Not-so-wise words from Michael


Posts in category Life

There’s no camping like cold camping

Oct11
2009 Leave a Comment Written by Michael

We woke up to some nice snow Saturday morning
We made it back in one piece! Above is a photo of our tent covered in snow Saturday morning. It was a cold night but worth the lovely scenes for the next two days. Here are some highlights:

  • Traipsing around the woods in search of two geocaches, which we found.
  • Having great campfires and smelling like them even after showering and laundry.
  • Surely breaking records on the number of layers of clothing worn to bed.
  • Hiking for a good five miles, in addition to dragging around our supplies.
  • Seeing some amazing fall color, dusted with the first snowfall.

In all, a pretty amazing trip. I really really want to get back into nature now, especially with winter happening. There’s a state park near my cabin and I’m getting ideas!

Update: I made a flickr photoset of my weekend for you enjoyment.

I need Facebook help

Oct01
2009 5 Comments Written by Michael

Ok, I need some Facebook advice. Is there a waiting period for friending someone on Facebook? Like, if I met someone at a meeting or during a conference or at the bar, at what point can I request their friendship? Is it the same on LinkedIn?

In the interest of intellectual pursuit, let’s review some precedent. Gun laws mandate a seven-day waiting period. That’s really more for weeding out the lunatics, but I think there’s some merit: If you have to wait seven days, your immediate need for gratification will wane. Probably a good thing. Applications for the Facebook world? I suppose such a waiting period would help cut down on the people who friend absolutely everyone with no discretion.

Next precedent: Romantic interests have a traditional three-day waiting period before calling after a date. Perhaps it worked well for our parents, but my Gen Y cohorts and I have full schedules and limited attention spans; raised on the 24-hour news cycle, we need feedback fast, so I’d say that waiting period is out the door. And even so, the three-day rule isn’t quite analogous, since a phone call means a conversation, which could mean another date. A Facebook invite, on the other hand, could mean an acceptance and that’s it.

So I want some rules. Anyone have any experience to offer? When is too soon to friend? When is it too late? And do any rules cross into other social media like Twitter and LinkedIn?

Tagged

Coasters

Aug27
2009 3 Comments Written by Michael


Coasters, originally uploaded by mwilcox.org.

Ages and ages ago Ryan gave me this neat set of coasters that you can customize with little photos. They sat around until I got the itch to shoot photos and I thought of a neat idea.

These are all small photos from the blocks around my apartment building. Clockwise: The “M” from the Marshall Avenue sign, a pair of heels that have hung on some power lines for about four months, the “W.” from W. A. Frost, and the “400″ from my building’s address. Neat, huh? And do you get the “M” and “W”? I impress myself ;-)

Eat a little, work out a little

Aug04
2009 1 Comment Written by Michael

I’m going to need a good workout tomorrow after all the food I ate at Open Arms tonight! Seriously, I was a bit out of control :-) I snacked on turkey and zucchini bread, and now I want to cook with both. See, this is why I like Open Arms — So many recipe ideas!

Tomorrow’s workout is going to be killer. I’m going with Chris and we’re going to spend probably an hour and half in the gym. I’m going to show him some new stuff and should get pretty wiped out. Chris, I hope you’re ready for those rows!

Blog note: I added two links to the blogroll, for my friends Heather and Julie. Heather writes a sports blog and Julie is taking one photo every day this summer.

Tagged ,

Pick my next book

Jul04
2009 3 Comments Written by Michael

I have way too many books on my docket. Thoughts about my next read? Leave your choice in the comments.

Some of these books I got as gifts, some I bought myself. Some are documentary, some are escapist fiction. Not sure what I’m in the mood for, but leaving this world sounds good.

So, any thoughts?

Tagged

Open Arms

Apr19
2009 Leave a Comment Written by Michael

I wanted to share with everyone the organization I spend my Tuesday nights with. Each week I work in the kitchen at Open Arms of Minnesota, a charity that prepares and delivers free meals to people with AIDS, MS, ALS, breast cancer and other chronic illnesses. From 7 to 9:30 p.m. I make soup, package dinners, chop vegetables and do whatever else needs to be done around the kitchen.

I got involved with Open Arms in college. I was taking Theology 200: Christian Belief Ancient and Contemporary because it was a required course. I had picked my section at random and found out on the first day that we’d be working at OAM as a service-learning experience. I was nervous because it sounded like a big time commitment, and I even considered switching sections. I’m glad I stuck with it, because I got to know an awesome organization. We only delivered meals a couple of times, but it was always a pleasure to work with the employees and to briefly meet the clients when we dropped off their food.

I didn’t get much chance to work with them again after that class because I was so busy and didn’t have a car, but once I graduated I knew I wanted to work them into my schedule. So in January I picked up a shift and have been going ever since. I look forward to it every week as a way to unwind, chat with the other volunteers and do something good. And I’ve even picked up a few cooking tips, too. I stick with it because I really believe that the organization is doing amazing direct service to people with HIV/AIDS. That theology course turned me on to the shocking number of people who contract, live with and die of AIDS around the world. I hate sounding preachy, but it’s stunning that it’s gotten to the level that it has. So, instead of getting on a soapbox and lecturing about something I’m no expert on, I’ll let UNAIDS tell some figures. I’ll also encourage everyone to look into Open Arms for a way to do some volunteering. Thanks!

  • 33 million people around the world were living with HIV in 2007. That’s more than six times the population of Minnesota, and about one-tenth the population of the U.S.
  • Two-thirds of the people living with HIV globally live in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • HIV transmission prevention is easy and critical to preventing millions of deaths.
  • The economic crisis that has driven up food prices makes living with HIV especially difficult.
  • There is treatment available for HIV, and there’s exciting research happening all the time.
Tagged

Pics of my new place

Feb15
2009 Leave a Comment Written by Michael


bedroom 1, originally uploaded by mwilcox.org.

I’m making good on my promise! There are four photos in my flickr stream of the inside of my new place. I just love it, especially on Sunday mornings like this when it’s bright and sunny.

Coming up: A photo tour of my walk to work.

Tagged

I promise I’m alive!

Feb02
2009 Leave a Comment Written by Michael

I moved into my new place Jan. 17 and was instantly cut off from the world. I don’t have Internet service in my apartment … yet. It’s going to be turned on this week, and pretty soon I’ll be updating regularly. Soon to come: Pictures of my apartment and my walk to work!

Tagged

Myst

Jan11
2009 2 Comments Written by Michael

So when was the last time you played Myst? It had been ages (har-har) for me. Well I got the Myst Masterpiece box set for Christmas and I’m awash in memories.

The Masterpiece set is the three games (Myst, Riven and Exile) all on DVDs made for Mac. Myst and Riven run in Classic, and Exile runs natively. I fired up Myst a couple of days after Christmas and was actually a bit nervous. I wasn’t sure if my parents has just wasted some money because I would totally know the whole game and would beat it in an hour.

Um, no. Totally didn’t remember the whole game. Not even close. I remembered Myst Island and the endgame sequence the best, but the ages I was far less familiar with. The last time I played was at a day camp the summer after sixth grade. I think I had missed some of the classes or something, because some of it came back really strong and some of it was completely foreign.

I really wish this kind of game has caught on more. It’s a beautiful piece, really. Not only is the scenery excellent for its time (and Exile just gets more gorgeous), but it’s such a wonderful mix of foggy-island fantasy and thought-provoking challenge. When was the last time you took out a pen and paper for a video game, other than to write down cheat codes? It feels more escapist than other video games.

If you liked Myst, you might like the Hapland series too. It’s a similar puzzle challenge, although it involves more death (don’t worry, there’s unlimited lives). Think Myst meets Rube Goldberg. Give it a shot!

Tagged ,

New job, new apartment

Jan10
2009 Leave a Comment Written by Michael

Hello, blog! It’s been quite a while since I’ve been on here, I know. But it’s been busy!

I started my job at the Science Museum Dec. 29. So far it’s been great! The bulk of my time is at my desk processing the registrations for our children’s classes and camps. I also do miscellaneous work for some of the other people in the department. Basically, I’m the registrar and office assistant. I know it doesn’t sound too exciting, but it keeps me busy and I really enjoy working with my coworkers in this wonderful program. Plus, I really enjoy having a job that stops at the end of the day and lets me start to focus on my personal life, for once. College really manages to suck up any of your extra time. And if I ever wanted to, the museum is full of other opportunities I could move into.

Also, I leased an apartment! It’s on Cathedral Hill, very near to downtown. It’s a mile from work, which means I can walk to and from my job — hello gas and parking savings! I just love the neighborhood too. I’m within walking distance of a bunch of nice restaurants and shops. Also, my gym is just a bit farther away than the museum, so I can walk to that too. I can’t wait to move in next week!

Tagged
« Older Entries Newer Entries »

About

I'm Michael, and you found my blog. I'm a writer who doesn't do much writing, a museum professional who doesn't know a whole lot about museums, a volunteer cook for hundreds, a big brother to a little guy and a beer drinker with an empty fridge. I'm an education program manager at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Before this I held a variety of jobs at the museum, including birthday party host and camp-in supervisor. I graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a B.A. in print journalism and public relations, which means I picked a major in an industry that's flunking. So, instead of sitting at a newspaper desk writing briefs about community news (i.e., my summer), I'll be keeping up my writing in other ways. Like my blog! Welcome.

Archives