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Missives from the Here and Now and the Not Yet. A blog and newsletter from the Houn family.

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Looking for the Fig Tree
15 Years at Liferay: Prologue
liferay

15 Years at Liferay: Prologue

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median number of years that people stay in a particular job is 4.3 years. I recently commemorated my 15th year of working at Liferay. It's very...difficult for me to fathom that I've been at it for so long -- and I don't really mean that as a positive or negative commentary on the time! It's just...a long time. 22-year-old me would never have dreamt, that on almost every conceivable level, I am where I am today. Truthfully, my feelings on getting
2 min read
DIY Rey's Quarterstaff
life

DIY Rey's Quarterstaff

The stars have aligned this year. The children have all decided they want to be Star Wars characters for Halloween. This was not an outcome that I actively sought, but I welcome it. I'm sure none of you are surprised. Amelia wanted to be Rey and, of course, Rey needs her iconic quarterstaff. I went back and forth for quite a while about whether I wanted to make it myself but ultimately decided that it would be a fun creative challenge to DIY it. A lot of the materials we already had on hand:
4 min read
Thoughts on Shang Chi
movie review

Thoughts on Shang Chi

The following is a repost of a movie review I wrote for the movie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. I didn't know that I wanted a Marvel film that combined Jackie Chan inspired and wuxia-styled martial arts, but now that it is here, I love it. What I Loved The action! The action choreography was outstanding. Fights are frenetic and comprehensible. They are shot at angles and distances that give you a very good sense of the action. Tony Leung! My goodness this man takes what could
2 min read
That Time When ... A Delivery Took an Unexpected Turn
life

That Time When ... A Delivery Took an Unexpected Turn

Sometime before I was a Tech Writing Manager, QA Manager, or Test Engineer and sometime after I did data entry for a newspaper, TA'd for a computer class for senior citizens, and was a Sandwich Artist -- I worked as a Logistics Engineer at a local flower shop. I delivered flowers for 4-5 years during and after college. There are some things I miss about being delivering flowers. The regular push to interact with diverse people who were experiencing a very broad cross-section of human experience.
3 min read
That Time When ... I Thought I Was the Best Basketball Player
life

That Time When ... I Thought I Was the Best Basketball Player

When I was in fourth grade, my grandmother signed me up for a church basketball league. I didn't know anyone or have any friends on the team, but for some reason that didn't deter me. Why? Because I literally thought I was the best basketball player. Let's run down the facts as they stood at the time: * Experience playing organized team sports? None * Played basketball on a regular basis? Nope * Knew a lot about the sport from watching televised basketball? Nah. I don't think I had ever watc
3 min read
Sorting Out Thoughts on Reopening (Part 2)
life

Sorting Out Thoughts on Reopening (Part 2)

See Part 1 for my initial thoughts on reopening church. As of May 25th, 2020 - the California Department of Public Health has released initial guidance for providers of worship services. The guidelines are posted here. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health's Protocols are available here. Summary of Public Health Policy Expectations These are some of the most notable guidelines from the aforementioned released policies: * 25% building capacity or 100 people - whichever is lesser (Wh
6 min read