joshedwards.com

One of the weirder parts of Dubai: “ENOC to launch Dubai self service stations in July“.

I have a swirl of different feelings about my time in Dubai, lots of anger, frustration and isolation. But I have only good ones of the Hard Rock Cafe.

It was fitting that it closed right as we were leaving; thought I didn’t realize the building was still standing.

Until this week: “Hard Rock Cafe demolition sparks a wave of nostalgia across Dubai old-timers“.

Sadness swirls up in me now …

Today is December 27, 2012, and there’s a certain part of me that’s amazed we’re all still here.

The Mayan long count calendar’s 13th baktun ended last Friday.

I’ve been … anticipating? dreading? at least very interested in December 21, 2012 for a number of years, since I was reading about the Maya back when I lived in Los Angeles.

The calendar ended on a solstice. How could they have predicted that eons ago? Was it cosmic coincidence?

Now, I wasn’t expecting brimstone and hellfire. No Rapture here. But had the poles shifted and all of our electric doo-dads shit the bed last week, well, I wouldn’t have been terribly shocked.

It’s frustrating some of the writing in the lead-up and immediately afterwards how some people represented the Maya as backwards or ill-informed. Sure, they didn’t have all of the technology that we have, but most of what we know of the Maya comes from only five books, since Europeans burned EVERY OTHER BOOK IN THR ENTIRE CIVILIZATION.

Yet somehow THEY are the savages.

WWJD?

Anyway, I wish I had more time to write about and process this, but I think my energy is better focused on little Sadie.

So happy 13.0.0.0.6.

Welcome to the sixth sun.

Bizarre.

I just read about the best smart phone applications ever- you enter your shopping list and the app plots out the most efficient route in the store!

Damn, I wish Hannaford had this!

Check out “Great Marketing is Utilitarian“.

As a new parent I have virtually no time to consume media. I’ve been to the movie theater about three times in the last year. That’s a month’s worth of movies in my old life. Similarly my television watching has be relegated to Hulu; I only watch ONE SHOW live each week, the sci-fi show Fringe.

It’s kind of a scattered show; it’s not great. Each season they reinvent the wheel, which pretty much means reinventing the characters and storylines, which is not a great way to build fan loyalty. But I like sci-fi, I like Joshua Jackson, and there are enough clever sci-fi nuggets to keep me going.

Until tonight.

Maybe it’s just the point at which I find myself in life; maybe I’ve changed. I just want my television shows and movies to be fun, escapist and … well, fun.

Unfortunately this puts me at odds with most of the shows and movies that I’ve watched lately.

If you’ve spoken to me in person at all since June you know that I feel this summer’s “The Avengers” took a dark turn, thanks to writer-director Joss Whedon and his obsession with killing the coolest characters that he writes for.

But Fringe, damn, Fringe took the cake tonight.

The backstory is a little convoluted, but pretty much Joshua Jackson and the other main characters go about 20 years into the future and find a horrible totalitarian nightmare (cough Days of Future Past cough). They also run into their daughter, who is a freedom fighter. She’s grown, she’s sassy, she’s everything they wanted out of their child.

It’s emotional, yes, and probably hokey, too. But I’m looking at it as Sadie’s father, so I just see the father-daughter relationship. The emotion. It resonates with me.

Of course I shouldn’t let it, as Fringe’s executive producer is JJ “Kill Everyone On the Island in Lost” Abrams.

Clearly, bad shit is going to go down.

And it does.

I don’t understand why you’d introduce a character, a likable, friendly character, and then kill her off in her fifth episode. What’s the point? What’s the God-damned point?

Now, I know I’m reacting as a parent. News of nannies killing babies and family friends killing babies hits me pretty hard.

But all of the death, sorrow and pain … I’m just not feeling it.

I know Fringe only has a handful of episodes left, but I’m seriously considering letting them sit for awhile.

I don’t have much time to watch shows right now. Maybe my time would be better spent elsewhere.

This is the coolest thing I’ve seen in some time: “Anaheim considers adding streetcars near Disneyland“.

Happy 6 years to my favorite wife!

This New York Times article does a fantastic job putting Pres. Obama’s job so far into larger historical context.

It also gets bonus points for quoting my favorite BU professor, Robert Dallek …

A Vindication, With a Legacy Still Unwritten

Was yesterday’s Red Sox / Marlins game really Josh Beckett versus Josh Johnson?

Is that the first time in MLB history two “Joshes” faced each other?

Remember when we were in Dubai and we said how they refer to the Gulf as “the Arabian Gulf”?

Well it appears that Google has found itself in the midst of that debate now: “Iran: Map Sets Off Dispute With Google“.

Since becoming a father I’ve taken a hard look at my views on war and capital punishment. I have found myself in a deep sanctity-of-all-life place. Everyone is somebody’s child. Everyone deserves love.

And then I read this story, and I want to hang the motherfucker by his neck until he is dead:

“Father admits to squeezing, throwing infant son, police say“.

Looks like I got a 3.70 (A-) for my final grade in the Health Communication Masters program class!

I’ll take it!

No word on my final grade yet, unfortunately I did get an 80 on my final paper (oops!) but got a 100 on the presentation, with these notes:

Excellent presentation, Josh! You had a thought-provoking, well planned presentation, with a strong purpose and sufficient context. You were very engaging and delivered your presentation with ease and charisma. You paid excellent attention to detail and did a terrific job thoroughly answering questions. Congratulations!

So that’s something!

My professor just emailed me asking if it’d be possible for her to share my slide presentation with some colleagues.

Wow!

I’m in a very, very good mood after this class!!

I had my final presentation for my online BU Health Communication class tonight. Five slides in five minutes. Present in a webinar online.

I did how the environments we live in can cause obesity.

The facilitator of my group thought I did a good job, then the professor came on and talked at great length at how important this is and how I did a great job getting so much information across in such a short amount of time. She suggested a book for me to read, even though I had covered many of the points already.

I really hit it out of the park tonight. I am so thrilled!!

Here’s a photo from the Baseball Hall of Fame of Opening Day of Fenway Park on April 20, 1912:

I like this publicity shot from the 20th anniversary of Disneyland Resort Paris yesterday:

I have had quite a few amazing experiences in my life, but one of the the most amazing, “Holy shit” moments was when Liz and I went to Disneyland Resort Paris in 2007.

The park opened my Sophomore year in high school and from Day One I wanted to go there. But I never figured that I’d get the chance. I mean, when do I randomly find myself in Paris?!

When I marry a crazy lady who lives in crazy Dubai, apparently.

Anyway, today Disneyland Resort Paris turns 20 years old.

Here’s a photo from the construction of the park, since I love Disney theme park construction photos:

I filled up my gas tank yesterday for the first time in over a month.

Living 3/4 of a mile from work is one of the smartest moves I’ve ever made …