Friday Friendly Fragments - A Fairly New Year Edition

Friday Fragments 

Thanks to Mrs. 4444's for hosting Friday Fragments...

• When does one stop saying happy new year to people?
• On a related note: Can I also stop asking people how their holiday was now too?
• My sabbatical being over now is bittersweet.  I look forward to seeing my students but I really did enjoy the freedom that sabbatical offered.
• On a related note:  I am flattered that so many people are complimenting me on losing weight but does that mean I was really fat to begin with?
• Wish me luck.  I just got an R & R (revise and resubmit) on an article I submitted to one of the top journals in our field.  

• On a related note: If I get this I would have hit a major career achievement (publishing articles in each of the fields top three journal) in less than a year.  I have hit each of the journal's previously in my career but to hit all three in less than a 12 month period would be awesome!
• Did you see the story of the 15-year-old is suing the Icelandic state for the right to legally use the name given to her by her mother. Apparently in Iceland, there is a set list of acceptable names in which one can name their child.
• On a related note: I thought this was a horrible idea until I remembered, Dweezel, Moonunit, Pilot Inspektor, Kyd and Destry.  Yep, some people cannot be trusted.

Friendly Friday

Thanks to Create With Joy for hosting Friendly Friday.  This weeks theme is:

Something Old and Something New about your blog!

Something Old

When I started the blog I used to add a lot more academic type content. While I believe that I have plenty of intellectual content on the blog - I think I can add more of the deeper analytic opinions on my research area of hospitality and tourism.  I think people would like to know more about tourism trends.  You will see I started it yesterday with Tourism and Technology Thursday discussing the Avis buyout of Zipcar.

I also will confirm that I will not do anything commercial on the blog.  Heather does it on hers and I think that is great but it is not for this space.  It would be like putting an ad in my diary.

Something New

Along with re-adding the tourism content, I am going to start using the blog with my classes a little.  I will be putting exam hints and other bonus materials onto the blog for them.  The bonus is that I hope other readers will enjoy the stories and issues raised.  

Tourism & Technology Thursday - Avis Purchase of Zipcar

This week Avis car rental announced that they are attempting to purchase Zipcar (for approximately $491 million).  This is an interesting deal on its face.   Avis has always been a company that was quite traditional in its approaches and had been slow to adapt to the changing market.  For instance, they did not provide short term rental services - the purchase of Zipcar will presumably change that.  On the other side, Zipcars demand was highest on weekends.  Many users would often complain that its was difficult to get a car during peak times.  The traditional car rental business however, tends to be slower on weekends.  This means that potentially with this purchase, Avis can fill those demand gaps.  The question then becomes will Avis now look at a short term rental model for tourists?  Imagine being able to travel to a resort and only have to rental a car for a half day to go on an outing.  There is great potential here.  One thing for sure, this purchase of Zipcar however, indicates that Avis is modernizing its thinking for the new economy and could perhaps be a company worth watching.

Here is a great discussion of the deal from the Motley Fool.

Pondering Time

Thanks to Brenda for hosting Pondering.  The topic this week is:

Time

Do you seem to think that time is flying by?

I have written about time a lot of the years.  It is one of my favorite subjects as individuals perception of time and space is fascinating to me.  While time is a constant (60 seconds in minute, 60 minutes in an hour) - our perception of it seems to be fluid.  It is amazing how perceptions of time change as one ages.  For my two year old waiting five minutes seems like an eternity to him.  My six year old now perceives time as the number of 'sleeps' it takes.  My 12 year old is starting to perceive time in terms of weeks.  My college students view time in terms of well - terms.  For me, time seems to be about five or so year increments.  For my parents, they often view time in terms of decades.

This perception is also based on situational elements as well.  When times are good, it seems to race by in contrast to those moments when time seems to drag.  The key to perception of time seems however to be mindset.  As one becomes more experienced, time seems to slow in critical situations.  In my own career, I have seen much already that little really makes me feel as though that life is moving too fast at this point.  I am more relaxed and can sort out issues in a calm manner than when I was younger in my career where everything seemed to be happening at a much quicker pace.  It is my experience that often leads to situations not moving too fast and limiting my mistakes as a result. 

As these examples illustrate, the perception of time in itself is a paradox.  It should be static but yet it seems to ebb and flow.  The best way to address time is to respect its place and meaning by living as best as one can in its availability. 

Thirsty for Comments

Welcome to Thirsty for Comments  Get comfy, grab your favorite hot or cold beverage, link up a great post from this week (or even earlier) and visit some other great blogs to comment!

Hosted by Acting Balanced, Touristic, Thoughts 'n Such, and Crazed Mama

Grab our badge for your sidebar or post:

<a href="http://www.actingbalanced.com/search/label/Thirsty%20for%20Comments "target="_blank"><img_proxy_proxy_proxy_proxy_proxy alt="Acting Balanced" src="http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m259/hloeffler/tc1.jpg " /></a>

What is Thirsty for Comments?

This is a blog hop dedicated to giving good comment - please, when you are visiting, actually READ the post that is linked and make a thoughtful comment!

This is NOT a hop for "I'm here from the hop, follow me back" comments!

Link up your own SPECIFIC POST that you'd like comments on - remember - no giveaways!

*****************************************

The rules are simple -

1. Link up a SPECIFIC POST (NOT just your blog URL) that you'd like to have more comments on - NO  GIVEAWAYS or OTHER BLOG HOPS - they will be deleted

2. Visit AT LEAST THREE other blogs and READ the posts and then comment thoughtfully on the post.

Extras (nice but not required):

• Add the Thirsty for Comments button to your post
• Blog about Thirsty for Comments
• Add Thirsty for Comments to your Meme List!
• Leave a comment here on how we can improve Thirsty for Comments :)

A New Year Hodgepodge

Thanks to Joyce for hosting Hodgepodge...

1. How did you ring in the new year?

I was asleep...

2. What is one thing you are looking forward to in 2013?

The same thing I look forward to every year.  Seeing my kids grow up, watching my students develop intellectually and loving my beautiful and talented wife...

3. Steven Spielberg is quoted as saying, "All of us every single year, we're a different person. I don't think we're the same person all our lives." What say you?

I am a believer in intellectual curiosity and growth - therefore as a result of attempting to constantly learn, I change and hopefully become slightly wiser.  Change and growth, while sometimes scary and often difficult, is the key to happiness.

4. The Pantone color of the year for 2013 is emerald green. Like or dislike? Do you already own something this color? Will you add something in this shade to your home or wardrobe in 2013?

Green is fine.  I couldn't tell you my wardrobe because I am a man...

5. Speaking of emerald...what's your favorite gemstone?

The cheapest I can get away with purchasing and still get some.

6. Share a favorite book or movie from 2012.

I did like Life of Pi...

7. What is something you want to tell yourself at the start of this brand new year?

Just keep moving along.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

This was the last official day of my sabbatical.  I enjoyed the time to reflect, research and spend a little more time with my family.  While I look forward to being back in the classroom and working with the students, I will miss having more time to spend with my wife and kids.  I have to find a better way to balance...

Wordless Wednesday - A Ele-Fun Time!

Starting off the New Year with a horrible pun and a trip to the Riversbank Zoo in Columbia South Carolina on the way home from Canada.

From the back...

From the front...

 

Please link up your ww post here:

Tuesday Two Shoes

Thanks to Josie for hosting this hop.  Every week she gives us a word to respond to.  This week is one of my favorite all time words...

Discombobulated

I often feel discombobulated by this world of ours.  Here are a few of the reasons both large and small...

• We have such abundance on this planet yet, meanwhile a small minority horde it and create immense suffering for many others.  I do not understand the extremity of that imbalance at times. 
• Why hot dogs and their buns come in packages of different sizes.  
• While to love is sometimes a real challenge, hate seems to me to take real energy.  One has to constantly work at hating something.  I mean to have to continually have it justified and keep up a righteous indignation which takes real will power.  It seems all so draining.  
• How is it that comic books can be written with more depth than a novel at times?
• Why can we show violence on TV like it is nothing yet show a breast and the country freaks out?  
• I enjoy sports but the lengths some go to support their team seems a little odd to me.  I sometimes wonder if sports are indeed becoming America's circus to distract us from a lack a bread ala Roman times.
• Finally, how come people can be so interested in Kim Kardashian being pregnant yet have no idea about the Boson particle?