So doggone close...

May 10, 2013 I tore apart my 1990 Suburban to replace the lifters.  It's been a challenge all along, but I got it back together tonight.  Two and a half months of work (well, OK, maybe more like a week of work stretched out over two and a half very busy months) and I sat behind the wheel of the truck.

I turned the key.  The motor turned...

...and would not start...

Here's where it was tore down to, and quite frankly the fact that *anything* happened when I turned that key is encouraging.  I'm guessing I've got a timing problem now.  Not bad for a network nerd, if I do say so myself.

Back at the geek stuff

Well, I keep intending to post information about life and thoughts about it and all the other musings I typically generate that I think someone should hear.  I assure you, I have more thoughts than have made it to this blog for quite some time.

Anyhow, the majority of my blogging has been at my "Greg and the Network" blog lately as I prepare to retake my CCNA.  I'm reviewing all my CCNA material and brushing up on the finer points of all sorts of geeky stuff for those who are interested.

Other than that, we're alive and well.  Having just passed 13 years of wedded bliss, we are busy enjoying summer and all that goes with it.  I expect to blog more soon, since summer in Minnesota really only lasts a few weeks anyhow.

Also wanted to make sure you all know that "Green Light Night" is performing on September 21 at O'Brien's Pub in Rice, MN.  I hope to see everyone there.

It's hard sometimes

Sometimes, I look around and think of all the people I've hurt in the past 40 years. I wonder what kind of damage to their lives I've caused, what kind of havoc I've wreaked, whether or not any one even remembers or cares at this point. I don't know.

The sad thing is, I've most likely forgotten more hideous things that I have done to others than most people will ever do their whole lives. Sometimes I remember and get to go back and try to ask forgiveness - "Forgive me for treating you like nothing," or "forgive me for causing you pain." "Forgive me for taking advantage of you," or maybe "forgive me for not caring like I should have."

So, for those out there somewhere I can't recall and for those I've just never had the courage to tell, "I'm sorry. I wish I could change it, but I pray you would be healed and forgive me."

Resolved to do better

I'm tired of always working hard so that I can work harder.  I'm always so far behind that I may never catch up.  When I go on "vacation" I rarely go far enough to unplug from my cell phone, email and all the emergencies that creep up.  My family waits as I "clean up just one more thing."

My family always seems to have to wait...

But as I sit and watch the rain put out my campfire, I am resolved to start over and do better.  No more will they - the most important - wait for the lesser.  I work more than my share Monday through Friday, and I do it gladly to earn our income.  But no more will they wait and give up the few hours we have together.

I'll do better...

Zero to Awesome in 15 Minutes a Day

I never seem to have enough time to accomplish everything, so I never attempt anything.  After all, what can be accomplished in 15 minutes?  I may as well surf Youtube for old Saturday Night Live clips or cool Stevie Ray Vaughan songs I wish I knew how to play.  Maybe watching them would make me play better...

...and it struck me...

...I'm wasting what little time I have.  Not only am I wasting the little time I have, I'm wasting time I don't have because the things I spend my time on seem to run over the little free time I have.  Then I'm late for the things I must make time to do.  What a downward spiral to feeling like a "zero."

So I've recently started looking at time as if 15 minutes was a large chunk of time.  After all, in 15 minutes I can be out of bed, showered, shaved, dressed and in my car running to work when I oversleep.  In 15 minutes I can read 20-30 email messages, or look over hundreds of RSS feeds.  Fifteen minutes is a relatively significant amount of time in a day when you come to think about it.

The key is in focus and direction.  I always wish I had more time to play guitar, but when I get 15 minutes and don't have a plan, I sit there and wank out on things I already know.  I don't do anything new, or try anything outside my ability, or learn anything at all.  I leave the 15 minutes wishing I had more time and wishing I had accomplished something.  Well no more!

I decided that I would simply begin by planning 15 minutes a day to play guitar, and when I sit down I'm going to have something to actually work on to expand my capabilities.  I grabbed a copy of Sonic Visualizer which is an amazing free tool for learning guitar parts, ripped a copy of Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Love Struck Baby" which is a new song to be performed by Green Light Night in June, and looped through the solo section.  In 15 minutes, I had figured out the first 12 bars of the 36-bar solo!  I have always admired SRV's playing and always wished I knew more of his stuff but never got around to playing any, and here I was 15 minutes and some concentrated focus and I was 1/3 through a new solo.

I felt AWESOME!

And that is why I decided to call this post "Zero to Awesome."  It's not that I am suddenly an awesome guitar player, or that I think I'll ever be a master like Stevie Ray by playing 15 minutes a day.  I will, however, feel much better about how I spend my time.  I will also know more SRV licks than I have before. Since that day, I have completed the "Love Struck Baby" solo, as well as the Brian Setzer solo in Marshall Crenshaw's version of "Crying, Waiting, Hoping."  That's more note-for-note solo transcription in a couple weeks than I've done in 20 years.  Playing is becoming fun again!

So now I'm trying to apply this method to all sorts of things.  I have an upgrade to my CCNA certification due in June.  It's taking more than 15 minutes a day, but on those days where life gets in the way of my geekosity I still get a little in.  The continued return and focus cements what I learned yesterday and the day before and I'm retaining more.  It also helps me keep a head of steam going.

The things I am working on that are difficult to find time to accomplish:

1)  Renew my CCNA Certification by passing the CCNA/Voice test.  This needs to be done by June 24th.
2)  I have a gig to prepare for with Green Light Night on June 16th.
3)  I have a gig to prepare for with Malcolm Cloud's Urban Legend on July 27th.
4)  I have an entertainment center to finish building in the family room
5)  We hope to have some special guests coming to stay with us, and we have work to do on the house

I'll update more as these things take shape.  Either way, I'm actually doing something instead of sitting around, wasting time wishing I was doing something.  I feel good about it, and I hope to keep this momentum going.

Hope to see you at one of the shows this summer.  More on those as they arrive, but for now please hold the date!

Sour grapes

...produce "whine."

I think it's time

We'll be getting a new dog in a couple weeks or less.  I'm looking forward to it.

More as it happens...