I have heard a few times at that site something that sounded funny to me. Since then I have also noticed a couple of podcasts I listen to make, what seems to me, the same mistake. They talk about “the podcast” when referring to the individual episode. For example one that I heard today was talking about the particular episode (not the series) and said “here we are at the end of an eclectic podcast.”

To my thinking the podcast is the complete package. You wouldn’t refer to one episode of a TV show as the “series”; it would simply be an episode of that series. It sounds odd to call an individual episode a podcast.

What do you think?

My interest in Evernote started when I was looking for a good way to keep notes and tasks organized on my iPhone. The built in application for taking notes on the phone was awful. The fact that (at the time) the notes taken on the phone did not sync to the computer and therefore were not backed up in any way made it a useless app to me. Especially since I was having such a hard time keeping my phone running.

Evernote allowed me to keep notes on my phone and access them from the web, or from my computer. The notes are immediately sent to the mother ship and are available on my other platforms for viewing or manipulation.

I don’t use Evernote as much as I originally anticipated. Even when I had my beloved Palm based devices, may they rest in peace, I still relied on paper quite a bit to keep my tasks and notes for the day. However, I use Evernote on bigger projects. When I was doing research for a set of lectures I was doing concerning technology and mission work I kept all my notes and research in Evernote. Preparation for any large task where I know there will be a lot of information is a perfect task for Evernote. I also like to snap pictures of articles, not necessarily to read, but to be reminders of something that I want to look up and do further reading on.

The features of Evernote that I use most are tagging and text recognition.

I can take a note (which can be a photo, a sound recording, a saved web page, or a text note) and tag that note with key words that will help me find the note again. While I always have separate notebooks for certain projects, I can also use tags so that when I search for a keyword the notes from several notebooks will come up if they are relevant. I am not limited to just what is in one notebook (folder).

The text recognition that Evernote does is very clever. [This turns very geeky for a moment] If I take a picture that has text in it, then Evernote will search that text too when I do a search for a keyword. They don’t do formal OCR (Optical Character Recognition) on the text. They do intelligent guessing. Instead of trying to figure out exactly what the text is, which is very inaccurate, they make several guesses on each word and store their guesses. Then when you search for a term they pull up all the words that they think might fit. Doing it this way is more likely to return a word that you were looking for instead of ignoring anything that might have been one letter off. It is also possible that they would return results that are not what you were looking for, but almost guarantees that they will not miss a valid hit. [Mortals can start reading again] I can take pictures of pages of text and then do a search on something that I know was on that page and it will return that in the results. For a recent paper I submitted for a class I used this to keep track of all my research books and certain pages that I knew I would be referencing several times throughout my paper. It also works on hand-written notes; assuming your writing is readable by normal people.

I don’t use it for all my daily information tasks (partly because they don’t have a native Linux client) but I do rely heavily on it for larger projects. Recently I read a list of 100 ways you can use Evernote. Maybe you can get some ideas from this list as well. One of my favorite items on the list is #60 “Make a list of all of your girlfriends family members names. Use this list to study them before your next big visit.” My question is, is that supposed to be girlfriend’s, or girlfriends’? Since there is no apostrophe (and clearly should be) I have to imagine that the reason you need a tool like Evernote to keep track is you have too many girlfriends to keep the lists straight in your own head.

I don’t know if Evernote will fit your needs, but it certainly has been a help in research and larger projects for me. Otherwise, I just stick to my paper lists.

My fortune: What are you waiting for? Start moving now.

I have been somewhat discouraged by my laziness in exercising and staying in shape. While I am doing much better than most, I definitely know I am not where I should be, nor where I want to be. My fortune yesterday was appropriate in that it gave me a little kick in the pants to get motivated and moving. The last 5 years I have harped on the fact that if you will simply get up and move a little bit more today than you did yesterday, you are taking a step in the right direction to get in shape and be healthier. While I still believe that, I have had trouble motivating myself to stay aggressive in my movement. Maybe this is just what I needed.

My wife’s fortune: Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple.

As an interpreter (of many things), I am constantly involved in the struggle of making sure something in one language (concept, culture, story) is completely understood in the other language with the same intent and feeling as it had originally. While I don’t know that it takes a genius to transmit information from one medium to another, it certainly is taxing on the mental capacities. When you can take something that is not understood by one person or group and interpret it in such a way that they “get it” then you are displaying an ability that many others do not have.

As a missionary, if you feel guilty about putting money into an account for retirement then you are showing you are dependent on the donor and not on God. As a donor, if you are angered by missionaries putting money into savings, then you are demonstrating that you are giving to the missionary and not to God.

Our giving and receiving should be vertical; from me to God, or from God to me. Giving should not be horizontal; from giver to receiver. As soon as the donor thinks that he is giving to the missionary as opposed to giving to God then he starts to feel like he should control how the money is used. When a missionary begins to think that the money he has comes from individuals and not from God, then he becomes dependent on people and not on God.

Keep your giving and receiving vertical and not horizontal. By doing this then you don’t allow bad attitudes to creep in.

I understand that, as a donor, I want to know that my money is properly used, but if I feel God wants me to give it, I should give. Then whatever happens to the money is no longer in my control. It is up to God to take care of His money. As a receiver I should be very careful of how I use the money given, but not because I am concerned about what people think of how I use the money. I should be careful to be accountable to God for how I use His money.

My wife always teases that fortune cookies these days don’t have any fortune in them. They don’t tell you that you will be hit by a bus at 2:00 on Tuesday afternoon. That would be a helpful telling of fortune. But, alas, we get stuck with trite little sayings.

Today mine said: “You will be called upon to help a friend in trouble. Answer the call.” Isn’t that what I do all the time? I have always tried to be helpful when people need it. Now my cookie is telling me I need to step it up a notch. Well, I taught that cookie a lesson. I ate it. I guess that wasn’t too helpful.

My wife’s cookie was just downright funny. It said: “Oops… Wrong cookie.”

This morning on the way to church our daughter (5 years old) challenged our son (11 years old) to a game of “The Quiet Game.” She offered the challenge and he responded with, “Ok. Go!”

She sat there quiet for a few seconds and then whispered to herself, but loud enough that we all heard it, “Oh, this is gonna be hard.”

Good thing my wife and I weren’t playing, we laughed too loud to have been able to stay in the game.

Yes, dear, the quiet game is hard for chatty 5 year old girls.

This feature may have already been available in other areas, but this is the first time I have seen it. I do know that it is new for my neighborhood.

I have now been able to narrow down the time of when it was rolled out here. I was playing a game last night that uses Google Maps and the feature was not there. This morning the game has the new feature shown. So sometime between midnight last night and 7:00 this morning is when it was implemented in the Pensacola area.

Anyone already see this feature in your area?

What is it good for? I can see that it would be helpful in searching out property. If you are looking for some place that has a little bit larger than average yard in a particular neighborhood it would be useful. With the already current feature of having the blocks marked out with numbers telling you approximately the address of each house, this is an incremental step to giving us an exact address for each of the little lots that they are marking off now. When typing in an address you can see if the house you are looking for is on the corner, or three lots down. I can imagine that they will make it easy to click on one of the blocks and get the exact address in the near future.

This does not work in Mexico where we lived. But they also don’t have addressing information in the city of Merida yet either. Only the streets are laid out.

Bro. and Mrs. Hartsfield came to Odessa, Texas to take charge of our Christian school at the beginning of the 1980-81 school year. They moved to Odessa from Little Rock, Arkansas with their 3 children. Bro. Hartsfield is now 70 and I turn 40 this year. He has been a part of my life for 75% of my time on this earth. The Hartsfields have had more direct influence at different times on me than they do now, but the indirect influence has continued for these many years, and will continue into the future.

I can’t say that they are perfect people since I know human nature and the Bible would say otherwise. But, they have been consistently faithful to their beliefs and have instilled a deep seated desire in me to do the same. Bro. Hartsfield has always been a disciplined and consistent man, and while that may not have transfered into my life completely, it has been a joy to see someone who essentially is the same man I met 30 years ago.

Recently I heard a sermon based on the book of Third John in the Bible. The pastor mentioned a character I have never really studied. But as he talked about Demetrius I immediately thought of Bro. Hartsfield. The verse is 3 John 12: “Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.”

Demetrius was well spoken of by men. Bro. Hartsfield has a great personal testimony. Today in Mr. Ramirez’s shoe repair shop I mentioned the retirement party to the owner, who I knew to be an acquaintance of Bro. Hartsfield’s. Mr. Ramirez said some incredibly kind words about Bro. H. Every person that Bro. Harsfield met in business or personally became a quick friend. Bro. H. conducts himself in a way that causes you to want to get to know him personally. He has always been well spoken of by men.

Then the Bible says that Demetrius had a good report from the truth itself. According to God’s Word Demetrius lived a holy and right life. Anyone who knows Bro. Hartsfield knows that just being in his presence causes others to think twice about their actions. Not because Bro. H. is going to preach at them, but because they know that if it is an activity in which he would not participate, then it is because the activity probably violates the Bible or a Biblical principle in some way. While Bro. H. does plenty of preaching, he is not one to raise his voice or lose his temper. He is one of the most fun men to be around because you know that in his presence is an opportunity to have clean comedy, games and activities.

Thirdly it says of Demetrius that the apostles spoke well of him. These were men who had been in the presence of Jesus Christ himself. They knew perfection and they still spoke highly of Demetrius. While I have seen people say horrible things about our school and turn away from the teachings of the Bible, I have not met anyone who would speak to the fact that Bro. H. and his wife were not genuine people. The people who know him best, his family and co-workers, also speak highly of him.

I will miss seeing the Hartsfields on a regular basis, but I know that the impact they have had on the lives of the many students who have passed through the school is tremendous. I am just thankful that I can be here for the retirement party and take part in this special event. It is great to be able to honour a family that has been such a blessing to so many.

I recorded the speech by the Governor of Florida, Charlie Crist, and his Highness, King Juan Carlos I.

Of course the audio is not perfect, but I am glad I got what I did and am able to preserve it. A very neat memory.

Interesting side note. I saw several people carrying around Greek flags and signs printed in Greek. Queen Sofia is from Greece.

According to The Public Speaker there are different ways to shake hands based on country and culture. In the US we like a firm handshake that neither crushes the hand nor feels like a limp noodle. There are variations as to how long you should linger holding hands based on many unspoken cues. There is also meaning in the way you hold your hand during the shake. Humorously, I have read that the sandwich, or two-handed handshake should be reserved for politicians and clergy. Maybe that is why I have a tendency to shake with two hands.

When one person turns their hand palm down during the shake that indicates they are the dominant one. They communicate that they are in charge. The one whose’ palm is face up is supposed to be the submissive one. Ideally you would see yourselves as equals and have your palms perpendicular to the floor.

Last week we met a man who shook my wife’s hand first and intentionally turned her hand palm down. He was indicating that he was “at her service.” When he shook my hand he kept our palms as equals.

After doing all this reading, I had a funny thing happen to me. There is a lady at church that I have been wanting to talk with, but did not take the time to call her. I figured I would just see her at church. I was pleased to walk into church 15 minutes early the other day and see her. As I approached her she started walking towards me with her arm outstretched for a handshake. Her palm was down. That meant nothing to me a couple of weeks ago, but this time it did. She was one of my teachers in college. Though I see us as equals, I needed to talk with her about an area of her expertise. That pronounced the fact that she was in charge of the conversation.

This is just something I would have never noticed before.

One thing I noticed tonight is that Irish folk music is much more lighthearted than Italian opera. I was expecting a heavier opera repertoire but was pleased to see songs such as Star of the County Down, Kitty of Coleraine and McBreen’s Heifer on the program. How can one not enjoy a song by a famous tenor with the word heifer in the title?

While Kearns was worth going to hear by himself, his pianist was an act of his own. Between sets of songs, the pianist Patrick Healy would entertain the crowd with a few stories and a couple of songs. Mr. Healy looked to be in his 70s, but still played and sang well. He is an accomplished musician on his own and has traveled with Kearns for the last 12 years. Healy wrote some of the songs in the program this evening.

I don’t know if the program was chosen based on the fact that he was performing at a college campus, or if he regularly sings such light music. It certainly was more enjoyable than I expected. If you have an opportunity to hear him in person, I would recommend it. Kearns and Healy make a great team and the audience can tell they enjoy working with one another.

I called up some friends in town whom I knew would appreciate knowing about it and then we all stepped outside. It was exciting to see the ISS for such a long time in the sky. It was probably visible for 4 minutes. I have seen satellites before but they are always hard to spot and only at night. We saw the ISS while it was dusk outside.

If you want to find out when the ISS is visible at your location you can look up your country/city at their website.

The rules say that I am to “tag” 25 other people to share their 25 random things. Don’t worry, I am not tagging anyone. These are for your enjoyment and you can play along if you want. Also, my list of 25 is a special list. As an ADD person I have had many passions through my life. These passions sometimes sprout themselves as hobbies or obsessions. Some stick, some don’t. In no particular order, here are a few of the many.

1. Peruvian history
2. Yo-Yo tricks
3. Ham radio
4. HTML programming
5. Computer hardware
6. Linux
7. Podcasting
8. Spanish grammar
9. Harmonica
10. Running
11. Morse code
12. Dvorak keyboard
13. Day trading
14. Guitar
15. Rope tricks
16. Geocaching
17. Orienteering
18. Blogging
19. Photography
20. Chess
21. Golf
22. Cycling
23. Archery
24. Bread making
25. Writing (believe it or not, I hold a diploma in non-fiction writing)

The list could go on and on.

Face it. Life can be stressful. But not when you have some lightly battered premium white-meat chicken by your side. Just grip, dip and go. Wasn’t that easy? Take that, yoga class.

Essentially Burger King is saying that to relieve stress you are better off eating deep fat fried chicken that has 53% of it’s 390 calories coming from fat than to do a yoga class. And if the fat and calories were not enough, they provide 41% of your RDA of sodium. They are trying to convince us that getting almost half of your sodium in one meal (that does not count the fries or anything else with your meal) is less stressful, and presumably better for you, than doing a round of exercise that is perfectly designed for stress relief.

Am I the only one that has a problem with this?

I know that fast food joints are not known for their promotion of good health, but to say that you will be more stress free and, implying, healthier by eating the Chicken Fries than exercising seems irresponsible.

We mostly used Twitter to make our initial plans of me being in town and they were going to meet me for a run. The run did not work out because of scheduling, but we were able to get together for breakfast. I know it sounds strange to say I went and had breakfast with a couple of girls that I met online, but, it was totally legit. MarathonGirl brought her husband along and we all met at a Cracker Barrel.

The conversation revolved around running of course. We also talked about what our jobs were. It was fun to meet for the first time but already have an idea of the person and personality through our online presences.

I recorded the conversation (along with several hours of other recordings from the week) and will try to edit it down into a podcast episode. But don’t hold your breath on that coming any time too soon. I have a lot of audio to dig through.

We left Orlando headed back to Pensacola. We planned to stop at my brother-in-law’s house on our way up. We were not able to get in contact with him to get together. Maybe we can make that stop when we go down to Tampa for a meeting in February.

As you can see it was a fun week. This is the first time in many years we have had all the families together. Most all the children are old enough to remember this special time for years to come.