water water everywhere

May 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, 2010 Nashville Tennessee saw the worst flooding in the city's history. It was called "a 500 year flood".

The Cumberland river, which usually flows peacefully through Nashville, swelled beyond capacity when 13.5 inches of rain fell in less than 48 hours. Other towns up river received as much as 16.79 inches of rainfall over the same period. This culminated in the Cumberland cresting at 53 feet. Music City became a gigantic lake.

UPSers presented in mass on Monday May 3rd ready to move an entire company to higher ground. The Massman building, located on the banks of the Cumberland river was standing in four feet of water.

Everything was shut down, right? It should have been, but quick thinking by management the night of May 1st resulted in ALL of the UPS package cars, and most of the box trailers being moved to a parking lot above the flood level. Now all that was needed was a way to scan, document and track package movement.

I STILL HAVE A JOB

My employer is the largest shipping company in the world. To say that may sound a little braggadocios. But to say that today means a lot. I have been patiently waiting since November 27, 2009 to learn my fate. That is the day we learned that UPS would be restructuring. I STILL have a job -- today that means a lot.

I thee Wed.

It's been a long semester.....the longest in history. Only the threat of snow makes for a snow day in the south. Therefore we are winding to the end of the Spring semester almost a month late. However it was a great semester. My lovely bride (of 10 years) and I renewed our wedding vows this semester. It was a wonderful day, shared with our friends and family. I am glad the semester is over. I am also glad that I get to start a "new" 10 years with Marsha.

Here comes the bride, again……

She said yes, again………

What can be better than being able to marry the woman you’re in love with, all over again?Today is our tenth anniversary, and she is willing to marry me all over again.

Full speed ahead

At least we can now see the tunnel.

We all started a journey about 4 months ago; some of us with no idea where we were headed. Always having been told to look for the light at the end of the tunnel, I just presumed that getting "accepted" into the program was like entering the tunnel. However, getting into the program is like getting ready to go fishing -- it takes a while to see the lake, after you hook up the boat, find the gear, buy the bait, and drive to the lake.

We have been driving for a while now. The experience of the last three months has been more about getting to the lake (or tunnel, if will), than about fishing, or seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Now that I have some idea of where I am (in the tunnel), I am pretty sure that the bright spot ahead is the light at the end of the tunnel. I am looking forward to the next few weeks as I discover the next steps in this process.

I am not an instructor, and am anxious about the "getting my foot in the door" part of the tunnel that lies ahead of me. I look forward to the new discoveries, new direction, and new opportunities ahead.

You never really doubted that you could do it now. . . did you?

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failure,than successes, than what other people think or say or do.It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in acertain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes."

Charles R. Swindoll

American writer and clergyman, b.1934

I have been asked why I picked the name docktodoc for my blog. Well, its a short story, really. My paternal great-great grandfather was King Dock Burnett (later changed to simply Dock K. Burnett. My grandfather was Drewery Dock Burnett. Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to meet either of them.
My father, Roy (no middle name, except for the "C." which the United States Army required him to add in the 1960's) Burnett has told me stories of the strenght and character of these men all of my life. Although Dock was a family name, and not a title, everyone knew Dock Burnett.
From the seed of these simple carpenters and gentlemen farmers, here I stand today, Roger Dale Burnett. My goal is to be Dr. (Doc) Burnett, as was my grandfather, and his father before him.
Who knows, if my attitude is what it should be.....it just may happen?

Is it, or not?

Upon first viewing an optical illusion, one infers their own personal bias in order to arrive at an acceptable interpretation.

No doubt many, if not all of us have seen the old/young lady in the picture to the left. But is she, (old or young) really there.

Having seen the image before, surely one only has to glance at the image to quickly recognize it for what it is.....but look closer, Is it what you first thought?

We, that have seen the image before knew it immediately, but we were wrong. Those having never seen the image before, may at this point still be wondering where the "illusion" is.

Look at the next picture.

Is the "old hag" or "young woman" pictured here?

Look closely for the image of either or both. In the first picture one can probably find a "young woman", and in the second possibly see the "old hag".

Now look at the image below, and consider that the "old hag" is looking down and to the left.

Do you see her?

Look again.

Do you see the "young lady" facing left, and looking over her right shoulder, away from the viewer?

She is there.

They both are there.

But not so much in the first or second pictures above.

So, do we see what we think we see? Or, do we see what we are expecting to see, based on previous experiences? This image has been used many times to explain the optical illusion phenomena. But have you ever considered that maybe it can also explain more?

In many cases, only after having an optical illusion explained, can the viewer re-evaluate the illusion and discern the existence of a totally different image. My personal biases were no less at play in preparing for the "Evaluation of a Course Syllabus" assignment, than would they have been viewing an optical illusion for the first time.

In this program I must admit, I placed the respective syllabus in its respective 3-ring binder to use as calendars of events. However, after completing the reading for this assignment, and comparing the syllabus for this course to the requirements set forth, my eyes have been opened to the true purpose(s) and value of the syllabus.

The illusion has now been explained to this viewer, and his eyes can now see the true picture.