A Lifetime of Learning

I haven't posted anything nerdy in a while. I figure today is the day to change that. A few weeks ago I read an article about how MIT is now in the process of offering all of its courses online for FREE! I checked it out and it looks quite interesting. It's great to see learning for the sake of learning and not just to make a buck on it. Of course I don't know how many people are looking to learn more about the physics of space exploration, but something that did strike my fancy was to learn a bit of Spanish. Since most language courses nowadays are computer/audio/video based anyway I figured that this would be a great way to pick up a few phrases. I downloaded the course .zip file. It has the syllabus, coursework, assignments & ect. The video portion is done off of free streaming video on demand. I searched Half.com for the textbook and workbook and found it fairly cheap. So, for the cost of the books, (say $35) I can take an official Spanish course from MIT. Okay, so I don't get any credit for it but my coworkers (Alex & Cornelio) will hopefully appreciate my effort to communicate better. Of course I won't have that fat tuition bill hanging over me to force me to study and do homework every week, I'll just be learning on my own pace and have to force myself to keep working on it & not get distracted (something I have never been really good at). I hope there is something out there for you to keep learning about.

Lawnmower Races

I was out doing some spring yard cleaning the other day. I figured I would spruce up the lawn mower & get it running. I sharpened the blade, replaced the spark plug and rebuilt the carburator. When I was done it started up and ran like a champ but ......... something was missing. I figured out what it was. I painted some flames on the plastic motor cover. It just adds a little something extra. Some people might not like it (my wife) but other think it's cool (the kids). I think I makes mowing the lawn just a bit more Daytona 500 or American Choppers. What do you think?

I see the future.....

With a last minute deal between MLB and local cable companies I was able to watch the greatly anticipated season debut of Matsuzaka-san on the free preview of MLB In-Demand. You don't need a full analysis by me. Dan Shaughnessy did a fine job in today's Boston Globe. What I do envision is what will happen to good ol' top step Curt. If Dice-K holds this course, Beckett pitches like he did the other day & Papplebon and Lester show their stuff; Theo & co. will let him go unless he wants to sign a hometown discount deal. I have visions on Pedro, yes Curt may have another good year left in him, but not much more than that and definitely not at a premium price. How did Pedro pitch in the playoffs last year? he didn't!! The Sox could see him having one or 2 good years but he isn't the same he was 5 years ago, and certainly isn't worth top shelf money. The same thing will happen to Schilling.

Victory Garden 2007

Well here is what you've been waiting for. A step by step guide of this year's Victory Garden. It has been a few months in the making but now the hard work is done.

1. First you'll notice the raised beds I made. I made three but could really have made 2 more. I like the idea of having mulched walkways in between the beds. I filled the beds with compost from the local county composting site. They gather up all of the fall and spring yard waste for composting each year. Then they sell it cheap for only $30 a cubic yard ($20 if you shovel it yourself). Very fertile stuff!
2. Next I tried to plan what I would plant and where better than last year. I did a little research on companion planting and also wanted similar plants grouped together. In the first bed I have lettuce, cabbage, beets, cilantro and ground cherries. In the middle bed I have zucchini, yellow squash, cukes & bush beans. The cukes will hopefully grow up a trellis. Lastly the third bed has tomatoes, peppers and basil. Also, along a fence off to the side I planted a bit of a winter/early spring garden - some peas and pea pods along with onions and garlic.
3. Watering has been simplified by the addition of soaker hoses snaked through each bed. Soon I will add some wheat straw mulch to reduce water evaporation and slow weeds

I think everything is how I want it for now. Here in the south it's warm enough for a fall planting. Cabbage, leaks and spinach are possibilities for planting this September. By then much of the garden will have blossomed and harvested. I would love to hear what you're planting this year. I shall keep posting updates as the summer rolls along.