Happy New Year!

Helpful: Your Special Purpose

No, not that "special purpose," Steve Martin fans.
In deciding to leave work and start school, I've been trying to articulate exactly why I picked this program, and why I want to start it now. What will I do with a grad degree in urban planning? What's the purpose?

A great series of articles by Steve Pavlina got to me, and helped me define that purpose. Steve says that if you aren't working for your own purpose, you'll only end up working on:
1) your needs
2) someone else's needs, and
3) someone else's purpose

So I came up with a purpose tonight, and we'll see how this sounds:

My goal is to help governments and community organizations eliminate poverty and create opportunities for success.

Maybe it still needs a tweak, especially with that last phrase, but when I finally put that down on paper, I realized that this is where I got the most out of my job at Kaplan. I didn't care that the Washington Post Company made a great profit, but I cared that our students got into a good college and that our tutors found a successful, meaningful job. I want to try this Masters program because I believe that with advanced knowledge about how cities work best, I can help bring employment and opportunity to people who need it the most.

Maybe it's naive, but it feels like the right direction.

Helpful: A Kuzma hit on my Google Alert

Pops makes a web appearance, with action shot and everything. Well done!

Interesting: Take the Quiz

Merry Christmas! Can you beat 26?

Interesting: Game Show Theory

The writers of Freakonomics have a blog, and today they contend that the new game show Deal or No Deal is an economist's dream: a high-profile example of risk-reward testing.

Maybe so. Here's my econometric analysis:
Deal: 25 hottt models.
No Deal: Howie Mandel's hijinks and bizarro facial hair.

It's a toss-up.

Interesting: Creepy, yet Holy Santa

Ho, Ho, Ho.

Interesting: Oh, Oh, Canada!

Moustache? Check.
Lotion? Check.
Ticket to Canada? Check.

Let's get it on!

Interesting: Killing Yourself to Live

Just finished this book by Chuck Klosterman, an author I've reviewed before here.

A very funny book, with a lot of chicks, drugs, rock, road tripping, and death. Chek it out at your local public library.

Interesting: Course list

This spring, I'm taking 500, 502, and 504. Don't they look exciting?

Helpful: 7 Deadly Sins

Track #9 on the Aurora Forum podcast list from Stanford is a speech by Arun Gandhi, grandson of the great Indian leader of non-violent activism. You may have heard this list of "Seven Deadly Sins" before, but it was my first time, so I wanted to share it:

Seven Deadly Sins

Wealth without Work
Pleasure without Conscience
Science without Humanity
Knowledge without Character
Politics without Principle
Commerce without Morality
Worship without Sacrifice

Interesting: Vacation!

Day 4 of my vacation is a little warmer -- it may actually hit 30 degrees today. It's been a week of great accomplishment, as I have been conquering We Love Katamari, the sequel to the bizarro Playstation 2 hit, Katamari Damacy. A lot of NPR, some napping, and a bit of easy reading, since I figure I won't have much time to do that when school starts in 3 weeks.

It's a weird feeling not going to work, and not worrying about not going to work. Maybe that comes later? I dunno.

Interesting: Last Day!

Little brother

Thanksgiving with Lucas
Originally uploaded by kuzmatt9.

Awwww.

Helpful: Truce

Finally, a way for Democrats to talk about the Iraq endgame without looking like wussies.

Interesting: A Touching Christmas Story

Hunter from Daily Kos shares a heartwarming tale of Christmas shopping and merriment. (Warning: profanity.)

Helpful: Smoke-Free Chicago

The Chicago City Council will vote on the 100% Clean Indoor Air Ordinance tomorrow morning. I already called my alderman to ask her to vote yes -- you should too. Unless you don't live in Chicago, in which case, you don't get an alderman. Too bad.

Interesting: Free track from David Mead

Just in time for your holiday virtual stocking stuffing, David is releasing free tracks from the vault. We saw David in concert at Schuba's on Friday, and were very pleased by the solo show. You don't see many singer/songwriters who can play guitar, keyboard, and ukulele all so well. Lovely. The new album will be out in May!

Main David Mead fan site.
Official site here.

Interesting: The President's Evolving Vision

Thanks, Wonkette.

Helpful: Job opening!

I got in! If you want my old job, let me know.

Interesting: NPR Live Concert Series

Better increase your pledge. NPR has full-length concert recordings streaming here. And Indigo, Wednesday's concert is Iron and Wine. Sweet!

Helpful: Do it now

I read this article from Steve Pavlina tonight and came away quite inspired to increase my productivity. It's long, though, so you'll probably want to print it out to read on the train. Enjoy.

Interesting: Did Texas execute an innocent man?

Via Washington Monthly, the Houston Chronicle has a story about Ruben Cantu, a man in Texas who was put to death in 1993. Twelve years later, the star witness and the real killer admit that Cantu didn't do it. Too bad he won't be around for the retrial.

Interesting: Monkey washing a cat

This clip was on The Daily Show with John Stewart the other night, and just by chance, it ended up in my random funny movie podcast feed. I dare you to watch it and not giggle.

Helpful: Gift hint

What to give the iPod-toting, latte-drinking, bus-or-train-riding, plaid scaf-wearing, goateed anti-hipster hipster in your life for Christmas?

Audible.com credits.

Interesting: Living the Life, Part 2

Transcript of a call to my brother's house, 11:25 AM Pacific time--

Unidentified Voice: (mumbling, obviously waking up) Hello?
Me: Hi, is this Lucas?
UV: uuuh....
[pause]
Me: Hello?
UV: yeah?
Me: Is this Lucas?
UV: (confused) No, this is Dave. Oh, I thought you said you were Lucas.
Me: Nope. Is he there?
Dave: I think he's passed out or something, I don't know.
Me: OK, I'll call him back.
Dave: Holla back later, yo.