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 ✡ Nathan wrote this entry on Thursday, 31st of May 2012 at 08:21:49 AM Recently I went and saw, on the same day, the about to close Cindy Sherman exhibit at MoMA and the Keith Haring exhibit at Brooklyn Museum.
At first I was skeptical of Sherman as I do not particularly like modern photography. I was intrigued to learn that she is the subject of all of her photos. This effect is remarkable in both how unnoticeable yet how creepy it is. I learned this fact from reading the exhibition catalogue, which contains a funny interview between the artist and John Waters. My favorites were definitely the movie still series and the aged socialites series – both interesting is their seemingly satirical intent and detailed composition. I do have to say that I was put off by how grainy the enlargements were; the lack of clarity in key parts of the larger photos was often distracting.
The Keith Haring exhibit was next and interesting in for both how it covered his art and the world in which he existed: the ramping up of the AIDS crisis of the 80s into the 90s and NYC night life of that era. I admit to not being a fan of his art and dismissing it when people would want to stop at his shop on Lafayette across from the Puck Building back in ‘the day’. Funny thing is I recall having a debate about his work on that corner in front of the gas station there in the early 90s. File this one under my rule of if the majority likes it, it has to be mediocre.
I am now reconsidering his work after this exhibit because it was put into context more by the people who set this one up – good job on the curation! I think this exhibit closes in about a month. It is worth checking out as it gives you a putty good idea of the artistic process as it was evolving in Haring from street artist to international star. It is also a stark reminder of what we lost because of AIDS.
✡ Nathan wrote this entry on Thursday, 17th of May 2012 at 11:40:55 PM Olive and
Peter battle the
Strange forces
Shrimp in clam
Clams that grow larger
Larger still
Broken SCWD
Water flow broken
Try to fix
✡ Nathan wrote this entry on Sunday, 13th of May 2012 at 12:27:25 PM Hi everyone, something is up because I have had no time to write anything lately. In fact I have been thinking that is might be time to simply move everything over to Google+ since it supports all the content I am into these days easily. Why have I been so lame at posting lately? Well…
- Work is rocking! We are making some serious headway in the reinvention efforts. I am becoming more and more proud of the results each day. Hard work continues.
- Rock climbing every weekend, seriously, lead a 5.9 last time. Who knew…
- Been living my goal of seeing more live music this year
- Was in Vancouver for a while (still am) to hang out with my Sister and Mike.
I hope to put up a post about all of these things soon with photos. Until then look for me on Google+
✡ Nathan wrote this entry on Wednesday, 15th of February 2012 at 04:13:36 PM I want to hang onto this quote because it sums the most essential of all thoughts in my head:
To be truly authentic is to have realized one’s individuality and vice versa. Both existential ‘individuality’ and ‘authenticity’ are achievement words. The person who avoids choice, who becomes a mere face in the crowd or cog in the bureaucratic machine, has failed to become authentic. So we can now describe the person who lives his or her life as ‘they’ command or expect as being inauthentic
✡ Nathan wrote this entry on Monday, 23rd of January 2012 at 09:12:52 AM Don’t have the time or desire to make a brownie or a cookie to sate that hankering for hot gooey sugar? Easy: take a Cliff Bar, put it in the microwave for 15 seconds, pour a cold glass of milk, and bingo!
✡ Nathan wrote this entry on Tuesday, 17th of January 2012 at 09:20:53 PM I was out this weekend, doing something I haven’t done in while, but used to do a heck of a lot – nightlife in NYC. Yeah, as I hone into 39, some of this is just normal changes in taste, I suppose. It feels good to be in bed at midnight! If you recall, your protagonist lived trough some of the most epic NYC nightlife there was in the 90′s-00′s. The city was just epic back then with who would come to town to spin, the residencies, the celebrities that would show up, the clubs – RIP Palladium. Oh halcyon times…
» Continue reading A Special Mirror
✡ Nathan wrote this entry on Sunday, 1st of January 2012 at 08:33:06 PM Dogs will always attempt to become higher than you in the pack order. You have to sometimes physically remind them you are more important than they are. If you do not, they they start to nip, fight, even bite you. Just watch an episode of Cesar Millan and you will see that 99% of the time the issue is the owner not enforcing the pack order.
Top notch developers will do the same! They will come to work each day with a new set of ideas that challenges the hierarchy of the company and the needed work to get done. Your response should be the same – lovingly put them in their cage!
Now you know this is a joking way to compare dogs and developers, so in here is a grain of truth, but I would expect HR to get involved if you had cages in your office.
In reality, this is a great problem to have, remind the developers they have to get the work already agreed to done, then we can work in integrating new ideas. However, not all new ideas are good. This is where Hegelian dialectics replaces Cesar Millan  Have a good debate about the usefulness of the new idea. A good pack leader knows when to change direction or his/her mind. You will gain more respect when you do.
✡ Nathan wrote this entry on Tuesday, 27th of December 2011 at 11:23:08 PM It was a last minute idea, hiking in Katahdin in October can be iffy. In the history of us doing these treks we have had every weather state from freezing snow to bright sunshine, but it is always worth a shot as the hikes are not too long, so even in the rain, it is enjoyable.
We hiked into Chimney Pond on the first day. The hike was unremarkable except for the cheer joy of being the in the Northern Maine woods – from the sounds to the smells. It was just, well, like being at home.
Upon arrival we quickly got cold as the temperature dropped nearly 20 degrees as the sun went down. Huddled up on the lean-to, wearing everything I had with me, in a sleeping bag, I woke up in the middle of the night and told my father that if it didn’t warm up, I was going to hike down in the middle of the night. He told me I was crazy and to at least wait until morning. I think the recorded at the ranger’s station said 15 degrees. Yeah, cold!
We woke up in the morning and I reluctantly joined the group to hike up the Saddle and down Hamlin ridge. It was a noce col late fall day, crisp clear air, a light breeze, and as long as we kept hiking we kept warm. We briefly sat in the sun just on the side of the ridge to avoid the wind. The sun was bright and I actually got a sun burn.
As the sun went down, on of the my father’s friends, an accomplished climber, arrived at Chimney Pond. It was a great surprise, as we thought he was not going to join us. The verdict was immediately, in the dimming light, that there was too much ice on the mountain to go rock climbing. But, we also knew that a very warm front was supposed to move through and it could be nice in the morning. There was hope…and as the night went on, a warm breeze cam through and you could hear the ice falling in the night.
» Continue reading Fall Hike and Climb in the Maine Woods
✡ Nathan wrote this entry on Tuesday, 20th of December 2011 at 02:04:32 AM Up to some old tricks this weekend up at West Point sport climbing wall. Jim, Paul and I braved the cold and got in a bunch of climbs. Some 5.8′s were lead by all! Well, maybe not Jim, he isn’t to into leading, but you get the idea.
 Safety check in progress  It was warmish in the sun…  All done with this one!  Pickles the goat is right at home
✡ Nathan wrote this entry on Wednesday, 7th of December 2011 at 02:35:08 PM What is there to say? Low 60′s, fall, pals, and The Trapps = a couple trad climbs that scared me, some good runs cleaning up, and a slab problem from hell, aka Pebbles. You can check out all the photos from climbing in The Gunks this fall as well.
I have to really report that jumping into this sport again has really changed my life. The combination of the physical, mental, and social aspects are a perfect balance for me. I just love it. Climb, chat, hang out, get input (beta) from people, etc… Plus being up and out of the city area is what I have missed for so long. It is nice to spend the day encountering people who actually want to chat with you. It reminds of the part of Maine I love the most, humans being humans.
A view across the way while up on the rocks. 
Me laughing at what just happened, which I am not sure happened. 
Nathan looking over the edge using the new fisheye lens.
✡ Nathan wrote this entry on Sunday, 20th of November 2011 at 09:01:49 AM One of the ideas here is that you should be able to make this meal while standing with the refrigerator door open. On my fridge there is a timer that beeps when the door is open too long. I try to do it fast enough not to set the timer off.
Buy sliced turkey from the deli, a little stuffing & cranberries from the salad bar, take a piece of the sliced turkey and make it like a taco shell, and you guessed it, put the rest in the middle. Eat. Done. Not a single dish is touched. Happy holidays and you are on your way.
✡ Nathan wrote this entry on Wednesday, 16th of November 2011 at 08:46:30 PM Why spend all the time and mess of cooking soup? Just open the can a little and place it over the pilot light on your stove or your hot water heater before you leave for the day. It will be completely cooked and hot 8-10 hours later when you get home! This works for just about anything in a can. Consider removing the label before doing this to avoid a potential fire.
✡ Nathan wrote this entry on Wednesday, 16th of November 2011 at 08:18:03 PM Coming soon! A listing of ways to eat with as little effort as possible. As a joke amongst people we started to call this “The Dumb Boys Cookbook”. If you have a recipe please submit it and I will put it up!
✡ Nathan wrote this entry on Wednesday, 16th of November 2011 at 08:15:54 PM If you have been around me you have probably heard my tongue-in-cheek comparison to managing a development team to managing a dog. In the years I have been saying these things, they are a funny way to make people laugh about something that might not exactly be that easy to approach. Keep in mind, this is a joke, to point out something through humor!
Look for tidbits in the near future!
✡ Nathan wrote this entry on Sunday, 25th of September 2011 at 11:49:02 AM I was asked today about some of the ways that I help organize and run my life. I will start by saying that all of this is my opinion and my interpretation, so you will more than likely disagree, which is part of the fun.
I would consider myself an early adopter – I had a bluetooth headset in 2000 and ran my life form an iPaq back then. These rules were developed for myself to help temper my desire to buy everything techno-cool or even worse stay up far too late building my own versions of something. Although you will find black spray pint, burn marks, and cracks in my apartment from me hammering away at something electronical.
The overarching idea here is that technology can help you a heck of a lot, but it is also the major part of the problem! I have learned from buying, building, and throwing away far too much technology (and thereby money).
Rule one: If the phone rings you dont have to answer it. Ignore the interruptions that technology can create and remain focused in the moment you are in. Your coworkers and significant other will appreciate your increased focus and attention. This rul applies to text messages, MMS, facebook, google+, and any other random interruption that technology can bring.
Rule two: Simplicity! If you can have 3 things to do that function, try to find one! Think about your audio/video setup. Do you really need all that equipment and wires? Probably not. Think about what you listen to or watch in the course of the week and build towards that state, not the exception when you watch 1 movie and need to rearrange the setup.
Rules three: Minimalism – not exactly the same thing a simplicity, but closely related. Focus on the core things you need to do, and give up all the fluff. If you do not need to look up restaurant listings because you never eat out, why buy a smartphone? I know this seems simple and I even laughed a litte when I wrote that last sentence, but I think you understand at this point!
Some tools & examples
- The Omni tools, especially OmniFocus – it syncs all my to-do’s on all my devices, I can organize them by location and projects. I put the most simple ideas and notes into this tool and it frees me up from strings on my fingers.
- BBEdit and Google Docs NOT Word – All I do is write text and bold things occasionally. So I use BBEdit on my Mac. This is bring written with BBEdit. It starts up in 10 seconds, the txt file can be read by everything, etc… SIMPLE!
- Online backups and TimeCapsule – Carbonite and TimeCapsule along with a cheep software RAID in my closet keep all my backups. Simple, easy, mindless and has saved my butt!
- Only one piece of audio equipment – ok two, AppleTV and a Denon AV Receiver. All hooked-up to a TV. Why do you need anything more complicated than that? If you don’t want to do Apple, pick another media device.
- Get rid of cable – This is the most transformative thing EVER! If you do not think I am serious, time the amount of TV you really watch in a week, and you might be sick to your stomach. Yeah all that time sitting and doing nothing. Once I disconnected it, I found hours and hours of free time to do other things in my week.
- Google Reader and Twitter – With these things properly stocked up you can get more than all the news you ever wanted organized how you want it.
I am sure I can think of more and more things that fall into this category, but some of them are so normal to me that I wouldn’t think of them as exceptional.
But keep in mind this one guy manages to keep track of a fish tank, a car, a motorcycle, hold down a job, travel, study Talmud, observe Jewish customs, etc… all with a nice dose of help from some of my pals, but managing all that information and physical resources could be daunting without a dose of simplicity.
Moreover, I would like to think me “do you really need that” approach saves me money and lowers my already heafty coarbon and slave footprint – maybe just a little, but every bit counts, no?
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