More Lunchtime Randomness

Communications

Yesterday at work, several of us were standing around in the lab (electronics testing/troubleshooting) and started talking about how we have foisted our engineeringness on our poor families. I went all the way back to just after I graduated from La. Tech, but before I got an engineering job.
Since EE graduates in north Louisiana tend to come out of school and work for power utilities, and I didn't want that, I went to Dallas, Tx to a technical job fair. My wife went with me.

As we entered Texas on I-20, we occasionally saw what were obviously signs for state roads, but they were marked as 'F.M. 235' or whatever number. And, having lived in Texas years ago, my wife had forgotten what the F.M. part stood for. So, she innocently asked, "What does F.M. mean?"

Now, you have to understand, in my last quarter of school, I had taken a Analog and Digital Communications Theory class. And this day on this trip, I was in full-out engineering mode. I was driving, but didn't relate the question about F.M. to the road signs.

I promptly launched into an absolutely brilliant lecture about Frequency Modulation vs. Amplitude Modulation. During my amazing discourse, I glanced over expecting to see the adoring face of my wife and instead saw her eyes rolled back in her head. Drool. Twitching.

Not really.

Actually I was getting 'the look'. The look she gets when I try to explain something, and way, way over explain it, or flat-out don't get what she's talking about, and her patience has worn thin. This time it was the latter.

"No. No. No!" She said. "NOT radio FM. What does F.M. on the highway signs mean? I've forgotten."
Oh, my bad.
"It stands for Farm to Market road number whatever" says I.
"Thank you. That's ALL I wanted to know."
Sorry

I know I’m supposed to like this, but I don't.

Literary novels – a few I have read, I really liked, but the vast majority I tried to read I had to put down and find a good Koontz, King, etc. novel. Something with gunfire, explosions, revenge, or treasure. In my defense, I DID go to Louisiana public schools…

Major League Baseball – I tried to like it, I really did. And I did like it when I lived in the Atlanta area, but I just lost it somewhere between there and here.

What I'm listening to today

'Potter's Field' by 12 Stones. Christian rock. Truly deep lyrics and Huge sound, along the lines of Creed, etc. Low guitar tunings and wah pedal guitar leads. Yes, guitar leads in modern music, I wouldn't kid you about something that important. I'm gooving big time. And this CD was a freebie. My oldest daughter gave it to me. She's more into screamer metal bands, and 12 Stones actually sing!

Smirk.

Some of my all time favorite music albums (CDs)…

Number One. 'Seeds of Love' by Tears for Fears. Can’t explain it, it just IS. I love very song, every note, from beginning to end. It is impossible for me to get sick of this CD. I have gone through months, literally, where I listened to it, the entire thing, each and every day. It’s like Shakespeare or other great works where, no matter how many times I listen, I find something new. The music is very complex and I love Roland Orzablal’s voice. Add to all of that, that the CD's original release and hits were the background to a great time in my life, so when I listen, I can re-live old pleasures. Good times, good times. This is my desert island CD. Yea, I know, It’s not metal and no screaming, distorted guitars, but some really tasty licks by Roland Orzabal, and some of my all-time favorite bass lines from Curt Smith. I love it, love it, love it. The final song, Famous Last Words, is one of my two favorite songs of all time, period. Of all time.

Number Two. 'By God' by Disciple. This is a Christian metal band from Tennessee. You’ve probably never heard of them. I’ve seen them in concert 7 times and am blown away every time. This album (CD) has like 15 songs and they mostly in-your-face rock. BUT, as a Christian I love that the songs are all from the heart of some Christian men who I can identify with. The lyrics teach and encourage while the music rocks really, really, really hard. Brad Noah is my favorite guitarist, and such a gentle, easy going, nice guy. Massive tone and killer leads. The song 'Can’t Breathe' is my all-time favorite Christian song, or any type for that matter, along with 'Famous Last Words' mentioned above. 'Can’t Breathe' rocks, has one of my very favorite guitar leads ever, and the lyrics sum up my life. Can’t get any better than that. This CD is good from end to end and has a bit of that raw, unpolished sound I love. Hey, even metal albums can be over produced. This is as good as a rock album gets in my opinion.

Bonus for me!
I only used half my lunch time. I have time to chew my food today! Woo-hoo!