The Caregiver’s Tales: A Blog

Fell into the data center rabbit hole after my recent drive through Bosque County. I was enjoying the scenery when a big sign for data center careers caught my eye. I thought, one must be nearby. And sure enough there it was. So, I took a picture and went looking to see what was up. I discovered the site is being built by a company named CyrusOne which is owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a wholly owned subsidiary of Blackrock. Ultimately the site, a hyperscale data center, will cover nearly 17 acres.

Sometimes you have to take the long way round. Yesterday, I did just that. I was returning from Dallas, heading home. It was early. The roads were clear. GPS had me on I35. But I stopped just outside Waco at the Hill Country safety rest area and reconsidered. What was the rush? So, just up the road I turned right on a country road and headed west, making my way to Highway 281 and home.

We had a taste of rain last night. I could hear it fall. I even went outside to listen. That’s a nice thing about porches. You can stand outside in the rain. It’s especially nice when the rain is gentle, tapping on the tin roof, bringing up all the earthy smells, and washing dust off the leaves. More rain is promised today. Of course, there’s no one to hold to the promise. It’s more like a systemic probability.

The second part of my two part effort at self-healing takes place today. I started with the mind. Now, it’s the body’s turn. I’m seeing a physical therapist to if I can get what’s left of my body back into some sort of working shape. This comes to me courtesy of a friend who read my recent post about balance issues. He put me in touch with his daughter (a physical therapist), who gave me local references.

Started on a journey yesterday. Personal. Met with a counselor. Every once in a while, I just need someone to talk to. A way to hand off the baggage or maybe get some help. Friends are good, but friends usually have their own problems and shuffling mine onto their shoulders is sometimes an ask too far. So, I opted for professional help after finding myself mired in a miasma of inaction.

It’s a cool summer morning in the hill country. The cats are fed, and I’m giving the trees a quick drink. We’re in a heat wave and the ground is fast losing water. Plants and grasses are drying up, almost everything is brown. I don’t know when we’re expected to turn the corner, but I hope it’s sooner rather than later. Although, two years of big spring rains have left the lakes full and the rivers running. So, all is not lost.

Yesterday evening I sat outside looking at the moon. Unlike the sun, it’s easy on the eyes. There’s no burning demand for your undivided attention. It’s just quietly cool, hanging there in the night, bathed in the leftover light of earth’s bright star. I’m a big fan of the moon. It rings a lot of bells deep inside me.

Almost everyone I know is using AI because, truth be told, it’s fun. Suddenly, if you’re a fan of Star Trek: Next Generation, we’ve all got a computer version of Data, a sentient android, or Tony Stark’s Jarvis. It’s comfortable and fun because, as the conversations progress, it’s easy to feel as though a human, who knows a lot, is talking back to you. And if you’re looking for a term for that feeling, it’s anthropomorphize. It’s important to remember, however, that it’s only software and it’s far from flawless. But, that being said, I think it’s here to stay.