Yes, I've taken up a new sport - cold water swimming. No, I'm not swimming in any of the rivers that are located in NNY, but rather than the pool at Clarkson University.
I've been swimming there for about a month now and it seems the water gets colder each time that I go. When I initially dangle my feet over the side of the pool, I ask myself "why do I do this?" The water literally feels like ice and it sends chills all the way up my spine. It reminds me when I was at 4-H camp in my younger years and I would go swimming at 6 AM so that I could be part of the polar bear club; come to think about it I would ask myself the same question "why do I do this?"
I guess I do it because swimming is such a good exercise and I enjoy the invigorating feeling I experience afterwards as I sit in the hot tub and then the sauna. These (hot tub and sauna) remove any of the chill from my body and make the bone chilling experience worthwhiled. I just hope I can remember this when I go swimming when it is -30 this winter. At -30, maybe the water will feel warm to me. I'll let you know.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Waste Is Revealing
I get to read some interesting articles in my monthly waste journals. One of the most recent article was titled "Something in the water - science detects drugs abuse patterns in wastewater." Source: Waste News, September 17. Researchers at Oregon State University have shown that less than a teaspoon of untreated wastewater can provide a wealth of information about a community's drug use - both illicit and legitimate. If we think about, any drug that we ingest eventually ends up leaving the body...so it makes sense that these drugs would end up in untreated wastewater. This same principle applies to solid wastes too.
I've performed numerous garbage container inspections (we call this "dumpster diving" in the garbology field) in my career and I'm always amazed at how the garbage tells me information about the generators: (1) do they drink-evident by the number beer or liquor bottles found; (2) do they have young children-evident by the presence of diapers; (3) are they on prescription medicine - evident by the number of prescription bottles in their wastes; (4) what types of foods do they like - evident by the food containers and wastes; (5) are they large or small people - evident by the size of clothing in their wastes. I think you get the picture of how much information you can collect about generators of garbage.
I've also come across personal confidential information during some of my dumpster dives. I'm talking about people's ss#, bank account #'s, addresses, name - everything needed for someone to perform an identity theft. The lesson learned from this is that we all need to shred our documents that contain our personal confidential information. Many people think that their garbage and recyclables magically disappear once they put their garbage out to the curb for collection. This is not true and on the average 2 or 3 people will see it before it finds its final resting place. The question is: what are you revealing about yourself and is it information that you want other people to have access to?
I've performed numerous garbage container inspections (we call this "dumpster diving" in the garbology field) in my career and I'm always amazed at how the garbage tells me information about the generators: (1) do they drink-evident by the number beer or liquor bottles found; (2) do they have young children-evident by the presence of diapers; (3) are they on prescription medicine - evident by the number of prescription bottles in their wastes; (4) what types of foods do they like - evident by the food containers and wastes; (5) are they large or small people - evident by the size of clothing in their wastes. I think you get the picture of how much information you can collect about generators of garbage.
I've also come across personal confidential information during some of my dumpster dives. I'm talking about people's ss#, bank account #'s, addresses, name - everything needed for someone to perform an identity theft. The lesson learned from this is that we all need to shred our documents that contain our personal confidential information. Many people think that their garbage and recyclables magically disappear once they put their garbage out to the curb for collection. This is not true and on the average 2 or 3 people will see it before it finds its final resting place. The question is: what are you revealing about yourself and is it information that you want other people to have access to?
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Fall Time
I'm amazed out how fast the fall is passing by. This is evident since I haven't posted since before the WIM retreat at my church. My lack of posting isn't because I haven't wanted to, but more to finding the time to get on the computer and do it. I spend so much time on the computer at work that the last thing I want to do is get on the computer at home; you'll notice that I'm writing this post during my lunch hour.
Two words can sum up the WIM retreat: Wow!! Wow!! That has become the favorite saying among the ladies that attended. Susan Brown, guest speaker of the retreat, asked me what I thought after the first session. My comment: "Wow!" She then asked me the same question again after the Saturday morning session. My comment: "Wow! Wow!"
You are probably wondering what happened to invoke such comments from me. God used Susan to minister life into the ladies that were present. Ladies went home transformed and the testimonies that I'm hearing still today show that God truly cares about His handmaidens and our well-being. Thank you Lord!
Two words can sum up the WIM retreat: Wow!! Wow!! That has become the favorite saying among the ladies that attended. Susan Brown, guest speaker of the retreat, asked me what I thought after the first session. My comment: "Wow!" She then asked me the same question again after the Saturday morning session. My comment: "Wow! Wow!"
You are probably wondering what happened to invoke such comments from me. God used Susan to minister life into the ladies that were present. Ladies went home transformed and the testimonies that I'm hearing still today show that God truly cares about His handmaidens and our well-being. Thank you Lord!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
