I was not feeling very good over the last few weeks. Isolation and not being able to leave the house got me down, so I had to come up with a few things that will give a longer-term boost in optimism (as opposed to escapism of The Simpsons).
So what did I do? I called people (friends, family) and talked to them. It is amazing how much better a person feels once they feel connected to other human beings. A piece of advice, if you do know someone who is feeling down, make a point of talking to them over the phone, or even better, take them out somewhere fun. Don't wait for them to ask for your help, because they won't. They are feeling too low, and you as a friend/family member need to take that step.
Another thing that happened was listening to Rocky 5 inspirational speech (link provided by my brother). I find listening motivational books and reading motivational literature incredibly uplifting. The trick is to make this a part of your daily routine. It does not have to take long. Even a quote a day will make a difference. Here is a link to my sister-in-law's collection of great quotes.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Cabin Fever
It has been three weeks since I sprained my foot. In those three weeks, I have stepped out of the apartment only a handful of times. I can't even move around the house. As soon as I start walking around the apartment, I feel my foot swell up. Then, a few minutes later, it is blue and hurting.
I can't even watch TV shows. The whole first seasons of Heroes and Prison Break are just waiting to be watched, but I just have not felt like it. The only show that I have been able to watch are the Simpsons. Homer makes me laugh. :-) I need something to make me laugh these days.
I looked up some good rehabilitation exercises for a sprained ankle and I have been doing those diligently. The foot has been hurting more than usual in the past couple of days so I had to slow down (not like I was racing around, anyways) and keep my foot elevated.
I had so many plans for these weeks that Carla is in Croatia (see family, scope out Zagreb and the surrounding area, go to the gym) but all these require a functioning foot, or at least an ability to stand upright for more than 5 minutes.
Oh well. Things like this happen in life, no need to feel bad. But I do... Now if I could just get myself out of this funk.
I can't even watch TV shows. The whole first seasons of Heroes and Prison Break are just waiting to be watched, but I just have not felt like it. The only show that I have been able to watch are the Simpsons. Homer makes me laugh. :-) I need something to make me laugh these days.
I looked up some good rehabilitation exercises for a sprained ankle and I have been doing those diligently. The foot has been hurting more than usual in the past couple of days so I had to slow down (not like I was racing around, anyways) and keep my foot elevated.
I had so many plans for these weeks that Carla is in Croatia (see family, scope out Zagreb and the surrounding area, go to the gym) but all these require a functioning foot, or at least an ability to stand upright for more than 5 minutes.
Oh well. Things like this happen in life, no need to feel bad. But I do... Now if I could just get myself out of this funk.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Car - take me home!
Everyone who knows me is aware of my passion for efficiency. It drives me absolutely crazy when things are done in an inefficient manner. One of those inefficient things is driving a car.
Imagine how much unproductive time humanity spends in a driver's seat every day. You may say that the time is used productively, as it is used to get from point A to point B safely. I would have to disagree. If a machine can do it better and more efficiently then let the machine do it. Sure, the machine that can drive your car does not exist yet, but I believe that in the next 10-15 years, we should be able to buy cars that drive themselves.
Imagine how much time would be freed up for all those that commute to work. ABC said in a 2005 article that an average American commuter (about 200 million of them) spends about an hour and a half in a car per day. If we could free up that time by having a machine/computer drive the car, we would free up (5 days*48 weeks * 200 million commuters =) 48 billion person-hours a year! You could do a lot of creative work in 48 billion hours a year. Imagine how much more productive would a country become if you freed up that much time. Wow!
There are several reason why I believe that the day is approaching when computers will drive our cars. First, computers, cameras and other equipment that could make this a reality are getting more powerful and more inexpensive every day. Second, DARPA (the organization that developed an early version of the Internet) has been funding competitions for this kind of development (GRAND CHALLENGE). Third, even private citizens with interest in robotics have been able to have their cars drive themselves on the roads.
I look forward to the time when you can sit in your car after a long day at the office, say "Car, take me home" and start watching the latest episode of 24. :-)
Imagine how much unproductive time humanity spends in a driver's seat every day. You may say that the time is used productively, as it is used to get from point A to point B safely. I would have to disagree. If a machine can do it better and more efficiently then let the machine do it. Sure, the machine that can drive your car does not exist yet, but I believe that in the next 10-15 years, we should be able to buy cars that drive themselves.
Imagine how much time would be freed up for all those that commute to work. ABC said in a 2005 article that an average American commuter (about 200 million of them) spends about an hour and a half in a car per day. If we could free up that time by having a machine/computer drive the car, we would free up (5 days*48 weeks * 200 million commuters =) 48 billion person-hours a year! You could do a lot of creative work in 48 billion hours a year. Imagine how much more productive would a country become if you freed up that much time. Wow!
There are several reason why I believe that the day is approaching when computers will drive our cars. First, computers, cameras and other equipment that could make this a reality are getting more powerful and more inexpensive every day. Second, DARPA (the organization that developed an early version of the Internet) has been funding competitions for this kind of development (GRAND CHALLENGE). Third, even private citizens with interest in robotics have been able to have their cars drive themselves on the roads.
I look forward to the time when you can sit in your car after a long day at the office, say "Car, take me home" and start watching the latest episode of 24. :-)
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Phone company hell
I used to think that Bell's telephone bill was had a poor layout and was very convoluted. Well, I've found something even worse than that. Croatian Telecom's telephone bill. Arghhhh!!!!
They have been overcharging me for my DSL service for the last three months. I called, and they said that it will be fixed, and then it was not. So by the time I really got fed up (I know, I tried not to get mad too quickly; it's a character flaw). :-)
I was given a fax number and an email number where I could file my complaint. And I did. Three weeks later, as I did not hear anything about my complaint, I emailed another complaint, this time asking for a response in the next 48 hours. Ten days later I get an email that they will credit me the overpayment for the three months and that they will correct the bill so I don't get overcharged the next month.
Guess what? T-Com's latest bill overcharged me for my ADSL service$%!@&!! I quickly called T-Com about this and they said that they cannot do anything about this, that it looks like the bill is updated and to give them a call next month if it is still like that. OH MY GOD!!!! I can't take this anymore...
And that's not all. They send me a bill for ~400kn and stupidly, I just pay what they specify on the bill. During my latest conversation with T-Com, I found out that there is a number printed in small print which shows if I have overpaid my previous bills and how much credit I have on this account. My credit has accumulated to 500kn. That still does not stop them from sending me a bill for services and hiding my overpayment from previous months.
That's when I asked them why they don't just print the number that I have to pay minus the credits on my account. She said that the computer can't do it. Yeah, sure, aha. The COMPUTER can't do it! ;-( So now, every month I have to look at the number that they tell me to pay, then subtract how much I've overpaid from before, and then pay the final number. SIMPLE! (sigh)
They have been overcharging me for my DSL service for the last three months. I called, and they said that it will be fixed, and then it was not. So by the time I really got fed up (I know, I tried not to get mad too quickly; it's a character flaw). :-)
I was given a fax number and an email number where I could file my complaint. And I did. Three weeks later, as I did not hear anything about my complaint, I emailed another complaint, this time asking for a response in the next 48 hours. Ten days later I get an email that they will credit me the overpayment for the three months and that they will correct the bill so I don't get overcharged the next month.
Guess what? T-Com's latest bill overcharged me for my ADSL service$%!@&!! I quickly called T-Com about this and they said that they cannot do anything about this, that it looks like the bill is updated and to give them a call next month if it is still like that. OH MY GOD!!!! I can't take this anymore...
And that's not all. They send me a bill for ~400kn and stupidly, I just pay what they specify on the bill. During my latest conversation with T-Com, I found out that there is a number printed in small print which shows if I have overpaid my previous bills and how much credit I have on this account. My credit has accumulated to 500kn. That still does not stop them from sending me a bill for services and hiding my overpayment from previous months.
That's when I asked them why they don't just print the number that I have to pay minus the credits on my account. She said that the computer can't do it. Yeah, sure, aha. The COMPUTER can't do it! ;-( So now, every month I have to look at the number that they tell me to pay, then subtract how much I've overpaid from before, and then pay the final number. SIMPLE! (sigh)
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Bah! - part 2
I went for a check-up of my foot today. The doctor did the x-rays again and confirmed that nothing is broken. But the ligaments on my left foot are sprained and hurting a lot when I try to use them.
I am booked for another visit at the doctor's in a week. They reused the half-cast on my foot, after taking it off to take x-rays. The half-cast is not giving me much support now, though.
I also received my bill for medical services. It was for 870kn, which is about $200. Not bad for 8 x-rays, two visits to a doctor, and a half-cast.
Thanks to connections, I was able to get crutches. Otherwise, I would have had to buy them. They don't rent them here.
I have been spending my days laying down in bed with my foot elevated (because it hurts really bad otherwise). In the last couple of days I booked a flight to Hong Kong, flight to Beijing, and hotels for the two cities. That's a lot of research and emailing/booking, but someone's got to do it. :-)
I am booked for another visit at the doctor's in a week. They reused the half-cast on my foot, after taking it off to take x-rays. The half-cast is not giving me much support now, though.
I also received my bill for medical services. It was for 870kn, which is about $200. Not bad for 8 x-rays, two visits to a doctor, and a half-cast.
Thanks to connections, I was able to get crutches. Otherwise, I would have had to buy them. They don't rent them here.
I have been spending my days laying down in bed with my foot elevated (because it hurts really bad otherwise). In the last couple of days I booked a flight to Hong Kong, flight to Beijing, and hotels for the two cities. That's a lot of research and emailing/booking, but someone's got to do it. :-)
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