Keeping up

It's one of those lazy evenings after a long day of work... it's raining, it's quiet, and I've spent the last few minutes reading the posts of friends. So I thought maybe I'd toss something up here... with no particular agenda at the moment, it could be interesting to see where this leads!

It was the first official day of class for the new master's students. They seem to be doing quite well! And there are about 60 of them -- 30-50% more than ever before -- so it could be an interesting year as we venture into unknown territory. And while I haven't had the opportunity to interact with the class as a whole too much, they do seem to be off to a great start.

My work... has been more focused on funding applications for some large research projects we are working on. And trying to get my computer to work. Uffda. I still can't print... so it makes work a little inconvenient, to say the least.

I'm becoming very frustrated with Microsoft. My new computer at work has Vista... but not the right version to be able to connect to our network. So we've been given the ok to upgrade, but we weren't given the dvd that we should have been given when we bought them. So it has to be ordered. All these little things that add up to really reducing productivity... quite frustrating. Damn Microsoft. I'm about ready to go back to linux.

But I don't feel like dwelling on the negative just now. I read a good book over the weekend: "Cradle to Cradle". It's talked about a fair amount in sustainability circles, but I'd never read it. I don't know that there was anything earth shattering, but it was well written and thus easy to read... and that is what we need more of. For any who aren't familiar with the concept... 'cradle to cradle' is the direction in which the product design world is moving... away from the 'cradle to grave' concept where products are created, used, and thrown away. 'Cradle to cradle' suggests that products are created, used, and used again... possibly recycled or preferrably 'upcycled'... the difference being that 'recycled' materials lose quality, whereas 'upcycled' products are intended to improve with use. Interesting concept that is often easier said than done.

I think I'm going to coin the term procycle... some other time.