Chazd's (Charles Dowdell's) News Burps

Cowasaki!!! Marvin won second place and Claudia won first place in their respective contests today for Area 11 toastmasters! Congrats. I am getting the hang of the coal stove... just leave it alone.. the coal is smarter at burning itself than I am.

Grouse hunting...the ultimate joy of autumn I have to learn more about this hunting thing

The Art of Using Humor in Public I like what this guy says about analyzing humor.. "at your own risk". I feel great. Someone at work today set the bar higher than ever before. I always ask. "How are you today??" Now I ask this knowing full well that this person will answer politely and honestly with a bias towards the positive. Today I heard, "I have reached the utopian work experience". Now mind you, I attach a grain of salt to everthing... even salt. It just set the mood right. Even with some blarney, it made me feel good. Things are good and will probably get better. Isn't that where we all want to be? Forget this crap about mediocracy and letting our work become the burden of peasants and slaves. Historically, work is where you got money for your toils. Today, as harsh as life seems to be... it is nowhere near the physical hardships our elders endured as little as a hundred years ago. Today, work is how we spend our days.

Essential Wisdom I went to a Toastmaster dinner at the silo last night. I had a good time. It is a lot of fun to watch people give their tenth speech towards the CTM. It definately touches me. It seems that the subtle experiences like that are often more powerful than the ones that are "in your face." What I mean is that with the era we live in with the loudness, bigness, boldness and colorful experiences to get our attentions, these attentions certainly have little to do with the quality of the experience. I am chief judge at the area 11 contest this weekend. I still have a lot to do else ways with winter coming and all.

The Unusual: A site dedicated to the bizarre and weird. It is a normal Thursday. I have the coal stove working but it can be a little tricky getting the fire going right. It will take a little time to figure that out. I did not get the Town Justice appointment. The town board indicated that I was final choice but I was opted out for another bloke. They are encouraging me to run for the poistion in Nov 2004. Additionally, they have suggested that I become more involved in the town's civic activities. I may. I have to prioritize.

SCIENCE HOBBYIST: Do This Now This sight is full of great stuff to do when you should be sleeping. I should be sleeping.

Home This is a pretty good x-prize contestant. They seem to have fun anyway. Watch the videos. The X-prize should go to the chinese for launching their astronaut this week. (I know they are not eligble). You wouldn't see me getting into one of these things. I have winterization work to do today. It is quite foggy, I hope it clears a little. I am worried about the clearances on my stove.. one thing says one thing another piece of paper says another. I can't move the chimney now... It is in. We plan on moving the wall in a few years but I am at the minimal clearances now. I won the area 9 speech contest yesterday only because no one else showed up to compete. That is not the way to win. So now I have to practice for the southern division contest in Ithaca on November 8th.

Vintage Computer Festival Today is the Toastmasters Area 9 Speech contest. I am a contestant. I have the chimney installed. I have to finish installing the coal stove and its related stuff.