Life Moves Too Fast

What in your home reminds you of your childhood?

On a similar topic as my post earlier about ‘getting old’, there are somethings you remember and cherish about your childhood as you get older. It might be a birthday memory, or a vacation, or a family heirloom. In my house growing up, there were a lot of cherished memories just surrounding the decorations my parents had. My Mom was heavily into acrylic painting and most of our house was filled with knickknacks my Mom had hand painted, for example.

One that I have particularly fond memories of, though, is the handmade cuckoo clock that hung in the foyer of my childhood home. Purchased likely on one of our trips to Germany, I believe it was in 1983, I can remember that cuckoo clock like it was yesterday. The many times friends would sleep over in the living room and how the damn clock would keep us awake, chiming and singing every hour. Or getting yelled out for winding it wrong. It stood proudly in that hallway for the last 20 years of my growing up in that house. And despite a few tweaks and repairs, my parents still have that clock.

So when we traveled to Germany ourselves earlier this year, I knew that for my new house, I had to find and purchase my own cuckoo clock. As I explained to @designerish, it was important that a clock be in my home as it reminded me of my childhood and my many travels.

On our last day in Germany, I made a ridiculous out-of-the-way itinerary to ensure we would visit the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) and to Triberg, the home of hand-made cuckoo clocks. We spent a good hour at the famous Haus der 1000 Uhren to select the right clock. I didn’t want something huge, and wanted something that was very well handcrafted and indicative of the detail these clocks are famous for. Each cuckoo clock is unique. Handmade by an artist and no two are alike. After a good hour, we settled on one we both liked, boxed it up and the next day carried it through three airports and home.

Picture of our clock at the store

1000 Updates on Twitter

So as of this writing I have reached 1000 updates on the social-micro-blogging platform. For the casual user, I would say this is either a testament to my pathetic misuse of banter or just that I really do have a lot to say on a whim. Nevertheless, we shall celebrate, yes?

I joined Twitter in March of 2007, but only became a regular user in December. I blogged earlier about whether the platform had ‘jumped the shark’, but clearly there are still plenty of people still flocking to its graces. I enjoy Twitter simply because I lack the time to effectively communicate my life in person. There, that is the real truth. Some people hide behind their Twitter moniker or just ‘retweet’ news. Others do nothing but complain about how much they hate their jobs. I just like to share tidbits about my day and encounters (and feelings), so thanks for tuning in. In 9 months, I guess I’ve had 1000 opportunities to do so. Go me.

So, how do you use Twitter?

Top Five: Ways I Know I am Getting Old

So the cliché was that at 30, all hell was supposed to break loose. While not a single birthday in the previous 15 years made me ‘feel’ older, turning 30 certainly did. But not because of those cliché’s, my body truly changed at 30. Up until that point, my metabolism was that of a small Asian student. I could eat anything and everything and yet retained my size 32 waist since high school. Au contraire on Day 1 of turning 30. By Christmas, I felt older. I gained weight for the first time in 12 years. I felt more tired after a long day at work. I was less interested in social events on my calendar. Ugh…why didn’t someone warn me?

But all in all, I am living my 30s as best I can. Still traveling. Eating (somewhat) healthier. As successful as ever at work. But some very obvious things remind me that I am getting old. My conversations, my choice of social venues, and the things that make me happy seem to have changed.

So what 5 things make me feel older:

1. Metabolism. I have had to change my diet almost completely. As if overnight, any indulgence in fatty foods or chocolate has an almost immediate effect on my metabolism and health. That sucks.

2. “Well my roses are looking good this year”. Since when did I give a flying shit about flowers? Oh, that’s right, when I turned 30. Where once I paid someone to cut my grass and had never even touched a weed, you can find me any number of evenings dragging sprinklers around, talking to single friends about the state of my Begonias, or spreading fresh mulch. What the fuck?

3. Smoky, Crowded Bars. There was a time a crowded, smoky bar added to the atmosphere. No longer do I feel this way. Decisions are made when planning on where to go (See #4) based on this alone.

4. Lack of Spontaneity. I used to fly to LA on a whim. Few things are unplanned. We maintain a joint calendar via Google and live by it religiously. No commitment is made without checking that calendar.

5. I hear my Dad’s voice. When I was young, my Dad was just a foolish, overprotective baron. He would either laugh hysterically or point his finger if I told him today that many of my decisions and thoughts today have me saying “Ah, so this is what the old guy meant”. I hear his voice in many things I do each day. I guess I finally realized he was right.

08-08-08

As I type this, the 2008 Summer Olympics are underway in Beijing. Just finished spending a few hours this morning watching the Tivo’d Opening Ceremonies. What an amazing way to kick off the spirit of the games. For a couple short weeks every four years, we attempt to set our differences aside and as humans, compete for pride and honor. I, for one, enjoy watching the summer games.

I particularly enjoy the swimming, gymnastics and track & field events. The opening ceremonies are particularly memorable. With the host country putting on a mix of pageantry and cultural showmanship, no expense or time is usually spared. The Chinese, passionate about their country, did not disappoint. Hard to believe that just 24 years ago, China re-entered the games after 3 decades of not competing, now they are a host.

The 2008 games have been marred by political indifference’s, media censorship, and environmental concerns leading up to the torches final leg. While I cannot help but ignore some of the injustices, my hope is that these concerns take second stage to the actual competition and athleticism that will fill the media these next two weeks. I do not agree with what some things the Chinese stand for, however acknowledge their ability to be a world-renowned culture that deserves our appreciation. I think the Chinese have a lot of opportunity to showcase to the world their ability to be a welcoming host. With the spotlight cast upon them, maybe more Americans will greater appreciate the worlds largest country. Good publicity could go a long way. I think Beijing was a fine choice to host the games.

So I’ve set the HD Tivo now to record probably a good 30 hours of events, and hope to find time in my schedule to really enjoy some of the coverage. Go Team USA!

A Renewed Interest in American History

In school, I was much more enthralled with world history. Upon traveling to countries such as Italy or Japan, a much more physical sense of ancestry or achievement over centuries was present. I mean when you encounter historical sites in parts of Europe, you may be looking at man-made creations that are 500 years old. In the US, the oldest structures are but half that. I never was particularly excited but American events such as the Civil War or the American Revolution. As a history buff, I hope I know more than the average American about our history, however, as of late, I have a renewed interest in learning even more.

Firstly, I will admit why. On a recent hot, hot weekend I decided I needed a PC game to pass the time. I started playing Age of Empires III. The game allows you to take control of civilizations (and their settlers and armies) on their conquests of the New World. In a twist, I have suddenly taken an interest in learning more about the original colonies and explorers who settled our country. It’s amazing to really step back and acknowledge all the great discoveries made here at home.

I’m guilty of doing a good bit of my reading through Wikipedia. I am sure false information is sprinkled in, but I find myself jumping for article to article through embedded links. When reading about Lewis & Clark, I got to reading about John Ledyard, which lead to a ton of stories about Spanish explorers. It’s never ending.

So, now that I got to thinking, is this the American History you think of? Maybe my interest is still not in post-revolutionary United States of America, but in the original settlement and exploration of our continent. While I found TV programs like HBO’s John Adams incredible, I still think I take a liking to older history, or exploration. I find it fascinating to read about people like René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle who explored much of the Great Lakes. He explored a part of my backyard and men like these would cover great distances on foot for the sake of discovery. Pretty amazing.

Living in St Louis, we take for granted the historical significance of our location in history. Many of our cities and roads are obvious reminders of our French ancestry. You need not travel far in our area to find a memorial or dedication. Heck, I grew up in Saint Charles, Missouri, the second oldest city west of the Mississippi. I have bar-hopped on Laclede’s Landing, which 200 years ago was a center of commerce and trade with our countries newly purchased land to the Rockies.

So, with that said, do not take for granted our great explorers, for whom we owe more than we know.