Mountain Power Lineman

Let's Move On to 2009, Shall We

2009-01-18T07:41:00.001-08:00

I don't really have a lot to say in this post, but I really couldn't let the Christmas Season keep dragging on in my blog. There is a time for everything, and Christmas is retired for at least another 10 months.

It's yet another year, and I am finally back on a line crew. The hiatus was fine in compliance inspection, and it did afford me some reliably standard work hours through the holidays, but come January I was ready to go back to being a regular Lineman. The past couple of weeks have been really good. It's difficult to return to construction after being away for so long. You tend to forget all of the little tricks you use to make your job easier. Thankfully, they've been coming back to me in time.

Last week, my coworker who lost his hands in an electrical incident dropped by the yard. It was good to see him up and about. He and his wife found out recently that they are expecting a baby later this year. He seems in really good spirits for where he is in his recovery, and I wish him the very best. Please continue in your prayers for him and his family. There's still a long way to go.

I've not announced it properly here on the blog, but my wife and I are expecting twin boys later this Spring. I've known for quite a while, but I just never got around to announcing it here. I'm pretty excited, and fairly anxious. Going from a family of 3 to a family of 5 in one fell swoop will be an adventure. I plan to take advantage of the Family Leave Act and spend about a month at home, helping everything to get settled. Thankfully, we expect to have some family help a few days a week. It will be wild.

Here in CenCal the weather is unseasonably warm. If you're visiting from the Great Northwest, you'll probably want to bring your shorts and t shirts. It was in the 70s yesterday.

Well, until we meet again - good day.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T06:05:00.000-08:00

As a little boy, I loved to read this part of the Bible. My favorite part is where the angels appear to the shepherds, and tell them not to be afraid. Can you imagine that night? Quietly minding your animals, and watching the stars, when - BAM- It's suddenly daylight, and a massive angel is standing in front of you, telling you that you don't have to be afraid.

Some people might say that they wish they could see Jesus be born. I'd rather let Mary and Joseph have their privacy, and instead hang out with the shepherds that night. Besides, after the angels show up, we'd go visit the Holy Family anyway.

6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2: 6-19

A Prayer Request

2008-12-17T23:39:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to ask that your thoughts and prayers go to a coworker of mine, and a fellow Lineman brother here in Central Cal who experienced an electrical contact. He is alive, but has had to endure double amputation of his hands. No names will be posted. If you work for the company, you've likely already been tailboarded - opportunity to sell your vacation hours will soon be available. If you don't work for the company, please just pray for him and his family. God knows who he is.

Things You Don't See Everyday

2008-12-13T22:02:00.000-08:00

As a Lineman, I have opportunity to see the back roads and byways that most of us don't. There's a lot down those dirt roads and driveways that the general public isn't privy to. Here's what I saw in the last week.

If you look hard, here, you can see a baby Tibetan Yak. Just one day old.

Just try and keep it under 115mph, okay?

Looking down on Burrough Valley from up here.

Watching So Cal Edison work on installing a new static line on their transmission towers.

It's Coming to a Mountain Range Near You

2008-12-12T06:37:00.000-08:00

	Rest of Today Mostly sunny. Highs 55 to 65. » ZIP Code Detail
	Tonight Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of rain. Lows 34 to 44.
	Saturday Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain. Highs 41 to 51. » ZIP Code Detail
	Saturday Night Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow showers. Colder. Snow level 1500 feet. Lows 25 to 35.
	Sunday Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow showers. Snow level 1500 feet. Highs 34 to 44. » ZIP Code Detail
	Sunday Night through Monday Night Cloudy. Rain and snow showers likely. Lows 25 to 35. Highs 34 to 44.
	Tuesday through Thursday Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers. Highs 37 to 47. Lows 26 to 36.

Getting In The Spirit: The Nutcracker, The Celesta, and Щелкунчик

2008-12-04T21:22:00.000-08:00

I wanted to also post today to get in the spirit of the Christmas season. Christmas is a season built of social, familial, and personal traditions. Our memories, and consequently, our traditions are made of smells, sights, tastes, and sounds.

I'd like to focus on one of my favorite sounds of the season.

The Celesta.

You've probably never heard of it, although you've likely heard it a thousand times.

This ring a bell?

How about this?

Now this one is getting closer.

The celesta is that mysterious, dreamlike, and otherworldly sound that sets the mood for so many of our imaginations' flights of fancy. Not surprising, given that the alternate spelling of the instrument, celeste, means "heavenly", in French.

You can listen to NPR as they delve further into the intstrument that has set the soundtrack to so many memories. Another reason I love NPR. Who else would cover this?

On that note, and in the Christmas spirit, I would like to present something that I've been looking for, for a long time. When I was a kid, we had all these BETAMAX and VHS tapes that my dad made of all sorts of Christmas specials that we caught on tv. Everything from Christmas Comes to PacLand, to the Smurfs' Christmas Special, Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas (which is heart-wrenching, and made my mom cry every year), and even The Small One (again this one made my mom cry every year...truth told it makes my own eyes kinda misty).

The one that has been the itch I couldn't scratch all these years, was an animated version of The Nutcracker Suite that aired on PBS back in those halcyon days of yore (the 1980s). It was a Russian made, animated movie, set to the score of The Nutcracker Suite - named Щелкунчик.

I remember that the Rat King frightened me. I remember that there was some unusual Eastern European quality to the movie that I couldn't put my finger on. And I kept on remembering that I hadn't been able to watch the movie... until now. Thanks to YouTube, who makes so many of my animated memories visible yet again (Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors - I didn't even know I remembered them, until I saw them again).

Here is the Nutcracker, as I remember it. In parts - I, II, and III.

A Lineman's Favorite Things: :Lineman Gift Shops

2008-12-04T18:19:00.001-08:00

We linemen seem to enjoy gifts that celebrate what it means to be a lineman. I think it comes from both having pride in doing a job that involves things that most people fear (heights and high voltage) and what can feel like a lack of appreciation from the general public. As a result, we overcompensate, and buy t-shirts, hats, toys,belt buckles, stickers, etc. to tell ourselves and others that we think we're the best. I post this link as an example of what we Linemen think of ourselves (and tell others).

We know we're good, and we want everyone else to know.

Here are some of my favorite things:

Lineman Silhouette - an exclusive of LinemanGifts.Com

The Lineman Calendar - only from Line-Man.Com

Lineman Decision Flip Coin - also from LinemanGifts.Com

Lineman T Shirts - I like the power tools one from The Lineman's Factory (there's shotgun hotsticks running down the sleeves)

Those are just a few of my favorite gift stores. What are yours? Suggestions?

A Lineman's Favorite Things: Boots

2008-11-23T22:19:00.000-08:00

This week I'm listing the things that I like the best. I say, why not start from the bottom up. First things first then - boots.

Most folks don't give their footwear much thought. You see a shoe you like, and try it on. If it fits your foot (and hopefully the budget) you buy it and take it home, likely to be worn about 3 times a week for an average of 10 hours a day. An exception being the fashionista, who will take an entire paycheck to buy a shoe that she'll wear twice, all the time cursing to herself that she'll never buy something so uncomfortable, again. The lineman tends to approach footwear with a long view.

Footwear in the line trade is not something that is entered into lightly. Easily understood, once you consider the fact that a lineman's day is mostly spent on his feet. Even more understandable once you take in to account that a day for a lineman can be anywhere from 8 to 40 hours long.

As a lineman, when you show up at work, there is a tacit understanding that the hours of your workday that while defined somewhere in a union contract, are more or less arbitrary points of reference which define when the overtime and double time pay begin. When you walk through the gate at the yard, you know that there is more than an outside chance that everything can go sour today, and you will be working some long hours to make sure that the good folks at home can turn on the heat and watch the game. It's just part of the deal.

When you spend that long on your feet, you think more about what your footwear needs to do for you. You'd be surprised at just how long a group of linemen can sit around talking about their boots.

Shanks, insulation, leather pads, kevlar, waterproof liners, Vibram soles, boot height - the list goes on and on and on. And everyone has an opinion. You have to. When your footwear is going to cost you the equivalent of 1 or 2 days pay, you think about it. What has worked for you in the past, is what you carry forward with you.

That said, here are my favorites (and current footwear choices) in the pantheon of things which a lineman likes.

Trooper Lineman

Danner and Hoffman boot companies have joined together to create a Frankenstein creation that does exactly what you want. Danner comfort and Hoffman performance. I was on a pole for about 6 hours the first day I ever wore these. They felt as comfortable as slippers the whole time.

Hall's 12" Waterproof Pull-On Lineman's Boot

I just bought a pair of these a week ago, and have been absolutely pleased with them. I've always wanted a boot that I didn't have to spend the time to lace up. I always like having a boot be watertight. This boot has been great. I was up on a pole doing a backyard easement pole change out for about 4 hours, last week, and these boots performed great. Especially considering that after that pole change out I helped replace another rear-easement SP transformer that went catastrophic, and then replace a power pole and two spans of 4 ACSR that were taken out by a wayward eucalyptus tree. That was a 20 hour day, my friends. And the boots carried me through all day and night. The best part was when I got home at 5 in the morning, I didn't have to unlace my boots at the door. BONUS!

White's Lineman Pac Boots

When the snow starts falling, you'd best reach for your pacs, Slim. These boot have taken me through many a winter storm season. They're waterproof, felt lined for warmth, steel shanked, and ready to take on whatever comes their way. When I was a mountain power lineman in the Central Sierra Nevada, I kept these boots in my rain gear bag. If I knew I was headed out for a boggy, sloggy, wet, cold adventure, I never left the yard without strapping on my White's Pacs. They're just as comfortable on a pole as they are on a trail. They work well with your snowshoes. They just look good, too.

As far as boots go - those are my favorites. I'm interested in finding out what other guys have found to be a good boot. What do you wear, and why? Calling all lineman lurkers.

Another question. Are there any other Linework related blogs out there? Let me know. I'd love to link up.

Coming up this week.

Hand Tools

Lineman Gifts

Change

2008-11-09T20:20:00.000-08:00

Let's hear it for change. The seasons have changed (finally) here in CenCal. The weather changing has given us cause to change our wardrobes (finally - I can wear my new work uniform without sweating too much). We've changed our clocks, and hopefully, our circadian rhythms. Let's not forget the batteries in our smoke alarms, lest we wake to the smell of smoke and find that it's too late to get out. Gas prices have begun to change ( I scored $1.89 at a VONS gas station in Oakhurst on Sunday), and none too soon. We've voted to change the leadership at the helm of our nation.

I changed several diapers today. With help, I'll soon be not changing any... and then in a few months I'll be changing twice the amount ( yeah. do the math. you're on the right track ) every day.

I changed my job title recently. I change job locations every day, and sometimes every hour. Thankfully, the company logo on my paycheck hasn't changed in almost 7 years. I work with my co-workers to change their bad work habits, and help them to see the benefits of ergonomic design.

I changed a tire on my truck last week, when I managed to get a flat on the way to work one morning.

My daughter changes the amount of words in her vocabulary on a daily basis. Now we have words like dolly, Winnie Boo (Poo Bear), choo (shoe), bee, ee you (thank you), ah you Daddy (I love you Daddy), bies (bus), and peas (please). My favorite is when she goes out into the garden, next to the sage and lavender, and declares, "Hi, Bees!".

Parents retire. Brothers and sisters grow families. Friends move away with hopes to return. Some kicked the dust from their sandals as they left.

Grandparents grow older, no matter how much you love them. And whether they meant it to carry more meaning or not, it hurts when you hear them say, " I've had a pretty good life".

In the end, we are but a vapor.

The mill house stone grinds on because the work is good.

None can add, nor take away from what God has set forth.

The change is inevitable, because everything has its time. A flower is beautiful in its time, but it will change and bear fruit. You cannot capture the blossom, and eat the apple. God has set eternity in our hearts, but we do not comprehend it.

We are meant to see the beauty of creation in its time. Would you set out a peach on the table, and say to your friend, "Look at how beautiful that peach is. Its red and golden hue is absolutely gorgeous. I bet that peach would be delicious." You wouldn't then sit down every day at breakfast, and admire the way the light danced on the skin of the fruit. You wouldn't let it sit out every day, just to see it become overripe, to sag and decay.

Would you then say to your friend, "Well, I guess that peach wasn't any good after all, now was it? It's nothing but a pile of molding goo now. I'm sure it tastes horrible."

The peach was meant to be enjoyed in its time. The beauty is a moment to moment existence.

Change will keep coming. In four years a lot will have changed in America. In four more minutes a lot can change in a single person.

Ecclesiastes 3:9-14 (New International Version)
9 What does the worker gain from his toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. 13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE NEAREST: BREATH IN YOUR NOSTRILS, LIGHT IN YOUR EYES, FLOWERS AT YOUR FEET, DUTIES AT YOUR HAND, THE PATH OF RIGHT JUST BEFORE YOU. THEN DO NOT GRASP AT THE STARS, BUT DO LIFE'S PLAIN, COMMON WORK AS IT COMES, CERTAIN THAT DAILY DUTIES AND DAILY BREAD ARE THE SWEETEST THINGS IN LIFE.
-ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON-

Seasons

2008-11-06T17:28:00.000-08:00

We're no longer saving daylight, as evidenced by the fact that the sun sets before I even eat dinner ( and I eat dinner like a senior citizen... the earlier the better). The mornings are cold now. Even here in the land of everlasting sunshine the mornings are getting down in the 40s. Yes, I can hear those of you from more northern climes, snickering into your balaclavas.

"That Californian doesn't know cold."

Trust me, I've had my share of cold mornings. When I truly was a mountain power lineman, and not a valley power lineman, I had many a morning where the mercury dropped into the single digits. That's a cold that flannel-lined pants can't cut on their own. You still have to get out there and move.

For linemen, the seasons are a little different. The Seasons of the year are known primarily for the type of damage that is brought to the power grid. As the year progresses, the stresses that are placed on the power system change. Summer is a time of overloading. Spring rain causes cars to slip off the road and hit poles. Fall is generally quiet. Winter is where the real fun begins.

Regular folk see the beauty of drifting snow. The Lineman sees fallen trees, down lines, and broken crossarms.

The average guy watches the rain fall after a long dry Summer and smiles. The Lineman knows that soon the crossarms and poles will be smoldering because the dirty insulators are tracking, and soon the poles and crossarms will be on fire, and soon he will pick up the ringing phone, and then he will smile because storm season is here, and Daddy needs a new pair of shoes.

They're the same seasons - we just look at them differently. Where you see only the beauty of the passing of time evidenced in Nature, the Lineman sees the signs of future opportunity for O.T. (here's a hint - not Old Testament or Occupational Therapy). We can't help it. It's hardwired in us from the factory. It's the same reason that we can't help patrolling the powerlines as we drive on vacation. We're always on duty, paid or not.

Here in Cen Cal the season has turned. Last week was the first rain after a long dry season. I think I worked for 19 hours on Friday. Not bad for a start.

2008-11-04T19:23:00.001-08:00

So, it's been another month, and whether I like it or not, I'm going to write down some of my thoughts.

By tomorrow, we will have managed to choose our nation's leader for the next four years. No matter who your contender was, we will have managed to do the amazing - carry out an orderly, and honest election without bloodshed or oppression. I think that's pretty incredible.

I read an article on the Washington Post that brought me back to reality. Anne Applebaum's article, "Five Election Myths," was a reminder of the reality that follows the culmination of an election day. I'm interested in seeing how it plays out.

Mostly, I'm just glad that the election is over. I'm soooooooo tired of these ads. Well at least we have 2 years before they start campaigning again (please tell me I get more than just 2 years).

It's Good To Be Back

2008-10-04T09:33:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know. I'm a horrible blogger. Once a month is a pretty cruddy schedule to blog on. I just haven't been up to much. Ok. That's not really true, either.

I've transferred back to a regular Lineman position at work. Now I get to go and do regular crew work. Working by myself as an inspector was good for some reasons, but it had its disadvantages as well. I'd worked in the Fresno area for a year, but only knew the 9 people in my department. It really took about a year to get to know them, since we all work alone. You can only get to know someone so well when you only see them every other week at a safety meeting.

This week I've already had a chance to rubber glove some .715 aluminum and go up to Wishon Reservoir to hot stick some tie wires. It's not much, but it's a start. The part I'm having a bit of time getting used to is the fact that I have more experience than the guys I'm working with. I've always been the low man in the yard, but now I'm one of the senior Linemen in the yard. The responsibility of making sure that any apprentices that I'm working with are getting a chance to learn how to do the trade in a safe and productive environment is a serious thing.

Last night it rained here for the first time in months. Storm season is on its way. I'm ready.

What's Up

2008-09-04T21:53:00.000-07:00

Not too much. At work, I'll be going back to work as a regular Lineman. A position opened up in the Fresno Construction and Maintenance group, so I'll transfer over after I get back from vacation. It's a little bit nerve wracking. I haven't been able to do regular construction work in nearly 2 years. That's a long time to forget all the little tricks that made everyday work easier to handle. Despite being a little apprehensive, I am pretty excited.

More to come later.

Don't Be Surprised If I Dissapear Again

2008-08-03T19:44:00.000-07:00

It's not much of a surprise to me that I haven't blogged in the last month. We went on vacation to Brookings and Medford - both of Oregon - to visit with family. It was wonderful. Then I came home after being away from the computer for 2 weeks, and I just didn't feel much like getting on the old information scenic byway. It was also a bit of a bummer when we came home. Mariposa county is mostly burned to the ground. Well, mostly Midpines. It's still sad.

One day while my daughter and I were in the swimming pool, we noticed that the Sherrif Department's helicopter was hovering really low along the creek canal that runs next to the house. Then we saw in the news that a little girl had been lost, and was believed to have drowned. She did. Please pray for the Her family.

Lately, I've just been using the local library for my reading habit. I figure that I've already saved myself over $200. The library rocks. Right now I'm reading Bangkok Tattoo. Very different.

What have you been up to this summer?

I just like this Sufjan Stevens song. Have a listen.

Oliver - Over?

2008-07-01T22:57:00.000-07:00

It's looking like we're seeing the end of the Oliver Fire - and I couldn't be happier. The threat to families living in Ponderosa Basin seems to have passed for now. The fire is under control, at least enough to send resources to other fires. Unfortunately, the fires in the Devil's Gulch area will leave the area bare, resulting in silty waters downstream on the Merced River. My thanks to all the brave firefighters working on this, and the other wildfires in California.

OLIVER

CA-MMU-008107

Type: WF

Start: 06/21/2008 1710

Cause: L

Priority:

Overhead Team Name: BILL HODSON ICT #6

Organization: Unified Command

Local:

GACC:

Size:
2,789 ACRES

% Cnt/MMA:
75 %

Est Contain:
07/05/2008

Latitude:
37° 27´ 4"

Longitude:
119° 45´ 12"

Location: NORTH OF PONDEROSA BASIN

$$ Costs to Date: $10,242,193

Structures Threatened: 200 PRIM , 225 OUTB

Structures Destroyed: NONE

Resources Committed:

Total Personnel: 730

Report Date: Jul 01, 2008 1900

Agency	CRW1	CRW2	HEL1	HEL2	HEL3	ENGS	OVHD
BLM	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
DDQ	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FWS	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
LGR	1	0	0	0	0	36	15
NPS	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
OES	0	0	0	0	0	5	1
PRI	0	0	0	0	1	0	13
ST	23	0	0	0	0	25	80
USFS	0	2	0	0	0	0	8

Significant Events: Line construction in Division Mike completed with continued widening, improvement and mop-up.

Remarks: Air support still needed in Division Whiskey. Watershed values at risk are in the Devils Gulch drainage which is a major tributary to the Wild and Scenic Merced River; also the Chowchilla river drainage, which supplies the Eastman Reservoir. If significant fire damage occurs in these areas, there will be high potential for excessive siltation and degradation of water quality. Continued demob of resources planned for operational period. The evacuation warning for the residents in the Ponderosa Basin is planned to be lifted at 1800 on 7/2/08.

Observed Fire Behavior: Moderate fire activity, primarily burning in interior islands in Division W. Remainder of the fire had smoldering with minimal fire activity.

Planned Actions: Line construction and improvement with mop up and patrol. Division Mike is completely tied in. Efforts will be concentrated on Division Whiskey. Continue rehab planning and implementation. Continue demob of resources. The resources demobed today have been reassigned to fires in both south and north areas of the state.

Oliver Fire - Outlook Promising

2008-06-28T20:36:00.000-07:00

I tried to post the raw data from the Daily Situation Report, but I can't get the tables to fit. So if you follow the link here, and go about halfway down. They're labeled Oliver and Silver respectively.

According to Cal Fire Reports located here, the Oliver Fire has crawled into Devil's Gulch. The area is considered inaccessible, and is proving problematic. Even so, Cal Fire is estimating that the fire will be contained by the 5th of July. As of 7pm, this evening, the fire has burned 2,306 acres, and stands at 40% containment. Considering how dry the area is after a less than average Spring rainfall, this seems pretty good.

Fresno's ABC30 news has some interviews with Ponderosa Basin residents. I'm glad to read that they're upbeat.

I'm sorry for being a little erratic with my posting. My wife, daughter, and I have all been getting over a stomach bug. Fevers and upset stomachs are never fun, especially in the Summer. Thankfully, we're all feeling much better. I even worked some overtime today. Out of the smoke.

Let me just say that if you can afford the gas money, you should head up past Shaver Lake to the Dinkey Creek and Wishon Reservoir. Beautiful blue skies and cool air were just the remedy I needed. Just remember, when you're thinking of places to go. Not all the mountains in California are on fire right now.

Oliver / Silver Fire Maps and Links

2008-06-26T21:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a topographic map that takes you from the Ponderosa Basin Fire Dept. to the Devil's Peak area. The Devil's Gulch drains into the South Fork of the Merced River.

I tried to paste up a terrain map from Google Maps, but it wasn't cooperating. Try this link here.

Most people (except for locals and savvy explorers) don't know that you can take a vehicle up Chowchilla Mountain Road and get to Wawona without ever going through an entrance gate. This is the area where the Oliver / Silver Fire is now burning. Robert Lindsay writes on his blog

On Wednesday, the main problem area was Devils Gulch, a stream that flows off Devil's Peak towards the South Fork of the Merced River. The fire is now burning very think and very dry brush and trees down into Devil's Gulch at its northern end at about 6,500 feet.

I also found these links to various state and local agencies to be really helpful.

National Interagency Fire Center

Sierra National Forest Fire Update

Silver Complex Topo Map (it's a little grainy and hard to read - if you know the area you'll probably be able to figure it out)

Mariposa County Fire Department

If you want to slog through the process, you can download a free copy of a USGS topographical map of the area at this location. I found Devil's Gulch in the area of N 37.31.854 W119.46.259

Oliver / Silver Fire Continues

2008-06-26T13:24:00.000-07:00

The W.I.S.E. Fire Track has reported that the Oliver Fire Complex is now known as the Oliver Fire (which covers the area of the fire that is on private lands) and the Silver Complex (which covers the fires that are burning on National Forest lands). It seems that the new names are a matter of government agency responsibilities and accounting. This side of the fence is one name, and that side is another. It doesn't really matter, so long as they get it put out.

The fire is now larger than 2000 acres, and is occupying more than a thousand firefighters from all across the U.S. - including firefighters from Yuma, AZ and 18 firefighters from Kern County.

This map from the MODIS Active Fire Mapping Program can give you an idea of just how much of the state is actively fighting wildfire. The locations in red are fires that have been active in the last 12 hours.

Here's another update from the Daily Situation Report, as posted by the Forest Service.

SILVER COMPLEX

CA-SNF-718

Type: WF

Start: 07/21/2008 1710

Cause: L

Priority:

Overhead Team Name: TOM CABLE, NIMO TEAM

Organization: Type 1 Team

Local: 4

GACC:

Size:
818 ACRES

% Cnt/MMA:
50 %

Est Contain:
NR

Latitude:
36° 26´ 21"

Longitude:
119° 40´ 38"

Location: FISH CAMP TO THE MERCED RIVER

$$ Costs to Date: $1

Structures Threatened: NONE

Structures Destroyed: NONE

Resources Committed:

Total Personnel: 241

Report Date: Jun 25, 2008 1600

Agency	CRW1	CRW2	HEL1	HEL2	HEL3	ENGS	OVHD
BLM	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
NPS	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
PRI	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
USFS	2	6	0	0	0	7	35

Significant Events: Focus on making progress on the Star fire. Continue current control measures, continue requesting additional needed resources.

Remarks: WESTFALL IS 105 ACRES, 100% CONTAINED; SILVERKNOB IS 480 ACRES, 60% CONTAINED; CIQUITO FIRE 52 ACRES AT 60%; STAR FIRE IS 180 ACRES AT 0%. POISON AND GAGGS ARE 1 ACRE EACH AND ARE CONTAINED.

Observed Fire Behavior: NIMO Incident Management Team (Cable) assumed command of the Silver Complex at 0600 on 6-25-08. A TFR is in place over the fire area. Crews, dozers, and engines continue to make good progress. Yosemite High School is the site for the ICP.

Planned Actions: FOCUS ON MAKING PROGRESS ON STAR FIRE. CONTINUE CURRENT CONTROL MEASURES, CONTINUE REQUESTING ADDITIONAL NEEDED RESOURCES.

OLIVER

CA-MMU-008107

Type: WF

Start: 06/21/2008 1710

Cause: L

Priority:

Overhead Team Name: BILL HODSON ICT #6

Organization: Unified Command

Local: 2

GACC:

Size:
1,400 ACRES

% Cnt/MMA:
20 %

Est Contain:
06/28/2008

Latitude:
37° 27´ 4"

Longitude:
119° 45´ 12"

Location: NORTH OF PONDEROSA BASIN

$$ Costs to Date: NR

Structures Threatened: 200 PRIM , 225 OUTB

Structures Destroyed: NONE

Resources Committed:

Total Personnel: 1,102

Report Date: Jun 25, 2008 0700

Agency	CRW1	CRW2	HEL1	HEL2	HEL3	ENGS	OVHD
BLM	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FWS	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
LGR	0	0	0	0	0	50	0
OES	0	0	0	0	0	40	1
PRI	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
ST	22	0	0	0	0	25	60
USFS	4	2	1	1	0	0	0

Significant Events: Fire continued to burn towards the Ponderosa Basin. Contingency plans are in place pending additional evacuation potential. North portion of the fire currently has a 200 acre spot that threatens the USFS DPA.

Remarks: Due to updated mapping intel, it was determined that the fire is on CalFire DPA. CalFire ICT-6 took command of the fire at 1300 hours on 6/24/08. Fire is in unified command with Mariposa Co. FD, Mariposa Co. Sheriff and CHP. Due to transition of the fire the Oliver fire is not part of the previous complex. Cost for the Oliver fire shall commence at 0700 6/25/08. Cost incurred prior to that time shall be part of the Oliver Complex.

Observed Fire Behavior: Fire continues to back toward Ponderosa Basin. Moderate behavior observed.

Planned Actions: Continue to construct direct and indirect line. Provide structure protection.

As you can see, the Oliver Complex has been split into the two fires now known as the Silver Complex, and the Oliver Fire.

As of 12:50pm, the Fresno Bee is reporting that the Oliver Fire is now 20% contained.

If you have any other information that you would like to add to my blog, concerning the fires, please email me at
mountainpowerlineman@yahoo.com. You can get there by going to my profile.

Thanks,

The MPL

Oliver Fire Report - Continuing

2008-06-25T07:03:00.000-07:00

Another update from the Forest Service Daily Situation Report. This was written yesterday, the 24th, so I don't yet know if anything has happened overnight. The best piece of news in the report, I will highlight with orange.

A small update from the Fresno Bee reports that the Westfall Fire is 100% contained, the Silver Knob Fire of Ahwahnee is 60% contained, and the Oliver Fire is still raging, although no structures have yet to be damaged as of this morning. (update 12:05 06-25-08)

OLIVER COMPLEX

CA-SNF-0715

Type: WF

Start: 06/21/2008 1710

Cause: L

Priority:

Overhead Team Name: TOM CABLE, NEMO IC

Organization: Unified Command

Local:

GACC:

Size:
1,292 ACRES

% Cnt/MMA:
5 %

Est Contain:
06/30/2008

Latitude:
37° 27´ 4"

Longitude:
119° 45´ 12"

Location: OAKHURST EAST TO FISHCAMP AND NORTH TO MERCED RIVER CANYON

$$ Costs to Date: NR

Structures Threatened: 150 PRIM , 225 OUTB

Structures Destroyed: NONE

Resources Committed:

Total Personnel: 359

Report Date: Jun 24, 2008 0714

Agency	CRW1	CRW2	HEL1	HEL2	HEL3	ENGS	OVHD
BLM	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FWS	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
PRI	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
USFS	4	7	1	1	0	6	45

Significant Events: NEMO TEAM TOM CABLE TAKES OVER THE INCIDENT LAST NIGHT AT 2000HRS. UNIFIED COMMAND WITH MADERA MARIPOSA UNIT CAL FIRE WITH UNIFIED ORDERING AT SIERRA HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. TFR IS IN EFFECT OVER THE AREA. CREWS AND DOZERS AND ENGINES CONTINUED TO PUSH AND PERFORM SOLIDLY. YOSEMITE HIGH SCHOOL IN OAKHURST IS WHERE BASE CAMP IS LOCATED.

Remarks: OLIVER 1000 ACRES 0% CONTAINED, WESTFALL 50 ACRES 50%, SILVER 400 10%, STAR 30 ACRES 0%, CHIQUITO 10 ACRES 50%, GAGG, POISON, AND 7 OTHERS FIRES ARE CONFINED NOT YET CONTROLLED.

Observed Fire Behavior:

Planned Actions: CONTINUE UTULIZING AVAILABLE RESOURCES. CONTINUE REQUESTS FOR SCARCE RESOURCES.

Oliver Fire Update: On A Personal Note

2008-06-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

When it comes down to it, a forest fire in a community like Ponderosa Basin, South Tahoe, or Santa Cruz is always a personal thing. When we watch on the news that a community has been ravaged by flames, we can too easily change the channel and distract ourselves with the latest episode of Ice Road Truckers. Fires are dangerous, fast, and indiscriminate. That's why I'm glad to know that as of this morning, the folks that I know who live in Ponderosa Basin are still okay.

There have been some evacuations in the basin today. ABC 30 reported that 8 homes have been evacuated, and 30 more homes have been placed on 15 minute evacuation readiness.

View Larger Map

As you can see from the map - this is steep terrain. When I was up there, yesterday, it looked like the fire was still mostly at the 4000 foot level. The folks I know in the basin told me that it seems that the fire has already burned to the top of the ridge, and is now creeping down the mountain slope. Hopefully, it will move a lot slower in that direction. I'll keep looking for more information, and posting as I find it.

Remember to keep these families in your prayers.

Oliver Fire Report

2008-06-24T06:11:00.000-07:00

This is raw data from the firefighters that are working on the Oliver Fire in Ponderosa Basin.
I took this info from the Daily Report, written by the Forest Service. If you want to scan for more information on other fires in California, this seems to be the best place for a raw report.

Daily Situation Report - Forest Service

I will continue to monitor the Oliver Fire as best as I can. Please remember to keep these people in your prayers.

Below is the information I took from the Forest Service website.

OLIVER COMPLEX

CA-SNF-0715

Type: WF

Start: 06/21/2008 1710

Cause: L

Priority:

Overhead Team Name: TOM CABLE, NEMO IC

Organization: Unified Command

Local:

GACC:

Size:
1,292 ACRES

% Cnt/MMA:
5 %

Est Contain:
NR

Latitude:
37° 27´ 4"

Longitude:
119° 45´ 12"

Location: OAKHURST EAST TO FISHCAMP AND NORTH TO MERCED RIVER CANYON

$$ Costs to Date: NR

Structures Threatened: 150 PRIM , 225 OUTB

Structures Destroyed: NONE

Resources Committed:

Total Personnel: 339

Report Date: Jun 23, 2008 2000

Agency	CRW1	CRW2	HEL1	HEL2	HEL3	ENGS	OVHD
BLM	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FWS	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
PRI	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
USFS	3	7	1	1	0	6	45

Significant Events: NEMO TEAM TOM CABLE TAKES OVER THE INCIDENT TONIGHT AT 2000 HRS. UNIFIED COMMAND WITH MADERA MARIPOSA UNIT CALFIRE WITH UNIFIED ORDERING AT SIERRA HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. TFR IS IN EFFECT OVER THE AREA. CREWS AND DOZERS AND ENGINES CONTINUED TO PUSH AND PERFORM SOLIDLY. YOSEMITE HIGH SCHOOL IN OAKHURST IS PROJECTED ICP.

Remarks: OLIVER 1000 ACRES 0%, WESTFALL 50 ACRES 50%, SILVER 400 10%, STAR 30 ACRES 0%, CHIQUITO 10 ACRES 50%, GAGG, POISON AND 7 OTHER FIRES ARE CONFINED NOT YET CONTROLLED.

Observed Fire Behavior:

Planned Actions: CONTINUE UTILIZING AVAILABLE RESOURCES. CONTINUE REQUESTS FOR SCARE RESOURCES.

ABC MISC JUNE LIGHTNING

CA-SNF-0715

Type: WF

Start: 06/21/2008 1710

Cause: L

Priority:

Overhead Team Name: MULTIPLE

Organization: Type 2 Team

Local: 2

GACC:

Size:
600 ACRES

% Cnt/MMA:
NR %

Est Contain:
06/30/2008

Latitude:
37° 27´ 4"

Longitude:
119° 45´ 12"

Location: OAKHURST EAST TO FISHCAMP AND NORTH TO MERCED RIVER CANYON

$$ Costs to Date: NR

Structures Threatened: 100 PRIM , 175 OUTB

Structures Destroyed: NONE

Resources Committed:

Total Personnel: 281

Report Date: Jun 23, 2008 1000

Agency	CRW1	CRW2	HEL1	HEL2	HEL3	ENGS	OVHD
BLM	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
FWS	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
PRI	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
USFS	3	6	1	1	0	6	45

Significant Events: Madera County Sheriff has maintained the green alert on evacuations at this time. Signs are posted for residents and travelers along Hwy 41 and Hwy 49 corridors of hazardous driving conditions. Reverse 911 system will be activated when needed.

Remarks: Still needing resources to meet any containment on event the smaller, less threatening fires. Total of 14 fires are active on the Sierra.

Observed Fire Behavior: No moderation in fire spread during night time hours. No humidity recoveries experienced. Open flames and active burning during the night. Higher forecasted winds and low humidities threaten progress made on all flanks of the Oliver Inc.

Planned Actions: Receive needed resources to staff fires still needing resources and to staff fires not yet staffed.

This is just some more information that I gleaned from a site called W.I.S.E Firetrack.

As of now, the fire appears to have grown from 220 acres to more than 2000 acres, with only 5% containment. That's only 100 acres contained, out of 2000.

I'll add more as I find it.

Found some.

This blogger is far better at describing things than I am.

For Your Consideration

2008-06-23T21:26:00.000-07:00

There are more than 800 fires burning at the moment, in California. As of this morning, the Oliver Fire is threatening the community that I used to live in , only 3 months ago. The Oliver Fire is 0% contained as of today, and the Mariposa County Sheriff is prepared to evacuate the community. Four, former co-workers and their families live in that community. I'm asking that you pray for the firefighters working to save the neighborhood, the families, and the forest. Please pray for their safety.

For those of you who may not know me. I lived in Ponderosa Basin for a little more than two years, while I worked for the power company as a Lineman in Oakhurst, CA. I may live in Fresno, now, but my heart is still tied to that beautiful country. I'll update as I find links that seem helpful.

_____________________
Mariposa Fire Info & Articles

KMPH Fox 26 video news segment

Mariposa Gazette article

YubaNet

Cal Fire Map

Statewide Fire Map

Local Fire Photos

Mike Brenner - a "community correspondent" for KMPH26, and a PG&E employee uploaded these photos

I took this photo up in Wawona , today. With all that smoke, it made for some beautiful light. That always strikes me odd, when beauty is laid side by side with destruction. Just beyond that haze in the background, and on the other side of Chowchilla Mountain is the Oliver Fire.

Again, I ask that you keep all those affected by these fires in your prayers.

Projectile

2008-06-21T21:03:00.000-07:00

It has been a long night/day. For all of us. Last night little L. snuggled up to Mommy, and then let loose with a stomach full. It's our first experience with toddler vomit, and it's been hard. It's hard to see her scared and in pain, unsure of what is happening. It's also hard not to throw up in my own mouth, when L.'s lunch comes spilling all over. Gobbets of partially digested something-or-other hit my feet. And somehow, I'm ok with it.

Now, believe me, if it was anyone else... I would be all about the upchucking. Somehow, the parental factor is keeping the queasy at ease.

Unfortunately, for Mommy, Little L.'s favorite place to go to throw up is on top of Mommy. I think she just wants to be close to Mommy when she's feeling her worst. Misery loves company - and it loves for its company to be equally miserable.

I'm praying that she feels better tonight. It's already been a long day.

90s Christian Hair Bands Rock!!!

2008-06-19T20:36:00.000-07:00

All this looking up bands from the 90s for that last post made me think of Tamplin. The epitome of totally rad rock that your parents won't really be able to make a case against.

Testify!!!!!!

C'mon, you know you cranked up some Tamplin, Stryper (take a minute to listen to the frontman of Anthrax, Scott Ian, talk about them) , Whitecross, and Kings X back in the day.

Christian rock has changed a little bit since then.

Witness Demon Hunter, Extol, and Thousand Foot Krutch

Or you could listen to some classic Royal Ruckus.

The Stuff This Christian Likes

2008-06-19T19:20:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite sites to check in on regularly is the blog named, "Stuff Christians Like". It's a variation on the theme made popular by the Stuff White People Like. The guy who writes the blog is nothing if not prolific. He already has more posts than I do, and he's only been writing for a few months. The thing is, that he actually has funny stuff to say. He has somehow managed to tap into the collective experiences of the average evangelical - especially if you're close to 30 years old, and can still remember how cool Petra was, and how excited you were the first time you heard "Heavenbound" ( huh huh heaven hah haha ha heaven. I'm heaven bound).

I wanted to post this because of the picture I saw on his blog today. It's a church bulletin that someone drew on while at church. The picture of the guy at the top is what caught my eye. If you went to Calvary Bible Church in Bakersfield in the 1990s, and were in the youth group - take a long look at that mug at the top. That's it. You know it looks familiar. Would it help if the picture could show him wearing acid wash denim overall shorts and a pink shirt?

Oh Yeah.

Larry Machonga.

My Thoughts on My Thoughts

2008-05-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

I haven't written much lately. Mostly, this is because I haven't really had time to think about anything lately.

No. Life isn't especially hectic. It isn't too busy. I just haven't been ruminating on anything. We've taken trips to the beach, lately. Morro Bay is always beautiful. This time of the year, and any other. We've been enjoying the pool in our backyard. Even went to the zoo a few weeks back.

Life has been good.

This last week brought a small storm to the Fresno area, which allowed me the opportunity to play at being a Troubleman for an evening. For the most part, it was tree limbs lying on customers' electrical services. I did have one backyard easement transformer that I had to climb the pole to re-fuse. In the end, it was an easy night of overtime, capped by a decent meal at the Landmark restaurant in Fresno's Tower District.

I've been enjoying my daughter's developing personality. Every day, her ability to express her thoughts, likes, and dislikes becomes more pointed. Hugs and kisses sometimes are given, even without having to ask. She's just glad I'm home. Affirmatives sound an awful lot like "No", until you realize that a negative is expressed as, "No no no no no" accompanied by a lot of dismissive hand waving.

I knew that being a husband and father would be good. I just didn't know how wonderful it would be.

I'm a lucky, lucky man.

I forgot to add, so I'm doing it now. A picture of mine was chosen to be the image that people see when they look up the Monterey Bay Aquarium in the online map called Schmap. I'm pretty stoked about it.

Check it out for yourself.

March 17th?

2008-05-07T22:19:00.001-07:00

I was looking at the last date that I posted. It's been a while. But, I've just been without anything interesting to add to the bigger conversation that hasn't already been said by someone else. I do have some pictures to post as evidence of the insanity that my wife and I have succumbed to.

My daughter's bathroom is a 5 color stripe-fest of kid-friendly tones. No wallpaper. Just lots of painter's tape, paint, time, and more painter's tape. I'm pretty sure we used about 200 feet of tape.

Well. The pic option doesn't seem to be working at the time. I loaded the pics to Flickr if you want to see them.

I may blog more often now. I still have work to do in the garage, but we've unpacked most of what we moved.

Talk to ya'll, later.

No Way. I Just Had This One Put In.

2008-03-17T21:37:00.000-07:00

I had an interesting experience today.

Part of my job is to inspect underground electrical transformers. These are often covered by some sort of metal grate or concrete lid. More often than not, they are also located in the front corner of someone's house. Since these are in the front yard, they tend to get covered in landscaping.

I'll admit it. Utility boxes are mostly ugly. There's nothing really aesthetically pleasing about an underground utility box. It looks like a drain. Hence, the creative homeowner (who has zero idea as to what a transformer enclosure looks like, does, or anything else) decides to plant all manner of vines, shrubbery, trees, and vegetables. The plant life hides the fact that there is an ugly "drain" in the front yard. The "drain" is forgotten about until I show up at your house.

It's my job to clear the vegetation, lawn ornaments, tires, garbage, fences, etc., from the area surrounding the transformer. The Public Utility Commission requires it to create a safe workplace for the Lineman that may have to come back and fix something, later.

I pulled up to the average, and attractive suburban home. I saw that the transformer enclosure was in the front corner of the yard, covered by shrubbery. I hopped out of my truck, and grabbed my hedge clippers. The air was crisp and clean. The sky was a bright blue, and all was right in the world.

"What are you doing, man?!"

"Pardon?"

"WHAT do you think you're doing to my yard!"

"Oh, good morning. I'm just clearing out the vegetation so that I can -"

"You want me to bust your teeth!"

Am I really hearing this, or am I hallucinating from the clean air, and all that coffee I drank this morning?

"I'm sorry. What's that, again?"

"Whatchu think you're doin to my yard, homes."
I now realize that I am speaking to someone in full cholo regalia.

"I'm here to inspect the PG&E transform-"

"What you gonna inspect is your broken teeth, you don't get off my property. I'm gonna bust your mouth right now you don't step off my lawn."
Is someone really telling me this, while I stand here with a bevy of heavy, large, sharp, and otherwise dangerous implements at my disposal. I've even got a fricken laser beam (but no shark. maybe an ill-tempered sea bass).

"I will relay that to my supervisor, who will likely contact you later. Another PG&E representative will be back at a later date - possibly with a police escort - to inspect this later."

"I'm gonna call the police, you don't get out of here soon."

"Please do what you feel necessary, sir."

It went down, more or less, just like that. I'm not really embellishing anything. I did edit the words of the four letter variety - mostly for myself. I'd rather expand my vocabulary. I attempted to do the job I do every day - and was offered the opportunity to have my teeth knocked out. If you've read this blog very long, you know that to have my teeth taken out, isn't really something I would be volunteering for.

What I found difficult, was to remain calm and polite in the face of someone threatening me with physical harm. Granted, if it was a man to man fight, I would have taken him. He was 4 inches shorter, and several pounds lighter. I was also in possession of a can of dog mace. Yes. I would have sprayed him, if he tried any of his tooth removal shenanigans (do I get points for using that word on St. Patrick's Day?). I also had a sledgehammer, chainsaw, various knives, bug spray, a shovel, a gad, newly sharpened hedge clippers, and a pocket full of bolts. I was outfitted like a compliance inspection ninja. Thankfully, I was able to leave without coming to blows.

Nonetheless, the blue sky seemed duller, the sun felt colder. My day was shot. My give-a-damn was busted. Nothing takes the wind out of your sails like the threat of physical confrontation.

Then my day ended with the battery on my work truck dying. Solid.

Thankfully, there are usually tomorrows.

In light of this downer, please to enjoy the vocal stylings of Diamond Dave - sans music. It's funnier than you think.

Hi, Honey, I'm Home

2008-03-13T16:27:00.000-07:00

Hey there.

So, we're moved in. The movers were quick. The day went by fast. And now it's early March.

Somehow a couple of weeks went by without my notice.

I've managed to cut my daily commute from 1.5 hours to about 10 minutes. I'm still trying to figure out what I'll do with all of my time.

I'll have to post some pics later, but for now, there are still things to unpack.

All In Good Time

2008-02-20T21:08:00.000-08:00

It would be more appropriate to say, "All In God's Time". For over a year, I've had my house for sale. I priced it at where the first Realtor told me to. I lowered it. Again, and again, and again, and again. How many people came to look at it?

ZERO.

At the moment, I am in escrow to sell, and to purchase a home. The guy who's buying mine, is the one who's selling me his. An even swap. No realty agent fees. No middle men. Just Providence. And Providence is all I should ever have hoped for.

Details later. I've got packing to do.

Like A Thief In The Night

2008-02-12T18:40:00.000-08:00

I currently live in the Central Sierra Nevada, near Mariposa (think Yosemite). As a result, I have had some interesting experiences while going about everyday life.

Monday, I went to the front door to put on my boots before leaving for work. I opened the front door, and looked around on the porch. No boots to be seen. I chalked it up to my absent-mindedness and walked to my work truck, in my socks, to put on my backup pair of boots.

After a fruitless search for the boots Monday night, I resigned myself to wearing my heavier pair of Lineboots.

This morning I went to the front door to put on my boots and head to work. Lo and behold. One, lonely lineboot sitting next to my potted fern. Something foul was afoot! (yes that was a pun, and a bad one at that) Luckily, I have yet another pair of heavy lineboots. They're older, and in need of refurbishing. Which is why I had them in a box in the garage.

I put on my oldest pair of boots, cranked up the trouble-rig, and pulled down the street. Hold it!

What's that in the middle of the road, looking strangely familiar? It couldn't be. It is. The other half of my set of Hoffman/Danner Trooper Lineboots.

So I picked up my boot, and put it back at the house. I think that the first pair of boots is a goner. They're just a pair of slip-on Timberland boots, and they don't weigh very much. I mention weight, because my Hoffman/Danner Trooper Lineboots weigh about 4 to 5 pounds, each. I think that the culprit was able to make off with the first pair of boots without much trouble. I think the second pair was just too much to bother with. I picture an animal lugging around my boots into the street, only to give up with a shrug.

That's why I'm plugging the Hoffman/Danner Trooper Lineboot today. If what you're looking for, is a boot so heavy that wild animals can't drag it away, this is the boot for you.

Duck, Duck ................ Goose!

2008-02-07T18:43:00.000-08:00

This is a response to my friend at Daughter of Felicitas, who has tagged me with a very specific meme. I have been instructed to find the closest book to me at the moment - which is Steven King's, Cell. Go to page 123, and beginning with the 5th sentence, transcribe the following 3 sentences. I haven't even read this far in the book, so you'll know as much about what is going on as I will.

...Telepaths!" But when he turned that way, he saw nothing but a flock of crows, one so huge it blotted out the sun. Then a tinkling began. It sounded like the Mister Softee truck playing the Sesame Street theme...

So there it is. We seem to have telepathic characters, who are outside while an Ice Cream truck starts to play a song. I'm not reading any further. I don't want to spoil it for myself. I guess I'll spread the love, and tag some family.

Uncle Jimmy, and Meleggan. You're it. Grab a book and get started : flip to page 123, go to the 5th line, and read off the next 3 lines. I'll be watching!

Good Mountain Fun

2008-02-03T18:46:00.000-08:00

While many of you were watching "The Game", I was out with my family, taking advantage of a mountainside free of the usual riffraff. We started out for Badger Pass this morning. As we made our way up the mountain, we stopped at the CHP Chain Control, where we were informed that Yosemite had closed the gates, battened down the hatches, and rolled up the sidewalks. I had thought that there was an inordinate number of cars coming down the hill. Fortunately, the CHP officer also let me know that the Highways 140, and 120 were also closed at the gates to Yosemite. With several feet of new snow expected, they were doing their best to protect the public from themselves.

As for the general abilities of the average Californian to move in a snow covered world - well, they don't fare well. In the end it comes down to experience. If you've been in the mountains a while, and seen your way through a few winter snowstorms, then you know what to expect. Spend 5 minutes at a snow chain installation station, and you'll quickly pick out the locals from the townies. Locals usually have their chains on in under a minute, and they're off. Townies can be spotted by the look of confusion on their face as they open their chains for the first time, wondering which end to start at.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for everyone experiencing the wonder and beauty that is in our National Forests. I just wish that folks would come more prepared. Witness the young couple in the compact sedan that has slid across the road into the snowbank. It sure is hard to put snow chains on the front tires of your car AFTER it has been buried nose first in snow. Best of luck to you. Witness the driver in a 4WD Dodge Durango, going 3mph - THREE MILES PER HOUR - in the middle of the road, holding up about 20 cars behind them. You'll notice that the vehicles coming the other way are managing to go about 20mph. Hmmm.

Well.

In spite of all the vehicular frustration, we had really fun time up at the Goat Meadow Snow Play Area. It's just outside of the South Gate entrance to Yosemite, off of Highway 41. I'm sure that this snow play area is usually crawling with families from all over the San Joaquin. Today, thanks to the Tazón de Fuente Estupendo XLII, most dads were too busy watching Tom Brady lose his winning streak to haul the family up the mountain. We had the snow play area mostly to ourselves. There were only about 8 other families there. We hauled little L. around on the snow disc for a while. Fun, but she looked a little nervous. Instead, I suggested that R. get on the snow disc, and hold L. so that they could ride together. I would break a new trail with my snow shoes, and they could follow behind on the disc.

L. had a giggle fit while I pulled her and Mommy behind me. I think that the snow shoes gave her the impression that I was really throwing my legs around. I ran down the hill, trying to keep from getting run over. I hauled them up the hill. Up. Down. Up. Down. Laughs, laughs, and more laughs. I was exhausted. It was totally worth it.

I forgot to write about our trip to Yosemite last weekend. I was too tired to write about it after last weekend's storm. Anyway, we had some more Mountain Fun( NOT Fun Mountain - formerly of Gatlinburg, TN). We even found an igloo someone made.

The Curious Incident Of The Lineman In The Night

2008-01-28T08:53:00.000-08:00

I should be sleeping right now. I really, really shouldn't be up.

Yes - I know that it's nine-o-clock. But right now is my bedtime.

Sunday morning I received a phone call. Sunday morning at 3:30AM.
"Nick, can you come in to work? We need some help with a storm out of town... in Bakersfield."

"Absolutely! I'll be right there."

Except that my work truck was in Fresno, at the local headquarters... Fortunately (although some could disagree, considering the time of day) my wife needed to take our daughter to Bakersfield for her doctor checkup, anyway. Hey. That's great. You can just leave a little early, and we'll drive down to Fresno, together. Then I can pick up my work truck, and go to Bakersfield, as well.

We hurriedly packed bags, as if the Gestapo might be upon us shortly. Somehow, it didn't bother my daughter at all, that we were up in the middle of the night, driving through the pouring rain. She was standing in the bedroom, clapping, while Mom and Dad threw clothes in their suitcases.

I made it to work, and my wife and daughter made it to the Grandparents' house. I repaired electrical services from 7 in the morning until 1 in the morning. I repaired and replaced wire, from homes in East Bakersfield, to Grimmway Farms in Shafter. It was exhausting, dirty, and rewarding. I even had my picture taken in the local paper (back page of the front section - or so my relatives tell me). By 1 AM, Monday morning, we were out of work to do. They sent us along our merry way, back North.

Now I'm writing this by my fireplace (don't worry, hon, no smoke came out) as snow falls on the Sierras. I'll be going to bed soon. After all, I have been up since 3 AM on Sunday (excepting a small catnap in my truck, earlier this morning), which means that I was at work for 26 hours. Awake for 30 hours.

I should go. My pillow is calling.

And, Now We Turn To Jackie For The Weather

2008-01-24T08:50:00.000-08:00

Forecast: Snow will blanket your home, and the roads you drive. You will have neglected to make sure that you have chains that fit your tires, and you will have to wait until the road crew starts plowing the snow and spreading sand before you can go out. You'll probably feel like staying home. You'll also be glad that you didn't buy a house where the average snowfall is in feet. Eventually, you'll get bundled up, go outside, and play with your wife and daughter outside.

High 36F
Low 31F
80% Chance of continuing precipitation

The Bibliophile's Dilemma

2008-01-21T20:26:00.000-08:00

These last five days away from work have been wonderful. I got to spend five mornings sleeping in - which is anything past 5am. I played with my daughter. I finally got my crown installed on my dental implant. I even took the family to the seaside for a timely respite from the winter weather.

Winter weather has never been a real cause for unpleasant feelings in my life. When the sun is conspicuously absent from the sky, the gentle glow of a bedside lamp, or fireplace is all the more inviting. And, when you are a lover of books (as I am), any excuse to take time to read is a good one. I don't usually get time to read. I'm up at 5am, out the door by 5:30, working until 3:30pm, driving back home until around 4:45, helping with either dinner or distracting my daughter, and generally things wind down sometime around 8 or 8:30. Time to read? I'd like some time to breathe. Even with this modern-day schedule that is common to many a Californian, I make time to read.

I'm not blessed with my wife's ability to devour a book in an evening sitting. She is an incredible reader that manages to maintain speed, without compromising comprehension. I'm a grazer. I'm also a reader that reads more than one thing at once. Non-fiction mingles with suspense, horror, and religious tomes. I nibble a little from them all, mixing up their plots and theses into a schizophrenic mess. Even so, I'll likely never change. I can often quote some obscure trivia on any number of subjects. Very often the quote starts out with "I read somewhere, that..."

At the moment I am engaged in about 8 different pieces of writing:

California - A History
Kevin Starr
I'm reading this one, because I just love knowing more about California. And, I'm hoping to get my stuff together to write a novel set in the 1840s and modern day.

Cell
Steven King
My brother-in-law knows that I'm a sucker for fiction. This was a Christmas gift, coupled with a much appreciated Barnes&Noble gift card.

The Alexandria Link
Steve Berry
This is a paperback suspense/thriller of the sort that I read a little faster than usual.

The Way of the Wild Heart
John Eldredge
A book on how to be a Christian man - a good guy, not a "nice" guy.

1491- New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus
Charles C. Mann
Another Non-fiction history of the New World before it was "discovered".

The Omnivore's Dilemma
Michael Pollan
If you are what you eat, then Americans are mostly #2 Corn, petroleum, and red dye 40. This book makes the science of the American food industry an interesting read.

Bag of Bones
Steven King
This is a book on tape that I picked up at a book outlet going out of business. I think I got it for about $4. This is the second time listening to it. It's a favorite of mine, as it is read by the author himself.

Sunset Magazine
Is there a better magazine for Left Coasters? I love living in the West, and I love reading about it.

This piece from Forbes is something that I can relate to. If I could I would have a library something along the lines of that pictured in The Bookworm, 1850, by Carl Spitzweg- up there at the top of the post.

Please, won't you share what you've been reading? A book lover always loves to hear about new avenues of reading to explore.

The Music In My Brain

2008-01-15T20:23:00.000-08:00

For no reason, other than I dig the beat, I love this song. What's the deal with a horse and a cherry tree, anyway? Who cares. KT Tunstall, you're the one for me. Rock that cherry tree.

Suddenly, I see how much I love this song.

There's a reason that music affects most of us so deeply. Listen to this interesting discussion of music and the brain, as heard on Talk of the Nation: Science Friday, hosted by Ira Flatow.

Brother, Can You Spare A Quarter, Or Maybe a Paradigm?

2008-01-14T19:40:00.000-08:00

Today was the first day of 2008 that I worked a "normal" day. There really aren't any normal days in my line of work. The specific task, location of the work, the weather, the terrain, and pace all change from day to day. Today was one of those days that lent itself to daydreams. I think that by the time I made it back home, I had driven about 250 miles - give or take a few dozen.

From the foggy farmlands of Selma, California to the clear blue skies, and icy, snow laden granite peaks of Shaver Lake - I drove on. Eventually, I inspected some underground system transformers. I've never inspected a pad mounted transformer from above it. Only in the snow, my friends. I gave up when it came to looking for an underground junction box. The thought of digging through 4 feet of snow to inspect a J-box was too much for such a daydreaming day as this one. Luckily, it was time to head down from the mountain for the day.

If there is something that is common to every workday, it is that I can never tell what will lie in store. There is always something new around the next street corner, over the next mountain peak, or across the next river. I love that about my job. I, and the others that work in my field have seen more of the country than almost anyone. We see as much of the countryside as a Forest Ranger, Farmer, Postman, and Fuller Brush Salesman combined. From the farthest reaches of the state to your front door - linemen see it all.

There are large facets of my job that I can control: when and where I take my lunch break, how fast or slow I move through a circuit inspection, and whether I decide to fix a problem on my own, or write it up to have a crew come out and fix it. What I don't get to decide is which parts of a circuit I will inspect. That is decided for me by both my supervisor, and chance (or Providence, if you will).

Providence has placed me in times and places that have slowly chipped away at my former paradigm. I don't know that I could really define my self myself. I could only say that I was a more rigid person. Black was black, and white was white - never mind the gradients. I played it safe. If I treated all the grey areas of the world that were more "whitish" as white, and the more "blackish" areas as black, then I knew I couldn't accidentally cross the line. How safe. How sad. I denied His invitation to the full life.

Don't bother asking for spare change. God doesn't love gang members, illegal immigrants, or the drug addicted. Gay people are all godless, loveless, hedonists. I can't be bothered to think that any of these people might actually love God, struggle with daily sins, desire to be holy, or want a better life. Slap a label on them, and put them on their appropriate shelves. Miscreant. Felon. Junkie. Hedonist. And thus, I have managed to absolve myself of my calling to help my fellow man. We all lose.

It hit me one day while I was driving down Belmont, or Ventura. One of those downtown streets. I saw a mother carrying her baby, wrapped in a blanket, possibly covered in Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore. She was beaming. Cooing and sighing to her baby. As she stood on the corner, waiting for the traffic, a couple of men were taking hits off a crack pipe, under the eaves of a dilapidated corner storefront. There I was - a witness to the scene. Conveniently cloaked in the anonymity of a power company truck.

What is the point of it all? Fellowship. With God.

And what am I doing to make the Invisible God, visible to my fellow man? I can label, and build distance. Or, I can be willing to make myself available to show God's love.

Every day is an opportunity.

Here's a post from Relevant that I can relate to.

So... Happy New Year

2008-01-11T21:33:00.000-08:00

Well. It's a new year now. I've been quite busy of late.

We went to Disneyland to celebrate my wife's birthday. Excellent fun. Places like that are incredibly fun to watch through the eyes of a child. Granted, my daughter is yet to be one year old (although she will be this weekend), but she did enjoy meeting several Disney characters. She seemed very fond of Donald - not surprising considering how much she likes playing with her bath-time ducks. She also fell in love with a four foot tall Mickey doll that her father was not going to be able to afford. Luckily, he was able to switcheroo and get her a more appropriate size doll. We flew on Dumbo, rode Casey Jr.'s Circus Train (i think i can i think i can ...), and marauded the Caribbean with Captain Jack Sparrow. It was a wonderful first trip as a family.

By mid last week, a strong storm system (say that six times swiftly) was pounding California. I got called by my supervisor as I was thinking about how much I was enjoying time with my family. Time to go to work.

I worked from Friday (called in from vacation) until today without a day off. As the company thought it would be a good idea to send 90% of the local workforce to the Northern reaches of California, I was left to tend the fort in Fresno along with a couple of slightly rusty Linemen (myself included - the rusty part). Did I mention that supervision sent those workers off with all of the vehicles needed for linework? We made do with what we had. I replaced a pole, a transformer bank, and aerial cable without using a bucket truck, repaired downed power lines, replaced some more transformers, repaired some transformers damaged by a hawk (no. the hawk did not survive), replaced several underground transformers, and some other stuff that I can't quite remember. The days have blurred together. After being called in to work at 3:30 this morning, I'm pretty much feeling like the wrong end of a dog. I'm glad it's the weekend, and the regular crews are back in Fresno.

I just finished watching Stardust. I recommend it.

That's all. I'm going to bed.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2007-12-27T23:51:00.000-08:00

It's snowing. Finally.

I know it won't likely stick around. Even so, I love knowing that it's happening.

Christmas was lovely. My daughter was a joy to watch opening gifts.

I'm sorry for not posting much. I haven't had much to say.

I hope your Christmas was filled with joy, and I wish you a New Year of hope, peace, and loving kindness. It all starts with your neighbor. Good fences might make "good neighbors", but I'm pretty sure that a good conversation and helping hand make for even better neighbors. I guess that's something I'd like to focus on for '08. Wherever I am, and whoever is next to me, I hope that I'll remember to share hospitality and show grace.

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

2007-12-14T20:25:00.000-08:00

I first saw this video on MTV Europe, while staying in a small hotel in the Transylvanian mountain town of Sinaia, Romania. It's the first line of the song that has always been in the back of my mind since then.

Love is a doing word. To say you love someone means nothing, really. Words are cheap. Washing feet is expensive. It costs you all of your ego.

Show love to your neighbor this Christmas season - wherever you are. Follow Jesus' example, and make the invisible God, visible.

Call Me Hades

2007-12-12T19:16:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share some pictures I took while inspecting some underground vaults at work with you all. The underground is a place that very few people ever get to see - that's why I want to show you. Sometimes the lights work down there, and sometimes they don't. The air is surprisingly fresh down there. A plus for this wintry time of year, is that the vaults with transformers in them are a comfortable 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Most of the equipment in these underground rooms is about 55 years old, or more. All the folks who installed it have long since retired. Some have even taken the big sleep.

Things like this are what I enjoy most about my job. It feels like gaining membership into a small fellowship of modern catacomb explorers. I'll get around to posting all of my photos from my journey into the Underworld (just did it. click here for more pics) - and you won't even have to eat any pomegranate seeds (although they are delicious).

Please To Put A Penny In The Old Man's Hat

2007-12-08T10:06:00.000-08:00

Well. The storm has come, and mostly gone. It rained from Thursday afternoon to Friday evening. We had lightning and heavy rain early Friday morning - very exciting. Lightning is very exciting where we live, since the mountain tops are only about 1000 feet above our house, and our neighborhood is in a smallish, bowl shaped valley (hence the name Ponderosa Basin) which seems to catch a lot of clouds. The lightning lights up the whole sky, and then the thunder ricochets off the mountains. The power of a storm is very evident here.

We didn't get any snow at our house this time. I'm okay with that. I need to get my truck to the Big O tire shop in Oakhurst, as my treads are worn down. Four wheel drive doesn't matter much in the snow, if you're driving on slick treads.

Christmas is coming, and the goose is getting fat. I don't know what I'll do with the goose, since I prefer to have lamb at Christmas dinner. Maybe it will catch a flight out of Fresno Yosemite International Airport, and go visit family in South America.

This leads me to ask everyone who reads this blog - all 7 of you.

What is your favorite thing to have at Christmas dinner (whether it's on the Eve or the actual Day)?

What is your Christmas present opening tradition? On Christmas Eve? Christmas morning? Or do you make yourself wait until all the cousins show up after the Christmas Day meal?

What is your favorite Christmas song?

Please share, won't you. I'm also calling out all the blog lurkers. Stop in and say hello, won't you?

Unprepared

2007-12-06T22:37:00.000-08:00

I feel like the Grasshopper. I've been fiddling, and now it is storm season. It is snowing above us at around 6000 feet, but the weather report is calling for snow as low as 3500 feet by Saturday. I guess Winter weather is finally here.

I'll keep you posted.

Mish Mash

2007-12-02T23:03:00.000-08:00

As this year draws ever closer to its end, I am ever more amazed at the changes that have come over my little baby. Now almost 11 months old, she is able to crawl with amazing speed. She stands, and walks around the furniture. She has her own sense of humor. She is inquisitive, and will hunt me down if I try to hide under a blanket.

Today, she attempted to assert her independence through the use of utensils at dinner time. She now wants to feed herself. I knew it would happen sometime. I just wasn't expecting it at this age.

She was able to get the correct end of the spoon into her mouth with regularity. She wasn't able to get the spoon in her mouth with food still on it. She would wave the spoon over the plate of beans in a circular motion, with a perplexed look on her face. As if to say, "Dear father, by what manner of deviltry is the acquisition of beans made possible?"

She's also doing this with her left hand. I'm sure that it's still too early to tell what hand will be dominant. Still, I'm intrigued. As her mother and I are both right-handed, it would be interesting if she ended up left-hand dominant.

We put up our Christmas tree, today. Our tradition is that we watch Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney in White Christmas while we decorate. It's our 7th Christmas. They just keep getting better.

Return to Normalcy

2007-11-28T18:08:00.000-08:00

After being unable to go to work for three days, due to my aforementioned illness, I am ready to go tomorrow. It isn't that I love my work so much that I don't know what to do without being there. It isn't that I feel like I've got to get away from the house, or my baby, or my wife. I love all of them in increasing order. It's just time to work.

Being able to spend all this time with my wife and daughter has really been great, if marred by fevers and sickness. I've spent considerable time with my daughter every day, for 7 days in a row. Usually, she's so tired at 7:30pm, that I have to put her to bed. Which means that after getting home at 4:40pm, showering, eating dinner, and picking up, I'm left with only about a good hour to play with my little girl.

If I could figure out a realistic plan to allow for me to be at home with my family every day, without becoming impoverished, I would. I love my family. I love our home. Why wouldn't I want to spend the majority of my time there? I can't think of a reason.

Anyway. I'm glad to say that the medicines have been doing their job. My throat no longer feels like a swollen tube full of scorpions. My temperature is also back to normal. Finally. I'm also very glad that my wife is also well on the mend, and my daughter has yet to show any sign of being sick at all.

We actually felt good enough to start putting up Christmas decorations. Loving it.

Would You Like Some Streptococcus With Your Green Bean Cassarole?

2007-11-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

The last couple of weeks have been great. We got to go out to dinner with my Grandma Dahlstrom, and my Aunt and Uncle from Seattle, in the week preceding Thanksgiving. That was wonderful. Then, I managed to get my asphalt driveway sealed before all the heat was sucked out of Fall. Also excellent. Somehow, by the week of Thanksgiving, I had managed to forget that I only had to work 3 days. So when my wife reminded me that Tuesday was the halfway point of my work week, I was really excited.

Thanksgiving festivities ensued. There was much eating of meats, savory sides, sweets, and treats - but not too much eating... we don't want to swell up with holiday fare, now do we. The following day, my wife and her mother went into Fresno to search out "Holiday Bargains". I don't know that any real bargains were found. At least they were smart enough to value a good night's sleep over getting 50% off of another electronic device we don't really need.

On "Black Friday", my father-in-law and I split about 2 cords of wood by hand. No - not Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris style. We used a couple of mauls, and a handful of wedges. Backbreaking work for sure. At least that's what I was thinking by the next day. When I found it difficult to stand up, or bend down, or walk, or think, or hold my baby, I blamed it on the stacks of wood in my backyard. If only I had been able to recognize the symptoms earlier. By Saturday night, I was miserable. I had yet to realize that I might have a fever. Hooray for the male ego. Instead of checking myself, I bundled up in sweats, a blanket, and a heating pad, and lay on the couch. That just wasn't enough. So I got in the shower with the water as hot as I could stand. I still had goosebumps the whole time. Finally, my wife suggested that I take my temp.

101.8

That's no radio station playing the best mix of 70s, 80s, and 90s soft rock. That's what my temperature was after taking a couple rounds of Tylenol. So, after a full sleepless night of fevered dreams ( I dreamed that my baby daughter was a fashion designer. That's what you get for falling asleep to Project Runway - oh my gosh, did I just write that on the internet? This is entirely too much text for a parenthetical.).

Finally, my wife and I went to see a doctor. Positive for Streptococcus Pyogenes. There's nothing positive about that. For the next couple of days we'll be waiting for the drugs to do their magic dance in our bellies. Right now we're all about the hot tea with honey. The mucous-like Lidocaine works alright for numbing the pain, but it's difficult to overcome the gag reflex to use it.

Well, that's more than enough verbage. I wish you all a healthy and joyous season leading up to Christmas.

p.s. Woot is so wootalicious! I could almost wear it, I enjoy it so much. And, can you say Steepandcheap? Very fun to look at, and changes almost by the hour.

Who'd 'a thunk?

2007-11-17T19:35:00.000-08:00

Get a Cash Advance

I'd like to thank my mother for taking me to the Kern County Library every week of every summer, as a child. I'd also like to thank Pizza Hut - you gave me a free personal pan pizza for reading books at school. Talk about motivation. I'd also like to thank Peter Roget and Noah Webster for giving me yet more ways to be a social outcast (or pariah or autist). My thanks to National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, NPR, Scientific American, Highland High School, CSU Bakersfield, PG&E, and Calvary Bible Church.

I'd like to thank Mom and Dad. You made me. You made me who I am. Apparently, I am a "genius" blog author. Now that a website has called me a "genius", I feel so validated for all my feelings of superiority.

There are no happy accidents

2007-11-08T18:17:00.000-08:00

While some things may be serendipitous, there is no such thing as a happy accident. No one has ever experienced a true accident, and been glad of it.

We are safe at work, because we have loved ones at home. Before you act, consider the consequences of your actions. Think down the line - about two or three steps. What will happen next? What could happen, if...? Your family is worth the extra time it will take. Please watch these videos, and think about your loved ones.

The Sleeve -

The Chef - The Welder - Window Washer

Retail Girl - The Funeral - The Wharehouse

And this one is totally innapropriate(it may look familiar, but give it a minute) - wait for it... wait for it...

This Most Fortuitous Event of Great Conviviality

2007-11-05T20:45:00.000-08:00

My Uncle already posted about this. That's how I learned of it. Both a way to improve your vocabulary, and feed the hungry. Check it out. FreeRice started on October the 7th. They gave 830 grains of rice away. On the 4th of November, they gave away 48,038,530 grains of rice. The running total thus far is 729,030,460 grains of rice. The companies who are advertising on the site, are the ones paying for the rice to be distributed. Let's all pitch in, and donate some rice, while increasing our vocabulary. So far, I have donated 1,400 grains of rice, while rating my vocabulary at 42. Not bad. How have you rated?

If I can remember to, I will revisit this topic at a later date to remind us all to donate some rice.

How is it November already?

2007-11-02T20:26:00.001-07:00

This has been a very fast year. No one told me that time would start folding on itself once you had a child. It seems like this year went from January, to March, and then bounced through June and part of July, before it skipped and tripped through September and October - and then like a school kid running through the halls, it tried to feign a nonchalant swagger once it realized that someone was watching. November.... really? Already?

So, we've been living back up here in the hills again for about a month and a smidge. We just listed the house again (with a new Realtor) and are waiting to see what happens. If the right offer comes along, we can afford to make plans to head back to BuckOwensville. If we aren't getting offered enough, then we'll make plans to stay put a few more trips 'round the Sun. The real estate market can't continue tanking forever, right? ....Right? ...Hello?

In other news...

My daughter has a new, favorite song. It isn't anything by Raffi, or the Wiggles, or anything nearly as age appropriate. In fact, it used to be one of my favorite songs, until I heard it for the 18th time in a row. How many times would you like to hear about Cecilia shaking my confidence? Yeah, she likes Cecilia, by Simon and Garfunkel. I fall on the floor and I laughing. It's nearly as bad as the Friend's episode, "The One With Ross' Inappropriate Song". It could be worse. I could be listening to Bananaphone.

Birthday Weekend Recap

2007-10-21T21:46:00.000-07:00

I had a great time with the family. We had some excellent meals, played with my daughter, watched a movie, and mostly enjoyed everyone's company.

It was a beautiful day in the park. I had a great picnic with my family, and took in a gorgeous day of hiking around one of the best National Parks in the U.S. . Here's some pics from Saturday.

Happy Birthday To Me or Vulnerant Omnes, Ultima Necat

2007-10-19T16:17:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my birthday. For the last time, I will grow into a new age that still starts with a "2". Turning 29 is like a preview to turning 30. Sure, I've said it before - they all wound, and the last one kills. Tick tock tick tock... I suppose it would have to be the last one that kills, wouldn't it. It's like how the last place you look is where you find the car keys you were looking for. Who keeps looking for their car keys after they've already found them.

Suddenly, all of my grey hair makes sense. I can't get away with wearing sneakers and a t-shirt on a date with my wife (no matter how clean they are). Getting older is a good thing. I'm old enough now that my teenage years are a solid decade behind me. Some things are better remembered with a 10 year buffer.

This year I'm going to party really hard. The family is coming up to visit for the weekend. We're going to hike around Yosemite tomorrow, eat a picnic, take some pictures, hang out, play some games, and have a cake shaped like a pumpkin (my wife rocks at making a cake). I couldn't ask for anything better.

Shameless Plug

2007-10-13T09:23:00.000-07:00

This is a shameless plug for my wife.

Today, October 13, my wife is selling some of her sewing projects at the Calvary Bible Church Craft Fair. R. has made a bunch of really cute baby stuff, mostly motivated by what she saw as a lack of affordable, cute, baby stuff. For the most part, the fabrics she uses are from Amy Butler - but she does vary it a bit. R. has made some beautiful dresses, burp cloths, baby bibs, and appliqued onesies. I'm especially partial to the onesie pictured here, since I came up with the Christmas Tree design (thank you very much).

The Creative Blessings Craft Fair will feature everything from homemade candles, clothing, and home decor, to jams and jellies. Stop by 48 Manor Street Bakersfield, CA today to see what is going on.

And make sure you buy lots of baby stuff from my wife.

postscript

Have you been to the mall lately? Are you starting to wonder if Christmas is really getting close? Is it Christmas yet? Go here for your answer. www.isitchristmas.com

This episode brought to you by "Consonance", Autumn, and the letter "P"

2007-10-06T22:29:00.000-07:00

Today was a perfect day for pumpkin picking - as evidenced here. After a day of visiting with family, we capped the afternoon with a visit to Cobb Ranch.

There were pumpkins galore, pygmy goats, diminutive donkeys, miniature mares, and a couple of Zebus (not Zeebas, Mr. Croc). In fact the overriding theme of the afternoon was the preponderance of pint-sized persons. My wife and I figured that the $4 entry fee to the ranch was a cover charge for all of the photo-ops. After all, there are only so many pumpkins that one will purchase.

We didn't take the ranch up on the corn maze, tractor ride, or the bounce house. Pictures of pumpkins, pygmy goats, and Pistol Pete the miniature donkey took up most of our time. We did pick out a really cool looking "ghost" pumpkin before we went home. Likely we'll be back to Cobb Ranch for some of their brand of Christmas fun.

That's what we've been up to lately. What are you planning to do for the Fall?

A Little Help From Our Friends...

2007-09-29T19:26:00.000-07:00

R. here, with a little request on behalf of L.

Call me paranoid. I don't really care. I haven't ever been fond of having L.'s photos on the internet. Or mine. You may or may not have noticed that there are no photos of me on this blog that show my entire face (half covered by glasses, yes. Whole face, no). I knew that N. (aka Mountain Power Lineman) posted photos on his flikr site that included L. and I. We did it because we wanted our friends to see L. and share in the joy of her birth. We aren't sharing anymore, at least not in this forum.

We have removed access to our family photos at this time in order to preserve L.'s privacy. I know she may grow into a teenager with no qualms about having her face on the internet, but for now, we will be respecting her privacy. This decision has been confirmed by a couple of blogs I read this week. If you don't mind the language, read here. If you are actually interested in some recent photos of L., please email us and we will send some or figure out how to allow access to our private photos online.

Here's where you come in... we would like to ask that if you have any photos of L. that can be publicly viewed that you please remove them. Today, if you please. Thanks, you're the best, you rock, gracias, merci, mahalo, and shterakravetsun. You have our enduring gratitude.

______________________________________________

Hello, all. This is the Mountain Power Lineman. I know that this will make photo sharing just slightly less instantaneous. But, in light of the abuse that personal photos can undergo when online, this is the stance we're taking as a family. Any of our friends or family can send us an email request for photos. We're just asking that you not repost them on the internet.

I may be a little paranoid, myself. It may be in part due to the book I leafed through in the Barnes & Noble this morning. The Sociopath Next Door. I think I'm going to buy it some time soon.

Dr. Stout claims that 1 in 25 people would be classified as sociopaths. People without conscience. People who experience nothing resembling remorse. Scary people.

shut down

2007-09-26T17:23:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I am attending a work conference in preparation for the "end of everything as we know it". It's fairly comprehensive, at a high level - which is to say that I haven't been told much of anything new.

Basically, we're switching over all of our data management to a new program. It will affect EVERY process at work. The poles, pipes, wires, and gas will all still be the same. The changes are all about accounting - which affects everything. After all, isn't the point of a business to make money?

It sounds like the folks at work that deal with computers, paperwork, and the like will be running around like headless chickens for about a week or two.

Some of us are betting that it won't reboot after they shut it down. Keep your fingers crossed!

On an entirely different note : Little L. has been diagnosed with DNS. Thankfully Drippy Nose Syndrome isn't nearly as worrisome as RSV.

All Things Being Equal

2007-09-22T23:30:00.000-07:00

Summer passes us by. She has left us for the year, to return in her own time. The wise man of Autumn, with his wry and knowing smile is walking down the road. He whispers on the wind, and wanders through the wheat, savoring the last days of drowsy sunshine in an afternoon respite under the Black Oak's wide-reaching arms.

Today the old man of Autumn bid us a passing, "Good Day." In fact, this past week has been a welcome preview of things to come. The air has grown more crisp. The scent of smoke is again in the air (without the fear of wildfire). Wet pavement and pine needles mingle together in a potpourri of memories.

I'm ready for Fall. It is by far my favorite season of the year. It is the time of harvest and feasting. It is a time for contemplation. Consider the growing season coming to close, and the cycle of death/rebirth that will be here again soon.

Apples.
Fires in the hearth.
The changing of leaves.
Mugs of steaming Market Spice tea.
Walks in the park.
Rain.
Thunderstorms.

The Autumnal Equinox officially tips off at 9:51 am on Sunday the 23rd. Enjoy the season while you have it. Some people say that Spring and Summer days pass by too quickly. I disagree. Autumn is by far the most elusive of the Seasons. He comes in on Summer's trailing dress, and skips down the road by the time Old Man Winter's frosty breath can be felt on your neck. Take some time to get to know the Goodman, Autumn. His season is a treasure trove of memory for those who are willing to invest.

Read John Keats' ode to Autumn, that you might better recognize him when he passes you on the path.

To Autumn

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,
Drows'd with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

Where are the songs of spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too, -
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

September Update

2007-09-16T16:27:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to clue everyone in to what is going on. We don't have internet service at the house yet (likely by the end of the month) so I won't be posting with any regularity.

I am working out of the Fresno Service Center down on California and Orange, as a Compliance Inspector. Same job, different location. I will actually be working in the Auberry and Shaver Lake areas for the rest of the year. It sounds like I have around 5000 poles to inspect in the area. Hopefully, I'll be able to take my work truck home, soon. I'm looking forward to the commute between Oakhurst and Auberry.

We just visited our friends in Lakewood (near Long Beach) who are adopting a baby next month. We are so excited to see their new baby.

Right now, I'm in Bakersfield. We stopped at the in-laws house for a break. That's how I got the internet access to write this.

I'll update when I can.

Talk to you all later.

There's A Certain Slant of Light

2007-09-07T22:22:00.001-07:00

I'm pretty sure that one of my siblings posted this already. I was just looking at it today, and thinking about simpler times. I think that this picture was taken in October of 1995, while our family was on a day trip to Yosemite. We're all arranged on that big rock that sits on the trail to the base of Bridalveil Falls. Mom and Dad are likely behind the camera. If only we knew how sweet those last few days would be - but then knowing might have taken away some of the sweetness. Mom made it to the lookout for Vernal Falls that trip. She was really proud of that.

I tend to think of Mom in times like this. When I change jobs, or work locations, or where I'm living. The bigger stuff. I wish that she could be here to see her granddaughter and grandson.

My wife notices when I seem to be looking up at the sky more. It usually starts to happen this time of year. When it gets close. I tell her that it's just the changing seasons, and the light affecting me. She knows better, and encourages me to smile.

Never Say Goodbye

2007-09-06T21:46:00.001-07:00

Nothing is lost yet, nothing broken,
and yet the cold blue word is spoken:
say goodbye now to the Sun,
the days of love and leaves are done.

Robert Peter Tristram (R.P.T.) Coffin

Not to be maudlin, but goodbyes are difficult. The uncertainty of what lies ahead is punctuated by the certainty that whatever it is, it lies away from here, away from the loved ones we have been so close to of late, and away from the sanctuary of the church of my youth.

This weekend we move up to the hills again. Not "The Hills". Thank God for that. We're still planning to sell the house, whenever that happens. After that the plan is to go back to Bako. We'll see what happens between now and then. Prayers always appreciated. Always best just to pray for God's will.

Here we go, from the green haze of Summer into the rust and gold of Autumn.

Unlabored Days of the Weekend

2007-09-03T19:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend we went up to our home in the hills. We (my wife, my daughter, and I) spent a lot of time visiting with our grandparents. I have to say that it is pretty cool getting to watch my grandparents play with my daughter. She loves them just as much as I do. It was really fun watching my daughter start pulling herself up to stand. She's only 7 months old, but it wouldn't surprise me if she started walking in the next couple of weeks.

As I said before, I am both excited and nervous about living in the mountains again. It's different this time, for a multitude of reasons. I'm praying that we can find a good church to go to.

One thing I am very excited about is a new store going into the Riverwalk shopping center in Fresno, on Nees and Blackstone.

is coming to Fresno!

I've always liked REI. The first one I visited was in Seattle, Washington. This flagship store features a mountain bike test trail, a 65 foot climbing tower, and floors of merchandise.

I've got to cut this short. Shorty is banging on the keys.

For The Linesmen

2007-08-31T13:43:00.000-07:00

I have noticed some increased traffic due to referrals from sites like Google and Yahoo. I have seen this site (Mountain Power Lineman) come up in the top 10 for searches like:

powerlineman t-shirts

how do I become a lineman?

powerlineman school California

powerlineman videos

powerlineman gifts

Essentially, the powers that be at Google, Yahoo, and the AOL search engines believe my site to be some repository of knowledge concerning linemen, linework, t shirts and the like.

I am glad to help direct folks to sites that are best equipped to pass on quality information. I'm just a lineman that happens to have blogged for a couple of years. I do have a few links that I have collected on the sidebar. Check 'em out.

In that light, plan on seeing some more posts concerning the lineman's trade.

Hey, Linemen! Yeah you. The folks from Beloit, Kansas; Dodge Center, Minnesota; Bowling Green, Kentucky; and on and on. If Google sent you here for something, and you didn't find it. Let me know. I'll do my best to pass on what I've found. Don't be afraid to ask.

Talk to you later.

p.s. anybody dare to climb the pole with an arm like that up top?

Plans

2007-08-30T22:21:00.000-07:00

I have a report date.

September the 10th, I will be reporting to the Fresno Division Service Center's Compliance Department.

I am both relieved and anxious. Relieved that I won't have to mortgage my retirement savings for an apartment, and that I will be able to live in my mountain home (still on the market - yeah I know it's a bad market). Anxious for the normal reasons: I'll be working for a supervisor I have never met, I'll be working in an area I've never been in before, etc.

I am excited at the prospect of working in the mountains again. The Fresno Compliance Department covers inspections from Kings Canyon and Shaver Lake across to Lemoore and Coalinga. As I understand it, the Fresno Compliance Department has the largest area to cover in the whole of the entire system.

This Labor Day, we'll go up to the house and check things out. I'm sure there's be plenty to spruce up.

The Hand of Providence

2007-08-27T20:06:00.000-07:00

I have news. It is big news. It isn't baby news (Although little L. has become quite a crawler in the past week, and is threatening us with walking soon).

I was offered, and I accepted, a transfer to the Fresno Service Center as a Compliance Inspector. As this is the position I already occupy in Bakersfield, I am intimately aware of my expected job duties. A bonus for this situation is that this work group encourages it's employees to take their work trucks home. This means that I will be able to leave my house in a company vehicle, and go directly to the part of the service area I will be inspecting. I'll check in to the office once every other week. Essentially, I will be working very independently. This is exactly my cup of tea.

The best part of the deal is that we will be able to live in our mountain home, which has yet to be shown to a single person by our realty company. This will also be the hardest part, as we have grown to love being so close to other family members. Little L. loves her grandparents, and aunts and uncles.

As you may have gathered from posts over the last year, both my wife and I had grown discouraged over the state of our living arrangement. We were beginning to wonder what we would do when the time came to move out of her parents home. They live in a 55+ community, and technically we had been there too long. We had been considering taking out a loan from my 401k to afford living in an apartment for about 6 months, in hopes that the house might sell before the money ran out. It made me nervous, but it was one of the only options really left to us, at the time.

Then God provided a way.

My wife told me that she had just put the baby down for a morning nap, and was talking to God about our discouragement. We have often asked God to provide for us a place to live that wouldn't place a burden on our relatives. My wife asked God for a direction at around 8:30. At 8:30 my work phone rang. It was the office clerk calling to tell me that the Fresno Compliance Inspector position was being offered to me. I'm pretty sure that's a clear case of Providence.

We had often remarked to one another that God must have been telling us to wait for the answer. In the waiting, we were blessed with the opportunity to spend more time with family.

I don't have a report date for Fresno, but I'll keep everyone posted.

road trip

2007-08-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this today, as I recuperate from a super-quick road trip to Medford, Oregon. I drove up with my father-in-law to help my brother-in-law move from one house in Medford, to another house in Medford. After 1290 miles on the road, and two days of moving, I am exhausted. We left on Thursday afternoon, and drove to Red Bluff, Ca. The next morning we zoomed on up to Medford, and started moving boxes and furniture. Saturday morning we finished the moving, and drove the 600+ miles back to Bakersfield. I'm sleepy.

The house is still for sale in Mariposa. Just in case anyone is interested.

Along the way, I got to see Castle Crags. Very cool looking.

I'll take my air extra crispy, please

2007-08-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

I'd like to thank Santa Barbara County for all the smoke that has been blowing our way for the last month or so. As I understand it, the fire is likely to continue burning for another month. I guess that the interesting sunsets, and premature darkness are likely to keep coming.

The other day I took these pictures near Taft, CA. It's on the west side of the valley, next to the Temblor Range of mountains. The first picture was taken on approach to the town. The second picture was taken when I got there. It makes me think, "Welcome to the Apocalypse!"

Proclamations and Promises

2007-08-10T18:55:00.000-07:00

I have come to realize that my blog, while fun to tinker with, is not a passion of mine. Anymore, my passions tend to run in the circles that include diaper changing and peekaboo-I-see-you sessions with my daughter.

Perhaps it's the fault of the name of this blog. It felt wonderfully succinct at describing who I was at the time I made it up, but now it reminds me of two things: where I do not live, and what I do not do for a living. And that is alright.

Today, I happened to do some underground electrical work. It felt really good to have found a problem, and fixed it before it could cause several customers a hot, dark night. Today was a fluke, albeit, a happy one.

I will do my best to keep up with posting, as things actually happen. That is the reason I haven't really had anything to post about. Really, who wants to read "My house still hasn't sold," every day on a blog. Maybe the people who like to read blogs like iamfacingforclosure.com do, but not I, said the duck.

Lately, I have been working on a couple of writing projects, and working out at the gym. The work at the gym has at least led me to lose some execrable excess. Writing has been fun, but mostly devolves into random daydreaming. I'm hoping to finish a fairytale story for my daughter before she's too old to enjoy tales of fairy great-aunts and magical birds.

I'll keep you posted, should I do more than sleep, drink coffee, work, eat, sleep.

Opening Pandora's Music Box

2007-07-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

I am currently loving a website I found online. I think it may be something my brother recommended to me, but I can't remember. Pandora Radio is an online, free, radio setup. When you get to the site, it asks you what you are interested in listening to. If the song or artist is in their database, they load it up - along with a group of artists and songs that have the same kind of sound as the one you were looking for.

On my list right now are:

Dick Dale
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Los Straitjackets
Bob Marley
Ben Folds
Social Distortion

Pandora's Music Genome Project seems to have a knack for searching out different artists of the same vein for you to listen to. That's why I'm putting Pandora on my Favorites. Try it out for yourself.

Summer Is Better In Person

2007-07-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

This weekend my wife and I were invited on a spur of the moment trip to Dodger Stadium. Friends of ours were given tickets to the game, and invited us along for the ride. Now, normally, I am not a fan of the LA Dodgers. Actually, I'm not much of a fan of baseball at all. If the game is on television, and the family is already watching, I'll usually stick around for the end. That is, if it's a Giants game.

This was my first time at a Major League ballgame. I really got spoiled.

Our seats were in Section 1, right behind home plate, and about 15 rows up. I used to think that Baseball was boring and slow. Now I just think it's kinda slow. Even though tv can make everything look bigger, it does nothing for capturing the feeling that being at a game gives you. I would venture that almost anything is a little more exciting when there are 52,000 people there with you.

Now, I'll never be able to go to another ballgame without thinking about how awesome my first trip was.

No more Hye ate us

2007-07-17T19:03:00.000-07:00

I can see from looking over the ol' blog here, that I haven't written or reminisced in nearly a month. I'm sure that my massive readership of 8 people have been heartbroken. It seems that both nothing, and a lot, have been going on.

I had a wonderful 10 day vacation on the California coast, as well as a bit of time in the Sierra Nevadas.

I went to San Ramon, CA and did a bit of training to become an internal Ergonomic Consultant for the company I work for. I think I already mentioned this once. Mostly, they taught me how to look for bad posture and poor work positioning. I kept wanting to ask our trainer about work situations that Electrical Linemen are put in every day. For the most part, I was told that a Lineman's job is so ergonomically screwed-up, that no one really wants to take a detailed assessment of the physics that affect a worker once he starts climbing up a pole.

My daughter has two new teeth on the bottom. They finally cut through last week. I don't think it will be long before the top set break through. Baby teeth are sharp.

I'm glad to see that my constant presence at the local gym is starting to pay off. I'm guessing that I will reach my goal in about 4 more months. Just in time for my new tooth to chew on things. I suppose that my inability to chew on things is also contributing to my changing waistline - mostly my diet consists of cottage cheese, cut-up fruit, soft veggies, and whatever proteins I can dice up small enough to get down my gullet. I didn't realize just how many things in the world require the use of your incisors to eat. Most notably, corn. I really miss corn. Let's not forget bagels, toast, steak, salad, any kind of sandwich, and on and on. In the mean time I am learning to like lifting weights and running.

At work, I'm still waiting to hear about a combo Lineman bid. No news yet.

Somehow, I managed to get myself signed on to a number of committees and special groups at work. I've got more to do, and less time to do it. It is both exciting and tiring.

That's all I'm really up to. Bookwise I've been plugging through some new paperbacks. Right now I'm reading, The Black Order, by James Rollins. I'm not sold out on it yet. This is the first of Rollins' books I've tried.

p.s. I can't even eat crackerbread...

Remember the Tooth! The Tooth!

2007-06-22T23:01:00.000-07:00

This has been the first day of life without any of my original front tooth. I've got to say that it actually feels pretty good. That tooth was rotten to the root.

Having sat through an hour of grinding, cracking, and drilling around on my face, I am now the proud owner of a titanium screw which is mounted in my skull. Sitting through that was the hard part. I was given a plastic tray to wear during the day (at work) and night (while I sleep) which will keep my temporary fake tooth from falling out. In the words of my doctor, "This tooth is merely an illusion. Don't chew anything with it."

From here on out, and for the next four months, I get to stick to soft foods. Yay. Who doesn't love scrambled eggs, mac n cheese, and yogurt. While I don't mind these things, I had been getting used to eating a lot more vegetables. I think I'll have to get creative. So. Four months from now, I will be fitted with my permanent replacement crown. I can't wait to eat an apple, some french bread, and a steak.

That's what I've been up to.

Oh. I also went to class to learn about how to assess trauma to the body in an Industrial Ergonomics framework. If you need me to, I can watch you work at something, and tell you what will be hurting in a couple days.

An update on the curiously winding path that is my career. I was not able to take an upgrade to Troubleman this month. This is due to a lack of required time as a Journeyman. No harm, no foul. I may have that opportunity in about 6-9 months. On the horizon, I am looking forward to a chance to work as the electric journeyman on a Combo crew. I would get to go to school to learn about working on GAS LINES. Have I mentioned how I love to go to schools? I do. I'll keep you appraised of the situation.

Talk to you all later. I'm setting to head to the central coast of California for a few days, to be followed by a week in the Central Sierra Nevadas.

p.s. Yueh said what?

A History of Violence

2007-06-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

Okay. Not violence, exactly. How about prolonged dental trauma.

Years and years ago, I was a young boy. Being a rambunctious boy, I loved trampolines. I loved to jump higher and higher. I jumped high one day, just to land quite awkwardly on the general area of my face, and specifically my front tooth. Oh! Did I mention that I did not land on the netting of the trampoline, but rather on the steel frame? Yeaahhhhhhhh, well. I nearly lost my tooth. I did chip it.

Fast forward to high school. My poor tooth is committing suicide through nerve death. Who loves root canals? No takers. So, now my tooth is devoid of life. Hollow on the inside.

Those of you who knew me in college may remember the era of the brown tooth. Yeah. What can brown do for you? Mostly make your smile look horrible. So, now I have my dead tooth ground to a nub, in order to pop on a crown. It was a great looking crown.

Now it's just a hop, skip, and a jump to the present. My crown covered cavity catcher is at it again. Decay under the crown has now caused me to seek out an oral surgeon. I about a week I'll have a titanium rooted tooth. We can rebuild him. We have the technology. What gets me the most is that my dental insurance will only cover about 300 dollars of the cost of the surgery. The rest, equivalent to the value of a Kia Rio (is it just me, or if you say that really fast does it sound like an ailment?) will be all mine to bear. At least I'll have enough air miles to fly halfway to Hilo, Hawaii.

That's what's up with me. I guess I just like experiencing trauma to the mouth.

Water + Aluminum and Gallium = Hydrogen

2007-06-04T17:01:00.000-07:00

As I have done in the past, I would like to highlight another exciting energy source. This new process has great potential for giving the hydrogen fuel cell a real shot at working. There would be no need for hydrogen fueling stations. The vehicles could create their own hydrogen as needed.

Basically, Aluminum is combined with Gallium and then formed into pellets. Now all you need is a tank of regular ol' tap water. Drop the pellets into the water, and voila - you are in the business of splitting water into its elemental parts. As a byproduct you get Aluminum oxide, which can be easily turned into regular Aluminum with a minimum of energy expended.

I like that the scientist that got this working wears an eye patch. Arr, matey.

Let Jerry Woodall share the method to his madness. Check out his PowerPoint presentation here (he narrates for you).

You can also read about it here, at PHYSORG.COM

Or you can listen to him talk about it with Ira Flatow, on Talk of the Nation: Science Friday, from NPR. Just follow the rabbit, here.

Guten Tag

2007-06-02T16:40:00.000-07:00

It seems that I have been tagged. Eight things about me in no particular order.

1. I love being at the ocean, but the thought of being in the ocean at night gives me the heebie-jeebies.

2. I may climb poles for a living, but I have yet to get used to climbing towers. I don't know why it is that I can feel fine at the top of a 100 foot pole, but I feel all awkward at the same height on a metal tower.

3. I make a pretty good omelet. (For a really good omelet, go to the Chukchansi Resort Casino in Coarsegold. Goldfield's Cafe has some great omelets)

4. I am a Journeyman Lineman with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature. I don't think there are too many of those out there.

5. I have the cutest baby on earth (totally biased opinion here, folks)

6. I have been to 3 foreign countries : The United Kingdom, Mexico, and Romania. When I went to Romania, it had only been out of communist rule for about 6 years. You could still see the bullet holes in the buildings around the Piaţa Universităţii.

In Romania, I have been to several Transylvanian towns: both Sinaia and Brasov. I have seen the Black Church of Brasov, so named for the fire, set by Habsburg forces during the Great Turkish War, which turned it's walls a sooty black.

7. I have flown on a helicopter 3 times. On - not in a helicopter. It is just as much fun as it looks in the movies.

8. My favorite flavor of ice cream is Kauai Pie, made by Lapperts.

There you have it. Eight unconnected facts concerning myself. Enjoy.

Note to Lauren's Uncle Jimmy, "Tag, you're it."

The Lights Are On, But Nobody Came To Visit

2007-05-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

Is it an "Open House" if no one comes to look? That's my question concerning this last weekend. We had an open house on both Saturday and Sunday, and not one soul came by. Actually, in the last 7 months of our home being on the market, we have yet to have even one person come by to look at the property. According to the comps in our area, we have the home priced correctly. We keep the property clean. Folks have even taken fliers from our signpost out front. Still, not one person has come to look. It would appear that I jumped ship in Oakhurst too soon. Here's to hoping that everything is resolved soon.

Possibilities

2007-05-22T20:51:00.000-07:00

I have heard through the office grapevine that I may soon be offered a position as a Troubleman, or Trouble-shooter, T-man, whatever you want to call it. Usually, the lineman gossip line is pretty reliable information, so I'm pretty sure that I'll have an opportunity to take it. The only reason that this usually coveted position is being offered to co-workers with such short years of service is that the positions being offered are scheduled to work during alternative hours. I believe that 2 positions are from 12-8pm and another 2 are from 3-11pm. All said, it is an interesting opportunity to learn how another portion of the company works. No guarantees that the job will find me, but I am interested.

One thing that I will be adding to my responsibilities at work is acting as the Industrial Ergonomics Investigator. I think that's the title. Anyway. I'll be going to school for a few days to learn how I can help make work practices a little easier on the bodies of the folks I work with. Evaluating work practices, looking at how work vehicles are set up, and other ergonomic issues will be part of what I get to do for a living.

Arrr... what be yer name, ye pirate or privateer

2007-05-18T23:01:00.000-07:00

My pirate name is:

Iron William Flint

A pirate's life isn't easy; it takes a tough person. That's okay with you, though, since you a tough person. Like the rock flint, you're hard and sharp. But, also like flint, you're easily chipped, and sparky. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

Someone Stole My Babies (not real babies)

2007-05-14T21:02:00.000-07:00

I thought I had a couple of good ideas. The kind of ideas that could potentially make some money, if properly pursued. I had nursed and coddled these ideas. I had carried them along with me, and put them in my pocket. I had saved them for a rainy day, or even just for a day when I felt ready to commit to them. These ideas were slightly silly, but I thought that they were my friends. Little did I know that my ideas were not my own. After all, didn't someone else already say - there aren't any original thoughts. At least not in Hollywood.

Ecclesiastes 1:9

What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.

Well, I did some digging around on the Internet. As it turns out my ideas have already been claimed. In honor of the loss of my ideas I present them to you here.

Recessed transformer electrical outlet box with integral telephone line connection

Have you ever purchased a phone with a power cord. It looks cool right? Right up until you hang it on the wall and you have both a power cord, and a telephone cord spilling out down your wall. What if you could install your new phone on a recessed wall fixture that could contain both cords behind a wall plate, thereby giving you the clean look you wanted for your phone in the first place.

Well... don't bother me. Go talk to Thomas E. Cottone. He came up with it about 13 years ago.

Okay.

Idea 2.

Have you ever been driving down a dark road in the countryside and thought to yourself, "Hey. it sure would be easier to drive down this road if there were some lights."

What if you could see that dark road from far away? What if you could see the shape of the road before your headlights illuminated the reflectors?

Yeah well someone already thought of, designed, manufactured, and sold my idea.

Check it out here. It looks remarkably like what I had hoped to make. Oh well. Back to the drawing board. At least I have 8 uninterrupted hours a day to think of things that someone else has already made.

such a n00b

2007-05-10T19:52:00.000-07:00

Sorry to those of you who might have my blog on a rss feed. I was doing some cleanup on my blog, and noticed that really old posts were listed. I guess that there isn't really any way to get around it.

MPL

A Mother's Love

2007-05-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

In honor of the coming holiday.

For a mother is the only person on earth
Who can divide her love among ten children
And each child still have all her love.
-Anonymous

To my wife, who loves our child with her whole heart, and still has enough to love a guy like me.

Early Happy Mother's Day.

Bird On A Wire

2007-05-02T17:19:00.000-07:00

It's true. I'm not a full-time lineman anymore. At least, I'm not a lineman that builds lines. Not for now. I only inspect what has already been built. If you were to ask me what I miss about being a regular lineman, I would point to things like this.

I never got to do transmission hot-work, but I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to do this for a living. I found a really cool video of some guys doing some hot-work with a helicopter.

Check it out here.

The Lost Children Of Baise City

2007-05-01T17:18:00.000-07:00

The UNFPA has yet to make a comment on, or even recognize, the tragedy that occurred in Baise City, Guangxi Region, China; concerning abortions forced on several dozen mothers. I doubt that they will, considering that it would raise doubts about the UNFPA claim that the Family Planning Commission does not carry out forced abortions. Better that they not talk about it at all, right?

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.
UNFPA – because everyone counts.

...everyone except women and children in China.

I did find a new site for news in Aisa. Radio Free Asia is a non-profit news organization that covers news in Burma, Cambodia, China, Korea, Laos, Tibet, Uyghur, and Vietnam. I found their coverage of the forced abortions was a little more personal. Also, it is reported that there has been a rash of forced abortions in Laizhou City, Shandong Province, China. I'll see if I can find out more about that this week.

If you know of a way to get involved in China, I am looking for a practical way to get involved and would appreciate any suggestions.

"The nurses dealt with the body like it was rubbish," Wei said. "They wrapped it up in a black plastic bag and threw it in the trash."

2007-04-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

I listened to this story on NPR: Morning Edition, on Monday. Please take time to listen to the story. Use this link. Here is print from a news release I found on WorldNetDaily:

MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
Police force abortions on Christian women
Dozens of unborn reported killed by mandatory chemical injections

Posted: April 20, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern

Liu Qibao, the Communist Party secretary of the Guangxi autonomous region

Dozens of unborn babies have been killed in a sweep by Chinese authorities of the Guangxi province that snared pregnant women and brought them against their will to a hospital for fatal abortion injections, according to a Christian ministry that monitors the district and ministers to those in need.

"After 41 women were forced to have abortions on [Tuesday], China Aid Association has learned that the Youjiang District People's Hospital of Baise City performed forced abortions for at least 20 more pregnant women on [Wednesday]," an alert from the organization said.

China Aid, which has its U.S. offices in Midland, Texas, confirmed that eyewitnesses are reporting that the latest roundup of pregnant women involved more than 20, who were transported to a hospital by government "Family Planning" authorities.

"Within 30 minutes, about 10 of them were injected forcefully for an abortion. This means within [the] last 24 hours, at least 61 babies were killed by forced abortions," the sources within China told CAA.

"At bed Number 37, Ms. He Caigan was nine months pregnant. Officials injected her baby's head and 20 minutes later, her baby stopped moving and died," the sources confirmed.

Many of those targeted in the killing rampage were Christians, CAA said.

"About 6 a.m. on [Wednesday], Pastor James Liang's wife Ms. Wei Linrong gave birth to a boy, but he was dead because of the injection. She received three injections – one is to induce the birth and the other two to kill the baby in the womb," CAA's sources reported.

Liang formerly was a pastor in the government-sanctioned Three-Self church before he became a House church pastor a year ago, according to information from China Aid Association's Bob Fu. Eyewitnesses told CAA that the couple wanted to keep their child because of their Christian faith.

Officers from the government surrounded the section of the hospital where the women were being held, the report said.

"CAA urges the international community to register your protest and concern with letters and phone calls to the chairman of the National Population and Family Planning Commission, Party Secretary of Baise City, Mr. Liang Chunlu, and the Youjiang District People's Hospital," CAA said.

The Population Research Institute's research earlier indicated in the past the United Nation's Population Fund, into which the United States had poured money, actually has assisted Chinese government efforts to force married couples to have only one or two children.

China maintains, at least in some areas of the country, a one-child policy sometimes enforced through a policy of forced abortions. It is believed China performs some 10 million involuntary abortions a year.

First exposed by WND in 1997, what has come to be known as "gendercide" in China – due to a cultural preference for boys – has resulted in the deaths of at least 50 million girls.

The organization provided the following contact information:

Chairman Wei Qing Zhang, National Population and Family Planning Commission of China
Hotline for complaints: :+86-10-8250492
Also can be via e-mail.

Youjiang District People's Hospital
Tel: +86-776-2839393; 2697723

Party Secretary of Guangxi Province: Mr. Qibao Liu
Tel: +86-771-5883508

Governor of Guangxi Province: Mr. Bing Lu
Tel: +86-771-2807778

Party Secretary of Baise City Mr. Liang Chunlu
Tel: +86-776-2834089

In searching out the particulars of this story, I have found some interesting things. In 2002, President Bush denied the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) some 34 million dollars which had been appropriated by the U.S. Congress. The President continued to deny funds to the UNFPA for several years. The denial of funds was based on the fact that the UNFPA monies would go to China's Family Planning Commission- the perpetrators of forced abortions. I find the statements of Ms. Thoraya Obaid, the Executive Director of UNFPA, to be ironic, when considering that her organization's involvement in China permits even more forced abortions to occur. Ms. Obaid made claims that UNFPA involvement in China did not encourage abortion. What will the UNFPA have to say now? So far, they seem to be avoiding the issue altogether. A search of all news stories, featured stories, statements, etc. for the week of April 20, 2007 on the UNFPA website garnered nothing on the subject of China or forced abortions.

Please pray for Pastor Liang Yage and his wife, Wei Linrong of Baise City, Guangxi Province, China. Pray for all of the mothers whose children were murdered in their wombs by the Communist People's Republic of China. Pray for He Caigan, whose 9 month old child was mere days from birth, but was killed by Communist Party officials who missed their "family planning targets last year". The birth rate was 13.61%. The Communist Party goal was 13.5%. Chairman Wei Qing Zhang's job is on the line after all...

Keep the population low for the betterment of China?

I'm looking into how I can help our brothers and sisters in China. Here are a few groups who have been looking out for the oppressed in China longer than I have.

Persecution.org

China Aid

Population Research Institute

Peace of Christ To You

2007-04-19T21:31:00.000-07:00

The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Isaiah 52:10

I don't really feel like posting. I just wanted to think about some Rich Mullins songs. They were a real comfort to me when my mom passed away. They give me hope now. If you are looking for a good album to listen to, I recommend "A Liturgy, A Legacy, and a Ragamuffin Band".

And though I love you, still we're strangers
Prisoners in these lonely hearts
And though our blindness separates us
Still His light shines in the dark...
And may peace rain down from Heaven
Like little pieces of the sky
Like those little keepers of the promise
Falling on these souls the drought has dried
In His Blood and in His Body
In the Bread and in this Wine
Peace to you
Peace of Christ to you
Peace to you
Peace of Christ to you

By this all men will know that you are my disciples

2007-04-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

Something has been on my mind, of late. How is it that Christians have come to be known in the world for their scorn? I am fully aware that God told us that we would be hated by the world, as Christ was hated. In the light of what Jesus tells us in John 13:34-35, why are we known for our infighting? Will they know that we are Christians, by our love, by our love? Are we one in the Spirit? I read this article, online. I don't even know how I happened upon it, but I am glad that I did. It challenges me. It makes me think about what I believe. It makes me really work to understand why I feel about things the way I do. I think we all need that. If we are only self-referential, then we can never appreciate what it is that we believe.

The author claims to be a brother in Christ. I'll take him at his word. I'll also continue to challenge myself to hear the Holy Spirit's voice in my day-to-day.

Your thoughts? Everyone is invited.

Now, I'd just like to finish with a beautiful stained-glass window, in the Saint Vitus Cathedral of Prague. Fashioned by Art Nouveau originator, Alphonse Mucha.

In A World, Where People Love One Another... not coming to a theater, television, or radio station near you.

2007-04-12T16:54:00.000-07:00

I know that my blog has been a big zero, of late. I haven't felt like commenting on anything that I've seen in the wide world of the web. Does anyone want to talk about the racial divide, as evidenced by the Don Imus debacle, to any real degree? Probably not. Does anyone want to admit that ours is a generation of thin-skinned, professional offendees? Nah. Do I want to keep listening to the talking heads? Negatory.

I have been listening to my new mp3 player (thanks to my employer for the VISA gift card). Since I am a little lazy, I haven't made it around to putting my CD collection to hard-drive. What I have done, is download a bucketful of podcasts. I've uploaded to my insiGnia, the previously mentioned NPR "Intelligence Squared " debates, all of my uncle's (the Rain City Pastor) sermons, Bored Again Christian podcasts, and Thistlepod previews (with Fiona Richie). I like being able to listen to my own programming. The most of all, I have enjoyed listening to the podcasts of Bethany Community Church. Go here to learn how.

I'm taking a break from the traditional news media. I'm a little weary of, and broken-hearted for the world we live in. I'm going to take another listen to those sermons, sing to my baby, and think about how to live in the world without being "of it". Talk to you later.

I totally stole this from someone else's website.

2007-04-07T10:26:00.000-07:00

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid, too.
Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe tuo fo 100 anc.

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it.

I was surprised to find out that I culod raed tihs wtiohut mcuh dilfcufty.

I found it whilst stumbling 'bout the Internet

I also found an article here, which goes into greater detail concerning the phenomenon

Stumble Into Something New

2007-04-06T16:25:00.000-07:00

Have you ever grown tired of driving the same old lanes of the internet highway? Do you wish that you could find something new, yet familiar? I used to feel this way. Then, I discovered a new feature of the Firefox web browser. Check out Stumble Upon. You enter the parameters by which the browser will randomly search. Just click, and be surprised. Here is a site that I found interesting.

Photography of Unexpected and Neglected Architecture.

Nothing Much

2007-04-04T17:43:00.000-07:00

Somehow I have managed to avoid posting for the past week. I suppose that it reflects the amount of things that I have to talk about. I would post every day, if I thought that anyone cared to read about how my baby has been grabbing at her feet, or how she babbled at me.

This last weekend we went back up to the mountain house. It was a lot of fun raking up three quarters of an acre's worth of pine needles. Seriously, it was. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to be able to take care of a house on a daily basis. I love to just hang out in my own home.

At work, things have changed considerably. My immediate supervisor took a job transfer to Northern California. One day he was my boss, and then three days later... no more. Lately, there has been a great deal of change at work. There is a new regime. I think it is going to be a good reign. My new boss is familiar with my future career aspirations. My last boss was also aware of my plans, but I think that he really didn't care. My new boss has said that he would like to help train me for management - he doesn't want me to just be dumped into it. I like this. I also like my boss for the fact that he is both a calm and effective leader. Altogether, work is coming together nicely.

I'm off to the gym. Lauren's daddy is a fatty.

Ut runco es traho sursum quod exuro in incendia , sic is ero procul terminus of aevum.

2007-03-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to talk about at the moment. I've been too busy with my baby, and reading (currently enjoying The Club Dumas) to really think about anything of late. I would be interested in knowing what others think of the worldwide discussion on global warming. I'll post links to some of the articles I've been reading on the web. If you've read something that has influenced your thoughts on climate change, I'd love to read it as well. With that said, I'll set out what articles I remembered to save, and I'll look forward to what anyone else might like to recommend. This is open to anyone - both those few folks that stop by regularly, as well as the random visitor from Indiana, Italy, or Singapore.

UPDATE*** I only caught the tail end of the program, to my dismay, on KVPR FM89, called Intelligence Squared. It's a semi-regular program from NPR in the format of an Oxford-style debate. Today's debate was titled "Global Warming Is Not A Crisis". It featured notables like Michael Crichton, Richard Lindzen, and Gavin Schmidt. Follow the link here to download a podcast of the program. I found it to be very interesting. I hope you will feel the same. Drop your suggestions in the box. I'll put them in a post, to appear a little later. Thanks, as always for reading.

Richard Lindzen talks about the Kyoto treaty and the National Academy of Sciences repor t on climate change

Science Daily: Researchers Question Validity of a Global Temperature

Malaria, Kenya, Climate Change and DDT?

Global Warming Swindle

From a Rapt Audience, A Call to Cool the Hype

GlobalWarming.Org

vulnerant omnes, ultima necat

House and Home

2007-03-25T17:25:00.000-07:00

Moving your place of employment before you are sure that you can sell your house is a task best left to those with either lots of money, or a desire to live out of a suitcase for a length of time. Not being the former, I fall into the latter category. That said, there is still a home for sale in a beautiful neighborhood of Mariposa.
It brings to mind a song I learned as a child. Sing along if you know the song.
CLICK HERE FIRST
Have patience, have patience. Don't be in such a hurry.

It's hard to wait. Our family prayer request is that the home either sell, I manage a transfer back to the area I worked in, or that God come up with something better. I'm open to ideas. I am also looking forward to being able to sleep in my own bed again.

Now. On a different note. I'm feeling nostalgic. If you were born in the late 70s or early 80s, click on the links below to take yourself back to what was likely a church program you did as a kid.

Good Morning

Agapeland

Noah

Bullfrogs and Butterflies

Rainy Day Song

If you feel the need to listen to these songs again, you can find them here. 28 years later, and they're still selling.

Anathema for Amusement

2007-03-20T20:04:00.000-07:00

It's funny what becomes entertainment around the house when there is a new baby around. Today the big topic of discussion was Lauren's display of 4, count 'em 4, flip-over manoeuvres in a row. That combined with her sporadic proclaiming of "a-goo" is enough to send the audience into a standing ovation. I love to see Lauren at the end of my day. I look forward to watching her spit-up and smile, more than I ever looked forward to the next episode of Alias (the best spy show that ever was on television).

In fact, I am considering taking television out of my normal day-to-day altogether. How much time to I spend going brain-numb in front of the telescreen? I don't really know. Isn't that the point of it all anyhow? Amuse yourself in between visions of "the good life". Isn't it interesting that the etymological roots of the word "amuse", mean to divert the attention of in order to deceive. English speakers may have altered the common use of the word over the years, but the real intent remains the same. Amuse yourself with the talking heads. Distract yourself so that you can be deceived into thinking that watching other people do things is actually better for you in the long run. Idle Americans watching the American Idol.

Divert your attention so that you feel okay about spending time not being an active member of the family. To be honest, I should admit that I amuse myself by staring at this screen, and checking to see if anyone stopped to read what I have written. I convince myself that this matters. Really. I should go spend time with my daughter and wife every chance I get. Life is too short to spend too much time being amused on purpose.

I didn't intend - I just broke away for a whiiiile there. Spending time with my baby. - to write this when I started. I guess it's something that has been on my mind. I think that, as Americans, we have been fractured as a society. Cable and satellite television channels of a thousand niche interests have transformed our national identity into a paranoid schizophrenic. When FDR had a chat with America by the fireside, he asked America to go to her maps - in order that she might understand the nature of the war they were a part of. As a result, maps sold out. Maps. Sold out. Maps. Why? Because we were less distracted. Less "amused". When our leaders spoke, we looked to understand what was being said.

Perhaps as Christians we should endeavor to avoid mindless amusements when we are called to be ever mindful.

So. I've been rambling. I'm going to guide my focus in areas that are more beneficial. I'll still be blogging. I'm not ready to give it up just yet. I think that the telescreen will be ratcheted down quite a few notches in importance in my life.

With that, I say good night. Be mindful of the life that God has given you. Be ever aware of the gift that is in every breath you take. Waste not. Fear not.

13Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;

Philippians 3:13-15 (New American Standard Bible)

Our First Yosemite Trip

2007-03-18T20:16:00.000-07:00

I took the Mountain Power Lineman family up to our home in Mariposa this weekend. It was the first time that my wife, my daughter, and my dog all went up to the mountain home together. It was the best.

We even took Lauren climbing. She climbed "The Nose" of El Capitan in 5 hours, 13 minutes - a record for infants the age of 9 weeks. Here is a view of her route to the left.

Here is a shot of her at the top of the route.

(Yeah, I know. I can see those suspicious looking hands under her arms. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.)

Finally, Lauren rested in her stroller under the face of Half Dome, lulled to sleep by the wash of the Merced.

It's Getting Hot In Here?

2007-03-14T17:21:00.000-07:00

I was going to post about this yesterday, but now I'm not as excited about it. There was a piece in the New York Times concerning Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth movie. I hesitate to call it a documentary, because documentaries are supposed to be based on facts. True to his background as a politician, Gore has "stretched" the "truth" about the reality of global warming.

In an interview with Grist, Gore admitted that he isn't honest with people. Here's a chunk of the interview I pulled from this article.

There's a lot of debate right now over the best way to communicate about global warming and get people motivated. Do you scare people or give them hope? What's the right mix?

I think the answer to that depends on where your audience's head is. In the United States of America, unfortunately we still live in a bubble of unreality. And the Category 5 denial is an enormous obstacle to any discussion of solutions. Nobody is interested in solutions if they don't think there's a problem. Given that starting point, I believe it is appropriate to have an over-representation of factual presentations on how dangerous it is, as a predicate for opening up the audience to listen to what the solutions are, and how hopeful it is that we are going to solve this crisis.

Over time that mix will change. As the country comes to more accept the reality of the crisis, there's going to be much more receptivity to a full-blown discussion of the solutions.

I believe that God intended that we be good stewards of the earth. I also believe that man is not as influential in global weather patterns as some think. I'm also not a scientist. Mainly, I become distrustful of someone who resorts to alarmist tactics.

I'd suggest that you read the article in the New York Times. I've got a link here.

James Taranto's article in the opinion page of the Wall Street Journal is also good to read.

I wish people would take a step back to look at all the facts on global weather patterns.

Did you know that in the last 15,000 years of weather history that there have been 10 swings in the weather pattern, including the Medieval Warm Period, that surpass the warming trends we are seeing now? Ask Dr. Easterbrook, an emeritus professor of geology at Western Washington University. I would ask, how can we presume to know that this shift in the global weather pattern is any different from the past. For now, I'll keep reading.

Teeth?

2007-03-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

Although it can be exciting when your baby appears to be advancing slightly quicker than is average, some things are not all that desirable. It appears that little Lauren is going to be getting some of her teeth very soon. Early tooth development runs in my wife's family. She's only 8 weeks old, and it looks as though she will be getting some teeth in the near future.

Other baby developments are very fun to watch. Lauren has been flipping herself from her stomach to her back. She has also developed a lot of strength in her neck, and is able to hold her head up very well (even though it is quite the head). I've really enjoyed spending all my time with her. She is much more aware of her surroundings now. When we sing songs to her that have interactive hand motions, she seems to anticipate the ones that will involve being tickled, or having her nose touched. It is altogether wonderful.

Buy bananas, fund South American terrorists. Kids can say that if they eat their fruit, the terrorists win.

You Load Sixteen Tons, And What Do You Get?

2007-03-09T18:51:00.000-08:00

Do you love paying your power bill? Do you love to watch your meter spin so much that you turn on your washer, dryer, dishwasher, air-conditioning, television, stereo, and your oven so it will go faster. Well, now there's more than one way that you can send money off to the power company. The company store is open for business.

I am pretty enthusiastic about the company I keep, or the company that keeps me. The company has started a website that sells logo apparel of all kinds. I've bought a couple hats and the onesie shown here. I have to wait a little bit until Lauren can wear it.

The website is open to all. If you love your power company (not that I would expect anyone but an employee or family member to be interested) you can brand yourself a loyal customer when you head out to pay your bill. At work, we were given our choice of anything from the store as a reward for working safely. I chose a khaki ball cap and a black zip-up sweatshirt. As much as I like wearing company logo gear, I'm glad we don't get paid in scrip.

Saint Peter don't you call me, 'cause I can't go...

Roundup

2007-03-08T19:09:00.000-08:00

Seriously, is she not the cutest kid you've seen? This week she has been pretending to crawl, lifting her head up, and has invented a new scream. I was introduced to the scream the other night when I had to clear out her nose with the suction bulb. She sounded like she was being murdered. As soon as I picked her up from the changing table - click - like a lightswitch, she stopped screaming and looked at me in a way similar to the picture shown here. Ah, the joys of parenthood. Did I mention that this was at 330 in the morning?

At work, things have been relatively normal. This week we had a safety meeting for the entire Kern area at the county fairgrounds. We were delighted to have as our guest, one of our Senior VPs from Corporate. This Senior VP of Corporate Strategy and Development is a guy who is very familiar with the ways of mergers and acquisitions. I was fortunate to chat with him for a while before the meeting was under way. Although he was upbeat about the future of our company, I did take into account the news story that he brought up. TXU, an energy providing utility in Texas is in the process of a buyout to the tune of 45 Billion dollars. 45 Billion. TXU is about three times the size of the company that I work for. This could mean almost anything. I'm confident that we hired the right man for the job, and that the letterhead on the company paper will stay the same.

Dear Diary

2007-03-04T21:50:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, my wife and I took our little family up to our mountain home. Okay. I realize that is something like saying "...the movie star, and all the rest, here on Gilligan's Isle". The three of us went up to get away for a while, and to stop and see the Great-Grandparents in Fresno. The home in the hills no longer has a connection to the internet. This would be a part of the reason that I haven't blogged in a few days. That, and nothing that I felt like writing about happened of late.

Having spent the weekend unplugged from The Matrix, I feel pretty good. I spent a lot of wonderful time with my daughter. I wouldn't trade that for anything. It was good to be just the three of us. Myself, R. and Lauren. Lauren has really started to develop a personality, and I love it.

I've started a new thing for Lauren. I'm keeping a journal of our daily lives, and writing it to her to read when she is older. I hope that having someone real to write to will keep me dedicated to writing. I always wanted to keep track of my life, but I never felt compelled to write to myself. After all, who reads their own journals with any real interest? I'm hoping to leave my daughter a little history to keep all her own.

That's what I've been up to.

Ever Meet A Fellow By The Name Of Hill?

2007-02-25T13:38:00.000-08:00

My wife and I both have family traditions including music. We each have our own favorite songs and albums that make Christmas just right. Both of our mothers had the good sense to send us to piano lessons. Both of our mothers were members of the church choir. Consequently, there was always music in the air of our homes.

My mom was always singing something. Her love for music translated into a way of life for our family. On long road trips, my parents would sing the soundtracks to musicals they saw together. If I remember correctly, my parents first date was to see the movie, Camelot. My mom loved musicals. Let's see how many I can remember watching with her, when I was a child: Oklahoma!, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The King and I, The Music Man, The Sound of Music, West Side Story, Show Boat, Guys and Dolls, Fiddler on the Roof, South Pacific, Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang and the list goes on and on. If you were to throw out one of these names, I could likely sing you a song or two from the score. Conversely, I can tell you the musical that a song is from.

Some might bemoan the fact that their mom made them listen to such "boring" music. I won't. I don't think I knew anything other than what my parents exposed me to. I thank them for that. I think they gave me a healthy base upon which I was able to expand my appreciation for more musical genres.

Some of my fondest memories of childhood are musical memories. My mother would sing me to sleep almost every night. She would sing "Goodnight My Someone" from The Music Man. I still feel good every time I hear that song. Lately, that has become my song to sing to Lauren at night. I hope that her mother and I will be able to give Lauren a means to appreciate the beauty that music can bring to daily life. Music becomes a type of shorthand for memories. An entire year of your life can be recalled by one song on the radio. I hope that Lauren has a lifetime of good memories to set to music.