Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

RTotD: Sage Fatherly Advice

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On February 13, 2018

In Random Cogitations

During my recent run, I was really pushing myself mentally to keep from slowing to a walk. I read about several running tricks to help push through that urge to slow down. Pump your arms more, pick landmarks to reach, occupy your mind and focus less on the distance. It was thinking about distance that made me think of some advice my dad once gave me a long time ago. I was your typical blue-collar youth, meaning yard work was a regular chore. I remember one particular day I was raking the back yard. The task felt daunting. I would randomly stop and stare at how much of the yard remained. Apparently my dad noticed this so, being a seasoned landscaper, he came out and gave me some advice. He said:

Stop focusing on how much you still have left to do. Only focus on what you’re doing now and it will go a lot faster.

He was right, as parents usually are, and that advice stuck with me. It’s sage advice for anything you are doing in life and another trick I use when I’m pushing myself to make it “just one more block” before slowing down.

The things that go through my mind when I’m alone with nothing but my thoughts for entertainment is dangerous. Some might even say eccentric. Consider this your warning about today’s Random Thought of the Day

 

TBT: The Day I Met Dierks

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On February 8, 2018

In General Cogitation, Reminiscence, TBT

Me and friends with Dierks Bentley (circa 2003)

It’s not very often that you get to meet a celebrity. I have had very few celebrity encounters but the time I got to meet Dierks Bentley was pretty cool. The picture you see above is from several years ago, circa 2003 (as is evident by my skinny stature). There is a country bar in Lafayette called Riehle Brothers. I frequented it a couple of times while I was attending Purdue. I don’t even remember what we paid to see Dierks Bentley and Brian McComas, who were performing in front of a meager bar crowd. It was a fantastic concert. I even danced (which is rare and I’m sure I was coaxed into doing it by one of my friends, also in the picture above).

Before He Was Famous

Dierks’ only hit at the time was “What Was I Thinking“, now he has an amazing career. Sadly Brian McComas wasn’t quite as fortunate, although many songs on his album were still pretty good. It was one of the best nights I spent with my friends in that picture, Beth and Alan. I became a quite a big Dierks Bentley fan after that concert, and I still enjoy all his music. I haven’t had the opportunity to see him in concert again since Riehle Brothers but that’s not saying I wouldn’t.

TBT is one of those crazy Facebook trends. It stands for “ThrowBack Thursday” and often times people post pictures. I know the old adage “A picture is worth 1,000 words” but most of the time the pictures I want to post have a great story behind them. In my traditional nerdy fashion, instead of just a picture I want to provide a blog post for my TBT moments to share those great stories. I will not share stories in which the context will embarrass or incriminate myself or my friends and family.

The Official Han Solo Movie Trailer [UPDATED]

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On February 4, 2018

In Movies, Star Wars

UPDATE: The trailer that we saw during the Super Bowl was merely a teaser trailer. I have updated the link below to be the real official Han Solo movie trailer. Again, we have all been waiting a long time to finally get a trailer and it did debut on Good Morning America (which seems to be Disney’s choice media outlet for debuting Star Wars content). See the full length trailer below.

A Good Star Wars Story?

The development and production of this movie has been under a lot of scrutiny since it was announced. The success of Rogue One has set a pretty high bar for all remaining Star Wars spin-off movies. I want to be optimistic about this movie. Rogue One was a great movie so it’s difficult not to use it as the basis for comparison. I know that a Han Solo spin-off movie was not everyone’s top choice.

So will this be a good Star Wars Story? I don’t think Alden Ehrenreich is that good of an actor so I don’t have confidence that he will provide a fitting portrayal of Han Solo. However Donald Glover looks amazing! Despite the questionable quality of this movie, I still can’t help but feel excited.

/MTFBWY

The Force. It calls to you. Just let it in.

 

The Forlorn Fair Weather Fans

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On January 17, 2018

In Geek Canon, Star Wars

Wrigley Field – 1982

I have been a Chicago Cubs fan my whole life. It’s a family legacy that has been instilled in me from my father, passed down from his father. In 2016, when the unbelievable happened, while all the life long fans were euphoric, suddenly there were all these new fans. I was literally on my knees, rejoicing while also lamenting that my grandfather didn’t live to see it happen. Devout fans know the glory whereas fair weather fans are merely impostors.

Perhaps their first World Series championship in 108 years spawned new fans, to which I say welcome to the party. However, those that gave up only to return when things are good, are pathetic. Only the most devoted of fans lived through the billy goats, black cats and Steve Bartman‘s and never let go. The true fans can endure the good with the bad. You can’t call yourself a fan only when it suits you, no matter how you try to rationalize it.

This Isn’t About Baseball (or Sports)

This isn’t a post about the Chicago Cubs, or any sports team. I’m talking to Star Wars fans. Fair weather fans do not always apply to sports teams, clearly Star Wars also has its share as well. I understand the criticism the prequels often receive but it’s hardly worth such ire. While they have their shortcomings, I think they have quite a few redeeming qualities. If you consider yourself a Star Wars fan, a true and devoted Star Wars fan, then you can find the a way to love all the movies. Otherwise, you are merely an impostor.

It’s not about the terrible acting by Jake Lloyd and Hayden Christensen, midichlorians or Jar Jar. It’s about the great characters (ex: Dexter Jettster, Darth Maul, Mace Windu, General Grevious). It’s about knowing the origin story and the awesome music. Watching Ewan McGregor don the Obi-Wan costume and show that he is a kick-ass Jedi was incredible. A devout fan is always the optimist and can find redemption in the valley’s.

If you’re choosing to ignore the prequels, you’re a fair weather fan. If you hold on only to old canon, and refute the new canon, you’re a fair weather fan. When you are unable to endure the low times and linger only on the past, you’re a fair weather fan. If you’re a fair weather fan, then you’re not really a fan at all.

If You Can Do Better, Then Do It

Some of the things I constantly hear from all the fair weather fans is “George Lucas should have done <this>” or “Rian Johnson shouldn’t have done <that>”. It’s as if these “fans” know more about making a movie or telling a story than the folks who have been doing it all of their lives. If you think you can do better, then write the script, hire the “right” actors, partner with a production company, and go make the movie. You’ll probably have better odds of winning the lottery (at least then you can buy a production company to “make the right version” of the films). If you can’t put up then shut up; go be a Trekkie where they argue about who is the better captain (by the way, it’s Kirk).

/MTFBWY

The Force. It calls to you. Just let it in.

 

Biggs 2018 New Years Intentions

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On January 12, 2018

In General Cogitation

A new year means new goals (remember, I don’t make “New Years resolutions”). As we look forward to my 2018 New Years intentions, I am also going to review my 2017 intentions. I focused on four areas for 2017; Home Automation projects, Reading Challenge, Fitness and Health and Professional Skills Development. In the spirit of full disclosure and accountability, I was about 50% successful. Therefore, I guess as the first goal for the new year I plan to be more successful accomplishing the goals I set.

Biggs Labs – Smart Home

I completed nothing for my home automation project! I was hoping to have installed the dimmer switches and the Siri integration and none of that happened. If I can get my wife on board to help encourage me to work on it this year I think I should get this done in 2018. A potential roadblock is a broken SD card and lack of access to an SD card reader. I really want to get Siri working with our home automation. As I said last time, I just need to sit down and really focus on this task.

 2018 Goodreads Reading Challenge

I already went into more detail about my reading challenge results from last year; suffice it to say I was 14/15 despite what Goodreads said. The reading challenge goals for this year will be a legitimate 15 books, starting with reading Ready Player One again (in anticipation for the movie). I also have quite the list of Star Wars books to read (which begins with Thrawn), the Extracted trilogy and, of course, more Dresden Files.

As I complete books I will often post a book review. All my book reviews will be posts here but I will also post them on Goodreads and Amazon

 Fitness and Health

I was marginally successful with my wellness goals last year. The biggest accomplishment was actually running in my first 5K; last year I said if I miss all my other goals, completing a 5K would not be one of them. Mission accomplished! I will be running the Flying Pig 5K again this year and my goal this time will be to finish it faster.

As I have done every year since 2013, I completed the Walk to Mordor Nerd Fitness challenge. This year I’m sure to complete it again but I do need to start working my way through the second half of the challenge. If my math is correct I would need to start reaching an average daily step goal of 16,000 step. It is quite a lofty step goal considering I only average about 11-12k now.

Professional Skills Development

If it wasn’t my home automation projects where I dropped the ball in 2017 then it was in this category. I will admit that with all the changes that happened last year, job wise, I didn’t have many opportunities to focus on new skills. Last year I chose Swift and Angular 2 as potential new skills to pursue. This year my focus will more closely match what is needed for my career at my new job. The fact that time for innovation is supposed to be part of our weekly work routine will be wonderful help!

My 2018 goals do not seem as ambitious as they were in 2017 but perhaps its better that way. Maybe I wasn’t successful because I tried to accomplish too much. This year I am going to keep my goals a bit more reasonable. Also, I think I’ve said enough about the New Year, time to return to your regularly scheduled programming.

/MTFBWY

minions_icon

I could accomplish so much more if I only had minions!

 

My 2017 Reading Challenge – “Almost There”

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On January 4, 2018

In Reading Challenge

2017 Reading Challenge - Almost ThereMy 2017 Reading Challenge was, again, 15 books within a calendar year. While Goodreads says I finished all my books, I actually only completed 14. I thought I had completed all 15 books because that is what Goodreads told me. It turns out that a book I started but did not finish still counted as having read it. Granted it was a book I was reading again so perhaps that is why Goodreads counted it. So, without further ado here is …

My 2017 Reading Challenge Book List

If I wrote a review for one of the books I read, you can click on the title of the book to read the review (if it interests you).

My Pick for the 2017 Best Read

I actually read quite a few good books in 2017. I did have a hard time picking a “best read” for the year. This was the year I took my first steps into the world of Harry Dresden, C. Greenwood was really on a roll with a couple new fantasy series but it really came down to two surprising books. I returned to the Star Wars universe again with Shatterpoint and the book was really good, I loved learning more about Mace Windu and Depa Billaba. If you’re a Star Wars fan, and you do not feel jaded by the prequels, I would really recommend this book (check out my review if you’re interested).

I think, in the end, I have to go with Extracted as my 2017 Best Read. This book was a Kindle First and it is extremely captivating. It’s pretty classic Sci Fi with time travel, a future at risk, normal people with latent extraordinary abilities. I will be reading the second book in this series this year and I’m really looking forward to it.

diablo3-reading“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
– Dr. Seuss

 

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