Monday, March 21, 2016

I Live in Iowa: Week 247

Why can't we just "be"? Why can't we have below average days? I had a good week this week, but that doesn't make it all good. 

Work was fun, going up to Grand Rapids and trouble shooting a new issue, better than expected. I am always afraid when I go to the field that we will not find any issue, and those are the difficult conversations. "Well, this is how we designed it, this is how it is supposed to work." So when we plug in our computers and see something we have never seen before, it's a sign that yes, something is wrong.

Certainly, it would be best if none ever fail, but that is not the world we live in. I can only imagine in automotive a few months after production starts the warranty claims start coming in, and the shear volume must be overwhelming. 

The point is, the space shuttle and everything in space really has redundancy built in. That is, if something fails there is a parallel system to do the job. However, making two systems where only one is needed doubles the cost, and on the shuttle they used seven computers for some functions. In my business we have very little redundancy. It's a cost thing, how many people have two hot water heaters or two dishwashers, just in case one fails?

I ran 69.8 miles, which might as well be 70, but I like to imagine I don't exaggerate my accomplishments. That included a long run and two workouts, one being a 2x12 minute hill climb. You run uphill for 12 minutes hard, it's not easy, or pretty.

Everest preparations continue. Saturday I had lunch with my parents in Madison and then spent $200 on food for my expedition, because it is important to not go hungry on a two month expedition.

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