Things I Think I Think…..

• Unless you were somehow REALLY lucky to live under a rock, OR experienced the original Star Wars trilogy as it was originally released… Chances are the biggest Star Wars secret was spoiled for you well before you ever actually saw “The Empire Strikes Back”.

• What if I told you that it’s not only possible, but EXTREMELY EASY to own guns AND still be supportive of reasonable regulations that can help save lives by making it more difficult for bad people to get guns?

• I support the public education system and intentions. I still believe that both a hard look at the status quo and potentially ground-breaking changes may need to occur to fix the issues that exist in that system.

• 
  

Career Choices You Will Regret In 20 Years

Originally posted on LinkedIn by Bernard Marr on Dec 15, 2014

Every day we are faced with choices in our careers that will affect us over the long term. Should I volunteer for that new project? Should I ask for a raise? Should I take a sabbatical? Should I say yes to overtime?

But sometimes we miss the biggest choices that will cause us to look back on our careers 20 years from now with pride and contentment — or regret.

Here are some of the career choices we often make but will regret deeply in 20 years’ time:

The Business Analyst and the Business Architect

The wilderness between IT and business is our realm.

We wrestle semantics and drive out definitions. We begin as Analysts and advance to Architects. We’re not strictly tech and we’re not strictly business. The definition of what we do is usually written in semi-tech language (we write requirements).

But how do we write those requirements, what makes us different? How do we see things and why do we see them in the way that we do? What is the potential of the Business Analyst profession? What do senior managers want that causes them to listen to us? How do we move from Business Analyst to Business Architect? How do we advance ourselves in our positions and advance the profession as a whole? Let me define the difference between an analyst and an architect.

The differences are subtle but I will try to define the three most critical as I see them.

 - A Business Analyst reports to developers or an IT project manager. A Business Architect reports to managers or senior managers who may be business or IT but are independent of the project.

 - A Business Analyst documents requirements as defined by users. A Business Architect documents and may define a business strategy using requirements provided by the users.

 - A Business Analyst operates within the confines of a predetermined technical architecture. A Business Architect is a part of the decision making process to define the technical architecture.

 A few more things:

 - An Architect is considered a neutral voice and because of that will make more critical decisions than an Analyst.

 - An Architect must have the ability to think in both a strategic and tactical manner whereas an Analyst is normally tactical.

 - An Architect must be cognizant of enterprise strategies whereas an Analyst is normally concerned with specific projects independent of enterprise strategy. So we see that each type of “BA” is necessary.

It's a musing for thinking...

(Major portions re-posted from http://www.businessanalyst.com/advance-from-business-analyst-to-business-architect/)

The Best Countdown in the World!

Countdown Widgets

Professionalism and the US Army.... I had to write an essay.

FOLLOWERS OF THE MUSINGS!!!!

I'm through Basic Training, and now 4 weeks into AIT. One of the tasks assigned to me was to write an essay on professionalism and the US Army. So I did. I will now share it here for all to see. Is it my best work? No, I had to omit most of my killer quips and sarcastic banter... but it's pretty good. A little "hoo-ah hoo-ah" but... you know... "know your audience!"

And now - the essay....

Professionalism and the United States Army

            Professionalism, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a noun. It is a tangible “thing” that can be measured and observed. The United States Army implements via tasks, conditions, and standards. Because of the highest standard expected by the Army, professionalism is an essential ingredient in the mixture of skills and talents required of every soldier, ensuring the quality of military force necessary to defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

            Professionalism is much more than a direct concept however. It is an abstract idea, a value imbued into the essence of each of the Army Values. It is a promise, kept by every soldier to their peers, superiors, subordinates, and those we serve to protect. It is a promise that guarantees to all that the United States Army will perform its duties with the highest standard of ethic, with a well-tuned moral compass, and within the letter of our legal mandates. The world will know that the United States Army, without question, will perform in the best interests of liberty and freedom.

An Army that does not embrace professionalism as an ingrained element of the command and culture is nothing more than a gun club, with loose association of hierarchy and no commitment to the ideals it serves. An unprofessional Army uses non-combatants as human shields, tortures and kills indiscriminately, oppresses those they say they serve; in essence, they are the very forces the United States finds itself in militarized conflicts with. Because the United States has a professional Army, it has both tactical and strategic advantages over this enemy, making short work of their forces.

            Ask any soldier how they display their professionalism on a day to day basis, and the list of examples would take quite some time to exhaust. Part of the second general order states that soldiers will “…perform all [their] duties in a military manner.” A “military manner” includes in a professional manner. From preparing a barracks room for inspection to planning a tactical assault, the United States Army is an army of professionals, displaying their skill and expertise in every aspect of their day to day lives. The crisp movements in drill and ceremony, the attention to detail in training, movement, paperwork, and discipline, all are windows into the professional soldier.

            A United States Army soldier is told from day one in the recruiting process that the work done by the Army is done by professionals. The Army is not a social club or a hangout, but a machine of national defense. The Army could not function if its elements did not embrace a professional approach to their work. If the Army does not function, the freedoms and liberties enjoyed by the American people are at great risk.

The United States was born out of conflict. General Washington and the leaders of the militarized revolution, took farmers, craftsmen, traders and tinkers, and trained them to be professional soldiers. Without this advantage, the British might have handily quelled freedom’s bells before they had a chance to ring across the globe. Today’s United States Army picks up that mantle, and ensures that anyone who would dare threaten our way of life will have to go through a formidable force of professional soldiers, the greatest force for freedom on Earth. 

Basic Training and AIT – An Army Adventure Begins…

Hello followers of the Musings! It’s been a while! Heck, it’s been about 10 and a half weeks since I’ve even seen or felt or touched the magic of the interwebs! Well, where the heck have you been (you may ask…. Go ahead… ask…. Good)?

Basic Combat Training. Yes, it was EXACTLY like in Full Metal Jacket. Or Stripes. Or Major Payne. Or that one episode of Family Guy where Stewie and Brian join the Army. Exactly like that. Just except for everything.

Basic Training is split into 3 (and a half) “Phases.” Red Phase, White Phase, Blue Phase, and “Graduation Prep Phase You’ve Come This Far Don’t F It Up”

Red Phase included a lot of yelling and push-ups. White Phase had SLIGHTLY less yelling, the same amount of push-ups, but we were getting stronger, so the Drill Sergeants added V-Ups and 8-Count Push-Ups (like burpees without the jump) to help motivate us. Blue Phase consisted of a lot less yelling, a lot of PT to prep us for the final Physical Fitness Test, and a lot of student-leadership owning what we were doing.

There’s a lot to talk about in all of that, and over the next several weeks as I have time, I may go ahead and do just that… dig into the details. We were in a tough company, and a tough platoon. Specifically, the Drill Sergeants I had in my platoon were (in my estimation) the strictest and toughest we came across in the entire Cycle (10 week period). That’s a good thing because it meant we were the best trained as well.

Between us SIT’s (Soldiers In Training), friendships were forged, we all got on each other’s nerves by the end, we briefly hated each other, and then we all came together to push to graduation. With the exception of a couple d-nozzles who got themselves in so much hot water over the course of the cycle, they were beyond helping. Pro-Tip, self-inflicted wounds are preventable.

Now I’ve graduated and am in AIT, (Advanced Individual Training) where I’ll spend the next couple months learning how to fix things. After that, back to Milwaukee to resume my planning to rule the known universe. Currently, I’m scheduled to return at or about 9/10 or so. But between now and then, I’ll be here in Virginia.

The differences between Basic and AIT are already astounding. I’ll get into those as I go along as well. But for starters, the release from “total control” that the Army maintains throughout Basic to the “NEAR independence” we have at AIT is enough of a shock that it actually will take a couple days to get used to…

Onward and Upward!!!!!!

PS – I’ll TRY to inject a hint of humor along the way as well… we shall see how that works out…. Note the picture atop the posting....

Musings: The Stories

The Musings of BradK was always intended to be both fiction and non-fiction. I will be posting my stories at the following URL (the fiction). Don't read into anything. All people, events, scenarios are based only on the things that come out of my head. If you think a character is YOU or someone YOU KNOW, it's not. Thanks for reading.

http://thestoriesofbradk.blogspot.com/

A WRITTEN ASSAULT!!! A Mental Number 2. Brain Poop.

Time for a dopamine dump. Or a brain dump. A mental "number 2" as it were. It's been a while since I've rambled. I've been learning and growing, and learning to keep growing. I have adopted some new/old philosophies, prepped for some new/old adventures, and met some new/old friends. Is life good? Life "is".

I’m Running the Berlin Marathon – and THIS IS MY UPSET FACE!!!

Hey there followers of the Musings! No, I won’t show you my upset face. Maybe I will. I haven’t decided yet. Because it’s really upset. YES, I am running the Berlin Marathon at the end of September of this year. YES, I will be in Munich, London, Liverpool, and Edinburgh shortly thereafter to round out a Euro-Trip or Euro-Trippy Proportions. YES, I have been preparing for this for nearly a year. YES, this is a critical time for the training where my long runs are longer than I’ve ever run before. AND YES, I have a first degree sprain of my MCL on my left knee.

WHAT?!??!?

An Unsolicited Thing I Wrote For A Shaving Cream Company

First and foremost, a link to their Facebook page where the "thing" is posted. In picture form. Probably so no one could edit or steal it and claim it as their own. CUZ IT'S MINE!!!!!! :-)

I'M THE LINK!!!! CLICK ME!!!!

And now, without further adieu.....

My endorsement of "LUCKY TIGER SHAVE LOTION"!!!!!

Let's be serious. Shaving sucks. Every couple days, my face decides to break out in a bad case of "hair". I didn't ask for this! It was imposed upon me. This isn't even the nice soft hair that's (mostly still) on my head that encourages soft and pretty lady-hands to run through. No no, this is the wiry, sharp vestiges of barb-wire fence poking out of my body.

So I run a sharp blade across my face on a regular basis, on my lip and chin, my cheeks and my jugular just so I am not described as "fuzzy", "rough", "homeless", "destitute" or "Amish". 

Guest Blog: The Other Side of the Story

Followers of the Musings, this guest post is unique but important.

Recently, an article ran in the local newspaper in Racine wrapping up a trial of a man who was found guilty under Wisconsin state law of being a sexually violent person, more likely than not to re-commit a sexually violent crime. The specific conviction allows the offender to be involuntarily committed to a facility (aka, kept off the street).

I'm going to disable comments on this post. It's a topic I don't want to engage in a discussion on.

The original article is linked below (opens in new window):

ARTICLE

I happen to know personally one of the victims, as well as the victim's family. They were more than a little distressed by the article above, and I will let their words explain why. There is an introduction, and then two letters to the editors of the local newspaper published below. These letters as of this date were not published in the newspaper itself, so to help their voices be heard, I offered the Musings as a platform for their side of the story.

A Look Back at 2012 - For Better or Worse

Greetings Musers and Musettes, and welcome to the Musings of BradK look back at 2012 (for better or worse - no relation to the comic strip).

 There's been scan little blogging by the BradK this year, and though there ARE reasons for that, they aren't that important, and quite frankly, they're more like excuses, not reasons, so let's move on.

 2012 started off like any year... in the Emergency Room... at the Children's Hospital. Yes, only 10 days into his young life, my little Nugget has himself a bad staph infection (MRSA) that had him hospitalized and subjected to a series of tests and treatments that I for one am SO GLAD he will never remember. So after three days of not REALLY resting at all.... My little guy has been, and continues to be the best thing in the whole wide world ever to me.

 What? Some pictures? Well, ok....

Jeff's Kidney - An Awareness Campaign That Can Save a Life

Several years ago I met a man named Jeff Nelson. Aside from being a excellent technical engineer and rock star project manager, he's just a genuine and good guy. Many of the things I know about Jeff in the years I've known him are aspects of his personal life that I won't divulge without his permission (or if he wants to comment below, that's his prerogative), but what I do know is that he and his wife have "given" - they have given their hearts, they have given a hand, they'd probably give the shirts off their back if you ever needed it. Jeff is humbly asking us to give him a hand back, and I do so gladly.

Jeff approached us at our place of employment just yesterday to kick off his awareness campaign, dubbed "Project Jeff", and asked us to help spread the word. I know my little old blog doesn't reach as many people as I'd like to get this message to, but I wonder if anyone who reads this would be willing to re-post and help me share Jeff's story?

Outside of this blurb here, I'm going to let Jeff's words finish this entry. If you're on Facebook, please check out, "Like", and Share his page with your friends and ask them to do the same. Do a search for "Jeff's Kidney" or just directly hit http://www.facebook.com/jeffskidney to find it. If you're not on Facebook, consider emailing this blog post to your friends (or re-posting if you have your own blogs).

Thank you very much. Without further ado, Jeff Nelson:

Hi, I'm Jeff and I'm a technical project manager and senior network engineer in the IT field.

I need a new kidney to save my life. I have Polycystic Kidney Disease and my kidney function has deteriorated to about 16%.

I have been accepted by for transplant at the Mayo Hospital, UW Hospital and Froedtert Hospital. My living kidney donor can be any blood type but especially O, no kidney problems, 65 years or younger, no high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes or infectious diseases. If you're male of female and in good health I'd like for you to actively consider being my Living Kidney Donor.

If you or someone you know is interested PLEASE call Tammy Kozel at the Mayo Clinic at 1-866-249-1648. The call is completely confidential. Just a simple free blood test can determine if you're a suitable match. I can also be reached at Kidney4jeff@hotmail.com.

May I count on you to pass this message to your friends as well?

The 14th District Forum - My Thoughts, Perspective and Review

Introduction… I went to my first ever live political debate last night. And although CNN didn’t broadcast it across the country, no Wolf Blitzer asking questions, no SNL re-treads are expected this weekend… I will say I found the process, the questions and the responses to add up to a very unique and enjoyable experience. As always I may “pepper” this blog with the “seasoning of humor” – but at no time mean any disrespect to the democratic process or either candidate personally.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a volunteer with the Pierce campaign, and fully expect to vote for him on April 3^rd. This review of the proceedings is intended to be objective, but hey, I’m only human, and not an unbiased journalist.

Me and Michael, my Little Liver - , , , - The Kop Set - Liverpool FC

Me and Michael, my Little Liver - , , , - The Kop Set - Liverpool FC

Pictures of my boy! (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!)

Yes, I'm a daddy. BradK has spawned, so in a decade or two, expect more... MORE.... MORE!!!!!!!

Here are some pictures for my non-Facebook followers to link/email/spread around/pass/etc...

GUEST POST - Liz Davies: "How to Counteract Cancer Treatment Symptoms with Exercise"

Hello all! BradK is turning the pen over to Liz Davies with this posting. Please enjoy! If you have any ideas for a guest posting, feel free to contact me at my email address on my profile. Thanks!

*********
Liz Davies is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer especially interested in health and wellness. She wants to make a difference in people’s lives because she sees how cancer has devastated so many people in this world. Liz also likes running, playing lacrosse, reading and playing with her dog, April.



How to Counteract Cancer Treatment Symptoms with Exercise

Cancer treatments, like radiation and chemotherapy, are well known to produce a variety of rough symptoms. These can include insomnia, exhaustion, nausea, depression and vomiting. Many cancer patients reveal that they lose the urge to complete everyday tasks and no longer desire to live independently. Everyone going through cancer treatment has a different experience but exercise has been shown to combat a plethora of the negative symptoms associated with treatment and allow people to lead healthier lives spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Staying physically fit can help people undergoing cancer treatment by fighting nausea, improving appetite, and allowing for more restful sleep. Physical activity allows the body to crave rest and food both of which are necessary for cancer patients.

Exercise also has many psychological benefits. Endorphins are released when the body gets to a certain level in a work out and when they are released, they create higher pleasure areas in the brain. This lowers negative ideas and combats depression. Exercise also gives many people more self confidence which is useful for many cancer patients.

Spiritually, the act of exercise can be very positive. Yoga, pilates, and tai chi are excellent forms of physical activity that can provide meditation through gentle, repetitive motions. Many people also find peace through running, swimming and walking.

Cancer patients who feel healthy physically, emotionally and spiritually have a better chance of staying independent throughout their treatment process. Remaining active increases the mobility of joints and muscles which allows for better movement and balance. Muscle loss is also a common symptom that can be avoided through strength training. Being able to remain independent also increases confidence and leads to a more positive outlook.

An exercise routine doesn’t need to end with a cancer diagnosis. This gives people a bigger reason to remain (or become) active. Physical activity regimens need to be planned out with doctors and trainers who specialize in teaching cancer patients. These ideas are good for people going through all different types of cancer treatments, whether that is chemotherapy for mesothelioma treatment or surgery for breast cancer treatment. Thinking about the benefits of exercise for cancer patients is also beneficial for everyone else who is involved in the patients’ lives.

Reaching a Goal - 13.1 Miles in Madison

http://onlineraceresults.com/race/view_race.php?race_id=20473&submit_action=select_result&re_NO=1533

That's my official result. :)

Well, a little more than 1 year after kicking that smoking habit to the curb, I crushed a 1/2 marathon!!!! By "crushed" of course, I mean I destroyed it as a very important personal goal, AND, I did so in a time I hadn't expected to...

As I read the results and compare to what I observed at each mile marker, I noticed something amazing, I actually had a better pace on miles 6-10 than I did on 1-5. I FELT GREAT for the first 10 miles (note - my "base" is 8). Miles 1 and 2 were in the pouring, glorious rain... which became very important later as the clouds cleared and the blazing sun came out. It was fun to run in the rain... though I did get distracted by my own chest as my Nike shirt clung to it and I though "dang boy, that P90X gave you some pecs-definition"... I digress. ;) Seriously though, it was awesome. The rain stopped on the third mile, and the clouds cleared on the fourth. I can't believe how well I remember all of this... Mile 5 was along the side of one of those Madison lakes... Mendoda or Monona or Mendoza (wait... that's a Argentine winery region...) and was gorgeous, but right about then, the sun started beating down and the water from the morning's weather event could literally be seen steaming off the blacktop. The good news is Miles 6 and 7 were through like a path through the woods - kind of - with some shade to help. Miles 8 - 10 were through more residential areas, parts of Madison that, as a runner near me said "the adults live in, not the students" :)  Mile 10 was the last marker that I looked at and felt like I was sticking awful close to the 10 minute mile. I was thrilled... I had already outpaced my personal estimate of how I would do by almost 10 minutes. Mile 11 was when I first noticed two things. My calves were starting to feel it, and...wtf... is up.. with my nips? Yes, this was the first run long enough to start to rub the part of the male body that has no use whatsoever other than to chafe during a run. (Not too bad though, never bled, but dang, they got a bit-o-rug burn!) Mile 12 was when I downshifted, deliberately and then the last mile, 13, I put 'er in 1st gear so I could put EVERYTHING I had into the last .1 mile and finish strong... for the photographer ;) And because, dammit, I wanted to finish strong!!!

All this - after a 90 minute delay starting due to lightening and strong winds. I can't say enough about how well this race was handled by the race director, public safety officials and volunteers. The water / aid stations every 1.5 -> 1.8 miles was brilliant, offering aid, water, gatorade and port-o-johns was perfectly spaced out. (Note - I never stopped running once after I started... I grabbed the water or G-A and kept running through it... I was 7 for 10 in getting the empty cups into the trash bins though!)

One other nice touch were the "pace runners". Where I started in "Corral I", I was placed behind the 2:30 pace runner. Meaning, if I kept up with him, I'd run a 2:30 race. It felt GREAT to pass him up on mile 3, and even better when I caught up to the 2:15 pace runner on mile 6, passing him on mile 8... (though he eventually passed me again on mile 13, I wasn't upset in the least by it).

So, would I do another 1/2 Marathon? I don't know... I certainly haven't ruled it out. I know for a fact that I'll be running 13+ miles again in my life, as my next personal goal I need to map out is the full marathon... targeting 2013 for that one.

The important thing is that I've accomplished what I set out to do, and I accomplished it in a level of quality (pace) greater than I thought I could. I can't express enough the amount of joy that overwhelmed me when I finished... I seriously felt like crying I was so overjoyed by the whole experience. All the moments in my life that led up to this one, the people, the support, the running buddies (both literal, and e-buddies), my family (even my aunt Rachel who thinks this is a wonderful "second sport" to Nordic Skiing), the promises I made to myself to "not give up", the pain of the training and the pain of the event... I have a day of sore, heavy calves to deal with, and a new soreness on one spot on my left knee I need to keep an eye on, but finishing this race is by no means the end of anything... 13.1 is just a mile marker on the rest of my life.

Thank you everyone. :)

BAM! I accomplished something!

BradK is gonna be a DADDY!

December 2011... the world will never be the same...