Go Steelers!

Superbowl bound. Go Steelers.

Master Electrician?

I am thinking about taking the certification test to become an Alabama Master Electrician. I think it'll cost me about $168, and a few hours to take the test.

Sounds easy, and it'll add something to round-out the resume a bit.

See State of Alabama Electrical Contractors Board for more info.

(Un)Motivational Speaker

We had to complete a 4-session series of lectures by "motivational" speaker John Evans. It was supposed to be about either "Integrity Based Leadership" or else "Change and Stress"--I'm not sure which, it was called both in different places.

The guy didn't stay on topic very well. He gave lots of anecdotes, lots of pop-psychology (some of it disproven), and a good bit of standard "self-help" BS. I don't think the man had an original thought; he was just really good at quoting sections out of best sellers. I think he has probably read (and quoted from) every leadership, pop-psychology, and self-help book on the best sellers list in the last 10 years.

He also had a bad habit about talking about himself, his love of money, and his rich friends. He would constantly talk about how to become a multi-millionaire by being a motivational speaker. Constantly talk about his "best friend"--except every person and every author he named in his talks was his "best friend". What's creepier, is that he told us that he'd read an authors book, call up the author, chat & get to know the author a bit, and then move in with the book author for a week or two (I guess that made them "best friends").

I got the impression that he was pretty shallow; motivated only by money and material goods (I'd guess that he'd classify his girl-friend/wife/assistant as more of an object than a person--a trophy wife).

The grammar in his handouts was pretty bad; example: ''The following is a list of the top 25 values that have been recognized by me discussing with my class participants and in working one on one with clients. They not expected to necessarily be your top 25 values and they are in no particular order.''

A hand-out on setting goals for a balanced life at home asked ''What's missing I have wanted to add but wouldn't?'' What's missing from my home life that I want to add but wouldn't add?--is he trying to get someone to say "drugs, hookers, and dead babies"? I don't understand that one, and there are plenty of others just like it that I don't understand either.

Oh, and talking to a bunch of government employees about how rich you are, and how rich your friends are will not motivate government employees, just piss us off. We work for the government, we have no delusions of getting rich doing so.

Thank Buddha our last session was today.

Eat the Tiger.

Brewclub

I went to my first meeting of the Huntsville area Home-brew club, and discovered that the homebrewing hobby is illegal in the extremely progressive state of Alabama. (Why am I not suprised?)

Anyway, the club meeting was very informal, and it was a good opportunity to meet some folks & ask questions.

There was some lukewarm debate at the meeting, I wouldn't say heated, about some internal club issues, but it really wasn't a big deal. The bigger deal was about 9 different people appologized to me about it...

And then there was the sampling.

People who have made beer recently are encouraged to bring some & pass it around for others to try it... Of all the ones I had last night, one was bad (literally: tasted like some kind of cleaning product; everyone poured it out---I am told that this will happen to everyone at least a few times). So, despite it's badness, it was a good lesson. And the other 20+ varieties I tried were all between good and excellent.

All in all, very fun, worthwhile.

Now I just need to buy some supplies & get started.

Turn off virtually any TV...

This looks handy. I think I'll get one.

Addemdum: RCB

Addendum & correction to the last post:

In addition to the site I listed, the new RCBs website is now here: http://www.rocketcitybrewers.org/.

Homebrew, here I come...

So, a friend of mine, Bobby Sideburnz, got me a gift certificate to http://www.beer-wine.com/ for Christmas. I guess this means I am going to start homebrewing soon; I just have to figure out what to get & what to make.

I've also made inquiries into joining & attending meetings of the Rocket City Brewers club.