I found that blogspot has a new utility to update the look and feel of your blog at
Blogger Template Designer
For the next few weeks you might be seeing some updates to the style and look of the page. Let me know if there are any that you like.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Toastmasters Speech #8 "Get Comfortable with Visual Aids"
Microprocessors
How many have heard of microprocessors? What do you think about when you hear the term? Do you think about computers like a Dell or Apple? Of course. How about an iPhone or
a cell phone or an Xbox? Ok, I can see that. What about an engine controller or a washing machine or a coffee maker? Wait a second. Microprocessors are widespread. Most electronics contains some form of a microprocessor, which is the central brain or processing unit of the device. So, why are microprocessors so widespread and used in such a wide variety of applications? How does a microprocessor work and how does it process the data? Today, I would like to answer some of these questions as I explain the history of the microprocessor, the architecture of the microprocessor, and a simple example of how microprocessors work.
Before the mic
roprocessor was invented, most fabricated digital circuits were custom made for only one purpose. It could only perform a specific function and could not be used for anything else, you could not reprogram it and it was difficult to make updates to the hardware. This resulted in a long development cycle. That is when in 1969 an Intel employee named Ted Hoff, invented a general purpose device called a microprocessor that could be easily programmable. This allowed companies to have a much quicker development cycle in which they only had to develop software for an already available microprocessor and easily make edits to the program or software for quick enhancements or fixes.
So we know why we need microprocessors, but know we want to know what is inside a microprocessor? This right (pic 1) here is an simplified diagram of a microprocessor. It consists of an Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) which performs addition and subtraction, an instruction fetcher and instruction decoder, registers to locally store data, and a memory interface to store data and the instructions. When a computer first strarts up, a program is stored in memory and the instruction fetcher will grab the first instruction from memory. This instruction is passed on to the instruction decode to determine the operation. Basically, the instruction decode can perform 3 operations; add or subtract using the ALU (Arithmetic/Logic Unit), move data from one memory location to another, or make a decision and jump to a new set of instructions. This is the basic architecture of a microprocessor.
How many of you have ever heard of binary code? It is just basically 1's and 0's. Now how many of you can read this (pic2)? I can't either. Thank goodness a microprocessor can. What this represents is a set of instructions that simple microprocessor can read. Of course no one else can, but using the following tables we can decode exactly what the microprocessor is instructed to do. Now if you feel a little overwhelmed by this table, tha
t is OK, this is only here for reference. From this table (pic3) we can see, for example, the instruction ADD gets mapped to the binary value 10. You can also see from the next table (pic4) that a register and a memory location is also mapped to a binary value. Using these tables we can encode an instruction to add of register A and register B (pic5). Building on that example, (pic6) we are able to decipher the binary code that I showed you before. This shows that the microprocessor is instructed to load the contents of memory 1 to register A, and load the contents of memory2 to register B, Add register A and register B and put the result in register A. Then finally store the value of register A into memory3. Congratulations, you just finished your first software program.
In conclusion, I h
ave given you an overview of the history and operation of the microprocessor. We have seen why microprocessors are necessary for quick development and can support of a variety of applications, and we have seen a simple example of how a microprocessor works. When Ted Hoff invented the microprocessor, little did he know the impact that microprocessor would have on the world the next 40 years, and now it would be difficult to imagine a life without microprocessors.
How many have heard of microprocessors? What do you think about when you hear the term? Do you think about computers like a Dell or Apple? Of course. How about an iPhone or
a cell phone or an Xbox? Ok, I can see that. What about an engine controller or a washing machine or a coffee maker? Wait a second. Microprocessors are widespread. Most electronics contains some form of a microprocessor, which is the central brain or processing unit of the device. So, why are microprocessors so widespread and used in such a wide variety of applications? How does a microprocessor work and how does it process the data? Today, I would like to answer some of these questions as I explain the history of the microprocessor, the architecture of the microprocessor, and a simple example of how microprocessors work.Before the mic
roprocessor was invented, most fabricated digital circuits were custom made for only one purpose. It could only perform a specific function and could not be used for anything else, you could not reprogram it and it was difficult to make updates to the hardware. This resulted in a long development cycle. That is when in 1969 an Intel employee named Ted Hoff, invented a general purpose device called a microprocessor that could be easily programmable. This allowed companies to have a much quicker development cycle in which they only had to develop software for an already available microprocessor and easily make edits to the program or software for quick enhancements or fixes.
So we know why we need microprocessors, but know we want to know what is inside a microprocessor? This right (pic 1) here is an simplified diagram of a microprocessor. It consists of an Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) which performs addition and subtraction, an instruction fetcher and instruction decoder, registers to locally store data, and a memory interface to store data and the instructions. When a computer first strarts up, a program is stored in memory and the instruction fetcher will grab the first instruction from memory. This instruction is passed on to the instruction decode to determine the operation. Basically, the instruction decode can perform 3 operations; add or subtract using the ALU (Arithmetic/Logic Unit), move data from one memory location to another, or make a decision and jump to a new set of instructions. This is the basic architecture of a microprocessor.
How many of you have ever heard of binary code? It is just basically 1's and 0's. Now how many of you can read this (pic2)? I can't either. Thank goodness a microprocessor can. What this represents is a set of instructions that simple microprocessor can read. Of course no one else can, but using the following tables we can decode exactly what the microprocessor is instructed to do. Now if you feel a little overwhelmed by this table, tha
t is OK, this is only here for reference. From this table (pic3) we can see, for example, the instruction ADD gets mapped to the binary value 10. You can also see from the next table (pic4) that a register and a memory location is also mapped to a binary value. Using these tables we can encode an instruction to add of register A and register B (pic5). Building on that example, (pic6) we are able to decipher the binary code that I showed you before. This shows that the microprocessor is instructed to load the contents of memory 1 to register A, and load the contents of memory2 to register B, Add register A and register B and put the result in register A. Then finally store the value of register A into memory3. Congratulations, you just finished your first software program.In conclusion, I h
ave given you an overview of the history and operation of the microprocessor. We have seen why microprocessors are necessary for quick development and can support of a variety of applications, and we have seen a simple example of how a microprocessor works. When Ted Hoff invented the microprocessor, little did he know the impact that microprocessor would have on the world the next 40 years, and now it would be difficult to imagine a life without microprocessors.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Do Not Try This at Home
Disclaimer: This is Rachael's first actual post on this blog, and if it forshadows events to come, let's hope we're all out of the way...
So here I was, perusing the fridge after a long day of work. Matt wouldn't be home for awhile, and I was hungry. Not wanting to really spend that much time on dinner, I decided to make myself a salad-delicious and healthy. Of course, I thought, I should have some protein. Too bad I forgot to buy any meat at the store on Saturday. It sure would be nice if I had some eggs boiled.
Well, why not? I decided that since I didn't want to spend 30 minutes cooking a whole pot of eggs, I could make my tummy happy and just do one in the microwave in 5 minutes. I mean, I've boiled water in there before. I got a small glass measuring cup, put the egg in the bottom, and covered it with water. Then, I set the container in the microwave to boil.
Just about the time I was arranging the leaves in my bowl, an explosion erupted from the microwave, and it automatically shut off. Realizing my egg has just been blasted to smithereens, I opened the door, hoping that at least the glass didn't shatter. Bits of water and egg guts dripped from the microwave ceiling and oozed their way out the front and onto the stove. Gross.
Needless to say, boiling an egg in the microwave apparently does not work. Who knew??? It was, however, curious to find actual chunks of cooked egg floating on the tray. I thought about eating these, but quickly came to my senses and threw them out. 20 minutes and a whole roll of paper towels later, my microwave actually looks clean, and it still works. Darn.
I sit here now, munching on my tasty, eggless salad (though I did find some nuts in the pantry for protein). Next time I think I will opt for Ramen instead.
So here I was, perusing the fridge after a long day of work. Matt wouldn't be home for awhile, and I was hungry. Not wanting to really spend that much time on dinner, I decided to make myself a salad-delicious and healthy. Of course, I thought, I should have some protein. Too bad I forgot to buy any meat at the store on Saturday. It sure would be nice if I had some eggs boiled.
Well, why not? I decided that since I didn't want to spend 30 minutes cooking a whole pot of eggs, I could make my tummy happy and just do one in the microwave in 5 minutes. I mean, I've boiled water in there before. I got a small glass measuring cup, put the egg in the bottom, and covered it with water. Then, I set the container in the microwave to boil.
Just about the time I was arranging the leaves in my bowl, an explosion erupted from the microwave, and it automatically shut off. Realizing my egg has just been blasted to smithereens, I opened the door, hoping that at least the glass didn't shatter. Bits of water and egg guts dripped from the microwave ceiling and oozed their way out the front and onto the stove. Gross.
Needless to say, boiling an egg in the microwave apparently does not work. Who knew??? It was, however, curious to find actual chunks of cooked egg floating on the tray. I thought about eating these, but quickly came to my senses and threw them out. 20 minutes and a whole roll of paper towels later, my microwave actually looks clean, and it still works. Darn.
I sit here now, munching on my tasty, eggless salad (though I did find some nuts in the pantry for protein). Next time I think I will opt for Ramen instead.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Toastmasters Speech #7 "Research Your Topic"
Haiti
As many of you know, on Jan. 12, 2010 the nation of Haiti suffered through an earthquake with a magnitude 7.0 on the Richter scale. This earthquake basically destroyed the city of Port au Prince leaving an estimated 150,000 people dead. My wife and I were particularly interested because we sponsor a 13 year old Haitian girl name Lossile Joseph, with whom we have been corresponding for the last 5 years. Even though, we sponsor Lossile, I have to admit that I know little about the culture and history of Haiti, so I thought what better opportunity to learn about Haiti than by giving a Toastmasters speech. As I was doing research about Haiti, I kept asking the question “Why is Haiti so poor?” So today, I would like to answer that question as I take you through the history of Haiti, during the first recorded settlement, the slave revolution, and finally the condition of Haiti after the slave revolution.
The First recorded history of Haiti, started in 1492 when the Spaniard Columbus “sailed the ocean blue” and landed on the island of Hispanola. The Spanish colonized on Hispanola migrating to the Eastern side of the island which is present day Dominican Republic. Around 1697, the French also had interests and settled on the western side naming the colony, Saint-Dominique, which is present day Haiti. Because the land was so fertile, the French eventually started plantations which grew sugar, coffee, tobacco, and cocoa and needed laborers to work. Therefore, hundreds of thousands of slaves were imported from Africa and literally worked to death. At the height of production near the end of the 18th century, Haiti produced 40% to 60% of Europe’s sugar and coffee. This was a highly profitable business for the French, but it was at the expense of many African slaves lives.
This brings us to the slave revolution. In 1791, during the time of the French revolution, word of the French revolution got to the slaves in Haiti, and over 480,000 slaves rebelled against the French colonists. History Professor Natasha Lightfoot of Columbia University estimated that the slaves outnumbered the colonists 10 to 1. This revolt was lead by General Toussaint Louverture that eventually turned into a 13 year war ending with a last unsuccessful effort by France’s Napoleon to stop the revolt. The war ended on January 1, 1804 when General Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared the nation to be no longer Saint-Dominique but Haiti. It was the first and only successful slave revolution. An interesting side note was pointed out by CBS correspondent Anthony Mason about the new Haitian flag, “Its new flag was derived from the French tricolor, which was turned on its side - and the white stripe symbolically stripped off.”
Unfortunately, the years that followed after the independence of Haiti did not see the same prosperity as before. The French felt their land was stolen and demanded reparations before they would trade with Haiti. Other European countries and the US joined France’s boycott to Haiti mainly due to the downright prejudice. Another possible reason the US did not trade with Haiti was stated by Professor Page of Miami University, “After they became independent, they ended up in a situation where – number one – they were considered a threat by the entire rest of the region because the rest of the region, especially the United States, owned slaves. A slave rebellion is not a good thing to have so close to a nation that owned several million slaves of their own.” Haiti was not even able to begin trade with the rest of the world until 1838, and this was at a high price. This restriction of trade devastated Haiti. Haiti was also plagued by an unstable government and numerous despotic heads of states, which ruthlessly ravaged the people and the resources of the country. Haiti could never recover and may never recover because according to Professor Page 80%-90% of Haiti is illiterate and is unable to neither innovate nor attract industries. This is why Haiti is so poor.
In conclusion, I have given you a brief history of the nation of Haiti and because of the harsh treatment of the Haitian people before and after the slave revolt, what we have left is a predominately poor nation. Lately, there have been many futile attempts to get Haiti prosperous, but all attempts have failed, probably due to ulterior motives or probably due to an underestimate of the true scope of the problem. The earthquake in Haiti was a tragedy, but out of this tragedy can be optimism. More Americans and the rest of the world are being educated about the economic climate in Haiti and we can only hope that action can come because of this interest.
As many of you know, on Jan. 12, 2010 the nation of Haiti suffered through an earthquake with a magnitude 7.0 on the Richter scale. This earthquake basically destroyed the city of Port au Prince leaving an estimated 150,000 people dead. My wife and I were particularly interested because we sponsor a 13 year old Haitian girl name Lossile Joseph, with whom we have been corresponding for the last 5 years. Even though, we sponsor Lossile, I have to admit that I know little about the culture and history of Haiti, so I thought what better opportunity to learn about Haiti than by giving a Toastmasters speech. As I was doing research about Haiti, I kept asking the question “Why is Haiti so poor?” So today, I would like to answer that question as I take you through the history of Haiti, during the first recorded settlement, the slave revolution, and finally the condition of Haiti after the slave revolution.
The First recorded history of Haiti, started in 1492 when the Spaniard Columbus “sailed the ocean blue” and landed on the island of Hispanola. The Spanish colonized on Hispanola migrating to the Eastern side of the island which is present day Dominican Republic. Around 1697, the French also had interests and settled on the western side naming the colony, Saint-Dominique, which is present day Haiti. Because the land was so fertile, the French eventually started plantations which grew sugar, coffee, tobacco, and cocoa and needed laborers to work. Therefore, hundreds of thousands of slaves were imported from Africa and literally worked to death. At the height of production near the end of the 18th century, Haiti produced 40% to 60% of Europe’s sugar and coffee. This was a highly profitable business for the French, but it was at the expense of many African slaves lives.
This brings us to the slave revolution. In 1791, during the time of the French revolution, word of the French revolution got to the slaves in Haiti, and over 480,000 slaves rebelled against the French colonists. History Professor Natasha Lightfoot of Columbia University estimated that the slaves outnumbered the colonists 10 to 1. This revolt was lead by General Toussaint Louverture that eventually turned into a 13 year war ending with a last unsuccessful effort by France’s Napoleon to stop the revolt. The war ended on January 1, 1804 when General Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared the nation to be no longer Saint-Dominique but Haiti. It was the first and only successful slave revolution. An interesting side note was pointed out by CBS correspondent Anthony Mason about the new Haitian flag, “Its new flag was derived from the French tricolor, which was turned on its side - and the white stripe symbolically stripped off.”
Unfortunately, the years that followed after the independence of Haiti did not see the same prosperity as before. The French felt their land was stolen and demanded reparations before they would trade with Haiti. Other European countries and the US joined France’s boycott to Haiti mainly due to the downright prejudice. Another possible reason the US did not trade with Haiti was stated by Professor Page of Miami University, “After they became independent, they ended up in a situation where – number one – they were considered a threat by the entire rest of the region because the rest of the region, especially the United States, owned slaves. A slave rebellion is not a good thing to have so close to a nation that owned several million slaves of their own.” Haiti was not even able to begin trade with the rest of the world until 1838, and this was at a high price. This restriction of trade devastated Haiti. Haiti was also plagued by an unstable government and numerous despotic heads of states, which ruthlessly ravaged the people and the resources of the country. Haiti could never recover and may never recover because according to Professor Page 80%-90% of Haiti is illiterate and is unable to neither innovate nor attract industries. This is why Haiti is so poor.
In conclusion, I have given you a brief history of the nation of Haiti and because of the harsh treatment of the Haitian people before and after the slave revolt, what we have left is a predominately poor nation. Lately, there have been many futile attempts to get Haiti prosperous, but all attempts have failed, probably due to ulterior motives or probably due to an underestimate of the true scope of the problem. The earthquake in Haiti was a tragedy, but out of this tragedy can be optimism. More Americans and the rest of the world are being educated about the economic climate in Haiti and we can only hope that action can come because of this interest.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Yo Adrian!
Today we were able to witness "Rocky Balboa" Becker's first boxing practice as he was punching his fists back and forth. He weighs in at a healthy 10 oz. and will be competing in the lightweight division. "Rocky's" record is 0-0 and his first fight is scheduled on June 11, 2010.If you haven't guessed, Rachael and I had the official ultrasound and will be having a BOY! The lady doing the ultrasound said he was very active and was moving his arms back and forth like a boxer. So, I believe his name should be "Rocky Balboa" Becker. Rachael has not fully agreed to the name but I hope that she will warm up to the idea.
Thanks for your prayers!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
NYC
So Rachael and I went to New York City and stayed in Manhattan this Christmas. It was a chance for us to get away and go someplace where we have never gone before. We 
planned for the trip to be from Dec. 20th to Dec. 25th, but a blizzard in the Northeast caused our flights to be shifted from Dec. 22nd to Dec. 28th. It was too bad because we had Dave Letterman tickets for the Dec 21st show. Thank goodness the Doubletree hotel shifted our reservation and even gave us a free night!
So we made it into the Newark airport late Tuesday night on Dec. 22nd and we were a little worried about the train system during the late night so we took a cab to Manhattan. The quote for the cab ride was around $60 to get us to the hotel in Manhattan, but little did I know that I would also have to pay for the toll (both ways) which added up to $85. Welcome to New York. Suddenly, a train ride at night seems a little more appealing.
For our first day we headed to Time Square to buy some Broadway tickets. We found a TKTS booth and found some Orchestra tickets (16 rows back) for Mary Poppins for $60 a piece. Not bad. It was a great show. The set was amazing and of course the songs and performances was superb. If you make it to Manhattan, you have to watch a Broadway show. After the show, we went around the Midtown area and visited Rockefeller center, the Empire State building, and Macy's.
The second day we he
aded uptown to see the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) . We quickly figured out that you are required to make a donation to gain admission, so you can donate from $1 to the recommended $20 and beyond. We donated $10. The MET is an huge art museum with an impressive collection of art. We visited the Egyptian art, American art, and the art of the impressionists that had many Monet's, Van Gogh's, Manet's, and Degas. We th
en walked across Central Park and headed for the Museum of Natural History, which is the place were they filmed Night at the Museum. This museum is a great place to take kids, but I got a little bored. I did enjoy the planetarium though. I noticed that the theory of evolution was strictly taught in this museum. There was even a short video that defended the validity of evolution and how everything makes sense because of it. Their defense of it didn't make sense to me. After the museums we headed back to the hotel with quick stop at 5th Avenue to see all of the shops that we can't afford (Tiffany's, FAO Schwartz, Apple, Saks).
The third d
ay was Christmas and we woke up early to see if we could get on the Today show at Rockefeller plaza only to see that they were not filming that day. We almost did a double take when we got back to our room to watch the Today show with all the regulars and they said it was Christmas. What a crock! After that, we headed down south to the Statue of Liberty only to find that the ferry was closed, so we walked a few blocks to Wall Street to find where all of the stimulus and bailout money ended up. Wall Street was an interesting area. All of the buildings were built very close together at a time whe
n building codes in that area were a little more relaxed. Next to Wall Street is the famous Trinity Church which is well known if you happened to see the movie National Treasure. Rachael and I stopped by Ground Zero and then headed back to midtown to walk around for awhile.
The fourth day we headed down to the SoHo to visit an Artisan Market, only to find that it was fairly lame. So, we headed to Little Italy to a famous pizza place, Lombardi's, for some good pizza. We walked around the Little Italy, Chinatown area just to get a feel for the area. The Little Italy district was
amusing as every restaurateur was a little pushy and would try to lead us into their door when we walked by. After that, we headed back to the Statue of Liberty and took the ferry to the island. I found that I bought the wrong tickets and we could not enter the base of the statue. Oh well. The weather was rainy and cold and I think that Rachael and I were ready to get back to the hotel.
The last day we met up with some friends from Boston who happened to be visiting Manhattan. They were a little more experienced with Manhattan and took us around town. It was a fun day. We started the day by visiting Redeemer Presbyterian at Hunter College to get an a very clear discourse on James 2 about "Faith without deeds is dead". We then walked to the Guggenheim Museum to see the special exhibit of Wassily Kandinsky who is said to be the father of abstract art. From there we walked around Central Park and then headed down to Che
lsea to wait in line for some free tickets to the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater to an late Sunday night improv show in a dirty old basement. The interesting thing about it is that some known comedians were performing including Horatio Sanz, a SNL alumni, Bobby Moynihan, a current SNL cast member, and Lennon Parham, who is a cast member on the CBS sitcom Accidentally on Purpose. It was a fun to at least go to the spots that tourists (like me) barely frequent.
The next day (Monday Dec. 28th) we headed home (taking the cheaper train to the airport) and said goodbye to NYC.
Overall, this was a fun trip . The landmarks and buildings are spectacular and it is one of the main epicenters of art, business and culture. It was great to see all of the well known sites and get a taste of Manhattan. On the other hand, Manhattan stresses me out. It is too crowded, very impersonal, and too expensive. I think if I ever visit again, I would steer away from the well known and overcrowded Midtown and the Wall street districts and visit either the Uptown areas or the Chelsea and Greenwich districts.
Observations of Manhattan:
planned for the trip to be from Dec. 20th to Dec. 25th, but a blizzard in the Northeast caused our flights to be shifted from Dec. 22nd to Dec. 28th. It was too bad because we had Dave Letterman tickets for the Dec 21st show. Thank goodness the Doubletree hotel shifted our reservation and even gave us a free night!
So we made it into the Newark airport late Tuesday night on Dec. 22nd and we were a little worried about the train system during the late night so we took a cab to Manhattan. The quote for the cab ride was around $60 to get us to the hotel in Manhattan, but little did I know that I would also have to pay for the toll (both ways) which added up to $85. Welcome to New York. Suddenly, a train ride at night seems a little more appealing.
For our first day we headed to Time Square to buy some Broadway tickets. We found a TKTS booth and found some Orchestra tickets (16 rows back) for Mary Poppins for $60 a piece. Not bad. It was a great show. The set was amazing and of course the songs and performances was superb. If you make it to Manhattan, you have to watch a Broadway show. After the show, we went around the Midtown area and visited Rockefeller center, the Empire State building, and Macy's.
The second day we he
aded uptown to see the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) . We quickly figured out that you are required to make a donation to gain admission, so you can donate from $1 to the recommended $20 and beyond. We donated $10. The MET is an huge art museum with an impressive collection of art. We visited the Egyptian art, American art, and the art of the impressionists that had many Monet's, Van Gogh's, Manet's, and Degas. We th
en walked across Central Park and headed for the Museum of Natural History, which is the place were they filmed Night at the Museum. This museum is a great place to take kids, but I got a little bored. I did enjoy the planetarium though. I noticed that the theory of evolution was strictly taught in this museum. There was even a short video that defended the validity of evolution and how everything makes sense because of it. Their defense of it didn't make sense to me. After the museums we headed back to the hotel with quick stop at 5th Avenue to see all of the shops that we can't afford (Tiffany's, FAO Schwartz, Apple, Saks).The third d
ay was Christmas and we woke up early to see if we could get on the Today show at Rockefeller plaza only to see that they were not filming that day. We almost did a double take when we got back to our room to watch the Today show with all the regulars and they said it was Christmas. What a crock! After that, we headed down south to the Statue of Liberty only to find that the ferry was closed, so we walked a few blocks to Wall Street to find where all of the stimulus and bailout money ended up. Wall Street was an interesting area. All of the buildings were built very close together at a time whe
n building codes in that area were a little more relaxed. Next to Wall Street is the famous Trinity Church which is well known if you happened to see the movie National Treasure. Rachael and I stopped by Ground Zero and then headed back to midtown to walk around for awhile.The fourth day we headed down to the SoHo to visit an Artisan Market, only to find that it was fairly lame. So, we headed to Little Italy to a famous pizza place, Lombardi's, for some good pizza. We walked around the Little Italy, Chinatown area just to get a feel for the area. The Little Italy district was
amusing as every restaurateur was a little pushy and would try to lead us into their door when we walked by. After that, we headed back to the Statue of Liberty and took the ferry to the island. I found that I bought the wrong tickets and we could not enter the base of the statue. Oh well. The weather was rainy and cold and I think that Rachael and I were ready to get back to the hotel.
The last day we met up with some friends from Boston who happened to be visiting Manhattan. They were a little more experienced with Manhattan and took us around town. It was a fun day. We started the day by visiting Redeemer Presbyterian at Hunter College to get an a very clear discourse on James 2 about "Faith without deeds is dead". We then walked to the Guggenheim Museum to see the special exhibit of Wassily Kandinsky who is said to be the father of abstract art. From there we walked around Central Park and then headed down to Che
lsea to wait in line for some free tickets to the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater to an late Sunday night improv show in a dirty old basement. The interesting thing about it is that some known comedians were performing including Horatio Sanz, a SNL alumni, Bobby Moynihan, a current SNL cast member, and Lennon Parham, who is a cast member on the CBS sitcom Accidentally on Purpose. It was a fun to at least go to the spots that tourists (like me) barely frequent.The next day (Monday Dec. 28th) we headed home (taking the cheaper train to the airport) and said goodbye to NYC.
Overall, this was a fun trip . The landmarks and buildings are spectacular and it is one of the main epicenters of art, business and culture. It was great to see all of the well known sites and get a taste of Manhattan. On the other hand, Manhattan stresses me out. It is too crowded, very impersonal, and too expensive. I think if I ever visit again, I would steer away from the well known and overcrowded Midtown and the Wall street districts and visit either the Uptown areas or the Chelsea and Greenwich districts.
Observations of Manhattan:
- Manhattan is expensive. It seemed that the food was twice the price no matter where you went. Or perhaps it was because we were in Midtown. There are places where you can get a good meal for a decent price, you just got to look for it.
- People are not very friendly in Manhattan. The cashiers were usually impatient, they were not very helpful, and it seemed as if they were just trying to rip me off. We hit most of the tourist spots so it was fairly crowded and perhaps they just had to keep the line moving. I guess I am used to southern hospitality in Austin.
- Probably more that half of the people around us were speaking a different language. Again we were in the tourist section, but after awhile I was surprised when I heard someone speaking English.
- The subway system is great! We were able to get just about anywhere in Manhattan using the subway. It might be easier to take a cab but it is a lot cheaper to take the subway.
- Manhattan is dirty. The subways are great but the stairs and waiting areas are caked with filth and muck. I am not a germaphobe, but still, I would not recommend touching anything. If you look closely in the sewers and lower tracks you can see rats and mice.
- Central Park is beautiful and very well done. I had a chance to take a morning run around the park to the well known spots. Only until the last day did I find the well known bridges, fountains, etc. in the southern end of the park.
- I don't think I would last in NYC. I am a little timid and tend to be a too nice. It seems that you have to be a little pushy and rude just to survive. You have think on your toes and you have to call a scam for what it is. Just be prepared.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Watch Out!
Another Becker will soon be gracing those around us coming around June 11th, 2010. If you have not guessed it, Rachael is pregnant. We will find out if it is a boy or girl this January. As of December 14th, Rachael is in her 14th week and will be excited once the morning sickness subsides. Why do they call it morning sickness? I think it should be morning, afternoon, evening, night, weekends, weekday, holiday, worktime sickness.Rachael and I are very excited and a little nervous. We feel blessed to be able to bring a life (that God gave us) into this world, but are a little apprehensive about whether the baby will be healthy, whether we will be good parents, and whether we will have jobs in this fickle economy.
If you have any advice that has been helpful, please let us know. Merry Christmas!
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