Post awesome things you have been doing recently

[jaimilyn]

First vivid hair color yesterday. Still doing doubletakes when I see a mirror :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SStu]

@Devious6 Happy Birthday, but you left out one of the most interesting parts of the story . . . what kind of car?!

[Devious6]

@SStu  As I was about to hit the send button I thought about posting a pic of the car...but the lack of coffee clouded that thought.

 

Here it is: A 1996 BMW Z3 Roadster. I'm the original owner - ordered it in April of 1996 and took delivery of it (actually my wife did because I was deployed to Bosnia at the time) in Germany of November 1996.

 

 

[Devious6]

Sometimes you have to go with the flow...even when you're the College President.  My 2d favorite day of the academic year - Honors Convocation.

 

[Devious6]

Another Commencement ceremony is in the books!! I absolutely love this day every year!!! Knowing that I'm going to retire in 3 years is bittersweet - only 3 more of these ceremonies left for me to enjoy.

We had the rehearsal on Friday - and we all dress casually since were busy and walking around the college all day. It was hot so I opted to wear a sleeveless shirt under a short sleeve button down shirt. The gym was not yet cooled down so right before we started I pulled off my outer shirt. I heard the immediate conversations start from the students and then cheers and clapping - lots of the students had on clothing that showed their ink and I got lots of smiles and comments as they came up to practice receiving their diplomas.

 

Edited May 21, 2017 by Devious6

[Synesthesia]

I don't know if this is good or bad, but it's a new development anyway.

Some of you may remember I left my nice cushy office job to work in a copy center. Well that didn't work out. I wasn't being scheduled for the amount of hours they had promised me and even though I filled in occasionally at the old job, I couldn't make ends meet. I did that for a few months, almost literally ran completely out of money (I haven't been this broke since high school), and came back to the old job full time once someone else quit.

I guess sometimes you need to make yourself suffer to not take things for granted. Now that I worked through breaks trying to meet deadlines, been yelled at by customers, came home sore and sweaty, hardly ever sat down, and my bank account went down to three digits for the first time in like 10 years...I'm enjoying the pace of the old job, sitting at a computer, having insurance, and getting money. I'm planning some fun stuff once I get financially comfortable again. 

[bongsau]

i'm not spending big bucks on big tattoos anymore...so i decided to venture down the unnecessary and slippery slope of stockpiling car parts so i can boost up my Evo.

Today's impulse purchase...a custom Hanya Mask weighted shift knob...WTF!?!...perfect compliment to my Japanese race car haha thank you internet and I will see you in the mail in a few weeks my precious lol

[Devious6]

Since I got my tattoos and dropped 35 lbs - and have been exercising a bit to tone up and keep my weight stable, I've been wearing a lot of sleeveless shirts and t-shirts. For work, I mostly wear short-sleeved shirts when the college is out of our normal semesters and I'm not wearing a suit. I'll even wear a tie with a short-sleeved shirt and sport coat. But, I don't normally go sleeveless at work.

While I was out in Michigan at my sister's this week we were going through some old family pictures when I came across this one - my Dad in 1935. Apparently going sleeveless isn't new, it's retro, so I can now order some sleeveless dress shirts for work!!!

[Gingerninja]

I passed a beast of an exam today (VCP6 in Datacenter Virtualization). I am so relieved that it's over and that I passed. Huzzah!

[Devious6]

3 hours ago, Gingerninja said:

I passed a beast of an exam today (VCP6 in Datacenter Virtualization). I am so relieved that it's over and that I passed. Huzzah!

Totally awesome!!!!!! Congratulations!!!!

[Gingerninja]

Thanks, Mark. Have a great weekend at MMM! @Devious6

[Gingerninja]

On Friday, I had one of those "positive affirmation" moments that don't come along too often. I was volunteering at Warped with my charity, Love Hope Strength. At the end of the night, I had the deep honor of meeting the man who started the charity, Mike Peters of The Alarm. He was so incredibly genuine and sincere in his thanks to me for helping with his charity. And his wife was so amazing in her own right. Thet say that you should never meet your hero's but in this case, I am thrilled that I did! They both inspired me on a deep level....

[Devious6]

@Gingerninja - does the registry follow the same requirements as the Red Cross for giving blood? I used to donate every 60 days until they put the permanent ban on people who lived for more than 6 months in Germany/Europe during the Mad Cow scare in the UK. We were there for more than 3 years...so I can't give blood again...ever. DO you know how that affects the registry? Same restriction?

[Gingerninja]

Hey @Devious6

Nope - the travel isn't an issue (and neither are tattoos). Their are separate bone marrow registries for each country, though. Here's one for you: the vast majority of military members are already on the list as they (and maybe you) were swabbed during your indoctrination. I don't know when they started swabbing though but it's an active policy now. We always ask if someone is military because we don't want them on the list twice.

You can get on the list until you are 55 then stay on it until your are 61. The age requirement is for the safety of the donor and doesn't have anything to do with the quality of your bone marrow. Since in 10% of the time, the donation may require a traditional marrow donation done under a general anesthesia, the concern is for the safety of the donor.

The good news is that if you ever want to run a swab event at your school, you know who to ask. :) Check out this video of a amazing young man named Haden who started swabbing at his school after he was diagnosed....he earned his angel wings last year. He was a tremendous young man.

Watch this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4irLwoiQr

 

Edited July 16, 2017 by Gingerninja

[jaimilyn]

Hey [mention=25145]Devious6[/mention]
Nope - the travel isn't an issue (and neither are tattoos). Their are separate bone marrow registries for each country, though. Here's one for you: the vast majority of military members are already on the list as they (and maybe you) were swabbed during your indoctrination. I don't know when they started swabbing though but it's an active policy now. We always ask if someone is military because we don't want them on the list twice.
You can get on the list until you are 55 then stay on it until your are 61. The age requirement is for the safety of the donor and doesn't have anything to do with the quality of your bone marrow. Since in 10% of the time, the donation may require a traditional marrow donation done under a general anesthesia, the concern is for the safety of the donor.
The good news is that if you ever want to run a swab event at your school, you know who to ask. :) Check out this video of a amazing young man named Haden who started swabbing at his school after he was diagnosed....he earned his angel wings last year. He was a tremendous young man.
Watch this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4irLwoiQr
 

Thanks Ginger, that's fascinating! I'm also barred from donating blood due to the mad cow thing - my dad worked for the department of defense and our family lived off base in Germany from 1984-7, so none of my family can donate any more, even though we used to be very active at it before the rules came into place. I've got other health issues now that would preclude me being a bone marrow donor, but I'll make sure to mention it to people I know as an option because oddly it comes up in conversation a few times a year, especially when someone mentions blood bank shortages in the news. It's nice to know there are still donation options.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[oboogie]

I lived in the UK during the mad cow thing, so I can't give blood. Sucks.

I signed up for a blood marrow registry, though.

Edited July 16, 2017 by oboogie

[Devious6]

@Gingerninja - we'll I'm too old now, anyway. But, seriously, let's set something up for the College this Fall. Me college email is [email protected]. Drop me a note with what you need, when might be some good times and we'll get it set up!!!

[Missyblue]

As an Aplastic Anemia Survivor (so far) I would like to thank those who donate blood and platelets and those who want to but can't. It never goes to waste. THANK YOU!!!!

[Gingerninja]

So, being a bone marrow donor does have certain requirements but the mad cow thing isn't one of them!

Basically, the goal is to find a cancer patients identical genetic twin through a process called Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing. HLA is a DNA-based tissue test used to match patients and donors for bone marrow transplants. HLA are proteins — or markers — found on most cells in your body. Your immune system uses these markers to recognize which cells belong in your body and which do not. The closer the match the better the chances the patient’s body will accept the donated cells and allow them to grow and make new healthy cells.

It's completely different and separate from giving blood! :)

@devious @jaimilyn

And you go! @oboogie

 

[SStu]

Recently returning from our son's destination wedding in St. Lucia. Pretty surreal place insomuch as you couldn't look in any direction without being astounded at how gorgeous it is. And almost every day we'd get these light drizzels for about 2-3 minutes, and they would create these incredible rainbows that were literally just a 100 yards away or less. Here's me viewing one on the porch of our room at the resort:

 

[Gingerninja]

@SStu

Wow, that is so amazing. I've always wanted to go to St. Lucia. How was it (besides gorgeous)? Would you go back?

 

[SStu]

@gingerninja St.Lucia is one of the most beautiful places I've been. Great food and friendly locals. It's also quite expensive. We didn't get up to the Northern end of the island at all. That's where all the cruise ships tie up. 

[Devious6]

@Gingerninja and @SStu      We love to go to Antigua - will be making our 5th trip to Galley Bay Resort in November. It's an all-inclusive, under 100 rooms, amazing food and secluded beach, 3 great restaurants and bars with a Rum Shack and walk-up sandwich shack, no kids and no casino. They have a band every night, a movie on the beach night and several other evening events each week. It's an amazing place just to relax and enjoy the beautiful beach. If you want to hit other night spots they are close at hand by taxi. This is a pano I took last year on our trip - that's Lynn with the camera. This was taken after we ate breakfast - the restaurant is to the left of Lynn, open to the ocean. Notice the lack of people - the resort was full yet there are many times when you feel totally alone. Even when there are people on the beach, you never feel crushed in like many other resorts/beaches.

 

We've also found a great way to reduce the costs, as well. Most of the resorts provide reduced cost vacations to their resorts for not-for-profits to use in auctions. You can find them many times through your local PBS stations and on a site called Bidding For Good. You bid for the package and that money gets paid to the not-for-profit. Generally, you bid on a 7 day stay for up to two rooms. Then there is typically a per-person, per-day up charge you pay to the resort. For Galley Bay, we pay between $140 to $180/person, per/day depending on level of room to cover your food and drink costs. We stay in one of the luxury beachfront room - walk out the back door and into the sand; into the surf in 30 yards so we're in the 180 price range. That rate turns out to be approximately 40% of the normal cost and even with what we pay to the not for profit and airfare we are under 50% of the retail cost. Here's the really cool thing we finally realized we could do - split the weeks between two different years. If you watch the "must use" dates on the packages, you can many times find one that spans a year+. The one we got last Fall covered both our trip last November and this November so our bid price was spread over two trips.

Elite Island Resorts operates out of Florida and has several properties on Antigua and St. Lucia as well as others. Galley Bay is now one of the more exclusive...wasn't that way when we started going there back in 1999 - we just love the local and the level of service.

Check out the auctions! It's a great way to help out a NFP and still save a tremendous amount on a dream vacation.

 

 

Edited July 21, 2017 by Devious6

[Gingerninja]

@Devious6 I had no idea about Bidding for Good. I LOVE the idea.

@SStu I think NOT being where the cruise ships are is EXACTLY where I'd want to be!

[Devious6]

@Gingerninja - I think the most we've ever ended up bidding was $950 - and that is split in half since we got two trips out of it. It's a tremendous way to go and still help out a not-for-profit.