File this under things to do when I’ve got some spare time: Computerworld has a handy article for Removing your personal info from data brokers. Looks like some time and effort is needed, but that’s to be expected.
We celebrated another great holiday here in the ‘Ville with our folks and local family; this year featured a dry-brine turkey with stuffing, potatoes, homemade (read: alcoholic) cranberry sauce, beans, and lots of red wine. We set the table with a new set of plates from Target, which marks the first upgrade of our tableware since we moved in, and the four chairs we bought from IKEA came in very handy. We even had snow the night before, which made our last-minute errands more interesting but the whole day very festive.
Once again, it was great to have everyone around our table, and we have much to be thankful for.
This is all I really want from my news media: a clear picture, minus interpretation, of What Happened in Ferguson. I have nothing but respect for police and the job they do, but at no time should this situation have involved discharging 12 rounds from a service weapon. There’s something wrong with this situation.
About two weeks ago, I got a LinkedIn digest email with career-related job openings. On the top of the list was an opening for adjunct professors in UMBC’s design department, which caught my attention. So quickly, I put together an updated resume, made some updates to my portfolio, and sent it in.
Last Friday I found myself wandering a chilly campus looking for the Fine Arts building (all gray brick buildings from the 70’s look the same), and the ensuing interview went very well. Today I got an offer, and cleared it with my boss: this spring, I’ll be teaching a lecture class called Word and Image, where “Students apply their knowledge of typographic and visual forms to projects that encourage the introduction of word and image with visual hierarchies.” It’s going to make for an interesting schedule, as I’ll be getting up super-early to get into work and out by 2, then be on campus by 4. The nice thing is that UMBC lies almost directly between my train station and home, so it’s not a painful commute either way.
I have no idea what to expect, and this may very well kick my ass. But I have a lot of fun teaching, and I’m hoping it goes well.
From Wired, An Oral History of the Epic Space Film The Right Stuff. This remains one of my favorite all-time films, so to get a little of the backstory is fantastic. It reminds me that I need to get a DVD copy of this one.
From the Wirecutter/Sweethome: Helpful Gear for Any Emergency. I found a nice alternative to the $100 tactical flashlight I was recommended, as well as a highly-ranked first aid kit to replace the janky one I’ve had since 2000.
It’s not quite how I wanted to get into the show, but the video I produced for WRI, Securing Rights, Combating Climate Change, made it into Society of Illustrators 54, a peer-judged competition held in New York.
However, this means that I’ve already met one of my stated work goals for the year. Sweet!
Here’s where we are as of this morning. One layer of primer down on the wood, and it’s looking good. There’s some slight warping on the right side, which I need to look into–probably a quick hand sanding to buff down the edges will do. The walls are all ready for a couple of final coats of paint as well, and it’s nice to have the cracks all but gone from view.
I brewed the Irish Stout last night and set it up in a bucket to sit for a couple of months; I got within .002 of the original gravity target, got it chilled to exactly 75°, and the yeast started working sometime overnight.