Already feeling better about this week, productivity-wise. Got good work done on a number of fronts, plus got some Mandarin learning in the bag this evening (inspired by having a co-worker who will let me try my language on him!)
Got forwarded an email from my former boss' boss back from the company I fled, and was relieved/horrified to find truly abusive language in this message, which was sent to 5 VP/Sr VP level people. The guy was bad crazy, and I'm happy to be out of there. Note to anyone who knows where I worked - it's not the CEO, this is a senior VP being the jerk... Even though my feelings for the CEO aren't too kind either.
Food: Had a non-disappointing day: Found a Vienna Beef stand a few blocks from work and enjoyed a true Chicago Style for lunch. For dinner, tried another place near the hotel in Chinatown, and was NOT disappointed, so food is going OK so far.
Yeah, I stayed up too late last night, got up too early, and am dragging, so this quick post will be my night-night to you. See you in the morning when I'm refreshed!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
The Busyness - AGAIN!
Another weekend, more fun! Friday was our traditional "plan lots of stuff but collapse because it's FRIDAY and it's been a long week" day. I did have more than a little actual work to do in the day - several conference calls, some updated documentation... I'd love it if I just worked M-Th and had a true 3-day weekend every week, but it doesn't quite work that way. BUT it's hourly work, and I don't mind.
Pamela had a dinner out with her church people on Friday night, so it was Dad and the Kids having some fun... Pamela has been starting to ramp up her involvement in church again, which is great. I do think they bring a wonderful network of support, plus it's a bunch of smart people who are fun to talk with. Of course you run into the navel gazers: There was a hilarious/frustrating bit where someone decided to do a drive to collect towels for a men's shelter (so that the guys can dry off from their showers). All was going well, until someone decided to mandate that "we should only be giving hand towels - big fluffy bath towels are a luxury and cause more environmental impact because they take more water to wash."
Yeah, because those homeless guys are living in the lap of luxury with their big bath towels... Just makes you want to strangle people for missing the dang POINT. Hey, we do what we can: When I travel, I don't have the sheets changed for my 3 nights, so I'm doing my part. But if a dude wants enough towel to wrap around his waist and walk around, I think we can allow that.
Pamela handled it very well, to the point of getting people coming up to her congratulating her on her poise. Love it.
Saturday was Isaac's last day swimming at Foss in the "Tots 4" - he was swimming 6 feet from the stairs to the island without any help or floating devices... which was amazing. He's a great swimmer just like his sister. Bella finished Foss too, and won't be going back this fall - she'll be doing Synchro instead!
Had the boys over for an Avenging Saturday Night, and we had a very wild lineup of bottles that wouldn't pop to mind as "obvious" - a sherried, ancient Glenlivet, a rum casked Springbank, the last of my Birthday Bunnahabin 25, a wildly complex Rosebank (tasting notes - finish of iron filings. REALLY), the legendary sherried Talisker 20, a brilliant Caol Ila, and a new Port Askaig (tasted like a creamy Ardbeg). It had been 8 weeks since our last avenging, and it was just so wonderful to see Ant and Chicken again.
Zinsser decided that Ant and Chicken were a disruption to the very stability of our Pack, however, and spent a lot of time bark bark barking... until they bribed their way into the pack with dog treats. Then Zinsser was happy to be sitting with us in the basement, swimming in the malt smells.... The movie was 3:10 to Yuma again (Chicken hadn't seen it), and it was completely brilliant AGAIN. Bale and Crowe were wonderful...
Oh, and we decided to rent a Rug Doctor to get some cleanup from our weeks of puppy training... and that was some foul water coming out of that machine. Some rugs took 2-3 passes.... Plus the weekly mowing... Grocery shopping, fridge cleanout... Oh I got into trouble on that one. I have a fear of leftovers in general, and so when I look at a fridge full of to-go containers, I reflexively start tossing them out.
Unfortunately, I tossed out some things that were actually more fresh than I had thought (which was funny since I actually brought them home myself on Friday - 48 hours is quite acceptable), and I got a cross phone call at the airport - Pamela had been looking forward to those leftovers. ATT decided to add to the fun by dropping the call 3 times, so I called to apologize 3 times, and was made to swear a blood oath not to toss out leftovers without clearing it with the person who actually LIKES them.
I want to go on record as saying I do have a problem with leftover maintenance and I am too quick to toss. I will work on that.
I'm back on the east coast again: Flew out late tonight - it's actually much more mellow to do it this way - the airport is peaceful, the flight crews are a little loopy, and it's easy to catch some zzz's on the plane, which unfortunately leads to having energy at midnight to update blog posts, I suppose....
Pamela had a dinner out with her church people on Friday night, so it was Dad and the Kids having some fun... Pamela has been starting to ramp up her involvement in church again, which is great. I do think they bring a wonderful network of support, plus it's a bunch of smart people who are fun to talk with. Of course you run into the navel gazers: There was a hilarious/frustrating bit where someone decided to do a drive to collect towels for a men's shelter (so that the guys can dry off from their showers). All was going well, until someone decided to mandate that "we should only be giving hand towels - big fluffy bath towels are a luxury and cause more environmental impact because they take more water to wash."
Yeah, because those homeless guys are living in the lap of luxury with their big bath towels... Just makes you want to strangle people for missing the dang POINT. Hey, we do what we can: When I travel, I don't have the sheets changed for my 3 nights, so I'm doing my part. But if a dude wants enough towel to wrap around his waist and walk around, I think we can allow that.
Pamela handled it very well, to the point of getting people coming up to her congratulating her on her poise. Love it.
Saturday was Isaac's last day swimming at Foss in the "Tots 4" - he was swimming 6 feet from the stairs to the island without any help or floating devices... which was amazing. He's a great swimmer just like his sister. Bella finished Foss too, and won't be going back this fall - she'll be doing Synchro instead!
Had the boys over for an Avenging Saturday Night, and we had a very wild lineup of bottles that wouldn't pop to mind as "obvious" - a sherried, ancient Glenlivet, a rum casked Springbank, the last of my Birthday Bunnahabin 25, a wildly complex Rosebank (tasting notes - finish of iron filings. REALLY), the legendary sherried Talisker 20, a brilliant Caol Ila, and a new Port Askaig (tasted like a creamy Ardbeg). It had been 8 weeks since our last avenging, and it was just so wonderful to see Ant and Chicken again.
Zinsser decided that Ant and Chicken were a disruption to the very stability of our Pack, however, and spent a lot of time bark bark barking... until they bribed their way into the pack with dog treats. Then Zinsser was happy to be sitting with us in the basement, swimming in the malt smells.... The movie was 3:10 to Yuma again (Chicken hadn't seen it), and it was completely brilliant AGAIN. Bale and Crowe were wonderful...
Oh, and we decided to rent a Rug Doctor to get some cleanup from our weeks of puppy training... and that was some foul water coming out of that machine. Some rugs took 2-3 passes.... Plus the weekly mowing... Grocery shopping, fridge cleanout... Oh I got into trouble on that one. I have a fear of leftovers in general, and so when I look at a fridge full of to-go containers, I reflexively start tossing them out.
Unfortunately, I tossed out some things that were actually more fresh than I had thought (which was funny since I actually brought them home myself on Friday - 48 hours is quite acceptable), and I got a cross phone call at the airport - Pamela had been looking forward to those leftovers. ATT decided to add to the fun by dropping the call 3 times, so I called to apologize 3 times, and was made to swear a blood oath not to toss out leftovers without clearing it with the person who actually LIKES them.
I want to go on record as saying I do have a problem with leftover maintenance and I am too quick to toss. I will work on that.
I'm back on the east coast again: Flew out late tonight - it's actually much more mellow to do it this way - the airport is peaceful, the flight crews are a little loopy, and it's easy to catch some zzz's on the plane, which unfortunately leads to having energy at midnight to update blog posts, I suppose....
Things to warm the geek heart
1) I have finally cracked the code and can do Killer Sudoku. I've completed two so far. Here's a link to one... it's Sudoku, but with no starting numbers, plus boxes where the numbers need to add up. Until Thursday, my attempts had resulted in a half dozen crumpled up pieces of paper... but Thursday on the airplane I somehow made it happen. And tonight I did it again (different puzzle, thank you for your support). It's brilliant.
I have tried the 1-12 Sudoku too, but that just feels like WORK. This Killer feels like a real challenge.
2) Technology refresh: With the new job came a technology budget. And I was going to resist, but my good buddy Paul decided to stimulate the economy by buying a Macbook Air, THEN deciding to sell it to buy a desktop Mac. So I'm the happy recipient of a nearly new second hand Macbook Air with the solid state hard drive at a great discount: Oh and the SSD means that other than the keys, there are no moving parts in this puppy (well, there may be a little fan). It is silent, and as Ant put it, I've had pads of paper that weighed more. It truly is incredible to have a computer weigh less than 3 lbs, yet be full sized for viewing and typing. Plus it's zippy.
I do have a buyer for my perfectly good Macbook Pro, so this comes out ok on all accounts. I'm just so pleased with this thing.
3) New catchphrase in the house: SPAGETT!!! It's from "Tim and Eric's Awesome Show- Great Job" and well you just need to see it. And you'll want to jump out from behind a fake plant and yell "SPAGETT!!!"
I have tried the 1-12 Sudoku too, but that just feels like WORK. This Killer feels like a real challenge.
2) Technology refresh: With the new job came a technology budget. And I was going to resist, but my good buddy Paul decided to stimulate the economy by buying a Macbook Air, THEN deciding to sell it to buy a desktop Mac. So I'm the happy recipient of a nearly new second hand Macbook Air with the solid state hard drive at a great discount: Oh and the SSD means that other than the keys, there are no moving parts in this puppy (well, there may be a little fan). It is silent, and as Ant put it, I've had pads of paper that weighed more. It truly is incredible to have a computer weigh less than 3 lbs, yet be full sized for viewing and typing. Plus it's zippy.
I do have a buyer for my perfectly good Macbook Pro, so this comes out ok on all accounts. I'm just so pleased with this thing.
3) New catchphrase in the house: SPAGETT!!! It's from "Tim and Eric's Awesome Show- Great Job" and well you just need to see it. And you'll want to jump out from behind a fake plant and yell "SPAGETT!!!"
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Fuzzy Week
When I'm in Philly, I have several hours a day of gloriously unstructured time... There have been some times when that unstructured time is taken up with nothing but work (leading to 16 hour days... which have certainly occurred). But when things are a little slower, I have more options.
This is usually when you'll see me updating the blog. It's time I could be spending on my novel (just getting started on that one), or refreshing a language... and some weeks have been very very very productive. This week, I have been struck with an overall feeling of fuzziness... I didn't feel like I was being effective in my off hours, and it frustrated me.
On the plus side, I did get a lot of exercise, so that should count for something.... But I still can't shake a mild feeling of not having been on top of things. Next week will be different.
As long as I stay clear of Expert Village.
Still, time for an Anecdote:
I ate for a seond time at a nice nouvell-mex place in University City called Zocalo. One of the waitresses had a very "Selma Hayek" demeanor - her voice was a dead ringer... but she was having a lot of trouble with basic communication in english - "ahmmmm vah-ree sorry baaaaht we don haaaahv daaaat". She tried to describe the wine list to a table near me, and literally couldn't say the words "Chardonnay" (Kar-DOUGH-nay) or Rielsing (Vee-sa-LINE). These were so thoroughly butchered, and she was so impervious to being corrected by her customers, that I grew to suspect that this is sort of a Borat-experiment for her Master's.
When I had her as my waitress 5 weeks earlier, I was convinced she was brand new, maybe pulled out of the kitchen to help out, and I tipped well in spite of the borderline ineptitude. And 5 weeks later she is exactly the same... Hmmmm.... I definitely think it's an act.
Speaking of language - one of my new team members who started this week is a Chinese immigrant who has offered to speak Mandarin with me. I'm very excited. On the other hand, we discussed what the expectations are for his first 3 months, and I discovered I had accidentally already done 3/4 of the sum total of his work expectations. So I forwarded him my work, and will be very interested to see how it evolves. Hey, we'll have plenty to time to work on my language!
This is usually when you'll see me updating the blog. It's time I could be spending on my novel (just getting started on that one), or refreshing a language... and some weeks have been very very very productive. This week, I have been struck with an overall feeling of fuzziness... I didn't feel like I was being effective in my off hours, and it frustrated me.
On the plus side, I did get a lot of exercise, so that should count for something.... But I still can't shake a mild feeling of not having been on top of things. Next week will be different.
As long as I stay clear of Expert Village.
Still, time for an Anecdote:
I ate for a seond time at a nice nouvell-mex place in University City called Zocalo. One of the waitresses had a very "Selma Hayek" demeanor - her voice was a dead ringer... but she was having a lot of trouble with basic communication in english - "ahmmmm vah-ree sorry baaaaht we don haaaahv daaaat". She tried to describe the wine list to a table near me, and literally couldn't say the words "Chardonnay" (Kar-DOUGH-nay) or Rielsing (Vee-sa-LINE). These were so thoroughly butchered, and she was so impervious to being corrected by her customers, that I grew to suspect that this is sort of a Borat-experiment for her Master's.
When I had her as my waitress 5 weeks earlier, I was convinced she was brand new, maybe pulled out of the kitchen to help out, and I tipped well in spite of the borderline ineptitude. And 5 weeks later she is exactly the same... Hmmmm.... I definitely think it's an act.
Speaking of language - one of my new team members who started this week is a Chinese immigrant who has offered to speak Mandarin with me. I'm very excited. On the other hand, we discussed what the expectations are for his first 3 months, and I discovered I had accidentally already done 3/4 of the sum total of his work expectations. So I forwarded him my work, and will be very interested to see how it evolves. Hey, we'll have plenty to time to work on my language!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
I was going to blog...
But I got trapped in "Expert Village" - some of the most amazing videos ever posted to the web. They're collected under the new company "ehow.com" but you search on the YouTube for Expert Village and you will not be disappointed.
To get you started, let me tell you about some BEEKEEPING SAFETY TIPS
Or how to speak with a British Accent
Or some handy GERMAN PHRASES
The fun never ends. Until it does end.
To get you started, let me tell you about some BEEKEEPING SAFETY TIPS
Or how to speak with a British Accent
Or some handy GERMAN PHRASES
The fun never ends. Until it does end.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Mouth Destroyer
Back in Philly: Sunday was wonderful with Bella's birth family over for sausages and beer. The kids were in great form: Isaac matching cousin Clayton jump for jump, little cousin Macey finally walking and making the most of her mobility... and Bella. Oh Bella.
My enduring vision of Bella this Sunday: She snuck a plastic bag out of the house and walked to the sandbox, where she filled it with sand and some other things. She took a stick and tied the bag to the end, and slung it over her shoulder, like an old fashioned hobo or runaway. For a good 10 min, she just padded around with that stick/bag, not really telling anyone what was up, with her "serene/mysterious" look on. Then she approached Kaitie: "Would you like a sand pile on your hand?" Well of course.
Bella set the stick down, untied the bag, and produced a small plastic cup, scooped sand into it, then placed the cup upside down on Kaitie's palm. She then pulled out a small plastic hammer and tap-tap-tap-tap, and pulled up the glass. Voila, a well packed cone of sand in Kaitie's palm. Then she carefully slid the glass back over the cone, and had Kaitie flip her hand so that no sand would spill. It all went back into the bag, the bag was retied to the stick, and she slung it back over her shoulder, back on the prowl. Over the next 45 minutes, all of us got to enjoy Sand in the Hand. Bella was very serious throughout, and looked pleased every time the cone held form.
I just need to say that the whole experience was so amazingly "Bella".
The flight out today was uneventful. There are 3 "regulars" on the flight - Mister Slick is pretty friendly, but never gets bumped to first class. Mister Owl jokes around with Mister Slick, but declines the nod with anyone else. Cranky Coach is a young guy - early 30's, prematurely bald, clearly very into sports, and even though we've been on the same flight a dozen times, will return every nod or wave with a blank stare.
Work keeps getting stranger: You all know I'm somewhat underutilized. Well my boss today was excitedly telling me about two new people who will be joining my team. Tomorrow. To do things... that I was sort of thinking I might be doing, sort of. I'm very puzzled, actually, but he seems so happy and enthusiastic. We went on an adventure today too - we walked together clear across campus to deliver a manila envelope. And we got all the way to the office, and the person was IN the office, but we decided to drop the envelope with the secretary.
Halfway, we encountered a motorized revolving door that let my boss through, but not me. He went through, and it stopped. he pushed a button to have it go, and I'd walk in, and it would stop, trapping me in the glass cage. Then it would slowly back up, to release me. We tried variations on this 10 times, and every time, it sensed my presence and declined to let me through, but only after teasing me. He'd hit the button and the door would be swinging like a fan, but the second I got it, ERRRRRT. Must have had a soul detector. Still, it gave me a chance to do my "The Needs of the Many Outweigh the Needs of the Few" Spock death scene from Star Trek Wrath of Khan. Eventually, I just took the unlocked normal door RIGHT NEXT to the rotating door. We had a good laugh.
Dinner tonight was a horrible horrible disappointment: Went back to the Szechuan Tasty House, got the dumplings, and wanted a non-deep fried chicken dish, perhaps with peapods. They brought something out which looked good and the first few bites were good, but then I hit a burst of MSG: I felt my tongue get encased with a cool, lime-y, chemically flavor, and nothing tasted right. Also, my vision blurred slightly. That was 3 hours ago, and I still can't taste anything. I'm sorry Tasty House, but as much as I love your dumplings, I will not be revisiting.
I walked the city for a while (safely) wondering if I would start hallucinating.... but I think I'm ok (assuming there really ARE tiny green dancing men in my room... they showed ID). I'm drinking a LOT of water, however.
I'll be visiting Jersey later this week. They seem excited. And that's the update for now!
My enduring vision of Bella this Sunday: She snuck a plastic bag out of the house and walked to the sandbox, where she filled it with sand and some other things. She took a stick and tied the bag to the end, and slung it over her shoulder, like an old fashioned hobo or runaway. For a good 10 min, she just padded around with that stick/bag, not really telling anyone what was up, with her "serene/mysterious" look on. Then she approached Kaitie: "Would you like a sand pile on your hand?" Well of course.
Bella set the stick down, untied the bag, and produced a small plastic cup, scooped sand into it, then placed the cup upside down on Kaitie's palm. She then pulled out a small plastic hammer and tap-tap-tap-tap, and pulled up the glass. Voila, a well packed cone of sand in Kaitie's palm. Then she carefully slid the glass back over the cone, and had Kaitie flip her hand so that no sand would spill. It all went back into the bag, the bag was retied to the stick, and she slung it back over her shoulder, back on the prowl. Over the next 45 minutes, all of us got to enjoy Sand in the Hand. Bella was very serious throughout, and looked pleased every time the cone held form.
I just need to say that the whole experience was so amazingly "Bella".
The flight out today was uneventful. There are 3 "regulars" on the flight - Mister Slick is pretty friendly, but never gets bumped to first class. Mister Owl jokes around with Mister Slick, but declines the nod with anyone else. Cranky Coach is a young guy - early 30's, prematurely bald, clearly very into sports, and even though we've been on the same flight a dozen times, will return every nod or wave with a blank stare.
Work keeps getting stranger: You all know I'm somewhat underutilized. Well my boss today was excitedly telling me about two new people who will be joining my team. Tomorrow. To do things... that I was sort of thinking I might be doing, sort of. I'm very puzzled, actually, but he seems so happy and enthusiastic. We went on an adventure today too - we walked together clear across campus to deliver a manila envelope. And we got all the way to the office, and the person was IN the office, but we decided to drop the envelope with the secretary.
Halfway, we encountered a motorized revolving door that let my boss through, but not me. He went through, and it stopped. he pushed a button to have it go, and I'd walk in, and it would stop, trapping me in the glass cage. Then it would slowly back up, to release me. We tried variations on this 10 times, and every time, it sensed my presence and declined to let me through, but only after teasing me. He'd hit the button and the door would be swinging like a fan, but the second I got it, ERRRRRT. Must have had a soul detector. Still, it gave me a chance to do my "The Needs of the Many Outweigh the Needs of the Few" Spock death scene from Star Trek Wrath of Khan. Eventually, I just took the unlocked normal door RIGHT NEXT to the rotating door. We had a good laugh.
Dinner tonight was a horrible horrible disappointment: Went back to the Szechuan Tasty House, got the dumplings, and wanted a non-deep fried chicken dish, perhaps with peapods. They brought something out which looked good and the first few bites were good, but then I hit a burst of MSG: I felt my tongue get encased with a cool, lime-y, chemically flavor, and nothing tasted right. Also, my vision blurred slightly. That was 3 hours ago, and I still can't taste anything. I'm sorry Tasty House, but as much as I love your dumplings, I will not be revisiting.
I walked the city for a while (safely) wondering if I would start hallucinating.... but I think I'm ok (assuming there really ARE tiny green dancing men in my room... they showed ID). I'm drinking a LOT of water, however.
I'll be visiting Jersey later this week. They seem excited. And that's the update for now!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Fish Fry!!!
Just got back from an actual Fish Fry over at with the parents of Izzy and Zofi, Bella's friends in Synchronized Swimming. There were around 16 people there, plus as many kids, and it was fun in the sun, with a gas-fired fryer (with 4 gallons of oil) doing the business on beer battered perch and ore-ida french fries. We brought a big Caprese salad, and there was lots of fruit available, so it wasn't all evil. It was a fun time, and Isaac was in the middle of it, of course... he walked up to where the kids were playing, and hollered out "HEY KIDS! I'M HERE!!!" But Bella took some time to warm up. After 10 min on mom's lap (in the hot sun), Izzy lured Bella away with a plan/project. Didn't see them for almost an hour after that: They had locked themselves in the basement bathroom with a roll of toilet paper, a fresh roll of scotch tape, and a bucket of "littlest pet shop" toys, all of which needed wrapping in "bandages".
By the end of that, Bella was warmed up enough to cause all sorts of trouble, including enlisting the kids to tackle me and remove my shirt. All that fish must have put them in the mood to see more pale skin, I suppose. It was very odd. VERY odd. Witht he shirt off, she was content to go back and play with the rest of the kids. But she was DRIVEN.
Isaac had blown off his nap today (which meant I didn't get one either), so by 7:45, he was pretty tired. He's actually been pretty wiped by the end of these days... staggering down the hall like a drunkard, didda in his mouth and a goofy grin on his face. After a couple of stories, he was asleep almost before his head hit the pillow. Which left me with "old man Zinsser".
Zinsser has some curious tendencies about being a guard dog: I took him for his walk, and he heard some kids laughing off in a yard. He planted his feet and began barking. Then walked right past a squirrel, past a rabbit, and leapt up barking, straining at his leash at a passing by runner. I think he's really not so much a dog, as he is a cranky old man in a furry outfit. That said, he is a wonderful cuddler, and while I TRIED to nap this afternoon (as Isaac sang and laughed to himself), Zinsser was stretched along my side, with his head up on my shoulder. Such a nice dog.
I've got the place to myself for a little while longer: The older kids are watching The Incredibles back at the Fish Fry while Pamela gets some grown up conversation with some friends... Everyone told me to come on back over once Isaac was asleep.... joking of course!!! So I'm just blogging a little, reading a little, and having a quick visit to Buckingham Palace. There's a little Bunnahabin 25 that just needs a little nudge before it'll be ready for a cashing at the next Avenging. The things I do for these people.
By the end of that, Bella was warmed up enough to cause all sorts of trouble, including enlisting the kids to tackle me and remove my shirt. All that fish must have put them in the mood to see more pale skin, I suppose. It was very odd. VERY odd. Witht he shirt off, she was content to go back and play with the rest of the kids. But she was DRIVEN.
Isaac had blown off his nap today (which meant I didn't get one either), so by 7:45, he was pretty tired. He's actually been pretty wiped by the end of these days... staggering down the hall like a drunkard, didda in his mouth and a goofy grin on his face. After a couple of stories, he was asleep almost before his head hit the pillow. Which left me with "old man Zinsser".
Zinsser has some curious tendencies about being a guard dog: I took him for his walk, and he heard some kids laughing off in a yard. He planted his feet and began barking. Then walked right past a squirrel, past a rabbit, and leapt up barking, straining at his leash at a passing by runner. I think he's really not so much a dog, as he is a cranky old man in a furry outfit. That said, he is a wonderful cuddler, and while I TRIED to nap this afternoon (as Isaac sang and laughed to himself), Zinsser was stretched along my side, with his head up on my shoulder. Such a nice dog.
I've got the place to myself for a little while longer: The older kids are watching The Incredibles back at the Fish Fry while Pamela gets some grown up conversation with some friends... Everyone told me to come on back over once Isaac was asleep.... joking of course!!! So I'm just blogging a little, reading a little, and having a quick visit to Buckingham Palace. There's a little Bunnahabin 25 that just needs a little nudge before it'll be ready for a cashing at the next Avenging. The things I do for these people.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Hot Hot Storm ACTION
As you may know, my wife is something of a storm maven. I made her week by giving her a DVD of tornado footage a few years ago, she sometimes watches StormChasers (though we agree that the show is more dumb people drama than actual storms), she has tornado dreams....
And any time that storm siren goes off, she is up like a bolt getting the kids into the basement, putting the tv on, or weather radio... And at least a few times a summer, she's out on the back deck, looking up at the sky musing about whether that cloud is rotating or not. In short, she's a fan of the weather.
Yesterday was a big day for weather: A TORNADO came into the Twin Cities! It blew by a block from where I grew up! It was headed to DOWNTOWN! It was just a mile or two from our home! Storm sires were blaring, the neighborhood moms were getting kids into the basement (Bella was over playing with Casey, and went to their basement...)
And Pamela and Isaac were sound asleep. The sirens didn't wake them up. She was awakened eventually by the phone ringing from people calling to see if we made it through the storm ok. And we did come through ok... there was no damage in our neighborhood, so no worries.
I thought it was pretty amusing (from my perch in Philly), and Pamela was just chagrined that she missed out on the "storm fan moment of the decade". And yes, she told me to blog about this.
And any time that storm siren goes off, she is up like a bolt getting the kids into the basement, putting the tv on, or weather radio... And at least a few times a summer, she's out on the back deck, looking up at the sky musing about whether that cloud is rotating or not. In short, she's a fan of the weather.
Yesterday was a big day for weather: A TORNADO came into the Twin Cities! It blew by a block from where I grew up! It was headed to DOWNTOWN! It was just a mile or two from our home! Storm sires were blaring, the neighborhood moms were getting kids into the basement (Bella was over playing with Casey, and went to their basement...)
And Pamela and Isaac were sound asleep. The sirens didn't wake them up. She was awakened eventually by the phone ringing from people calling to see if we made it through the storm ok. And we did come through ok... there was no damage in our neighborhood, so no worries.
I thought it was pretty amusing (from my perch in Philly), and Pamela was just chagrined that she missed out on the "storm fan moment of the decade". And yes, she told me to blog about this.
Quick Update
Mister Google and I spent a few minutes today talking, and it turns out that "Sh*t through a tin horn" originated with (or was popularized by) General Patton in a speech he made to the 6th Armored Division in 1944:
"Our basic plan of operation is to advance and to keep on advancing regardless of whether we have to go over, under, or through the enemy. We are going to go through him like crap through a goose; like sh*t through a tin horn!"
Of course, it still doesn't make a whole lot of sense. But at least it has some history.
"Our basic plan of operation is to advance and to keep on advancing regardless of whether we have to go over, under, or through the enemy. We are going to go through him like crap through a goose; like sh*t through a tin horn!"
Of course, it still doesn't make a whole lot of sense. But at least it has some history.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
On Business Dress
As I reviewed my blog entries, I was reminded of my proudest accolade when I was pronounced the Third Best Dressed Customer at the coffee shop at a client. Such days of sartorial elegance are perhaps behind me, but it did get me thinking about business dress.
Back at Ameridata in the early 1990s, it was a very formal shop. This was the computer configurator and reseller that later got rolled into GE and hasn't existed as such for over 10 years, so I have no problem with using their name. Anyway, this was a shirt and tie shop. Not a suit shop... that would be too fancy (only the VP wore those), but a pressed shirt, trousers, and a tie were required. No matter whatsoever that we never were customer facing, and that we were even off of the main campus (relocated to a beyond industrial space above a ceramics factory, that interestingly my friend Tony worked at years later).
And the average age of the workers there was mid-40s, so they'd been doing this uniform for a while. I was 25 - a fresh faced kid of the 80s and I didn't really GET the formality. But I obeyed: They paid my salary.
Fridays were Casual... and I always tried to keep it reasonable - still a button down, but perhaps jeans. But I remember one coder, a pear shaped creature named Phil. Phil was in his 50's, coasting toward retirement. You could give Phil a coding task and be assured it'd be done in about 2 weeks. No matter what you asked him to do. 2 weeks. Change a field name. Didn't matter. Phil had some of the most awkward expressions I ever heard, simultaneously crude AND nonsensical. When something went well, he say it was like "Sh*t through a tin horn". I still can't really get anything positive out of that visual. There was an office-wide modification "Smooth as poop through a horn", which really didn't make it any better. He had a few of those.
Anyway, Phil was probably the reason we didn't have casual days after a while. He just didn't get casual, and his attempts were as horrifying as his turns of phrase (and frankly, his coding too). Every Friday he'd come in with his dress slacks (usually tan), a white sleeveless T, underneath an XXL novelty T that was draped over him like a Mumu. They varied from "JESUS IS AWESOME" to "WORLDS BEST GRANDDAD" to "DON'T TELL ME, BECAUSE I DON'T GIVE A SH*T". Casual days went from weekly, to one day a month, and eventually they went away.
As before, I was young, I didn't get business dress all that well... and I had a couple of gaffes in my days that caused an inordinate amount of office teasing. One day I forgot a belt. I swear, EVERY SINGLE person in that office chuckled and pointed it out. A few put their fingers through my belt loops and gave a tug, pulling me over. It was as though I had wet myself or something. But that couldn't compare to the day (long after casual day had been revoked) when...
I forgot my tie.
Oh my god. The VP (Ed) walked by, stopped, backed up, gave a look, then walked away. 2 minutes later, my manager called me into his office and let me know there was a problem with my attire... I asked if he wanted me to go home and get a tie? Oh no no no no,.... it's not that serious. But don't let it happen again - it's not PROFESSIONAL. Which led to another day where EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the office stopped by my cube to take a look at "MISTER CASUAL DAY".
And I mean, we're talking about a 15 person IT shop, tucked above a ceramics factory. And we shared space with the CALL CENTER, who wore shorts and T-shirts to work. It was amazing... that this culture just EXISTED like this. I don't think anyone would have noticed if we were all naked as long as the system kept running... But we had our rules.
Prior to that, I worked in the worst place on earth, where we were sub-sub-subcontracting out the writing of telephone billing software (Chronicled in Corporate Tales of Woe Part 1 ) 6 people, tie mandatory. Prior to THAT, was the best place on earth - my apprenticeship in dad's basement (best coffee of any gig I ever worked).
After Amerdata, there was one more "formal" shop I went to for a year, before the walls crumbled, valkyries shrieked from the skies, and business casual became the norm, around 1996. My tie collection officially stopped at that point.
From 1997 to 2008, the only time I wore a tie was for a first interview, and there were a few where I didn't even do THAT. It was only when I entered the sales force in 2008 that I broke down and updated my tie, suit, and sportcoat collection... And now I'm back in consulting. But oddly, the Tie is sticking this time: When I go out to Jersey, our company has decided to wear suits to project an "image" (a lot of these guys came from big 6-5-4 firms, and the suit is a uniform). I don't mind... but the dry cleaning bills get a bit old.
With the new gig in Philly, they say dress like your boss, which I am unfortunately too closely: We have a few similar pieces of clothing, and just the other day we were having a meeting, both wearing khaki pants, a dark shirt, and a brown/white houndtooth check sportcoat. He wears the coat once a week... but I haven't figured out which day reliably, so I think I have to take it out of rotation or something. But the rule is shirt and tie, or shirt and coat, no tie. Coat and Tie are possible, but in no way required. The only catch is if it's a day I'm also visiting Jersey, I gotta work the Suit back into the mix. Oh, it's impossible to pack. IMPOSSIBLE I tell you.
The downside to this scheme is that for weeks the weather has been muggy and in the 80s-90s. you don't wear a sport coat in that... you carry a sportcoat. And a tie is just closing off a route of ventilation. I imagine that when the heat breaks and fall comes around, I won't mind it one bit. I might even update my look a little.
Perhaps I might qualify for best dressed visitor to the Philly hospital coffee shop? Shouldn't be too hard - most of them wear scrubs anyway. Doctors. Always running around in scrubs. Not very Professional.
Back at Ameridata in the early 1990s, it was a very formal shop. This was the computer configurator and reseller that later got rolled into GE and hasn't existed as such for over 10 years, so I have no problem with using their name. Anyway, this was a shirt and tie shop. Not a suit shop... that would be too fancy (only the VP wore those), but a pressed shirt, trousers, and a tie were required. No matter whatsoever that we never were customer facing, and that we were even off of the main campus (relocated to a beyond industrial space above a ceramics factory, that interestingly my friend Tony worked at years later).
And the average age of the workers there was mid-40s, so they'd been doing this uniform for a while. I was 25 - a fresh faced kid of the 80s and I didn't really GET the formality. But I obeyed: They paid my salary.
Fridays were Casual... and I always tried to keep it reasonable - still a button down, but perhaps jeans. But I remember one coder, a pear shaped creature named Phil. Phil was in his 50's, coasting toward retirement. You could give Phil a coding task and be assured it'd be done in about 2 weeks. No matter what you asked him to do. 2 weeks. Change a field name. Didn't matter. Phil had some of the most awkward expressions I ever heard, simultaneously crude AND nonsensical. When something went well, he say it was like "Sh*t through a tin horn". I still can't really get anything positive out of that visual. There was an office-wide modification "Smooth as poop through a horn", which really didn't make it any better. He had a few of those.
Anyway, Phil was probably the reason we didn't have casual days after a while. He just didn't get casual, and his attempts were as horrifying as his turns of phrase (and frankly, his coding too). Every Friday he'd come in with his dress slacks (usually tan), a white sleeveless T, underneath an XXL novelty T that was draped over him like a Mumu. They varied from "JESUS IS AWESOME" to "WORLDS BEST GRANDDAD" to "DON'T TELL ME, BECAUSE I DON'T GIVE A SH*T". Casual days went from weekly, to one day a month, and eventually they went away.
As before, I was young, I didn't get business dress all that well... and I had a couple of gaffes in my days that caused an inordinate amount of office teasing. One day I forgot a belt. I swear, EVERY SINGLE person in that office chuckled and pointed it out. A few put their fingers through my belt loops and gave a tug, pulling me over. It was as though I had wet myself or something. But that couldn't compare to the day (long after casual day had been revoked) when...
I forgot my tie.
Oh my god. The VP (Ed) walked by, stopped, backed up, gave a look, then walked away. 2 minutes later, my manager called me into his office and let me know there was a problem with my attire... I asked if he wanted me to go home and get a tie? Oh no no no no,.... it's not that serious. But don't let it happen again - it's not PROFESSIONAL. Which led to another day where EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the office stopped by my cube to take a look at "MISTER CASUAL DAY".
And I mean, we're talking about a 15 person IT shop, tucked above a ceramics factory. And we shared space with the CALL CENTER, who wore shorts and T-shirts to work. It was amazing... that this culture just EXISTED like this. I don't think anyone would have noticed if we were all naked as long as the system kept running... But we had our rules.
Prior to that, I worked in the worst place on earth, where we were sub-sub-subcontracting out the writing of telephone billing software (Chronicled in Corporate Tales of Woe Part 1 ) 6 people, tie mandatory. Prior to THAT, was the best place on earth - my apprenticeship in dad's basement (best coffee of any gig I ever worked).
After Amerdata, there was one more "formal" shop I went to for a year, before the walls crumbled, valkyries shrieked from the skies, and business casual became the norm, around 1996. My tie collection officially stopped at that point.
From 1997 to 2008, the only time I wore a tie was for a first interview, and there were a few where I didn't even do THAT. It was only when I entered the sales force in 2008 that I broke down and updated my tie, suit, and sportcoat collection... And now I'm back in consulting. But oddly, the Tie is sticking this time: When I go out to Jersey, our company has decided to wear suits to project an "image" (a lot of these guys came from big 6-5-4 firms, and the suit is a uniform). I don't mind... but the dry cleaning bills get a bit old.
With the new gig in Philly, they say dress like your boss, which I am unfortunately too closely: We have a few similar pieces of clothing, and just the other day we were having a meeting, both wearing khaki pants, a dark shirt, and a brown/white houndtooth check sportcoat. He wears the coat once a week... but I haven't figured out which day reliably, so I think I have to take it out of rotation or something. But the rule is shirt and tie, or shirt and coat, no tie. Coat and Tie are possible, but in no way required. The only catch is if it's a day I'm also visiting Jersey, I gotta work the Suit back into the mix. Oh, it's impossible to pack. IMPOSSIBLE I tell you.
The downside to this scheme is that for weeks the weather has been muggy and in the 80s-90s. you don't wear a sport coat in that... you carry a sportcoat. And a tie is just closing off a route of ventilation. I imagine that when the heat breaks and fall comes around, I won't mind it one bit. I might even update my look a little.
Perhaps I might qualify for best dressed visitor to the Philly hospital coffee shop? Shouldn't be too hard - most of them wear scrubs anyway. Doctors. Always running around in scrubs. Not very Professional.
That'll do.
Yelp! didn't do me wrong tonight. Szechuan Tasty House on 9th and Arch street - 4 stars out of 5 on their rating, and worth every star. I had szechuan dumplings (steamed in a hot sauce) that were so amazing I ate all eight of them, and I should have stopped there.. but I had already ordered their specialty Kung Pao chicken, which was also amazing. I did not finish the kung pao, and left 1/2 of a dumpling (that had fallen to the floor - only reason), and waddled out of there for under $15. Which is nuts.
Fortunately I had a good 45 minute workout earlier in the evening, so hopefully I had a couple of calories banked. Maybe not. I'll need to stay up for a while and burn some energy. Maybe calisthenics, Charles Atlas Style. Starting with wiggling my toes. Or perhaps some blinking. INTENSE BLINKING.
Ooooof.
Work went well today: One of the things we're trying to do is figure out exactly how bad some of the data we have IS - some of it has never been reconciled to the master patient index, so you'd never find the info on this patient without some creative searching. Just randomly I picked two patients and traced their data: And out of the FIRST TWO, I had my boss scratching his head wondering just how it could get THAT messed up. We have some work ahead of us.
I also had a good call with another hospital to see how they're doing this, and was relieved to find that while they're ahead of us, they're a mere step or two ahead...
That's it on this subject tonight, but I might have more later on....
Fortunately I had a good 45 minute workout earlier in the evening, so hopefully I had a couple of calories banked. Maybe not. I'll need to stay up for a while and burn some energy. Maybe calisthenics, Charles Atlas Style. Starting with wiggling my toes. Or perhaps some blinking. INTENSE BLINKING.
Ooooof.
Work went well today: One of the things we're trying to do is figure out exactly how bad some of the data we have IS - some of it has never been reconciled to the master patient index, so you'd never find the info on this patient without some creative searching. Just randomly I picked two patients and traced their data: And out of the FIRST TWO, I had my boss scratching his head wondering just how it could get THAT messed up. We have some work ahead of us.
I also had a good call with another hospital to see how they're doing this, and was relieved to find that while they're ahead of us, they're a mere step or two ahead...
That's it on this subject tonight, but I might have more later on....
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
A retrospective
I was talking to my friend Paul (no, not you, Paulie, the West Coast one) and was doing a little life planning: We've worked together on all sorts of schemes, not least of which was the BrainReady project back in 2007, plus a few other product ideas... He's at another one of those life crossroads: He just took a new job, moved the family again, loves his new life, but is finding himself living a few pennies short a month of adequate... and was looking for ideas for how to take the next step.
The problem is of course that in his chosen career line, there's a limit you hit being a worker that can only be exceeded by being an owner. It's a line I've had to dance with myself - and my first try at ownership (aka sales) was a failure, and I went back into my hourly world... I'm trying ownership again, but keeping my feet grounded in my skills to earn my keep hourly as well... and it's looking good. But back to Paul: When you work for a big company like he does, and you're at the top of your paygrade, you need to find outside ventures.
Thankfully he's not the type for MLM schemes.
So we're talking and it occurs to me that he is semi-famous: A top ten single in the early 1990s, working with Thomas Dolby, a good ten thousand people who pay attention when he irregularly posts in his Myspace... and he loves to write just like i do. I counseled him to start telling his story - not hide behind a name (like we did with Brainready) but just be himself and start telling stories about his band, about growing up the son of a Maestro, about working in San Mateo during the DotCom bubble... start weaving his narrative.
How does this make money? Well, it doesn't, actually. Not directly. Maybe these people will click on an ad on his site... but the point is, if the stories are told well, I think people will read them, and tell others about them. And then he will get links from other sites... and suddenly he has attention.
And with that attention comes opportunity: perhaps it's writing for other sites. Perhaps it's leaping into the techno punditocracy, speaking at TED. Perhaps it's a book. Perhaps it's a sitcom or a movie based on these experiences (the 90's are a very untapped nostalgia market). Having a degree of semi-celebrity gives him a leg up I certainly don't have. And all it takes is a site and the willingness to write.
I hope he does do it: I think that by putting his stories out there, he'll get people interested, and something will find him.
The whole discussion got me thinking about my own blog... what I formed it for, how I've updated it. I went back to late 2005 when I started it, and discovered I'd posted over 667 times. That's an average of 3 times a week for 4 years now. I certainly never formed it for fame (objective: achieved), but just to write. I love to write, and this site gives me an excuse to do so.
I have always nursed a mild fear that what if Blogger went away tomorrow - what would happen to these stories? I've meant to copy these posts off to a Word document for a long time, and tonight I finally did it. And it took up 830 pages in Word - and the pictures didn't even copy in. That's my writing.
As I copied, I didn't read a lot, but i skimmed and realized this time covered the loss of Mark, the arrival of Isaac, SEVERAL jobs (and dramas), the creation and dissolution of BrainReady (and my publishing 3 books), my discovery of fitness, my life as a fitness instructor, my migration to a traveling life, a lot of vacations, and a shocking number of hard drive crashes. About a million good quotes from the kids, and a lot of posts about food that I love...
Revisiting these pages reminds me of some of the areas I haven't really explored recently, and I think I'll be posting more about my thoughts and inventions in addition to the life narratives... and I think there are some stories from the wayback machine that haven't been told yet that I'd love to get out there.
At any rate, it has been a real pleasure to have a forum to share these thoughts, and while I have no idea how many people do read this (I think I'm safely over a dozen these days), I do want you to know that I really appreciate you taking the time to know me. Thank you.
The problem is of course that in his chosen career line, there's a limit you hit being a worker that can only be exceeded by being an owner. It's a line I've had to dance with myself - and my first try at ownership (aka sales) was a failure, and I went back into my hourly world... I'm trying ownership again, but keeping my feet grounded in my skills to earn my keep hourly as well... and it's looking good. But back to Paul: When you work for a big company like he does, and you're at the top of your paygrade, you need to find outside ventures.
Thankfully he's not the type for MLM schemes.
So we're talking and it occurs to me that he is semi-famous: A top ten single in the early 1990s, working with Thomas Dolby, a good ten thousand people who pay attention when he irregularly posts in his Myspace... and he loves to write just like i do. I counseled him to start telling his story - not hide behind a name (like we did with Brainready) but just be himself and start telling stories about his band, about growing up the son of a Maestro, about working in San Mateo during the DotCom bubble... start weaving his narrative.
How does this make money? Well, it doesn't, actually. Not directly. Maybe these people will click on an ad on his site... but the point is, if the stories are told well, I think people will read them, and tell others about them. And then he will get links from other sites... and suddenly he has attention.
And with that attention comes opportunity: perhaps it's writing for other sites. Perhaps it's leaping into the techno punditocracy, speaking at TED. Perhaps it's a book. Perhaps it's a sitcom or a movie based on these experiences (the 90's are a very untapped nostalgia market). Having a degree of semi-celebrity gives him a leg up I certainly don't have. And all it takes is a site and the willingness to write.
I hope he does do it: I think that by putting his stories out there, he'll get people interested, and something will find him.
The whole discussion got me thinking about my own blog... what I formed it for, how I've updated it. I went back to late 2005 when I started it, and discovered I'd posted over 667 times. That's an average of 3 times a week for 4 years now. I certainly never formed it for fame (objective: achieved), but just to write. I love to write, and this site gives me an excuse to do so.
I have always nursed a mild fear that what if Blogger went away tomorrow - what would happen to these stories? I've meant to copy these posts off to a Word document for a long time, and tonight I finally did it. And it took up 830 pages in Word - and the pictures didn't even copy in. That's my writing.
As I copied, I didn't read a lot, but i skimmed and realized this time covered the loss of Mark, the arrival of Isaac, SEVERAL jobs (and dramas), the creation and dissolution of BrainReady (and my publishing 3 books), my discovery of fitness, my life as a fitness instructor, my migration to a traveling life, a lot of vacations, and a shocking number of hard drive crashes. About a million good quotes from the kids, and a lot of posts about food that I love...
Revisiting these pages reminds me of some of the areas I haven't really explored recently, and I think I'll be posting more about my thoughts and inventions in addition to the life narratives... and I think there are some stories from the wayback machine that haven't been told yet that I'd love to get out there.
At any rate, it has been a real pleasure to have a forum to share these thoughts, and while I have no idea how many people do read this (I think I'm safely over a dozen these days), I do want you to know that I really appreciate you taking the time to know me. Thank you.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Back in Philly
Safe and Sound this time... no wrong turns, no meandering walks. Stick to the zone... there's a good boy.
But first, it was the annual trip up to Ruttger's! A little different this time - only 3 nights, and no PapaBam or Lilli, but we were with some neighbors and had a great time. We stayed in a lodge instead of cabins and were pleased to find roomy bathrooms and spacious rooms, plus adjoining doors to create a larger party zone... oh and no musty smells (part of the whole "cabin thing" no matter where you go). The weather was very agreeable, with 2.5 amazing days, and 1 pretty good day. The kids were in that lake quite a bit, whether swimming or just wading in up to their butts in their clothes.
It wasn't without issues: To save a few pennies, we went on the alacarte plan and ate at the bar a few times... but once everything added up I'm not convinced we were better off than if we had done the buffet in the main dining room... and the quality would have been a bit higher too - it wasn't BAD, but it wasn't great... though Randy did get a hideously charred Reuben that had me seriously questioning every link in the failure chain that resulted in this being sent to the table (What cook would send this? What line manager would plate this? What server would bring this?). But that was pretty much the only bump. Oh, and a couple of people puked again (it's not a trip unless someone does, really) - one from heatstroke, one from dodgy potato salad (not from the resort!) But no lasting ill effects.
Pamela picked up some crazy false teeth with discoloration and gaps, and handed them to all the kids who wore them with pride and giggles to dinner one night, and we all gasped in embarrassment as our server grinned widely to show us his authentically hideous teeth... It was a priceless moment - we got "punk'd"
We were lucky to have TWO semi-pro photographers on the trip too, Randy and "the other Pamela" - who took dozens of pics of the kids frolicking - so this may have some wonderful pictures to show someday. The kids swam a lot - between the lake and the pool, they were in water over 4 hours a day.
Quote from Isaac this trip when asked "do you need to go potty?"
"Not at this time, dad." Very matter of fact.
Sunday came just in time - the kids were all starting to poke at eachother and test eachother's nerves, and they were definitely getting on the grownup's nerves too, so we shuffled off to Buffalo around noontime. Naturally Isaac did NOT nap - dude was low on sleep anyway from the excitement, and by the time we got home, he was a walking wreck who we needed to keep up until 7 so he wouldn't get up at 5.
Zinsser? He was so happy to see us, he almost wriggled his butt into light speed wagging mode. He spent the 4 days with his half brother Otto up the block with neighbors, and reports were that he was very very good, didn't mess on their rugs, and even let Otto sleep occasionally. Zinsser was full of cuddles and love for us all.
I crept out at 5:45 this morning to head to Philly: Nope, not upgraded today, but I'll take the pity miles. Started reading The Black Swan, about unpredictable outliers, and am somewhat charmed by the writer's style - he's sort of like the love child between Steven Leavitt (Freakonomics) and Tim Ferriss (The Four Hour Work Week). It works for me.
In the interest of saving my back, I've decided to experiment with NOT lugging my computer around: Bring it to the hotel for evening/morning work, use a flash drive, and move key files back and forth to work, where I have a perfectly usable computer. Today was the first day, and I didn't hit any problems... and more to the point, I made it to the end of the day without a nagging pinch in my neck. I may NOT need to go for that MacBook Air just yet. Every day/week/month you put off a technology purchase is time that technology will keep getting better, faster, and cheaper.
After work, (and work days are not particularly long at this client), I had some amazing Thai food, and found myself close to a movie theater... so I decided to skip over and see "District 9" which was AMAZING: It really synthesized a lot of very cool elements and had a realistic grittiness that was amazingly authentic... but what I loved was that this movie was THAT GOOD and cost under $30mil, which it already made back. And on a monday evening it was a nearly full theater, which speaks well to the word of mouth. The protagonist was a wonderful worm who you couldn't fully hate, nor could you fully root for him. This will make for a fine Avenging movie someday soon.
Speaking of Avenging - Boy, I haven't seen my boys for almost 2 months! Luckily NEXT week I have them on the calendar.
That's enough for tonight. I should just mention that work is starting to accelerate at the new client: I actually have system access, and spent a good bit of time today reviewing echocardiograms (more to see how the report-building functionality works)... I can feel the groove beginning.
But first, it was the annual trip up to Ruttger's! A little different this time - only 3 nights, and no PapaBam or Lilli, but we were with some neighbors and had a great time. We stayed in a lodge instead of cabins and were pleased to find roomy bathrooms and spacious rooms, plus adjoining doors to create a larger party zone... oh and no musty smells (part of the whole "cabin thing" no matter where you go). The weather was very agreeable, with 2.5 amazing days, and 1 pretty good day. The kids were in that lake quite a bit, whether swimming or just wading in up to their butts in their clothes.
It wasn't without issues: To save a few pennies, we went on the alacarte plan and ate at the bar a few times... but once everything added up I'm not convinced we were better off than if we had done the buffet in the main dining room... and the quality would have been a bit higher too - it wasn't BAD, but it wasn't great... though Randy did get a hideously charred Reuben that had me seriously questioning every link in the failure chain that resulted in this being sent to the table (What cook would send this? What line manager would plate this? What server would bring this?). But that was pretty much the only bump. Oh, and a couple of people puked again (it's not a trip unless someone does, really) - one from heatstroke, one from dodgy potato salad (not from the resort!) But no lasting ill effects.
Pamela picked up some crazy false teeth with discoloration and gaps, and handed them to all the kids who wore them with pride and giggles to dinner one night, and we all gasped in embarrassment as our server grinned widely to show us his authentically hideous teeth... It was a priceless moment - we got "punk'd"
We were lucky to have TWO semi-pro photographers on the trip too, Randy and "the other Pamela" - who took dozens of pics of the kids frolicking - so this may have some wonderful pictures to show someday. The kids swam a lot - between the lake and the pool, they were in water over 4 hours a day.
Quote from Isaac this trip when asked "do you need to go potty?"
"Not at this time, dad." Very matter of fact.
Sunday came just in time - the kids were all starting to poke at eachother and test eachother's nerves, and they were definitely getting on the grownup's nerves too, so we shuffled off to Buffalo around noontime. Naturally Isaac did NOT nap - dude was low on sleep anyway from the excitement, and by the time we got home, he was a walking wreck who we needed to keep up until 7 so he wouldn't get up at 5.
Zinsser? He was so happy to see us, he almost wriggled his butt into light speed wagging mode. He spent the 4 days with his half brother Otto up the block with neighbors, and reports were that he was very very good, didn't mess on their rugs, and even let Otto sleep occasionally. Zinsser was full of cuddles and love for us all.
I crept out at 5:45 this morning to head to Philly: Nope, not upgraded today, but I'll take the pity miles. Started reading The Black Swan, about unpredictable outliers, and am somewhat charmed by the writer's style - he's sort of like the love child between Steven Leavitt (Freakonomics) and Tim Ferriss (The Four Hour Work Week). It works for me.
In the interest of saving my back, I've decided to experiment with NOT lugging my computer around: Bring it to the hotel for evening/morning work, use a flash drive, and move key files back and forth to work, where I have a perfectly usable computer. Today was the first day, and I didn't hit any problems... and more to the point, I made it to the end of the day without a nagging pinch in my neck. I may NOT need to go for that MacBook Air just yet. Every day/week/month you put off a technology purchase is time that technology will keep getting better, faster, and cheaper.
After work, (and work days are not particularly long at this client), I had some amazing Thai food, and found myself close to a movie theater... so I decided to skip over and see "District 9" which was AMAZING: It really synthesized a lot of very cool elements and had a realistic grittiness that was amazingly authentic... but what I loved was that this movie was THAT GOOD and cost under $30mil, which it already made back. And on a monday evening it was a nearly full theater, which speaks well to the word of mouth. The protagonist was a wonderful worm who you couldn't fully hate, nor could you fully root for him. This will make for a fine Avenging movie someday soon.
Speaking of Avenging - Boy, I haven't seen my boys for almost 2 months! Luckily NEXT week I have them on the calendar.
That's enough for tonight. I should just mention that work is starting to accelerate at the new client: I actually have system access, and spent a good bit of time today reviewing echocardiograms (more to see how the report-building functionality works)... I can feel the groove beginning.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
In the Hood
Mid-afternoon, the entire network went down at my client site. The whole data center lost power, which you can imagine was a BAD THING for the hospital. Some infrastructure guy will be in trouble. But on a personal level, that meant I couldn't access any of the systems or documents I needed, so I decided to head out early to the Airport where there IS a network at least. That was the plan.
I stood at the train station, and at the exact right moment according to the schedule, a train pulled up and a bunch of people got on. I followed them all on and sat down. When the man came to take my ticket, he gently let me know I was on the WRONG train. "Get off at the next stop, go to the other side, ride the next train BACK, and try again". He even gave me a free ticket for the ride back.
I got off, walked around, and waited patiently for a while... and a while longer... and then I decided "nuts to this, I'll just take a cab". Philly is a walk around and find a cab sort of town so I went up to the street and looked for a busy street to walk toward. I picked LEFT and started walking. As I walked, I started noticing that the neighborhood was not very good. Not good at all. Lots of shirtless men walking around, lurking on street corners. Lots of boarded up houses. Lots of police cars, not so many Cabs. Eyes were following the misfit in the button down shirt and rolling suitcase.
Around 4 blocks in, I found a safe haven - a Water-Ice stand (Philly's unique treat - it's sort of like Mister Mistee meets Gelato: No dairy, cool and refreshing, and a recipe for an instant "cold eye".) I went in, got a $1 blueberry water ice, and called a cab. The operator had me repeat the address a few times, with a bit of incredulity in her voice.
5 min later, a cabbie called - he wanted to confirm that I really did want a cab, and that if he came, I'd really be there. YES.
When he arrived, he looked me up and down and said "What on EARTH are you doing down here, man?" I told him, and he said "Man, you're in the middle of Beirut, brother. Good thing it's not dark". For the whole ride to the airport, the guy kept looking in the rear view mirror, and laughing, shaking his head.
Apparently I was in a not very good part of town. Got it. Next time, I'll either WAIT for the train, or just get on the RIGHT ONE to start with.
So I've been complaining about the heavy laptop bag in connection with the long walk. Yesterday it hit mid-nineties in Philly, with high humidity, and I had a Jersey meeting, so I was in a suit too. By the time I collapsed in my hotel room, I was pretty wiped out, and I think my muscles were a bit strained. When I woke up today, my arms and back were in a good bit of pain, which stuck with me all day. While complaining to my lovely wife while killing time at the Airport, she suggested I look for one of those "quick massage" areas.
I found one, and I'm so happy. I got a 30 minute deep tissue assault, and 15 minutes in the robot chair, and my body is feeling every so much better. Not 100% yet, still a little twinge in the neck... but it was a great great great help.
Well, there's a little rain here in Philly, and that means a delayed flight. I was offered the toilet seat on the 5pm flight (middle, last row), and decided to keep my first class seat on the 6:30 flight... which became a 7:15 flight.... which is now looking to be a 7:45 flight.... But I'll hit ground before 10pm at least.
And then it's off to the lake tomorrow. YES.
I stood at the train station, and at the exact right moment according to the schedule, a train pulled up and a bunch of people got on. I followed them all on and sat down. When the man came to take my ticket, he gently let me know I was on the WRONG train. "Get off at the next stop, go to the other side, ride the next train BACK, and try again". He even gave me a free ticket for the ride back.
I got off, walked around, and waited patiently for a while... and a while longer... and then I decided "nuts to this, I'll just take a cab". Philly is a walk around and find a cab sort of town so I went up to the street and looked for a busy street to walk toward. I picked LEFT and started walking. As I walked, I started noticing that the neighborhood was not very good. Not good at all. Lots of shirtless men walking around, lurking on street corners. Lots of boarded up houses. Lots of police cars, not so many Cabs. Eyes were following the misfit in the button down shirt and rolling suitcase.
Around 4 blocks in, I found a safe haven - a Water-Ice stand (Philly's unique treat - it's sort of like Mister Mistee meets Gelato: No dairy, cool and refreshing, and a recipe for an instant "cold eye".) I went in, got a $1 blueberry water ice, and called a cab. The operator had me repeat the address a few times, with a bit of incredulity in her voice.
5 min later, a cabbie called - he wanted to confirm that I really did want a cab, and that if he came, I'd really be there. YES.
When he arrived, he looked me up and down and said "What on EARTH are you doing down here, man?" I told him, and he said "Man, you're in the middle of Beirut, brother. Good thing it's not dark". For the whole ride to the airport, the guy kept looking in the rear view mirror, and laughing, shaking his head.
Apparently I was in a not very good part of town. Got it. Next time, I'll either WAIT for the train, or just get on the RIGHT ONE to start with.
So I've been complaining about the heavy laptop bag in connection with the long walk. Yesterday it hit mid-nineties in Philly, with high humidity, and I had a Jersey meeting, so I was in a suit too. By the time I collapsed in my hotel room, I was pretty wiped out, and I think my muscles were a bit strained. When I woke up today, my arms and back were in a good bit of pain, which stuck with me all day. While complaining to my lovely wife while killing time at the Airport, she suggested I look for one of those "quick massage" areas.
I found one, and I'm so happy. I got a 30 minute deep tissue assault, and 15 minutes in the robot chair, and my body is feeling every so much better. Not 100% yet, still a little twinge in the neck... but it was a great great great help.
Well, there's a little rain here in Philly, and that means a delayed flight. I was offered the toilet seat on the 5pm flight (middle, last row), and decided to keep my first class seat on the 6:30 flight... which became a 7:15 flight.... which is now looking to be a 7:45 flight.... But I'll hit ground before 10pm at least.
And then it's off to the lake tomorrow. YES.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Breakthrough!
I finally got email and network access at the new client. Yes, this is 4 weeks in. I told you they move slower than I expect. But this unlocked a glittering treasure chest of documents that will go a long ways to answering some of my questions before I go harassing the users. But yeah yeah yeah!
Also, I got clearance to buy the Macbook Air from my company (expensed!), AND found a buyer for the existing MacBook Pro. So that's coming together too. Soon I will not be the hunchback of Chestnut Street any longer! And since I decided NOT to get an apartment (due to the insane cheapness of my favorite haunt, actually - downtown Philly for under $100/night in a clean safe place with decent internet) I'll still be doing a good bit of walking.
It was a busy weekend (AGAIN) - Relished the finale of So You Think You Can Dance, and I'm thrilled with the outcome. It IS strange, however, to watch our stars revising dances from the season - seeing it performed a second or third time suddenly makes it seem like choreography instead of spontaneous magic. Watching a replay of the original is ok, but watching re-dances sort of dulls the magic. I'm thinking that the Jai Ho suffered the most on that... On the other hand, Max and Kayla's Samba was even hotter.
I took the kids to Edenborough a couple of times for big fun playtime, and they were thrilled. Friday was a swarming mass of kids (rainy day), but Sunday was a ghost town... The kids are officially too fast for me in the play structure now, so I go up and down a couple of times with them, and let them run, keeping an eye on the exit to prevent any Isaac Escapes.
Bella has graduated in Burrito-hood: She no longer needs the burrito bowl, she takes her beans, rice, sour cream, and cheese wrapped in a tortilla now, and can EAT THE WHOLE THING. It's frankly a little alarming - I tend to toss out 1/3 of my burritos, since that's the point where I get "full" but not "stuffed".
On Sunday I took off for the airport for a short week: I got nice hugs from the whole family, but Isaac was very sad he couldn't come with me. Zinsser was too: He spent most of the weekend stalking me, jumping into my lap to cuddle. He loves his master... (Talking about Zinsser here, not Isaac)
This weekend we're all headed up to Ruttgers for a family relaxation vacation. It will be... wonderful....
Oh, and Yelp steered me wrong again: Corner pizza place 4 blocks from my hotel, 4-star review (fairly recent too) and I got a floppy slice that was nothing special. I'm thinking maybe democracy doesn't work with food.
Also, I got clearance to buy the Macbook Air from my company (expensed!), AND found a buyer for the existing MacBook Pro. So that's coming together too. Soon I will not be the hunchback of Chestnut Street any longer! And since I decided NOT to get an apartment (due to the insane cheapness of my favorite haunt, actually - downtown Philly for under $100/night in a clean safe place with decent internet) I'll still be doing a good bit of walking.
It was a busy weekend (AGAIN) - Relished the finale of So You Think You Can Dance, and I'm thrilled with the outcome. It IS strange, however, to watch our stars revising dances from the season - seeing it performed a second or third time suddenly makes it seem like choreography instead of spontaneous magic. Watching a replay of the original is ok, but watching re-dances sort of dulls the magic. I'm thinking that the Jai Ho suffered the most on that... On the other hand, Max and Kayla's Samba was even hotter.
I took the kids to Edenborough a couple of times for big fun playtime, and they were thrilled. Friday was a swarming mass of kids (rainy day), but Sunday was a ghost town... The kids are officially too fast for me in the play structure now, so I go up and down a couple of times with them, and let them run, keeping an eye on the exit to prevent any Isaac Escapes.
Bella has graduated in Burrito-hood: She no longer needs the burrito bowl, she takes her beans, rice, sour cream, and cheese wrapped in a tortilla now, and can EAT THE WHOLE THING. It's frankly a little alarming - I tend to toss out 1/3 of my burritos, since that's the point where I get "full" but not "stuffed".
On Sunday I took off for the airport for a short week: I got nice hugs from the whole family, but Isaac was very sad he couldn't come with me. Zinsser was too: He spent most of the weekend stalking me, jumping into my lap to cuddle. He loves his master... (Talking about Zinsser here, not Isaac)
This weekend we're all headed up to Ruttgers for a family relaxation vacation. It will be... wonderful....
Oh, and Yelp steered me wrong again: Corner pizza place 4 blocks from my hotel, 4-star review (fairly recent too) and I got a floppy slice that was nothing special. I'm thinking maybe democracy doesn't work with food.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Ethnic Food
When I stay here in Philly, my favored haunt is a block outside of Chinatown, and a block behind the Reading Terminal Market (which I have written about in the past, you know). Good food on all sides. Well, not on the north side - that's a freeway. Anyway, good eating.
I've been relying on Yelp.com iPhone application to pick good places... I discovered that my own Food-ar was broken my first week out here when I had the worst indian food I've ever tasted, in a place where despite the candlelight, wood paneling, and comfortable chairs, the food came on STYROFOAM PLATES. So I need recommendations. And Yelp has not done me wrong.
Tonight I wandered two blocks eastward into Chinatown to a chinese noodle soup place that was highly recommended. I sat down, the only non-Mandarin speaker in the place, with the TV blaring some sort of Chinese Idol singing contest with amazingly garish graphics behind the singers, and a wizened panel of judges who may have been critiquing the songs, or they may have been offering advice on balancing Chi. Not sure.
I skipped over the "fried intestine" appetizer plate, and went for "Sliced Beef Noodle Soup". Here's where we get to the part where sometimes truly ethnic food can be.... strange... When you get this dish in a vietnamese place, it's called Pho, and the beef (if you order Pho Tai) is very lean and it's a somewhat refreshing dish, with fresh basil and light rice noodles. In this restaurant, it was thick brisket-y beef, with a meaty broth, with egg noodles, and picked greens strewn across the top.
I won't say it wasn't delicious - it was actually very good. But it was almost startlingly "ethnic" - there was very little there to cater to a western taste bud, and I found myself just a little disappointed - not in the meal, but in my inability to just let go and enjoy it. I ate most of the greens, some of the beef, and all of the noodles, but left a fair amount of soup in that bowl. I can't help but think that if uncle chicken (Nick) were there, not only would he have eaten it all furiously, but I guarantee that one of the appetizers would have been attempted as well.
Walking is something I'm doing a lot of here in the City of Brotherly Love: My hotel is 3 blocks from the subway, the client site is 6 blocks from the subway the other direction. So I walk a good 18 blocks total just to and from work. Then on days like today when I need to head out to Jersey for meetings, I walk another 9-10 blocks one way or the other to a ZipCar parking facility, and back. Today, I've done around 40 city blocks of hoofing it. Plus a half hour on the elliptical (because it's not just about walking, you gotta get that heart rate up too)
Walking all that distance with my laptop bag has got me thinking that I need to lighten up: a 6 lb laptop doesn't sound that big, nor does the bag (with all sorts of papers in it). But after a few miles, you notice the weight. I'm looking at those Macbook Airs again, this time with INTENT. It also makes me resent the existence of neckties, especially when it's 90 degrees and humid.
I think I'll try to get a good night's sleep tonight: I'm meeting a client at 8am at the Amish Diner a block from my hotel, and I am very excited. Last time I ate there was with him, and it led to me leaving my job and taking this crazy new life. Mostly because he shared a slice of the best turkey bacon I'd ever tasted. The bacon turned me. And tomorrow I will get my own turkey bacon.
I've been relying on Yelp.com iPhone application to pick good places... I discovered that my own Food-ar was broken my first week out here when I had the worst indian food I've ever tasted, in a place where despite the candlelight, wood paneling, and comfortable chairs, the food came on STYROFOAM PLATES. So I need recommendations. And Yelp has not done me wrong.
Tonight I wandered two blocks eastward into Chinatown to a chinese noodle soup place that was highly recommended. I sat down, the only non-Mandarin speaker in the place, with the TV blaring some sort of Chinese Idol singing contest with amazingly garish graphics behind the singers, and a wizened panel of judges who may have been critiquing the songs, or they may have been offering advice on balancing Chi. Not sure.
I skipped over the "fried intestine" appetizer plate, and went for "Sliced Beef Noodle Soup". Here's where we get to the part where sometimes truly ethnic food can be.... strange... When you get this dish in a vietnamese place, it's called Pho, and the beef (if you order Pho Tai) is very lean and it's a somewhat refreshing dish, with fresh basil and light rice noodles. In this restaurant, it was thick brisket-y beef, with a meaty broth, with egg noodles, and picked greens strewn across the top.
I won't say it wasn't delicious - it was actually very good. But it was almost startlingly "ethnic" - there was very little there to cater to a western taste bud, and I found myself just a little disappointed - not in the meal, but in my inability to just let go and enjoy it. I ate most of the greens, some of the beef, and all of the noodles, but left a fair amount of soup in that bowl. I can't help but think that if uncle chicken (Nick) were there, not only would he have eaten it all furiously, but I guarantee that one of the appetizers would have been attempted as well.
Walking is something I'm doing a lot of here in the City of Brotherly Love: My hotel is 3 blocks from the subway, the client site is 6 blocks from the subway the other direction. So I walk a good 18 blocks total just to and from work. Then on days like today when I need to head out to Jersey for meetings, I walk another 9-10 blocks one way or the other to a ZipCar parking facility, and back. Today, I've done around 40 city blocks of hoofing it. Plus a half hour on the elliptical (because it's not just about walking, you gotta get that heart rate up too)
Walking all that distance with my laptop bag has got me thinking that I need to lighten up: a 6 lb laptop doesn't sound that big, nor does the bag (with all sorts of papers in it). But after a few miles, you notice the weight. I'm looking at those Macbook Airs again, this time with INTENT. It also makes me resent the existence of neckties, especially when it's 90 degrees and humid.
I think I'll try to get a good night's sleep tonight: I'm meeting a client at 8am at the Amish Diner a block from my hotel, and I am very excited. Last time I ate there was with him, and it led to me leaving my job and taking this crazy new life. Mostly because he shared a slice of the best turkey bacon I'd ever tasted. The bacon turned me. And tomorrow I will get my own turkey bacon.
Monday, August 03, 2009
A big weekend
Reunion Weekend! Say it loud and it like music playing, say it soft, and it's almost like praying.
All right, first things first: So You Think You Can Dance: While I was shocked at first, I've grown to be at peace with Evan beating out Ade for the final. I love Ade, but I'm a fan of Evan's character... and he's dancing just fine - he brings some great joy to it. I was happy to see Melissa out finally - The fact she went SO long without ever being asked to HipHop was just embarassing... it felt like they were giving her a pass every week they didn't throw her to NappyTab's crazy prop factory. I mean, Evan and Randi did a (very vanilla) hip hop, and it wasn't terrible... So now we'll never know if she could crump en pointe.
For the final, I predict Janette will storm the stage in her fiery cuban way (despite having been voted off 2 weeks ago) and usurp the title. Watch for it.
Ok. I just had to have that out.
Thursday we drove out to Madison (Fort Atkinson, actually) for the reunion... Of course, no napping kids, and Zinsser was a great road dog - basically zonked out on Bella's lap. When we arrived, steaks went on the grill and the kids started playing.... and didn't stop for 4 days. Plus Zinsser found a friend in Braedon the 1 year old golden doodle. The two of them rolled around and played for four days straight. Zinsser looked like a wet rat half the time, having been thoroughly been drooled upon by the big galoot dog. We actually had to physically separate them often so they could rest. If we didn't, they were like punch drunk fighters in round 14, leaning on eachother and refusing to stop playing.
They only got into one fight, and it was late in the day after not enough rest, and of course they were fighting over a dried bull penis. Oh yes, I did say that. They're called "Bully Sticks" and dogs love them. The dogs took turns gnawing on it, and trying to keep it away from the other dog.
Friday was a gorgeous day, and Bella swam for much of it. Saturday was cooler, but still nice enough for everyone to play outside. Isaac did not go in the lake, but there were two trapezes hanging from trees that he couldn't get enough of swinging from: His upper body strength is really something. All of the guys (all generations) had fun with Isaac, playing t-ball, bocce, you name it.
It gave me an idea for a sitcom - "Coachie" - Two arty intellectual parents with a spacey science-loving daughter adopt a son whose birthparents were athletes. In an effort to support his athletic tendencies, they employ a nanny/coach, who can bring the proper level of competitiveness and sports appreciation to the household. Lots of "fish out of water" humor with the rough but tender coach trying to understand the strange new yorker-reading parents, but moments of genuine pride and bonding abound. I'm pretty sure it would be on Fox.
Bella played a lot with Seeger, who is very on her wavelength: They were dogs and scientists quite a bit. They found a lot of little toads, and we even brought some home with us... but released them into our garden, but not before a whole lot of crying, AND us doing the research to discover that keeping toads as pets is not a casual activity.
Back home on Sunday, again no napping with the kids, and Zinsser asleep the whole time (perhaps happy to finally be getting a break), and an early bedtime. Big thunderstorms brought Bella into our bed around midnight, and a bad dream had me rocking Isaac at 1. In my delirious state from tiredness and watching So You Think You Can Dance right before bedtime, I grew convinced as I was rocking Isaac that he was actually baby Brandon, and I was rubbing his head telling him he was going to go all the way and become America's Favorite Dancer. Which was a bit odd.
An early flight to Philly... and a last minute upgrade to First made the morning AOK. I tried to take the train into town, but it was late (!), and showed no signs of keeping on its schedule (the conductor was opening and closing panels, stroking his chin). So I took a cab. The pace of work at the new client is somewhat... slow...
I remember this from my previous cardiology gig too: There were huge slow moments in the project that nobody seemed too worried about. I think that people just don't UNDERSTAND these systems, and expect that they are inscrutible and things MUST move slowly. I'm prepared to adjust my tempo as appropriate. I do still have my Jersey client who is anything BUT slow.
That's enough update for the day... Have a great night!
All right, first things first: So You Think You Can Dance: While I was shocked at first, I've grown to be at peace with Evan beating out Ade for the final. I love Ade, but I'm a fan of Evan's character... and he's dancing just fine - he brings some great joy to it. I was happy to see Melissa out finally - The fact she went SO long without ever being asked to HipHop was just embarassing... it felt like they were giving her a pass every week they didn't throw her to NappyTab's crazy prop factory. I mean, Evan and Randi did a (very vanilla) hip hop, and it wasn't terrible... So now we'll never know if she could crump en pointe.
For the final, I predict Janette will storm the stage in her fiery cuban way (despite having been voted off 2 weeks ago) and usurp the title. Watch for it.
Ok. I just had to have that out.
Thursday we drove out to Madison (Fort Atkinson, actually) for the reunion... Of course, no napping kids, and Zinsser was a great road dog - basically zonked out on Bella's lap. When we arrived, steaks went on the grill and the kids started playing.... and didn't stop for 4 days. Plus Zinsser found a friend in Braedon the 1 year old golden doodle. The two of them rolled around and played for four days straight. Zinsser looked like a wet rat half the time, having been thoroughly been drooled upon by the big galoot dog. We actually had to physically separate them often so they could rest. If we didn't, they were like punch drunk fighters in round 14, leaning on eachother and refusing to stop playing.
They only got into one fight, and it was late in the day after not enough rest, and of course they were fighting over a dried bull penis. Oh yes, I did say that. They're called "Bully Sticks" and dogs love them. The dogs took turns gnawing on it, and trying to keep it away from the other dog.
Friday was a gorgeous day, and Bella swam for much of it. Saturday was cooler, but still nice enough for everyone to play outside. Isaac did not go in the lake, but there were two trapezes hanging from trees that he couldn't get enough of swinging from: His upper body strength is really something. All of the guys (all generations) had fun with Isaac, playing t-ball, bocce, you name it.
It gave me an idea for a sitcom - "Coachie" - Two arty intellectual parents with a spacey science-loving daughter adopt a son whose birthparents were athletes. In an effort to support his athletic tendencies, they employ a nanny/coach, who can bring the proper level of competitiveness and sports appreciation to the household. Lots of "fish out of water" humor with the rough but tender coach trying to understand the strange new yorker-reading parents, but moments of genuine pride and bonding abound. I'm pretty sure it would be on Fox.
Bella played a lot with Seeger, who is very on her wavelength: They were dogs and scientists quite a bit. They found a lot of little toads, and we even brought some home with us... but released them into our garden, but not before a whole lot of crying, AND us doing the research to discover that keeping toads as pets is not a casual activity.
Back home on Sunday, again no napping with the kids, and Zinsser asleep the whole time (perhaps happy to finally be getting a break), and an early bedtime. Big thunderstorms brought Bella into our bed around midnight, and a bad dream had me rocking Isaac at 1. In my delirious state from tiredness and watching So You Think You Can Dance right before bedtime, I grew convinced as I was rocking Isaac that he was actually baby Brandon, and I was rubbing his head telling him he was going to go all the way and become America's Favorite Dancer. Which was a bit odd.
An early flight to Philly... and a last minute upgrade to First made the morning AOK. I tried to take the train into town, but it was late (!), and showed no signs of keeping on its schedule (the conductor was opening and closing panels, stroking his chin). So I took a cab. The pace of work at the new client is somewhat... slow...
I remember this from my previous cardiology gig too: There were huge slow moments in the project that nobody seemed too worried about. I think that people just don't UNDERSTAND these systems, and expect that they are inscrutible and things MUST move slowly. I'm prepared to adjust my tempo as appropriate. I do still have my Jersey client who is anything BUT slow.
That's enough update for the day... Have a great night!
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