tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20011467933899073832024-03-18T23:09:07.366-04:00Eric ReasonsIt's my name. It's what I do.<p>
Commentary from the Crossroads of Technology and Culture.</p>Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-63855558797556792062021-09-10T09:31:00.001-04:002021-12-05T09:34:29.254-05:00You are going to get COVID-19. Now what?In my best estimation, this is how we should address COVID-19 at this point: <div><br /></div><div>1. You are going to get COVID-19. It's very likely endemic now. Breakthrough Delta infections carry the same viral load in the nasopharynx of the vaxxed and unvaxxed alike. Resign yourself to this fact. You are going to get COVID-19. If not Delta, then whatever variant comes next due to antigenic drift. </div><div><br /></div><div>2. There is no herd immunity. There is no eradicating this virus. "Zero COVID" is a fantasy. It's too widespread, too mutable, and too contagious. Eventually, this will join the other common coronaviruses in circulation (229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1). </div><div><br /></div><div>3. The vaccines shouldn't be considered vaccines. Consider them similar to seasonal flu shots. They are here to make sure that when you get COVID-19 (And let me reiterate: You are going to get COVID-19), you are far less likely to be hospitalized or die. </div><div><br /></div><div>4. When enough people, vaxxed and unvaxxed, get COVID-19 (And let me reiterate: You are going to get COVID-19), those 99+% of us who survive will develop long-lasting resistance (not immunity) from COVID-19. This has happened in just about every viral outbreak in the history of mankind. </div><div><br /></div><div>5. When most of us have long-lasting resistance (not immunity) from catching COVID-19 (And let me reiterate: You are going to get COVID-19), then COVID-19 will join the laundry list of seasonal colds and flus that we've always dealt with. This is what happened to the Spanish flu of 1918. The flu you got back in *The Before Time*? It's quite likely that it's a descendant of that H1N1 Spanish flu. </div><div><br /></div><div>6. Get the vaccine. Especially if you're in any of the vulnerable categories: immunocompromised, overweight, diabetic, elderly. All the data we have says that it is reasonably safe (as far as we know so far, and yes, there is still research to be done for years to come, and claiming otherwise is propaganda), but if you're in any of the vulnerable groups, you're taking a much bigger risk when you catch COVID-19 without the vax than with it (And let me reiterate: You are going to get COVID-19). </div><div><br /></div><div>7. If you're not in any of the vulnerable groups, your decision is tougher. Of course there is a small chance that the vaccines *may* have as-yet-undetected side effects. But we *know for certain* that there's also a small chance of you being young, healthy, and still dying from COVID-19 when you contract it. (And let me reiterate: You are going to get COVID-19). The chance of becoming severely ill or dying from COVID-19 if you've been vaccinated goes down DRAMATICALLY, regardless of age group or vulnerabilities. </div><div><br /></div><div>8. All of that being said, I strongly oppose vaccine mandates of any kind. Because, if you are vaccinated or not, I am going to get COVID-19. (And let me reiterate: I am going to get COVID-19). When I do, I have been vaccinated, and I am much less likely to get severely ill or die from it. I am as protected as I ever will be (before catching COVID-19) because I decided to get vaccinated. *Your vaccine status doesn't affect my chances of catching COVID-19. Because, eventually, we are all going to catch COVID-19, vaxxed and unvaxxed alike.* </div><div><br /></div><div>9. The vaccines are only a bridge to make sure as many of us survive COVID-19 when we catch it as possible, and thus gain long-term resistance. (And let me reiterate: We are all going to get COVID-19). </div><div><br /></div><div>10. This situation sucks. This is the best we can hope for. But, frankly, it's manageable. </div><div><br /></div><div>11. If this was the messaging from our leaders and health experts, we'd have much lower vaccine hesitancy. We would know what to really expect. And we'd maybe trust them just a little more because they aren't treating us like children, and telling us to shut up and do what we're told without a real explanation.</div>Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-22717970415242261442020-05-26T12:39:00.001-04:002020-05-26T12:39:54.981-04:00COVID-19 and the Tools We Need to Re-open Wisely<font face="arial"><br /></font>
<p>There's a lot of graphs and stats that the news is throwing at people right now. So much so, that you can get information overload trying to make sense of the statistics that have meaning. To quote my old Econometrics professor, "There are three types of lies: 'Lies', 'Damned Lies', and 'Statistics' ". I should also lead with the caveat that I'm an engineer and data nerd by trade, but I'm not an epidemiologist. I welcome feedback from those who have more experience than I do.</p>
<p>The most important question we're trying to answer (at least here in Michigan), is "How are we doing?", and "When can we reopen our economy?". With respect to those questions, here's my take on the most important data, and some caveats about what these data are telling us.</p>
<p>The four most cited data in news stories are:</p>
<ol>
<li>Total Number of Cases</li>
<li>Daily New Cases.</li>
<li>Total Number of Deaths</li>
<li>Daily New Deaths</li>
</ol>
<p>This post will talk about #1 and #2 above. I'll get into #3 and #4, and why it's important for us to understand the real death rate of infected cases in an upcoming post.</p>
<p>The short version? <em>Total numbers</em> don't tell us much, but sound sensational on the news. <em>Daily numbers</em> tell us how we're actually doing in our fight against COVID-19</p>
<h2>#1 Total Number of Cases</h2>
<p>From a decision-making standpoint, this number is prety much meaningless. It's a score-card of sorts, but higher population areas will have higher number of cases, even if the rate of spread is better controlled in those areas. I'm breaking down most areas by State in this analysis, because it's the easiest numbers to get, and because most states have a uniform set of rules for all of their areas at this time. (Some states are opening by district or county, and some cities have different rules than the state at large, but I won't be going into that too deeply.)</p>
<p>So, when you see one of those commercials that has a spooky narrarator talking about how the USA has "the most coronavirus cases in the world", know that we have one of the largest populations in the world. It's to be expected. It's not spreading in the USA any worse than it was in, say, Italy or France. The standout exception has been China, which has many more people than the USA, but had fewer cases of COVID-19. It also has a draconian government that can ruthlessly lockdown their population. America, not so much (thankfully.)</p>
<h2>#2 Daily New Cases</h2>
<p>This is the data that is most relevant to our policy decisions. Daily New Cases will tell us how much COVID-19 is spreading in our states. In fact, even more important than the number of new cases is the trend line. Is the graph rising or falling? If the graph for Daily New Cases is trending upward, that means that the spread of the virus in a given state is still growing exponentially (If the new cases today are higher than the new cases yesterday, it's spreading faster than it was yesterday). There's an excellent youtube video on exponential growth from 3Blue1Brown I encourage you to watch here: <a href="https://youtu.be/Kas0tIxDvrg"></a><a href="https://youtu.be/Kas0tIxDvrg">https://youtu.be/Kas0tIxDvrg</a>.</p>
<p>The most important thing to note is: it doesn't matter how many total cases you have in a given state, it matters how fast it's spreading. If your <strong><em>total cases</em></strong> are <strong><em>low</em></strong>, but your <strong><em>daily new cases</em></strong> are <strong><em>trending upwards</em></strong>, you're not doing better than other states, you just started later than they did. Get ready.</p>
<h3>Michigan</h3>
<p>I'm going to compare two different states with similar Total Cases, and slightly different approaches on stay-home orders. I'll look at Michigan's stats first, because it's home, and the state I've been watching most closely. Michigan, compared to some other states, has had fairly severe stay-at-home orders in place. Here is the daily new cases, and you can see that, after the initial spike in new cases, the trend line is moving gradually down on average. This means that tomorrow's new cases will be fewer than today's. Michigan, it seems is heading in the right direction.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/377704d5-9030-4f09-ad68-5d80eabfb31b/Untitled.png?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAT73L2G45O3KS52Y5%2F20200526%2Fus-west-2%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20200526T163444Z&X-Amz-Expires=86400&X-Amz-Signature=e75e868cd60565546905426ca10b412805c588d0a59f49bc6ecaed510e07244b&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&response-content-disposition=filename%20%3D%22Untitled.png%22" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michigan NEW DAILY cases<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>Now let's take a look at Michigan's TOTAL cases, you can see the tell tale Logistics curve, that starts exponentially, but then inflects and starts to flatten out. This is what "flattening the curve" means.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/71d77672-6d9a-4b38-ba4c-372606ed0459/Untitled.png?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAT73L2G45O3KS52Y5%2F20200526%2Fus-west-2%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20200526T163508Z&X-Amz-Expires=86400&X-Amz-Signature=50bd95b33d4448b09c3cde40680949b78c9b2ea347b30b646d8e330993bae650&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&response-content-disposition=filename%20%3D%22Untitled.png%22" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michigan TOTAL cases<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>These two graphs are directly related, As the top graph approaches Zero new cases, the bottom graph will totally flatten out to horizontal and will stop growing entirely. At that point, Michigan has no more new COVID-19 cases. Here's hoping.</p>
<h3>Texas</h3>
<p>So if we look at the State of Texas, for example, which has had (relative to Michigan) somewhat more relaxed stay-at-home orders for most of the state. You can see fairly shallow steady linear trend upwards. This means that, for the state as a whole, there is exponential spread in the state still present. Not only are the number of cases growing, but they are growing a little faster every day. Think of it in terms of compound interest, and what happens to your credit card bill when you only pay the minimum balance.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/9baa397f-1f34-4fbd-b921-221bef3d8681/Untitled.png?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAT73L2G45O3KS52Y5%2F20200526%2Fus-west-2%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20200526T163525Z&X-Amz-Expires=86400&X-Amz-Signature=90d0e579819f250891d1c40a83c5277045c90089933ae3e66b4f12ac89666738&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&response-content-disposition=filename%20%3D%22Untitled.png%22" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Texas DAILY NEW cases<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>Texas's curve, by comparison to Michigan, is not yet flattening...</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/b9a5ac67-7f40-46ac-bddf-d4b35c052e69/Untitled.png?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAT73L2G45O3KS52Y5%2F20200526%2Fus-west-2%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20200526T163537Z&X-Amz-Expires=86400&X-Amz-Signature=7119e86b00ed8df81da1fd9d0501977ebc524e70f1c1cc3808d632c2e3de6662&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&response-content-disposition=filename%20%3D%22Untitled.png%22" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Texas TOTAL cases</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p><br />Michigan and Texas have similar total number of cases (as of the writing of this post), even though Texas has almost triple the number of inhabitants. But if the trend lines continue, Texas will easily surpass the number of COVID-19 cases in Michigan. On the other hand, if Texas bends their curve similar to Michigan, their total cases will end up similar to ours, meaning their per capita cases will end up much lower than Michigan.</p>
<h2>Lag Time between Policy and Effect</h2>
<p>Take a look at this graph from Michigan again. It's worth noting the time between when Michigan's Stay-At-Home orders went into effect (1), and when the curve reversed direction (2). Note that it took about 3 weeks for the graph to reflect the stay-at-home orders. This will be important as we make changes in policy and open up our economy.</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/bb80fcf7-6777-4fc7-a74a-e06705172344/Untitled.png?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAT73L2G45O3KS52Y5%2F20200526%2Fus-west-2%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20200526T163549Z&X-Amz-Expires=86400&X-Amz-Signature=e758347ccde8f73f0fb2ac0d9fee0fc60e1a18f2d8f4c535fd895839fddbce80&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&response-content-disposition=filename%20%3D%22Untitled.png%22" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lag Time between behavior change and visible results<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>We won't know how effective we are for 2-3 weeks weeks after a change. So as of 5/26/2020 retail has opened up, and in-person gatherings of fewer than 10 have been allowed. Also, some larger churches, and notably, the Archdiocese of Detroit, have opened up church services in some limited capacity. So somewhere around the end of the current stay-at-home order rules, June 12th, we should have reliable data on how well these changes have been received, and whether or not we're still trending in the right direction. If the number of new cases starts to spike upwards again, expect to see some restrictions come back into effect.</p><br />Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-87901686046694849602020-05-22T15:34:00.001-04:002020-05-22T15:36:36.875-04:00The Re-Opening Experiment<div>We should remind ourselves that, this Memorial Day weekend and the weeks that follow, we are subjects in a grand experiment to see how good we are at social distancing as stay-at-home orders are being slowly lifted. The state's stay-at-home order was never meant to keep you, individually, safe from infection. It was meant to keep hospital's safe from being overwhelmed by too many of us needing them at the same time.</div><div><br /></div><div>In Michigan, the daily new cases of COVID-19 are higher today than they were when we locked down in late March. We are testing whether or not we can open up (with all of our new precautions and protocols) without spiking the rate of spread, but make no mistake: it *is* an experiment, and we *are* the test subjects.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC98qo8BJL-d5AqxPTgNMZF3RGwkJrIkoPXRBU_Jw-Sv6VbDMiqZd7rLRWVoijHE1PkMpndUfxCTYCux5Ur4_-cIyORD6zKiSmOugIvTUNZZbeq-CS_NxAh6czRcJOtlt_fqn52M2bFg/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="1128" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC98qo8BJL-d5AqxPTgNMZF3RGwkJrIkoPXRBU_Jw-Sv6VbDMiqZd7rLRWVoijHE1PkMpndUfxCTYCux5Ur4_-cIyORD6zKiSmOugIvTUNZZbeq-CS_NxAh6czRcJOtlt_fqn52M2bFg/w640-h322/Michigan.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><p>Please don't get careless as things start to open up. We need to get our economies back on track, but we are still a long way (and a vaccine away) from being out of the woods. Stay vigilant, folks. Wash your hands. Wear a mask.</p>
<p>As has always been the case with Freedom, the price is Individual Responsibility. If we're smart about this, we can open things up and get the economy moving again. But if we're selfish and reckless, we will find ourselves right back where were started, and the second wave of COVID-19 will we worse than the first.</p><br /></div>Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-28151033689688510832017-01-27T07:49:00.000-05:002017-01-27T07:56:35.421-05:00What Advice Would You Give Your Younger Self?<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">An old friend recently reached out to me (and presumably others) and asked us what advice we'd give our younger selves, particularly at ages 20, 30 and 40.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">After writing my response to him, I thought it worth posting myself as well. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">The substantive bulk of my response to him follows:</span><br />
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The difficult thing is that I really wouldn't change a thing about who I am, so any call for advice feels a bit like a time-traveler scenario where my advice to a younger self would affect the outcome of my present life, and I'm not sure I'd risk it. My experiences shaped me, including the glaring mistakes, and I wouldn't trade places today with anyone on Earth. But, for the sake of argument, let's assume the Many-Worlds Interpretation of quantum physics here, and thus assume I won't mess my own (present) life up.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wibbly-Wobbly. Timey-Wimey.</td></tr>
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It is also important to note that the question is "What advice would you give your younger self?". The answers below are specific and personal to me and my life's journey, I don't know how useful they may be to anyone who has not been in my specific shoes. However, I imagine the point of asking this of multiple people to distill some sort of Universal Truth from their collective answers. In this regard, I hope you find this helpful.</div>
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<b><u>20's: </u></b></div>
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<b><i>This is the time you should play with better habits.</i></b> </div>
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Try a little more regimented physical activity. Perhaps marvel at how your body reacts to weight-lifting. Especially here in your twenties, which is pretty much its own performance enhancing drug. Hit the gym more, and the Taco Bell drive-through less. </div>
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Also: you're really good at math, so it wouldn't hurt to save a little bit of cash now. Figure it out. </div>
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Finally, don't believe your own hype. You're not all that impressive, and those people who are impressed with you are usually impressed for the wrong reasons. </div>
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In short, "Discipline is Freedom." Find just a little. </div>
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<b><u>30's:</u></b></div>
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<b><i>Distill life down to its essentials.</i></b> </div>
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Your 20's were in constant motion, full of performance and consumption and reaction. You carried this need to be "in motion" into your 30's, but you have confused "motion" with "action". Learn to be still. Spend some time with yourself and think beyond the next move on the board. Act more. React less.</div>
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Stop wasting time with people, places, or work that don't utterly <b>fascinate</b> you. Eliminate "meh" from your world. Walk the hell away from anything less than Awesome. Life is short, and the only person you have to please is yourself, so accept only Excellence. You have never had any problems demanding it from yourself, so start demanding it from the world as the price of doing business with you. </div>
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Also, you're going to get sick soon, so disabuse yourself of the notion that the health care system works like Star Trek. It doesn't. Bones was right, we're living in the Dark Ages. </div>
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<b><u>40's:</u></b> </div>
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<b>Marry Her. :-)</b></div>
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I hope this is what you were looking for. </div>
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Thanks again, it was great to hear from you.</div>
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-Eric</div>
Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-2354999867800980052017-01-01T21:01:00.000-05:002017-01-01T21:01:41.261-05:002016 Year in Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I didn't post one damned thing in 2016. Sometimes you're too busy living life to write it down. But this has been a very important year for me. And scrolling back through the facebooks and instagrams has shown me just how little of the important things have been actually captured. I suppose that I always understood how fleeting social media was, but it didn't really hit me how little of what I had been sharing is actually preserved in any meaningful way. (More on that at the very end of this piece.)<br />
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So, for 2016's one and only post, I'll try and give a synopsis of what has been one of the most meaningful, wonderful, sometimes difficult, but ultimately the best year of my life... so far...<br />
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I started out the year with some serious skiing in January--a sport my girlfriend introduced me to just this last winter...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="223" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/aE_TUr8fkc998gMxXGA00Jf7wT4yOv9zbXpOVBsRUOypURffIUtaRV1WhlOMkCCfSwJPrYinpymKz-IrOi-AWAyVqOs1BTj-lgGLq_KKvKGas08IKzydI6A9MKK8jsi6BwiNOuwI4o5g2DaWEcXAj_Bj4OzFbPQi9HGcoB9lAbb0kwYa0R7lmUfXJRZgh-gAAa-atONfwOKFUM-i_Hj7Si-hmSHUfnHldGI3rKaPwi6Pg9E7S8RoCJXKodQCaFZ8uvPeehfm3jqCQcurDVJyk30gQ_LdS89IfrsgasZHd9DU_zTZ6Zt4wPe7jggdCRLEToVr8ISb34dulxXgVR0OYc3wRvnaj5NgCam6OX5k74VCypKQ3QUidwmnB7kriGUlFDVChwhNMV8EbNpr_puEwUDxAEbRM_8y-fXmR6LafowWhSWLmCpDxJf0sSu8LwRZHpZyICRcRyaa17LPnrOguPTkCYck5xvq-LhG8dUtM4hNCjknMUQc8el9yRxJ0_I44dYZ83uqaZ3-8iRtsYM9eJl9i_AiZw5xrbBBug2QwQAUIoi-qYJUhxm99X1tg1rj_aYiH2A69fdvJ0wxCEH3aMp_dE4gAJX7H-PvAXfNqpWrOQM=w1689-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lodge is the most important aspect of skiing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In February, I prepared for my second nose surgery, which was ultimately very successful in returning me to nearly normal status for the first time in 5 years. How did I prepare? By shaving my beard off, ensuring that doctors would think they were operating on the wrong patient.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jO-h_EFeVKclVHu2AFyTRO0rNMPXj54k2iBVV_2BgKbQx76V0DgppLklQJq7ZskbNiU2Gid94_Q6BrmZb6ZztJIVmK2c8K-CVMC44l3U9x_cG-le5XfJC-cNeq-JZyiJaO50IKSjUIrW2Anlkm7Hwt1Fw3IErG_uNirF9ypVEyfaevAwI4Gzo0BSDNLJDtlqtzVGzdMqNQf6YIOUgHZcCCUGlEPPQD0l0kCvmjaMX8hOpTislciKs8ClmdVyYAYfNewH5MUKRiHW_oE0rZLhvV_3v1Ig0aPK6iTbCTxSo9HzG6bjUT4tlpALew5hNfHxLdldd5uLKiPJ65WknZ1wBQS-OaPsu27Mt9jaUPgXJdHbDQGcjMkjCen6O1S3wb7LGweDYkGjvi5chv4h54Cqs1oMOfE2DiBk5nSEu7w_gC4Ihqi7gN5drb26DVtXanP_igfLqSBfgMznOtVJi_QdikMfDkgfzYsjs9elsfrh60Msf0VhGayRN6RC6Cup8VaoUEynamUUJey3aCT0dbd-ic0u7WiGWvTQvQH4QGcKyB6aN2ZPtVT0PZBSOAxmDKV2RFR93Tylmp41TqedN96PFfpzKkwO0a3-qkVqBem6HQZBHz4=w535-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="179" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are the turbinates you're looking for...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Of course, it didn't feel successful at the time....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/AFDYQfW9jMHAi6xxvr_n8_IxeOzJpBm8XUjv-0kNGLaDNkJGGQjLkgBGri_HtC9fCDyubVX0ammO3zHb8teiFxBz3mSP0RG9MNEOGVY1f7Qc7mBoMAiMGAVmSbSA3HZjYqXFL14TOhK0Pv_cdq4OhEVy8tPVUdtyeD1LAGBUTy6XIGozX_7c1bw-UQ9O6ulgR7qKAtcZ6EkXXYkop0eIBTckO0NkFL7JhqTRHqGTSlyvAZviqkzv7KC7FXpNd4GGDo578zoyQ9as4IUfwMNpM-nDiJdgYrD_l9QdjE8aNK71zOYHvUx6K5OVq5RCYTDcSoNVV__pebuPtRoj2qNmKpUZdq1z6p-Sx6zNf6ODrva3bJRK2_b-NUcEGMFaEYThfFEWMLzhJlh5rB1SLGv4JPR2pusy_ONhNXBe2eCR6aNCGxcSV_fscwLywdB9ZiGSHfCq-6285nODdITswNNP41t9iKiLTM_2DlHrt-aFhLIZP8N9CNc_avOPcFtTpsF2xCe82hy5W8XI2w-OrFr1zojcSViIq67f2ahgXPd5M-__5ls8FEY0UhmWg6Lr6IPzNC4nm2NFvhxD38M6-olpO_Cik4WlNCPhGOZJcnh9VUsqJbw=w535-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="179" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ow.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In March, I renovated the kitchen in preparation for adventures to come...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="239" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/D-2e-hTIt6G33-VXCIPLGBcd05kRXSVgZYZUCksp0Okps0SFrplEdL6CwHI8YOK4vxWpjazwysoAUjMaZpErSFi6J2sYrDQmZxfAR1t1chB1wvsmcdtoO54ogcur6iSdNhjMzJcPMaZo7eQbv6HGSLcU5Dn_5Ef9m6tKSJ0Qe6ZSskAp9VeWYdQhIvtVi9HxwHlInHHAk2XP0QGfhWDaKTRiWGmsUPd9b0NXmzbpFBfPEzBYqduvaILnXobVynGjtmrVkhlpQIjqKCXv0k9PDrv3L1Il3Pra8W6957Gs0YwoHoLnC6Nqcix_9ENdWEg3WApzAc52DX2ZwIEGfaeIL4JA-hFidNxy-UhyiRp-3r95CO5W3NYuxn_JFBHjWltpJ0QIASK_g2knNPe9ZTn-Tyc22QlWcFaEcyOcYU_vmXG77ZHPYqHbvOOj75JzXWbaOIgLAOSdzf6lbHypaGIF61teW6zKPZMNT0xu2X0u9yUA5-I4pXBO-n9SW79HDXd5BKlETwxX3QePLFk_gmoQpCCrNaaJRKGDuGF18nmzXmMmYxCDa7BBGj-GwYoWiIdopNmCZfJNh5JWqbhiWjEdskLKZcZYQOGFSnFKPBh4PH3wy8g=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stainless Steel, complete with functional oven light. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On opening day, April 8th, I drove past the site of the old Tiger Stadium and snapped a photo on my way into the office:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="298" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/NmoUci485VlBqUK8V3dZkG3IDbstcjxHgt4PBPAXd2oCrP7llO8K5HN2q6ReoQmgChkLkgTpmbNIsTzjyxvh_v6Ii5jImSoj7aQSioqmWOcNnCnM1WPkGfpJildB_tIZGCjAQvlLg8YEwbm75XuyL271l2GPOxM3MYj17dl-h-e4xEQ6_UJ9bp3KjSwKAje6lSz8nDPtFuhEnwUrC4hYiIYqDGRmUbUAQc21C2tvK4uJ3aIn_ZkrpppKm5IEY2yam6iCs7TADew1MthlKRCmtCD_NIhhgcnMR92fp6KfEO7XPGt31LQOEuGAb-CuhHockSmfcw1E2DuzruHRk54xNPEH6Y4-xZAUP38dRmBmdhHxp9gWDsXH1kHa0GHh4VRfuBH1SSgYycBkRCpnSZODAgatFtZRiins2irwFCW4OcmK4TKd1q4DTkcdddGAwBC-_Qx9EtNzV0ZatxNVbRywJEQoyztxk5JkCqZA441B56oPOImbQ0R_-lulj_mBNwjsRo4sXUg-AhdizZuiBc4FaXjLeq0iE3I8Du2mNNGNK44k-j-3UVj_XWQGxl5FEdXSJol9-yVvyQlHcOxXxFCmyVN2teEtFmhELkAk_lsmXYruQJQ=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening Day in Detroit is a sacred holiday</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In the spring as my girlfriend, Stephanie, and I walked Royal Oak, we paid tribute to one of the many celebrities we lost in 2016.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2lVX6_LAg1NNNn_QSrl7WWVCQ8bJCJ5YlptXITCroWPf48DuBsH1xXdBpeywthdtDU4uBmNwA0dLdR7vLqjp3kkTV2WyloDoSYm1JjbldDRWsZxibnzg0NgkocBTj-DcvyM4Go6mCdZZMIuWUFvaqSyiju6_ucWSOmyEs1XYpS_qd4OV_ynTsZrH29cCSKXYqJbQ5e3bqsd4mecYeDgFshA4BDVNnqsfaSAb8lTg6OxQ6U5quFbAlaiKmXdtWZpni09BDJni14MIJ3dHEY6geR73f5vUblEgGl3rUbgs8x1X7oyFxrq2u08MZjAryYyn2Mni6bCpHp_mtJzS5cSYjVaF-iqgsXLjMlkFbqfigY7zctho9Ot8I8Kc9VqeYQaKzNhz96LKNwU_-6820OKl2w1UGb7HFhY2GN4VBHotWSh9D9SPR_bLdzq7xWQdZHnk41csLem8y7XVXnF2QMZ38IccYC9jbcVkiG1KG56gCCzi-dgHdUWheT0T00k6KFsTXBNvwXt-VgjJV4YwOOVzK3j8XMLa6yspTijPCYm_CTXE3Pc3MvglTp_XQCydEVI_wGN-PUUPgX2qRSp5yLnc8f8ghSK5ehgAHUNfwdbC5Z9BB8M=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Contrary to popular opinion, I do *not* hate the fuckin' Eag;es, man. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Other highlights of the spring include visiting a hotel apparently housing a school for mutants.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5HzSiEw3-8E7oSZL1MB-i0JwO1bbc5xI484-TFuNShTLQ6pQz_V6JM5VYeDonl9vlWNt7aQ3mVqhjGPWDKStvd0ZbSQkn2vjme-R0QO8i6fBvxNhe2IjxX6aI1LduyEMk1SuGXrbZpaOCXBCnBNvzIv5T7CMK4wwYBuxIFghe_NPti4ZUIvGxVl6K2PVM89F1UEBT2MQ1r2twtdE48lWvtIxYCHgiSjjbX1pnfxX2NS4A8kzKXmxvQfe65Jk_uO7z-JEtcJyD0wbAtonJaMj8PT_7z9qs_Vzi7On9-5rnFpG8pXCJMdBMzADK7YRgHHieS0n3cZMELFsodk58-SwbqHPVvegW3ObQ_rXv3fsUsol-wgcVrbQkTEbyJoudWHKhP9oS7-9jmA9W3JmdIloQZnP5OJQ9mRtOE28ZM9FSqreBHBtzmN55sXzrlVai8mDk5yEckDEylNsRbaPEdmKaZ2oyK-xgyVvsqelYOK_PdfgmCkC06Nkz_f76ku8uSUdnAOxf6pT-58gThU0Drx4LFpmMRKUcg4XwX6fnNCNrw09Kjrd-XK1dw8re4NA8MoKxStCA4_KwEkxXpmqKZadQaz9id6hbm1AnvoegMjwjfPm1n4=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Danger Room is around here somewhere...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Summer is finally here, and Stephanie and I start hitting the carnival circuit. Her first prize of the year:</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image may contain: 1 person, outdoor" height="400" src="https://scontent.fdtw1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13241218_10101678109123046_1034608808193905165_n.jpg?oh=11be2f32665a5f2837d5aa47b5178870&oe=58E50212" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His name is Steve.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I got to visit with some old friends:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="224" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Dz33ua0AgbAtj9uJb2g-w3htzzj3spAITLNd8-Ei3BPFbG1wxrDwkzvCyyspBG4C4UcNeIAx0H1Qx6g-x35jF_dc8dcnGHGUK1DzFlfgvif4gRMOMWDfzlWaVS0W8QDfRp00dgAvMAo_z1xFTeM50Xk9Q8eVKsV8PFTzUN8BL85zxgx3Qwq-kC6hTufD6GU-9BL7eGkhx3vR_8NTc6CrWaYrq5pjIID14EZQuS-ve-qn3mq6Rm0E47GugHpxuiyr3a9U02DQBB9feR3gZBT3IQg-0fHRAwGpG4fD1sT0zVpnR57viG4vkVk5sDSsBdN597OgUZ5BaoLXOqHnqUZ8u38422y_IaG6iNgPco-20LhjaBBE84016uPODCbA6doFHNQoHOHDn-qs4aaClRNh84na9vUtiTxiRy90y-nSzkiteTeN_Q97C7qitG3GaGrpr16Z3ZI8qEYx26maPvHM_RALwlqMcVO4WSsr5wf06ecsKIFb-XOUN-jRk5VBmJdZPVgFzIeOY65wuY1I_5omw6_WniyIMmFZDVmK0bnBxO_6jkmrdgDCDdQ6iBLgZI-lcx9vVT89cbEImIL8upyJoPhYm9QxXLayzjy76EzzHdAPWz0=w1689-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coincidentally, his name is NOT Steve. But he calls everyone Steve.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Spent a little time on Captain Jacob's boat on Lake St. Claire.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="224" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/m0Pv7Oo34-5zQvukxINxPNBGfjYT-K96Fguh1lRfPWcmbonmUnvrx2JBj8S7ry1H0fKkpdFIjh4sKENTJA6Sc04kjJ6QzVbqy0nwTNNYszZAmMXA6tREV6ljDN9gWZq5SPWU_aFd11M-6eJ8O89ATIKjEL6x_u1KZHK5srthNUv_zNaHPh86orIQnSoBSXKcN-sDVEdZk2G81ThAZzxAL7RzUCsSl0AdpJUvptRrhL9kWH1w45WTO74fRTyUNrRrU_Sb8ihGGSmj_G5pu1zznxr0wkcL8y6wkBPI9di6e_aUvr-qdd04Z9-VxYWa6DDO0VXnrdq8_0rsq5Z4UApgmz5C3OpUE5LhxrAai7Ipfy2Nm5xDTW8YFXBmagWSLfnuBM54h7mUI5BQ1k4fNgKm6oUIvR0AsetKEjrPsFgjCS6r-m7qrINZguDODyUtLwN5_CyZ7oIvynDaE1Id8N0jnnfyePdVk55LTA6VgG9rQSRr15tgO4LdoM8Gsrl2s09fqUDtiF4b_5JvO07eAoN4cDcrjkUKWbourtkHWJypICIISaMqAgyhJgFWisPb5757xEt45X24bOKcJ8y7cJIxgMg0mwBBBXcBuQFc9SINvZAY_d0=w1689-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm on a BOAT!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I got bike Belle Isle with my Dad on Father's Day<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="224" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fgow77lzZ5BHMGTb_2TFvpXslU8hi1Z-zdDvOBowQqHEopuKWkku_HQbY06Blws1tTk2Ky15wjuzO1Velcd6Pjc0mvVOIkse-VlfDyHXUqfuDt8ADSoWcVh4mpsO8f5JrHXxxexflhzoUvgSdW_UZxj0mjj1cvkGILKR7qOz-yfx-SRodQsT3lv8nVd26AG7yrt5N7yh4xMdS5Q2YUnQ2BBLieOkqN_Xh3Ma_mx2Aa4PyHn6SH5qmaLgLRZH66Nf8svbczhztpcS0iR_x-fCPfFXq-nrYV3kWP2Zr_C6i666Gdb9I0SwBfn9KyFOQOJaB0QJ0lBlC7hF7NL_1m5LZE-OSc1er9uqi6tK9YFLENS1HEbfYHLQAHlrXVAVtugXT5oFQvwD8GuNJEFx-0-D4KbTlnvVzxxPzn5UxnE6LXd8b1GIoIizFDU_nQsN1GMxgobTG9NQINROtLRe3NpurGeJayO7NaeVc5RX4k3pWciv1BYzVGw0tRjJyB2325gH9IJMvv0D2g1SyOYUJw7TOcvvtM3zogUozb_ERjzCVb5TkJtuxXUxhmj6Xpw_rLvxNyvjyFD3cf_tUvd19Dm48xPkA-iciO_AKGifDPtzjVM=w1689-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's faster than me</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
In June, I joined Stephanie's family for Sam and Joanna's wedding out in Grand Rapids.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="224" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XGlee-HLDzqVA3vCS_oH8S15dAX035YK0lv2edWDWa7gn_NW3NisPlpSYBy4gM1x19-iCloX8M4Ld1vk7DQJSmwbwlo6Rr6T6bDzzALLorIiUN7BojO8S60cJa67P5RL8w1PohFwA8nuXlfzKs1VLRjDva3BVxetC8kQEIYjkE6XEC1uZRLoilhfnkQC39ExZnyPy6QwIJVmbA4kU0fZxFlxtXYD_gpObFyFbr-GvJt42JCKm8ZjukaOPWORqwyPyZCpvc2Rxr2JzLM84NDKBPpaMM0Bs9EjTkHoCjS4wxgi62wShzuYS3GAHUZaWlfdLETXoBdUOKnUXbG-kHpq9suzQ-eg6w40PIIo0EL6f9NeQh5dJ_gx6XrfT5bkBj4BuTfEsxcSv4mtBRfIUcKkY4zxHJbQoxkEg9u9F56jXa7OLx9JLTXgScn1799h956dUt5hZvIChgJz-OZ2QOn32AMqNLn_osBmII7SD24KadHZoyfVocXqoMewy7D9ncha2G-Q6qmE5zAmIeM13bS9sEYRCd9EfE2jijXz4dsvkFScfccXdBc8vUh5ro1M02HVZ5F5zpEk0iSFgyV2elwRAIcdAuiFL6NaBPMKz2LLcXrXCmw=w1689-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Behold perfect execution of the parade wave</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lxNONIQSzLFjHK0ebnvnyhlvNLmsiuWvHUtcUMnnYL3BmPrTUrI58V40niNZMfEqYirw8VCprU6xMwEAZ4pTk7P-9A1q99avhWP8a1a307XqGbJE7iuBtahWCz4ZGxUEsNnfOjxuspLsgySU2mMRYLfxtux9odFvfBXRCkUVnH8rJmy8SNnWG_EF2E8v_MwvB6fKR-T8iEkXf54OErfx4Pz391G9pdm0PJxE4wA7FpN6MAGO3smVqFcjLA8xBIhhg2E9LF0Cgd6Dl3Fjy5ZRltx9d0TzQBA7Odl3oVchmN_5nFxEIbe4DvvUMpGlp73fdVtSPK4vI1Oet6rlc6c6NgASwSeWlyW4TJovtYpe6ECqqkHKe9b3wVvaiZUVxBcRlrbB6K-zRezTZtZ7sEU1Zi9VhsztsENMyIOZkB4zQkN5u-djMeYvHE5PS7h3YhmpqsMUnPwkzsxoM3kdiTs4X6RgroVG8OLRkdzoxB0E7yjQSb-nQpmzVl9wpkRs2JC0cDYNe4nj4d4MZ-1x4uOfUgJFuqq_6GCgzYoZynXmMuqU_VGLT7-qU6848MeJeLJpDr1VcXsu5nkqjF-J6X1ytrI1zrSufSVFlLfWLBbNIVOmnvA=w831-h623-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm told that I show well...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We spent a lot of time in and around Campus Martius this summer.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ywVnnFOJy4A7xn0DcX3BroXlz1kGup5bYKftgF3UBB_n2Rop-WvpR4r1cZrg-gdpYzd7tbIOHhrqyMvjH1-e_Hh383v6nJGfHerYKG88ASHec2AUinpphQbtvZ9pdZ6TUDAyMO8ePgIH4TeOhQSPzEtC1V2J5nww5sOh4f22whE6KjjTyxCdmBLC5Bo7967_efJeo3hSmdIYdvto_7E4k6p7CexkeHsr2YvfhU5ymBBrHum1sD8zfvTPVX1Oxcd_RleusY3wtDmfM5_6djWs3oVv3MpdJ1CGjZ2J_XBPfv4ZGWUJrTQL1aTwwxSfrv4Ulhbeww6nd-JWopRetoAZ3PeiEQe40rohhSZXnZuttg1BN7_z4QAnRe_MGpdcRYagz-aOY25LSy6JjNHlDWCqGOWDkI7bt8Ib-0Mo9KUNUTIgFsuXI5la48_ltIqou8uWTFz1sGz-mMFSF32PI96XVJurcFQKHhEZLeR_gUDpd746-i01JE8c25vQ2d4TdIPBYykgJnm1oRls1u7ZhnVriefGituJ80iuVizEdhNJhX4a9jsaaajSWz8TI5gCyXczICgWREn5K4OwS3TZ0BjgiAqjR_H9ZNRkn5jAk92ui4WExYk=w831-h623-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what we call "foreshadowing"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We got to celebrate Stephanie's birthday and the birth of our nation at the same time:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/G-e7xkLtMNWkMYsIMpd8LXR2ODEgRtvs-ZyWjaCK64BG651VuzvdYnHxanM6SjbHcaG4lMHyhYtfCCLCvJoUIaqXa6EQrtNoWKywa-wLIMZ1yG9Cvhh_nPVce6SrQQU3p0KF67dNs0HAR3DNLpZgJRoxFEgHjRQpNAkmZynJWApVwgj1deXEcskXzKuu_x5JinQHiOnLQRlKhCmm4Oar1Kzp7e4Ag6tBlugR0iuZzYvVQQ-sYFKEQJhj0C3OqXTH5e7q_qan0CfQJRiPVpNFIlGZt4KYvN-XCvj8XGtCYsh3AwYKIyupNcR9zXqCVhgJMrOE9MfvQhSudDfUtFNb2QyoKuR9pigVCYOERhoko5B_vQTKMUITdAEu94LAUj0TDeWIp_AKQZ9xOo7R7d5bOr9TPze72kTQf_WQVZP4BVH4c_hCy12o1y4zwVPfi-4c9uCDOfDoWKpGbR9YFzJZjh_7fq7NhuYpI_YJKeEYS46drYqDOJcQfc2gJHAwOa4bqN153Fiotf7wbqcseFakpHQZWhUaTe6QHsgGaAfGaB5aYLV1MGIZTyZL7ckbiB0S0NWojgrPBjQSXKWFo0ugSYA4394nrJ3HBEXhiLhVPS7H4jg=w831-h623-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Birthday!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The end of July marked Maker Faire, and I got to go spend time with my former colleagues at The Henry Ford.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image may contain: 1 person, standing" height="400" src="https://scontent.fdtw1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13680846_10154418093358685_1401243224215929498_n.jpg?oh=23a478930067e6d5c82102e5134c37c4&oe=58D65965" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="225" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first piece of my Iron Man armor in testing...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Insane Inflatable 5k didn't claim either of us, but I did watch one poor woman totally break her leg. Who knew adult bounce houses were so dangerous.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="224" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XAgdOLVSHUoEGrMjk_VmKxZu1DXDLAiQ2YjPBL1lmktgqs-pgpkHnwGQVWnULBj51d0MIjd199XrsyBfkVRgYMwRfYRcXWB_B-XAoQ9wvPvZ2D2JygbgGLz1lZXkU8uiWOf61j0mV57vATs_uAg9aqAuhmicjoKDIlJX-ex4zCZL9mX_Ft7Pa6f1-0FSEfvJbICr7R2Uay4rRC9-s5uF0gW1wYbkNXYXVVbiQFployko-m7v0Cd4hT5Hjv0TiVQyMrP3nD-Kg2NYCrWBPkr9a9O00M6mILd4Mtr9dE13G0wLyJIt576fjQr_gFMgyeoo7gYHmcsirsxMvyQ0I6cdreVF1sEB8imLYa8DFU2pGH3f8FD_KQoi7Z8TuQ1y3VyJ74nAtnJ5OGjqhVJthJq2kbquAeqdt1QKzM_4DIoZd8z7iZ3CU10uMda--GITzsMNH9Kvy4kjLuvbMOWVYrKsT1uCH902drJgp2fePTdQIqySbT1ZBOwSNdt3trmiv8JdALy6hhPElo3ScS-C3NIC0oK5uIbiujrxajup0NAXOO8ndzeXxiJY_Cb4yIRwNZoJQvQKOdWnc-fVA4_BAH-Y4S-0S9Y62As9d9QsheGYvqi5Qfk=w1108-h623-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Behind us is the obstacle they ended up removing because of the danger it posed. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ajC0WN_bD0nUVFnORbIg5aCEhJxaEIdzJUWpcmwTx6vKURRMngN8683zddTGDggIsVQprxn4Hw=w720-h863-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="333" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seen here without a broken leg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Aunt Vita came up and we got almost all of the cousins into one picture. Only Ashley was missing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image may contain: 10 people, people smiling, people standing" height="270" src="https://scontent.fdtw1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13876495_10154416874593685_4211890944882495460_n.jpg?oh=dc83531fd6ace67a3da00033112ad295&oe=58E9B2D4" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashley! Where are you?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I got to hang with Dino quite a bit this year. This is at his little brother Teddy's baptism. He has started calling me Uncle Eric, which just makes me giddy. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="225" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xTStYQCSsiWL6OdAvnOdRCwgL3-bi6QCKv2jsABJZMZYjg9I68DftrgA_iZM99X7-FBaUlXVSXt0N6g1aWc6vDn1set8PWt5fYN5IUtzL-IKC8kE-l6IIw7aPOqLOOBWRJfIPNGpE4pliLGoXjfEJhNpsTmnpcqXtI9a4TP8MQ-RnbVZlMzV090PEryjCQXuJsY78o6twdnbDniadrjxeFAZko_Jld0y2SbL9zma5KytUYYGgBBesTV4eEGkvx1I5WAer8mMHnhtEg_-T0rKvgd7XGTWsw1N_HhidI9mku-MxB4NMPiAhMYYRIoFBRQifa7_mgQRMlMcQNAzXdDXADno348RtJRtLppylW4tzHL6KmdTdRKOGkzzJmXWiIgW0cc1J-n6ShRfaYps-GF-59Q1anjbmSm45JnM9eijTb9lNFYF_eFyH3TATcS0QBNeNJfa3K6iVMVN-J3JhKuxjfWWJgJINSc-Oh3r8SdHtjjyhSMqw4BeeBqX4iNJvG0BUePdkPx1t9kQFX-iPwwKzrXI72UANZsalm_gfBse-GsTG9biDfQ45E5o4yQhdUf3dSg0XM4VR5GLt04sfl5cBnwlOLxk0MYZmQCpCS9rx3w=w389-h219-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's my buddy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At some point "My new job", just became "my job", and we continued to thrive, working with some of the smartest people I know.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OiEZbqlXgDJRS9ozDKcmBbj6oVbaz-krl7jWrOjsJpu5rfl4GdEP263N0OnZIPVA9QZRLWpNc-bJ_kmChVzVDkIVt-PBvrdbUj82s5JASC40gXlbGQJhZwwejj_3HQHlQ3GeykqvIbVhNtTQwIm2oBdB7qmbLhPHyET97GNDb_DW7odFzXAwJiSkgsSYXwXwCIrymNsxJV0pa_M5o8NfQS1f4AijNP4OFJS2gR7j-AWN4hZ59MIGE8Ey0gt1OXhObQeq0ekjzDct0wVIvi94OXXGfkdpq5lwGFXQalDUxdp16srQgDp_j5oRGvCm__7jELUpHLZeGFqS7X7Ud7Q8L-yxRLr7dgS8qaSqD49t3IoOsOdeOnqWLIKWE_nXtjqLaOq-tEYd-04ye-L39YvqO3v6oaVM5zq5IHPqLjljaVrd2WHIuoc9RcYG4RpiouM212qLn1GZrPJxk7Xdsdg1Wc9ctDt_zSahYaUNVHuNnNNGu4aFc7O2_rY4fpdfOCoynk0_m4_REbj6q062Eo8p3eQu6ksiIQ5sAcqYhWwUTJXGqXsRtdrAYznTLCCc9fBxrXIidoK8JjWt9suIy5_3Bz53oX9vFD_DEhtegwBR5ln7eVo=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Probably capturing a moment where a very good idea was had</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Then the important stuff started happening...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I took Stephanie for a bike ride on Belle Isle...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="224" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/l5Vaia2PC5RKFim-Vtn3tUlikb1UTTK_Hnwgx2RZHZVFz0oezQkNwmyNHw-iIobjiVe2F9hX7mO8rH8_Hhn99figXwvnjqfXbgu_tBrmuS3dYMqihczQ0CjUKq24ZOYvIA4QhzZaDjcIN_lkkRPSoUZa3ZmF5W-xxqRLzRGm1eac7Zhd6dZAMs8aOdWCT89b9f8-FtlMKMV0fSFMbxifJ2kp6jh-YSWFg1ct0m1Dsf497Rv_PclfcPbo_Fu2Xsssmmalt469YSM5_7caxSka2CI4my-6kMlH7R5Y0Mwfvw51ULTlNbJ2vg17G2ZpmXYjpEiKuWEU93vFghIwpV6QWk1KWeVLOEI3Oejpg5yOZou7qD8EbA_F0-L63ThU2NKFmGnAGDHPObfHieOAAI6o5-IUhAK6aM5uFM_oa6SXJ8pfEmZS9wEhxZnnxawumXlHNt16rS20S6_y10_Ufad7s7qIqFxuDexdGXMatgy7P57cK6ScE91rvXlZCaG7_rIdJCRNpr8HSyqOSf5tKW1p_JnYMCh5GNKc7_nIQBogPdvTgmRjkk2nVTuiEjKQrnlDbhcQPkK5tfrUWliaFoN9nnveAY2BwyS5xZx8C65_7M7BQU4=w1689-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Renaissance, indeed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Later that evening, we returned downtown for drinks and dinner. After a stop in at The Keep, as we strolled through Campus Martius on the way to Roast for dinner, I asked Stephanie to marry me, and she said yes.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="224" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2WtgB42b-Rfy1jmrd4JvOL_rHlX2mqlOmVszHwL6_AGrhH50980AwTX1FnSkPqh6HrgPANoRtKBFrBXJ-426ZmVq6GmaamExqQz_vtELR4Jbt_LSobMajHBZzbPjhehL-LrJAr_NF7Adg4NtXJPpg82wDfdZVDq1Acg9-LkAQdk_BgT7pbDAsyTLZHvrQp7sIrzN8EKLvgZ5mcQz6WzzwITlD7a4Q1Q9wqBQyLjwXzXPqeQt4LERzytHX7gvYZc3t5-G-xpqBKtVuUwe6Xq8eWSFRCWzQ8TBMO9ClhkgfSzVIAeXZEXp8jxGW0YAGRONc64iZSZsBKyLsKeCaRQxU6-uD6b-3uz6JluXsskCacdi5qC2_18FGm4gQxwdDjSiNiCGSY2-TIoOe6cpL3LDwbRVqAHyQe-nSEWxA2PPdfN2ZzX998pkEMXF6_GdLU8aaTBC8j2P0cvNGZCb5J3W_AC-k43oeQ8t750moEnH-DZCufp8t0QSC0nYUOHWQymH04ooiCWO2DCq7mbmqXPxrT48yPglrI1k3XqFfycj0hDGT6h8s51LRyktX8btlTW5Q3anM_ncZyAZeWCTs2rkUHOUFrIXBjFpjEGuYUVVAAiefRs=w1689-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He did NOT go to Jared</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
<div>
We told only a few close family and friends, to keep the phones from blowing up, and spent the rest of the night on the town. Henceforth in this post she will be referred to as "My fiancee, Stephanie," and no longer "My girlfriend, Stephanie".</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/df9odt-mjd_ndb2i4s2bu4_5eQZOokKse-x9cjoDTS38lDJawK2iI6TyXr0tPdN5xZCCrnYXWMV4QR2QwGEaPoJ4uw6JjV0s41eona8CuYb4AtTjRXP61e-hIR1LlCgRhfNh8imSm8xnT5nPwuZVsfMDWEOQFN6hAaU7AqTIPZYovSuVy2Y0IIeKq9FnvFH-F3YU_y6Mxaqx-N9OeoxPCsqjuwTkEmmCnZfTlEC68JbxI9zOpuqEpztzfSxoehe3UAwzZWLlHtfJLu8vNvmecEeX_tQFZpCHuxMALy5lirPUewGMpvVIv4Q-8p1vI3X2d7XcV2KVL8zbZUUo4hb3ncNhZ43YiDBxJCog6Xh02sBIbLdq5fFYFqHTRWBbFBkIbukk_nSiax5DAhFNAa_THMCr01xDgbia077h0sadqwATdw_gcfFlTo2Nb-WhCGVH1-RRSGnXzb57NkqZYQ5A4_v2JLxA3bAyK_13UgjKOj1-xRHp0N2Z-zV0e5lwO5QiliTxP0qYbCeFiVmdFHUpjrbIsI3Zu1zpQ66wLr1sGMJPZ6RQNxFN0Zc0b2gS5BklIroAWt_7h4Xsa4TvJxcYu_vOiiTFiJKlaDj5F6XbI9OKVOw=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're not leaving Greektown until we get something from Astoria</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The first thing I did? Get a new ride, which one friend suggests "Now that looks like a vehicle a man could put a carseat in". </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/USol9wStci8A_b66GTFoWQifcDvoUYmvhpdBQPX_zYlfg__aDsPi7DU2t40RSHSB_j9d9eNg9792QnMQYlCbzRdOXohanXkwKbDx3i67aFCTFhcCdGXCY2rDQgxkjVJ06yf25g7GWutZyirsLWXy700SlyKeM0OZe9YaBjy8k4Olwdopq5YE5a1HcHJkVZoui6osPlQE6JKZlBZyYeUtubUGB6OQxxrZnvJyprUCKUw0PSqc1PLX4_rxq79aDPR6BNe_JZtJGNoouTPI2xuIEuY1y1LP5XevpUU48QTJhVKbUFLXsq_W4udmJgahUmJeYMDsWDIucgZ0RI9laFHcci8z90g9bjwxrHXWLVnFzAFmrhkg-Ngrj7ogfdfXLkc5vV1897RF9nTYtMUg51KE-BkPlo0HQJ8DtOdfq6L05cdf79gphNh7qi6bMdM7n4Da4fVIiW5gq2DTGsjbFG3n4jnUI74g3cTyB4lnHyJO0_6aJjaMDBxge4cll6xap0BR71kQlJAH9ttuaJ0UwO2bXy9xiFfJmqssiBPtFs2MMX2J2S9aeDi6ZLBnEYZEqMGRFc-vzThOJZhBku-y-IbmKaLX13zx58Y6hlhtgFtQMV5M_OI=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relax about the carseats, we've only been engaged 5 days</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />We took the Jeep on a little road trip. I can be seen here celebrating with a very tiny bottle of champagne:<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zVbSBqqr_vOmancsWp_-N6MPmCAG7w679tcI2sXMu859CvBfDbamSOAU9EQTuNz28LdHUaxzW0zqBAObfFOB2NFKUY1eRVlJ-oULM0usb2ZNod88wMoJm0LktVrWKwNMG14cRyTkpes7lGiSVITsA9j6vqpH7IEznCUqV3V75rg74nbDE1qk0SFvRPqS9pox-lItlES4N59buPAZV3QPy2i2I1xLaB3b-k4JcLo0z19wCifsEVXzC4I6yDdR82X9RWxTxZsNfmpCj_sf6lSCYGcIbm_a4WphsnS0Rds9Yb4tvreJo7p0dLUuDUTTePP4VyiozYCyN2YNIh3mNRLMcO1za64KBhMdt6eDizxjTSX3pB0ufKOk8gpIwi6tEO3fTDXWRx5csxXb3Opkkpyp6mPadSe3c5d1zRbYy-dCUJ5-23_5XFBiHhe7ho0T-cMbFtytyC8rwgWAQbLm0cSQ6RVOKh5FGj-xguQWTwETNiE7_lO3cGPKtTeIrAF4iGQ6iWueef42C_rAaF7BHE7O80SnekdJXGoJFwiNQaK-GmEJur8dbMi1fvribGFA4QtP1_Q-roj3RU4qQDyDKx4xxJF3SuH_9qH-tn2IG1k0oevIx7g=w593-h731-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="324" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Or perhaps I am a giant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /><br />After the engagement, Stephanie's father asked us to gather both families for dinner in order to celebrate. It was perhaps one of the happiest moments of my life so far.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="325" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/powQl72kf4PJB9923ZkKoJjOWG0c3o8t_-hWFSoxkIO5ZqfkvB-k6HtPulTgkGAy9nV6mia6T0JNzQw_cJGAyVuTCvTXPh6waE5aYcnXjipjuTBfanHBvREMdXsrIl8qWc3WretKejI_i0JyLRFBfK3gyL8QJqyyY-aRWe0LyEcThY5YM8Ak4KRkM9zH7PnOeuJzNmNe87h2ItfjMlhecN-oipcxeDO7y1dbD9bWyw8hStGdI9_N5Ftm3evQAK5PNeSBogW102hvuYipSpub3XgcTifAXKHR2E5tidSFmvMgwyh4c9ACd7g5xomHezPClp1CcsB6Z5l-OMI0Q5VIYJq1KMYIzvbKT54AjCYUpN1EJ7XwWYKd7oU2Ik70o66rXqr0H_N8HOpkEFesT-xLTFMI2JAn-BGOVvqnHqsQpCC2wZzgZLQ-cDs7O_No9M8wQBh9F_UndFZiHKPQ3JtGGjSIai7eRRyFWf-oXl94w07pd1mlrQhtMyJoirC8kyzWDqMauMt94tQjkGmP2qhv9JP3PHZtxpRe548chADsiJbeB8dPsiGNoeXmUNQjdD6FXnYldeas5ePdZaXcxfzBNeCT-gB78CILste6-beHLdEzm54=w640-h520-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad, Ed; Stephanie's dad, Teddy; and myself</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/NUzXH13Co30Ippdg5tM4qgb61F_G4CnHwXfxd8D59xk_QLE42logqXR6ren7TRStg9f2QRXcketyku7G3VSuDEALiFiVW7lBdpmQztH_gCfSr28noBAYB-WohpIYsAc4jwyuHIi9q_c_6OCu9QAcGyTkBcjaeLBzJct5VWHHtHq7OjfPw1PEJlY5rlYCWBqvqYQrqYFiCvMngQ0VZ_bzM0D06IoD-htduoEcTR3xau3XMMj_pC4SN6D2aDtln0RJTI2c9PrmCTP_wkt2O5jc8WV7KLf0ADaErDNdvo6GmWbfnDp-_Mp64CgCW2dKeUmdhTBGsYSlR_eCIXPtfVN823tmxiTpLHuckOiSdygHI6tSV11uBMEYTQ7t1fT7yLHuCpUQFvGIPR_BXx9wZhQoTxd92squuOcJwI7XivCZ0WirxDF2M-493M2Oqn7vxv0wsytFyuw6GO_uNil_euk6ayiOuOyVz4FdVZQFBJ4gw3ZzG5-JHGSCZuVf7nIA7ezRQKrPVw7HJ5ttdYY9R6yPS-8U64omBBmakgSDFsJu48PUKUrCqhM44tiFxq0UbA9VsvIFKfOvwCyCGawhsR0cVKr0TGRGOjQ5cDsFSLrwNCg16o8=s640-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom, and soon to be mother-in-law. They could be sisters.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/RQXI976t9t2ecGFze9RWaKdZxl-zicQ14UbxFtfO6guHObDQflR3XzZt2b3ZnzTrNmbFSLfzFx8zBHqr_qQh_SLfNl_LcdItrVjg0EqMT3MR2gTN0ZJQtinzRMokiHWd-Fmt2a75Ta0noS8mMSQGjxVk463fadJnoDXwpRTQnBFp_cLr5dVILB7BzIo3JHhY8oEcz9NisfAYCL0auird4reF4d0iz2c1o3L19A_IxumeD52JP40G8B0D3QlJFjFeWDyGeJaPXUw5zpFg6lKqPp5-bwv4RHqL9XV3oeUrb80sCRaVjNZK6qMlWFOag5yabSWxAupRDgdQ2bA2LrwVo1etL-YtUffzQkc9Bba0IYjvd9-BuV5YJ2rXwLmcPlqjT8WElPrL8ae2DqeNcBq6obiUQ14k1hfHJBTwys44rX_5TV_7ekXFd7JBZG34zX03Zuyj_CdG_h9BZI_t2HEd-8d28W0z2sCZIV7w-F24PCLnPsZKguX3y9hxBNneytPhDNruUYP3yA1Gt0nW2YtlJ1HhRScCUsq040vIlKUQAuEFHPS1mqyf1nW8NnuGwwMaY3ir5TweThao8oQ3xCLtePbj5SKT5-kAOjz2MvLhHH6OJZg=w1268-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Stephanie, and her grandmother and God-parents</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="266" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/s3DngrtDbU28W2aLXxdw7gVqjC-sl6NyLVhWYoGoBnKBeBu74vaq87PQNFqjT_Y0E472XAi1Wc-VsWQWw6urmRVCx1x71ceDjFlf-D5yVOUMkdtptnlWsNP7hORzd3FwH4cgAmsC3IatEj-M4a_bUZOks9SJxC3wvCFGDLQNDKU9L09-d0cNJ_vmvMWkqANIAAImbO19ei-i0XRmzr9xNN2vkFBnRP8NKKxlXci4Yocele_nY90MXPb7XjYiV4ef7RNG140ZE4SXTGA066Ju4Y8qvU_iV2N3LT7FA30Opw-efNUmeSeIdc28RX4EfYeSDEtE3ahUIl2jl5gTwVPbF9EQS8UPLWTkX-L5KxkJnlWwQf9WL7K5QndqL_tDKeKPt29qJdh4140UPi-2PevKy2NBehkNKZJVG_LG954Tzhu7-YpB_lY03YBcZjHPuhvKHlJqkHm5ySmPCS_oc4a2e0zwOreViV6hC_O4UnDfC4wUYeVUVpyvRm6RqVLZ7CQXq1b-O2SRuSqfwcBqn9eu3-0OabWBhkkOJEf9agVoV9BKluml8N0e7My96EJVFnRBWju3jdeQ9tFRcSM-7_5G7epZsVgGVf8ji_qPLm6YFkBA1-A=w960-h640-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lisa and Dad, Me, and Ted</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br /><br />
We scouted some locations for the wedding, and settled on my former place of work, The Henry Ford.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/EQ2sER5yVIUZpRzUXru7Lxf28m1G6sF7tyJYIPh_yikmDpbgR79KQB-ZQGIp2FrdCOWuNx_GutaH0Z4chg25MPtvJOvgIhbG_wQVQLJurUXZbAMqrKwRM-HiZUsbG20QnCYAL_KpCthMj977Q7yHlUkrCKffOpFh09isH-CgoyViJ1bMIaqvMIUO-N2JyKe8JXe78f8aNtkesIEGd3B8EC7-NSxkaSEPsiFd8QAuMYOWv49xAXMM09m0mm_3CkFkBu4jObMooAgKfU_f2-ERuS2L2zkxiyu11I3oa3u16ZtrFPAFOppaViWe_5NSOBs8mXbLU1PJ80NsTWZ0TvmfjxHpkDef1-i8_pL7SaAsZ9Skc9vT3I0IRs7HEjf129JG_1HsEO3lot508ChAQmtOm6qh6uFmKEc_EDjSj37xZ3M2PbnJjuxqDCc8bMBRMcyeCqV2io17jvw-3o0NeP_WbIIq9tgTVnIcYkXX-qurm4tu3NSYMmHQ8IXB9Byc4_AgBWypHsEuEo1k4wDfOQMF6e6MfvL61jQZZEvBbvUkjdz1CLwYJoy9m5xD7E_ykj1y4MQUlgwYwnoEpqDCavscg1EsdLJEFLZ3db0VqgdOwk0=w640-h480-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovett Hall, people. Not under the DC-3</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
September arrives, and brings with it the fall harvest from the garden:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="238" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lcrF-79JEl2l9EmUJW3h5tVaFLPOEwviacMjX63WTxySqtygd6N9NMoC8dY88CBStydIjUQ3QGq0Qz98dOvBCvZCFCphdcfy5uRw4ihPAUhl5hE1H23QcldXxQ8o2oxHkjqGsR4kowynQowvcN7mhEpVug2mtNpvz94e8z23mHWcCv0C4BVSEecHS7k4JqxJn_F-legBzZUGykAChV9FqaTk1nPdBs7Zua4-j8W7Sz5xInElI2Gai2hg1MuKyWXfLcDD6WGa351y0kBVaKbvkSCXNwVVJkd-KaaK9Se_4FGGERzoYZgalea_V3LeWA_rzPKAEtQN_xJBAuke0sjfnFi8ZCdKovMH-7Z24IF77kT7pOAU_13ZjFQFQB3pH4GAMaJlKwe8rmOg7Wmndg0ihI-g-MvC54pP1Izdg-ujUE7Fh_EOpR9rDVqdzmK0XPBX4YBU3077nT1Ug5KqbTcSJdXCa9X0p0uj3Ju6MMIMav0wulE-xLqNWzUnL5j0VK8iLTpfQZszTGUYI2iMLauYkijghRIg8mYR2IW98_RRnbxwv9sAFbWwo8dy1-oUDuQ69R0B-RWELVtWajjrIHR6aek_6Z-Fb-uRqnMxeCXXkRJLL4U=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is all basil. Pesto time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="239" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/APdujAnSo1EuIsG8tzOriE87GkQDGVjjUv6NR9IJgGwL1gQ1XH5JcM7oYgANQ_I2gCd_MA_kI2tGlwcL9qeykejxgPuTecaRTC_LA7M97PAarwvxYyli8mgb1yekq5JOuEJ00kBGPKbwXMRPe6yKF7m8W3Wyrjhh03e_oAoM_jZOUE65qdKLR_b5ioBxTlHVWiFttGSpw4888MN69mL6fKdDavmjc4F1B5NtwKp8aBaG3a4JRRTl_jhQyUvIMZxrtZQzAZcW8e8kGWc2ohZCJcD-IOV8NCM-HNwMtV29DRvaDNVyydfE0iSHsBPz4CZKpXGbyE4C5Ti1imiy2shdWQfB5HyDFqTTzuPQhLf4T9S1S8RZJTh15x8mRY0MGy1ZN06WTHy-ayN-yFYZZDDHMLSzg7dzTewdswYmy0c7hS2k10VuOYewtzm2_TfGCQMi3v-_Qs4jCo-qtR0_Lcer2v9UJN5qNYq4z2_9ivPwbgkAh24jb8rsvLyxsCzZmE_1kSDlKj-aaIvzvYeyH7oD84XBycWPU1M8AVHuDr-tKb9CLbcpI4dQm8VXNTOZTpIGiUnBT58TI0_gsI45E7Dx5XuKMUURRm9lMOoQ8sUv3zc=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roma Tomatoes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="239" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/DGo1DwODFQcopDnXaTqWb8DWswkF0ig8_8gbrWLppojxfBUXC7cW7r2EHlkAx5f0mun0zdSxMYimI2FvO-jjwEK62p7xRlR0ikcd59Uhk7WggDVkr1p8T7or0PXb_edHIcJnc4mV1X6lEDkeS5LZdK1b6s3qnBBO3g-J1TV24lrTyaxD7SjasxKB8cE2xibxs02r3RgON-CluWBrOW5KCXRN7FrPEJtoHJVv4zJ2MGqbZE0Aky4hqHBB8CUFB-mf48gC_REPnSa8Vfhbqlwk1kQsgb9fIqb9WHluPt2NzEmQVRJu7i-YGYimJfsyc0kf-gZZKVLMAn2DU7g34pPWWDeTk4i4gonkw_FcRxQuqIvdzoSCUbDxT6ntx8uqHyNpGk39LF-ZRCEK1MdonC2ht2FU_8aM_HYQL1pGqAJug7CkEIrd0aoKybdBFmxWkZRgotBuURR9F0eTiONtFj8eVaHNi7dV2t4jAWnKZUJrARkK4X-AB5DZZf8wpPnvswPwmXY2hp64PyyAL3A2AaHu8Eff0iDk_OnZH5T0ayOS78JhoI5l5zfeQmTTu5PAPTM1TlR1KpMVwywS_siFTXP8DVzbnoeZfPrQdOMIsWFpLwU8Yuo=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cucumber and sweet hungarian peppers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Things are moving fast now that I'm engaged. I begin the work of prepping the house I've lived in for 15 years for sale.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/UWXyupL77ea3mfVXkmTOyTP7AqwjBHqAKRGaeQOIJPSoYGCJBtXmUIDAGCzUCFeQEJ1YiArf9ouf9Qe7ztl7HLJYytI6icmT1Wib97uFE05wb35PySrK5bt7GSc4vbR0WNpGerXwG5QJ7JdtUVC9dM6O9oRAZAi59qu2MjcHEeuS7cherrghoMxVd9Zd8GKhmK1nqF1-EZPt4FNJbt6oUUNvvAqMbkX1jyRBULV3jjzF23tSOXQnW210Llntmnw8SLNixCmLHCsSlDfJ0JJIp15LwRi0a489zJHwCJLjPyK-fzL3R00cyKoS0SJpVjLDTQVYWXraJlCBtqgc20RQLFjnNV9ag-wP4VrwykLGI2of73zMXgrMJeTLXQJ4IeKSC8_t6EGnKFZaU7ionobNP-vvADHEGyWiJaZWZEU8SxCqyWx3SqhvDLbcbKZ97hQrmkblNg25Fd5y-csIj-w0n-3UjEMti1BtitzQCaHBXD8BKVNFFUOtmSZ1u7xMYefk6O_DsjjUVrxLuDsSAuPY290dYIJF_rdp5HQGP851DYhsMTREpXyPCdlsxz0Rk08Hts5aLMFKgarfvxJeNowSF4jy9c5OQcGW9_0FVZcwKFY3tzA=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Let the Purge begin!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uLKb2ELX72BUzzUkpJiSPthWekIpMwzd7oh094lzab0xP1ZwNHiB6_sxKN9bdsz6JtkW2yYNN10mztD5aJEOPaSIc4N9YAOCdJBscI0BHTG1tyh4kBYhekCmWRfyBErdcsTt6bvXo9LKHvFRLr_zbCROYsEbFhMU_-WpGXqXRP7w_mLtWdJKLjHchlGrcn1nu1e5aa8TnvxaGZDLbybtE0mSoZUUm4u0s3jjzmeVLteiJ6rYdpLOK18S5R_GlgWl5Lh3s_uUaPKI7RW16poSaI1gomczuFXpvHDrveolxo5G0EaGKZ6hpti7qno_sp2trbtDFbVzapL7Wy1sr7QH5DrA3z-CiiqF9Qqa22RO2Cf1SPSnqX-an5G4lv7aW0tVklDdH4-6bN00WDoWOrNXgpxuC8i4WaREYnKutursTArCfb3Bb2mxoG7A_n8m8-qO4IlO5sT3ns5PgFFKrNEEt9Zxsw0NKDY1u4ItaZAognIrDeNwwT9Jpuaez1YGH1GXCa44eE6CsVgw5VL3sljPxo5nDsL0w7mOLJrWBPUavmNtPuUyeFSA_LkBM23B7IF36zfUl-k8GSck0Z9mS-LH8gI3C2zUEOae8Gpv8fF29Icl4mw=w526-h701-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No ladder needed for ceiling paint</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
Stephanie and I met up with my old friend Eileen to run a 5k sponsored by the Atwater Brewery downtown.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><img height="179" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/PKwWYcIXTCAZil-3b_R5euK72hHhEAYqFhmBDq-1TG3FB4Yhz30oFqcIlXZf3oySsp-styrsPFEpnOfyLd5NoadTD2KnuIjmx2lYEhmjuJ2zQ0vYrHjTgCDuH4JFIIzXa5Ay9NAP0lwrYK0pyiiKIAVh8TkBZJ9gDVTtUe8877-DhvCbRaCuRYs4Iqr8GPvlj0hYsyLbkGF0EJRzyvZAuqlBCzVsP6X7_p1QAPJmBGQDunvyDsnrHWDPqnY-Zedsohc1tOTkHp_1xWBz-hMZjDPMj-wLRN7F9l-Izs2e313FWtU2HeQj3wWeX6gKUlI-b6QcQLcOrXUQeM0RZVL9B84isDgp5u02qNyqxS7q0_LbevkWKdF3z-j_vDuOkYE__xGS7Ya6wQlKD4cwUD2QjaHxWsYwUT_yQgTRl9M2T2cx1DBJw7qydNYyuZupVsx7YnBtIaF8PykU8_HonRqCNnfYl9frpzmWz9mcE11UdY6kR2cgIDew2U6xLe7_vK1Mo-wokQLpb7X7d2JNHJv_NIVLQqsqCEPfNVLdakJ33b4uIOnKcVMJ4nryIhZEKgy-kIdz-OWgqEf8spR7ezsXSTMliETR5nxX_oqG-L7sXua01aI=w1689-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">This is clearly BEFORE the race</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><img height="239" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OCY-Nxs7wjlcNE1J1dIoT2XoD2gggVhp79T56UbeBBvzoEVniY7JK8cnaXqu2y3M762iFqBAOvAC7SjGQyj7cOYTkLps_ylsKgXvpZgOY-VIGNBaFS7y4OPlFB6eXjwJNIj60JgkFc3Jvm8sHB1Ga6Du-cziHoudH0HebA9rvocGtl4z_U3QFmRdl1pY1q_-0dILP0rJkRuAnntIdf16hQLLlvexWymhIBNANkLgZX7hLrsHFM-ffqx2f56DCZH6w38rvYOXWRC-lbSqICkkISC9bOnTFcGFqVgsBCT-cWS_CtD1MBdrqA6GzalrHD0ZnP1BZh-HTWmIv_zw6OBdn_uKzpuiLaZKyqDRuewcI3cPQGd9cxUGBYu43sbcqyfFtDRgqKnZ9ElhYoMAxzuH-nMcWh0d6yqDla6nNhUbBy0qjREVOaT8IVRam16r9BFuEOdtESej2B3tQGZxWxdFesjPBIgvKBhDeck0ny4nsI5hlmZAOGqIL6PMgcghgyiob1IiO2xvwmR5ulzhYTYmosQRwWJS9b3GOflw-RziulMYGWKUOFYQdFFeiXptD6axILhp86VZmOY6uXzWWvEL1wE-ZNeRD1RTbFKcT_-VxWwtGNI=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">U-S-A! U-S-A! In all fairness, Eileen is usually repping the USA in European races</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/qHU_0eYuWIEfUrivg1abaz-Qyg7p0FTdUqF0p-00jxUTRZcAj4hq4Q60MgsddzzL3BrAB-UfzA1tp6Q0fVmFkx_ksi93cmGdTCND5cmMSbDWUKLxKoOotIvBPKVg-EtHaqTu6XXhwlRWF2Dp4NWEf1RoFS9qNOFupxf0NtgqpYeZ_LytDkHqM6kHwN7cAL4KYc3hlJzfsJeW6SkeepbDOfxjV9cXlkkWXgX7l8r3sJsbZ-PILYU5i7AmNbJsdU3CZDKKyhyHRJbMKhiPqCA95QY7mXanV8cwoFlZ-QeM-JcDzaGN4FobtBca8rAFlfj4dZM9WepWsv46UA0ru0SU-uOO3yRx0b09SF-JSQF8c8ddgpVuTlEVHAngEhkqh8LnPbt5-cTaGyVWo5yv5NGvbVxuxTJn5g4P2oUjoA8IunzLbPjRSDrbeBPXO9oKDWtH-lnqmvNXKXXlc6Nr-FZyN-UQWLED3wuyisntJSKhMIVCmERi5Bgegr7Ab5C7Fq55R6uJd9kxzRraIbJVPvQrrV2GuHFlScL_HWm18uCMjk24YBps_DtqRdsqTI05tctWjIpRxo2eYjjuEN_yytSfptGSWW3VxCZbKUOIxZRYmiPmJ-M=w960-h720-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the race with some dear old friends and professors from Eileen and my days at U of M</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
<br />
<div>
</div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
As autumn approaches, I take some photos of my oasis - my backyard, garden, pool, and patio. I'm not terribly nostalgic by nature, but I do love personal histories. And I want to remember this place.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="239" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SCKN3B0Q61lPwHZHCrNBwC_BRz47xNSYw9KBkN9yVU1JDtpnIfE4t6tEfNfgvqN4F7OloBpCueLJjtUD6jIc7LD2hfj-hMQOtMlGqQhaLcW_8AXiDMQsdBW363XC4P7c74nrlLbA9McLGPXxgVf63-6v2AWqXq_b6tjqTy9NzbcNEQ71Nn6kM37S4useswU5mB74s3_RzjPqVVm54VqNYdEXCiyrN_TTOHN5lmY72Koy_AIPqO5lOEF8UidnASEPQyYq2dw1BmgJ0vm11m3pks1MDrIkY4Qcu33rNi_tS5jOqnJFz-yBQaY9qtwpWIldyzlHYFGH_AFfKAVlOTaR6vnl0ni5kVcbjkCMQitpARRpIi3ICqcg9lTIWKRDqUyAafUuwDKKzPf50kcAku14hJJpEcLcVJPBoZbq4VuQpwoSm1CeV6k6OVUPSnDLQjPvRJ3fKIblVVYVNIRsS1S7KW-2dCe19Q61KCL1pOjb-FFFg9hnfpjl16EXRAEJv955RV_bw0WuTeOqQ1tDZDuZJ9_psZ8syWOet-7dGCRritoFGWYH5ub3draejDkQ2HlXmLS-mzDquDPqQrRkwn97AoQxBoTlv8Q0oAxJxDw7r7N8rys=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of happy summers were spent here</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/grpR4qindwp7qp2f_sME1RGl9MrS-a4B6V9FaBKMZJpClxCWa-OV_kTLOYyETD7YCddRETgPtzkrEmM18lBZjm1-NskmaNZpLFYApReEca3dvBEJMbhGWGH3iTHI3tTQ3My9c2HpZX5-xCiEzJMaU6HDpiLOoSGyXrFEXswOMYMfpmZpTO9JEYQBRinezGTIpMJ7hHmuSttbhGulv3oMK22jo2suO9diMv1YVyRrmjgsNT_nFtpboJk0jd3VmNyHxcqF9--y0qrbmry1LD8n5w7icVO7fKRI49fM5doHQN1l9-29WsQC-FVImiOY6w9ky4ssRDtLyWzmvBK4F8uUWAXjVKBHsp4rEqk2woFs5ZH2BWHkBJVoDs1ZR3vZFCHZj1tTMlgqg0T-BToFHN7irrPXvErX-ITUSMoR8j29MRvtr0psul-jar6pQ4vP7MTIf7Q484d_t8VUUx8chLZrGrGTfUqt5pSM8hAPxTjQMDqva4dWK4091BrEanFF1D6nVQivRVeNKpBD1fdLEwwFg0i11XzEuJ4gMQ3davDeagfo-XP287ryP5-yUsZyuP2FDqbw6Hs2tgTIoLqSHnvo0bKRZziCOvEil1ULFSZlm2uhi3E=w960-h720-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food. Sunshine. Wine. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br /><br />Shaun German got married! And for his bachelor party, we crushed a massive Call of Duty Tournament.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zURY_H6Gw0x9iZGalbyPkQPw_H-pxy_clbHDTxpTV_AGjgs_fiJDW1h6S56qG7-v1vhS5u6ogjftBcWA3lrzN_v1xLUC9LZEDqQKyDVSW5SGgexIZjhSf2me5D8Xe8hlke-9IdQ5wURSpp4AKhAkv3Irtkh3TXdwSIF23ydgtbkJF3zhGSjPVuxrlo1uGM84IWr8SLtX-7uoneg3FwfXgJR_-zEeNCQge3GuFKjc4DS2E3a_939M570TfBYk5l91o589OiVfvZRuE_i_ZIYdlQwGkJJvxnh-fyRb2FpkLTa7s4IsOsPwZq0tmvnvuL_IAW8-r9qweaGtGaecpug4M5kRhgNsK85U0pGsgm1-fnqONyhX5K86XUirPwsRCmKwM4GFyC7PEtvcnO4_CdIR995LZMOwB-M-InfKvsz5AwzfHZt4HPk9dDRyjIYtdKwMH4ilalRDRUYtGriB_K4-JzidsRPSXkjNhsWLEIKKOmKKKvrFTrhI6gEH4R4McnZPBDFsF8t0sbTFcInfTa8gj03x5mz3MoJSt_J_CfLMlpBkYpZ1nrNlynCkBAn8ZeOEx3JvO1bOng_HfM--f3FCLUiFqbiiDwQqY3VHfkuZfR4YaeQ=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was rigged.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Meanwhile, at the Den, the Purge kicks into high gear:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/BxcqfZPg4YmImKhU4yn9xSWs2H79fJLNmVAr6dKJG3QOUMtWRmKge51GvfTs-ZABNbF5GfyHn1XJn_lJyU1tqrNzKxJej-iYJ_Mmb2aSMOdLxu8iSCd63YzyaZZDXDvQvNPj5suZqHuqOktobBOKSTLTRuYeAGjpSPZ8KYM-yMy6ttR7SZ7FXkbTmEVOjx7ZGb7E2TuaEXGxC5t0PKyPqOZlnA_ch8VNvWafeug-xETvHR670U7hu-cT3_FwqDyf5WpZKJPklg8CDzHfvgjCiqIgF4xeHAX2IRjrM1VZtxR7h7GpClfD6RnBcJOuU03S5Pf5tUlsG8btybCrJDOk4W1FugaFpAzmKL9atghu5dhoNaJuxaByeTL7MgT-jyyK4e7gmdAFUtFT5KHjB7L8T8lzztsANK-eVHRfIV_vnA90rxAs7DND4pxn5-MGZnxcu0QTAoqzqCVjp7zJMNuAGpTGmrSf2o1Zii-9MF-FoSFOJz3tb86ZcAKmaS6W1_pN4BGczLDtX4romMP2GNXLlUZfpTxmUjFz2EW6vICM83OqQjB2EUCF2MDtEpg4wUFfzKVhCVdViqsqkAiZ3KncNSxB-GhpkvMA9L6-VBQTXUSFECc=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can throw away your whole house!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We got invited to join Stephanie's Sister and Brother-in-Law at their home. The Road Devils put on one hell of a car show.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="296" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7xh2nyheHqeJf6r0AkVJ2EuOI6BKl_p9xyPGZPWnHbmErSjENCXzoyoeF-NOBdgvj7j9MpMVfw4ta7GS2r4InTHk_UCU5ORPh0JLtVW4SAhDLzL67ObURoYEj9fU3gKD7n7P8-7_myDS6hwZwJColEwgTq89Rerjlibzk5az6LhIAKvwH4gu5dM3mlZKQg9McOQshAd0up9mHaHUI1_9APgiI8rNrpU4t1vJcsaVvm5YIHoALO4GshZ20vByPRW9wzOIEyofBgJBOIJExu3x9mbqVclK8pXEJ-NQNE3OiG9DqOugJ0jk_hBy0Fhw7npXC6ETcIGpnnkRyAv9Gs-8WhpMpU1kkrgHpQIm6ZtmKb8W1HKJtHgeN96JPOKld3bItIbNRw15u62Bu5w4bkeDY1BJc4zheyVmrYk6yJXeN5XvUjaasTeuNfCM4sUY4GphjVWtfyBPMrnf-ihQW2vIKVk7CY-fQ_yKV27fw8MjjG9IOsNxfmSAQkRiUXQiAta5oOb7aJA8xI_p9Z9mgXU1RbVIet1xnRS073mp9GawZCnYwCpFz_LlsimPPOvVsSJg7ZxAeq4lxkmc-NFL-gVGAjK9r18xa8Si47OyRqmKxOAMzLk=w1280-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swing by for a "little gathering"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, Shaun's wedding day arrives. The German family is on the move!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="237" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hp1bx-j3gkQjJJwiKu-ShzhY3P5p2OXtmmzNvqJi6_jXwHbXHQ5YYNZRe6BJHLvdFHTwd2Xh5p6F8poZ7z3c5Eiv2h0rdH_YwqcBfF1T9-QiBeQ6wYYNopHL3Ortbea9ylm7gK8f-AWcj3ErPAHcL4F-RIkIRN3vw460plY4IVsOvMU8xnwdhdJvqjDqpS_XB6eoO3fAS1zPJE1irHrcAkCYTr-mmq2tdMlf7FafZo5xTnxdO3sJA6Pcp0MREwIYW8U3OjfwzHimK9T3piKssX_DZEVdCilBjUQUQ5f-sXQcF5wneTKuO7WBl6-EIYsMUdX_QdfWY7L_q3W7ZBbfw2ybX41_IsUDrskcZQ9COUKTYJAczjj2RyHecEoLGUEGRTPKOn9Jly685c5mPaCs9U42PK1O7X71ilhkq2YN4_yYD70Hn0bgRWF7KV3-8q-TF7xIvgtGWD_DQh_62DMOSPDnAbkbVtlemJqil4MA7uXCy8nzjTYWEEMwiD_75QkExwkgoWsJPhf2TURpNUvh4sR-qLnZOswBLN33mLR_V63GftKFTnpC4Vmf3lcj3wRJypVsf1AHpSyc5EXghvlEvqYpKTxXQe9sYHZ_2BkTylY=w1280-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can dress them up, but you can't take them anywhere.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's October now, so me and the boys at Groundwork0 head off to annual pilgrimage to TEDx Detroit.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hMbYhjrmdk0wqtwWzWtIvtpf55v_jhTPrMGDyhnCBLwa6b25wc3HPcxJanFABNyqyDC3w5ISjn9Ng6GhPF4OoqlUHNeUGR1rzExdTmBBKJ6rcXW5uzetbPgkQxy1ULDvSFUWgusAxPr2ecINupXmPMLt5tV-hXeDZ32DfNcLab343bCGQMWA6-TZob6PbfDJid7g0rbHT9FFTooHM_50IbUEZ1DSFjtlqPLigYTsrH1wktvlkMqI1QZ91Fu8dZ1wesFcsB25y8m8B6raq3QQ-OIiocE_MOiieEBqU7mxYNUNBWZcuHFiGgFVgY9F7dXRuzlq7JXRA7mzqHMRrPRgCfOcGaILvzn5xnUsLz6-Jt0ILTVFIEesk_lD_r_jOGpVU_9DHCu9pcL0arqj-a-pRprxbryMfp9J4X1O-F5q4YHAV1uotmPUQEfj08o0oEP9GToGuqriImTzSdtNrZ0YV6anLADFIZ9t7e6cpHE6o5NBPvcz2lMVT_Bs-ZBLTmOBHU-_azZ6bwoeG-hEf5MBJqk23zFBEeHCL06-5Yr4YoHxKPiJBet28FTIdoPUispOI5TShqhIod-4n9nsZb4U3kc8sV-bzhCCfOKgYUmezJH0c64=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On foot. Because we can.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unseasonably warm weather let us pack up the kayaks on the Jeep and hit the Huron River.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/h32MHTkzTzqrwrZ9sl29i7PVdvFrr4WX9VlQy0pKpj5tljeyGA__M5AORaQ0_xf3Gq_5oW1qoBtkLbxWZXtprrJ-bbzxa6Z2zZMNJrq7RYu0W-MdwvolT_0JGZqwvW6s_BUotHjT_LoJCHkMDV8PZsi0fC0e5l9eq-45bxkWvjMd9A-6XTfvb_SfddB8N_y41SYp2SeHDOEaza4JCZn0Du7fC4wu5ObV_1ZiQetNAcvvMc9_JLNEs4Md2ffFOozWAyd50_-_BZtQs0CIDvvS-NlHFQwpTOPQMeQbAVPynU6snbbrKKjokg00R_AsgVb7bq-FMllzUwJJgmGbWpngQOg1N7uw6zyrdhlJ-TMW5YWA2Qn7MUTJMamSdEkzU6JIk3MaIwJvjF3omzx5CpoJLkkIvtDXtvGvv5rev3axcWXdiDTkxSAy1DZGBF1Tfu27HhKBr2JFxhi_UVjNKAe12NzrQqbqmg-lQLlgDAIqw1BtRZ8c8HuXvYiJk8gQoORDz2PKNtQppaNpUFwK2lUoHJe2SMjR_u6oUKCrstNw8ndRX4TN-pOWSe0K3SEWbjxwy9OkRD2l36ii-iFgOW1VcbIThmc4TVCWWvLCvHbHDy0=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It looks even better with kayaks on the roof.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JjiX8jMS7ix0pI3_u-d_3AbTacrO6JnJsmjaiz38z2W1ee_CUY5NcZD9Jz3yLOUlzozRT_NE9GIkHFBpC5F2fPhVNwchxQwuTMN2xoXLscT7ZSRG-i2VLarlOcNqAuxosunUU59enJlmWZjXMotF15Q9A-IqhE6-PWim3zOyYQlUpyG0sPGi1DIUGNeTYA6iHOTuzqFbGJiV-LKyUF3AbLdb6QKRz0gO5AMEGO_oOrp6heD_a6BIBnlplVUC601q51MOjm8sc6SubzbIS9cT8bcwG9LVLKAjQTBbcEme2499qkUh9Ay4J3-08n5r1m4llkoccVPe-ELLYHNaKhNZtEeubd2KwYTJG44s87BtAzpqPyFB6L9t8Ks37Be-IAN5x92D5tMIKUiCQ_ynVwBmbLFLjgS9Pn_iyZLJCd9Z_Z2cdoyofKVjAbN49OOoyCEMa1frTh9CzaT1iRsufouw2g89ma8vcJ-oUssvA21z3K9TgJN9WpuV2GGTWr1MmxBiZRRMRaKGxArKtduB5oFi-q1wGDOTvdQx_2Hr5AXdn5ce8IE2BGHVNEL-Aw6DWe-XMT3gFJbmY0n9nuXshAVwkqdjrsI2NaKjKMEsAtHVxQ=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The morning started brisk, but it was in the 70's by mid-day</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Stephanie's sisters had a piece in an exhibit in the DIA<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="296" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hhfvwnEqRiZV-q770fhr1eTEBBZqm_R5qLNUJarCRYRQO3tQq37uxKKDdIH90VM-mSfeFwIUTxe6nxEOQZOGCsGkIBH-d_2HmwDQ_5ZZ5JhnxM1MUeJTZ3yvjsR_pjVhwwUgl0vt-sc7cqUnbZ4cahESVRe8OPlhQEEgFXivRcQPY9oS1sYr3km4G5cNa_rAI41bEtnKSTXdqbRJeXH7XVaoI6f9Ets0CtCFkJY6wWzSU-8NCrBnJX-pBDsCeEsbIIVkp11pIo87Mg-Q-Ygiy_N9_Xj2MEdzbvsJD7HjBPRFBG8pN9o9qcoJ22LN3DhxtHu1oJnQFPgyWYWkWh7yXkNH6QnJcYKk0zFwCmniQoHPE9ppMwl8zm-qioGh8Fjl1UbUQZdUoid4P0_QzdxdzcvI5gI89GABe1ewJ3zN15CkLpsFGWVBIw4eDFKQl9Nr7W8XHbvEyI5G4SYB--S995s1m3jLL5fZFNDW1xFPNMVcdlHZf0hgd7NskLSkRZ16-NicCPLVGq_a3Rx-U-89yF_MsW-f_vSh8nlgtO_7UvxGY-UZc0LoaPutro22h5OBLfM_FJayf6S_QOjgYukAncXW0gLH6c-n70FuPVsI-gcsO2w=w1280-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nlrgb5BvD1MfIhRruhPcsofMLGE-psMTqn6R7jmUTg9BpBntUWqHq0PGL4HKwHX6ojCHh2DqISpqiXH7QlKqeDAhV8daq4lnbnz1S2rmQLCFpAF1ZLSwjsoJ97mXTOdh5yg7G4kL_I_-rbAiTZ5E3I9eogFB8Y_luM1gplniuwDGfQDawAGNi_w_wB4D1NZHwFJ9z9qt_Ds2lI4hQfuhgkjDZWQApm1HhLOZweLe-FpNy8yJWm9uYJKfAslynT-DNVXNFARrYZ8S-zuatOUjEe3Nwz1cieA-KMnPeioXxyHcn1wtgxqao-lmWJPTnB2QmkZATG7IjI0Fbs3vIsbksMfEC2NLOVLNWFcSkitdbUgsqxuXnTZeMjykujwqNnNdxd68S0imyhMN5-MhbfMpfmym3El9Vo3UJAh2yUuHbg9RBdMZOTAk1T-Bu4n-btY_-DL9StxcVxu-dYDvYw-zBzwQnSUr3Ki_CiQNmM3oSBn8p8Z7Ra5K_lYldYBavDjCoQcAqXx05wBFTnuXci3AWqa4GLrDzFbksP8iIqH7zyj-i9i1NFnMn_7wC4Ss9iBUxU3zbbc98oylLH4emGivDmokMl1IlWa0jA8XhNhgN6q0Vtw=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We're nearing the holidays, and the house is really shaping up<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="296" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/KzQwYwvEKc94l0sMQWpoC_TN8lk-ueb7P5uc5HxdELFd0Kq5_f8I4h4POdaMh49TF2AYXHVchm8BH9qgmlGOF6_1C0Fpp8Pr46YzMU7bKtxbVNQfSADstQ879mjp6q0P1gI8Re-1ESwOpjmMADGqzXkVsVZtswaAjSFK9H8JSTXgDmac8o_1XddXRLhhjyz8FgY9KRXOVLZ-jq_-UjqN6P9wls89MI_-lWjYS0CEV2bd0Gtn-f603HEm2ibAwxgLKlhHw5rkGT291hFWEDHawdn9CX7i-owTwqMUdT1uf5eVfv31PlF39NwHk0tswaMJor7CK-xz2LFezQnv7vDUaWyy72G8Llz0RvfIw7yrEeVKAzzOYNoFOmPjLbk9e-GHYllQfELhhmiK1_K_lhgw_Hjbwf-AonbBmO5U7IrFVIe-lf637UvNtrksbNp6lD8EmuISrBqjSXvkwF80NMEnQYfxv6EHwgG-60b1AUun3eY83jBP8tSJ3X6-TD729O_er8UYZ9gzmEHeC-mCtx8YVLYcOzlc0qIhM5W7049JZXUrLBI3gGFOHe7LMCu302plCEdGD4i4N_aAINzOaQtSfz30LlT7uRI_I954te46ChU=w1280-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The music room</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="296" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/CFZXrl6p5H1Tb5OA6YZk2b3jzlDgzYLm6epKdtOEj4hjnW7EZSeNTc6euPq83Fwa4cmdautjumuVPAkgtYgKuN7K-4YY3tOB-27qjxYFgEBYyYH1Av3Iw2aJhNM81AQ6KapTa_JjB7le2liXVrlXurNkUEaoPdNY4cJjIj4i_53LxDrdYeoj1Ia2Jl3OtH316nfzbBRic0GHdbPRNtiqgLPwuIRFMCHoMOVlkGNd4nJt7ouGDwNk0fPi4Na_lTJv_l5azJ7AKEklGzNsnAowgPQ724csA_EZ8_OeBu93tow7PzBD4C7WeZxJmF-zMq0P9MQRHhkmB5hvBwhkr6xwnUgRuTJmr9nfa8KZ9UUqnXXE38qxH7uguaGPj6lWHC_AoZs8NCtrVDQPmu5Go0YB8i80hrB9cPkwHWwiYR0ZMIGURRxi9kp-hT4wzKFmzwE4vtNInCYlkqJX99JHmsenP_zX19RgWhpod56zM6x9cFAP1HdlWGF7R4Z46iw2oBZYABQ5EkdSL0NVLmBOg_xrG9WKgsyc7gtPKjVpsRcnut6UIVyO6TOhj7Oo6nIh3jWWfuW1RWsULrp5tUiFBn_47Xob_uVXv-ZgEN_hwMUH3e4=w1280-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The upstairs bedroom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="296" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3MOaJU4yo8SlFqTtmJ6oZFq4rI_faz_A4O9R9E_Hjq0ZZZ6MzKIoKaZl78Swo74LAFykdQPFUeIKtjxmf_o8azSc-aw2tRHm8Z7xATZ-8b33IN811-7jAVBy4EMsFrrkT7VOgRsV_y5B-zEiLw8NRPFkHdu6LLwHVc31ULzUtB9EWiuwZFHj1iePj7s573_Ed7jsxloApkUf3wNso2SQtGiNPsR1oyK3ZPvUaqQSXhAXzbJHToAKUrAIC67oezWXtw5oWcWx1KPxDC3aBVhgPGSBV5Pa5_f69SM_g_z2k8XEqnyZbe4SWB5igK-zznaaTM8p8QELbPzGglKvzv9zRMyLb5w4H7bA4wW5iLjOpDjZ28rrDWg6HnEpJ0TJtkLThFSCrlV6-lF9FY-cHGaXH7mjKTsn7qhYf5iqkyJgukRx2JOkZZAWx3LgwEz5YqQ4Wbwq0woPsnhEPCmlo0u7dWOaoZBfBsrCcVUIpNgBksLcWq0nngZX7cm-Zuliuso-w7G6w48LO5ZGoiX_pkcLBRh80rb5OnWCD4-MxKOWb2DpPTB-RjZuB4MzyRETzQBR3ylgjPRPBwEBqCiakCBsneApS8ToXcSOq4uTewlkd60=w1280-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kitchen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Ella is chill with all the house activities, as long as we don't mess with her spot<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/z-8Lxx6U7-EFk1ztncsU8XXEWrLymVzRzHWYa0CK2d44lgtxwmlYYITFNNPPc9OU26G0M48mILJ6Cig_CNI8nQdTEdV106HDrLu0gwgfkTMywe90qmleJlT7snAt9ig2Y4LZVGGnL2F_ylEVCSFf54hMcnUKB9UW-bDPM6sUnwfn0vDcVoTAAMUrfRHLvgd6Mrfz1UhXYtx_FV5sC3nvaIPF7ZzLt17e7LkANtfD8FcTHx_9YTW5Pf5PliZMfKAq9WqtxtFtO5_2VauwvVntZ2GL-ZuPVLNc_R-dr9rbVHrRB8d2TKAuAQb9xrADOYQHn8DQAYtZqdz_SuqRz2oKyGOI-Feljg2peiGBi0f9VFoNs-Kp5c4ucMUeGAFv3bTqJNR-TKhQylSRk26eB3-VaWMH9PN5lIWEXVk6CUxqHQmOuuRHGgy7KQxuVCWT3u0I0ExMd6X-UgV-FpSPD0NQglQ5zYyEDKjnD8vB-_tti8GA5UlCBCy_-aBBHhKF4EjR5vuq8QpwdcRYlMBVMIbZimiLVeY3LdK7oTELBO_zqENlVJAXbMVrFpeR3rzw7fdzUl-MQTOEmmLsT98EryqjaAWtctgj6zs2-CiqYpZ7_-I=w706-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="296" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best dog that ever dogged.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Stephanie is ably handling all of the wedding plans (of course!). We need to get some photos together for our Save-the-Date notices. We call up my old friend and former neighbor Josh to meet us in Plymouth. He does an AMAZING job.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Yb7LWgKVVDMJczkc15HZ1Go1lIBq2ftOtWVTAQWTzcFLjLtaYJyulQXCHpvxloZJnl3iC4E1LEsFyv427v5plDNV2NVRnfPzYHNvczu2LYuQy9hm6HGmTOOSeLjKYRZb3lVya4eeZg0nt0Xadt1JvGEBT-9n8N5ReJANm4NtlCO8FoyVGX7I26eN-hpPXj5dUy0xVn3XstHBxDnVCDAMo9u4ngZlPdm-zDBVwbp3019UU_O_mMCd1IGthPkDDJ_0fXNqNCzT-pfK_aaievhy0y_v573Co-P7i36O8Q-Fzhlhmry5kluoQyQTbZ4RIesiHU9PKnTBBP_F_Jf2fIFUnVzcq2Cbhq_biN7KdQfxUTJNLwr5q6pNqwbbXCFmgZdtg-DzOwSl56MrfHEY4G7XR5Dcv7wRaXxiOG1McGmhFOmQ7n06p1JJzsqgbp4B0RCIdv2nh0frskXH3fKDPOdufTfF3fqF5mKKG_GxFPKYhIhqs9woq74prvWmmM0d3c7vHoxDZYF0dTJfYK15wMNdDPKU3fP2sxGu0hBjWyWwyKbbhvs52EAjGqo_wARgLL590B8D5yOSCQd4d7UZw3hJkGPDGT1X54ZSK-jLG-s9XC9TC0Y=w630-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="263" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're outta here</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ui15r_Awiu56LAiXtkHj0tfeVgoixmrX17eAS7ygxmZ2H287Rro8aO2HarsuwVxzUE7vvf9bYo6wwLOYXYmFp58EW8V-AQGEht1BRHy53miKf1UNqYlIbS-YpD2k0nOAO-bdAmmwIf4RUyJ_k9vAjw3Rocn03VxQkjJKimighcw5xytRgV_Bnvv3SdbKZAWPEPPmSYxc5aeDI8DKP5xMZAjcturjRGapmZafTsP7pGfyNBwdAkQqtWhUpOuzpZ8VtHHxM1Opu3RgEvdBBjBTgFiKClCtMltkw3KrfDUyc9UdjAGa3vJdzEWQJdBWpY-2syYs-LR9bcGwVv1pQO5t3_X8pHkRQKQddTODGOC7rJN17-zIKyQq0XXAwDWLSQQvcOI0bxK8A7pOpuEjuheoycyTF0gkmfrt6ICTfikG5x4m1Y5bd2IXcloI6x7nqW5lXJhF-LMVUQKxM3N7giUwGaLNlz1Er8FHmLDSui2n3wtmIgPG7PMpsqkUSzmAhDgxZPKGFT_AAP0o6MJOkqUxyYXbvJlSzVedikZjETKpHJ8Z6Ln5uVcy35eT0I4xFU_0Rx8cLIVoSNV5IapfDlFz7SnL_CyjlPhXVuvhISLAzBrEjRA=w630-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="264" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She makes me laugh every day</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zrZjplfMlxrnN0jlNFbcX07vRQij9E7Nl5XOZuCbHENc3db7CdbhKfT0wAjo5BXPhliy0slpxplJSz1l-Lre6CVfgsAwrX3HYwJmRKt9551P-XZ6lVO7utRMncQdJ_tJpxWvxewYGFsDs_JPh8v6LL-0uzQyD6wUwnEG08pyKmTVq7wIQx9GdUzWQqlzuze330NbFRZKTrvrDJcSuL03c0hJSW4x37bGdLGwbTN5eOlirBCFYVwho1OuF2DluuyncNziNKt_OBKqJswa3V_Ecdc7ltd9uBllF0rJRcm84Lkw7lY6Fqe2zwz1ndzmg7dCKSeSNC8njSft_2-ekrvSCit1dXflqv4UBRRX9DiO_H1bCdXYzYKnVvKTqOoZgh0Yc-vogCoszsFQw5St5b5IgVX4D_Nhko-H-TuhC7rwwf3mUVDiZWaZ7p83cd5VXyHxr8JW4HuiYn1a5ttUlaxPK0v6vsnT40KNPmTk5ePs71LhR5zg2VIoNQAnBsxRqgbSTqLZ8W9DNnI1vHhMRHYPJaP56mvhrN6EU2ArrKU-8QNlU7xQitHyw86x3kn5ZNGZcM1aeh0QqpBUxn-GEm8av7HKdwt_LFnDFEpJCnojgExNbJ4=w637-h951-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="267" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is look she gives me right before she says "You little shit."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OxLaAdJ1u_lwZgLK5JInfiA0_S8TkCB7ruioZTK5FjitPJReYLL_BALcfxV9x_Qq2BEnYXmIn4zBncCXqJEKGe_5_VT_n6XvhO6wOEfh4PKT3CSIxgEuBgjznAv_tgZsN3o1HutV9xj8a17eBuYpOQpOLzDDOEdoF1apNrjPmOoChpJUH_ILwMNFQRFVEzl-L1Ku5KZe7QUuMnZrShmoqUT-PclUW425WIicSWElpoWdjt96cPvc9VMFvKNE6eZjGNNjzmDBZPnL7Wvf41aHtQBwrMidYPnaKzijWDFXucbLXjWUjD_VyT-MPpSpa8OvuPjv0R8VMUQYykpNT0Pw0ACpd39IFQGbuM8FFaUsk2IcJABykSTauJOS-Q_iHlWW5LxE4bNUjGH3lIFivvdK49AX9vquFQX6RSjbVaPJw_p4_JurmlZImGf9x4zT9ypEhc6qrvrP7YL3bPX4iZKKOCLH7YMHsG5wPAJ50ZWC4D_tm9MFDvDXeuBAnMPOSAyrLxwZquIRljnK8kVozS0yUrC9uU2hdNDYmppktNpyZjPbi979ZeZrmb80gXHe7eh2BczX9sQ7XyAU6ooKjQTQHI254pJW-7rmVCCbSv51LA4F23Q=w630-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="264" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the look I get when I see someone walking a puppy nearby</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
All this "life-on-the-move" takes a toll on my though, I end up with a tweaked Achilles and end up in a boot for a while until it heals.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/L-IadEh6QjQ5MDen2kK1noTFun-mJwJASoJP1b9axxBwpwK6fdd0grT0VTqhNEKmyj2shZtTIggdZANj8V3z-XCWFr5EeX3M8qtPoG8dS0Bw1aVDxzp1Z3lesxqtAfcTltPhxGbG3XD8c6UH_WKaBFb4_81SdnhQwI8CRYSL7WSfooe_8GWzymGAemgrQ2mi3fIGZvrbmPUY7ezN6GsYJ2b49lHXSlx2QamTZp_KsgbiJMVTvrFHSexVlUoOOs2SDOeE8gV9XQ-fzge_InBarwuvlBMTj3f5MC9sCigeoiEgdzXn95ysUu-FcChqVou4E8S99ZfMJeSicaiWYfFMIYNfFGOPzJ8wyj1r-vyXBoXytrUwyHsZ0WtTB72E1yignwVA7EYBxFuWiASlP9ixUE5J_Ki2c4IsBrlyMCS-_wv9mBknpiva0uN8NZF8e4yiLq-ljhn7W8IuJH6_jkdWqBDYS1CU4PyYkkcEW6dsOe1PvWt9cDOmpPTV0DyTrXB6QFUnTupquIeI8DH3Ceh8Wb7fOs_USv6HtsNhG7WAR55uxw1d0kGeAR8PF-ng13rpc8njmSpCq4533HOrYR2tEYHxbTcUmRPq_d8UZJ5G5wwCGKY=w706-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="237" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet kicks, bro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The holidays are upon us, and Stephanie and I decide to "make just one pass" at houses listed for sale until January. Of course, the second house we look at is totally "the one". We make an offer. It's accepted. Game on!<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="266" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ds6tFqsF7v2lrRqvgDpkoQ6Kl9fWh4cWB1goS5UysQeaJ2ZURb_JRDOVDMTRlaDmPTN5mlRCnmvnkf9baR5TgL9JWfM0tfoLNh1cZvmxhc9aIChTjYilsZqGE66Bhg_MhpmvR7oTB95CkssHIJGrdA4QzRu_j5OVRm8J8P3pbLr0l4Qzz3zpOzrNXuKbDd0ODW3_-5zfa4SlqWBEvkBb9i5dsJ0lhzYN3pmT_4o1wIzbZ_T-SkCLwjGojPu4EsU1lLkYswFZD8rzw0WaZ-eJd7REfAOTf4aJc7X6yDWZAzDUTQRRXoZfEmp7AmYEGlPbN7724JwR-WUtmpa_0Ypft1u6sv5ZpyqvkHVwC3NvyIyvQ_hw_P0MwdYjkWqgdFWmeoWpgk-8cJ8ZEabu10qJv4CnAZpyTf4CwCXMDkmzRH_JOliLXsUGQZkz-6Kha_wHFmeq1av4_g_qIQwCPwOcLD2y5cjYmjaibvJbL7vt6tYXhzFvCKOzq6gZneh8b2jj9DuAT4yz436oTIisBTRNjqbd44jACfouaaLsMBiYdtLmoMM5kt1nlo97ZTOaRQaoKipCn90JI5-svJqmul8E-raMP_cRFO5qgpk6oBtV5iKKxYA=w1024-h683-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soon to be Home Sweet Home</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But for the time being, my little place in Redford is still home for the holidays, and it gets treated with the proper respect it deserves.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Stephanie and I went down to the end of the street and picked out a Christmas Tree for me.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vhxqVTTCMJdJ-rcjnPjg1fnG4guKVp1_JEnEu844T7iG3Ncab8iCNEsECn_1re-Tioc0QB_a8E2MCEDGDeliEyZ2YtxyGSs9NBik9zjCAj5gn9N5W-z7zkF1cGCQjp__Uluez9mAo7T9JbGnw4sgym3o3LF8dNV5ILGcugu4_NrD0AhTKGonFM9vt3Rya-fQHTuV7ahWkc2McnvObEtmo2NEdc6F_bnBCicMeNgz0_va5rnLJjJSeTwl3t4LK_qIngFCSIWCqfQ0TjNFgoFhJ6DM_5496ilQdTWOort74gvBqk13bhqKmSpFXt_xJ5CrcRTJ8eBN2soY5Cd9QFxRfIFcjZNVTmvl4XQ52aLOtgWDg9aTlpltlSH_Yv21-m4i7rJ3tTmMwcPbSmGj6cbFUwYzSZOUpvkzL3wE7cL1iKwSPvPNW5KZWFEta1Hfyuthtz0aj9mTA8cMeXQ35L0XISTnznHsOS8IuAbfIn0_9EZJRPTFSEJIe-Z3-yTkgPt4UVbPCRbUfx0PsL2WDPEr7jfQ2ATVc7hdEMcm3S651gkq-mQ4Xd1QMY2fLOvUHOhnYQjZkPZyKruZZBJPjowbPS0QrfZzWZNmd-aA4B3-kCB0D8M=w960-h720-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dairy Whip Tree Lot. Hoping for a White Christmas soon!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="296" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jMozg1BJKR-lneEhQrQbX_N8Aqoa7mjdf3N6lPgx53IlEt0UPmrCmDbDsOP6QjmkVEZ4g5MDJGxCozOV6htkllXvEsX3dUhBgg26kdxivaLOBb49mGHK1hCG-6_GolgRDPX1OKckfblULc3-vQ_zoTMJpFVCUoLhLRcqG30yV05hNltmM7xyYebe2FEUGaXpR8_NyeBDh2mUto73z57JN6nbfFoGqH_cT8pqgocG17QSsOtmdzVfIJWBpCu29o7DcK5Umln6qKnHmhjSuvI1INSrkMtxph1Ax4AzRoRwp03--d4moclyrtgxTg2UMmPbEZQM0n5GXnS8vy4vFBqdvofMikDndQEL5fK3F5PtRy2d_OWkvENLLsHKjiYegfKMVWnh-138jYMwVK4JZgxw8lC5knkYgRmdRdYCO13iTtGhamnBWWjx4svW_bYJkIX-4Wb6bAsq2ATyYpHaCPIHO07PrPVBXARyxGdpVLPv3lAiyIL5inmHEqrrBN7_NWwr7u4oUmg677YFxq2ycAQMIDoiv7ChtGH9_Hw0PXHpVV-CMn8k6EkYmpOT6ZsIyxyPIV45v4bL2J-C4xKRkZXeLsSgXWCPTgfX2VcOpn45mFAjuvk=w1280-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm dreaming of a White Christmas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Did I mention that Stephanie is on top of all the wedding plans? Venue, Church, all the details are in place. That woman is amazing. And we even managed to get a preview of the church we're going to be married in when her cousin got married in a gorgeous winter wedding. <div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="296" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/m_4zTK9vVmPXqLmtg5Js6lflQFaV6Cu3cMUtBt-BpLBlaJUM67R3iTom-QflUE7syUlBW5cE4NNhq5sd5ijNFOAY9TNHp8Qu5QrYd713v9z_nseuxU-yf4fLqEm-Yq203pEGFhQMMDvI0_kvAm3ls1Ig5cafJCZ4I1B9AbQWUZaEwQRfAiN7vkIlu97CAfDK5MRJXKCRDhI5YKPaajrD_XZNbSF6Y6hzG65soAnaDQYg3TuQYbzKIEH_joOOAS0vJw1qKm_FcBptiUyZI5KZLO-HvbzoZOSlK6pB0FzQ62zl-R7gi2ZgCm3GmXtUVtwoMklCDgPX84hNcrdtUkBLoxvGSuYkqfrvwwf_KQDG30Pejc0_2996zPZVr6S-W1_Ewxn_IN01A63VP9f8nWEQqvCUvNhM6XDVr5DGFptjWpCREsvZFtOQSclgKKhOqxXPJcO8gnipxoWIZfJnnACVmLzSCcum0TTZxaoMoCO7kEx5JMWDfaIRPPZRa6BwC6-iYV44uPTXlXkvQclW3kEmHGPNeU4lmf59SUzuTtwSMHoVHF6Q7wbdyuGuXCNdzcabzDO-uRIVaF9LuAqLMMDCmR3HYMNAxLeZv75z2BKpg8-HIzI=w1280-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost enough gold leaf for my Greek Orthodox side</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/r1bPTZbPSD77kB3JVmuABgYwO2qG3wRDvgGcfdpHqoWKtxzkFiA6JEZIROd8JzUXVOyJ4Mlef3b6TN2_kr0Qs6U6TQxR5d57wE6Rs4hhchVGkYZKeZejIREGwFDgOB--z15Gwg-HPBxLIvLXVQMB8CUUdXfPL3TxVGHcMd0UUr542ZurE0G5wYjaWNY6VVQZLZJr0HzY8hOW4HEKRTF-U8DHSrG6yPUshTj1uHWWtiDM7n0NHYMzhGY-kdm7C9FWLY_fS6vsAVjt0bZv-zSH-KZw8vIEuZag2HI9_EhZxAzY7XbxUbbCYT5gE8yonFDyPMXqEc6-7MiAhcRsXyq0nsQ0VpDw9LwHHQq08_8rhWJbGA6Uun1eHw5LiBjjZ_S6qCdFUipBSR31jxRt8Oaxo4klMLOlmcGVJzPhZ_1wtYilQNkOGBxfIAMqHUKqmL3x-MDHo6n20JsjE9qyJnMRjrH-EgKE7GSfSt6op5knlmDtZPhYmi05g3KxujYvICEB4ts_4Op1P3VoADNZDQxxtSV6OiRJwFh1NCaweyjt7-xqZU75mw-eFh5KZ11HaNWglMn1Ri7swoXAOzN3ROpKmN9Z3PpWPHqD6nHjIIn3SJkbReY=w706-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="296" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephanie's Great Grandfather's name is in the stained glass. This is the right place.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="269" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5pfAFkpfD7TehrV-KkCYljR1EgBNt2ohQ8Z5Y0umM70XfSAwK9CS-XCPA2AerbX13p96gpzFejY2exft1hIPSdiVS4qLJezfWGetwU-qZu-2xQjr1GIOOEUHjmonqfgB9ZoYTEh1ZmUBXv5GkzE-wuOwVQ-r9hFVsf2lVFMfR4DGnmomdT1YjZ1PH1a5Pl29HmuJE4bjayX1eZGtBaV6uIjO0G00uSq9PzjVZ62nC5k9h7wi63JwnRPbZGfXXp_ke7cRy_SthhCMYXLErnIp_nHVgNDJ7NOmfpmDOfUSbCJazMmP7YBGeWpDoiXnDEXWXskU8lP9BruX8RjOCzWcBAo-3fyQSv0WRMtZVRlgouGWmsQ6VIiDCWWz8jWSG5DQFyO20h5ITRAfSKw_JSGn-7X79_RL_kehJv32aFSeUsJR01Stf_79e0-Gy5DtGNcKIjrEd-McPH0HT_z9-veXIwVRmFbBz12P5wyeNBshjY0LQqKOh_HTods4poWzCyhaBiVaX9u6lH5alwCzHY91fOXXJwj_ny2VzzbBBNes47Achrn63gGjFVaFMKVMJr7uawNV9hw9ikfyqxrKSMIYBuV2HjK1i0duqRKfzTB86bE=w960-h646-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The reception had a photo booth.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br /><br /><div>
At Christmas dinner, my cousins Mark and Libby surprised us with a tremendous honor: They asked Stephanie and I to be God-parents to their first born, Luna Lucille. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><img height="224" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hJ1z7-2uexUbeXLRv0-aQxkMR-el6mmYrwus8NcLvna6WXLWGnGWyJWNL5dSMsUUS6SjQVtQDN_ic9PCccWN7HeZuZ8Vlt7pNqK8ySgeQRErbZ5uK75sWMjvfBbj_lMPcC_u3HE4VW_eU_mcgJp7klIzprQ_3heXhhDnM1VM2BF6WvA5NWroCpIx8GL-3KOfwPrBZZTMUdSiOb1N7sE1F0RReiUQBSv5z-uYuMXSDMylxwaoggPqvOoHbDupueXmmqJlDiKkTuhU57UwFMDSCJmk-cOXNJ9vc4jP0taY-6xzJQiU8wnpihjDv1xGaDb4ckhdt0DU3QIxN0N5ETw5g23THMxvLCbpXMoQd2wilWbRDPRYZJt5gWK0a7R23kxOWfeQbwtGDvpvu4PMT0OVJPelO13VEcTpJC1sKESlNlKcT6HjfbCBvrl8JL2nOXVNwhgRI2DUxsv7as96D3WBlCInnFQfoL_MKe_mzzupW1CD1sZ8mDIHKBN9cBnSGjYO-By3Z1JP_D4MvQiUvYv2KUTi1rrd2w7-f4w9QEyxrBIhk_-vBCATCojnzl9fmKrXy3evawiAqfrYMeYItc6FrFaSNS6lxB-350VLP8TrVwgwD4Y=w1689-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The Godfather (and Godmother)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="370" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/d66k5XdZwYH68ELSNaiHue_CdQioQQs5NVU6K9OEc-8Q4wpgYYzWfJH_Ppwi-PK9UIk5asNMpWizIBk4nRBoDipj67mDOcattTTRI0QmZ9p7Lvsj3GbiQKoXNmZA-6OXpAc4qBIQVBDr31QpRpNKxQ9bWtRE3gSyVFn9OhZU0aX3w9juy-UFsS6MtUUw8vgV8gg24ARyxLdtdxcoKYjVvjpGQhExklOvfNE7hVtjAe1FPK9IAQxOUfZ9xR84HwlV6pxi4w7rNjr_JVwpXuxNKEhhz0flp08oZxfa5foyB7Y4-geWMOGwKIPwEp4156bVfSREm-56JxelcRT68EB_bxnoAMChHnlasdyF1mJbgYlxanmVW1l8Xx8KeW8uy--8W--47Fe4B6iJ7K5gLD9uIGX4IMisgHERU1KRzNy8cEawbuejfaOR_9pb0Bu_gPHo9MlCeaedlrB39Vj-uKIKRjEpau40Fbs4veK3G3CAVcEdopuSQa7AJCA3eSzKK4De0V8HY-RPU8UmYHZVTV3p2kSSpE1vPiOTCO96wOF0ArQSqWnVZq8wnXf7SYdPytacXdbcY204VwDIeMqlTAKC5ZFykK7IVNPFvN94bAXm6Eb8MqY=w750-h694-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simich Family Christmas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br /><div>
At the Lentine Christmas dinner, the kids were treated to a visit from Santa. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><img height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Rnt05fkBsDS97DWTRhxgdT2ncndpUaS2Rilirs_BwFGFv7-KCoKKx4olMSfPG_cktPbT9BObrCizrDc05-mHnh0yQowfAqobQXL_F52urtN-g0FJNNkKkYmrFPBXF0Uizvi59ghydXhT5hd-q68D5-z9fWk0LFnEX-6XU5svS80TDafoOjKtP5I2f7io2Te7njYCZcmiyraj9hmYcUvHQ8oAPEv5qcSH_FXTm5PJpoCbM0gKNodUpIewn2AO72zF2nnCfYlcupiqEe2y_qyMcIRjWHy1UbpStuUN4oeNtQp8xxcesGjVjRUGUbn6poitHQF8-1UyMgNzVvQtvk-p-xlwchHPqXmfHsdQ1gKSjjR9K7TOLjmmDqB-EW8nJRgJ24LGpdEfuYDq1mBd2HdO8bVYqR-PD9YL9j-xuxZHueW1aKPEechFIV8OCONwK3NHXoCCd1WD32ToefYYHjpCeBDUUSGPqK55SH7mDRdR4jZy6AHCdlvIWYZNxcPXUNW07laO6ZA-HZrR2bGxZ0E0rWuef_KmoRhF3NGUta4kzzSXITkxHLFcc-uSXvLzwtDg6T6y-RB-5c_m_70WKZfCopVPS646FnzDIj3tfGIhsJ_un0=w1267-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Totally 100% the actual Kris Kringle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
2016 was very good to me, but it did deliver one very difficult blow. Ella, my beloved 14 year-old Chocolate Labrador was found to have very late stage kidney failure at her annual checkup. She went from the happy playful girl I knew to lethargic in a matter of days. I lost her not long after the diagnosis, the day after Christmas. <div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0atJK3KMiFswWi-dnfsZ-RhW1QgPY2-KmpwD5ds7xZpuxy1SQg82o_4zKUYwRr72sNwDlvOQw7entewDyrOZYgkhHrcPyxaXS3n_UC12LZ22ncXsUEek5kGnRQBl0gzkOKoCpUAXbPtH6EyAgRpknPOFQhmXg3z8_OEhEWcOgD3VT5q1Yu1HU75FuR-Rg4fg8dyxxHGOXg0tbqc75eWiXruSELaj3dfGZQ13d8l_8zLo4WvK59wlevbNiBy9vWQIBwcxFZjr_LtsEqypVrT7oYK0oJUX_dV9cvUQGwemJ634-ZYaFltdcfs0V5uW3RpJK03XlsaoKIN1hujV2QZQFDTlce0-vC6HxR1vSWNfsqxvEgymBkfUiXzF1P9Zz3y_qiiHerQmFXQg7gEDX83dWrFXgwF7RqbEVQ6KOE33pcnbvn0v0RVYBF4BKD8Mi5ymrmf6hpbX1_pWGctU4gbQJQmsYcm-YmMli9sUpONmFikS13eGF0131HbeiKViq3q5dWXhyZUqaD-CVNMHLWHF3DREiHzoyKhzdIwT3vz0s61PcTBJbpUdh1qAWhPh7E-Yd-OJT6jEGmHU2LyjwwLUbG5_qMLHT60KDPWp5soxo5I=w713-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="299" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The. Best. Dog. Ever.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/UWopixGKPJSCEND7GHUQCAgRcRRoL-Ays8rsHUiZnXojWrvqQFq_ksgpjDy6tOOc8R0SPKKzrWJPNBAEV-1ODmqp7r0kI57vk5Z_kTIyH9VOR9zQgQJsSDlXGfaqaIRZ0KAxksvAlYE3BGxVyNIBd0egTCrf0prNiGH6hByIvegl3lr4u7cQR3hiGxQscg6O02c1xJsAZ6uHD4PKOSuIqEmF7LtMWpNHfn4yM8IwyJbH82X62c4lOU_v2No0f9CnUn_Il4r9q37CNvY6Fp6ucXQewJqQDVQGtIjeEyq6X76OIHDhEmNb1uEmRdEitHkso2SkKbiUX2Vg7NRs3lhu2EbmQSQqxShEhS3SPGpkqhoqV1OvJShEaIvYiLjR8XkLyEHyCraxIkMgO2RHh21gNm9rVMEWQc_MBBizKxF-LK5itTFd-W-862kr3qjQHt9VGa3WrjCdxyVe7ertaHHzMLEahAuneDDx14OPeTYbIB2OVsZqkSIrEttR2fPDhVgFhxgdZ-HKRmuaI_PJR-7ifaIFI-Wj8kdPxqvIbbBXYlzGidNZewhbUowFs9f53GvoLh6a7saEaD8UbnABOAbtg0W8y_Xdru1H5pxFB35b4XGLmj8=w604-h453-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The. Best. Babysitter. Ever.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iR8OJ1CusGMNl_z6t-bSNXcMa3Uugd0CchMliSUeV-z8coo36g2jVKoDsvYHbZ6YEQczvwmaDM70MxQ0Q2uZOi0Dgy-XJ0nlFc1UksRU7Lko2jThm2yoShi_BLOtVutYsJoqPUTgt3RBHKUymKw2_stWycnNxJY63eiBEPZ9f6DOIJVWsyVfWmIebr3TixvwaktKsM8kIvjI0ybWkfIoZGyKYgxkEG0ytKCg-I_I7bCRmZvuyDA1DUuSdcW9tZmN2yLzwAZ_K54CKOXLZAxSraLrUkMVy2N56oVTVb_yyOZjXbVRoeiaTztyf1oLhUAsJzJpR_HZ2Q_NXfWaGYaVWwgqn4Dkd03SAAgRb1pj2JyrsOKf29puhFFcOQftl0WGF8vtQ7YMWJPD2kH_3EkSwIBOH4YvH2YFHI9V8i5SaGEdKC1xHFB-dBsQTRJ39TFS7CN8XZ5L0guW7oaOyGkiaiCvJikDQB2M-S4M7w8MZuyTwZnUXAtP-BQD4EBuJ18AoqJZYUTE9Ffj9F7bgPSvyaf1lYQyA9_V01w6g76_z8QmdpiNC-cRVjuD8inbQmOjP-g7JBMjQvARw2nGH_qFGpHSE12bI9gvZllE7hB6AbWVZM=w960-h720-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The. Best. Lifeguard. Ever.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/temf64EFFl2DVlPTuUxwRahVFH47AmvM7ixYrly7fIy-dzPWVN0T-gJD0vsyc6-yBytr4w0Z7rCdTyLY-rNN92YonUwecvIuZyUslQXj2btZEP9-D-s1xvtCHF6MD1LJSkqHpbCBO0W3VmruugcUzDuD5z9clPH9C9d1el-iSv_9dNobdpxNHSXg-wFmN-9-U-CXaTSJaq_p-qGHZGkbp2yEIDrE3sMNU_VmSTLtIij1LI7sZYOKiMPSmrrhB_SIouDEdrYQrxRCIh0Ow-UUeaT-w7f4xjQpTMaUnegtf32T9bXyv-zDH4i86zPgPi7SqfT6KntItivyDXDfhqyFV1AoYhL1BRxOZZoOpSZgDtXUtu8Rqy1mi1jaWFEALXsi8fgklDW3fdN5riOq-JB0RVldUmULLnEc8GI978CMTzlkb3JuB5dYD10HxQO6f9lJz9N0QleqvUpmD0fir9SGhYq6idcvVh7_F71bQ_qhF2_n_lHMMcBYEGMyFC-moBeHozHc2vNcKOPpiIchzgsJl4z1ZJPWKdvqWHvYyg_F3bcdSFBO2lX_nAvuy-v2q1R6cYNj5hI8hrdn21AQypnuvTpR8Rc1TrU69y7NsQ9QunsW6Yk=w453-h604-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The. Best. Friend. Ever.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />So why did I want to catalog this in a giant blog post, nobody is going to read? Well, first, the aforementioned inability to review my year via all the places I thought I was saving, publishing, and giving these things context. The second was this: just this week I had to help Mom clean up her basement from a failed sump pump. Mercifully, the basement wasn't finished, so there wasn't much damage. However, we did manage to narrowly save some documents we didn't even know were in the basement (or existed, for that matter). We found a treasure trove of official correspondence between my great grandfather and a congressman from Illinois, plane tickets, marriage certificates, applications for visas, and letters detailing the immigration of my grandparents, mother and aunt to the United States. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/EAofAPenLzDZkR50DrG4UV5Eh_1uOZ9wHJzGBR2kqkQ2Z7_VZzGgO9Gr9EXwqp_PC_PuySk-i5suuqp_9n1hNA7VxxxqAgJSEONyXa44ihIIJLh1Vvq2ZQGj1vw9snOJEDTrUuyavjg980QrAGUFJ_tkqpUWcbfXcol50OVuQb4H8YpSonPv6eBsZzn_BSh0WTvXhFMHfXb9w4trwqHwLmwvMqRQuG96zrP4j95FU0QwKwwS0MC51v_gAPzLDQscR0QMMTzsHtl279XR7XInrUVrjYkYI4NQQ738lste7FlFSv2AuDqLRyUlJxD5D98fkAnCao0JdFvahXn6Xo_0RVjqCe1f7lmmgJM-H2Z5V9LmFWPsL-x2JgihyC9Xw-EdlGfelDB6JJr_Bo3_3-JwA2eEizukpoBjJJ2G7t2Aw9bl53RDDjAHnpwkJwjsAK6Hos3yrG0vmem1b1IvvYbpO_0lv1R-EKFsQy-W8X6irBhIwlM9FQAUXSuePcfynvA1IFBIkEb3GVXE_7OqKmVHdVOjG8KVoj0oDpIE7uWJApIYeO2SfVaLmNDCh_erOm5ryII9VI0sejWsJpviNVAAOHttYWnHsdVQHB0N-T0FFLn2no8=w706-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="296" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Application for Immigrant visa for my mom and her family</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xwsu_5D_AjmZypczNg4MfSF6D1j73neURZxv7oSEPo6_mzOCP8E_Wl-gAPgC__C7Ruj5G3EtrAkU7yMVAPxC7hA2X6kqaH65Acv1Fm4LI0QgBK8oG4rxsAuV1Hi5TKlOdRbZOd32sQfumYo2xzsN_dwcsjOBg4EXrgpSCvC7vLgp4Jp8BQ0hxIMBag_mW4fR2-71JJWFPd2-YriRsWiH9uGDeWrrL2IJFUn8Fsdo227HYGmw63VGdNmlJJAeRSThl_t09Ce3_i4NGBNLhrLI8dmR4DIBjhnnd-BoYZN09Mzf_1UfYrIOZtdkFCn4hBvc_mpho7L5gbMKOagW0JJHdSnGxbxZW3tkRUuQhAKV7KMbAbopOSDcG6E8zFGZ_YdwDS1EtmeSEjhEsh35PnTxKhx6QBjP3mLc16QmHefipdyLdeRp3ATiLUNpW5-7eSP24qaLN6MfTCmV1fK5uKx9rlDRuVvJ7jP4O85teVDX463rZAPh99pPJseOHMvMfBW27lr80OKxDmSs4FrXbrqD2OLz72dpaj7e5GfHiASZPGGVsCCWQ8ZksNBK3vASuAdYNweVHlVO-uSTHjTkIfxSQf9vNqZXhlp5PYjIc9Fyx-og5C0=w706-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="296" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Great-Grandparents Marriage License to get my great-grandmother back into the U.S. Possibly they were visiting Yugoslavia to attend my Grandparents wedding in 1950.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="296" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/mkVkHDDGbEIFyW64O3uTRQhr5fmeOfwGkLZ7tezBGw-BamBBTPxPTD4kIVQpgprepwNGpp8ZDGtvvZh_CfYMp8PrGHbNBgsQm4SGwFqnsSW6HYI334rkpTdnzUUPZ6Qjlu_k83-YhOejGfJ18o8_6yBo-l5S-AFYHmu6V5wVv2kIOOc_tHU9QewvUK6cT2vYYgzTb4QXznw94nbLXWxMG3wPvzMUneR-VvI-a_bIZloCWGMIhBO8A-KGZ9F7FKDzUwosZBSz9vgBWnkKENyEpSNWMDGQnFDOHf5Q9b5fVf8TN5wIsThx6SCDEGPSN9R7ItbXnv1Gsj7E27TIfy0h4v1QdcBhYTwD7o5KPXrL9-i8fPY8KJqEGsSjpGNrd_FQ2PmyAmx9CHa85pW9wzzBDqYuzAef2il8P-Dx7VIyfB9doRyjpHqpXiQ_D07DZPtLVmvBLhFm-07Nq0H4wxEldAt9VM1JMvuftDqxsZsGGY_9CxBss-q4FyPsnXt7Sq4g_AXFOqpvKI8ywTilaxMdZMi-jL6B76bmJZoiM9Ez5KLUK-T4s7_meouoQB3S6PnmbMib3byZK3mdHzimZeYGWO94g91gd-6wy9sQSOFyjG2EQeQ=w1280-h950-no" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Grandfather apparently didn't like doctors, even then.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><div>
There before me, in a dusty old trunk, was The Immigrant Story that's been told a thousand times over in America. In glorious old typewritten pages, or teletyped telegrams. I suddenly felt how ephemeral and absent my own story was this year--a year so monumentally important that I want to share someday with my children and grandchildren. Hopefully, someday, one of them discovers this very post and gets some sense for the kind of people Stephanie and I were and the life we led here at the beginning of our journey to starting our own family. If they do, I hope they understand that they came from a pretty impressive lineage of courage, smarts, hard work, and a commitment to family from both sides of their family tree. I sincerely hope those virtues have been instilled in you, and if they have, I hope you pass them on. </div>
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Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-6134715827512518302015-10-31T12:06:00.002-04:002015-10-31T12:06:26.089-04:00Why Daylight Savings Time is a Very Good Thing.OK, daylight savings time is not about the "spring-forward" or "fall-back" days that mildly inconvenience us. I love DST, and here's why:<br />
<br />
It's about getting the sun to rise somewhere between 5 AM and 7 AM year round, as best as possible, in every given time zone.<br />
<br />
Without it, here in Detroit, we'd have a sunrise on June 21st at 4:55 AM. That's a lot of wasted daylight, but it's not the worst thing in the world. However, we're on the forgiving western edge of a timezone. On the other side of the Eastern Time Zone, Bangor Maine would have a 3:49 AM sunrise on June 21st. Let's all accept this as unacceptable and move along.<br />
<br />
So why not just go to DST all year round you might ask?<br />
<br />
We on the western edge of a timezone would suffer the most! Over on the east edge of the timezone (Bangor, again), on the solstice, they'd get an 8:00 AM start, and sunset at 4:54 PM. They can muddle through that, I suppose. However, on the western edge, like Detroit, if we were under DST all year, we'd have our latest sunrise (interestingly enough, NOT on the winter solstice) in early January around 9:01 AM, and sunset at 5:59.<br />
<br />
Anyone want to be at their desks for an hour BEFORE the sun comes up?<br />
<br />
Thus concludes my arguments for the merits of inconveniencing ourselves two days out of the year, to not suffer what would feel like an intolerable timeshift in our circadian rhythms for months on end around the solstices.<br />
<br />
Rest easy. Fall back. You're welcomeEric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-44273777601271595842015-09-12T13:48:00.001-04:002015-09-12T13:48:38.223-04:00Retrospective on a retrospective<p dir="ltr">I wrote this post 7 years ago in a facebook feature so old that its now deprecated. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm posting here for two reasons: it's still relevant and I don't want to lose it.</p>
<p dir="ltr">---------</p>
<p dir="ltr">We've been summoning up the imagery from 9/11/2001 so often over the past seven years, that the events of that day become a sort of abstract reference to itself. Speeches honoring the victims and heroes each year draw us ever further from the visceral experience of that day. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Of course we've been hearing all about it today, and mostly it just sort of hung around in the back of my head all day, without much impact on me, and certainly no more than any of the previous 5 anniversaries of that day.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I was in class late tonight, so I haven't been around the house much. I walked outside to let the dog back in, and an airplane passed overhead. Then the real memories of September 11th flooded back to me.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I remember around this time of night seven years ago, after a day of silent skies, the first aircraft I had heard in the sky all night were fighter jets flying over my house. I remember first how odd the silence had been all evening (I live under a pretty crowded flight corridor into Metro). Next I remember how the sound startled me, and the image of a flight of fighters overhead, protecting me from who-knows-what, stunned me. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I remember spending the day worrying about friends in New York and Washington. I remember my relief as their phone calls and e-mails came through to me to tell me they were alright. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I remember how badly my yearning that day was to simply *not be alone*.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But most of all, I remember how uncertain I felt at that moment about our future, as a nation, as a people, and as a specie. <br>
</p>
Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com0Redford Charter Township, Redford Charter Township42.394447 -83.29737tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-60140220653480665352014-09-06T12:44:00.001-04:002014-09-06T12:44:14.440-04:00A Libertarian's take on the Detroit Water ProjectI recently had dinner with a good friend, who, as it happens, is a fairly staunch liberal. He made a joke at some point in the evening about me being "a conservative." Of course, my political leanings are towards libertarian more than anything else, so to highlight the difference, I explained that he and I shared the same end goals, politically: I'm pro-choice, egalitarian, and against corporatism. I dislike military adventurism. I support equal work for equal pay. So on and so forth.<br />
<br />
"The only difference between us", I went on, "is that you think the way to achieve all of these goals, is through government".<br />
<br />
In the minds of my more progressive friends, their default instinct to solve any problem is a simple three step process:<br />
1) Voting your conscience is just as good as acting upon it.<br />
2) Tax "the rich"<br />
3) Government will handle the rest.<br />
<br />
They're happy to let government act as a proxy for them, allowing someone else to do the work (government programs), and someone else to pay for it (the apocryphal "rich".)<br />
<br />
It's not that I think that government doesn't have a good and proper role in our lives, it's only that I feel like it should be our absolute last resort. It's never efficient, rarely effective, and frequently unintentionally harmful. It's best left to those roles that can't be filled by any other form of collective action. And thanks to the internet, there are new forms of collective action taking shape every day to step in. Problems that 25 years ago were only solvable by large monolithic institutions, like corporations or governments, are now solvable through ad-hoc collective action, organizing people via new technology.<br />
<br />
Which brings us to the<a href="http://detroitwaterproject.org/"> Detroit Water Project</a>.<br />
<br />
Here is a true grassroots movement, started by web developer Tiffani Bell and designer Kristy Tillman, to do one simple thing: when the city started shutting off water to homes who were delinquent in their water payments, they stepped in to match willing donors to accounts that were in arrears. Today, my pledge was matched with an overdue account that I could pay off directly for someone in need that I didn't personally know. This is a logistical lift that would have been impossible to recruit for, and impossible to coordinate before the internet. The Detroit Water Project isn't an organization or a foundation. It simply coordinated people who wanted to help, with their own cash, with accounts that needed paying, <i>directly</i>. It's ad-hoc, and low-overhead. Most importantly, the bills got paid, so the people in need are cared for, and the water company got it's due. All parties are satisfied without having an outside authority step in and pick a winner and a loser.<br />
<br />
It's important not to overlook the marvel that this is:<i> it's not any form of institution that existed before the internet</i>; it's not a corporation, a church, a government, or a non-profit. It's just a pop-up phenomenon, led by two people who cared enough to gather other caring people to them, and pointed them at the people who needed their help. For the first time in human history, this kind of charity is truly scalable.<br />
<br />
This project is a model for the kinds of solutions that are possible in the 21st century--solutions that go beyond the "government vs. corporations" left-right mentality that taints our political discourse, and distorts our options to collectively solve the problems that our society faces. This kind of collective action keeps us directly involved, but still scales to levels that allow real change and broad effect. So few human accomplishments that really matter are <i>individual</i> achievements; collective action is necessary to solve big problems. This is a powerful new way to think about how we can organize ourselves to solve some of our toughest problems, and no matter where you fall in the traditional political spectrum, it satisfies the desire to collectively organize to help those in need, while bypassing the inefficiency and clumsiness of asking the government to go and do it for you. <br />
<br />
Thank you Tiffani and Kristy, for your efforts to organize this project. It's an incredible testament to what caring people will do when given the opportunity.<br />
<br />
Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-9437128785963106722014-04-30T19:30:00.001-04:002015-02-27T16:00:31.948-05:00Net Neutrality: Quick Highlights<br />
Looks like there's a new set of proposals coming regarding Net Neutrality from FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler. Some details have been leaked, <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2148900/fccs-new-net-neutrality-proposal-what-do-we-really-know.html">but we'll have to wait until May 15th to see everything</a>. More than a few people have been asking my opinion, so I'm going to dump everything here, and refer back to it.<br />
<br />
1) <b>Net Neutrality is a loaded term.</b><br />
On the surface, I'm a huge proponent of Net Neutrality. But when I say that, I want to see exactly what the TCPIP protocol was built for: best-effort per-packet delivery, end to end. However, I can promise you that if you put any two people in a room, you're going to come up with two different definitions of Net Neutrality. My idea of Net Neutrality, for example, is much different than Netflix's. (<a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2100600/comcast-netflix-reach-interconnection-deal.html">Netflix reluctantly signed an agreement this year where they had to pay Comcast to connect to their network in order to get the speeds necessary to make sure your House of Cards marathon didn't stutter</a>. ) [1] In many cases, you don't want your traffic treated neutrally, you want it prioritized. Which brings us to...<br />
<br />
2) <b>Paid Peering.</b><br />
Paid Peering is the process by which, essentially, big content providers host copies of their servers directly adjacent to or within ISPs so the traffic doesn't have to cross the whole internet to get from Netflix/Google/Microsoft to you, the end user. These agreements have never been covered by Net Neutrality, and it appears the new rules won't try and curb them either. This is a good thing. Network congestion scales exponentially over distances (hops), meaning that every hop we can remove between that Microsoft Update and your home PC is bandwidth freed up. Of course, the difference between Paid Peering and simply connecting edge networks directly together is a bit fuzzy, which is why the FCC wants to address complaints on a case-by-case basis, which Net Neutrality advocates are opposed to. I'm pretty much for it, pending some conditions, for example...<br />
<br />
3) <b>Transparency and "Reasonable Network Management Practices"</b><br />
This is the crux of the recent hissy-fit. The 2010 Open Internet Order from the FCC barred "unreasonable discrimination" against traffic; the new (leaked) proposal allows for "commercially reasonable" traffic management. The difference is a fine one, but it should be noted that the first order was struck down largely <i>because of this wording</i>. Thus the proposed changes. The thing I'll be combing through the May 15th release for is protections providing for transparency and disclosure of the network management practices by ISPs and other carriers. <a href="http://blog.ericreasons.com/2010/04/on-fcc-comcast-ruling.html">Disclosure isn't going to be an absolute necessity. If you recall the evidence that Comcast was holding up BitTorrent traffic purposely on its network was rooted out by everyday Internet users, using free tools.</a> However,anything that promotes sunlight would help. But the most vociferous advocates of Net Neutrality just aren't going to be happy until we have...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbw3_WUcLAzy-PtWNhHke7yhONlbaBYPuUuRrW_KQz9lAxuv9UkzetjPiJ5k2kyZzonQYpgw_JFeGH6hYK7pBBuBZbTGXFD9vXvnin7kNDqdillwl8afwUcvBpRHYHW0ZaA6DPLjlOg/s1600/telephone1320344418179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbw3_WUcLAzy-PtWNhHke7yhONlbaBYPuUuRrW_KQz9lAxuv9UkzetjPiJ5k2kyZzonQYpgw_JFeGH6hYK7pBBuBZbTGXFD9vXvnin7kNDqdillwl8afwUcvBpRHYHW0ZaA6DPLjlOg/s1600/telephone1320344418179.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Telecom Regulated: the first 80 years</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKYzUZyRSZNRBAVli_L6eLvlO7Zn93wRaH4ue1c9JQsngHc_Og7F2ueHwMYW4TMdMQQR7l3xwNIVXGiW3EoMPhID1Oz9bhnmRoukggDx9BSo72oyitIGn-XmdL-TyvYxeEF9onOMsKg/s1600/cellphone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKYzUZyRSZNRBAVli_L6eLvlO7Zn93wRaH4ue1c9JQsngHc_Og7F2ueHwMYW4TMdMQQR7l3xwNIVXGiW3EoMPhID1Oz9bhnmRoukggDx9BSo72oyitIGn-XmdL-TyvYxeEF9onOMsKg/s1600/cellphone.jpg" height="150" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Telecom Deregulated: the last 20 years </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
4) <b>Reclassifying Broadband as a Tier II telecommunication service by the FCC</b>.<br />
This is what most of the online petitions, and carefully crafted outrage by organizations like Free Press and Public Knowledge are really after. How anybody can look at the track record of the FCC ruling the common carriers and think that it's the way forward to innovation on the Internet, I do not know. It's very tough for me to equate the days of Ma Bell, where the Western Electric Model 302 didn't change for 60 years, to 1984's breakup of AT&T created an explosion of new phone technology and the creation of cellular networks and free long distance calls.<br />
<br />
When the proposal is made public on the 15th, I'm sure I'll be revisiting the topic. Wheeler wants to get something approved by the end of the year, which would be at light-speed for the FCC. We'll have plenty of time to argue over it, but until then, don't sign any petitions until you really know the details. You may not be getting what you bargain for.<br />
<br />
<b>Updates:</b><br />
[1]: (4/30/2014): In the Netflix example, Netflix wanted to use Net Neutrality to force Comcast to cover the cost of providing high-speed access from Netflix to Comcast users at no charge to Netflix. This would ultimately mean that non-Netflix-using Comcast customers would foot the bill to subsidize their Netflixing brethren. See how the some interpretations of "Net Neutrality", and their unintended consequences, can get messy fast?<br />
<br />
[2]: (2/27/2015): Well, we had to wait a lot longer than until May. In fact, I thought this was a dead issue, until the President revived it. And it pretty much looks like we exactly what I mentioned in #4 above, reclassifying broadband as a Tier II Telecommunication service.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-91592169422710117942013-03-14T00:49:00.002-04:002013-03-14T01:08:04.990-04:00Google's Killing Me, Killing Reader<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Google is killing Reader come July 1, 2013.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This is a real shame, because the RSS protocol is truly a thing of beauty, and one of the great ways that original content gets distributed. But to do so, it needs a client as good as the spec, and there was none finer than Google Reader, which could follow me from device to device, platform to platform.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">It was my gmail, but for web content. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Now Google's pulling the plug on the service, which is a real shame. I truly hope this isn't the sign of the New Google, where every service must have a 65% market share, and pump traffic into Google+ to stay alive. I'm a huge Google fanboy, and for me to think of something so cynical is probably not a good sign, Mountainview.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">See, it's not that I don't "trust" Google (</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I don't think Google will ever "trap" my data, or use it for bad ends</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">), it's that I have a hard time investing much faith in Google when they are so capricious about the life and death of their products. I just </span><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">don't want to do too much heavy lifting of my life into Google's services when they live and die by a single company's edict, and not the will of the internet, like an RFC spec.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I guess it's time for me to rethink my commitment to truly open platforms. So expect more light sharing from this blog, and more links back here from Facebook, Google+, and other social media sites. I'm going to try and keep more of my content where I know it's going to stay put. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And when Google pulls the plug on Blogger, I'll be able to grab my data and put it on a host of my choosing, because HTML and RSS aren't controlled by anyone but us.</span>Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-81032147120791118152012-09-13T21:55:00.001-04:002012-09-13T22:06:46.717-04:00Inalienable Rights?I don't know how to ask what I'm about to ask without pissing everyone off, but maybe that's what makes it good material for discussion.
+Jeff Jarvis <a href="http://buzzmachine.com/2012/09/13/advice-to-muslims-media-dont-feed-the-trolls/">wrote in his blog today</a>:
<br />
<blockquote>
Zeynep Tufecki, a brilliant observer of matters media, digital, and social, cautioned on Twitter that we must understand a key difference in attitudes toward speech here and elsewhere in the world: “Forget Middle East, in most of Europe you could not convince most people that *all* speech should be protected. That is uniquely American,” she tweeted yesterday. “In most places, including Europe, ‘hate-speech’ –however defined — is regulated, prosecuted. Hence, folks assume not prosecuted=promoted…. US free speech absolutism already hard to comprehend for many. Add citizen media to mix, it gets messy. Then, killers exploit this vagueness.” Excellent points and important perspective for the current situation.</blockquote>
I, like Jeff, am a Free Speech absolutist. I'm lucky enough to live in a country that has chosen to protect this unalienable right. So much so, that just like the quote above, I had to be reminded that this is far from universal. Watching Erin Burnett on CNN tonight, I witnessed a clip of a protester in Cairo talking to the media, repeating that "Obama is guilty! Obama is guilty!" in reference to the idea that the President Obama, backed by U.S. Intelligence, had to "know about this movie", and "chose not to stop it", as if such a thing were even possible in America.<br />
<br />
The concept of free speech was utterly alien to that man.<br />
<br />
The distance between an American and the American Government was non-existent to him.<br />
<br />
As an American, I fully--instinctually--understand that it is not a contradiction to be utterly disgusted by the hate-filled speech of a fellow citizen, and still stand up to defend that citizen's right to speak it; that the answer for Bad Speech is More Speech. It is so important to our way of life, that it was the very first thing codified in the Bill of Rights.<br />
<br />
Here was a citizen of Cairo, demanding that a foreign leader in a foreign country betray one of the most fundamental pillars of that country's way of life, because, not only does he think freedom of speech *should* not exist, but that it *could* not exist. The idea was utterly alien to him.<br />
<br />
So the thought that popped into my head that I'm wrestling with is this:<br />
Is this man an exception? Is he the rule?<br />
<br />
If the latter, what hope is there in an Arab Spring for freedom in that part of the world, where one of the fundamental tenets of liberty is literally inconceivable?
I frequently wonder whether or not Americans--who were born to these concepts--are still capable of shouldering the great burden that liberty demands of us. What, then, can we expect of those to whom these concepts are alien?<br />
<br />
I ask these questions off the cuff, and with an open heart and curious mind. I don't mean to offend. At the very least, I hope you find this question more interesting than figuring out which campaign tweeted which statement when--which seems to be the discussion that's taken over CNN for now. Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-72748589720570442032011-11-17T16:51:00.001-05:002011-11-17T16:59:14.356-05:00Vote "NO" on SOPA - An Open Letter to Congressman Thaddeus McCotter<br />
<b>An open letter the Thaddeus McCotter</b>,<br />
U.S. Rep. for Michigan's 11th District, and my congressional representative, whom I much admire.<br />
<br />
Dear Congressman McCotter:<br />
<br />
<b>Please vote NO on SOPA (HR-3261)</b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Why is SOPA/Protect-IP such bad legislation?</u></b><br />
<br />
First, let us agree that preventing online piracy is a noble and worthy goal. I don't fault legislators for trying to protect intellectual property. As is so often the case though, good intentions are no excuse for bad legislation. And SOPA is nothing if not "bad legislation".<br />
<br />
SOPA is a bill that aims to thwart piracy by turning ISPs, website operators, credit card companies, and domain registrants into police. It guts the DMCA's "Safe Harbor" provision, opening the gateway for Hollywood to shut down websites it believes to be infringing upon intellectual property rights without due process. Lastly, it imposes a huge cost of regulatory compliance on entities that are some of our most economically vibrant, in a time when there aren't many bright spots in the economy.<br />
<br />
As is so often the case, the damage it does won't just be to existing services, sites, and companies, but to all the innovation that will be strangled in infancy because a tech company's first hire will have to be a lawyer instead of an engineer.<br />
<br />
Make no mistake - if this law were in place 15 years ago, there would be no YouTube, no Facebook, no Google, no iTunes, no eBay, no Craigslist, no Etsy. You could probably name the corporations and organizations that would have benefitted had their business models never been disrupted by the Internet. That list will look a lot like the list of organizations who spent $91 Million lobbying for SOPA. This is not an accident.<br />
<br />
In 2006 Yochai Benkler wrote, in _The Wealth of Networks_:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
For the most part[...] the state in both the United States and Europe has played a role in supporting the market-based industrial incumbents of the twentieth-century information production system at the expense of the individuals who make up the emerging networked information economy. Most state interventions have been in the form of either captured legislation catering to incumbents, or, at best, well-intentioned but wrongheaded efforts to optimize the institutional ecology for outdated modes of information and cultural production.</blockquote>
Sound familiar? <br />
<br />
<b><u>Destined to Fail</u></b><br />
<br />
Even if SOPA passed, and all of the effects that I listed above were somehow mitigated, it wouldn't do a thing to slow down, let alone halt, piracy.<br />
<br />
The internet is built to route around "damage". That's what it was designed for. <b><i>And the internet sees censorship of this kind as damage.</i></b> The major tool for "taking down" an infringing site is to claim its DNS entry (which turns a name like youtube.com into an address that your computer can connect to like 74.125.225.77), and pointing it to a different IP address.<br />
<br />
Routing around internet censorship will simply be in the form of the distibution of IP addresses instead of DNS names. We saw this effect when wikileaks.org was "blocked" in 2010 (voluntarily, by its DNS provider). People just went to the IP address directly, and mirror sites popped up to distribute copies of the data.<br />
<br />
This kind of "takedown" won't even slow a pirate down. But it will incur a tremendous amount of regulatory overhead for legitimate companies to contend with.<br />
<br />
If I were addressing this plea to my friends on the left I might say that this bill is being bought and paid for with $91 Million in lobbying from the RIAA, MPAA, and Hollywood. I might say that they are the 1%, and they'd like to keep it that way, even if it were to harm the consumer, the public, the economy, and the United States.<br />
<br />
However, this message is for the one person who has represented me best in Washington, and I know from long admiration, that you, Congressman McCotter, share many of my views from the right. Therefore I say that this legislation is nothing more than rent-seeking from a industry whose business model is failing in the face of innovation. This is the same industry who has tried to legislatively hinder everything from VCRs to MP3 players to cable television, all in the name of protecting their historically comfortable profit margins. They are unwilling or unable to innovate, and are fearful of the creative destruction that awaits them in the face of their obstinance. It's easier for them to petition Congress than it is to face the 21st century, and even if this legislation comes to pass it will do absolutely nothing to save their outdated business model. They are using their present position of relative strength to permanently hinder the one industry that, more than any other, shows promise for American workers in the 21st century.<br />
<br />
Finally, (and only slightly in jest):<br />
<br />
What would Youtube's fate be under SOPA if the Beatles or Roy Orbison decided that this video of your band playing FarmAid was infringing material?<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/B0Cs4kziENQ" width="480"></iframe>
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<br />
Congressman McCotter, please consider voting NO on SOPA.<br />
<br />
Thank you,<br />
Eric Reasons<br />
11th MI resident and proud Thaddeus McCotter supporter<br />
<br />Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-76872221508072795092011-08-06T11:39:00.000-04:002011-08-06T11:39:03.584-04:00Professor Jarvis's Homework Assignment: Jobless Future?<br />
I'm glad that Jeff Jarvis is a professor. Nobody gives great homework assignments like his. I'll welcome comments here as always, but follow the link below if you want to join in the real discussion.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://plus.google.com/105076678694475690385/posts/ZZf4ULYSqmR">Jarvis announced his intention to give the following talk at SXSW on Google+</a>:<br />
<blockquote>
The SXSW proposal title is, "Honey, we shrunk the economy."<br />The proposal: Technology now leads to efficiency over growth. That means that we're not going to have a jobless recovery. We're going to have a jobless future. Pick any industry and see how technology, the internet, global connectedness, and transparent markets are bringing tremendous efficiency. Newspapers have shrunk by hundreds of thousands of jobs and may disappear -- while news expands at less cost. Borders, Circuit City and untold stores are gone, replaced by a new retail supply chain -- aka, Amazon. Construction has imploded and won't reinflate and recreate jobs. We will discuss the implications for business, technology, education, and policy. Instead of bailing out the old institutions -- GM, banks, even governments -- we should enable and invest in the entrepreneurs who will disrupt them. Education must shift to nurturing those entrepreneurs and retraining the jobless. We must invest in efficiency. Help me explore these ideas, this future. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Questions I propose to address with the room:</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Why is technology different now? Why isn't it creating more jobs than it kills?<br />How are incumbent institutions preventing change and slowing this progress?<br />How should government help this process? Can it?<br />How must education change to serve such a world?<br />Are we headed to an economy no longer built on growth but instead on efficiency?</blockquote>
<blockquote>
And that room, I hope, will be filled with he entrepreneurs and technologists who are creating this future, the investors who are funding it, the educators who are supplying it, the government wonks who should be enabling it and the rest of us who are trying to figure it out.</blockquote>
First off, I'm not sure that we're destined for a jobless economy, and I'm not sure Jarvis is either, but he likes to go a bit over-the-top, (it's his shtick) so I won't quibble with the plainness of his statement.<br />
<br />
I do have some direct comments to some of his points. Jeff's original text highlighted below:<br />
<blockquote>
Education must shift to nurturing those entrepreneurs and retraining the jobless. We must invest in efficiency.</blockquote>
Retraining can soften the blow somewhat, but let's face it--most government jobs programs are largely about digging, and then filling holes. And, not to be tautological, but if efficiency is killing jobs without replacing them, is investing in efficiency going to change that effect, or just speed it up?<br />
<br />
On to his questions:<br />
<br />
<b><u>1) Why is technology different now? Why isn't it creating more jobs than it kills?</u></b><br />
<br />
It may eventually build new markets we didn't know existed. The entire news/entertainement/leisure industry only popped into existence as we gained the leisure time to spend on it (<a href="http://blip.tv/web2expo/web-2-0-expo-sf-2008-clay-shirky-862384">See Shirky's talk about the 5-day work week and cognitive surplus</a>). Filling our leisure time wasn't a viable market until the 20th century, and it was created out of whole cloth thanks to the technologies that enabled efficiency (i.e. the assembly line and agricultural automation). I wonder if these transitions were as smooth as they look from our viewpoint in history. Maybe people asked these exact same questions as they moved from farms to cities?<br />
<br />
The unique problem right now is that many people think they've identified this next stage of post-industrial economy as "the knowledge economy" (something you tacitly appear to agree with when you suggest retraining), which is when the second part of the problem kicks in (Shirky's "double whammy" you commented on earlier): if we're increasingly creating and sharing for each other for free, there's going to be an economy there to retrain for? We are starting to use our leisure time to help fill the leisure time of others, thanks to the Internet. This new internet infrastructure is extremely efficient, and maintaining it can't possibly be enough of a need to employ the displaced. We need something new, and it has to be something that we're not really willing to do for free (that's why we get paid, right?)<br />
<br />
<b><u>2) How are incumbent institutions preventing change and slowing this progress?</u></b><br />
<br />
Short answer "any way they can." The MPAA and RIAA are increasingly defending intellectual property rights in the face of a sea-change of technology that shows us how fragile and impossible it is to keep a business running when you depend on people *not* copying bits.<br />
<br />
Software companies are increasingly engaged in ridiculous patent wars that stifle innovation instead of spur it on. <br />
<br />
I'm not weighing in on whether intellectual property as a concept is good or bad, <a href="http://blog.ericreasons.com/2009/06/does-intellectual-property-law-foster.html">(I have my opinions)</a> but I think in the face of technology today, it's simply untenable in the long run. The technology to copy bits will outstrip the technology and cost to enforce their protection. It will be increasingly diificult to impose artificial scarcity, and thus impose market forces on what are essentially ideas and expressions.<br />
<br />
And if you think it's bad now, wait until we get 3D printers online, cheap, and ubiquitous.<br />
<br />
<b><u>3) How should government help this process? Can it? </u></b><br />
<br />
I divide my answer into two parts. The cynic in me says, flat out, "It won't". In 2006, Yochai Benkler wrote, in _The Wealth of Networks_:<br />
<blockquote>
For the most part[...] the state in both the United States and Europe has played a role in supporting the market-based industrial incumbents of the twentieth-century information production system at the expense of the individuals who make up the emerging networked information economy. Most state interventions have been in the form of either captured legislation catering to incumbents, or, at best, well-intentioned but wrongheaded efforts to optimize the institutional ecology for outdated modes of information and cultural production. </blockquote>
I have found no indication that this trend is going to change.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, the pragmatist in me says that, if there was a way that government could help, not the transition itself, but to ease the pain of it, it would be to stop trying to inflate the economy to cope with all of our debt (personal and national), and find a more meaningful way to deleverage ourselves. Many of the benefits people could see from the disruption and efficiency brought about by technology rely on lowering our cost-of-living through it. effectively deflating the economy. We may make less, nominally, but we'd spend less, thanks to efficiency being passed on to us. Let's call this the "Walmart" effect for a moment. The problem we'd have to solve is paying back all of our debts in deflated dollars. In a deflationary economy, you borrow cheap money up front, but then have to pay it back with the same "amount" (nominally) of expensive money down the road. It's a non-starter with all of us leveraged to our eyeballs. I don't see an easy way through this problem.<br />
<br />
<b><u>4) How must education change to serve such a world?</u></b><br />
<br />
Mostly, I think our expectations of education have to change. Let's leave the skills and knowledge aside we are supposed to get from our education aside for a moment. In the 20th century, the education system was built to teach us certain intrinsic values as well as skills. In k-12, we show up on time, 5 days a week, and have a teacher broadcast accepted knowledge top-down from the front of the room, which we were quietly to consume. Then students regurgitate spoonfed answers back to verify them for quality control. This level of education would largely prepare us for blue-collar jobs.<br />
<br />
In college we're taught, in addition, how to navigate a complicated beauracracy, get our paperwork filed the right way, and the top-down model was expanded to show that, if properly trained and credentialed, we may be able to add to that knowledge base in our professional lives. This would prepare us for white-collar jobs.<br />
<br />
This education system was built in the 20th century for 20th century work. Entrepreneurs are almost always some form of outcast our outsider to this progression. We trained against entrepreneurship, and instead trained excellent workers. If you jumped through all the hoops the right way, you were rewarded with the reasonable expectation of a career.<br />
<br />
We need to teach entrepreneurship, independence, and initiative from the start. I don't know how to achieve this, or if it can even be done, but I think that's the target we need to aim for.<br />
<br />
<b><u>5) Are we headed to an economy no longer built on growth but instead on efficiency?</u></b><br />
<br />
Efficiency can fuel growth if there's a proper channel for it. When agricultural automation started taking over farms in the 19th and 20th centuries, people started to leave for the cities, to build the machines that would make our food instead of making the food directly. This produced a new set of problems as we coped with managing the needs of city life. Each new practical problem to solve created a market. We need to transport machines to the country and food back to the city. We need to store food in the city instead of consume it on the spot. We need food prepared for us. We need sanitation, advanced construction, a more concentrated police force, etc. We need services and entertainment to soak up our free time on the weekends and cope with our alienation from work that was less connected to the products of our labor (God, I sound like a Marxist). Each of these needs and desires created brand new markets, entrepreneurs, and and ever increasing need for new technology. (Whew, capitalist again.)<br />
<br />
As we migrated to cities in the 19th and 20th centuries, for the first time ever, our life wasn't just about working sunup to sundown to put food on the table. Work was part of our lives but not the sum total. I think there's a kernel of insight here into what possibilities are next for us.<br />
<br />
The real question is, what are the direct and personal needs of the 21st century that we need to pay people to do, and which will we do for each other for essentailly free thanks to the Internet and intrinsic motivation to create and share? What markets are going to have to spring up out of whole cloth to fill those needs and desires that we won't fill intrinsically?<br />
<br />
Hopefully some of the very smart people listening to your talk at SXSW have some ideas.<br />
Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-55140596954795603432011-08-05T12:47:00.000-04:002011-08-05T12:47:12.157-04:00Jobless Recovery or Jobless Future: A Reply to Jeff Jarvis<br />
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<button class="h-iA" contenteditable="false" data-token-entity="@105076678694475690385" oid="105076678694475690385" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #eeeeee; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-left-radius: 2px 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px 2px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-left-radius: 2px 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px 2px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #3366cc; display: inline-block; font: normal normal normal 13px/1.4 Arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 1px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap;" tabindex="-1"><span style="color: #888888;">+</span>Jeff Jarvis</button> suggests over on a Google+ post, that "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/105076678694475690385/posts/3U8yyTKfjUA">We're not going to have a jobless recovery. We're going to have a jobless future. </a>"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
Back in 2009, he sent me and others off on this topic, so I thought it deserved a thorough response now that he's announced his intention to focus on the issue again. I wanted to reproduce my response here, but I encourage any readers to carry on the discussion over on his g+ post. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Here's my response:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Jeff -- <a href="http://blog.ericreasons.com/2009/07/innovative-deflation.html">you sent me down this rabbit hole back in 2009</a>, and I haven't emerged since. I'm glad to see you've circled back around to it, because I think it's terribly important, and few people could focus attention on it like you can.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
I take it as given that disruptive innovation, particularly at present, yeilds efficiency more than it yields growth. (Mike Masnick would probably kick me in the shins for saying this so plainly, <a href="http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090624/0253385345.shtml">as he did here</a>).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
In many ways, however, I think Masnick is correct. The post he was responding to was focussed merely on the *threat* side of the equation. We can't forget that the upside of this disruptive efficiency is that consumers reap the benefits of it in terms of lower cost-of-living. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
So the real question becomes: can we reap the benefits at a rate that corresponds to the pain that transitioning the workforce is costing us? </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
As I said in the linked post above:</div>
<blockquote>
"[Disruptive efficiencies] cost jobs and are not likely to replace them. Too many of these jobs relied on the traditional inefficiencies of their business models--inefficiencies that have been *eliminated*, not just shifted to new markets. The closer the markets are to intellectual property, the faster they fall.<br />Lastly, all of these displaced professionals are going to go seeking work in still-viable markets, if they can attempt the transition at all. The labor supply will increase as both knowledge markets and traditional markets restructure to take advantage of new efficiencies, and that restructuring will include taking advantage of the aforementioned increase in labor supply. Hours will be cut. Wages will fall. So too will the cost of living fall as these efficiencies are passed on the consumer. *The balance between these two forces will be the key to determining how painful the transition is.*"</blockquote>
<div>
Again, is our current economic discomfort a temporary situation, caused by the difficulties in transitioning our workforce, or is it a more permanent restructuring? The same question may have been put to a farmer at the turn of the 20th century, or (closer to home for me) a factory worker in 1980's Detroit. Today, America produces more food than it did 100 years ago, and (contrary to commonly-held belief) manufactures more than it did 25 years ago. But much like you point out in your post, increased production (in those markets) does not equal increased employment when new efficiencies are introduced.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Consumers may reap the benefits of efficiency, but can it make up for the costs in terms of employment? Finding a meaningful measurement of those two rates of change, I think, are key to properly addressing this very important predicament.</div>
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<br /></div>
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--</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Followup questions still to be framed and wrestled with:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
1) Unintended consequences of deflation:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Assuming that deflation wouldn't be so terribly if we could capture the benefits of it (i.e. Would you take a 20% pay cut if bread, housing, music, movies, etc. were 20% cheaper?), what other unintended consequences would deflation hold (since public policy at present is trying desperately to use inflation to ease our debt burden)? You see, we've already agreed to past prices for these things (largely mortgages), but would be asked to pay them back in future deflated dollars. This is a huge problem, since we're all in debt up to our ears.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
2) In a world of bits. not atoms (your term, which I love, Jeff), we're increasingly creating value for each other without exchanging money. Price can't always capture value. What happens to the supply-and-demand curve when supply is practically infinite? See my post on <a href="http://blog.ericreasons.com/2011/04/scarcity-abundance-and-knowledge.html">Scarcity, Abundance, and the Knowledge Economy</a>.</div>
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<br /></div>
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--</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Lastly, you may want to check out <a href="http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/homebrew-industrial-revolution-chapter-three-babylon-is-fallen-third-installment/2010/12/17">this excerpt from Kevin Carson's book</a> as well. It's barking up the same tree. It also rightfully credits you with stirring up this conversation in the first place.</div>
Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-13538784117660277442011-07-03T13:27:00.000-04:002011-07-03T13:27:11.080-04:00Google+: Managing Community and Audience(First, let me apologize if this post is specific to Google+, a service most people aren't even allowed in yet. However, there's already a lot of chatter about what it is and what it is not, and I wanted to collect my thoughts.)<br />
<br />
It was sheer luck that a conversation I had a month ago <a href="http://blog.ericreasons.com/2011/06/bridging-gap-authority-150-connections.html">led me to pen some thoughts about the qualities that can make or break social media platforms</a>. At the time, I had no idea that Google+ was less than 30 days from launching it's "Field Test". In that post, I cite some literature on the "150-connection gap", which shows that the limit for social circles seems to settle in at about 150 real connections to real people, and that when you start interacting with more than those 150 real connections, you're acting as an Authority does to an Audience, not participating in a community/conversation. I then posit a hypothetical new social media service, and claim that if it can't "cross the 150-connection gap", then it will have a difficult time gaining traction amongst the general population. Facebook and Twitter eventually became decent at managing this dynamic. Buzz was horrible at it (more on that, below). So what can Google+ do to cross the 150-connection gap? The key is in the Circles feature, and in "re-sharing". <br />
<br />
<b>Will we "Make Lists"?</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/26/facebook-friend-lists/">Mark Zuckerberg famously said "Guess what? Nobody wants to make lists."</a><br />
<br />
I know it's just a single data point, but I think <a href="https://plus.google.com/113612142759476883204/posts/RktYLiPtwVU?tab=mX">Gina Trapani has a pretty strong answer to that question</a>.<br />
<br />
So let's assume for the sake of argument, that we're willing to make lists by using Circles, because they are useful to us. How many times have you decided not to post something to twitter because the audience is too broad, won't care about what you write, or it's a little *too* personal? Let's assume we are more willing to share with an audience that we think will be more interested in the topic we're sharing. Google is betting the farm on it.<br />
<br />
<b>What Circles can do for us</b><br />
<br />
Presently some early g+ users are complaining that the Stream is too "noisy".<br />
<br />
<a href="http://scobleizer.com/2011/07/02/why-yo-daddy-wont-use-google-no-noise-control/">Robert Scoble documents this issue well here</a>, where he says:<br />
<blockquote>So, until Google gives us the ability to control noise Google+ will continue not being used by average people (my metaphorical “yo momma and yo daddy.”<br />
The thing is what is noise control?<br />
Two things, one of which Google is known for:<br />
1. Search. The ability to say “show me all cool new items that talk about venture capital.”<br />
2. Sifting. This is similar to search, but goes beyond. “Show me all future items that talk about venture capital.”</blockquote>Following someone does not necesarily corellate to targeted ideas. I follow Jeff Jarvis to hear about <a href="http://www.buzzmachine.com/2011/06/30/social-is-for-sharing-not-hiding/">social media development and it's impact on disrupted institutions</a>. I get a lot of <a href="http://www.buzzmachine.com/2009/10/16/small-c-the-penis-post/">penis news</a> too. <br />
<br />
Essentially, Scoble is highlighting a problem that Buzz was also notorious for: If you follow a famous person, you are beset with noise that drowns out your "real" connections, and leaves you little ability to gain topical control over what you hear from whom. <br />
<br />
Scoble wants downstream filtering (read, "an algorithm") to help him select what to read (and this is by no means a bad idea, escpecially given how good Google is at this sort of thing). <br />
<br />
Google+ tackles this problem head on with their Circles feature, but the present limited population of g+ is hiding how useful Circles can be. The most useful part about circles is that they *filter twice* - I pick who I follow, and they pick what they share *topically*. In g+, the intersection of these interests will be what I actually see. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyc1XGlHZF2RN0D_2IwzazmnNUYo4fVjhqbjp_NfQzcXuycRzRZhUeKK9B7sR3X5fBfNRfnaAWAA4FHR_F_hWUNTj4GHb5u2MsbVM9-VkyDfVUXwLpDQWuzzDvW0kZPzkd3OAzvHrNw/s1600/howgpluscancelsnoise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyc1XGlHZF2RN0D_2IwzazmnNUYo4fVjhqbjp_NfQzcXuycRzRZhUeKK9B7sR3X5fBfNRfnaAWAA4FHR_F_hWUNTj4GHb5u2MsbVM9-VkyDfVUXwLpDQWuzzDvW0kZPzkd3OAzvHrNw/s320/howgpluscancelsnoise.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It is a huge step forward in crowdsourcing curation. It can hugely reduce the noise that a reader gets compared to twitter and facebook. It may rely on the author to select their (initial) audience,which may seem inconvenient, but in practice this is exactly the feature we've been clamoring for in other social media tools. Circles finally gives us that power. <br />
<br />
So why don't we see this emergent property of Circles yet?<br />
<br />
Presently, Google+ is populated only by "Internet Celebrities" (to quote Leo Laporte), and their nerdly hangers-on (myself included), and I think this population is masking this very important feature, making the graph (at present) look more like this: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQxeOkP0MkWzRLDS2OgAuQnAUw87n59bterIbkP5AtcnuVvCFIGr6l8KgPzeLYs5RIYDfCwxM3hz7WbhsDUoEq1FWoMP-7rdzdGzeepB7mDRyyNPUCJ91Us3JNSFBvbA0QE4xFtacoQ/s1600/echochamber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQxeOkP0MkWzRLDS2OgAuQnAUw87n59bterIbkP5AtcnuVvCFIGr6l8KgPzeLYs5RIYDfCwxM3hz7WbhsDUoEq1FWoMP-7rdzdGzeepB7mDRyyNPUCJ91Us3JNSFBvbA0QE4xFtacoQ/s320/echochamber.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The Internet Celebrities are followed by almost everybody, and they're making everything public, as is their way. (Your mom isn't on g+ yet, and most g+ conversations going on right now are--surprise!--about g+).<br />
<br />
If Circles allow an author to feel as though they're sharing with a targeted community (and more than just the Internet Celebrity/Early Adopter community is present), then they'll be useful enough at the source to help more open sharing, and more targeted conversation. This can solve the "Community" problem of social networks, but what about the transition past the 150-connection gap to an "Audience"?<br />
<br />
<b>Sharing, Resharing, and crossing the 150-Connection gap</b><br />
<br />
Jeff Jarvis <a href="https://plus.google.com/105076678694475690385/posts/D5ZJAxvdrfY?tab=mX">highlights a currently talked-about issue with re-sharing</a>, where he essentially says, that disabling re-sharing stifles discovery by a third-party audience. (From my standpoint, this is a kiss-of-death to an emerging social media technology). Sometimes, we may *want* that discovery stifled, and should be allowed to announce it to our circle by disabling re-sharing (which is, by no means, a guarantee that a malicious member of the audience won't find a way around it--Jeff's excellent point). The question is really a matter of *defaults* (Defaults matter!), and I'm glad to see that g+'s default is to allow re-sharing.<br />
<br />
Why?<br />
<br />
Because re-sharing is one mechanism by which we <a href="http://blog.ericreasons.com/2010/07/crowdsourcing-curation-social-graph-as.html">crowdsource curation</a> which is important in the long-term for social technologies, and the Internet in general. But it also allows a relevant post to jump from Community to Audience, which is, as cited before, the key feature for a social technology to "take off". That's not to say we ought not to offer as much control to the author as possible over their intended audience, but we should leave that control to the social pressures that work so well in this space, as opposed to relying on technology to lock away information in a space that was actually built for sharing it. We need the system simply to promote transparency of the author's intentions to their chosen circle (i.e. to let your circle know that the message was intended for them and only them), and let social pressures handle the rest. (If you violate my trust, you'll find yourself quickly removed from that Circle).<br />
<br />
Having the ability to disable re-sharing is an important signal to the audience that this is for them only (see <a href="https://plus.google.com/113612142759476883204/posts/cWa1SvkAozv?tab=mX">Gina Trapani's excellent thoughts on why having the ability to disable re-sharing is important here</a>), but hiding away anything not explicitly marked "public" would hamstring any social media technology before it has a chance to even leave the ground.<br />
<br />
<b>Conclusion</b><br />
<br />
Google+ looks like it has the genetic makeup to be a very impressive social technology. If we find utility in "making lists", and sharing defaults are kept open, it has the tools to help people interact with thier close communities, as well as allowing relevant content to jump to a wider audience. There are many other hurdles to clear to see if Google+ will gain the critical mass of users needed to sustain any new social media technology, but it's off to a very promising start.Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-27821037585889542752011-06-05T12:22:00.002-04:002011-06-28T22:03:06.837-04:00Bridging the Gap: Authority, 150 connections, and the Power Law<b>---150 Connections: The difference between a Community and an Audience---</b><br />
<br />
I found myself in a conversation with friend and sometimes mentor, Nathan Hughes (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">@ndh313</span>), about the upper bound of one's social connections. Back in the 90's Robin Dunbar proposed an upper limit of around 150 real social connections (knowing who a person is and what their relationship is to you). <a href="http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/arxiv/26824/?p1=Blogs">Scientists have recently used Twitter as a laboratory to confirm that this number holds true</a>, even with all the recent advances in social networking technology. <a href="http://www.commonsenseadvice.com/human_cortex_dunbar.html">This number has also been confirmed by actual practice throughout the range of human experiences</a>, from hunter-gatherer societies to corporate organizations, to the U.S. military.<br />
<br />
In our new social media landscape, this limit seems to manifest itself in two interesting effects: <br />
<br />
Most of you have probably already observed the first effect, and it is unlikely to surprise you: those of us who follow hundreds or thousands on Twitter or Facebook will ignore most of the traffic in favor of our "core community" of around, surprise, 150 people--the people we have built real social ties with. This is well-understood enough that Facebook tries to predict this core community based on conversations, and filter the newsfeed appropriately. <br />
<br />
Second, the rest of our connections (the ones we don't maintain more structured formal ties with) fall out of the conversation paradigm, and become <i>an audience</i>. To a small number of people, we're a <i>member of their community</i>; to everyone else, we are (however transitory) set up as <i>some sort of Authority</i>. Broadcast mechanics take over, and the conversation becomes one-way, <i>because of the limits of human attention, and not the limits of the social media tools we use</i>. When a social network extends our reach as an individual beyond our core communities, it does so in such a way as to set us up as an <i>author(ity)</i>, not a conversant. There doesn't seem to be a way around this issue. It's how humans are hard-wired. This almost seems counterintuitive to those of us who've grown up digital, because we see traditional authority structures being challenged everywhere from academics, to the music industry, to the media ("the" media, hah!). <br />
<br />
<b>---Author(ity)---</b><br />
<br />
<b><i>The Internet generation isn't getting rid of "experts", we're just changing the criteria.</i></b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.theawl.com/2011/05/wikipedia-and-the-death-of-the-expert">Who is to be considered an "expert" on a topic is quickly becoming an ad-hoc, crowdsourced meritocracy</a>. The technology of the 20th century set up firm barriers between <i>community </i>and <i>authority</i> (you were either on TV, or not; a published author, or not). Social media tools have greatly softened that barrier, to the point where many of us can drift in or out of authority, or remain a member of one community, and an authority to another. However, in a web-linked world, contrary to our instincts, <i>Authority</i> is still inherent in the system. That authority is granted by our core communities, however, and not (solely) by some sanctioned social institution. This is the difference between "PhD. X <x>on television said...", and "My friend and sometimes mentor <x> said...". As we each act in our own communities as gates between the communities of others, we lend credence and authority to those voices, sometimes diminishing the authority of traditional incumbent institutions in the process. (<a href="http://blog.ericreasons.com/2010/07/crowdsourcing-curation-social-graph-as.html">More on the social graph as gatekeeper here</a>).<br />
<br />
<b> ---The Power Law---</b><br />
<br />
The interesting effect of this is as statistically demonstrable as the 150-connections rule. It establishes a power-law relationship inside of networks. <a href="http://www.shirky.com/writings/powerlaw_weblog.html">Clay Shirky noticed this effect</a> as far back as 2003. For an evenly-distributed bunch of egalitarians, look how often we all quote Clay Shirky! To most of us, he is an "Authority", not a member of our community (more's the pity). Meritous or compelling memes gather an audience because members of various communities lend the meme (or author) credence. As reputation grows across communities, some people get propelled out of the long-tail and into the big-head of the power-law curve and a wider audience. It's at this point that their social networking relationships change: The conversant becomes an author, and they have to address an audience instead of a just a community.<br />
<br />
I've noticed this most frequently when listening to Leo Laporte's <a href="http://twit.tv/twig">This Week in Google</a> podcast with <a href="http://ginatrapani.org/">Gina Trapani</a> and <a href="http://www.buzzmachine.com/">Jeff Jarvis</a>. Conversations frequently center around various tools and services that are coming online in the social sphere, and I find how often my own likes/dislikes are at odds with the hosts. This is, of course, because I am using these tools to interact with a community, not to manage an audience. Therefore, our criteria for evaluating the usefulness of these tools is fundamentally different. Things that they find terribly useful tend towards those features that make managing an audience easier: Google's Priority Inbox, Twitter, Gina Trapani's own <a href="http://thinkupapp.com/">ThinkUp</a> app, etc. We're using all the same tools, but they're using them from the big head of the power law distribution graph, and I from the long tail. I believe this is the reason why a service like Twitter caught on amongst the media traditionalists more than other social technologies: it's natively a broadcast media, and pretty bad at conversations. Which is exactly what media traditionalists are used to.<br />
<br />
<b> ---Crossing the Gap---</b><br />
<br />
Thanks to social technologies, it's easier than ever to cross the gap from community/member to audience/author. But the most successful social technologies (let's say Facebook and Twitter) succeeded because they were flexible enough to change when their users were faced with the 150-connection barrier. Facebook iterated through many changes, but the most important to managing the crossing were the "Top News" feed, which filters the user's news feed heuristically based on the most common connections, and the creation of "Fan Pages" that center around managing an audience more than participating in a community. Twitter stumbled onto success largely by having a well-documented and widely-used API that allowed the userbase to extend it's functionality to fit their needs on their own. Hashtags and Retweets are both user-created conventions that help bridge the community/audience gap, and were eventually incorporated into Twitter's core functionality. And almost nobody uses Twitter via SMS anymore, as it was originally intended. Google Buzz is an excellent example of how being able to cross the 150-connection barrier can make or break a service. Even though Google had a ready userbase via GMail, and far superior technology for cross-platform integration, it was the inability to service the big head of the power law distribution graph, without destroying the usefulness to the long tail, that held it back. Following even a few popular feeds in Buzz can bury your closer connections, short-circuiting Buzz's usefulness to core communities, and leaving it as an "either-or" tool. (It can service the audience, or it can service a core community, but for any given user, it can't service both). It does *not* help a user cross the gap between community and audience, and therefore remains far less popular than the bigger names in social technology. <br />
<br />
This problem of crossing the gap from core community to authority/audience isn't just for social technologies, however. Any form of human collective endeavor suffers from it. How many companies that function well as a startup are unable to take the leap to full-fledged corporation? (Eric Schmidt admits that even Google's biggest problem is managing growth). How many grass-roots political movements get co-opted by established incumbents? (Something the <a href="http://blog.ericreasons.com/2010/09/practicing-what-they-preach-jonathan.html">notoriously decentralized Tea Partiers</a> rightly fear). In the connected age, whether you are building a social technology, or cultivating like-minded people to a cause or corporate mission, building a system (or culture) that is flexible enough to accept growth beyond a core community, without destroying the core community in the process, is the key to success. This not only explains the successes and failures of various social technologies, but also explains the rise of the web itself in the face of the far-less flexible traditional media. <br />
<br />
</x></x>Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-64182691285263502792011-04-17T10:25:00.000-04:002011-04-17T10:25:29.755-04:00Scarcity, Abundance, and the Knowledge Economy. Tightened Up.Blogger A^3 <a href="http://a-cubed.info/blog/wp-trackback.php?p=304">spent a little time pondering my writings on Intellectual Property and the Knowledge Economy here</a>. I thought I'd offer my response to his post here as well, as I thought it tightened up some of my earlier writings on the subject.<br />
<br />
Also, it's a shame to waste that much decent writing in a comment response. Thanks again A^3. My response follows:<br />
---<br />
A^3:<br />
<br />
Thanks for speaking well of my blog posts. I'm very glad that more and more people are giving thought to these issues.<br />
<br />
I think the key point when talking about that which can be meaningfully measured by economics, is that the Supply/Demand curve is based on *scarcity*, and in a world where *scarcity* is mostly artificially induced (via copyright and patent), the system is fighting a losing battle to cram 21st century ideas of production into 20th century framework of capitalism and property. The problem with the 21st century is dealing with *abundance* not *scarcity*, and traditional capitalism is a tool to allocate *scarce* resources in teh most efficient way. It says next to nothing about allocation of resources that are abundant. <br />
<br />
In short, what happens to the Supply and Demand curve when Supply becomes infinite? It's not so much that economics falls down, as that it *divides by zero*, as it were.<br />
<br />
For some goods, (notably, anything relying on materials in the real world) this will never happen (until we get the Star Trek replicators online, of course). However, we see what happens when the product is divorced from natural scarcity:<br />
<br />
When music was distributed on vynyl records, there was next to no issue with copying or "piracy". When it moved to magneteic casette and CD, there started to be grumbling about "bootleggers" or "pirates", but the problem was still mostly well-contained because copies required a phsycial medium, and a decent investment of labor on the part of the copier to make the next copy. In short, marginal cast was still far from zero. Come to the early 21st cenntury, and the Internet changes everything: 1 copy could become thousands in the matter of a mouseclick: and recorded music was no longer scarce. It was abundant.<br />
<br />
Thus my "bits vs. atoms" split helps me think about where traditional economics holds up, and where it doesn't in the coming decades.<br />
<br />
When asking about "what we can reasonably say about the economy of two or three decades down the line" we should be asking ourselves if that which is "important to us" is still going to be *scarce*. If it is, then traditional economics will probably be quite unchanged, and still quite valuable when talking about them (atoms).<br />
<br />
On the other hand, if our explosion of non-rival goods has rendered supply infinite for certain sectors of "production", we can reasonably expect the bottom to fall out of those sectors, at least economically.<br />
<br />
Maybe these goods/sectors/services/endeavors get propped up by some other intrinsic motivation to create, or maybe they just go away in time. Perhaps the musician creates recorded music as a side-effect of getting paid to perform live, instead of the other way around. (For that matter, I know a lot of people who make music, and don't get paid for it today).<br />
<br />
I agree that we don't fully understand what the next step in economics is over the next quarter-century, but I think we can safely assume that at least for some sectors of production, it's not just "opaque", as you say, but *wholly different* than what has come before. And I believe we can start identifying those sectors now, by identifying how reliant upon "Intellectual Property" and artifical scarcity they are.<br />
<br />
Thank you again for given my writing such thoughtful consideration. Much like the examples above, I don't get paid for, so *my* intrinsic motivation for doing it is when I see others enjoying it.<br />
<br />
-EricEric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-88445478630284015712011-02-20T10:28:00.001-05:002011-02-20T10:32:05.108-05:00Cybersecurity and "Internet Freedom" Act: Who Are They Kidding?Anytime Congress puts the word "Freedom" in the title of a bill, it means that it's about to curtail the freedoms of whatever other words show up in the title.<a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20033717-281.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20"> For instance, the "Cybersecurity and Internet Freedom Act", will limit freedoms in both Cybersecurity and the Internet.</a> Easy, see?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.despair.com/government.html"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/demotivators/governmentdemotivationalposter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Considering that most Congresspersons can't be trusted to check Snopes.com before e-mailing their bank account numbers to Nigerian princes, I can't see how they think they have enough tech savvy to regulate the Internet properly. And if there's anything Egypt has shown us, it's that we should be making it as hard as possible to let Governments pull the plug on the Internet.<br />
<br />
"But Eric! The United States isn't Egypt!! You're crazy to compare the two!!"<br />
<br />
Tell that to the <a href="http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/DHS-Domain-Seizures-Get-Ridiculous-COICA-Returns-112793">84,000 domains (mistakenly!!) seized and shut down by ICE</a> without so much as a notification to the site operators last month.<br />
<br />
Olympia Snowe (Republican-ME) couldn't get this pushed through in 2009 with Rockefeller <a href="http://blog.ericreasons.com/2009/03/rockefeller-moron.html">(Moron-WV)</a>, so her companion in the Senate Susan Collins (also Republican-ME) from Maine is trying again in 2011? I have to ask: "What's up, Maine? What lobby do you have up there that's pushing this?"<br />
<br />
<a href="http://blog.ericreasons.com/2009/04/from-senator-who-wishes-internet-was.html">My take on the 2009 bill can be found here</a>, and not much has changed. Except the title, of course.<br />
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<br />
<div><br />
</div>Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-81335880078586717732011-02-13T12:50:00.001-05:002011-02-13T12:52:37.228-05:00The Sound of Silence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sorry about how quiet the blog has been lately. Many of the things I like to write about are starting to bleed together in my head. I busted out some mind-mapping tools (Thanks <a href="http://www.lucidchart.com/">LucidChart</a>!), and found out why it's been so tough for me to find a toe-hold on writing lately. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'll get to work on chopping this up into some sensible posts soon. In the meantime, please feel free to enjoy my madness.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Eric</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lucidchart.com/publicSegments/view/4d581896-eda0-4566-a95b-6c340af9d692" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.lucidchart.com/publicSegments/view/4d581896-eda0-4566-a95b-6c340af9d692" width="194" /></a></div>Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-41416232710098494772011-02-06T11:41:00.000-05:002011-02-06T11:41:48.553-05:00Everything is a Remix<a href="http://www.everythingisaremix.info">Everything is a Remix</a> is funny, smart, (and ultimately) a deeply important series of videos about the nature of creativity in a world where access to the means of media production and distribution are ubiquitous. <br />
<br />
I'm looking forward to where Kirby Ferguson is taking this. He's done his homework. <br />
<br />
You should watch the videos (and consider donating!).<br />
<br />
Check out Part 1:<br />
<br />
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/14912890" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/14912890">Everything is a Remix</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/kirbyferguson">Kirby Ferguson</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p><br />
Part 2:<br />
<br />
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/19447662" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/19447662">Everything is a Remix Part 2</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/kirbyferguson">Kirby Ferguson</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-80867636642547548272010-12-30T19:02:00.001-05:002011-01-18T21:33:04.491-05:00The Wealth of NetworksI've been spending my Christmas vacation catching up on my much-neglected reading, including Yochai Benkler's <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=VUpUhgBnovwC&dq=the+wealth+of+networks&source=gbs_navlinks_s">The Wealth of Networks</a>. I haven't even escaped Chapter 1 when I run across this little gem:<br />
<blockquote>For the most part[...] the state in both the United States and Europe has played a role in supporting the market-based industrial incumbents of the twentieth-century information production system at the expense of the individuals who make up the emerging networked information economy. Most state interventions have been in the form of either captured legislation catering to incumbents, or, at best, well-intentioned but wrongheaded efforts to optimize the institutional ecology for outdated modes of information and cultural production. </blockquote><blockquote> --Yochai Benkler, 2006 (long before the FCC adopted it's Net Neutrality rules)</blockquote>It reminds us well that we are in a new time; that the either/or dynamic that defined the political discourse of the twentieth century is outmoded and should be retired; and that looking to the state to protect you from corporations (or vice versa) is foolishness.<br />
<br />
Big Government is Big Business<br />
<br />
A very Happy New Year to everyone! Welcome to the 2nd decade of the 21st century!Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-8873971500267153942010-12-18T12:33:00.000-05:002010-12-18T12:33:33.028-05:00Kevin Carson's _The Homebrew Industrial Revolution: A Low-Overhead Manifesto_Color me flattered, I just noticed that this blog was substantially cited in <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/07525803609000364993">Kevin Carson</a>'s book <a href="http://amzn.com/1439266999">The Homebrew Industrial Revolution: A Low-Overhead Manifesto</a>. More than anything I wanted to give the book a plug, and to mention how compelling <a href="http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/abundance-creates-utility-but-destroys-exchange-value/2010/02/02">Carson's work</a> has been over at the <a href="http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/">P2P Foundation</a>, which is where I became most familiar with it.<br />
<br />
If you want to check out the chapter (wonderfully titled "Babylon is Fallen") that references some of my writing on artificial scarcity and the knowledge economy, you can find it online <a href="http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/homebrew-industrial-revolution-chapter-three-babylon-is-fallen-third-installment/2010/12/17">here</a>.<br />
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I'm fairly certain that this marks the first time this blog has ever been cited in print (aside from an occasional LaserJet printer). Thanks, Kevin.Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-82604902146609084052010-12-12T14:11:00.000-05:002010-12-12T14:11:47.937-05:00Following the Big Dogs: Lessons in Corporate Culture from Merlin MannI ran across Merlin Mann's talk about <a href="http://www.43folders.com/2010/10/06/broken-meetings">How to Fix Meetings</a>. It's good, if a little long, so if you're interested in the topic, check it out. But there's one jewel of an idea that I found there that I wanted to call out:<br />
<br />
"We aren't dumb. People chase Big Dogs"<br />
<br />
This is an invaluable lesson when analyzing your own corporate culture. Forget the mission statements, the surveys, and the focus groups. A "culture" at an organization is the collection of unwritten rules that people either follow, or risk some level of ostracism when they don't. They are usually hard to define, and almost never written down or formalized (mostly because of how very difficult it is to pin them down, particularly from *the inside* of the organization).<br />
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<b><i>But no matter what organization you're talking about, its culture can be discovered by asking "What do people see *as succeeding*". What works? What doesn't? Period. People follow the Big Dogs. </i></b><br />
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"Big Dogs" doesn't mean management, either. It means those successful people in whatever corner of the organization that are generally understood to be effective. It's about what those people do (not what they or their managers say) that we pick up on and emulate.<br />
<br />
When you've identified the Big Dogs, and identified what they do to be successful at your organization, it's pretty easy to identify the culture.<br />
<br />
The hard part is determining whether or not the <i>culture you have</i> is the <i>culture you want</i>.Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-79801810493400662782010-10-24T10:56:00.002-04:002010-10-24T11:29:15.257-04:00Mike Masnick on Hollywood's Historical HystericsI love just about everything Mike Masnick writes (even though I throw in<a href="http://blog.ericreasons.com/2010/08/value-vs-capital-balance-sheet.html"> the occasional asterisk to his techno-optimist viewpoint</a>). He recently posted this piece on <a href="http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101019/04235911477/the-movie-business-is-dying-blame-tv-the-1959-edition.shtml">the hysteria that has surrounded Hollywood each time a new technology shows up on the scene to threaten it</a>.<br />
<br />
This latest example comes courtesy of Mary Pickford (), claiming that Pay TV will be "the death of the motion picture industry."<br />
<br />
Or, in a similar vein:<br />
<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QIgZHZpiq1U?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QIgZHZpiq1U?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br />
<br />
Of course, this has clearly not come to pass, and I can appreciate Masnick's point about history repeating itself, but I say in the comments:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>The difference between the disruption seen in 1959 and the disruption today, is that it was two different (but related) industries that were vying for control of a distribution medium. Throughout media's modern history, the reigns of power have changed hands but there was still scarcity in play (sometimes artificial, sometimes natural). The gatekeepers changed positions, but they were always gatekeepers.</blockquote><blockquote>The Internet removes that scarcity, and removes those gatekeepers. I'm not saying that we won't find a way to benefit from this new structure, but I am saying that it is truly novel, and not just a continuation on a historical curve. I'm not sure that history can inform us on this matter.</blockquote><br />
If one wants to look to history to help make sense of the economic and cultural disruption that the Internet is enabling, we can't just look at (historically) recent changes in the entertainment industry like they are on a predictable curve. We need to look at those technologies that fundamentally altered the world. Pay TV and VCRs don't inform us on the disruptive power of the Internet nearly so much as studying things like the printing press and the assembly line. And one of the most important lessons we can learn studying those phenomenon is that the people of the time had a horrible track record of prediction, because they couldn't see the revolutionary nature of what was right before their eyes.<br />
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As always the Techdirt comments are great, so (while comments are always welcome here) take comments over there, where the real discussion is taking place.Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001146793389907383.post-45960858789600550932010-10-01T19:06:00.000-04:002010-10-01T19:06:05.597-04:00Why I love Charles StrossCharles Stross is a science fiction author. He keeps a blog running for a his fans, and shares a good amount of give-and-take with them about his writing process, ideas, and activities.<div><br />
</div><div>And he writes sentences like this:</div><div><br />
</div><blockquote>Writing a space opera with FTL means accepting causality violation. And accepting causality violation means <a href="http://www.scottaaronson.com/papers/ctc.pdf" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">computing with closed timelike curves</span></a> or, in simpler terms, <a href="http://www.frc.ri.cmu.edu/~hpm/project.archive/general.articles/1991/TempComp.html" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">really strong deterministic solutions to P=NP, and then some</span></a>. Procedural AI hops out of the FTL hat like a demented magician's rabbit and the singularity takes a shit all over your neatly designed Napoleonics-in-Spaaaaaace boardgame table.</blockquote>Read <a href="http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2010/09/books-i-will-not-write-4-escha.html">the whole thing</a> if you're a fan. If you're not a fan, go grab some of his books and become one.Eric Reasonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05688830134012824642noreply@blogger.com0