Whitewater Waterfall

Whitewater waterfall
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

Whitewater is the highest waterfall east of the Rockies. Taller than Niagra Falls! Located North Carolina near Cashiers (pronounced Cashers).

...dave
A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you've forgotten the words.

The Design of Everyday Things

I know this is a book title and all but I'm stealing it for this blog entry.

I like observing the design of everyday things. It will either pleasantly please me or annoy my design sensibilities.

Like for example the shower curtain in our hotel room. It's got a viewing mesh window at the top. I assume it's to allow me to keep an eye on the door while showering should some Psycho come at me with a knife. Or, maybe it's to allow the steam to escape? Either way it's a good idea.

I also like the little wheels on the shower hooks. They allow the curtain to slide easily and smoothly along the bar. Very cool. Very smooth.

The shower soap holder placement isn't too smart. It's about teeth level. I was very careful not to slip. No one thought that one through.

We just bought some incense matches at one of the art stores in Asheville, North Carolina. Very cool idea. Great for a pleasant non-phosphorous smell. Light a match and let it burn a bit and you have a very subtle fragrance. Why didn't anyone think of that before. It's such a great idea.

We've been playing tourist for our anniversary this weekend. We've stopped in more coffee shops in a day than we do in an entire month. One of the shops had tables and chairs up front, right up against the windows, on a two foot stage. Very cool. You could drink coffee and stuff a scone while people watching. Trouble was the chairs were iron. I bumped the window and watched it vibrate some. I had to be careful on scooting back too far. It's a long way to the floor from two feet up.

The parking meters are very well designed. There was only one for every two parking spaces. Before dropping my coins into the slot I pressed a button pointing to the left or the right. We parked right of the meter. Very good design.

We've been staying in a three-star hotel. It's clean and has been remolded. But they forgot to add more outlets. There is wireless but no place to plug in the notebook. You'd think that there would be a plug near the desk they provide but alas the TV and lamp are plugged there. The only way to get power is unplug one of them. Who thought this up?

The pillow looks nice and puffy but it flattens to the width of paper when I lay my head down.

I guess we should have gone for the five-star.

...dave
“I'm so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark.” - Muhammad Ali

Office Supplies

Things have been getting a little less crazy around the Enterprise these days.

Yet, I often feel as though I'm still riding in the short bus. Somehow I've been locked inside and the normal world is out there somewhere beyond my reach. I'm lost in all the chaos and craziness. I’m on the inside looking out. I'm banging on the bus windows at the people outside. I'm trying to get their attention but it’s in vain. Why am I not with the normal people? Why aren’t they looking this way? But the bus moves forward. I sit back down and scribble away in my journal. This helps me hold on to my sanity.

Just last week one of my workmates came to me complaining that they can't get common office supplies without sacrificing their firstborn.

"what do you mean?" I ask.

"Oh, whenever I ask for a new pen I have to turn in my old used inkless one."

I had to visualize this for a moment. You can get a new Bic pen only if you show you need it by turning in your used inkless pen. How bizarre. These pens must cost the Enterprise all of a cent a piece? Lunacy.

"Do you also have to turn in your used legal pad when you request a new one?" I asked incredulously.

"Yeah, written on both sides!"

We all started laughing.

"We are starting to write our project plans on any surface we can find, including bathroom walls."

More laughter.

Then someone else said: "We could have our meetings there too. Then we don't have to try to find a conference room. There would be plenty of seats."

Even more laughter.

I think working at the Enterprise is so entertaining.

…dave
When I’m not in my right mind, my left mind gets kind of crowded. – Stephen Wright

Overheard in a coffee shop

"He dies his hair and walks back into her life. Her kid is like: 'Are you kidding me?'"

...dave