Tag Archives: guest blogger

Frequent Foodie, Guest Blogger: Tom Jacobson

27 Wednesday May 2009

Posted by in Foodies, good reads

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Today I am happy to welcome another guest blogger to these pages —  Tom Jacobson: Frequent Flyer, Frequent Facebook writer and Frequent Foodie.  After 25 years, Tom and I reconnected via Facebook (he is the scholar of a past post), and we have enjoyed a lively correspondence in the last few months.  I enjoy his writing so much, I asked him to share some thoughts on his days.  After many posts chronicling just one Jane’s look at life, here is one Tom’s look at how social media has made life more interesting, with the limits still to be determined…

To Infinity and Beyond
By Tom Jacobson

The Internet changes things.  It warps the space-time continuum.  It changes people and our perception of people.  It gives each of us a new chance to explore things we have always wanted to, and allows others to see us through a different lens.  The New Yorker sure got it right back in 1993 when they first published the now famous Peter Steiner cartoon, “On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog!”  And while we aren’t dogs – except of course for Jane’s dog, but gosh that sure seems to work for her! – do our real-world lives match our cyber existences?

In life, I am a gadget-guy.  I love my toys.  I thrill at the fact that I can use my Palm, connected via Bluetooth to my cell, to go onto the Web, to program my DVR, all while standing in line at the airport.  It just doesn’t get any better than that!  (If you don’t believe me, ask the guy in your life.  He’ll confirm it.)

I am a salesman.  Yes, I took my masters degree in library science straight into the “vendor world” and ultimately fell to “the dark side” selling software to libraries.  Trust me I have heard all about it, and there are still nights I lay awake thinking about it.  But honestly, the goal is to connect with the library, explain the product, understand their issues, and solve their problems.  And when you do it right, you are a rock star!  Honest to God!  The whole room is on its feet, and at the end of the day you float out the door…  There is nothing to be gained from cutting corners and doing it any other way, so for the non-believers, you are just wrong.

I am a husband and a father.  Well at least on paper I am.  I say that because most days I have this nagging feeling that I am doing it wrong, though others assure me that feeling actually indicates I am doing it right…

I am all these things and more every day.  And yet when I log on to the Web, I am none of these things!  They are left behind when I beam myself up, and I come out the other side someone else.  Transformed.  And as you watch on your monitors, those bits of me that still remain are further diffused.

Yes, I can still be counted on for the one-liner wisecracks.  That’s me snarking on Jane’s Facebook wall in and between everyone else’s kind, encouraging words.  But with the ability to turn it off and on, looking in only when one wants to, the zings come across as they are meant, and the barbs are stripped away.

And if you look over at my Facebook wall, who am I?  A master chef!  Yes, a culinary prodigy planning, anticipating, cooking, plating, chronicling and devouring meal after succulent meal!  Don’t know what to have for dinner?  Just check it out and see if anything sounds good.  Wondering if a 7 and 8 year old will like Brussels Sprouts and Sea Scallops?  The answer is there.  Need a recipe for the best blueberry pancakes, down to which blueberries to use?  Just ping me, I have it on hand.  Advice on the magic of turning a chicken carcass into soup?  I’ll give it to you straight.  (By the way, if your kids don’t like the celery floating in soup, a hand blender takes care of that little problem, and they don’t even know it!)

Tom's LambLamb and Pasta w/ Greek Cinnamon-Tomato Sauce
with a Spinach, Leek & Feta Triangle

I’ve even developed a following among my FB friends.  The other weekend when I posted that I was “looking forward to the organic, grass-fed beef tenderloin filets”, an old college friend commented that I made “beef sound like a hot date!”  I was later accused of food-porn when I confirmed they were great, having rubbed them with a garlic and salt paste and drizzled olive on top, broiling them nicely and finishing mine with blue cheese, add to that golden pan-roasted potatoes and asparagus with balsamic and parmesan…

My brother-in-law is a follower too, though more of the type who tries, but can’t quite look away and is ashamed of himself later.

Tom's Sea Scallops

Brussels Sprouts with Sea Scallops

My Dad did the cooking while I grew up.  Not all of it, but the day-to-day while my Mom went to school and later worked.  I’ve always enjoyed cooking.  When the kids were born, it was the one thing I could really do effectively to keep the household on track.  In fact despite traveling very regularly in my job, I’ve come to do all the menu planning, shopping, and cooking, including those meals when I am not at home.  If I am out for three days in a week, that is three meals cooked and in the refrigerator before I leave.

My favorite was when my daughter asked a friend, upon learning that she did not have a Dad, “But who cooks your food?!”  The single mom looked wistfully my direction, and totally made my day!

Tom's Paprika-Potato OmletteSpanish Paprika-Potato Omlette, Chipolte Sausage with Carmelized Red
Onions, Lightly Dressed Salad and Cheese Bread

That is my thing.  And while I enjoy it and discuss it regularly, there was something about Facebook that just launched it in a whole new way.  Gadget-guy?  Salesman?  Husband and father?  No!  Top Chef!  Iron Chef!  Little Suzy Homemaker!!  You name it, there I am.  Micro-blogging the daily menu, and writing food-porn.  And loving every minute of it.

Have I discovered a new career?  Or simply a new outlet?  Am I a dog?  Or a master chef?  Is anybody even reading?  I have no idea.  But I know if this is possible after only a few short months, then who knows what strange corner of the galaxy this trip is going to take us to, but I can’t wait to get there.

Tonight’s menu you ask?  Fried chicken and my mother-in-law’s hoe cake.

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I am pretty sure I served waffles for dinner to my resident-picky-eaters on the day I first read Tom’s Facebook family dinner updates.  Looking at the pictures he posted, I figured he must take his young family out to restaurants often.  Then I found out it really was “what’s for dinner” at someone’s house…  Huh?   Whoa.   (Yum.)

Thank you Tom, for sharing your story and Facebook foodie experiences.  Keep us posted!  (And when can we all come over for dinner?)

the rest of the story…

21 Tuesday Apr 2009

Posted by in Writing

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Earlier, I wrote a post on my rookie experience as a lego robotics team coach.  Now, we hear the rest of the story!  I am so pleased to share the work of my first guest blogger, The Professor.  He wrote a personal narrative about a memorable moment in his life.  The experience left an impact on me as well.  Without further adieu:

Lego Tournament, Day Two

So, you have a mob of people here in the East freshman building. Now, split this mob into 23 teams. In one of these groups, you’ll find me amidst my friends in my Lego Robotics team, Team G.E.E.K., which is part of the mob. And we’re here for a reason.
The reason? To have fun. To finish off the day as the champion of the 1038 regional tournament.
Our team was 15th of the 16 teams going into the elimination tournament. Facing the 2nd ranked team wouldn’t be easy. The team, The Nano Killer Whales (from my school), had a high score so far of 165. Our team: 85.
First, let me get something straight. We have all had 3 runs of our robot, which are counted up in points (we get points by completing missions: move balls, lift things, etc.) and your highest run is counted as your score. From there, the top 16 teams move on to the elimination. The problem: you have 2:30 to do a run, with a possible score of 400 points (no one got over 200).
It was our turn. We eagerly (or not eagerly) took our place. My job was to keep my team behind the blue line and to call out who is operating the next program. Our first 2 people set up our first attachment, a plow-type contraption, onto our three-wheeled robot, nicknamed G.E.E.K.bot.  Speaking of G.E.E.K.bot, all the robots were made out of LEGO NXT pieces and had an NXT, a computer brain the size of a pocket dictionary that acted as the control center. It moved using 2 NXT servo motors, which are precise electric motors that can measure distance. It had a third wheel in the back that turned with the robot. The NXT fit into the robot in an upward but slightly tilted back position. As of all the teams, the entire robot was made out of LEGO Technix pieces and LEGO wheels.
3! 2! 1! GO! Our robot wheeled out of base, scooped the bricks and the LEGO bike, and pushed them into the green grid area.
“GO G.E.E.K.BOT!”
“Yeah!”
G.E.E.K.bot backed into base, the only place on the board that you can touch the robot on. The board is the enclosed space the robot moves on, roughly the size of a table. Next mission.
Leaving the plow on, this program’s operators put the tall thin bricks in the plow. Out went G.E.E.K.bot. It pushed them, turned left, and ALL 5 were on the red colored area.
“Woo Hoo!” we yelled.
The next people ran out to run the next program. They attached our platform (mounted on a servo motor to tilt), lined it up, and loaded on the LEGO person.
“GOGOGOGOGO!” we all yelled, mostly me.
G.E.E.K.bot dropped the person on the picture of the city, and backed into base. The next operators put on the polar bear figure, the LEGO person, and the LEGO snowmobile. G.E.E.K.bot turned under the weight. It dropped the objects over the barrier, and the polar bear was standing up! 5 bonus points!
Not that I was watching them, but I saw the Nano Killer Whales robot crash into the LEGO house.
SNAP OUT OF IT! YOUR TURN! My brain screamed at me. I dropped my card and scrambled over to base.
5, 4, 3!
I lined up as fast as I could and frantically pushed the button.
1! Off it went.
Weooweooweooweooweooweoo! The siren squealed. G.E.E.K.bot was already going, so I figured that it would still count. The only sound was G.E.E.K.bot’s buzzing noise. The platform was off, and in the scoop’s place was the wedge. G.E.E.K.bot drove the length of the board to the barrier. It hit the barrier and the wedge lifted up the front of the robot. It went up and… it stalled, spinning its wheels.
Shoot. My program had to be the ONLY one that failed, but looking on the bright side of that, everything else worked. A judge counted up our score.
Now we waited. We looked up at the scoreboard screen for our score. 105! A mind-boggling score for us, but The Nano Killer Whales were capable of more. Their robot crashing into the house played through my head.
There! The sound of cheering must have blasted the score right out of my brain. I think it was 75. The Nano Killer Whales all had their mouths hanging.
“WE WON!” we all were yelling. Our other rival team already lost, so we were the best at of the three (I don’t think so, we just got lucky, but who cares!?).
Next round, we were done. NOTHING worked; we ended up with something like 60 points. We were all bummed out, but we couldn’t have done better, judging on practices.
I was surprised to win the robot design award, because as far as I know, we copied the robot out of a manual (which is within the rules).  The Nano Killer Whales went on to the state championship, along with W.E.S.T., our mentor team, and two others.
Of the mob of teams that entered today, 4 teams are happy because they get to move on and at least one person (me) is coming back next year, having learned a lesson: don’t give up, because there is always a chance to do it.

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Now there is a message that I can embrace every day.  Thank you, Professor, for sharing your work with the world.