it done? I don't know.

The guy who "checked in" my new computer estimated twenty four hours. So I'm dropping in today, and not leaving without the new computer -- even if I have to do the data transfer myself.

Which brings me to another question -- what is wrong with the old computer? Not the Mini, the one that booted me onto the Mini in the first place.

Admittedly, that Dell Laptop is six years old now, and was never purchased with writing novels in mind. It was my old work computer from two jobs ago, selected to be a reasonable compromise between performance and travel portability. Over time it's performance has gotten worse and worse until it was taking fifteen seconds between clicks and half an hour to restart. Sounds like a virus, right? That's what I thought, but repeated scans have come up blank. Not enough memory? Maybe....

Anyway, I also asked Best Buy to look at this machine as well. And guess what -- it's not done either! I'll be asking about that as well. Hopefully, they will have already diagnosed it, found something easily fixable, and I can keep it as a back-up. Hopefully.

But wait, there's one more insult to add to these injuries.

For the past ten years I've been doing my taxes on one of two computers that we refer to as "the dinosaurs". I do this because the taxes can tie up a computer for a time, and once the tax software is loaded, I can live with the relatively slow response times.

So I had a need to get a pdf copy of last year's return on Monday. I went upstairs to start dino #2 (where last year's taxes were done) and...nothing. Deader than a doornail. Wouldn't start ever after I checked the GFI button, traced the power cables, and made sure the surge protector was on.

I was afraid to even look at Dino #1 (which must be a good fifteen years old now).

So I'll be crossing my fingers a second time that the IRS doesn't send me a letter with "questions" about any old returns. They can only do that for what, seven years?

Sigh.

The Fairness Police

Anyone who has been a manager, or the parent to more than one child, has had their turn acting as the "fairness" officer. Over many years of management and parenting, I've come to the conclusion that the concept of "fair" is perhaps our most dangerous concept. This is because "fair" depends on your perspective. "Fair" is subjective. And "fair" is a standard where humans cannot possibly measure up.

Let me just remind us all of something we've heard since childhood -- life isn't fair.

Is it fair that one person has a job and another doesn't? Is it fair that someone was born into wealth, and you weren't? Is it fair that one child gets a pink slinky, while the other has to suffer with a purple one (a current real life example here at home)? It all depends on your perspective.

These issues permeate our culture. You can see it going on in current events right now. Is it fair that half of the population pays no income tax? Is it fair that Warren Buffett pays only 17% income tax? Is it fair that some people get huge bonuses working on Wall Street even as the banking system is falling apart? Is it fair that some people can only get a temp job? Is it fair that you can get any job? Is it fair that the government had to step in and provide funds for TARP? Is it fair the government doesn't provide a free college education to everyone? Or to just citizens?

Remember -- life fundamentally isn't fair.

I submit to you that the fairness argument has no legitimate place in any of these situations. Forget about fair. Your idea of fair is different from the next person's. Fairness leads to unworkable ideas and proposals. Fairness leads to measuring your gains (or losses) against everyone else, looking for the unfavorable (unfair) comparison. Fairness seeking leads to envy, jealousy and unhappiness.

Life isn't fair.

So my proposal -- forget about fairness. Measure your life and circumstances in absolute terms. Do you have what you need? Are you happy with your choices? Can you make things better for yourself or someone you care about? If you're in good shape yourself, can you derive satisfaction from helping someone else? Continually looking for someone who's got it better, easier, etc., will just make you unhappy.

Life isn't fair, and it never will be.

So take joy in your own accomplishments. Strive to be better every day. Make a positive impact on others. Be practical. And stop wasting your time worrying about others who have more/better/easier than you.

Illegal Immigration

Generally speaking, I've avoided blogging on political subjects, but this one I can no longer ignore. I read in the paper this morning (yesterday's paper, actually -- current news is sometimes a casualty of country living) that over the weekend both Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann spoke out on the subject of illegal immigration.

Cain wanted to electrify the (mostly non-existent) border fence at a lethal level, potentially killing those attempting to get into the U.S.. Or, he offered as an alternative, the National Guard could just shoot them.

Bachmann railed against the "illegality" of immigrant's entry into the U.S. (an argument I've heard a lot, which usually starts with "What is it about illegal they don't understand..."), and wants to build a "secure double fence", whatever that is.

Folks, I just don't understand the (apparent) conservative position on this subject at all. And I've been a conservative voter all my life!

There are approximately 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States. Most of these are Hispanic, with the largest group coming from Mexico. Why do they come to the U.S. despite the obvious dangers? Economic opportunity, combined with a sentence of horrible poverty in their home country. If you want to get a sense of the desperation faced by these people, spend a little time in an underdeveloped country. I have, and it is truly eye-opening. These immigrants aren't poor because they're lazy or stupid, and are looking for a "free ride" -- they lack a chance! There are minds equivalent to today's Nobel prize winners trapped in the bush somewhere because they have NO WAY to improve their lot. Most of the European immigrants coming to the United States in prior centuries arrived for similar reasons.

I don't find it odd that these immigrants want to enter the U.S., but it still must be a frightening undertaking. In fact, you might generally characterize illegal immigrants as brave, bold and willing to take a chance to better themselves -- the kind of people we would want in our country. And the legality or illegality of crossing a border, when compared to permanent punishing poverty in their home country probably represents little more than a speed-bump. If you are willing to abandon family, culture, and language (eventually), for opportunity, what does the often flaunted U.S. law on immigration matter? It's just another risk to be dealt with.

I think most illegal immigrants would enter the United States legally, however, if there was ever any hope of them getting a visa to do so. The chances of them obtaining one are about as good as you or I hitting the lottery.

U.S. legal immigration policies are a part of this equation. Over the previous decade, the United States permitted roughly 1 million people to annually enter the country legally -- 700 thousand if you subtract those leaving. That number equals approximately 0.2% population growth per year, hardly a large percentage. Of these, approximately 1/3 are from Hispanic countries. The inflow of illegals is twice this level. This looks like basic economics to me -- unmet demand (a shortage of domestic candidates for low skilled jobs), and artificially constrained supply (not enough legal immigrants allowed to enter the U.S.) creates the temptation for people to enter the United States illegally.

Overall economic impact is hard to assess, when it comes to illegal immigrants. There appear to be opinions across the board ranging from those who tally up only costs (education for children -- many of whom are U.S. born, and rightfully citizens -- government services, and criminal justice), to those who make theoretical arguments that Social Security would be insolvent without the payments of illegal aliens -- payments which will never be claimed in benefits.

I put my stock in the near-consensus opinion of economists. In a 2006 survey by the Wall Street Journal, 46 noted economists were asked if illegal immigrants had an overall positive or negative impact on the U.S. economy. All but two believed the net impact was positive.

Is illegal immigration then a victim-less crime?

Not completely. There are some citizens who will suffer as a result of illegal immigration. A person injured in a car accident where the fault lies with an illegal immigrant. The victim of a crime committed by an illegal immigrant. And there is evidence that the availability of an illegal immigrant workforce does depress wage levels slightly in some low skill job classifications.

But on balance, I don't believe illegal immigrants are the "problem" many people make them out to be. And there are other uglier explanations for anti-immigrant attitudes. Things like fear of loss of political power, concerns over "sharing the pie" (although most economists will tell you population growth causes the pie to get bigger), or perhaps xenophobia.

So what's the solution? Certainly it isn't rounding up 11 million illegal immigrants and shipping them back to their country of origin. That would be inhumane in the extreme, in addition to being completely impractical. How can there be any other solution than to provide a path to eventual citizenship for these people?

As to border control -- I can't support Cain's plan to electrify the (mostly non-existent) fence, and or shoot anyone who wants to enter. I could support tighter border controls, but in conjunction with a more liberal (yikes, did I really use that word?) legal immigration policy which gives those living with the prospect of permanent poverty a realistic chance to enter the U.S.

None of my ideas, however, will counter the potential loss of political power of conservatives. Let's face it, the democratic party has done a good job making themselves the friends of immigrants, something the Republicans should ponder a bit. And it might mean we will continue to see more dual language signs, instructions, and the like -- a small price to pay for economic growth, IMHO. And, there is nothing in my thoughts to pacify outright racism, although I don't believe that motive deserves any pacification.

So, my conservative friends -- let's hear your arguments. Tell me where I've got it wrong.