Genesis Redux

I highly recommended this imagining of Genesis.

Genesis Redux

This is not your father's Spanglish

We're all familiar with the term Spanglish (Espanglish in Spanish) for mixing English and Spanish (Espanol) in speech. I haven't asked if they have an equivalent here in Cebu for mixing English and Cebuano. It would be superfluous. Cebuanos learn English from a young age not merely by taking English classes but by actually having their classes taught in English. The consistency of this approach varies especially with distance from metropolitan areas, it is less rigid in the province (as they call the countryside). Nonetheless such a high premium is placed on English speaking that churches will perform services in it, not to mention their whole hearted adoption of American and Australian praise music. Their native tongue is replete with Spanish. I constantly hear the word pero, Spanish for "but", when they are speaking. This is not a direct Spanish loanword. The national dialect Tagalog uses pero and even though Cebuanos eschew Tagalog (an imposed dialect) they prefer to use this word, a word from Tagalog, from Spanish. Cebtagaspanglish doesn't begin to describe it.

31!

Crayon Physics Deluxe

Watch this demo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsTqspnvAaI

Download:
http://www.pixelrage.org/downloads/Crayon-Physics-Deluxe-3246.html
Simple & Extraordinary

Turn a monitor into a 3D VR display using the Wii peripherals

This is one of the coolest tech demonstrations I've seen. It's not an ordinary 3D environment. Check it out.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/?p=976

30!

Home

The airplane touched down and I was home again. Home? Illinois, Arizona, or Costa Rica? Well that depends on where I begin my story. A week before Christmas I arrived in Illinois with a pristine snowfall. Snow was first on my wish list. I always miss fall and winter in the desert. The trees finally lost their leaves here in Arizona, but it feels like the seasons are running counterclockwise. I was surprised to experience that "coming home" feeling as I flew into Costa Rica on the first Sunday of '08. Over a year living there was enough to get the place into my blood. The morning sun and the warm, furious wind were familiar to my skin.

It gets harder to leave Illinois each time I visit. My entire family is there (and it's growing and they're beautiful). My niece watches you speak with such intensity. She repeats back what you say and acts with understanding (even defiance). It's thrilling. I got to see my new nephew Mason and his namesake my grandfather asleep on the same couch while the rest of us laughed and tore open gifts. They slept like babies.

My dad gave me, my brother-in-law, and my little sister's fiance remote control airplanes. It was inspired. Our first excitement was discovering that they were all on the same frequency as propellers leapt to life in our hands. After that we flew them, individually, into trees, the curb, and our neighbor's garage. The adventure was in discovering whether they still ran after each crash (mostly not).

Of course while I'm across the Plains from my desert life the prospect of ever having my own family seems more distant and strange. I was invited to Costa Rica to see two friends tie the knot. They tie it pretty much the same but with a lot more dancing before dinner. The bride looked beautiful even while I was dancing with her which was something because I completely forgot how to Merengue.

It's a wonderful thing to feel needed, and I never experience that more than in Costa Rica. I spared as much time as I could for giving training even though I was there on my own dime for the wedding and still had to attend to other work. I spoke slowly and avoided figures of speech, the better to be understood. Later, as I was saying my goodbyes I took the opportunity to introduce myself to one of the junior employees who I hadn't yet met, a beautiful girl just learning English who said in a timid voice, "My name is Ana-Marie. You are very serious." I was speechless, she was very forward. I also thought, she's been noticing me too.

I left Illinois in another snowfall and Costa Rica on another sunny morning. Leaving is hard even when you are returning home. Especially if returning home means you have to leave another.

Yes, I am still here

You may remember that I was moving to Cebu. Don't worry, you remembered correctly.

As it turns out I'm stranded in the Arizona summer while working on an important project. Right now it looks like it will never end.

When I finally get the go ahead I'll probably only have two days notice. After all, I moved to Costa Rica on less than two weeks notice. That's how it tends to go.

I love it except when I hate it. Mostly I love it. Sometimes I get tired of it. Sometimes, like right now, I'm pumped. Basically, I had a good day at work. That's better than caffeine.

Adios

On Saturday I will be leaving Costa Rica. It's been almost one and half years. I've become aclimated and think of it as my home (even though my Spanish is still pretty uneven). I've found good friends, Ultimate Frisbee, a very comfortable home and car (company provided), plus beautiful weather and countryside. I'll miss it.

I'll be back in Scottsdale for a few weeks, then I ship out to Cebu. I'm getting excited about the role I'll play there. I'll be hiring and training an engineering team almost from scratch.

(On the good side of travel I have so many miles now that I've been bumped up my last 3 flights! Does Continental fly to Cebu?)

I don't think of I've ever posted pictures of my place here in Ribera de Belén, so here they are.

Spaceport Awesome

Frankly I think Spaceport America is a bit cheesy for a name, but being humanity's first commercial spaceport is pure awesome. New Mexico is building it and Virgin Galactic has agreed to make it their headquarters. When my kids graduate from high school they're getting a vacation to the moon. I'm assuming that by then tickets will run for less than the inflation adjusted equivalent of $200k rather than that I'll be a millionaire.