Siqing, Jiang Bian, and myself went on a northern Arkansas adventure this last weekend. Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it an adventure, it was mostly driving around aimlessly looking for a place to camp.

As you can imagine it is a nightmare trying to find a spot on Memorial Day weekend without a reservation. We were able to do a few things though. We finally ended up at Tyler Bend at the Buffalo River Saturday night, where we swam, hiked a trail to the Collister Homestead (where there were some really great overlooks), and enjoyed an interpretive disscussion from a national park ranger.

The next day we drove to Eureka Springs, which is basically a tourist trap disguised as a historial landmark. Later that day we drove back to Lost Valley near Ponca, to see the waterfall in the cave they have there. I had been there before, but Jiang had not. You must take a flashlight, be willing to crawl almost on your bellow 200 feet and not be claustrophobic. It is well worth the effort to see and plus it is like an air-conditioner in the cave, which is great on a hot summer day like it was.

Lastly, we went and swam at Pruitt on the Buffalo River before heading home, because we couldn’t find a suitable camping spot. All in all it was a good time, but way to much driving and wondering around looking for a camping spot.

One photo of Jiang at the Collister Homestead: (click here for all the photos)

It appears as if Thom Yorke, who is a member of one of my favorite bands Radiohead, will put out an album that he has done on the side. Produced by long time producer Nigel Godrich. Check out the official website: The Eraser. This little flash with its spooky atmospheric music, gives me goosebumps. Trust me it’s a good thing.

Update: 5/24/2006 - Pitchfork has a great review here: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/news/06-05/24.shtml

I would like to share a talk I had with one of my close friends on our unhappiness with our careers or at least for me the last several jobs I have had. The conversation had to do with the parallels between construction work and computer science.

The jist of it is thus:

Programmers = Construction Workers: They are told what goes where and that is pretty much it. They have no say in the specifications or design. Moreover, they tend to be less respected and are seen as disposable; for the simple fact that a lot of people can perform the duties.

Developers = Construction Foremans: Serves as the leader of the construction crew (development team in our case). Has more experience and/or expertise and is respected much more by the engineers and achitects. Might have had formal education in his/her field.

Software Engineer = Engineer: Went to college and earned a degree. Manages the total construction of a structure (project). It is his feedback, planning, managing, and relationships with workers under him that will ultimately determine if the project is a success or failer.

Architect = Architect: Pretty self-explanitory. Responsible for the design of a structure (project). If he didn’t design the structure well, the project will be a failer.

In the jobs I have had thus far in my career, I have felt like the construction worker. I’m told what needs to be done and I do it. There is some thought involved or course, but it does not come close to my full capabilities. Moreover, I have a college degree and almost a Masters degree. Shouldn’t I be given the opportunity to use my learned skills, given more respect and more responsibilities, and ultimately good compensation? According to my skills and formal training I shouldn’t be at the bottom of the ladder (construction worker) I should be in the middle somewhere.

So, that is were a lot of frustration in my career comes from and I believe it is the same frustration many others in my field have as well.

I’ve had something stuck in my right eye (left if you are looking at me) for the past day and a half…I will go to the eye doctor today and see if he can fish it out. IT HURTS!!!

UPDATE: Went to the eye doctor at UAMS and they think whatever was in there, is not there anymore, but it scratched my cornea. So I was given some antibiotic ointment to put in it 2-3 times a day. Hopefully it will be better in a few days.

While daydreaming during a classical music recital, I wondered why is it that pop music is…well so popular, while classical music seems to not be as much. It dawned on me, probably 90% of the reason is because that is what the advertising and marketing giants decided to…well market. Of course it helps that kids like to feel like they are rebeling against their parents and therefore naturally gravitate towards louder music that doesn’t please their parents. But, I think if tomorrow the advertising and marketing giants decided to start advertising and marketing classical music, like they do pop music (i.e. TV, radio, product placements, movies, internet, etc…) it would be just as popular.

After realizing this, I’m going to have to rethink what I really like…or maybe it’s to late for me…save yourselves!!!

In my continuing quest to do experience and duplicate all adventures experienced by Drew Stephens (see his Mulberry River Trip), Siqing, Jiang, and I went on our own Mulberry River Trip. We went up last Sunday, just for the day, and for the most part had a great time (see all the photos here).

The water level was somewhere between 2.1′ and 2.35′, depending on who you talked to. It was a good level for us beginners to intermediates. We floated from High Bend to Turner Bend which is approx. 12 miles. We were going to do the 15.7 mile journey from Wolf Pen, but there was a downed tree blocking that route. I’m glad we took the route we did, since we were all cold, sore, wet, and tired by the time we got done. All in all we probably dumped over 4-5 times. Next time I want to only use a kayak (much easier to control is seems).

When we were about 2 miles from the pull-out point we ran into some drunken rednecks from around those parts (what other type of people live in that area?). Jiang was shaking he was so cold, and just wanted to finish as quickly as possible. After flipping over, one of the drunken rednecks helped us flip our canoe over, but became REALLY REALLY angry that Jiang didn’t help. After he was done helping, he said he was going to go sown stream and beat him up. Ove course we told him not to and told him he was sick, but that didn’t seem to register in this plankton of a man. So the next 2 1/2 miles down, Jiang was harrassed and cused out unceasingly. When he wasen’t in his face he was just a little down stream screaming and yelling. I seriously thought we would have to call the police when we returned. Fortunently, they took out on the other side of the river to load their car and we didn’t hear anymore from them. It really pisses me off that assholes like that can ruin the rest of your otherwise great day.

If you see any of the individuals below, you are asked by local officials to drag them into the streets and shoot them:

• I want to go and float the Buffalo River.
• Music listened to the most recently:
• Ryan Adams - Any album (but esspecially “Cold Roses”), it never gets old, I wish I was Ryan Adams minus the drug habit.
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs - songs: Gold Lion (video is really cool) & Maps.
• The Decemberists - songs: Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect, Sixteen Military Wives, & The Legionnaire’s Lament.
• The Killers - song: All These Things That I’ve Done.
• Eels - Album: Blicking Lights and Other Revelations.
• Radiohead - Album: Any but the first!
• Black Keys - song: 10 AM Automatic.
• Working for a living sucks, but having a little bit of money is nice.
• IPod’s rock.
• I want to have Jiang Bian’s baby.

Maybe I’ll have to more interesting stuff next time…

One of my best friends David Duan, the guy that…*sob & cry* well that might be too personal…accepted a new job at Microsoft in Redmond, WA. I’m sure it will be a great opportunity for him and expand his knowledge and expertise. He will need that experience, for when we take over the software development world! I will definently miss him.

In looking for a picture of David, I realized I don’t have many (that’s a shame). Here is one are a couple I found:

(he’s the hansome Chinese guy)

We have a new house guest! Well, kind of new, actually he has been here since Jan. His name is Jiang Bian, he is Siqing’s nephew from China. He is staying with us while he is attending UALR’s (The University of Arkansas at Little Rock) Computer Science Master’s program.

Of course, at first you are always uneasy thinking about someone new coming into your home. But, Jiang has been a really great guy to have around. We have gone hiking several times and even went on a 14-mile two day hiking trip at Devil’s Den State Park. Pictures soon to come… Here are just a few pics, goto Flickr to see all of em’.