Posts

Posted on

Party Like It’s 1979

My older brother had a party tonight for all of his patients, family and friends. He wanted to have an open house at his dental practice in Hinsdale, to show appreciation for all the people who have helped him become a successful cosmetic dentist. He has done cosmetic work for many of the news personalities you see on TV every day and various Olympic athletes who have sustained tooth damage during events.

Anyway I had planned on stopping by for a quick visit to see Mike and the rest of the family (Mom, Dad and my brother Joe and his kids were there as well), but I ended up staying for almost 3.5 hours. Turns out many of our old classmates were there so this was a good chance to catch up. None of them were in my graduating class but they were guys I knew from the class ahead and the class behind me.

One of the attendees was Bob Briskey of Briskey Photography who had shot my wedding and has been doing before/after photos for Mike for quite a while now. I had not seen Bob (my fault) for about 10 years and I found out that in addition to his day job, he is teaching photo classes at Morton College in Cicero Illinois. I wish I could do weeknight classes as I would love to attend some of Bob’s sessions. If you have ever thought about getting better with your camera or want to expand your creativity, I highly recommend Bob as an instructor. Check out their class schedules and look under ART to find his classes (he is listed as R Briskey).

Posted on

Another Mileage Entry

Mileage 4
Time 8PM
Location Indoors – Treadmill
Weather Snow

As I add more miles to my legs and treadmill, I am trying to decide what am I going to call these frequent posts. I like to give all the posts a unique (if possible) name, but there are only so many ways to say I did ‘X’ amount of miles today. I have decided (after this one) to just make the heading ‘Mile Marker’ if the post does not contain anything else of real value to anyone besides me. That way the posts can be filtered to exclude ‘Mile Marker’ entries from feeds or can be filtered to show only those posts.

While I was running tonight, I was listening to ‘This Week in Google’ podcast episode 26 and Leo Laporte made a very keen observation as to why some of us, me included, have no interest in the iPad. He said that the iPad is a device for consumers of content and many of his podcast listeners are instead producers of content, myself included. Since the iPad has no real keyboard (I don’t want to carry around the add on stand/keyboard thing), it is not a device on which we can feed our blogs, twitter feeds, Facebook accounts etc. I am sure it will have a market among the consumers of content but most of the geeks I know have no interest in something that does not really replace anything we already have. I don’t want to carry around yet another device in my backpack of tech. It it had a keyboard and maybe a stylus I would take another look, but until then, I will save the $800.00

Posted on

More Stick Welding

I continued with my stick welding in class today and was able to complete two of the three assigned tasks. I was able to complete a steady bead of 3016 stick on a 3/4 inch 4×4 steel plate 8 times in a row. I was also able to completely cover a 4×4 plate with overlappingIMG_0276 beads, keeping them all pretty straight.  With each pass you cut into the previous row by 1/3 of the width of the original bead, so that when you have two rows complete, the first row is only showing 2/3s of its width and the second shows its whole width. The second exercise was not necessarily a real world example, but it shows that your straight bead is repeatable and that you can manipulate the previous bead with your new molten pool of metal without totally screwing things up and compromising the integrity of the original weld. Lincoln Electric has a nice article here on creating high quality stick welds.

The third exercise was a butt joint where you lay two pieces of 16 gauge metal flat on your surface, side by side with a gap between. The gap should be approximately the size of the stick that you are using as the filler material. So, since we were using 3016 stick, you lay the stick in between the to pieces of metal to get your correct gap. The trick here is that each stick has a coating on it and you should NOT include that in your gap width. You need to either eyeball the gap or use the mall one inch end of the uncovered stick as you guide (one end of the stick is uncoated so it makes good contact with the electrode holder you grip when welding).

250px-Welded_butt_joint_x-section
The cross-section of a welded butt joint, with the darkest gray representing the weld or fusion zone, the medium
gray the heat-affected zone, and the lightest gray the base material.

My gap was a bit too big and I was spending too much time in one place, so I kept burning through and could not get the desired ‘keystone’ weld. A keystone weld is where after you complete the weld you theoretically could pick it up, hold it between your fingers and look across the flat surface of the metal weld. You would look right into the gap from one end of the metal and see a nice bump across the top of the weld, the gap totally filled with metal and just a tiny round metal fill coming out the bottom of the gap. Having the tiny metal fill coming out means you had total penetration in your weld and those two pieces of metal are bonded across the whole gap.

I only had about 45 minutes to practice that one so I did not get very far, plus it was not all weld time. We were trying to conserve (not waste) metal so after an attempt we would go over to the punch press and cut the metal to give us another set of surfaces to practice on. A little bit of info that I learned about the weld and the punch press, you should NEVER cut across a weld. When you weld, the metal is forged so that it becomes harder than it was originally. If you try to cut across a weld, the weld will usually win and your blade will loose. It is cheaper to get more 16 gauge and very expensive and time consuming to replace the blades on the press. Don’t cut across welds.

After watching the speed skaters at the Olympics, the process to weld a butt joint makes more sense to me. You have to touch each side of the weld and move across the gap to the other side wile moving down the gap towards your destination. I picture the skater with a piece of metal on each side of his path down the ice. He must touch each side with one of his skates as he moves forward but cannot spend much time in contact with the metal. So touch right side, touch left side, touch right side, touch left side, on and on until you reach the end. You don;t need to worry about filling the gap as the melted metal from one side will naturally flow down into the gap as you slide over to the other side. Notice I did not say jump you as you want to keep you distance to the work constant. Moving too far away from the work causes your arc (picture orange lightening) to jump around and spray your nice pool of molten metal to areas you did not intend.

I will pick this task up next Saturday and have the picture of Apolo Anton Ono or C.J. Celski in my mind as I ‘skate’ across the gap and bind the butt joint.

Posted on

A Quick Five Miler

I had a long day today with a few deadlines to meet. One customer was going live with a new system we installed and I was on call remotely (they are in Calgary, AB), while another customer needed some changes to an existing system for a new group that is coming online for them. The go live went very smooth with just one frantic phone call which turned out to be an admin error (she was pointing to a test server instead of the new live production box). I assured her all was well, pointed her in the right direction and let her know that mistakes like that are normal. We sometimes get overly excited and nervous about a brand new system, even though we have done lots of testing and UAT.

The customer was on Mountain time so I was on call till about 6:00 my time and still had to package up some changes for the second customer so I could do some testing that night and Saturday. That meant I would not get my run in until almost 8, which is close to my do not run after rule. If this was Saturday night, I could break that rule as I could sleep in on Sunday, but I have class tomorrow morning so  no such luck.

I was able to get in a quick 5 miles on the treadmill and it felt very good. All the pain I had in my ankle is completely gone and I no longer feel or hear the creaking that I had following the marathon. It has taken 3 weeks to rid myself of the pain and swelling so the doctors estimate was pretty close (he estimated 4-6 weeks).

My run took place during the opening ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympics so I had that turned on with the volume off (I recorded it for later viewing as well) and was listening to my This Week in Google podcast. I did get a bit of a speed boost as I watched the US athletes enter the stadium. The look of pride and excitement on their faces made my exertion feel very minimal. I am amazed by the dedication and sacrifice many of them have to make in order to achieve that level of athletic ability. I wish them all the best of luck and I will be cheering for them during my workouts over the next 10 days.

Posted on

Today I Feel LOST


This is totally awesome. I had no idea that the DHARMA initiative had taken up residence in Downers Grove. I was driving home today and saw that only about 100 yards from my house, there was parked a VW bus with the license plate DHARMA. Perhaps in season six, they are planning on introducing a new character from Illinois. I can only hope….or maybe I am living in an alternate time line. 

Posted on

How to Make a Cheap Treadmill Bookshelf

020

It has been a typical winter here in the Chicagoland area with lots of wet snow and cold to go along with it. As much as i would like to run outside I don’t want to deal with the drivers around here or the possibility of a slip/fall scenario. Being forced to run inside has allowed me to get very familiar with the sounds, smells and feel of our treadmill. As I mentioned in my post on January 13th, we have done some work on our latest treadmill and I am more in touch now with the feel of the machine. We have the unit setup facing the big screen so we can be entertained during the runs, but sometimes I wish I could read a book or blow through some emails while on a fast walk (running causes too much bouncing for me too focus on a book that close to my face, without glasses).

I have looked at some of the other how to links on creating a table type surface for the treadmill but they were all too low for me. I need the material up at eye level so resting a board or other surface on the side rails, which the other solutions suggest, would not work for me.

I made a quick trip to Home Depot to visit their shelving department and found the perfect item to use as a compact, breathable, self supporting shelving unit. I selected a 4 legged metal shelf covering in a white plastic coating with small rubber tips. It was the perfect size for my brand of treadmill (Sole F63) and fit nicely in between the speakers I had added previously. My steps to create the shelf were as follows.

Parts List

Rubbermaid shelf unit – $6.00
(3) Medium sized Binder Clips – about 35 cents

Steps to create

  1. Place the shelf on the treadmill to estimate where to bend two of the legs so it grips the unit better.012 
  2. Mark the two back legs (facing away from the running surface) with a black marker so I know where and at what angle to bend the legs. 010
  3. Place one of the legs in my vice with the black mark aligned with the top of the vice.c
  4. Bend the leg to about a 20 degree angle (the angle will very depending on how snug you want the leg against the treadmill housing)005
  5. Repeat step 4 for the other leg.
  6. Place the shelf on the treadmill and make sure the bent back legs are snug enough against the housing to minimize movement (if not, repeat steps 4 and 5).011
  7. Take the three binder clips and attach them to the bottom edge of the shelf so that your book, computer, Kindle, iPad or other device does not slip off the angled surface while the treadmill is in use.021

You are now ready to walk and read, type, surf, Skype or whatever. Instead of just sitting around while I read, I can burn a few calories while I learn. There are many articles out there on how many calories you can burn while walking/running based on you height/weight/stride etc, so I won’t estimate here. Just do a Google or Bing search for calories burned while walking/running and you will have lots of data to refer to.

Walk to read. Read to learn. Learn to live.

Posted on

Shielded Metal Arc Welding

800px-SMAW.welding.navy.ncsToday we were introduced to Shielded Metal Arc Welding. The first two and a half hours of class were concepts and video demos while the second hour and a half was actual hands on practice time. The flow of this new process took a little getting used to compared to last weeks Oxy process. SMAW requires a consumable metal rod instead of just a flame from a torch. With Oxy you just need to worry about keeping the flame the correct distance as you move across the work. With SMAW, the rod is used up (deposited) onto the work surface, so your hand(s) are getting closer and closer to the work as you use up your rod. It took a little getting used to but after about 30 minutes I was comfortable moving left to right (I am right handed) while constantly getting closer to the work surface while keeping the arc (electric spark or heat source) 1/8 to 1/4 inch from the work.

I mentioned yesterday that I listen to podcasts while I run but a process like welding would not be conducive to a distraction like that. I have to tell myself (in my head so people don’t think I am talking to myself) to go slow and keep moving the rod in…. go slow and keep moving the rod in. Trying to concentrate on spoken word would make it impossible for me to keep the correct distance and speed to produce anything other than a worthless blob line on the metal. The only acceptable background music might be classical which is calming and does not require focus to enjoy. But even that kind of music would only be audible between welds. The unavoidable distraction produced by the welding process is the bright glow of the arc and the sizzling bacon sound that it makes which drowns out all other sounds. Its a good thing that it does not SMELL like bacon or we would need to keep taking snack breaks. The glow of the arc actually helps me relax and I think, lets me slow down a bit more than I normally would. Time will tell if I need to adjust my perception of the glow as a help or hindrance.

Happy Birthday to my lovely wife who turns just one year older today. She surely does not look her age (you look much younger dear) since she is a runner as well, and her daily mileage keeps her young and really puts my mileage to shame. We are on our third treadmill (because of usage not age) and are still searching for a good durable home model (read not commercial type expensive). If anyone has a suggestion for an inexpensive durable model (if such a thing exists)I would appreciate a comment with usage experience over at least a year or two. Thanks in advance.

Tomorrow my mileage increases by the 10% rule.

Posted on

Two In A Row

Had another great run today on my road to recovery. It was just a short 4 miler but I felt really good and I did not break the two rules I broke on Wednesday night (tonight I started the run at 6:30 pm and waited till after the workout to eat). Not being so rushed makes a big difference in my attitude towards the run and allows me to concentrate on what I need to accomplish.

Wednesday I talked about using my iPod and Nike+ to help track my progress and crank through some of the podcasts I listen to. The Nike Running site, which is where you upload your workout data from the ipod, has added some really nice motivational features in the last year. In particular, I like the goals section where you can set a goal for yourself and track your progress on line. You can challenge yourself to run faster, run farther, run more often, burn calories or set a coaching program for yourself. The coaching section is helpful if you are training for a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Full Marathon or some other custom distance.

The challenges section allows you to participate in pre built challenges like the January challenge to rack up the most miles in one month per team. In this case, team participation was determined by the state you live in. Other challenges let you select the team you wanted to run for, like you alma mater if it is a college based challenge.  I just joined one that challenges you to run 210 miles in 2010. You can also create your own challenge and invite the public to participate.

Once I get rolling with the Nike add on, I like to listen to podcasts via headphones or some small computer speakers that I Velcroed to the treadmill. Tonight it was ‘Buzz Out Loud (BOL)’, one of the many great CNET technology podcasts you can find at www.cnet.com/podcasts. BOL is usually just over an hour long so I can get a nice 10K in per episode including a warm up and cool down. I have a backlog of podcasts left over from my injury time so I have a bit of catching up to do. I plan on squeezing in a few audio books as well that I have form www.audible.com. I will post a review of those in my book section once I finish each book. You can’t beat feeding the mind and the body at the same time.

Posted on

On The Road (Treadmill) Again

I finally got back in the swing of things after my marathon induced deltoid ligament injury. I was able to squeeze in some time on the hotel treadmill following a client site visit, but I broke two of my basic rule of training.

  1. Don’t eat right before you run
  2. Don’t run after 8pm

Breaking these rules resulted in a very painful return to my road to recovery. I returned from the client at 8:30 and was dying to work up a sweat so I got changed and headed down to the exercise room for a quick 5K. The exercise room was just one treadmill and one bike but it was good enough to stay my craving for a workout.  The treadmill was angled so I could see the TV for some no volume distraction, but I could also see myself in a full wall of floor to ceiling mirrors. That was pretty depressing. I knew I felt heavy from not running full on for almost 3 weeks but the giggle factor was not very attractive, at least not for a guy. I felt like and it looked like I had swallowed a small balloon which was hovering just below my rib cage. The bloat from dinner was very distracting and I felt like I was working harder to cover the usual distance at my usual speed. Sure I have lost much of my capacity (you can loose up to 70% of you training capacity if you stop your workouts for 1 month) but the recent meal was just messing up my focus.

I always travel with my 4GB 3rd gen iPod and a Nike+ add on for my shoes so I can multitask and catch up on the podcasts I subscribe to. I don’t believe you can regularly multitask as you are dividing your attention or time slicing instead doing two or more things at the same time. Running requires very little concentration so it does allow me to focus my attention on something else and podcasts are perfect for that activity. Pacing is the only thing that usually requires my concentration. If any part of my body wants me to pay attention I know pretty quick and I can focus on that ache or pain instantly then get back to the podcast if I determine it is not urgent or a threat. I had just a tiny bit of swelling in the previously bad ankle and no noticeable pain so all in all, a good return to my training.

I am looking forward to the races in 2010 and want to get some of my old friends involved. If any of you in the Chicago area want to get off that couch and join in, there are many great local running clubs that can help you with that goal. I highly recommend Dick Pond Athletics and Runner’s Grove as sources for encouragement and mentoring. See you on the road.

Posted on

Skype Is The Best Thing Ever

If you are fortunate enough to travel frequently (or unfortunate depending on the length and destination) you may find your self missing out on events or just missing someone. With my schedule I often find myself missing special events that my kids participate in. Now I’m not just talking about missing one of Jenna volleyball matches or an extra great practice session that she wants to talk about, but sometimes just simple everyday things that bring joy to everyday life.

Matt has discovered the joys of shopping at the Salvation Army thrift store and donating back to them as well. He would much rather spend an hour or so looking for great finds at the store on 75th and Lemont in Downers Grove or the impressively large store in Oak Lawn, than go to the mall and waste his hard earned cash. I have followed his lead in finding some nice items for welding class and for the marathon as I mentioned in my post on January 10, 2010 all in great shape and purchased for pennies on the dollar. He has been collecting shirts from all the major league baseball teams as well as other items that relate to MLB, like caps and glassware. He also has had a few good finds related to the actual implements of the game like baseballs, gloves and bats.

Nike

So back to my reason for this post ( I tend to wander but I hope to get better at this as time goes on). Today he scored a really nice pair Nikes, an MLB shirt and a few other items. Normally a phone call to explain his find would be nice but we agreed on a Skype video call so he could show off some of his score. I have a little Logitech Quick Cam for Notebooks (mine is an older version) that I can clip to the top of my laptop and at home we have a webcam connected to our Media Center PC which servers up media to the big screen in the back house. The family can sit on the couch and do a video call with me from anywhere on the planet (limited only to available bandwidth).

We started a video chat after my client visit, diner and a quick run (more on that pain tomorrow.) I find that a video call is much more engaging as I am able to enjoy his expressions and animated gestures, things that you just can’t pick up with a simple voice call. Being two time zones away can be difficult when you are so close to your family so Skype has been one of my most awesome purchases ever. You can get a free account, but I opted for the $3 per month unlimited calls to Canada plan to cut down on the cost of calls to the customers up north (I’m all about saving money).

If you are able, donate your lightly used items to organizations like the Salvation Army. They could really use your help. Or if you have large items or non ‘Consumer’ items, consider giving them away via FreeCycle. Freecycle is an organization that allows you to give and get stuff for free. Instead of adding to the landfill, there may be someone who can use that old bird cage or extra three stacks of shingles that you don’t need anymore. Many communities, including mine have a local chapter. Check it out and help someone out.