A Road Less Traveled

This week sucks...

erstexman — Sun, 10 Jul 2016 18:49:33 GMT

"Behold, how good and pleasant it is when people dwell in unity. " Psalm 133:1

Long post warning...

After the last week, and really the last year, I absolutely needed to join my heart with fellow believers today at St. Luke's just to try to wrap my head around the amount of humankind's inhumanity to one another that is so manifest these days. Since the choir is off for July I was sitting in the congregation and could more fully experience the depth of worshiping together today.

I could look around and see white faces, black faces, and brown faces, straight and gay, all worshiping together and striving to live lives following Christ's command to love God with all our hearts and each other (in and out of the church) as we would want others toward us. As I left, today, the African congregation that uses the St Luke's chapel was arriving to commence their traditional worship service. It really was a joy to my heart to see this verse in action as I drove away.

It breaks my heart that there are people who call themselves followers of Christ who use their religion to justify their individual hatreds, biases, prejudices, and fear. I know it horrifies many adherents of Islam that there are people who call themselves Muslim, but adulterate that religion to practice hatred and violence against others, both Muslim and non-Muslim. It in turn horrifies me as a believer in Christ and the power of his love for us that someone calling themselves "Christian" would adulterate his teachings to justify disregarding the poor and suffering, the sick, the prisoner, and a world in pain, and worse yet advocating hatred and fear of others based on the color of their skin, the country of their origin, the foundation of their faith (or their disbelief), who they choose to love or anything else they somehow see past the plank that is in their own eye (Luke 6:42).

I loath hypocrisy. It hurts most when it is pointed out by non-believers though as it should be recognized and called out by believers in Christ first and foremost when someone who calls themselves a believer advocates for actions and policies that are to the detriment of their fellow humankind. And yet, people who call themselves "Christian" can somehow sleep in peace when black people in this country legitimately fear for their lives when they drive down the street because they don't know if the person pulling them over with the flashing lights is going to be reasonable, or one of the cops that has bought his prejudice, hatred, and bias along for the ride.

They sleep in peace when millions of children in this country go to bed and wake up hungry because there is maybe enough food for one small meal a day. They sleep in peace as thousands go through financial ruin because they can not afford the full coverage of the astronomical cost of their healthcare. They sleep in peace as GLBTQ people are assaulted or killed because they are living their authentic lives. They sleep in peace as the foreigner in their land who cooks their food in the restaurant, builds their house, or mows their grass for wages that are below minimum because they are forced to live in the shadows and are taken advantage of at every turn.

Enough...

The photo is a sunset I captured last fall by the Mississippi River between Tennessee and Missouri. The sky looked on fire...

The Great Southwest Road Trip - Las Cruces, New Mexico

erstexman — Sun, 01 Nov 2015 04:22:17 GMT

After exiting Tombstone, I journeyed on to Las Cruces NM to spend a couple evenings with my friend John and see the area. I can't believe I spent that time with him and never got one photo of him! In any case, we had a great time together as he showed me the historic original part of town, Old Mesilla. The area reminded me a lot of the Old Town area of Albuquerque, but on a smaller scale.

The next day was looking to be rainy, so my planned drive up into the mountains above Alamogordo was definitely out. I decided to just head to White Sands, and then have lunch in Alamogordo instead. In the end it wound up being perfect, as since it was overcast, I thought it made for more interesting photos, if challenging. I like the shots I did get though.

And, a selfie - blinded by the white...

The Great Southwest Road Trip - Tombstone, Arizona

erstexman — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 04:30:59 GMT

I reluctantly left Gib and Ben behind to head to Las Crucis, but decided since I was as close as I was, I would head to Tombstone, home of the gunfight at the OK Corral and the historic Boothill Graveyard. The historic downtown area was about as expected - extremely touristy, but I enjoyed strolling around on a relatively uncrowded Monday as there were lots of characters in period costume, and plenty of eye candy...

After downtown, I decided to stop at the graveyard to get some photos of some of the more memorable markers...

The Great Southwest Road Trip - Tucson, Desert and Aviation

erstexman — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 03:05:02 GMT

Other than visiting Gib and Ben, I wanted to get another National Park under my belt, as well as see the air force plane graveyard located in Tucson. So, my one full day there, I drove the relatively short drive into the desert to Saguaro, including a stop at the Arizona Senora Desert Museum located very near by. It being October, I did not expect to see much color, but was pleasantly surprised to see a number of cactus in bloom.

Barrel Cactus orange...

The cactus in the foreground is a "Teddy Bear" Chola cactus.

Barrel Cactus yellow...

I have no idea, but it was pretty, and pretty prickly!

The hills are alive, with Saguaro cactus!

After hiking around in the desert heat for about 3 miles (lots of water consumed), I drove back to town to the Pima Air and Space Museum located near Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and the military plane graveyard. Much to my disappointment, I was to discover that though the museum was open, the tours of the graveyard were not as since 9-11 the base closes entirely on the weekends, so no tour. No matter, the museum grounds are HUGE with a large number of planes and displays regarding aviation history, and the role of Tucson and Arizona in that history. It was another TON of walking as the grounds were nearly around a half mile square, and I basically went in circles to see everything possible, much of it again out in the sun as most of the aircraft is displayed outdoors, with displays in scattered hangers dedicated to specific subjects such as space exploration, the development of jet aircraft, WWII Pacific theater, WWII European theater, etc. So, even without the graveyard, it was quite a lot to see and well worth the admission.

So, one thing I learned is a nearly full day in the Arizona sun, even in October, can be a bit much. It was a nice evening in with Gib an Ben again as we had a wonderful dinner and good conversation, and were joined by a friend in common who stayed at their place Saturday night as he drove between Dallas and California. I hated that I felt I had hardly spent any time there, but the adventure of a stop in Tombstone, AZ on the way to Las Crucis the next day awaited.

The Great Southwest Road Trip - Sedona to Tucson

erstexman — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 01:45:23 GMT

I reluctantly left Tucson after two wonderful days. If Harley and Lee had not been leaving the day after I did for their vacation in Montana, I would have stayed longer. However, I hit the road early for Tucson where I planned to visit with my long-time Dallas friend Gib (a fellow Aggie and singing cadet Neil) and his partner Ben. More on them later.

I was planning to go to an ancient cliff dwelling just south of Sedona off I-17 called Montezuma Castle, but Lee suggested I stop first at the V-Bar-V Ranch heritage site. V-Bar-V was a working ranch for over 100 years in the Verde valley, and it is distinct as it is also the site of ancient native petroglyphs that originated with the Southern Sinagua natives who lived in that area around 1100-1400 AD, then they migrated north to join with natives there to form what became the Hopi. I was lucky enough that the day I was there was one of the 4 days a week the site is open to the public and enjoyed an interpretive tour of the site and the story of the petroglyphs and how significant they were to the Sinagua. They include solar calendar that points out the planting and harvest seasons, a lunar calendar with several fertility images, and a shaman that stands as a guard next to a crack in the rock that is thought to be a portal to the underworld where the Sinagua people emerged from the earth, and where the Hopi also believed they came from.

Petroglyphs!

The volunteer guide at the site - he was a really nice man, retired from the National Park Service where he had been a ranger at a National Park monument site also near Sedona.

Not an alien, but an image of a shaman guarding the surface from the underworld.

The crack to the right is the reported point of origin for the Sinagua and Hopi.

I drove the relatively short distance from this site on to Montezuma Castle, a cliff dwelling also from the Sinagua period. The structures are original, as opposed to the re-built ones at Mesa Verde National Park, so the authenticity of what I was seeing, along with the stop at V-Bar-V where I got the history of the area made for a nice short stop. That is to say, it is not a huge place, but impressive nonetheless.

A close up view...

And a view from further back for perspective, this one from the iPhone. I noticed the trail system up to the dwelling was really steep, and would have included a number of ladders originally. Still, the thought of having to climb up and down just boggles me.

The rest of the day to Tucson was uneventful, save for passing through Phoenix in the early mid-afternoon. I thought Dallas traffic was bad. it was insane getting around there and then the drive on to Tucson was weird. One moment, I-10 was three lanes, the next it was two, then back to three. It made for a bit more stressful drive than I had anticipated. I arrived at Gib and Ben's in the later afternoon where I unloaded, relaxed, shared dinner, then crashed. The good thing was that although I had been horrible by eating a ginormous Del Taco burrito for lunch on the northern edge of Phoenix, my glucose level was an outstanding 92 mg/dL when I tested pre-dinner. It was great to share a meal with Gib and Ben again. I had house-dog sat for them many times over the years prior to their move due to Gib's transfer with Raytheon, and I had missed them terribly. We keep in touch by Facebook and text, but it just is not the same thing at all.

The Great Southwest Road Trip - Flagstaff and Sedona

erstexman — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 04:03:07 GMT

After finishing my day at the Grand Canyon, I drove my exhausted ass back to Flagstaff for the evening where I checked into the hotel and immediately went to the hot tub for a much needed soak, then went to the only restaurant nearby that was not an IHOP or fast food, Denny's. I had every intention of being "good" and getting a salad. I did, but added the Philly steak sandwich. So, I guess I was half-good. I was staying in a relatively inexpensive Sleep-Inn, and was very happy with the room and one of the most comfortable hotel beds ever. I slept like the dead until the alarm went off net morning.

After checking out, I took my Arizona native friend Steve Ruby's advice and headed north on highway 180 toward the Grand Canyon again, but this time stopped at Red Mountain. Red Mountain is an ancient cinder cone volcano that is part of the San Francisco Peaks, and the trail was listed as "easy" 1.5 miles. It was in essence, but still being a steady incline on a hot, very dry day, at an elevation I am not used to, I took my sweet time. The last bit to get up into the middle of the erosion area was a climb up a steep 10' set of steps, but OH wow once there my Geofreak senses started to tingle in a mighty way. The added bonus of actually having the entire are to myself for several minutes was a huge change from my previous day at the Grand Canyon as well.

Some photos...

I am not sure what this flowering bush was, but its smell was intoxicating and it was all over near the trail.

I finished the hike, after meeting a really nice couple from Alaska on the way down. Even though I had my Camelback water pack on, I went through nearly 2 litres of water during the close to two hours hike. Higher altitude and nearly no humidity will dry you out quick! I made it back to Flagstaff to regroup with a lime refresher from Starbucks, and then resorted to a stop at Burger King for a grilled chicken sandwich. If I had not mentioned before, my intention on this trip was to eat more sensibly and work on exercising more to better regulate my glucose level. I was definitely getting the exercise, but not too happy with the nutritional choices I was making. The flip side of that though is that my levels were testing well in the normal range at this point of the trip. Huzzah!

As I left Flagstaff for the Sedona area where I was going to be staying with my online friends Lee and Harley, I decided to take the "scenic" route highway 89A down Oak Creek Canyon. I thought I had been down twisty winding roads in the NC mountains. They hold nothing on the sheer terror of going down this canyon drive, particularly for the top third which is very steep and curvy. I hate I did not stop at the top as there was a Forest Service scenic overlook I totally missed where I could have captured a nice shot of the canyon and road. It just means I will have to go back.

I made it to Lee and Harley's mid-afternoon and was made immediately welcome by Lee. Harley was in town for a meeting of some sort, so Lee and I chatted a bit, I got settled in, then promptly fell asleep sitting up on the sofa while he worked in his office. They both work from home, programming/IT or such, and had made the move to the area a few years ago from Denver. I don't blame them Their house has a backside view of Cathedral Rocks which is one of the most iconic views in Sedona.

The View from Lee and Harley's...

I woke from slumber in time for Harley to arrive, so the decision was made that we would go hiking around the rocks. We packed up and headed to the parking area near the trail-head, about 2 miles from their house, and went on a nice 2 mile trek so I could see the more photographed view from Oak Creek. I also got a view of Lee and Harley as well.

Harley on the left, Lee on the right. Lee is VERY tall (swoon!)...

Cathedral Rocks reflecting the late day sun...

After our hike, we showered, went to dinner for some really good Thai food, and returned to the house where we sat out on their back patio and gazed at the night sky. I could very clearly see the Milky Way, and there were tons of shooting stars. Good company and conversation made for a wonderful evening, and I pretty much passed out once I laid down to sleep.

Next morning, I slept in a bit, well to 7. My body clock was still on Texas time, so this would be 9 AM central. EEEK! Harley was already hard at work in his office, so I talked a bit with Lee about where I could get a good hike in during my one full day in the area. He loaned me a day-hike guide for the area and I chose Boynton Canyon. It was listed as "easy-moderate" though long - 2.5 miles in and out. The major calling card for this trail is that it leads to what is considered by many new age-ers to be a "vortex", an area of the Earth that is said to hold particular power and energy. I don't know about all that, but thought I would give it a shot.

One thing about the trail, it used to go straight up along the bottom of the canyon for a fairly gently rise until you got pretty far up, then a bit steeper toward the end. Evidently, several years ago the land-owner for the lower canyon sold out to a developer who built a high end resort and homes in the low canyon. This moved the trail to the edge of the canyon, which means lots of hiking over uneven ground and lots of rocks to deal with making the footing treacherous. As a result, with my really arthritic knees, this was making the hike much more difficult than I anticipated. I was able to get some great photos in my view, but the further in I got, even as I got nearer the end, I just felt that I would likely have too difficult a time hiking back out. So, after making it just a half mile from the end, I turned back. I was running out of water anyway, and I had visions of having to be air-lifted out by helicopter. So, I did not make it all the way to the "vortex", but still just being out in the really clean air and sunshine was energizing enough.

Some views...

The trek back to the parking lot did indeed seem far more treacherous even than the hike up. I was totally spent between the exertion, heat, and really dry air. On the way back to Lee and Harley's I had to make a stop for nasal saline I was so dry, and I downed a full extra litre of water as soon as I could. It was nice to get back to the sanctuary of Harley and Lee's after stopping off to get salad fixings to add to the dinner we were going to have. Lee grilled ribs and tofu (Harley eats vegetarian at home) and made twice-baked potatoes, a treat I had never had. They were pretty fantastic as they were chock full of bacon, cheese, butter and some other goodness. After all that, my glucose was still testing great at bedtime. I chalk it up to no telling how much hiking I had done. The night sky my second evening was partly cloudy, but there were still lots of shooting stars, and I felt as relaxed and at peace as I could imagine.

The Great Southwest Road Trip - Albuquerque to the Grand Canyon

erstexman — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 03:06:10 GMT

I again got up with the rising sun to set off on day three of the Route 66 portion of my road trip on September 29. Having a body on Central Time helped me get going a little earlier, and billeyler was nice enough to make sure I was packed away and had left nothing behind. I was looking at about a 4 hour trip to Flagstaff where I hoped I would be able to get an early check-in to my hotel so I could unload things there, then the plan was to head on north for the Grand Canyon where I planned to stay until sunset and maybe try to get photos again of the moon rising.

The drive was pretty uneventful as drives go - lots of open space interrupted by formations that I could tell were either former volcanic flows that have eroded, or raised layers of sandstone from ancient coastal erosion. One of the reasons I scheduled this trip to begin with is that I am a bit of a geography and geology freak. I always have been fascinated by earth processes as well as cultures, and lord knows there is plenty of both in New Mexico and Arizona where there often the native culture is very strongly tied into the geography.

The last time I did this drive, I was in May 1982 when I was 18 with a group of other college students from NC and TN. We were winging out way west to California to make what we thought would be a fortune selling dictionaries. Yeah right. Anyway, My impression back then was that the drive between Albuquerque was nothing but a wasteland until we got to Flagstaff where the San Francisco Peaks offered what I considered to be sufficient "scenery". Funny how things changed. I absolutely loved driving through this way where the landscape sometimes was seeming flat and unending, but then suddenly there were beautiful cliffs allong a canyon wall off the highway, or mounds of fractured rocks that had been weathered by wind and blowing sand. If I had not been on the agenda to make it to the Canyon, I would have stopped more to get some photos, as I really felt like I was truly seeing the this part of the country for the first time, even though I had been there before.

Anyhoo, I made it to Flagstaff, and of course the hotel said no to early check in, so off the the Canyon I went. I decided to drive the more scenic highway 180 since it would put me at a higher elevation where I would get to see some Aspen in bloom. It does take longer, as you have to wind through downtown Flagstaff for a bit, then there are two serious school zones as you are getting out of town. However it is worth it as you get to drive through the San Francisco Peaks, mountains that are the remains of a good number of ancient cindercone volcanoes that surround one large stratovolcano, Humphrey's Peak, that formed in the area 2.8 million to 200,000 years ago. The field of volcanoes in the area covers an area near 50 miles and includes approximately 600 total volcanoes.

Flagstaff is in a beautiful setting, but I also paid the most for gas here than I did anywhere else on the trip, $2.59 per gallon. The problem was I should have got gas closer in to town, instead of driving out first. Still this was relatively cheap in my mind as opposed to my last trip in May to Portland where the gas was something like $2.80 per gallon. After the gas up, about half-way up to the south rim of the Canyon, I did catch a couple of photos on the way up...

One of the peaks, with just a little color showing...

Sort of cool old cars I saw at a convenience store/tourist trap shop in Valle, AZ...

When I arrived at the National Park, I went ahead and bought an America the Beautiful Pass for $80.00. I thought it would be well worth it as it affords free admission to any national park, national recreation area, national historic site, national monument, or any other fee area that is administered by the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, or National Forest service. I had hoped to get one at Tent Rocks, but they did not have any to sell. Anyway, since the Grand Canyon entry alone was $30.00, I knew I would get more than my money worth in the next year that it is valid.

The main reason I chose to do this trip at all was because I had long wanted to see the Grand Canyon. I anticipated the wonder and awe of it all, and the closer I got to the rim, I started feeling really emotional. I have had very strong emotional reactions my entire life to seeing iconic natural wonders, remote places, sacred spaces, or even peices of art I had admired for years. I had hoped that seeing the Canyon would do the same. It did up to a point. That point was the mass of humanity I was sharing the view with. All along the rim there were masses of people, masses of people on the shuttles, in the shops, on the trails, and in the parking lots. I had been told that I would run into fewer people at the north rim, but since I was not able to budget a stay there in my trip, I had to do with what I did. Even with all this, the views are majestic, and in hindsight I think I should have turned on some inspiring music and kept my earbuds on. I did get a few photos I liked though.

Gratuitous selfie with a canyon behind me. I think this was at Hermit's Rest...

The Great Southwest Road Trip - Amarillo to Albuquerque

erstexman — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 00:43:52 GMT

So early Monday morning the 28th I left Michael's before sunrise as he was headed to the office early and I really wanted to hit the road while there was very little traffic on the road. We went to Starbucks for coffee, I then gassed up the car, and hit the road. I did not get far as Cadillac Ranch is just west of town and the dawn light was too much to pass up for photo opportunities.

Not a great iPhone selfie...

That done, I was happy the speed limit much of the way was 75 MPH, which I took the liberty of adding 5 MPH, so the drive through the open spaces of the Texas Panhandle and northern New Mexico passed quite well quick. With the time change from Central to Mountain time, I made it to Santa Fe for a quick luch by noon, then headed south toward Albuquerque to stop at the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. The tent rocks are actually desert hoodoos formed by wind and water erosion over time fom an underlying base of solidified phyroclastic fragment formations from ancient eruptions in the region. The hike up was fairly precarious through a slot canyon, and I wound up not being able to make it all the way. Between my size, and the wear and tear that was happening on my knees, I had visions of having to be medivacced out if it got worse. Anyway, a few more photos there...

The look of consternation is due to how narrow this is, and how wide my ass is...

This is the view from the adjacent overlook. You can best tell the layers of volcanic flows from this shot. The peaks in the background are the remains of cinder cone volcanoes.

After Tent Rocks, I headed on down to Albuquerque to roundezvous with billeyler where he graciously allowed me to spend the night and did not force me to wash dishes to pay for dinner at the diner where we had supper since after my shower and change I had left my wallet at the house. I swear he and Danny have likely confirmed in their minds I am a total hot mess as it seems every stay there I seem to prove it. However, as I told a friend recently, I am getting better at it. At least I strive just to be an average everyday hotmess now, not total.

The Great Southwest Road Trip - Dallas to Amarillo

erstexman — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 20:43:06 GMT

I have just finished a multi-day, 3500 mile road trip that took me from Dallas to the Grand Canyon, down through Arizona and to southern NM, then the Davis Mountains in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas, San Antonio and home. I decided to break it down day-by-day and post some reflections and photos.

Day one was the fairly boring drive from Dallas to Amarillo, TX. I got there in time to meet up with my friend Michael fo where I was staying fo the night, had a bit of lunch with him, took a nap, then I headed to Palo Duro Canyon State Park just south of Amarillo. It is considered the "Grand Canyon" of Texas and it is a bit impressive for a canyon. It is beautiful red from the hematite sandstone of its walls and a fair amount of vegetation. This one, as opposed to the canyon in Arizona is one you can drive down into the bottom and around the Prairie Dog branch of the Red River. I thought of mrdreamjeans as I did since drove right by the ampitheater where the show "Texas!" is performed and I remembered that Neil had performed there early in his career. Also, Michael's father had been instrumental in the establishment of the show and its on-going success, so a bit to ponder.

Anyway, my main reason for going to Palo Duro was to get a photo of the rising moon over the canyon The sun was setting in the west and was still lighting the canyon just enough for the colors to come through. The moon rose up at just the moment to catch the dust particles in the lower atmosphere turning it a pink-orange color. I was very happy with the resulting photo...

Just before the sunset...

And the moonrise...

The eclipse happened a bit too high in the sky for me to get the type of photo I would like, but I am very happy with this initial outcome. Anyway, poor Michael was still recovering from dental surgery earlier in the week and dinner was a wonderful cream of cauliflower soup, and I made a salad to supplement. Then to bed, as I had been on the go all day and was running on only about 4 hours of sleep from the previous night.

And Softball

erstexman — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 03:01:50 GMT

A few photos I took from this season, some action, and some candid.

My buddy Ron, taking his eye off the ball which did result in a foul that was caught for an out. His coach was happy I shared as he had been chiding Ron about this habit.

Connecting for a double...

Mike

Scott gets the catch...

Ron

Danny Ray smacks it good...

Sean robs a possible homer...

What's Happening

erstexman — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 03:27:38 GMT

So, I have only announced this information to a few people, but figured it is time to share with everyone. I completed my one-year anniversary on July 15 with New York Life, and then found out a few weeks ago that I am being moved into a pilot program to handle calls from our agents only. This program is going to require a higher level of service and advanced skill set. Most of the people chosen for this team have been with the company for several years as opposed to a few of us who are relatively new. After working my ass off for the past year to improve myself and learn as much about the business as I could in that time frame, I am feeling a great deal of validation for all the hard work I put in.

Training started last week and will continue for me after I get back from vacation, but knowing I am working for a company that actually recognized my abilities and put me into a position to better use them frankly tickles me pink. I loved my co-workers at my last company, but I can not imagine now why I stayed there as long as I did. I attended a training session today where the first thing we talked about was being happy. Dr Martin Seligman's three types of happiness 1) pleasure and gratification, 2) embodiment of strengths and virtues and 3) meaning and purpose, were discussed. I can honestly say that the work that I do now certainly satisfies these needs.

Softball

erstexman — Sun, 06 Apr 2014 03:01:47 GMT

Been a long time since I did a photo share from flickr.

Spring Is In The Air

erstexman — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 23:31:18 GMT

I am not going to bore everyone with life stuff. I work, I swim, I have horrible knee pain, I am single, I need to see a doc about psoriasis, I need new glasses, my finances are finally getting into line again, I have great friends, and I am not in as bad a need for a new car at this point.

The important thing is that Spring is starting to burst forth in North Texas and along with it softball and wildflowers.

MLK

erstexman — Mon, 20 Jan 2014 23:06:51 GMT

I shared this elsewhere, but want to make sure that those who are only on these pages can see as well...

I was only almost 5 years old in 1968 when MLK was assassinated, but I can distinctly remember the marches, the struggle for equality I saw in front of my eyes, and in places still signs that distinguished "colored" and "white". I remember watching Walter Cronkite report on a place called Vietnam every night, and the "hippies" protesting the war and seemingly everything else the status quo held dear. I remember some of my own extended family express gladness that the father of 4, a minister of the gospel, was left laying dead on a motel balcony in Memphis. As I grew older, I was left to learn for myself the courage this man had to possess to confront not only racism at the basic root, but also advocate for working people and the poor everywhere. I am glad we live in a different time, one where I have worked with, gone to school with, and lived with a variety of people of different races, classes, genders and sexual orientations. I believe I am a much better man for it, and that this country is much better as well. Granted, that mountain top in Georgia experience that Martin Luther King Jr dreamed about still seems to be a long way away, I am guessing that today he would accept the positive change, but still be holding our feet to the fire. Happy Birthday MLK...

What a Difference a Job Makes

erstexman — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 04:11:47 GMT

So if I have not mentioned, I am currently training to be a rep servicing current policies for New York Life. It is a very intense 12 week program before we are let loose onto the phones by ourselves. This is week 9 and we began taking calls two hours a day yesterday with a "mentor" sitting with us. Today, I made it through a fairly long call giving a customer a ton of information on several policies he owns. At the end of the call, he wanted to compliment me to a manager, so I transferred the call. Evidently this was a big deal as I got an email from our location VP that she copied to several people including our home office Senior VP for Cust. Service. This can only be good.

Bit scary though as now the expectations are that much higher...

Heritage

erstexman — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 04:13:45 GMT

Yep, been a long time.

My cousin Tim Smith has been posting a ton of photos lately involving my grandparents, from really old, to fairly new. In addition, one of my great-grandmother and her family was posted as well. Please note, my heritage is in the mountains of North Carolina, so if people look on the grim side, chances are they were.

My great-grandmother Granny Maggie Crisson-Wiseman is on the upper left. My grandmother looked remarkably like her grandmother later in life...

One of my favorite photos of my Grandma and Grandpa from when they were dating. I think it is around 1932 or so. They married in 1934. And no, I am not related to Bonnie and Clyde...

Grandma and Grandpa on the Blue Ridge Parkway one summer looking at the Rhododendrons (particularly for mrdreamjeans in light of his recent post.)...

And one of our final Christmases together as a family - prior to Grandma passing and Jonathan getting married. Yes, I was really fat...

We were definitely a colorful bunch that Christmas.

My bit for posting - glad to see some are coming back to LJ, as I will do my best to continue...

A Hard Decision

erstexman — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 03:47:36 GMT

I talked about this one with lauracatherine on Friday night (thanks, by the way, for you and Steve coming 70 miles to spend a little time with me for my birthday!). School - here we go.

I quit my job last August to return to school for many reasons. First, I despised what I was doing and felt I really needed training to move into another career. I felt at the time if I did not do a change, I would wind up spending the rest of my working life in misery at the old company. Second, I felt I had a real competency with GIS - I loved the idea of using geography combined with data analysis for decision making, either on a corporate or municipal level. I knew I had enough interest in both to move into this field. However, the number one reason I went back to school, GIS or not, was to prove to myself that I could learn something totally new and do so successfully. I think I did that pretty well since I made straight A's in all my courses.

However, with my finances taking a sharp turn, I needed to get back to work. I attempted using my local resources to get a GIS job of some sort, even if it was as simple as digitizing 911 addresses. I submitted several resumes with recommendations from my instructor (who holds a LOT of sway in the South-Central US region) and came up with nil. So, I looked elsewhere and have wound up in a position with New York Life that I am very excited. This is tough though - I am in 12 weeks of training about life insurance that is the equivalent of a semester of college-level course work crammed in. I am studying just as much now as I did when I was at Brookhaven. Speaking of which, DCCCD is giving me a fit about previous course work. Even though I already have a Bachelor's degree, they are attempting to force me to take nearly a year's worth of general credits that I already had before - Trig, English, Sociology, Speech, and more. Originally, it appeared that I would be able to get all the GIS work done in just 3 semesters. That will not be the case in order for me to get certification from DCCCD (Dallas County Community College District).

So, in light of everything, I have decided to stop any further GIS studies and concentrate on throwing myself into a career at New York Life. I had a good conversation with the regional VP about future development with the company and my interest on data and process analysis. There is no reason why when I finish a year in Customer Service that I could not move in a track that would lead to an operations analyst position and from there operations management - or not. I could very well move into the Quality department where I would not only analyze performance, but mentor as well. Or, I could move to training, or management. NYL is a company that encourages development of their employees and there is plenty of room for growth into other departments and levels. I will work toward certification with LOMA (Life Office Management Association) with the idea to become a Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI).

Studying GIS this past year gave me the confidence I needed to know that I could indeed do anything I set my mind to and succeed. Though my avenue toward success has changed, I know I learned a great deal through my studies and the type data analysis I learned will come in handy again I am sure. I am very satisfied with my decision and know it is the correct one for me.

Sweet with the Bittersweet

erstexman — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 00:19:04 GMT

Today would have been my Grandpa's 101st birthday. This time last year we had a blast with family from all over the country coming in to help him celebrate. We then got together with him at Christmas when he did surprisingly well and thoroughly enjoyed his time with children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Then in February we got together again to send him off to spend eternity with the love of his life, my Grandma Mae. So, today is a little on the sad side, but remembering his humor, stories and knowing that a little part of him lives on in me, my cousins and my niece and nephew certainly brings joy as well. Happy Birthday Grandpa...

Though you were not here to see me turn 50, I know how fortunate I was to have you in my life for so long.

Cuteness Abounds

erstexman — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 22:44:45 GMT

My nephew had his 4-month check and endured 6 shots. As a result he got a cool pair of sunglasses. As seen here, he is becoming quite the fashion plate thanks to his mom's good taste. Poor kid looks more and more like me every day though - round head, chubby cheeks, blue eyes and same mouth. Lucky for his mom, evidently he is natured like I was when I was his age...

For comparison...

And The Beat Goes On

erstexman — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 06:24:12 GMT

Have to say - this has been an incredibly fantastic week.

SCOTUS Marriage equality decisions.I stood in my bedroom weeping as NPR made the announcement about DOMA. I then had tears well up with every friend's comment about it and the Prop 8 decision on Facebook the rest of the day. These great decisions are tempered by the other HORRIBLE decisions that SCOTUS sent down concerning voting rights and workplace harassment/discrimination, but still it felt great to go down to the Cedar Springs strip for the Decision Day Rally and see many of my friends there celebrating the knowledge that the federal government now recognizes their love whether the State of Texas does or not...

Martin and Bill - together 15 years

Sister Lawna Jocqui

Michael and Jim

Bit of a Crowd...

Second, I received an offer and have accepted a position with New York Life at their Dallas operations center. I was hesitant to accept since I had not heard back from Verizon yet, However, when I received the offer packet by overnight letter, the offer wound up being a good deal better than what I had been told over the phone. I start on July 15 with two months of training, full benefits including insurance, 401K and pension starting on day one. The commute is not too far, but could prove difficult with the traffic patterns I would face. I could take public transit most of the way, but am not sure the time it would take would warrant doing that over driving myself. That is a decision to investigate more fully though. In any event, I am very happy to be back in the working world.

For those curious, I will continue my studies, though they may take a different turn depending on what I wish to do with New York Life. They do not have any immediate use for a GIS analyst. However, the analysis skills I am learning can be translated to other business analysis as well. This will be an interesting journey as I decide where I will go once I start at NYL. They are a very good company to work for judging from all the reviews I have read and asking friends who have connections there. They strongly believe in promoting from within and I believe my contributions, skills and interests will actually be encouraged there as opposed to Uline where I was continually passed over for advancement.

The only way I would change my mind at this point would be if Verizon makes on offer prior to the 15th that would be a better one for me as to potential income. BOTH companies would be pretty fantastic fits. Verizon would be a better commute, but the benefits are similar. NYL does have full benefits at the start. Verizon offers 100% tuition reimbursement, NYL just 80%. Both offer pension and 401K, though vesting would come quicker with Verizon. If the Starting base pay at Verizon is comparable, however, the income potential will be far better there since they have several incentive programs beyond base pay. NYL offers an annual bonus, but is averages just 3% of annual pay. Verizon does much better. I believe that I would be a good fit with either company. I did meet with a higher-level executive at NYL though, and came away with the feeling that she would be a fantastic advocate for me in the future as I look to move beyond the call center environment.

Not a bad problem to have.

I also need to publicly state how overwhelmed I am at the outpouring of support I have had over the past several months since my financial difficulty kicked into high gear. A number of friends have helped me out in one way or another. A couple of local friends have got me groceries, meals out, a reload on my Starbucks app (which was VERY nice considering it is definitely not a necessity), or other bits of financial help. So two have a couple of friends on here I will leave nameless. These men have been kind enough to help with funds that will pay my rent for July as well as pay some other expenses that will get me through until I am making a regular income again. You know who you are and I thank you from the bottom of my heart...

A Meme! A Meme! My Kingdom for a Meme!

erstexman — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 21:36:43 GMT

Thank you, empressnan - everything from A to Z...

A - Age: 49 (for just under another month)
B - Bed size: Queen
C - Chore you hate: Cleaning the tub
D – Dog’s (Pet’s) Name: None currently – I miss Sunny
E - Essential start to your day item(s): A nutritious breakfast and caffeinated beverage
F - Fun Factoid: I have mid-digit knuckle hairs, a recessive genetic trait
G - Gold or Silver: Gold
H - Height: 5’ 11”
I - Instruments you play: Trombone, Euphonium
J - Job title: Unemployed
K - Kisses or hugs: As many of each as possible
L - Living arrangements: Renting a one-bedroom
M - Mood: Hopeful
N - Nicknames: Ev (Mom alone calls me that)
O - Overnight hospital stays other than birth: More than I would have liked
P - Pet Peeves: One biggie – people who can not keep their word or in other ways lie
Q - Quote from a movie: “Are we all lit?” – Auntie Mame
R - Right or left handed: Right
S - Siblings: 2 younger brothers
T - Time you wake up: With alarm – any time. No alarm, normally about 7 am
U - Underwear: Only with dress pants…
V - Vegetable you dislike: Brussels Sprouts – EWWW!
W - Ways you run late: Get transfixed by a segment on NPR, reading a book, chatting with someone online – I could go on and on
X - X-rays you've had: Lord – a bunch!
Y - Yummy food you make: I can make a perfect grilled cheese sandwich (simple), but have heard my lasagna is pretty good as well
Z - Zoo favorite: Any baby animal – got to see a baby black bears once and they were cute as all get-out…

That Hand Slapping Thing Stings

erstexman — Sat, 22 Jun 2013 18:28:37 GMT

Like many, I rarely post here anymore.

I am not sure on my part if it is a matter of I feel like I have nothing important to say, if time to post seems to be near non-existent, or if there is actually time to post that I am not noticing while I am busy looking at other things. No matter - the end result is that I seem to be able to post quick updates on Facebook more and that many of my friends do the same. I realize though that there are people I truly care about that still primarily post here. So, I am, yet again, giving it my best effort to post more regularly here again.

SLAP!

So, what is happening you ask? Not much of anything to be honest. As I posted earlier, I am not in school this summer, but rather am looking for a job. I did not get hired by Celanese, the company I was feeling very good about a couple of weeks back, but this past week have interviewed with Verizon, GEICO and New York Life. Both Verizon and New York Life went really well. Both have asked for more information from me and consent to do background checks. GEICO was a wash though. The interviewer basically was going through the motions with me and I felt no enthusiasm on my part to sell myself very well. Both Verizon and New York Life were totally different experiences however - very exciting and I felt I was "on".

I also have been applying for positions that are GIS related in one way or another. At this point, I have heard nothing back on any of them. This is disappointing as one of them, a demographic analyst position, really excited me. I have to wonder if those type of positions were advertised only for legal purposes and in fact were already destined for internal placement.

Le sigh...

So, in the meantime, I am trying to make my VERY meager funds last me until I am gainfully employed again. My days are broken up into workouts, online job hunting (using wifi at Starbucks since I do not have internet at home currently) and the occasional foray to meet friends out. Since I live walking distance of groceries, the gym and Starbucks, I am only using the car if necessary. I am no longer going to my friday night dinner group, except when Chris and Dan insist that I come at their treat, but I do try to run into friends a bit so I don't go crazy just being by myself.

One of the free things I did recently was go to the Pegasus (gay) softball league games for the final day of the season this past Sunday...

Progress

erstexman — Fri, 10 May 2013 21:33:58 GMT

So I had a couple of first interviews on the phone with two companies yesterday.

One of them I am not going to pursue further as it was actually a staffing agency and the position was basic entry level call-center customer service at a major telecommunications company. No benefits and no guarantee that it would lead to a permanent position. Still it was nice to get noticed from my resume post on Monster by them.

The other position however is the real deal. I am holding complete details at this time since, well, I don't want to jinx it. The company is a Fortune 500 global firm that deals with industrial chemicals. They found my resume attractive due to my years of experience dealing with major customers when I worked at Uline as well as my previous company, Hagemeyer NA. They need someone who knows how distribution of goods works as well as has an acumen for communicating with all levels of customers (executive on down) and knowledge of industrial chemicals. More importantly, they find my deciding to pursue a GIS certification a bonus as well since they are on the verge of a new venture that will require a knowledge of ArcGIS in their operations.

The HR recruiter I had my first interview with basically told me what I need to do to be a successful candidate in the second interview. If I wow the two people I will spend an hour on the phone with on Tuesday at 2:00 PM, I will then be scheduled to come in for an interview with a team of people that will include an executive VP. If hired, a very good benefits package is immediately available - no waiting 3 months for insurance, 401K, paid time off and sick time, etc. The location is not too far from where I live, so no commuting an ungodly distance to work.

Yes, I am a bit excited about the possibility.

Oh, and gratuitous cuteness - the niece and nephew. Except for his red hair, he is looking an awful lot like I did at that age...

Smarter Than The Average Bear

erstexman — Thu, 02 May 2013 04:20:22 GMT

Yesterday I was recognized in a ceremony with other Brookhaven students who had received honors of one sort or another. I was nominated by my department for a scholarship from the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and was awarded a $255 grant. It is a drop in the bucket for what I need right now, but it will pay for a couple of classes this summer that I need to take.

I dressed up a bit for the ceremony...

Prodigal

erstexman — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 00:57:35 GMT

Yes, prodigal as opposed to prodigious...

I have been slacking on here mightily. I barely updated while on Spring break out in the pacific northwest where I had a fantastic time seeing friends, getting some photos, and getting some of my grief concerning my grandpa off my mind. It was a sorely needed get-away that was not involved with family and such...

Last post I had just got to Olympia and was staying with my friend John. I then drove down there where I stayed with my Facebook friends Greg and Scott. Greg is a fellow NC native, a year younger than I am and we had sort of hit it off like a house afire. Scott is actually a NC native too, though really grew up in Kansas. Anyway, Greg is an artist, Scott installs mega industrial saws around North America, they live in the woods just east of Vancouver, Washington, and could not have been nicer, seeing as we had never met. I got to then travel into Oregon from there where I could get to the coast as well as up the Columbia River Gorge. I also got to meet a few other longtime online friends in Portland, but unfortunately badgerpdx and I were not able to make our schedules mesh.

Scott and Greg left-to-right - I did not take this photo. In fact, I hate I did not get one photo of them the entire weekend...

Eagle flying in the Columbia River Gorge

Canon Beach, Oregon

After south Washington, I drove north to Everett where i spent an evening with Laura, my best girlfriend from college, and got to meet her family including her quite precocious 8-year-old, Declan. I woke up the next morning to snow. I drove into Seattle where i visited the gallery near Pioneer Square of another online friend, Michael Tolleson. The gallery has works primarily who live with autism, aspergers, or other mental disorders - and there are some fantastic pieces there. Michael was gracious enough to give me a tour of the works there, filling me in on details about the artists, the mediums they use, etc. It was an great way to fill the afternoon before I met up with Joe later.

Michael...

So, I turned in the rental car, took the train back up to the SODO station and met up with Joe. I am really glad that in 2009 I decided to make the day trip to Palm Springs during my last visit to San Diego so we could meet up for lunch, and glad he decided that tagging along on a drive through Joshua Tree would be a good thing as well. We chatted about continuously through that day and it is pretty much like that every time we have got together since. I think it is great when you meet people in your life where there is a near instant connection on many levels, and I am happy to say that many of those I have met from LJ have wound up that way. Not all by any means, but I think a high percentage - better than other social networking sites I have used for certain. Anyway, it was a good few days of seeing the city again, doing some photography together, eating some good food, having a few drinks (me more than a few one night) and enjoying each other's company. Better too that Ken was able to join us one evening to have some good German food and tour the dockland area of West Seattle.

Seattle Area Photos...

Mt. Rainier is to the right side partially in view...

One more of Joe - after we had a fantastic lunch beside the sound in West Seattle...

So upon arrival back in Dallas, things have turned a bit sour in many respects, particularly financially. I was hit with a tremendous tax bill this year, so am in need of work, NOW. I am beating the bushes trying to find a job as my old company has told me they will not hire me back, contrary to what they told me when I left them. Bastards. No matter - I have hopes of getting a position with an environmental engineering firm that would work me nearly full-time most of the summer. I am also looking for a part time job to supplement my income as well and am trying Costco, Starbucks and a few other retail-type places for that kind of work. In the meantime, the combination of stress and working out a lot to keep the endorphins flowing means I have recently lost 12 pounds. I am no thin thing yet, but am getting leaner slowly in the appendages at least...