Lance Hardy

An interesting lesson in consistency through disc golf

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Early this year I was finally able to get back into the gym on the regular. I was feeling incredible as more workouts rolled by… until I went too heavy on dumbbell bench press and suffered a slap tear in my right shoulder. My bad completely.

My doctor let me know it might heal on it’s own if I let it. Cool, I could do that. But there was no way I couldn’t be active after all that positive physical activity. So I explored if I could – and found I could indeed – throw discs without serious distress. So that began my near daily journey to a local disc golf course.

Usually I would lug around a bag with 25 discs or so but I wanted to experiment. I picked two discs with similar weight and stats and that’s all I took. At first it was typical and I could be all over the place. But after days, and then weeks of this daily routine I started seeing something cool. Over half the time my discs might land within 5 feet or so apart after a solid 40 or 50 yard throw.

So what? So it was a reminder to me that I hadn’t possibly thought of or experienced for awhile that consistency through constant practice is achievable. Something I can apply in all aspects of my life. Grateful for that.

A few pics from my first day documenting this.

Zapier and IFTTT fail

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 12:00:00 GMT

I know when to throw in the towel. Posting a WordPress post to Instagram should have been doable without paid solutions or business accounts (so I thought). Ouch, zap attempts and IFTTT triggers and outcomes have failed me. So be it.

Terraform – let's do it

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 12:00:00 GMT

I haven’t run across many DevOps job postings that aren’t looking for experience with Terraform. I have CloudFormation down naturally, but as it is specific to AWS it doesn’t provide the agnostic fluidity that many companies are looking for (though I suspect the vast majority of them are still deploying to AWS using Terraform!).

That being the case, I’m adding this specific service to my growing list of “things to know”. Will I get certified or just become proficient? Not sure yet, we shall see.

CKA Exam Simulator – Round One

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 12:00:00 GMT

I’ve taken several proctored exams for AWS certifications but haven’t had one monitored by remote observer like the CKA exam. Time to try out the simulator!

kubectl describe pod -n levelingup heckyeahletsdothis

Working on Certified Kubernetes Administrator

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 12:00:00 GMT

What am I working on you didn’t ask? Fine, be that way.

I’m working towards getting my CKA (Certified Kubernetes Administrator). Why? Because kubernetes is awesome and I want to keep that as my primary sandbox.

kubectl describe pod -n levelingup heckyeahletsdothis

I used to design structures (still can!)

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 12:00:00 GMT

The ongoing push to digitize all the “things” continues.

When I started college I was solidly focused on a Computer Science degree. I was getting a kick out of taking a DOS class and programming classes for COBOL and Visual Basic. Then one fateful day I gave a student hitcher a ride to school and in getting to know him learned he was taking CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) classes in the architectural design program. I had never heard of it but was curious and asked for a tour of the lab. He took me through some demo drawings in AutoCAD 11 for DOS. I was blown away.

It took me back to my days building houses with my Dad. It reminded me of watching him hand draw home building plans at the kitchen table. I was hooked.

The next term I switched my major to Architectural Design and didn’t look back (well, until I did some years later). After graduating I ended up designing tire stores and warehouses for the Les Schwab Tire Company as well as designing houses on the side. I even ended up teaching AutoCAD and 3D Modeling and Rendering classes at Central Oregon Community College for a couple of years.

This was one of my final required projects. I particularly enjoyed hand drawing 3D illustrations like this.

(These scans are YUGE!!! so pop ’em up in a new tab and have at it.)

Obsidian Stock was a thing

Sun, 03 Feb 2019 12:00:00 GMT

The ongoing push to digitize all the “things” continues.

It was 2005’ish. Bend, Oregon was enjoying growth and prosperity and thought the good times were never going to end. Home prices continued to skyrocket yet new homes were going up at a furious pace, even producing a bizarre Lord of the Rings themed neighborhood called The Shire. Yeah, that happened.

My good friend Simone Paddock and I thought the community would benefit from a growing library of Central Oregon themed stock photos from a collection of select, reputable professional photographers. We started Obsidian Stock and went to town. It was an interesting and engaging project both technically and creatively.

Crrraaaasssshhh!! Bend’s economy and housing market going down the toilet was the end of OS too.

(These scans are YUGE!!! so pop ’em up in a new tab and have at it.)

Like RUSH needed dragons!

Sun, 27 Jan 2019 12:00:00 GMT

The ongoing push to digitize all the “things” continues.

I had fun with this one. Not one to write letters to editors, I felt I had to respond to a writer in The Source from May 1, 2014. The article was titled “May the Fourth Be With You” and the author was attempting to make a point about heavy metal lyrics: “Fantasy in heavy metal is abundant whether it’s Rush’s obsession with dragon slaying or seminal bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath incorporating J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings into it’s music…”

Tongue in cheek response followed. Hey, I love me some RUSH! But of course I’ve been used to people being jerks about it since I was a kid. I consider it an honor to be told for the zillionth time “I don’t like his voice!”

hehe, good for you.

IN RESPONSE TO “MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU”
Oh Brianna—sweet, sadly misinformed Brianna. While I do appreciate the point being made about fantasy in heavy metal in your article, “May the Fourth Be With You” (though of the three bands mentioned, it’s also note-worthy that RUSH is considered progressive rock, while Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath are solidly in the rock or classic rock arena), the statement, “Rush’s obsession with dragon slaying,” might mislead a whole generation of RUSH nobs just waiting to be diehard fans. Sure, coincidentally RUSH put out a couple songs in the 70’s with lyrics like, ”Who’s come to slay the dragon,” and “When the dragons grow too mighty/To slay with pen or sword”, but that was purely metaphorical, alluding to emotional discovery, inner-growth and the struggle to find and maintain purpose in life. So, hardly an obsession, right? They sang a lot in the old days about battling gods, necromancers, mystical lands, dystopian worlds, witches, and yes, even Lord of the Rings. But not a lot of the actual slaying of actual dragons. And though I may have listened to a lot of RUSH when I was a kid playing Dungeons & Dragons, that does not really or implicitly indicate any dragonesque tie to RUSH. So in lieu of signing off with a hearty, “So there,” I would like to instead offer you the chance to broaden your horizons and really come to know the Holy Triumvirate with an all-day listening party. Mind opened, mind blown. You’re welcome.
— Lance Hardy

(These scans are YUGE!!! so pop ’em up in a new tab and have at it.)