A Weight Lifted

Since coming to my job I have been aware that eventually I would have to write a proposal and submit it to a national conference. That time, somehow, seemed to be far off in the distance - as most things can for me. Now, submissions are due in one week and I for the most part I am done. It is a small and brief relief. I have written my final draft. I have sent it on to my grad student editor who will then send it on to my boss. After that only a few (hopefully) edits will need to be adjusted before submitting next Wednesday. As of now, the paper is written, the results have been calculated, data run, and discussion laid out.

It is not a complete relief because I still have to actually submit the paper. Additionally, once (if) it get's accepted I will then have to create the actual presentation or poster for the paper, laying everything out in incredible detail. So, while the idea, the findings, the first steps are all major progresses, there is much still a head of me. Even still, it is nice to have the first leg of this project behind me.

Tomorrow I am meeting my sister for lunch as she will be in the city to get her ring cleaned. Then tomorrow night my dad and I are going for last measurements/adjustments for our tuxes.

The First Reminder

There have been hundreds of times, more so in recent years, where it has just been a few of us at home for a given night. We are definitely the family who averaged, when we grew up, 5-6 dinners together in a week. Sure each of us had a span where we were involved in things that kept us out a night or two during the week. As the years have continued and we have each become more independent, have our own schedules, and jobs - dinners at home are more infrequent. Sunday nights are spent figuring out which day or two we might all be home.

To be eating home tonight with just my parents was not completely out of the ordinary. Yet, with the wedding on the horizon, tonight's meal was a clear reminder of how every day life is about to be. Dinner just felt empty. There have been plenty of nights where I have eaten alone for dinner, or just with one other person, and yet tonight felt different. Tonight, the feeling of finality started to set in. On all of those other nights, there was nothing permanent about the decline in attendance to dinner. It sometimes was fun, a change of pace that meant we might have breakfast for dinner or try something different. Instead, there was a clear void present at dinner tonight and it was there for everyone. Even before and after dinner, the house just felt quieter. I keep telling people that to some extent it won't be much different because of how infrequently we are all home already. Maybe tonight I realized that, at least a little bit, I might be fooling myself.

(this is a picture from my sister's new house. I went over with her today to help her arrange some more things, set some more stuff up, and clean up from the big move this past Saturday. Her place is pretty great. I hope I make good on my promise to myself that I will visit them and not be lazy about that.)

Falling Whistles

I got my whistle in the mail a few days ago. I bought 2 and gave one to a friend for his birthday. I did not want to post anything online about it until I gave him his. I have worn it every day and hope to tell more people about it. It is a really great cause and I am happy to contribute to it even just by telling people about it.

I started thinking when I ordered the whistle about the point of something like that. I think from the company's side there are two reasons (they may be obvious to you). I think when someone gives a certain amount of money, they feel better when they have something to show for it. Even though they know it is going to a good cause, having something physical as a reminder of that good act they did is helpful, especially if the alternative is just having the money essentially disappear from your bank account.

The second part of it is the word of mouth. If you donate to a cause, how can you tell people about it? Telling other people about a cause you monetarily contributed to is not a great start because it feels like your pushing a burden on them. You fall into this uncomfortable area where you are telling someone how to use their money. It's also not a conversation that occurs naturally. Instead, you have to approach someone and say - hey there is this cause I donated to and you should to and here is why.

The physical representation that remains after you donate breaks that barrier. And the whistle, in this case, does so in a better way than the countless number of rubber bands do. Every so often someone will ask me what one of my rubber bands are for, but because so many people have them, they do not stand out as much. The whistle, however, is noticeably different. If it is under a shirt, it still stands out because it does not lay flat and is heavy enough that it moves around as I do. I don't typically wear something around my neck either, and so people will ask what I am wearing. When they find out that it is a whistle I am asked to explain. It is not common for someone to be wearing such a thing and so it is a really great way to tell people about the cause.

I know that there is a countless number of causes and it is unfair to claim any one as more deserving. I don't expect everyone to donate or get involved, but at the very least, I want them to know about the situation. If you don't know what Falling Whistles is, please visit the website. It won't take more than 5 minutes of your time to read the story behind it. From there, it is your decision to get involved. Even reading it makes you a part of it. Now you can tell someone else. Even if you don't send them a thing, you are helping by reading, becoming aware, and having the potential to tell someone else.

A New Home

Today we packed up my sisters stuff and moved her into her new house. It was an odd dynamic because its that time of the year to be moving people back to school and considering similar sites like the uhaul and that couch, it felt like I was moving someone in to school. It hasn't settled in that in a week from now she will be married and no longer be living here. It was definitely weird to use phrases like "your house" today. Her place is awesome, though.

I remember taking many a nap on this here couch. I would say my roommate could say the same. That thing would catch you off guard. You would sit down and all of a sudden, whether you knew you were tired or not, you were out. Wrestling it up the stairs in their house was fun. This time, it was not me involved. Also, it only had to go up one, very straight flight of stairs. Not to the third floor, having to pivot every 8 steps - so I did not feel so bad for those who did move it this time.

The Fine Print

Borders has a programs call "Plus". What separates it from their regular rewards is an extra 10% off of hardcover books and free online shipping. Those are the big ones. When I thought about how most of the graphic novel collections I purchase are hardback and The Hunger Games series is all hardback I figured - why not? It's 20 bucks for the year and that right there is almost going to have me break even before I buy much else.

Then I reread the deals. the 40% off is actually not on all hardcovers but on those considered Best Sellers. While this still might apply for the Hunger Games series, I doubt it. The policy is probably that it is for books currently on the best seller list, meaning that only the most recent of the series would still qualify. Additionally, none of the graphic novel collections would count. I am typically not interested in the books that end up as best sellers. More often than not, the books that become popular are not what for me. I am more likely to read a novel about some dystopian future or a book by David Eggers. While 20 bucks is not a lot and I could potentially break even, I am now less likely to jump at the offer. I should have figured the sales pitch of "if you sign up you get 40% off of hardcovers" was too good.

Picture Perfect (More Like A Painting)

Tonight I went to the preseason game for the Eagles who were playing the Jets. As it was week 4 and no starters even took the field, there is little to comment on. It was nice to be back at the stadium and I cannot wait until next week.

Shortly after the game started I went to snap a picture of the field to post tonight. I posted a picture of the first game I went to last year as well. Over my shoulder I saw the sunset out of the corner of the stadium and it just looked amazing. Similar to the scene in Vanilla Sky where the sky is so surreal it stands out like it has been painted and not natural, so too was this sky.

Like The Vocabulary

These sights can become nauseating through their association with the 9-5, office style, repetition.