Micro Doc

Inadvertent Hiatus

I am not sure that I intended to do it. But I took all of January from any type of blogging. Feb. 1 seems as good a time as any. My Indianapolis Colts are going to the SuperBowl. I am also glad that the New Orleans Saints are going. They worked very hard and got their for the first time in their history. In many ways it like with the Arizona Cardinals. Ultimately, I want the Colts but I expect it will be a good game. It seems that the SuperBowls have been a little bit closer the last few years. 

The ProBowl was last night and it was fun. However, when all the people from the SuperBowl teams do not play it is somehow not the same. from what I understand it is going back to Hawaii next year, and the week after which is the spot where it has usually been. It is just too bad that All Star games and football just do not mix all that well. If they could do it in the middle of the season that sure would interesting!

Cannot wait for next Sunday! 

Tiger's Hiatus from Golf

What are your thoughts on Tiger Wood's hiatus from golf?

Overall, I think it is a good thing. It seems that all the great golfers have had some type of hubris, challenges or tragedy.  While I do not think anyone should have to go through something negative at this level -- I think there is a subtle feeling that Tiger was needing to be taken down a notch. I am not sure that is the case, but I can understand the sentiment.

It will be good for the other golfers in the game. Hopefully it is good for the game. The financial woes we are all feeling have hit the golf world as well.

It has seemed like Tiger can (could) do no wrong. He changes his swing at the top of his game, he gets better. He has surgery, and comes back and has one of his best (non-Major winning) years. He gets married and has two kids, and it does not slow him down.

I personally thought it would be a while before he got married and had kids. But you get to a certain age and it seems like it makes sense. I am not sure yet what is reality and what is not as far as the "indiscretions" but I can see how one might give in to everyone throwing themselves at you. It is funny, you see him as so strong-willed that it would seem that he could "control" himself. But apparently not. I cannot see how he would be bored with his relationship with his wife, and his kids already. But who knows? Up until now he has controlled his image so well, it is interesting how it blows up so spectacularly.

It makes him seem...almost human. I expect that this will dog him for a while. But ultimately this will just be a blip in an otherwise stellar career. His marriage might not survive, and if it does not then hopefully it is a lesson learned. He will get the most Majors and most wins let's hope the private life resolves itself for everyone (especially his wife, Elin, and their kids) whatever that might be.

Kids and word processors

I am sure that this is covered in plenty of detail elsewhere but as I am with my kids and they are at the point (or close to it) where using a word processor is becoming needed. At school they use program which is an overlay for Word (and the other Office programs). MaxWrite, I believe. What to use? I have Mac, Windows and Linux (Ubuntu). While they use Win XP at school, we are pretty agnostic as far as the use of the different computers/OS. (started) Posting from my iPhone). Ironically, even though they use Windows at school -- they seem to like Ubuntu and Mac OS X more -- or at least gravitate towards those machines.

It is interesting how I can move them around from computers without too much issue. They are comfortable with all browsers -- but FireFox seems to be the favorite. I have them use KidZui most of the time for internet (gets them great content with a high level of control over what what they see). Linux seems to have the greatest amount of easy to access educational software. But KidZui us good also, and I can use on all three systems.

Back to word processors. I do not know if I should use something different than what I have access to, or something even more focused towards kids. I have MS Office and or MS Works on one of the Windows machines, and on the Mac. I have OpenOffice on all three, and I have Pages (iWork) on the Mac. I bet there are other lower-end kid-focused word processing software. I guess the most obvious choice is OpenOffice, it is on each system so would be available no matter what.  It is also somewhat similar in general function to Word. One question for me is whether it is too complicated or bloated. But that I guess would knock out Word also. I wonder if OpenOffice would be too much for a NetBook as far as taking up resources? Probably need to think on this a little more. Any comments are welcome.