Uhm..... Mark's last post there is hard to follow. Sobering isn't it, but truly is anyone suprised that the Bush Administration would have something in common with facists. I generally remain shockingly ignorant about the political goings-on of the world. It's emotionally too much for me to deal with, and I feel utterly impotent in the face of it. Worse, I know I contribute, and perhaps AM the problem because I choose to remain ignorant. Me and the majority of the country. Sigh.
Work today really sucked. This morning a mother asked me one of the many dreaded standard questions. This time it was "Do you think she'll be delayed for the rest of her life?". When you work with people who have very young children with disabilities you get asked lots of questions of this ilk all the time....and they are sooooo difficult to respond to. I want to be honest, but generally it's not the best policy to share my "honest opinion". Children are malleable, especially at the ages I see these little ones (birth to three), so even if the little one is significantly delayed now, it doesn't neccesarily mean that the child will have significant delays in a year....but.. they probably will. So, knowing that, how do you respond? My usual reply is that it's impossible to predict, which is true, but I still feel like I'm not being entirely upfront with these families.
In general though, I love my job, and I'm lucky to be in a position where I can help people.
Thursday, October 10, 2002
Posted without comment:
- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials
"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."
- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials
Wednesday, October 09, 2002
Go, carbon-based bipeds! After grandmaster Gary Kasparov was humiliated by the computer program Deep Blue in 1998(?), many thought that computers had surpassed humans in chess for good. Well, the humans are battling back. Yay, us!
I think many are amazed that computers can compete with humans at this high level of intellectual competition. Me, I'm amazed that humans even have a chance against machines that can consider bajillions of board positions every second.
I wrote a chess program a few years back. It's called Buzz, which was my father's nickname growing up (he's the one who taught me how to play chess -- hi Dad!). If you can compile a C program, you can check it out. It was a lot of fun to write. It even beat me a few times (I'm a sloppy player). Someday I'll go back and work on it some more. Maybe I can put a web interface on it...
I think many are amazed that computers can compete with humans at this high level of intellectual competition. Me, I'm amazed that humans even have a chance against machines that can consider bajillions of board positions every second.
I wrote a chess program a few years back. It's called Buzz, which was my father's nickname growing up (he's the one who taught me how to play chess -- hi Dad!). If you can compile a C program, you can check it out. It was a lot of fun to write. It even beat me a few times (I'm a sloppy player). Someday I'll go back and work on it some more. Maybe I can put a web interface on it...
Weird how the brain works, isn't it? I was just typing the word "constants" and instead typed "constance". I type homonyms like that all the time -- I guess the part of my brain responsible for typing occasionally just "takes dictation" from the part of my brain that is internally "speaking" what it wants to have written. And I occasionally will type commands from programming languages I haven't used in years, out of the blue.
Marjorie and I both have books and movies and such indexed in our brains by their first letter, and at least for me, by the length of the words I'm trying to remember. Recently I was trying to come up with a book title that I wanted to read, but all I could remember was that it was one long word that started with an "C". (It was The Corrections, by the way.) We both do that all the time (especially when we play trivia games!).
Another weird thing I experience is that when I play word games such as Yahoo Word Racer, and I get in a "zone", memories of things long forgotten, unrelated to anything else I'm thinking about, will occasionally pop into my brain. It's sort of trippy.
Oh, and the alarm clock in the morning. I can't tell you how many times I've been completely confused as to its purpose when I wake up, or think that I can just turn it off (instead of snoozing it) for no reason that makes any sense whatsoever, or just plain forget how to work the snooze button. All because my brain has yet to engage. It just utterly befuddles me just about every morning.
I'm sure everybody's brains do strange things from time to time...
Marjorie and I both have books and movies and such indexed in our brains by their first letter, and at least for me, by the length of the words I'm trying to remember. Recently I was trying to come up with a book title that I wanted to read, but all I could remember was that it was one long word that started with an "C". (It was The Corrections, by the way.) We both do that all the time (especially when we play trivia games!).
Another weird thing I experience is that when I play word games such as Yahoo Word Racer, and I get in a "zone", memories of things long forgotten, unrelated to anything else I'm thinking about, will occasionally pop into my brain. It's sort of trippy.
Oh, and the alarm clock in the morning. I can't tell you how many times I've been completely confused as to its purpose when I wake up, or think that I can just turn it off (instead of snoozing it) for no reason that makes any sense whatsoever, or just plain forget how to work the snooze button. All because my brain has yet to engage. It just utterly befuddles me just about every morning.
I'm sure everybody's brains do strange things from time to time...
Tuesday, October 08, 2002
Now how can I write about the baseball game I saw tonight without looking like an insensitive clod? Anyway, while Marjorie was feeling sad, like a typical male I was at game 5 of the Braves series against the Giants, with Marjorie's dad and some friends. And we lost, and the season is over. I got to see living legend Barry Bonds hit a home run. And it may be the last game I see for... ever?
Now I'm all melancholy...
Now I'm all melancholy...
HI HO, HI HO, It's off to Ho Chi Minh we go...
I'm a wreck today. I think I'm suffering from "oh my God! What have we done?!" syndrome, with a little premature grieving thrown in for good measure. I haven't even begun to worry about all the things we need to do. I'm still too emotional, worrying about all the things we're leaving. In my saner moments, I know we've got plently of time to prepare ourselves for this move. The actual packing process should go pretty smoothly. The hard part will be deciding what to take, and what to leave, but in some small way, I think having these extra months to contemplate the move will make it easier for me to leave some non-essentials behind. It's just stuff after all. What I will have trouble leaving are the people in our lives, particularly my parents and their dogs Beau and Sadie. Sounds silly to miss dogs, but ya know, they don't e-mail, and they don't talk on the phone, and worse than that, they don't know you still care about them when you're gone. As for my parents, they do e-mail, read our blog, and talk on the phone, but it's been nice having them so close for the last several years (they live in the Atlanta area too) and I know I'm really going to miss them. I'm not as worried about missing my friends for some reason. Most of my best friends live far away from us now, so our day to day relationship won't change much with regards to the move-I can still e-mail them and talk on the phone, and I hope/believe Mark and I will still try to see them at least once a year regardless of where we live. The blog will also help us keep in contact, I hope, that was the original reason for starting this.
I know everything will probably be fine, and truthfully, it's so much easier to do this now then it was when my parents moved overseas for the first time more than twenty years ago thanks to the internet. But it's still a little scary, and a little sad to leave our present lives behind.
I'm a wreck today. I think I'm suffering from "oh my God! What have we done?!" syndrome, with a little premature grieving thrown in for good measure. I haven't even begun to worry about all the things we need to do. I'm still too emotional, worrying about all the things we're leaving. In my saner moments, I know we've got plently of time to prepare ourselves for this move. The actual packing process should go pretty smoothly. The hard part will be deciding what to take, and what to leave, but in some small way, I think having these extra months to contemplate the move will make it easier for me to leave some non-essentials behind. It's just stuff after all. What I will have trouble leaving are the people in our lives, particularly my parents and their dogs Beau and Sadie. Sounds silly to miss dogs, but ya know, they don't e-mail, and they don't talk on the phone, and worse than that, they don't know you still care about them when you're gone. As for my parents, they do e-mail, read our blog, and talk on the phone, but it's been nice having them so close for the last several years (they live in the Atlanta area too) and I know I'm really going to miss them. I'm not as worried about missing my friends for some reason. Most of my best friends live far away from us now, so our day to day relationship won't change much with regards to the move-I can still e-mail them and talk on the phone, and I hope/believe Mark and I will still try to see them at least once a year regardless of where we live. The blog will also help us keep in contact, I hope, that was the original reason for starting this.
I know everything will probably be fine, and truthfully, it's so much easier to do this now then it was when my parents moved overseas for the first time more than twenty years ago thanks to the internet. But it's still a little scary, and a little sad to leave our present lives behind.
Now what? We have so many other things to do. I don't know about Marjorie but I'm going to have to deny myself the fun of looking through tourist guidebooks, except to reward myself for getting other things done. First things first. I have to get my paperwork in order for Australian immigration, and that's a major pain. We have to get all our doctors visits scheduled too -- lots of innoculations still left to get, and I need a physical and an eye exam. There are bank accounts to set up too.
Couples having their first child often fret that they don't know what they're doing, and people always assure them, "It's okay, no one ever does, the first time." This is maybe a little like that. Without the labor pains though.
Couples having their first child often fret that they don't know what they're doing, and people always assure them, "It's okay, no one ever does, the first time." This is maybe a little like that. Without the labor pains though.
Monday, October 07, 2002
Thoreau once wrote:
I've been thinking about this passage a lot. The "marrow" bit has been quoted overmuch lately -- it's the deliberately that really resonates with me. Almost all of what I (or maybe we) have done with our lives up to this point has been the path of least resistance. And there has always been friends or family nearby for counsel. This is the first real deliberate thing I've (we've) ever done, and with that comes enormous potential for self-doubt. Marjorie's right, though, we really have nothing to lose. We'll only have each other to count on, but that's not chopped liver.
I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not LIFE, living is so dear... I wanted to live deep and suck out the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life... to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms... and be able to give a true account of it...
I've been thinking about this passage a lot. The "marrow" bit has been quoted overmuch lately -- it's the deliberately that really resonates with me. Almost all of what I (or maybe we) have done with our lives up to this point has been the path of least resistance. And there has always been friends or family nearby for counsel. This is the first real deliberate thing I've (we've) ever done, and with that comes enormous potential for self-doubt. Marjorie's right, though, we really have nothing to lose. We'll only have each other to count on, but that's not chopped liver.
HOLY GEEZ!
We've finally done it. We booked our tickets for Singapore tonight. We leave on Thanksgiving Day (sorry Mom and Dad). It's exciting, but scary. I've been so anxious to do this, but I have to admit that I feel some trepidation now. I suppose that's the nature of change. We really don't have anything to lose though. Worse case scenario, we spend a few months traveling around Southeast Asia, before we look for work in S'pore, and if we don't find anything we'll have to come back to the States. IF that happens, we wouldn't really have lost anything, and we will have had the chance to explore another area of the world.
At the moment, our plan is to go to S'pore, leave most our things at our friend's place, then fly to Hanoi to start our travels.We'll probably travel (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand head the agenda) throughout December/January until Chinese New Year's (Feb. 2 this coming year). After Chinese New Year we'll get serious about looking for work. In the meantime, we're still trying to submit our migration paperwork to Australia so eventually we could look for work there.
The next few months should be pretty exciting.
We've finally done it. We booked our tickets for Singapore tonight. We leave on Thanksgiving Day (sorry Mom and Dad). It's exciting, but scary. I've been so anxious to do this, but I have to admit that I feel some trepidation now. I suppose that's the nature of change. We really don't have anything to lose though. Worse case scenario, we spend a few months traveling around Southeast Asia, before we look for work in S'pore, and if we don't find anything we'll have to come back to the States. IF that happens, we wouldn't really have lost anything, and we will have had the chance to explore another area of the world.
At the moment, our plan is to go to S'pore, leave most our things at our friend's place, then fly to Hanoi to start our travels.We'll probably travel (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand head the agenda) throughout December/January until Chinese New Year's (Feb. 2 this coming year). After Chinese New Year we'll get serious about looking for work. In the meantime, we're still trying to submit our migration paperwork to Australia so eventually we could look for work there.
The next few months should be pretty exciting.
Saturday, October 05, 2002
FRIDAY FIVE
This week's Friday five is devoted to shoes. Finally, a Friday five I can get behind ;^)
1. What size shoe do you wear? I usually wear a 7.5, for some shoes I wear an 8. This in an European 38, and a Japanese 24.
2. How many pairs of shoes do you own? Less than 20 (barely), which considering I have a bit of a fetish lately, isn't too bad.
3. What type of shoe do you prefer (boots, sneakers, pumps, etc.)? Judging by my shoe collection, I'm a fan of slides (open-toed or mules).
4. Describe your favorite pair of shoes. Why are they your favorite? I recently acquired a lovely pair of black mules with little flowers stitched into the top and little pointy one inch heels. They're so cool. The first day I wore them this salesguy at Banana Republic was fawning all over them, pointing them out to other salesfolk and such, and he told me "you must be sick to wear those in public".
5. What's the most you've spent on one pair of shoes? Honestly, the most I've spent on shoes is probably a little over a $100.00 several years ago on a pair of Birkenstock Boston's. I bought those shoes when I was a very poor undergraduate, and at the time that was an outrageous amount of money for me to spend on shoes, but they lasted forever and I plan on buying another pair soon. Generally though, I'm a bit of a cheapskate so I'm not likely to spend much more than $50 on a pair of trendy shoes.
This week's Friday five is devoted to shoes. Finally, a Friday five I can get behind ;^)
1. What size shoe do you wear? I usually wear a 7.5, for some shoes I wear an 8. This in an European 38, and a Japanese 24.
2. How many pairs of shoes do you own? Less than 20 (barely), which considering I have a bit of a fetish lately, isn't too bad.
3. What type of shoe do you prefer (boots, sneakers, pumps, etc.)? Judging by my shoe collection, I'm a fan of slides (open-toed or mules).
4. Describe your favorite pair of shoes. Why are they your favorite? I recently acquired a lovely pair of black mules with little flowers stitched into the top and little pointy one inch heels. They're so cool. The first day I wore them this salesguy at Banana Republic was fawning all over them, pointing them out to other salesfolk and such, and he told me "you must be sick to wear those in public".
5. What's the most you've spent on one pair of shoes? Honestly, the most I've spent on shoes is probably a little over a $100.00 several years ago on a pair of Birkenstock Boston's. I bought those shoes when I was a very poor undergraduate, and at the time that was an outrageous amount of money for me to spend on shoes, but they lasted forever and I plan on buying another pair soon. Generally though, I'm a bit of a cheapskate so I'm not likely to spend much more than $50 on a pair of trendy shoes.
The other day I wrote about how we can't even get data to test with. So yesterday I wrote a utility where you can spoof whatever data you want as if it were coming from the back end. It works just spiffy. I feel all proud of myself.
Bossman is impressed, I think. I was just happy to have some stimulating work to do.
Bossman is impressed, I think. I was just happy to have some stimulating work to do.
Friday, October 04, 2002
ANY IDEAS
Mark and I want to buy a digital camera for our trip. Preferably something with lots of memory for pictures, that doesn't eat batteries, and is ideally pocket sized so as not to attract too much attention. Anybody know of something like that, or have a camera they really love?
Is anybody besides me really disturbed by "The Bachelor"? I caught about 10 minutes of this show last night and it really horrified me. How desperate are these women!? The whole idea is really wrong. The trend of lots of women vyiing for one "eligible" man (i.e. "Who wants to marry a millionaire") on television is a really disturbing notion to me. What is this teaching young girls watching these shows? What happened to all the momentum behind the women's rights movements of the Seventies, do people think we've achieved equality now? If anything it seems shows like this are giant leaps backwards in terms of women gaining equal status in this culture.
Mark and I want to buy a digital camera for our trip. Preferably something with lots of memory for pictures, that doesn't eat batteries, and is ideally pocket sized so as not to attract too much attention. Anybody know of something like that, or have a camera they really love?
Is anybody besides me really disturbed by "The Bachelor"? I caught about 10 minutes of this show last night and it really horrified me. How desperate are these women!? The whole idea is really wrong. The trend of lots of women vyiing for one "eligible" man (i.e. "Who wants to marry a millionaire") on television is a really disturbing notion to me. What is this teaching young girls watching these shows? What happened to all the momentum behind the women's rights movements of the Seventies, do people think we've achieved equality now? If anything it seems shows like this are giant leaps backwards in terms of women gaining equal status in this culture.
I was listening to 91.1 WREK on the way home Tuesday. This is the station that's been known to play hours of squeaking saxophones and the sound of plates breaking (I've always thought their motto should be "91.1. Hunh?"). Anyway, they said to call in if you wanted tickets to see Enon, so I called in and won, for the first time ever. So I went and saw them last night. I wasn't all that familiar with their stuff, but I took a friend who's a fan. They're an above average indie-rock band. It was good stuff, but they didn't go on until 12:45am. Yikes. I'm feeling it today.
In other music news, somehow Polyphonic Spree (that band I was raving about a while back) made it to number 17 in Blogdex, a site which ranks links by how many people in the blog community have included them. They must be catching on...
In other music news, somehow Polyphonic Spree (that band I was raving about a while back) made it to number 17 in Blogdex, a site which ranks links by how many people in the blog community have included them. They must be catching on...
Thursday, October 03, 2002
Gotta love working with the public.
I had my own version of work woes today. The first family I was scheduled to see claimed (incorrectly) the appointment was supposed to be at 2:00pm, I was there at 9:00am. Also, the mother didn't realize that I, and the speech therapist accompanying me, needed to see the child, she assummed that for the EVALUATION she just needed to fill out more paperwork. When we explained we did need to see the little one, she claimed she couldn't wake him up because he won't cooperate with her. Just to clarify, I am not the first contact people have with our agency. First there is an intake process where someone comes out to fully explain the program and the evaluation process to the family. Next, an evaluation appointment is scheduled, generally over the phone with the parent to make sure the appointment is scheduled at a time that's good for the family. Next, a letter goes out giving the family written confirmation of the appointment. Then finally, the day before the appointment, a service coordinator calls the family to remind them of the appointment. I'd like to point out that the first assessment was scheduled at the family's home, so all they had to do was be there, answer the door, and wake up the kid. Some days that's just too much effort for people. But I guess I shouldn't complain because I'm getting paid (thanks taxpayers).
I had my own version of work woes today. The first family I was scheduled to see claimed (incorrectly) the appointment was supposed to be at 2:00pm, I was there at 9:00am. Also, the mother didn't realize that I, and the speech therapist accompanying me, needed to see the child, she assummed that for the EVALUATION she just needed to fill out more paperwork. When we explained we did need to see the little one, she claimed she couldn't wake him up because he won't cooperate with her. Just to clarify, I am not the first contact people have with our agency. First there is an intake process where someone comes out to fully explain the program and the evaluation process to the family. Next, an evaluation appointment is scheduled, generally over the phone with the parent to make sure the appointment is scheduled at a time that's good for the family. Next, a letter goes out giving the family written confirmation of the appointment. Then finally, the day before the appointment, a service coordinator calls the family to remind them of the appointment. I'd like to point out that the first assessment was scheduled at the family's home, so all they had to do was be there, answer the door, and wake up the kid. Some days that's just too much effort for people. But I guess I shouldn't complain because I'm getting paid (thanks taxpayers).
I'm so glad I only contract for this company. On my desk sits a little commemorative lucite plaque/trophy that has the company logo and says "Extreme Effort" on it. They had a big box full of them, and handed them out the other day. There's a date on them too -- five months ago. No names or anything though. Color me motivated!
It's more than that. This is a long contract -- I've been here fifteen months now. We've been building a web site for a government agency. Our company insisted on using their COBOL back-end database, which is a 1960's technology. And the people responsible for maintaining this database are several steps removed from us. We're not allowed to talk directly to them. (The front end, BTW, is mainly Java servlets and JSPs.)
To top it off, now they are denying us the use of any data in the database we use for testing. So, we have to code functionality into the web pages we're building, then submit it to them and hope it works. It's rather like trying to paint a picture by reaching around from behind the canvas.
And when there are problems, they are reported to us using the company issue bug reporting software, which is mainframe-based, and was designed by dullards. For instance, to view the second page of a bug, you type slash-D-1, then hit the F11 key. (Why? My personal theory is that it's an inside joke.) If you want an idea how old this software is -- it prominently features the color cyan in its interface. Cyan is as sure a sign of obsolescence in software as Bakelite is in telephones.
Myself and the core group of developers here could have easily had this thing built in three months with a decent database we could actually access. Heck, we could've even handled that end of it ourselves. But if we did it that way, it would have only ended up faster and easier to maintain.
How can I complain though? As a contractor, I'm expected to just do the work and cash out. And fifteen months getting fat on the company teat is nothing to scoff at, especially with the job market the way it is right now. Still, it would be nice to contract like this for a company that isn't always reaching over its shoulder to scratch its backside.
It's more than that. This is a long contract -- I've been here fifteen months now. We've been building a web site for a government agency. Our company insisted on using their COBOL back-end database, which is a 1960's technology. And the people responsible for maintaining this database are several steps removed from us. We're not allowed to talk directly to them. (The front end, BTW, is mainly Java servlets and JSPs.)
To top it off, now they are denying us the use of any data in the database we use for testing. So, we have to code functionality into the web pages we're building, then submit it to them and hope it works. It's rather like trying to paint a picture by reaching around from behind the canvas.
And when there are problems, they are reported to us using the company issue bug reporting software, which is mainframe-based, and was designed by dullards. For instance, to view the second page of a bug, you type slash-D-1, then hit the F11 key. (Why? My personal theory is that it's an inside joke.) If you want an idea how old this software is -- it prominently features the color cyan in its interface. Cyan is as sure a sign of obsolescence in software as Bakelite is in telephones.
Myself and the core group of developers here could have easily had this thing built in three months with a decent database we could actually access. Heck, we could've even handled that end of it ourselves. But if we did it that way, it would have only ended up faster and easier to maintain.
How can I complain though? As a contractor, I'm expected to just do the work and cash out. And fifteen months getting fat on the company teat is nothing to scoff at, especially with the job market the way it is right now. Still, it would be nice to contract like this for a company that isn't always reaching over its shoulder to scratch its backside.
Wednesday, October 02, 2002
I don't want to work today. The office is freezing, inspiring me to look into Websites for the Vietnamese mountains. I'm thinking maybe Christmas in Sapa would be nice. This place looks all right.
Mark and I are going to New York City probably next weekend. We saw a deal for the Alqonquin hotel. Now the real question is whether or not it's worth a couple hundred dollars to sleep where Dorothy Parker and pals used to get witty (and loaded) on a regular basis.
Mark and I are going to New York City probably next weekend. We saw a deal for the Alqonquin hotel. Now the real question is whether or not it's worth a couple hundred dollars to sleep where Dorothy Parker and pals used to get witty (and loaded) on a regular basis.
A couple of entries back I mentioned visiting Halong Bay as one of my lifetime goals. I had forgotten about that one, actually. But that did inspire me to go back and find my list of lifetime goals that I made up a little while back, so here it is. I've knocked a few off since I first made the list -- those are crossed out.
Hmmm, that last one I might have to attempt while I'm still living in the proximity of someplace like the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
- Visit
- Machu Pichu
- Antarctica
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Scandinavia
- Rio
- Greenland
- Hawaii
- Alaska
- Madagascar
- Taoudenni
- Machu Pichu
- Hear song I wrote on radio.
- Publish a scientific discovery.
- Write a novel. Hmmmm.
- Live in
- NYC
- San Francisco
- London
- NYC
- Become intimately familiar with a complete classical symphony.
- See in concert:
- Tom Waits
Pete Townshend
- Rolling Stones
- Tom Waits
- Dive with a whale shark.
- See a shark while diving/snorkeling.
- Do a dive in a shark cage.
Swim with dolphins.- See a live volcano.
- Be in an earthquake.
- See the northern lights.
- Ride on a motorcycle.
- Balloon over Serengeti.
- See NHL hockey game from front row.
Parasail.- Ride race car on track with high banked walls.
Hmmm, that last one I might have to attempt while I'm still living in the proximity of someplace like the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Tuesday, October 01, 2002
I cleaned up on the football pool this week. For three of the games, I was the only person -- out of nine -- who picked the right team (San Diego, Kansas City, and Baltimore).
This is the sort of gripping news that will earn this blog a devoted fan base. I can just feel it.
I caught the movie Signs last night. Spoilers follow, so stop reading if you still plan on seeing it.
It held my attention, but it bothered me for a few reasons. One, the joylessness of the household where it was set made me not care about the characters so much. And two, it wasn't really science fiction. The aliens were just a plot device in fair-to-middling human interest story. I want grand scale on my alien invasions.
This is the sort of gripping news that will earn this blog a devoted fan base. I can just feel it.
I caught the movie Signs last night. Spoilers follow, so stop reading if you still plan on seeing it.
It held my attention, but it bothered me for a few reasons. One, the joylessness of the household where it was set made me not care about the characters so much. And two, it wasn't really science fiction. The aliens were just a plot device in fair-to-middling human interest story. I want grand scale on my alien invasions.
I remember seeing Indochine in the theaters back when it came out, and vowing I would someday go to the bay where the boat scenes were filmed. I always thought it was in Thailand, but it turns out it was Halong Bay in Vietnam, which Marjorie just mentioned. I love it when a plan comes together.
I hate Mondays. I know that's a horrible cliché, but I always stay up too late Sunday night for no good reason, not wanting to give up the weekend. And I'm just full of resentment when the alarm goes off in the morning.
I hate Mondays. I know that's a horrible cliché, but I always stay up too late Sunday night for no good reason, not wanting to give up the weekend. And I'm just full of resentment when the alarm goes off in the morning.
Monday, September 30, 2002
TIGER TIGER BURNING BRIGHT
Mark neglected to mention that the tiger was playing with a big ball romping around in the water, and occasionally he took a little break to come and spray the window with his, um, urine. It was as if he spied someone he particularly liked every once and awhile and decided, okay you're mine now, I've marked you. Whatever he was thinking, it was definitely amusing.
By the way we've offficially decided to go the S.E. Asia job or no job. We've set a go date for the end of November/beginning of December. Pretty exciting stuff. I'm sure they'll be many future posts on the subject. I'm personally really looking forward to visiting Vietnam. Halong Bay in the north seems particularly amazing.
Mark neglected to mention that the tiger was playing with a big ball romping around in the water, and occasionally he took a little break to come and spray the window with his, um, urine. It was as if he spied someone he particularly liked every once and awhile and decided, okay you're mine now, I've marked you. Whatever he was thinking, it was definitely amusing.
By the way we've offficially decided to go the S.E. Asia job or no job. We've set a go date for the end of November/beginning of December. Pretty exciting stuff. I'm sure they'll be many future posts on the subject. I'm personally really looking forward to visiting Vietnam. Halong Bay in the north seems particularly amazing.
Things I did this past week that I haven't done in a long time:
I went to the library. I even got a library card. I haven't had one in twenty years or so.
I took a nap. It was nice. I hadn't taken one in a year at least.
I got pooped on by a bird. Twenty years at least on that one too.
Today we did something we do do pretty often, which is go to the zoo (no offense, Mike ;-). They had several new exhibits, including bats, a king vulture, and a Komodo dragon. Plus, we got to see one of the tigers romping in the water from just on the other side of the glass. A magnificent beast.
Today we did something we do do pretty often, which is go to the zoo (no offense, Mike ;-). They had several new exhibits, including bats, a king vulture, and a Komodo dragon. Plus, we got to see one of the tigers romping in the water from just on the other side of the glass. A magnificent beast.
Saturday, September 28, 2002
FRIDAY FIVE
The Friday Five are really boring again this week, so since it's my birthday I'm going to do what I want and answer five of the more interesting questions I found at another website http://www.tinyplace.org/miscelleny/surveysays/
What languages do you know swear words in? Let's see, I know several dirty words in French, and a couple in German and Spanish. Soon hopefully I know swear words in Thai, Malay, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and more!
What famous person you really wish you could be friends with? Hhm, good question. There are several really. I think Nick Hornby (novelist) would be a really nice person, and I know we have some favorite musicians in common. Also, Suzanne Finnamore (also a novelist) I imagine would be really fun to hang out with. I'd also like to befriend is P.J. Harvey, she's so cool. Anyone too famous seems a bit intimidating, I mean it'd be great to hang out with Pete Townsend but I'd never really feel comfortable, I'd be too star-struck.
What makes you act the most evil? Again, good question. Probably intolerance and impatience. I can be really selfish at times.
How much does your mom know about your life? More then she wants to know I'm sure. My poor parents don't have the luxury of ignorance when it comes to all my early bad behavior, and present whims. Sorry guys. On the plus side, because my parents know so much about my life, we're really close. There aren't any secrets.
What music did you once love but can’t even listen to now? I used to like the Grateful Dead. Can't explain it now. Honestly, I wonder if I was brainwashed in college?
I was looking over the hundred things about Marjorie list recently and realized I should have added that I am the queen of run-on sentences. I never know where to use a period instead of a comma. Hope that's not too annoying to anybody out there. The irony is that I can edit other people's writing, just not my own apparently.
The Friday Five are really boring again this week, so since it's my birthday I'm going to do what I want and answer five of the more interesting questions I found at another website http://www.tinyplace.org/miscelleny/surveysays/
What languages do you know swear words in? Let's see, I know several dirty words in French, and a couple in German and Spanish. Soon hopefully I know swear words in Thai, Malay, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and more!
What famous person you really wish you could be friends with? Hhm, good question. There are several really. I think Nick Hornby (novelist) would be a really nice person, and I know we have some favorite musicians in common. Also, Suzanne Finnamore (also a novelist) I imagine would be really fun to hang out with. I'd also like to befriend is P.J. Harvey, she's so cool. Anyone too famous seems a bit intimidating, I mean it'd be great to hang out with Pete Townsend but I'd never really feel comfortable, I'd be too star-struck.
What makes you act the most evil? Again, good question. Probably intolerance and impatience. I can be really selfish at times.
How much does your mom know about your life? More then she wants to know I'm sure. My poor parents don't have the luxury of ignorance when it comes to all my early bad behavior, and present whims. Sorry guys. On the plus side, because my parents know so much about my life, we're really close. There aren't any secrets.
What music did you once love but can’t even listen to now? I used to like the Grateful Dead. Can't explain it now. Honestly, I wonder if I was brainwashed in college?
I was looking over the hundred things about Marjorie list recently and realized I should have added that I am the queen of run-on sentences. I never know where to use a period instead of a comma. Hope that's not too annoying to anybody out there. The irony is that I can edit other people's writing, just not my own apparently.
Friday, September 27, 2002
Shallow Gal
Ever scare yourself with a thought so petty that if someone else said it out loud you'd sigh audibly and roll your eyes? I've had several of those moments lately. Example: Today I was looking at a sweater I recently bought, and I actually got a little sad because I won't have any opportunity to wear it if we go to Southeast Asia . PLEASE GIRL! I find that I'm increasing shallow in lots of ways lately. For example I don't have as much enthusiasm for Art/Indie Films (although I just saw "Monsoon Wedding" and really enjoyed it), and tend to enjoy scary big budget flicks more. I also tend to enjoy "entertaining" books more than "intelligent" books. I blame my job. I mean I spend my days with children who have serious issues, and families trying to cope with those issues, and when I get home I just want to float on the surface.
Anyways...... Mark's a lot better at this blogging thing than I am. He's much more likely to post on any given day than I am. I saw that my mother commented on his last post telling us not to go to Laos or Malaysia. I think we're going to have to ignore her. Sorry Mom! We'll use common sense and only go where other travelers go. And we won't go to Pakistan. Even I'm afraid of that now.
Ever scare yourself with a thought so petty that if someone else said it out loud you'd sigh audibly and roll your eyes? I've had several of those moments lately. Example: Today I was looking at a sweater I recently bought, and I actually got a little sad because I won't have any opportunity to wear it if we go to Southeast Asia . PLEASE GIRL! I find that I'm increasing shallow in lots of ways lately. For example I don't have as much enthusiasm for Art/Indie Films (although I just saw "Monsoon Wedding" and really enjoyed it), and tend to enjoy scary big budget flicks more. I also tend to enjoy "entertaining" books more than "intelligent" books. I blame my job. I mean I spend my days with children who have serious issues, and families trying to cope with those issues, and when I get home I just want to float on the surface.
Anyways...... Mark's a lot better at this blogging thing than I am. He's much more likely to post on any given day than I am. I saw that my mother commented on his last post telling us not to go to Laos or Malaysia. I think we're going to have to ignore her. Sorry Mom! We'll use common sense and only go where other travelers go. And we won't go to Pakistan. Even I'm afraid of that now.
Thursday, September 26, 2002
The comment feature seems to flake out intermittently. Sorry about that. There don't seem to be any terribly reliable blog comment services, judging from the experiences of friends who use other ones. If you know of a good comment service, leave me a comment about it. ;-)
We encountered a waitress last night who recently got back from a year-long tour of southeast Asia. She was a wealth of information, and got us excited about doing a tour (prior to finding a job) like we had been considering. Especially when she mentioned how little she spent in a year. So we're trying to work out whether we have the means to do this for a month or so, and when would be a good time to do it. I don't want to be stuck looking for work in December, which is a bad time for that everywhere in the world it seems.
It's funny -- up to this point, I've been the one who's been saying (like I usually do), let's just go, it'll all work out, while Marjorie (the planner) was saying no no, we need to have a job lined up. We seemed to switch roles after a point last night.
I think we're both dreading all the things that need to be done once we commit, which makes it easier to think about other fun things -- like, where we would go if we toured. The waitress last night was raving about Burma, and got us excited about it. Also high on my list are Angkor Wat (Cambodia), the Mulu caves (Borneo), and Laos. I know Phuket (Thailand) and Vietnam are on Marjorie's list. And I think we're both pretty keen on Redang (Malaysia). And I haven't even mentioned Indonesia. The question is, will a month be enough?
We encountered a waitress last night who recently got back from a year-long tour of southeast Asia. She was a wealth of information, and got us excited about doing a tour (prior to finding a job) like we had been considering. Especially when she mentioned how little she spent in a year. So we're trying to work out whether we have the means to do this for a month or so, and when would be a good time to do it. I don't want to be stuck looking for work in December, which is a bad time for that everywhere in the world it seems.
It's funny -- up to this point, I've been the one who's been saying (like I usually do), let's just go, it'll all work out, while Marjorie (the planner) was saying no no, we need to have a job lined up. We seemed to switch roles after a point last night.
I think we're both dreading all the things that need to be done once we commit, which makes it easier to think about other fun things -- like, where we would go if we toured. The waitress last night was raving about Burma, and got us excited about it. Also high on my list are Angkor Wat (Cambodia), the Mulu caves (Borneo), and Laos. I know Phuket (Thailand) and Vietnam are on Marjorie's list. And I think we're both pretty keen on Redang (Malaysia). And I haven't even mentioned Indonesia. The question is, will a month be enough?
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
It's attack of the solo artists around here. I just noticed that in the coming weeks, Atlanta will play host to a whole mess of my faves, including:
John Wesley Harding (Oct 16, Eddie's Attic) Actually, I don't like JWH much on album, but he's pretty amazing live.
Billy Bragg (Oct 24, Roxy) Big woop! One of my faves, and I had to miss him last time because of work. I was worried I'd never get to see him.
Elvis Costello (Nov 6-7, Tabernacle) Okay, he's not solo this time. Saw him recently, but hell, he da man.
Glenn Tilbrook (Nov 17, Red Light Cafe) Saw him recently, too, but there is no one alive more entertaining. Such a small venue too. Will we still be here?
Throw in possible concerts by the Stones, BR549, Neko Case, and the Strokes, and it sure looks like my musical biorhythm is on the upswing.
Throw in possible concerts by the Stones, BR549, Neko Case, and the Strokes, and it sure looks like my musical biorhythm is on the upswing.
I'm now most of the way through A Drink With Shane MacGowan, a biography of the former Pogues front man. The man is a messed up but undeniable genius. More on that in a later blog.
What really strikes me reading it is how important group identity is (or was) in London, compared to here in the US. In the 70s at least, everyone there was either a hippie, soul boy, mod, rocker, lad, punk, or whatever, each with their own music, style of dress, haircut, etc... I mean, that sort of thing here certainly occurs here, what with gangs and cliques and such, but I think we prize individuality a lot more. On the flip side, I think fear of appearing conformist prevents us achieving some of the highs -- in achievement AND enjoyment -- that can be reached as a group.
Interesting also was his assertion that punk was the first really egalitarian youth movement to appear in England. Like, for the first time, a woman could walk down the street with six guys without being considered loose.
What really strikes me reading it is how important group identity is (or was) in London, compared to here in the US. In the 70s at least, everyone there was either a hippie, soul boy, mod, rocker, lad, punk, or whatever, each with their own music, style of dress, haircut, etc... I mean, that sort of thing here certainly occurs here, what with gangs and cliques and such, but I think we prize individuality a lot more. On the flip side, I think fear of appearing conformist prevents us achieving some of the highs -- in achievement AND enjoyment -- that can be reached as a group.
Interesting also was his assertion that punk was the first really egalitarian youth movement to appear in England. Like, for the first time, a woman could walk down the street with six guys without being considered loose.
Sunday, September 22, 2002
Last night was fun. We were at a local hangout -- the Earl -- with a bunch of people for a friend's birthday party. They have an area out front by the sidewalk where you can hang out, which was where we were when the rain started coming down, hard -- a thick, soaking rain. We were pinned against the front wall for a while before I decided to say to heck with it, and went out and did my best Fred Astaire imitation down the street and curbs. I'm sure I looked silly but I had more fun than anyone.
Correction: Marjorie has pointed out to me that I meant to say Gene Kelly, not Fred Astaire.
Today we were driving around looking for a place to eat when the same sort of rain hit us. We ended up outside a cozy little restaurant called Zoe's, but by this time the lightning was pretty fierce and we had to wait in the car for a bit. So, we found some early jazz on the radio, reclined the seats all the way, and sat there and watched the storm for ten minutes.
Correction: Marjorie has pointed out to me that I meant to say Gene Kelly, not Fred Astaire.
Today we were driving around looking for a place to eat when the same sort of rain hit us. We ended up outside a cozy little restaurant called Zoe's, but by this time the lightning was pretty fierce and we had to wait in the car for a bit. So, we found some early jazz on the radio, reclined the seats all the way, and sat there and watched the storm for ten minutes.
100 THINGS
I've added my 100 things about Marjorie to the blog. Blogging really is a self-indulgent endeavor isn't it. Oh well. If you make it through the list your either really bored or one of my best friends.
I've added my 100 things about Marjorie to the blog. Blogging really is a self-indulgent endeavor isn't it. Oh well. If you make it through the list your either really bored or one of my best friends.
Saturday, September 21, 2002
FRIDAY FIVE
1. Would you say that you're good at keeping in touch with people?
Not really. I try though. That was actually the reason we created this blog, to make it easier to keep up with our friends and family.
2. Which communication method do you usually prefer/use: e-mail, telephone, snail mail, blog comments, or meeting in person? Why?
I love e-mail. You can do it on your own time. I'm not a big phone talker, unless I'm talking to one of my close friends who live in other towns-Karen, Kristina, and Alison, I will always be happy to talk on the phone with you. Meeting in person is always the preferred method of keeping up, but alas, it's hard to do.
3. Do you have an instant messenger program? How many? Why/why not? How often do you use it?
Nope. I used to instant message Mark at work, but honestly, if I want to talk to some immediately I'll use the phone. B00ut instant messaging can be fun, especially at work.
4. Do most of your close friends live nearby or far away?
Far away, sadly. I miss you guys!!!!
5. Are you an "out of sight, out of mind" person, or do you believe that "distance makes the heart grow fonder"?
Gotta love the choice of cliches. Only a truly shallow person would forget about the people they love just because they're away. However, that said, unfortunately distance poses a real challenge to relationships. You have to really work at keeping up with people's lives. It's the little things that add up to make a life, and if you lose touch with the little things, you feel out of touch with your loved ones. Luckily, with true friends, the people who really know you, when you finally do have a chance to visit, you can typically pick up right where you left off.
1. Would you say that you're good at keeping in touch with people?
Not really. I try though. That was actually the reason we created this blog, to make it easier to keep up with our friends and family.
2. Which communication method do you usually prefer/use: e-mail, telephone, snail mail, blog comments, or meeting in person? Why?
I love e-mail. You can do it on your own time. I'm not a big phone talker, unless I'm talking to one of my close friends who live in other towns-Karen, Kristina, and Alison, I will always be happy to talk on the phone with you. Meeting in person is always the preferred method of keeping up, but alas, it's hard to do.
3. Do you have an instant messenger program? How many? Why/why not? How often do you use it?
Nope. I used to instant message Mark at work, but honestly, if I want to talk to some immediately I'll use the phone. B00ut instant messaging can be fun, especially at work.
4. Do most of your close friends live nearby or far away?
Far away, sadly. I miss you guys!!!!
5. Are you an "out of sight, out of mind" person, or do you believe that "distance makes the heart grow fonder"?
Gotta love the choice of cliches. Only a truly shallow person would forget about the people they love just because they're away. However, that said, unfortunately distance poses a real challenge to relationships. You have to really work at keeping up with people's lives. It's the little things that add up to make a life, and if you lose touch with the little things, you feel out of touch with your loved ones. Luckily, with true friends, the people who really know you, when you finally do have a chance to visit, you can typically pick up right where you left off.
Friday, September 20, 2002
Like many who blog, I've created a list of 100 things about my favorite subject, me. It's not easy to come up with that many things about yourself. Try it if you doubt me.
I just took the last pill of my oral typhoid hormone innoculation. This is the "live virus" stuff. It comes with warnings like "Do not chew! Swallow as quickly as possible!" Doesn't exactly give one a warm tummy feeling. In fact, if I start feeling a warm tummy feeling, THAT'S when I'll really start worrying.
Right now I'm listening to Mali Music, an album of music from the country of Mali compiled by and featuring Damon Albarn of Blur (and Gorillaz). Mali is a dream trip of mine, so I'd already listened to some stuff from there before this album ever came out. Malian music has a style unique from other African music, which I've been slowly learning to distinguish. The album is actually a crossover -- most of the tracks were written by Damon Albarn, though definitely in the Malian bent. I'm going to enjoy this.
For the real experience, you can actually listen to Malian radio on the net.
Right now I'm listening to Mali Music, an album of music from the country of Mali compiled by and featuring Damon Albarn of Blur (and Gorillaz). Mali is a dream trip of mine, so I'd already listened to some stuff from there before this album ever came out. Malian music has a style unique from other African music, which I've been slowly learning to distinguish. The album is actually a crossover -- most of the tracks were written by Damon Albarn, though definitely in the Malian bent. I'm going to enjoy this.
For the real experience, you can actually listen to Malian radio on the net.
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
At dinner tonight Marjorie and I were trying to come up with a term for the recent trend in movies, where the whole goal seems to be to make the user uncomfortable, by featuring good actors playing people who are a little bit nuts but still believable, putting them into uncomfortable and awkward situations, and holding the viewers faces in it until they're squirming in their seats. Films like Chuck and Buck, The Good Girl, Happiness, etc...
The best term we could come up with was cinema Solondz.
Later we went and saw a movie that was nothing of the sort. 24 Hour Party People is a dramatization of events surrounding the Manchester music scene in the late 70's through the mid-90's, particularly surrounding the bands Joy Division, New Order, and the Happy Mondays. Not bands I've ever been into, but still. Steve Coogan is superlative in the role as Tony Wilson, a TV variety-show host cum band manager/night club owner. Great nostalgic fun.
The best term we could come up with was cinema Solondz.
Later we went and saw a movie that was nothing of the sort. 24 Hour Party People is a dramatization of events surrounding the Manchester music scene in the late 70's through the mid-90's, particularly surrounding the bands Joy Division, New Order, and the Happy Mondays. Not bands I've ever been into, but still. Steve Coogan is superlative in the role as Tony Wilson, a TV variety-show host cum band manager/night club owner. Great nostalgic fun.
I SURRENDER!
I've completed all my "skills assessment" paperwork and was finally ready to send the packet when I discovered a beautiful catch-22. In order to pay the fee to process the paperwork, one needs to have either "a bank check in Australian dollars drawn by bank outside Australia that has bank clearance arrangements with an Australian bank" or "a money order issued by Australia Post" or" a bank check drawn by an Australian bank": or a "personal check drawn on an Australian bank account". So far the only bank I can find in the USA that has any "clearance arrangements with an Australian bank" is Citibank-which won't let you buy a bank check in Australian currency unless you have an account with them (we don't) and all the other options require either living in Australia or finding an Australian bank nearby...which seems to be damned near impossible (unless you live in Singapore, ironically there are several Australian banks there). So... I give up. I'm going to stop trying to muddle through all this paperwork myself and beg Mark to pay for a Migration consultant to help us. Sigh.
I've completed all my "skills assessment" paperwork and was finally ready to send the packet when I discovered a beautiful catch-22. In order to pay the fee to process the paperwork, one needs to have either "a bank check in Australian dollars drawn by bank outside Australia that has bank clearance arrangements with an Australian bank" or "a money order issued by Australia Post" or" a bank check drawn by an Australian bank": or a "personal check drawn on an Australian bank account". So far the only bank I can find in the USA that has any "clearance arrangements with an Australian bank" is Citibank-which won't let you buy a bank check in Australian currency unless you have an account with them (we don't) and all the other options require either living in Australia or finding an Australian bank nearby...which seems to be damned near impossible (unless you live in Singapore, ironically there are several Australian banks there). So... I give up. I'm going to stop trying to muddle through all this paperwork myself and beg Mark to pay for a Migration consultant to help us. Sigh.
Tuesday, September 17, 2002
I should've enjoyed tonight's Monday Night Football game more -- I'm a big Eagles fan, and I watched the game with two friends who are fans of the Redskins. The Eagles walked all over them. But it's no fun to trash talk opposing fans who are going, "We suck. We just suck."
We're all in a football pool together. Right now, I'm doing marginally better than a person flipping a coin would do, overall.
We left before the big excitement. Apparently the cops in the stands used pepper spray to break up a fight, and the game was suspended for five minutes. Viva America!
We're all in a football pool together. Right now, I'm doing marginally better than a person flipping a coin would do, overall.
We left before the big excitement. Apparently the cops in the stands used pepper spray to break up a fight, and the game was suspended for five minutes. Viva America!
It strikes me that I wasted yesterday. No new experiences and basically nothing accomplished besides some little things around the house. I hate when I do that. You only get so many days, you know?
Last night at dinner a friend made a comment on something that struck me as odd, too. Whatever happened to the story about the three guys who locked themselves in the plane bathroom? It was probably nothing, but it was certainly a more serious deal than that Florida nonsense that's been all over the news, Chicken Little style, for the past few days. It almost seems like the former story was squelched. I can find no follow-up articles anywhere. Strange.
Last night at dinner a friend made a comment on something that struck me as odd, too. Whatever happened to the story about the three guys who locked themselves in the plane bathroom? It was probably nothing, but it was certainly a more serious deal than that Florida nonsense that's been all over the news, Chicken Little style, for the past few days. It almost seems like the former story was squelched. I can find no follow-up articles anywhere. Strange.
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Always take the weather with you
It looks like we will not be going camping again this weekend due to a forecast of rain for the next few days. Oh well, maybe we can try again next weekend.
Today I'm trying to finalize all the paperwork to send in my job skills assessment to the Australian teacher assessment people. It's amazing how much information they want. What's even more amazing is that I was able to locate paperwork from the last five years. It's more than helpful that my father is a tax accountant and has a lot of my information on file at his business, thankfully. Otherwise I would have had to call my former employers and beg them to write a letter stating that I worked for them at one time, and I'd rather not. Anyhow, on Monday (hopefully) I'm going to put this stuff in the mail and get the process started, which makes me feel like I have at least a little bit of control over our future, even if I can't make it happen as quickly as I'd like it to.
It looks like we will not be going camping again this weekend due to a forecast of rain for the next few days. Oh well, maybe we can try again next weekend.
Today I'm trying to finalize all the paperwork to send in my job skills assessment to the Australian teacher assessment people. It's amazing how much information they want. What's even more amazing is that I was able to locate paperwork from the last five years. It's more than helpful that my father is a tax accountant and has a lot of my information on file at his business, thankfully. Otherwise I would have had to call my former employers and beg them to write a letter stating that I worked for them at one time, and I'd rather not. Anyhow, on Monday (hopefully) I'm going to put this stuff in the mail and get the process started, which makes me feel like I have at least a little bit of control over our future, even if I can't make it happen as quickly as I'd like it to.
Saturday, September 14, 2002
Friday! And I'm actually working this week, so I can almost appreciate Friday for all its implied freedom. Because it's Friday, I was going to do the "Friday Five" but the questions bored me (about school, what you liked and didn't) so I'm skipping it.
All in all a rather interesting week. Creepy, in lots of respects. Speaking of creepy, I did an assessment today in the filthiest house I've ever seen, really, no exaggeration, and I have a high gross-out factor. For those of you who care about what I do, I provide assessments to babies and toddlers from birth to 3 years old, in order to determine if, based on a standardized test, they are exhibiting any developmental delays in the following areas: communication, cognition, fine/gross motor, adaptive behavior, and social/emotional skills. Sometimes I go to people houses to do the assessment, today was one of those days, and this house was soooooooo gross! There were roaches everywhere, climbing all over the walls, furniture, and I imagined, me. Plus the little guy I was there to assess was only partially dressed running around in just a diaper, plus he didn't seem very fresh if you catch my drift. But lucky for me, he was really affectionate and wanted to climb all over my lap, give me hugs, the like. Poor fellow, it wasn't his fault he and his home were filthy. The mom there didn't even seem to notice the bugs....but she didn't seem very clued into much honestly. Ah the joys of working with the public! Honestly though, I love my job, and I've missed it lately so it's nice to be back at work even if it's only temporary. Anyone know of any Early Intervention jobs in Singapore or Australia? I'm a great employee! Sigh.
I've rescued Beau for the night. He's one of my parents dogs, and is currently in deep shit at home for raiding the garbage again. He'd been locked out of the house all day, restricted to the yard, which for him is serious punishment because he and his sister Sadie are extremely spoiled and have a doggie door so they can go in and out, and in and out, and in and out of the house all day at whim. He's so bad, but I love him. He's the smartest dog I've ever known, but he's lazy, a classic underachiever. His sister on the other hand is the classic type A dog personality. Even though she's almost 20 pounds lighter than Beau, she's the Alpha. Beau's a definite Beta dog 'cause he's such a slacker. Mark tolerates both the dogs, but doesn't exactly like them. I'm sure he'll be thrilled to see Beau's come for a visit ;^)
All in all a rather interesting week. Creepy, in lots of respects. Speaking of creepy, I did an assessment today in the filthiest house I've ever seen, really, no exaggeration, and I have a high gross-out factor. For those of you who care about what I do, I provide assessments to babies and toddlers from birth to 3 years old, in order to determine if, based on a standardized test, they are exhibiting any developmental delays in the following areas: communication, cognition, fine/gross motor, adaptive behavior, and social/emotional skills. Sometimes I go to people houses to do the assessment, today was one of those days, and this house was soooooooo gross! There were roaches everywhere, climbing all over the walls, furniture, and I imagined, me. Plus the little guy I was there to assess was only partially dressed running around in just a diaper, plus he didn't seem very fresh if you catch my drift. But lucky for me, he was really affectionate and wanted to climb all over my lap, give me hugs, the like. Poor fellow, it wasn't his fault he and his home were filthy. The mom there didn't even seem to notice the bugs....but she didn't seem very clued into much honestly. Ah the joys of working with the public! Honestly though, I love my job, and I've missed it lately so it's nice to be back at work even if it's only temporary. Anyone know of any Early Intervention jobs in Singapore or Australia? I'm a great employee! Sigh.
I've rescued Beau for the night. He's one of my parents dogs, and is currently in deep shit at home for raiding the garbage again. He'd been locked out of the house all day, restricted to the yard, which for him is serious punishment because he and his sister Sadie are extremely spoiled and have a doggie door so they can go in and out, and in and out, and in and out of the house all day at whim. He's so bad, but I love him. He's the smartest dog I've ever known, but he's lazy, a classic underachiever. His sister on the other hand is the classic type A dog personality. Even though she's almost 20 pounds lighter than Beau, she's the Alpha. Beau's a definite Beta dog 'cause he's such a slacker. Mark tolerates both the dogs, but doesn't exactly like them. I'm sure he'll be thrilled to see Beau's come for a visit ;^)
It has occurred to me that there is a problem with this whole blog thing. Not with the blog-as-disposable-entertainment, which it's fine for, but more in the blog-as-personal-diary arena. I don't know about you, but I'm hoping someday to look back and read this thing as I would a personal journal written down on paper. The problem is, all the links we post here will eventually go bad. I mean, say I tell you that this is a cute site, and I really like this one and this one and this one, and I even submitted this and this and this. Ten years down the line, I'll have no idea what I was talking about, because the site I'm linking to will likely have gone tits up.
I'm not sure what the solution is. There's obviously a need to archive the pages, but you can't really rely on the Wayback Machine to get the page you linked to, especially if it's something ephemeral like a news story. A DIY archive mechanism is needed. But I don't want to link to my local copy until the original link goes bad, because I'd prefer to refer people to a dynamically changing site rather than my static archive.
There's a product idea in this, I suspect. Think, self, think...
I'm not sure what the solution is. There's obviously a need to archive the pages, but you can't really rely on the Wayback Machine to get the page you linked to, especially if it's something ephemeral like a news story. A DIY archive mechanism is needed. But I don't want to link to my local copy until the original link goes bad, because I'd prefer to refer people to a dynamically changing site rather than my static archive.
There's a product idea in this, I suspect. Think, self, think...
Friday, September 13, 2002
Well, we made it through the anniversary, with only a few minor incidents. I'm grateful for how normal it seemed in most respects. Still, 9/11 is going to be a nerve-wracking day for the rest of our lives.
You can bet that numerologists are going to have a field day with this. Why, it's the biggest coincidence since Lou Gherig came down with Lou Gherig's disease.
You can bet that numerologists are going to have a field day with this. Why, it's the biggest coincidence since Lou Gherig came down with Lou Gherig's disease.
Thursday, September 12, 2002
I was going to prattle on today, but perhaps a more subdued tone is more appropriate. The truth is I'm kind of numb to everything, and I'm a little ashamed about that. My cynicism towards our government is running higher now than at any point this side of my high school everything-is-fascist days. I believe almost nothing they say. And I believe last year's tragic events are being used to promote other agendas.
But this should not be a day for finger pointing. Stay safe today. Grieve in your own way. And let those that lost so much at least serve as a reminder to be thankful for what we have.
But this should not be a day for finger pointing. Stay safe today. Grieve in your own way. And let those that lost so much at least serve as a reminder to be thankful for what we have.
Wednesday, September 11, 2002
HIGH ALERT
We (the USA) are on "stage orange high alert", due to "credible information" about a possible terrorist attack. The most likely targets, in their estimation, are American embassies and military targets in Asia. Scary, especially as we actively pursue a move to S'pore, but honestly not surprising. There's been radical/fundamentalist muslim groups actively wreaking havoc on that part of the world (particularly the Philippines and Indonesia) for some time now. Still it's a little daunting.
I guess we can only hope for nothing to happen. Anywhere.
We (the USA) are on "stage orange high alert", due to "credible information" about a possible terrorist attack. The most likely targets, in their estimation, are American embassies and military targets in Asia. Scary, especially as we actively pursue a move to S'pore, but honestly not surprising. There's been radical/fundamentalist muslim groups actively wreaking havoc on that part of the world (particularly the Philippines and Indonesia) for some time now. Still it's a little daunting.
I guess we can only hope for nothing to happen. Anywhere.
I suspect every blog in existence will have a special 9/11 entry containing reflections on last year's tragedy. I'll start mine a day early with a straight description of my experiences on that fateful day, while I gather my thoughts for tomorrow's inevitable opinion piece.
I heard the phone ring twice while I was in the shower. The third time it rang I was able to answer. It was Marjorie, telling me to turn on my TV, and omigod can you believe it. Like everyone else I'm sure, I spent a long time staring in disbelief.
The drive to work was of course spent listening to the news. When I arrived at work, everybody was in the cafeteria watching the TV, in an eery silence. We all had to eventually trickle back to our desks, but we took every chance to check back with the TV, or at least surf news sites. I remember most of the major ones were offline, just from the sheer volume of hits.
I remember doing some work, but everyone was having a difficult time concentrating. A rumor began spreading that President Bush was going to be heading into Dobbins Air Force Base, which was right near us. This was the excuse that everyone needed, and most people bolted, out of fear of getting stuck in traffic while blocked off for a presidential motorcade. I stayed a while longer, though.
Marjorie and I watched TV long into the night, and pretty much solid for several days after, when we weren't at work. I remember a point a few days after where I had to just get up and pointedly turn off the set. It was just time to start thinking about something else. Marjorie thanked me.
For posterity, I want to try and describe a feeling I had in the days following, a feeling I have lost now. It was the apprehension that hit you whenever a plane flew overhead (once flights were resumed), or even just being outside. It was like, the sky was a roof that could collapse on you. And the airplane, which had always symbolized to me this wonderful freedom to be able to explore the world, had suddenly lost its innocence, like a longtime companion lapdog that one day decides to maul your hand. For good or ill, this feeling is gone now.
I heard the phone ring twice while I was in the shower. The third time it rang I was able to answer. It was Marjorie, telling me to turn on my TV, and omigod can you believe it. Like everyone else I'm sure, I spent a long time staring in disbelief.
The drive to work was of course spent listening to the news. When I arrived at work, everybody was in the cafeteria watching the TV, in an eery silence. We all had to eventually trickle back to our desks, but we took every chance to check back with the TV, or at least surf news sites. I remember most of the major ones were offline, just from the sheer volume of hits.
I remember doing some work, but everyone was having a difficult time concentrating. A rumor began spreading that President Bush was going to be heading into Dobbins Air Force Base, which was right near us. This was the excuse that everyone needed, and most people bolted, out of fear of getting stuck in traffic while blocked off for a presidential motorcade. I stayed a while longer, though.
Marjorie and I watched TV long into the night, and pretty much solid for several days after, when we weren't at work. I remember a point a few days after where I had to just get up and pointedly turn off the set. It was just time to start thinking about something else. Marjorie thanked me.
For posterity, I want to try and describe a feeling I had in the days following, a feeling I have lost now. It was the apprehension that hit you whenever a plane flew overhead (once flights were resumed), or even just being outside. It was like, the sky was a roof that could collapse on you. And the airplane, which had always symbolized to me this wonderful freedom to be able to explore the world, had suddenly lost its innocence, like a longtime companion lapdog that one day decides to maul your hand. For good or ill, this feeling is gone now.
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Forgot to mention, today's Singapore news is, not surprisingly, more non-news. The contract is being renegotiated, so our chances are still alive. I'll keep reminding myself that that's a good thing that it's a "maybe" instead of a "no". Sometimes it feels like we aren't any closer to our goal, though, and that sucks.
WASTOID
I'm really starting to crave more structure in my life. I have an offer to go back to my old job, but typical of bureaucracies, it's taking forever to get the paperwork signed by all the powers that be so I can actually work. Due to the limbo that is our life, all structure is fading away-I can't pack because we don't know when we're leaving, but I'm not working. So instead I'm sleeping late, watching too much t.v., basically being a loser. Oh well.
This weekend was fun. Mark decided that he should go to Backstreets (the local 24 hour gay dance club) before leaving Atlanta, and so, not wanting to deny him an experience, I agreed. We spent Saturday night going out to several clubs we never frequent, but it was a blast. Backstreets is still a freak show, but not quite as wild as it used to be. Apparently either the city of Atlanta or the State of Georgia have cracked down on them so they are no longer able to sell quite as interesting a variety of "novelties" as they used to, now nipple clamps are about as racy as they get. Overall, the whole night was the best time we've had in ages so I think we're going to try to shake up the local routine a little more often and squeeze all the life out of our time in Atlanta while we're still here.
I'm really starting to crave more structure in my life. I have an offer to go back to my old job, but typical of bureaucracies, it's taking forever to get the paperwork signed by all the powers that be so I can actually work. Due to the limbo that is our life, all structure is fading away-I can't pack because we don't know when we're leaving, but I'm not working. So instead I'm sleeping late, watching too much t.v., basically being a loser. Oh well.
This weekend was fun. Mark decided that he should go to Backstreets (the local 24 hour gay dance club) before leaving Atlanta, and so, not wanting to deny him an experience, I agreed. We spent Saturday night going out to several clubs we never frequent, but it was a blast. Backstreets is still a freak show, but not quite as wild as it used to be. Apparently either the city of Atlanta or the State of Georgia have cracked down on them so they are no longer able to sell quite as interesting a variety of "novelties" as they used to, now nipple clamps are about as racy as they get. Overall, the whole night was the best time we've had in ages so I think we're going to try to shake up the local routine a little more often and squeeze all the life out of our time in Atlanta while we're still here.
I would've gone to this, but I had more important things to do. Besides, my Vans are kind of scuffed up right now.
Monday, September 09, 2002
Last night was a night for excess. We went to an Atlanta landmark and haven for 24-hour debauchery, Backstreets, until the wee, wee hours. The clientele there is predominantly gay; they even have a drag show we caught part of. It was a great time. I even danced for the first time in years.
I must put out an exceedingly straight vibe -- I've never been hit on by a man, and last night was no exception. It's been going on like that so long that there's a running joke that I have to buy a drink for the first gay man who hits on me. Marjorie was the recipient of a clumsy come-on -- from a man -- right in front of me, though.
Today was all about recovery. We both were feeling crapulent as heck all day. I love that crapulent is an actual word.
I must put out an exceedingly straight vibe -- I've never been hit on by a man, and last night was no exception. It's been going on like that so long that there's a running joke that I have to buy a drink for the first gay man who hits on me. Marjorie was the recipient of a clumsy come-on -- from a man -- right in front of me, though.
Today was all about recovery. We both were feeling crapulent as heck all day. I love that crapulent is an actual word.
Sunday, September 08, 2002
I had a dream last night, which I won't relate to you, because other people's dreams are typically boring. Suffice it to say it involved a supermarket, a kid from my elementary school, and me getting shot through the leg. What was strange about it was that I remember thinking, during the dream, that I would really have something good to blog about today. How sad is that?
Saturday, September 07, 2002
SURVEY SAYS
The Friday Five: (found at fridayfive.org)
1. What is your biggest pet peeve? Why? Hmm. I hate it when people tailgate, and I don't know if this counts as a "pet peeve" but when some strange man leers at me, or has the nerve to make some comment to me it pisses me off beyond belief.
2. What irritating habits do you have? I sometimes (often) respond to what people are saying before they've finished talking. I'm too impulsive, I get excited, what can I say? I'm also an annoying car passenger. Driving scares me, so I tend to be the overly anxious passenger. (sorry Mark).
3. Have you tried to change the irritating habits or just let them be? I've definitely tried to work on my irritating habits, particularly trying to not interrupt people, and trying to be a better listener.
4. What grosses you out more than anything else? Why? I have a pretty high tolerance for disgusting things, I work with special needs kids so this is a must. However, any other person's body fluids coming into contact with any part of me tops the list, for fairly obvious reasons.
5. What one thing can you never see yourself doing that other people do? I don't know. There are lots of gross things I don't do, but truthfully I'm sure I have my fair share of irritating and nasty habits. I'd love to say I'll never pick my nose while driving my car, but we all know that's not true ;^)
The Friday Five: (found at fridayfive.org)
1. What is your biggest pet peeve? Why? Hmm. I hate it when people tailgate, and I don't know if this counts as a "pet peeve" but when some strange man leers at me, or has the nerve to make some comment to me it pisses me off beyond belief.
2. What irritating habits do you have? I sometimes (often) respond to what people are saying before they've finished talking. I'm too impulsive, I get excited, what can I say? I'm also an annoying car passenger. Driving scares me, so I tend to be the overly anxious passenger. (sorry Mark).
3. Have you tried to change the irritating habits or just let them be? I've definitely tried to work on my irritating habits, particularly trying to not interrupt people, and trying to be a better listener.
4. What grosses you out more than anything else? Why? I have a pretty high tolerance for disgusting things, I work with special needs kids so this is a must. However, any other person's body fluids coming into contact with any part of me tops the list, for fairly obvious reasons.
5. What one thing can you never see yourself doing that other people do? I don't know. There are lots of gross things I don't do, but truthfully I'm sure I have my fair share of irritating and nasty habits. I'd love to say I'll never pick my nose while driving my car, but we all know that's not true ;^)
We're going to try to camp this weekend up the road a spell, along the border of Georgia and South Carolina. Now, camping to us typically means a hotel without cable TV. We've almost gone real camping together on several occasions in the past, but something in our collective subconcious has always managed to find an excuse not to. Whether it was cowardice or deep-seated wisdom remains to be seen.
It is probably worth noting that the place we're going, Tallulah Gorge, was where Deliverance was filmed.
By the way, the archives over to the left appear to be fixed, so you can now browse this blog back to the berry beginning.
It is probably worth noting that the place we're going, Tallulah Gorge, was where Deliverance was filmed.
By the way, the archives over to the left appear to be fixed, so you can now browse this blog back to the berry beginning.
Friday, September 06, 2002
I have vowed to myself that if we end up in Singapore or Hong Kong, I'm going to learn to speak Chinese. Now, I got by in school pretty good by figuring out shortcuts to learning -- for instance, you can get by in physics pretty well just by learning to plug values into equations and grinding out the results. Learning a language can be frustrating to me because there aren't many shortcuts to learning short of sheer rote memorization. And now I just found this page, which has some daunting statistics about the language. Most depressing: "A Chinese child learns about 2,000 characters by the time he is ten, but it takes two or three times as many to be able to read a newspaper or novel." Yikes.
Still, I'm going to try. I can't decide whether to shoot for Cantonese (spoken by residents of Hong Kong and most Chinese in the US) or Mandarin (considered the lingua franca and spoken by two thirds of the Chinese population). There are several other dialects, spoken by tens of millions, that I'm not going to touch. Coming from the US, it's hard to fathom how a country can get by with that much disparity.
Of course, if we end up in Australia, I'll be able to speak to the natives pretty well, thanks to those Fosters commercials.
While on the subject, one thing we found hilarious while in Singapore last year was the signs that were up everywhere hawking the government-sponsored Speak Good English Movement. Note that that does not say the "Speak English Well Movement". There doesn't seem to be any of the widespread guffawing and derision there that I would expect from such a mistake, so they apparently have a long way to go.
Still, I'm going to try. I can't decide whether to shoot for Cantonese (spoken by residents of Hong Kong and most Chinese in the US) or Mandarin (considered the lingua franca and spoken by two thirds of the Chinese population). There are several other dialects, spoken by tens of millions, that I'm not going to touch. Coming from the US, it's hard to fathom how a country can get by with that much disparity.
Of course, if we end up in Australia, I'll be able to speak to the natives pretty well, thanks to those Fosters commercials.
While on the subject, one thing we found hilarious while in Singapore last year was the signs that were up everywhere hawking the government-sponsored Speak Good English Movement. Note that that does not say the "Speak English Well Movement". There doesn't seem to be any of the widespread guffawing and derision there that I would expect from such a mistake, so they apparently have a long way to go.
Thursday, September 05, 2002
She's like L.A., she has style but no culture...
I feel the blog is becoming too personal, and not anecdotal enough. blah blah blog. Anyway. This is a poem I wrote years and years ago when I was filled with angst.
For Sherrianne and Sputnik:
Where are you, my friend
who's flown off like that dog in space
and left me with the pedestrians
to solve this puzzle on my own.
I would have come to comfort you,
if I'd known, if they'd told me.
Instead I struggle with your memory,
knowing, not knowing, that the lack of oxygen is killing you.
I feel the blog is becoming too personal, and not anecdotal enough. blah blah blog. Anyway. This is a poem I wrote years and years ago when I was filled with angst.
For Sherrianne and Sputnik:
Where are you, my friend
who's flown off like that dog in space
and left me with the pedestrians
to solve this puzzle on my own.
I would have come to comfort you,
if I'd known, if they'd told me.
Instead I struggle with your memory,
knowing, not knowing, that the lack of oxygen is killing you.
NO! NO! NO!
I was just looking at the application form for immigrating to Australia, trying to straighten out the paperwork and get the process started and I realized that we both need to have our job skills assessed by the Australian powers that be.This means we need to tack on another 3 months (at least) to the all ready excruciatingly long migration process (9-12months)!!! AHH!!!! This is sooooo hard. I'm so ready to go, ANYWHERE. I've all ready quit my job (and gone back, sort of, I'm not working yet, supposed to happen this week, but...), we've sold a lot of our furniture, we've all ready got some of our stuff packed and boxes are spread all over the house, and we may not be going anywhere for 12 months!!! I know in the grand scheme of things this does not qualify as a "real" problem; we both have jobs, we have family and friends that care about us, we have jobs and money, but still it's a test of patience. It's like being at the start of a race, ready to run, with numerous false starts that exhaust you and deteriorate your confidence. Maybe I'm being overdramatic.
I was just looking at the application form for immigrating to Australia, trying to straighten out the paperwork and get the process started and I realized that we both need to have our job skills assessed by the Australian powers that be.This means we need to tack on another 3 months (at least) to the all ready excruciatingly long migration process (9-12months)!!! AHH!!!! This is sooooo hard. I'm so ready to go, ANYWHERE. I've all ready quit my job (and gone back, sort of, I'm not working yet, supposed to happen this week, but...), we've sold a lot of our furniture, we've all ready got some of our stuff packed and boxes are spread all over the house, and we may not be going anywhere for 12 months!!! I know in the grand scheme of things this does not qualify as a "real" problem; we both have jobs, we have family and friends that care about us, we have jobs and money, but still it's a test of patience. It's like being at the start of a race, ready to run, with numerous false starts that exhaust you and deteriorate your confidence. Maybe I'm being overdramatic.
REUNITED
Yesterday rocked. My friend Alison came into Atlanta for a brief visit home (she lives in Portland, OR). We spent the whole day running around, getting coffee, going to the High Museum to see the Jacob Lawrence exhibit, it was great. I'm pretty fortunate to have a lot of social acquaintances here, people we see at parties and go out to bars with, but most of my best friends live in other cities now. It was soooo great to visit with one of my best friends, and be able to say anything without fear of being judged or misunderstood. Alison mentioned the idea of planning a "reunion" vacation every year, this sounds like a fantastic idea to me-the last time I had all my best friends together in one place was at our wedding, and it was fantastic. So, maybe Hawaii in May 2003?
Yesterday rocked. My friend Alison came into Atlanta for a brief visit home (she lives in Portland, OR). We spent the whole day running around, getting coffee, going to the High Museum to see the Jacob Lawrence exhibit, it was great. I'm pretty fortunate to have a lot of social acquaintances here, people we see at parties and go out to bars with, but most of my best friends live in other cities now. It was soooo great to visit with one of my best friends, and be able to say anything without fear of being judged or misunderstood. Alison mentioned the idea of planning a "reunion" vacation every year, this sounds like a fantastic idea to me-the last time I had all my best friends together in one place was at our wedding, and it was fantastic. So, maybe Hawaii in May 2003?
Bummer
I've been downloading MP3s for a while now, and it always bothered me how often you find that they're inconsistently labelled or contain wrong information. I'd been working on a piece of software that does a sort of mass fix-up on MP3 files, and would also rename the file itself in a consistent manner. Now I find that someone has already made a product that does almost exactly what I was hoping for. Mine would still be better in some ways, so I may still continue, but it's taken the wind out of my sails a little bit...
I've been downloading MP3s for a while now, and it always bothered me how often you find that they're inconsistently labelled or contain wrong information. I'd been working on a piece of software that does a sort of mass fix-up on MP3 files, and would also rename the file itself in a consistent manner. Now I find that someone has already made a product that does almost exactly what I was hoping for. Mine would still be better in some ways, so I may still continue, but it's taken the wind out of my sails a little bit...
Wednesday, September 04, 2002
Prediction
In five years every new car will come equipped with multiple cameras. Not so that the authorities can watch you, but so that you can watch the authorities and other drivers. The cameras would record what's ahead and behind and to the sides of you, and possibly even inside the car. For instance, a cow orker just got pulled over for rolling through a stop sign, despite the fact that his car rocked back when he stopped (he says). Imagine if he had it all on film, including the interaction with the officer; he would have saved himself a ticket. (Mi amigo Mike also just had an encounter I'd love to see footage of.) It would also be useful for absolving yourself of guilt in accidents, and for recording break-ins and vandalism. There's at least a dozen times in my life I can think of where this would have been great. Digital cameras are cheap, and are what makes it all now feasible -- you'd only have to store the last five minutes or so of what was happening around you.
In five years every new car will come equipped with multiple cameras. Not so that the authorities can watch you, but so that you can watch the authorities and other drivers. The cameras would record what's ahead and behind and to the sides of you, and possibly even inside the car. For instance, a cow orker just got pulled over for rolling through a stop sign, despite the fact that his car rocked back when he stopped (he says). Imagine if he had it all on film, including the interaction with the officer; he would have saved himself a ticket. (Mi amigo Mike also just had an encounter I'd love to see footage of.) It would also be useful for absolving yourself of guilt in accidents, and for recording break-ins and vandalism. There's at least a dozen times in my life I can think of where this would have been great. Digital cameras are cheap, and are what makes it all now feasible -- you'd only have to store the last five minutes or so of what was happening around you.
Tuesday, September 03, 2002
GROUNDED
We both made it home safely. Whew. I become rather paranoid when Mark flies without me (as if somehow my presence will protect him).
Both trips went rather well. Being in Fayetteville is such an odd, bittersweet, experience now. I have so many memories attached to every street, every landmark. It's a shame I didn't look up any old college friends who might still be there, but I didn't feel I had enough time, and I was there to see my niece.
Mark seemed to have a great visit with his folks. His mother very sweetly started a scrapbook for our wedding pictures and paraphernalia, which is something I had planned on doing, but hadn't gotten around to yet. The cover is a watercolor she painted of the location of our wedding ceremony. Really a very nice sentiment.
We both made it home safely. Whew. I become rather paranoid when Mark flies without me (as if somehow my presence will protect him).
Both trips went rather well. Being in Fayetteville is such an odd, bittersweet, experience now. I have so many memories attached to every street, every landmark. It's a shame I didn't look up any old college friends who might still be there, but I didn't feel I had enough time, and I was there to see my niece.
Mark seemed to have a great visit with his folks. His mother very sweetly started a scrapbook for our wedding pictures and paraphernalia, which is something I had planned on doing, but hadn't gotten around to yet. The cover is a watercolor she painted of the location of our wedding ceremony. Really a very nice sentiment.
Back from Florida. I guess I'll have to come to terms with the fact that every flight into or out of Orlando will be filled with screaming kids. It was a good visit though.
From the utterly useless trivia file: Found out this weekend that my godmother (who I haven't seen in decades) used to date Michael Landon. How far from Kevin Bacon does that put me?
From the utterly useless trivia file: Found out this weekend that my godmother (who I haven't seen in decades) used to date Michael Landon. How far from Kevin Bacon does that put me?
Monday, September 02, 2002
Nature boy
Started the day off feeding manatees off my parent's dock. Manatees will come up when they hear water from a hose, for a drink of fresh water. The situation looks something like this. There were three of them -- two big ones and a baby. They wouldn't come up while I was standing there holding the hose, though, like in past visits; I guess it's a good thing that they're more scared of humans. Still, any day where you feed a manatee is a good day in my book.
Then we took a brief sail on my parents' sailboat. I asked my dad, "Do you ever have dolphins follow you out here?" "Sure," he said. Just then I spotted one over his shoulder, and a minute later, it was beside the boat checking us out.
We ran out of wind, and had to go back in under power. On the way back in there were four more dolphins, which were kicking up big waves as they chased fish. Other wildlife spotted today: two ospreys, many cormorants, many pelicans, many seagulls, some least terns, a great blue heron, and some smaller heron.
Started the day off feeding manatees off my parent's dock. Manatees will come up when they hear water from a hose, for a drink of fresh water. The situation looks something like this. There were three of them -- two big ones and a baby. They wouldn't come up while I was standing there holding the hose, though, like in past visits; I guess it's a good thing that they're more scared of humans. Still, any day where you feed a manatee is a good day in my book.
Then we took a brief sail on my parents' sailboat. I asked my dad, "Do you ever have dolphins follow you out here?" "Sure," he said. Just then I spotted one over his shoulder, and a minute later, it was beside the boat checking us out.
We ran out of wind, and had to go back in under power. On the way back in there were four more dolphins, which were kicking up big waves as they chased fish. Other wildlife spotted today: two ospreys, many cormorants, many pelicans, many seagulls, some least terns, a great blue heron, and some smaller heron.
Sunday, September 01, 2002
Checking in from Cocoa Beach
Down to see the parental units. Was hoping to see my new nephew, but their whole family is sick, so they won't be making the drive up from Ft. Lauderdale. 'Scool, though -- still nice to be here.
For dinner, my parents invited over some friends of theirs who have traveled the world by sailboat. They met when he sailed into Fiji; he's American, she's Australian. In fact, she was working for the Australian embassy when they met -- so it was very nice to meet them! They brought along pictures of their boating adventure which started in Australia, and went through Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Middle East. It was a nice reminder of why we're going to move! My wanderlust is back with a vengeance.
Down to see the parental units. Was hoping to see my new nephew, but their whole family is sick, so they won't be making the drive up from Ft. Lauderdale. 'Scool, though -- still nice to be here.
For dinner, my parents invited over some friends of theirs who have traveled the world by sailboat. They met when he sailed into Fiji; he's American, she's Australian. In fact, she was working for the Australian embassy when they met -- so it was very nice to meet them! They brought along pictures of their boating adventure which started in Australia, and went through Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Middle East. It was a nice reminder of why we're going to move! My wanderlust is back with a vengeance.
ONE WAY OKAY
Mark and I made it safely to our destinations. He's in Florida. I'm in Arkansas. It's strange to be back here. The University of Arkansas @ Fayetteville is where I got my undergraduate degree. I haven't been here in ten years, but it's still pretty much the same, more stripmalls, a few more buildings on campus, but pretty much the same. I'm glad I left when I did, but I still have strong feelings of nostaglia for this place. Driving around this morning, every street is associated with a different memory. College was so much fun, atleast undergrad was, grad school kinda sucked.
I'm enjoying visiting with my neice. Katie's a cutie, and a pretty easy going baby, but still 24 hour baby exposure solidifies my confidence that Mark and I made the right decision (not having any).
Mark and I made it safely to our destinations. He's in Florida. I'm in Arkansas. It's strange to be back here. The University of Arkansas @ Fayetteville is where I got my undergraduate degree. I haven't been here in ten years, but it's still pretty much the same, more stripmalls, a few more buildings on campus, but pretty much the same. I'm glad I left when I did, but I still have strong feelings of nostaglia for this place. Driving around this morning, every street is associated with a different memory. College was so much fun, atleast undergrad was, grad school kinda sucked.
I'm enjoying visiting with my neice. Katie's a cutie, and a pretty easy going baby, but still 24 hour baby exposure solidifies my confidence that Mark and I made the right decision (not having any).
Saturday, August 31, 2002
We don't care. We don't have to. We're the phone company.
I was wondering why my stripped-down home phone was still costing me so much per month (about $45). So I examined the bill, and realized that they've been charging me $4.75 a month for the b.s. Inside Wire Maintenance Service Plan. It was labelled as "optional" but I sure as heck don't ever remember requesting such a service. It's useless if you're only renting. Anyway, after a half an hour of navigating the byzantine BellSouth service phone menus, it's gone...
Hmmm, I thought I had cancelled my long distance carrier on my home line too. But then I see they're still charging me for MCI's PrimeTime Friends and Family plan. So I call MCI to cancel. They put me on hold for a half an hour. Finally I talk to someone, who transfers me to the automated cancellation line. (Gee, they could allow someone to go to an automated line automatically, but that would be too easy). On the automated line they ask me if I've already chosen another carrier through my residential phone service. I select "no", because I'm not switching, I'm canceling. The automated voice tells me that to cancel my long distance through MCI, I must first choose another carrier through my local service -- "Goodbye". Dial tone. Rrrrrrrr...
I call back. Another half hour wait. My ear is sweaty. Finally I tell the operator about the dilemma in their cancellation menu. This time they try to sell me on a new option -- no monthly fee, $0.35 connection plus $0.07/minute for long distance. I tell her no, just cancel the damn thing. She says okay, but you'll have to go though the cancellation menu. "Now, it's going to hang up on you if you answer 'no' to that question..." "So I should say 'yes'?" She laughs. "I can't officially counsel you to do that, but..." "Gotcha. Let's do it." I wait another minute. Instead of the cancellation menu, she comes back on, to ask me if I want to switch to their local service! No thanks, I'm fine with BellSouth. But, having had a few minutes to think, I tell her I want to go with the $0.35 connection/$0.07 per minute option. If we never use it, it costs nothing. You can bet I'll be examining next month's bill with a magnifying glass, though.
I was wondering why my stripped-down home phone was still costing me so much per month (about $45). So I examined the bill, and realized that they've been charging me $4.75 a month for the b.s. Inside Wire Maintenance Service Plan. It was labelled as "optional" but I sure as heck don't ever remember requesting such a service. It's useless if you're only renting. Anyway, after a half an hour of navigating the byzantine BellSouth service phone menus, it's gone...
Hmmm, I thought I had cancelled my long distance carrier on my home line too. But then I see they're still charging me for MCI's PrimeTime Friends and Family plan. So I call MCI to cancel. They put me on hold for a half an hour. Finally I talk to someone, who transfers me to the automated cancellation line. (Gee, they could allow someone to go to an automated line automatically, but that would be too easy). On the automated line they ask me if I've already chosen another carrier through my residential phone service. I select "no", because I'm not switching, I'm canceling. The automated voice tells me that to cancel my long distance through MCI, I must first choose another carrier through my local service -- "Goodbye". Dial tone. Rrrrrrrr...
I call back. Another half hour wait. My ear is sweaty. Finally I tell the operator about the dilemma in their cancellation menu. This time they try to sell me on a new option -- no monthly fee, $0.35 connection plus $0.07/minute for long distance. I tell her no, just cancel the damn thing. She says okay, but you'll have to go though the cancellation menu. "Now, it's going to hang up on you if you answer 'no' to that question..." "So I should say 'yes'?" She laughs. "I can't officially counsel you to do that, but..." "Gotcha. Let's do it." I wait another minute. Instead of the cancellation menu, she comes back on, to ask me if I want to switch to their local service! No thanks, I'm fine with BellSouth. But, having had a few minutes to think, I tell her I want to go with the $0.35 connection/$0.07 per minute option. If we never use it, it costs nothing. You can bet I'll be examining next month's bill with a magnifying glass, though.
Seems like whenever a plan begins to jell, more water gets added to the mix. Our man in Singapore has been hinting that he wants to go to Spain, and has suggested that we might want to come along as well. Marjorie could teach English while he and I looked for work. Now, Marjorie and I went to Spain a few years back and loved it, but this is quite a change to grok. We are apprehensive about the language barrier, and our ability to land a job in the now-more-restrictive EU. I suspect we're still going to pursue the original plan, but this new proposition merits consideration...
FLY AWAY
I'm going to Fayetteville, AR today, without Mark, to meet my niece, Katie. She's 5 months old now, I should have met her ages ago, but between our schedule with the wedding and now the move, and my sister's initial reluctance to fly with Katie until she had her shots, this is the first opportunity I've had. I'm excited to see her and my sister and brother-in-law, but I hate to fly alone.
Mark is going to Florida this weekend to visit his parents and sister. He's flying too, which makes me doubly nervous.
For someone who enjoys traveling, and thereby flies relatively frequently, I'm a really nervous flyer. Maybe it's the loss of control, or maybe it's the thought of hurtling through the air (or towards the ground) at 1000 miles per hour that scares me. Rationally, I know anyone's chances of dying in a car crash or random accident are much greater then the probability of dying in a plane crash, but fear is often not a rational thing.
Wish us both safe flights and a safe return home.
I'm going to Fayetteville, AR today, without Mark, to meet my niece, Katie. She's 5 months old now, I should have met her ages ago, but between our schedule with the wedding and now the move, and my sister's initial reluctance to fly with Katie until she had her shots, this is the first opportunity I've had. I'm excited to see her and my sister and brother-in-law, but I hate to fly alone.
Mark is going to Florida this weekend to visit his parents and sister. He's flying too, which makes me doubly nervous.
For someone who enjoys traveling, and thereby flies relatively frequently, I'm a really nervous flyer. Maybe it's the loss of control, or maybe it's the thought of hurtling through the air (or towards the ground) at 1000 miles per hour that scares me. Rationally, I know anyone's chances of dying in a car crash or random accident are much greater then the probability of dying in a plane crash, but fear is often not a rational thing.
Wish us both safe flights and a safe return home.
Friday, August 30, 2002
Just came across an interesting tidbit about our city, Atlanta. While reading Matt Ridley's excellent best seller Genome, I learned that most cancer cells used in laboratories can trace their way back to a woman, Henrietta Lacks, who died in 1951 of cervical cancer. They've been keeping her cancer cells -- now commonly referred to as HeLa cells -- alive since then, and replicating them. The estimated biomass of all her cells in labs around the world comes to more than 400 times what she ever weighed during her life. Atlanta has designated October 11 to be Henrietta Lacks Day. I had never heard of it or her before. Digging around a bit, I found that there are even more interesting things about this story.
COPY CAT
This is my second attempt at this blog, the first one somehow got erased. DOH!
How can I resist the survey? Hope it's not too boring to see it twice-different responses this time though!
Name the song that.....
Reminds you of an ex-friend:
Red Red Wine -- UB40
Reminds you of your childhood:
Maxwell's Silver Hammer -- The Beatles, my sister and I used to play Abbey Road constantly when I was in elementary school.
Makes you cry:
Dream # 9 -- John Lennon, such a beautiful song
Makes you laugh:
Eric the 1/2 a bee -- Monty Python
Makes you wanna dance:
Anything off Michael Jackson's "Off the Wall" album.
Reminds you of the one you want:
Like Mark, there are many. Two in particular are Waterloo Sunset by the Kinks & Into the sunset by Neil Finn
Reminds you of an ex-love:
Too many puppies -- Primus, reminds me of my college boyfriend, Dave.
Makes you very, very sleepy:
Moon River -- Johnny Mercer, this song always seemed like a lullaby to me.
You wish you wrote:
Hmm, tough one. How 'bout "I confess" by the English Beat. "I know I'm shouting, I like to shout" No wait, I think I changed my mind, I choose Rattlesnakes by Lloyd Cole "she says ohh it's so hard to love when love was your great disappointment" I love that line.
You wish had been written for you:
Oh my love -- John Lennon
Fills you with complete joy:
Ackee 123 -- The English Beat "it'll just get you laughing" and it does
You never want to hear again:
Anything by Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, The Doors, or any southern rock band.
You want to get married to:
Rainy Night In Soho -- The Pogues (which was one of our wedding songs)
You want played at your funeral:
I don't know. Really, no idea.
Makes you want to mosh/slam dance:
Orgasm Addict -- The Buzzcocks
Sums up your teenage years:
Not sure I understand the question, but the albums that most remind me of my teenage years are The Queen is Dead by the Smiths & Life's Rich Pageant by R.E.M.
You used to hate but now love:
Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys. I didn't get it, and then one day I really "heard" it, it was almost a life changing experience.
You like to wake up to:
Silence. And coffee.
You like out of your parents record collection:
The Beatles, Some Bob Dylan, Some Buddy Holly
Your parents like out of your collection:
I suspect my dad would approve of my Beach Boys and Beatles Cd's. My mom on the other hand, hmm, I really don't know.
You love that you wouldn't know about if it wasn't for a friend:
You know, I love the Strokes album, and I really resisted it because I thought there was too much hype around them, but my friend Karen made me listen and she was right, I love it.
You think of someone who died:
I have four friends who died in a car accident coming home from a Grateful Dead concert, and sometimes the Dead remind me of them.
You love the video more than the tune:
Hungry like the wolf -- Duran Duran
Reminds you of your first crush:
Sadly "Careless Whispers" by Wham.
You love which is from one of your favourite movies:
The valley girl soundtrack, the movie is a favourite BECAUSE of the soundtrack
Makes you think of the moon:
"How high the moon" not sure who wrote it, I know Chet Atkins recorded it.
Makes you think of sex:
Any Cocteau twins album.
Makes you think of being alone:
The Unforgettable fire by U2 is an album that (I think) is better for solitary listening.
You love to hear at clubs:
Hmm, it makes me happy to hear anything I like when I'm out.
I've been starved for new music lately, so today I treated myself to a few new treats. I came home with the Magnolia soundtrack (with Aimee Mann), All-Time Quarterback (with the frontman from Death Cab for Cutie), and the new Oasis album. Yes, I admit it, I like Oasis. Yes I know they're assholes, but it's a guilty pleasure.
I also bought two near pairs of geeky glasses. Go indie girl, go.
This is my second attempt at this blog, the first one somehow got erased. DOH!
How can I resist the survey? Hope it's not too boring to see it twice-different responses this time though!
Name the song that.....
Reminds you of an ex-friend:
Red Red Wine -- UB40
Reminds you of your childhood:
Maxwell's Silver Hammer -- The Beatles, my sister and I used to play Abbey Road constantly when I was in elementary school.
Makes you cry:
Dream # 9 -- John Lennon, such a beautiful song
Makes you laugh:
Eric the 1/2 a bee -- Monty Python
Makes you wanna dance:
Anything off Michael Jackson's "Off the Wall" album.
Reminds you of the one you want:
Like Mark, there are many. Two in particular are Waterloo Sunset by the Kinks & Into the sunset by Neil Finn
Reminds you of an ex-love:
Too many puppies -- Primus, reminds me of my college boyfriend, Dave.
Makes you very, very sleepy:
Moon River -- Johnny Mercer, this song always seemed like a lullaby to me.
You wish you wrote:
Hmm, tough one. How 'bout "I confess" by the English Beat. "I know I'm shouting, I like to shout" No wait, I think I changed my mind, I choose Rattlesnakes by Lloyd Cole "she says ohh it's so hard to love when love was your great disappointment" I love that line.
You wish had been written for you:
Oh my love -- John Lennon
Fills you with complete joy:
Ackee 123 -- The English Beat "it'll just get you laughing" and it does
You never want to hear again:
Anything by Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, The Doors, or any southern rock band.
You want to get married to:
Rainy Night In Soho -- The Pogues (which was one of our wedding songs)
You want played at your funeral:
I don't know. Really, no idea.
Makes you want to mosh/slam dance:
Orgasm Addict -- The Buzzcocks
Sums up your teenage years:
Not sure I understand the question, but the albums that most remind me of my teenage years are The Queen is Dead by the Smiths & Life's Rich Pageant by R.E.M.
You used to hate but now love:
Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys. I didn't get it, and then one day I really "heard" it, it was almost a life changing experience.
You like to wake up to:
Silence. And coffee.
You like out of your parents record collection:
The Beatles, Some Bob Dylan, Some Buddy Holly
Your parents like out of your collection:
I suspect my dad would approve of my Beach Boys and Beatles Cd's. My mom on the other hand, hmm, I really don't know.
You love that you wouldn't know about if it wasn't for a friend:
You know, I love the Strokes album, and I really resisted it because I thought there was too much hype around them, but my friend Karen made me listen and she was right, I love it.
You think of someone who died:
I have four friends who died in a car accident coming home from a Grateful Dead concert, and sometimes the Dead remind me of them.
You love the video more than the tune:
Hungry like the wolf -- Duran Duran
Reminds you of your first crush:
Sadly "Careless Whispers" by Wham.
You love which is from one of your favourite movies:
The valley girl soundtrack, the movie is a favourite BECAUSE of the soundtrack
Makes you think of the moon:
"How high the moon" not sure who wrote it, I know Chet Atkins recorded it.
Makes you think of sex:
Any Cocteau twins album.
Makes you think of being alone:
The Unforgettable fire by U2 is an album that (I think) is better for solitary listening.
You love to hear at clubs:
Hmm, it makes me happy to hear anything I like when I'm out.
I've been starved for new music lately, so today I treated myself to a few new treats. I came home with the Magnolia soundtrack (with Aimee Mann), All-Time Quarterback (with the frontman from Death Cab for Cutie), and the new Oasis album. Yes, I admit it, I like Oasis. Yes I know they're assholes, but it's a guilty pleasure.
I also bought two near pairs of geeky glasses. Go indie girl, go.
This is irresistible... Mi amigo Deano posted this song survey on his blog. I can't resist doing likewise...
Name the song that...
Reminds you of an ex-friend:
In A Big Country -- Big Country
Reminds you of your childhood:
Baby Elephant Walk -- ???
Makes you cry:
Closing piano theme from "The Incredible Hulk" series.
Makes you laugh:
"Czar" -- Frank Black
Makes you wanna dance:
"Beercan" -- Beck
Reminds you of the one you want:
So many... How about "Poses" -- Rufus Wainwright
Reminds you of an ex-love:
Hmmmm... Nothing comes to mind
Makes you very, very sleepy:
Nothing comes to mind here either
You wish you wrote:
"Little Palaces" -- Elvis Costello
You wish had been written for you:
"Two of Us" -- Beatles (MacCartney)
Fills you with complete joy:
"Section 2 (It's The Sun)" -- Polyphonic Spree
You never want to hear again:
"Don't You Forget About Me" -- Simple Minds
"How Soon Is Now?" -- The Smiths
You want to get married to:
"Grow Old Along With Me" -- John Lennon (hey, we DID get married to that)
You want played at your funeral:
"Anywhere I Lay My Head" -- Tom Waits. No question.
Makes you want to mosh/slam dance:
"Knock Me Down" -- Red Hot Chili Peppers
Sums up your teenage years:
"Roadhouse Blues" -- The Doors (doesn't really sum them up, but is strongly associated)
You used to hate but now love:
Any Beastie Boys song
You like to wake up to:
Nothing familiar -- anything new helps get me going
You like out of your parents record collection:
Hmmm, Ricky Lee Jones?
Your parents like out of your collection:
Maybe Chet Baker?
You love that you wouldn't know about if it wasn't for a friend:
"The Warmest Room" -- Billy Bragg
You think of someone who died:
"In A Flash" -- Ron Sexsmith (think about Jeff Buckley)
You love the video more than the tune:
Video? What's a video?
Reminds you of your first crush:
"Beat It" -- Michael Jackson
You love which is from one of your favourite movies:
Sheee, the whole Rushmore soundtrack
Makes you think of the moon:
"Man on the Moon" -- REM
Makes you think of sex:
"Give It To Me Baby" -- Rick James
Makes you think of being alone:
Aztec Camera, several songs on "High Land Hard Rain"
You love to hear at clubs:
Any Soul Coughing
In other music news, a friend brought a bootleg copy of the forthcoming Peter Gabriel album to cards last night. It sounds like a true return to form. I suspect we'll be hearing his name a lot in the coming months.
Name the song that...
Reminds you of an ex-friend:
In A Big Country -- Big Country
Reminds you of your childhood:
Baby Elephant Walk -- ???
Makes you cry:
Closing piano theme from "The Incredible Hulk" series.
Makes you laugh:
"Czar" -- Frank Black
Makes you wanna dance:
"Beercan" -- Beck
Reminds you of the one you want:
So many... How about "Poses" -- Rufus Wainwright
Reminds you of an ex-love:
Hmmmm... Nothing comes to mind
Makes you very, very sleepy:
Nothing comes to mind here either
You wish you wrote:
"Little Palaces" -- Elvis Costello
You wish had been written for you:
"Two of Us" -- Beatles (MacCartney)
Fills you with complete joy:
"Section 2 (It's The Sun)" -- Polyphonic Spree
You never want to hear again:
"Don't You Forget About Me" -- Simple Minds
"How Soon Is Now?" -- The Smiths
You want to get married to:
"Grow Old Along With Me" -- John Lennon (hey, we DID get married to that)
You want played at your funeral:
"Anywhere I Lay My Head" -- Tom Waits. No question.
Makes you want to mosh/slam dance:
"Knock Me Down" -- Red Hot Chili Peppers
Sums up your teenage years:
"Roadhouse Blues" -- The Doors (doesn't really sum them up, but is strongly associated)
You used to hate but now love:
Any Beastie Boys song
You like to wake up to:
Nothing familiar -- anything new helps get me going
You like out of your parents record collection:
Hmmm, Ricky Lee Jones?
Your parents like out of your collection:
Maybe Chet Baker?
You love that you wouldn't know about if it wasn't for a friend:
"The Warmest Room" -- Billy Bragg
You think of someone who died:
"In A Flash" -- Ron Sexsmith (think about Jeff Buckley)
You love the video more than the tune:
Video? What's a video?
Reminds you of your first crush:
"Beat It" -- Michael Jackson
You love which is from one of your favourite movies:
Sheee, the whole Rushmore soundtrack
Makes you think of the moon:
"Man on the Moon" -- REM
Makes you think of sex:
"Give It To Me Baby" -- Rick James
Makes you think of being alone:
Aztec Camera, several songs on "High Land Hard Rain"
You love to hear at clubs:
Any Soul Coughing
In other music news, a friend brought a bootleg copy of the forthcoming Peter Gabriel album to cards last night. It sounds like a true return to form. I suspect we'll be hearing his name a lot in the coming months.
Thursday, August 29, 2002
I was trying to convince a friend tonight, while playing euchre, that blogging is the wave of the future, and she couldn't understand wanting to read a stranger's blog-which on some level I understand, but in many respects reading a stranger's blog is like reading a comic strip or a book, you don't need to personally know the characters to find them amusing. So, hopefully you (the reader) are entertained by our blog, and if not, keep looking, there are lots of amusing people out there. Finding a blog you relate to is probably like finding someone you want to befriend, or someone you want to date. Not everyone will fit. Yadda yadda yadda. I've had a few drinks and now I'm just babbling.
SYMPATICO
Strangely enough, I was going to say something rather similar to Mark's entry regarding blogging and the joys of computers (and the internet in general). It's so bizarre that people are reading this thing. Even people we DONT KNOW! I myself have become a blog voyeur for many other people's blogs whom I have never met.
Strangely enough, I was going to say something rather similar to Mark's entry regarding blogging and the joys of computers (and the internet in general). It's so bizarre that people are reading this thing. Even people we DONT KNOW! I myself have become a blog voyeur for many other people's blogs whom I have never met.
On blogging
I love working in the computer industry, if only for the "gosh-wow" you experience every couple of years, when you come across a new trend or technology that is going to impact your life in some way. I can distinctly remember the joy I experienced the first time I encountered and realized the impact of each of these:
Blogs, like the one you're reading now, have to be considered the first real major web trend of the 2000's -- I just did a Google search for a particular band and seemingly half the matches it found were from people's blogs. I even saw a book in the bookstore the other day, containing a bunch of essays from people extolling the wonders and philosophical implications of blogging.
And yet, blogging as a whole seems to me to be a wholly dissatisfying trend, as far as "gosh-wow" is concerned. There'd have to be some new technology involved for me to want to include it on the above list. It's a rehash of old ideas, and is ultimately a selfish and exhibitionist endeavor. As such, it will fade out, much in the way personal web pages did. Remember when almost everyone on the net had a web page containing nothing but information about themselves? (Myself included, of course.) Would blogging even be that big a trend if someone hadn't decided that shortening "weblog" to "blog" would be a cute thing to call it?
Still, I'm enjoying (co-)creating this page, and am glad you are reading. I hope I can ride out the trend.
I love working in the computer industry, if only for the "gosh-wow" you experience every couple of years, when you come across a new trend or technology that is going to impact your life in some way. I can distinctly remember the joy I experienced the first time I encountered and realized the impact of each of these:
MP3 trading (2000)
Designing web pages (1995)
Search engines (1995)
Web surfing (1994)
Usenet (1991)
Email (1990)
Programming (1979)
Video games (1978)
Computers themselves! (1977?)
Blogs, like the one you're reading now, have to be considered the first real major web trend of the 2000's -- I just did a Google search for a particular band and seemingly half the matches it found were from people's blogs. I even saw a book in the bookstore the other day, containing a bunch of essays from people extolling the wonders and philosophical implications of blogging.
And yet, blogging as a whole seems to me to be a wholly dissatisfying trend, as far as "gosh-wow" is concerned. There'd have to be some new technology involved for me to want to include it on the above list. It's a rehash of old ideas, and is ultimately a selfish and exhibitionist endeavor. As such, it will fade out, much in the way personal web pages did. Remember when almost everyone on the net had a web page containing nothing but information about themselves? (Myself included, of course.) Would blogging even be that big a trend if someone hadn't decided that shortening "weblog" to "blog" would be a cute thing to call it?
Still, I'm enjoying (co-)creating this page, and am glad you are reading. I hope I can ride out the trend.
Wednesday, August 28, 2002
Tonight I bid good riddance to Grokster, in favor of the much nicer KaZaa Lite, to do my music swapping. It was quite a relief to exorcise the Grokster demon. Grokster is probably the fourth worst piece of software I've used, behind:
We use Lotus Notes at work -- words fail me when trying to sum it up, but here is a good start.
I miss AudioGalaxy with a purple passion.
3. Windows 98
2. Netscape Application Server
1. Lotus Notes
We use Lotus Notes at work -- words fail me when trying to sum it up, but here is a good start.
I miss AudioGalaxy with a purple passion.
FUNNY
I talked to my father today to report that I am again employed (yea!), and he asked about the character Mark's chosen as his blog emblem. I told him it was a cuttlefish to which he replied that he'd "never seen one with its clothes on before". Apparently, those white things they put in bird cages are cuttlefish bones which the birds use to sharpen their beaks. I'd never made that association before. Anyway for anyone interested you can find out more about cuttlefish here http://www.windspeed.net.au/~jenny/cuttlefish/
This is the image Mark (Red Panda) had chosen as his emblem before the cuttlefish- Mark's not quite this cute in real life, close though.
I talked to my father today to report that I am again employed (yea!), and he asked about the character Mark's chosen as his blog emblem. I told him it was a cuttlefish to which he replied that he'd "never seen one with its clothes on before". Apparently, those white things they put in bird cages are cuttlefish bones which the birds use to sharpen their beaks. I'd never made that association before. Anyway for anyone interested you can find out more about cuttlefish here http://www.windspeed.net.au/~jenny/cuttlefish/
This is the image Mark (Red Panda) had chosen as his emblem before the cuttlefish- Mark's not quite this cute in real life, close though.
IT'S SO GOOD TO BE WANTED!!
I called my old boss today to ask if she could write me a recommendation letter. She asked about the move, to which I responded that we still didn't know anything, so she offered me my old job back as an hourly, rather than full-time position. How could I say no? So, starting next week, I'm employed again. Yea!!
I called my old boss today to ask if she could write me a recommendation letter. She asked about the move, to which I responded that we still didn't know anything, so she offered me my old job back as an hourly, rather than full-time position. How could I say no? So, starting next week, I'm employed again. Yea!!
I'm feeling loquacious today
I heard recently that when you go to Hollywood, the first celebrity you see becomes your "patron celebrity", and your life has rises and falls in direct correlation to the ups and downs of that celebrity's career. If that's true, mine is Michael McKean ("Squiggy" from "Happy Days", and later of "This is Spinal Tap" and "Saturday Night Live" fame). He sat in front of me at an Elvis Costello concert at the John Anson Ford Theater. That bodes well, I guess -- I still seem to see him a lot on the telly.
Marjorie and I have never been to Hollywood together, but we saw our first celebrity together in London. Walking by a Starbucks, we looked up, and who should be sitting in the window but Henry Rollins. To this day we regret not giving him the British two-finger salute, and running off. Just because he's Henry Rollins. And because he was in a Starbucks.
About six months ago we saw REM bass player Mike Mills in a local watering hole. I regret not complimenting him on his rendition of the national anthem at a Braves game I saw a few years back. (I also recently saw Michael Stipe outside an Indian restaurant in Athens, pacing the sidewalk while listening to headphones. I think he was probably composing a vocal part or something. REM sightings are common in these parts. My friend Mike, who used to live in Athens, could regale you for hours.)
Who is your patron celebrity?
I heard recently that when you go to Hollywood, the first celebrity you see becomes your "patron celebrity", and your life has rises and falls in direct correlation to the ups and downs of that celebrity's career. If that's true, mine is Michael McKean ("Squiggy" from "Happy Days", and later of "This is Spinal Tap" and "Saturday Night Live" fame). He sat in front of me at an Elvis Costello concert at the John Anson Ford Theater. That bodes well, I guess -- I still seem to see him a lot on the telly.
Marjorie and I have never been to Hollywood together, but we saw our first celebrity together in London. Walking by a Starbucks, we looked up, and who should be sitting in the window but Henry Rollins. To this day we regret not giving him the British two-finger salute, and running off. Just because he's Henry Rollins. And because he was in a Starbucks.
About six months ago we saw REM bass player Mike Mills in a local watering hole. I regret not complimenting him on his rendition of the national anthem at a Braves game I saw a few years back. (I also recently saw Michael Stipe outside an Indian restaurant in Athens, pacing the sidewalk while listening to headphones. I think he was probably composing a vocal part or something. REM sightings are common in these parts. My friend Mike, who used to live in Athens, could regale you for hours.)
Who is your patron celebrity?
Music
I'm in love with a new album. It's "The Beginning Stages Of..." by The Polyphonic Spree. Categorically, it can only be described as "symphonic pop". The band consists of 26 people -- 15 instruments and a 11-person chorus. Why has no one thought of this before? Probably because the logistics make touring a nightmare. Anyway, I challenge anyone to listen to the song "Section 2" and not feel uplifted by the end. "Section6"/"Section 7", "Section 8", and "Section 3" are my next favorites (as you can see, they aren't big into giving their songs descriptive names). Hie thee to Kazaa and download some, then aroint and buy the record. (Mike, your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to go see them at the CMJ music festival and give me a report.)
There's two new Frank Black albums out. That makes me happy.
I'm in love with a new album. It's "The Beginning Stages Of..." by The Polyphonic Spree. Categorically, it can only be described as "symphonic pop". The band consists of 26 people -- 15 instruments and a 11-person chorus. Why has no one thought of this before? Probably because the logistics make touring a nightmare. Anyway, I challenge anyone to listen to the song "Section 2" and not feel uplifted by the end. "Section6"/"Section 7", "Section 8", and "Section 3" are my next favorites (as you can see, they aren't big into giving their songs descriptive names). Hie thee to Kazaa and download some, then aroint and buy the record. (Mike, your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to go see them at the CMJ music festival and give me a report.)
There's two new Frank Black albums out. That makes me happy.
Closure? What closure?
The closure we had hoped for didn't come -- instead, the company whose contract we're vying in S'pore for sloughed off the decision for another two weeks. It sucks having to hold out hope for even longer, but good that we haven't been eliminated altogether.
Our friend there is tired of not working, and may run off somewhere if nothing happens in two weeks. This is tough, as he is not only a business contact and place to stay in S'pore, but also our only friend there. However, if he can find us something wherever he runs off to, that would be cool. I think we're willing to go wherever at this point. He mentioned Australia, where we're already in the process of applying, and Europe, which we haven't discussed much, but I doubt we'd take much convincing...
The closure we had hoped for didn't come -- instead, the company whose contract we're vying in S'pore for sloughed off the decision for another two weeks. It sucks having to hold out hope for even longer, but good that we haven't been eliminated altogether.
Our friend there is tired of not working, and may run off somewhere if nothing happens in two weeks. This is tough, as he is not only a business contact and place to stay in S'pore, but also our only friend there. However, if he can find us something wherever he runs off to, that would be cool. I think we're willing to go wherever at this point. He mentioned Australia, where we're already in the process of applying, and Europe, which we haven't discussed much, but I doubt we'd take much convincing...
Tuesday, August 27, 2002
YOU DID WHAT?!
I registered today for a TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) class in Phuket, Thailand. Then I told Mark. Probably not the coolest move on my part, but we'd briefly discussed the benefits of my taking such a class before, and I'm so tired of standing still (metaphorically). Besides, there's no commitment, I didn't send them any money. The class I applied for is from 14 October to 8 November, but there's another class offered 18 November -13 December that might be better for me. Having the TEFL certificate will be useful wherever we end up living, and if we go ahead with Plan B, I could, in theory, take the class while Mark looks for work in S'pore.
I registered today for a TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) class in Phuket, Thailand. Then I told Mark. Probably not the coolest move on my part, but we'd briefly discussed the benefits of my taking such a class before, and I'm so tired of standing still (metaphorically). Besides, there's no commitment, I didn't send them any money. The class I applied for is from 14 October to 8 November, but there's another class offered 18 November -13 December that might be better for me. Having the TEFL certificate will be useful wherever we end up living, and if we go ahead with Plan B, I could, in theory, take the class while Mark looks for work in S'pore.
In the mailbox today: nothing. I think we're only anticipating closure at this point, but we want to know. It's difficult communicating halfway around the world. (Exactly halfway -- when it's 1:17 pm here, it's 1:17 am -- the next day -- in S'pore). I'm sure we'll get word late tonight, when it's morning there.
Monday, August 26, 2002
New picture
Now I am the mighty cuttlefish. Fear my wrath!
Cuttlefish are simply the coolest creature living. And highly intelligent. Last time I was in an aquarium I stood transfixed by the cuttlefish tank as they demonstrated about ten different social behaviors in five minutes, communicating with each other through body language and color changes.
Last year on a snorkeling trip off Tioman Island we witnessed a school of squid (close cuttlefish relatives) that neatly lined up for us in the open water -- I think it was 22 of them in a row, evenly spaced a meter apart. I have no idea why they did this. It was amazing though...
Now I am the mighty cuttlefish. Fear my wrath!
Cuttlefish are simply the coolest creature living. And highly intelligent. Last time I was in an aquarium I stood transfixed by the cuttlefish tank as they demonstrated about ten different social behaviors in five minutes, communicating with each other through body language and color changes.
Last year on a snorkeling trip off Tioman Island we witnessed a school of squid (close cuttlefish relatives) that neatly lined up for us in the open water -- I think it was 22 of them in a row, evenly spaced a meter apart. I have no idea why they did this. It was amazing though...
Nothing much to report. Woke up more sore this morning than I was all yesterday, but it passed, and now I feel almost back to normal.
Tomorrow we find out for sure on the Singapore contract, but we're already assuming it's a "no go". We looked a little more into emigrating to Australia -- turns out that to get approved, it's both more money than we expected (about $1000 US) and more time (6-12 months -- faster if we find a job that's willing to sponsor either one of us to move there, but that's not so easy). There's some other weird rules too -- we may need to submit fingerprints, chest x-rays, and a personality profile. This sounds a bit extreme for a country where there used to be one entry requirement: "You are a hardened criminal."
England and New Zealand won't even have us -- both have a system where you add up points based on your age (the younger the better), work experience, education, and personal finances, and we come up short in both countries. Feh.
Tomorrow we find out for sure on the Singapore contract, but we're already assuming it's a "no go". We looked a little more into emigrating to Australia -- turns out that to get approved, it's both more money than we expected (about $1000 US) and more time (6-12 months -- faster if we find a job that's willing to sponsor either one of us to move there, but that's not so easy). There's some other weird rules too -- we may need to submit fingerprints, chest x-rays, and a personality profile. This sounds a bit extreme for a country where there used to be one entry requirement: "You are a hardened criminal."
England and New Zealand won't even have us -- both have a system where you add up points based on your age (the younger the better), work experience, education, and personal finances, and we come up short in both countries. Feh.
Sunday, August 25, 2002
PLAN B
We still don't have the official word regarding the job in S'pore one way or the other, but we're bracing ourselves for the worst. So, Plan B is currently being conceptualized. My thinking is that we should just go ahead and start the migration paperwork for Australia, get all the medical inspections and paperwork out of the way now. Migrating to Australia is at least a 4-6 month project. If we start now, we still probably won't have approval until January/February. So in theory, we could still move to S'pore in November, and give ourselves a one-month window to find work there. If Mark or I find a job in S'pore, we'll stay until the job finishes or until we receive approval from Australia to go there. If we don't find work after a month of looking in S'pore, we could just travel throughout the cheaper regions of southeast Asia (Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Thailand) for the months of December and January, carefully budgeting our money, until approval or disapproval from Australia comes through. If we're rejected by Australia, then I suppose we'll come home, tails tucked between our legs, and earnestly start looking for work in the States (Northern California, New York City, or maybe Hawaii). If we receive approval then we'll head to Melbourne or Sydney and begin looking for work there. Really, we don't lose either way. And we've got to be proactive, or nothing is going to happen, and that would be worse than any obstacles we'll face by going.
In the meantime, we're going to be hitting the job sites every day, sending our resumes to any job in S'pore, Hong Kong, or Australia that we think either of us qualify for. Wish us luck!
We still don't have the official word regarding the job in S'pore one way or the other, but we're bracing ourselves for the worst. So, Plan B is currently being conceptualized. My thinking is that we should just go ahead and start the migration paperwork for Australia, get all the medical inspections and paperwork out of the way now. Migrating to Australia is at least a 4-6 month project. If we start now, we still probably won't have approval until January/February. So in theory, we could still move to S'pore in November, and give ourselves a one-month window to find work there. If Mark or I find a job in S'pore, we'll stay until the job finishes or until we receive approval from Australia to go there. If we don't find work after a month of looking in S'pore, we could just travel throughout the cheaper regions of southeast Asia (Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Thailand) for the months of December and January, carefully budgeting our money, until approval or disapproval from Australia comes through. If we're rejected by Australia, then I suppose we'll come home, tails tucked between our legs, and earnestly start looking for work in the States (Northern California, New York City, or maybe Hawaii). If we receive approval then we'll head to Melbourne or Sydney and begin looking for work there. Really, we don't lose either way. And we've got to be proactive, or nothing is going to happen, and that would be worse than any obstacles we'll face by going.
In the meantime, we're going to be hitting the job sites every day, sending our resumes to any job in S'pore, Hong Kong, or Australia that we think either of us qualify for. Wish us luck!
NUTTY
So, Mark and I are officially not having children. That's cool. His reasons (already posted) are good, but honestly they're not the same reasons I cite for wanting to remain childless. As, I've briefly mentioned before, I work (or worked as it may be now) with special needs children and babies. It's truly difficult to work with this population and not realize what a huge job parenting is, and it's a thankless job for the most part as well. I love kids, I enjoy working with them, and I'm thrilled to have a new niece as well as Mark's nieces and nephews. I'm just not excited about taking on the 24 hour job of parenting. Someday, however, I look forward to raising a puppy.
So, Mark and I are officially not having children. That's cool. His reasons (already posted) are good, but honestly they're not the same reasons I cite for wanting to remain childless. As, I've briefly mentioned before, I work (or worked as it may be now) with special needs children and babies. It's truly difficult to work with this population and not realize what a huge job parenting is, and it's a thankless job for the most part as well. I love kids, I enjoy working with them, and I'm thrilled to have a new niece as well as Mark's nieces and nephews. I'm just not excited about taking on the 24 hour job of parenting. Someday, however, I look forward to raising a puppy.
New and improved
Our blog now allows comments! Feel free to leave us feedback. Thanks go out to the Klink family.
Also, a shout out to Kate and her blog, a hard know to think. Kate and her husband, whose name is Marc, were recently married, and had a frustrating time trying to move to Singapore. Sound familiar? Even more scary, I just realized that her husband's blog is named "shmegegie", which is a login name I've used on various sites before (it's a Yiddish word for crazy). Curiouser and curiouser. They say that if you're one in a million, there's seven of you in New York. I think we just found one of the seven...
Our blog now allows comments! Feel free to leave us feedback. Thanks go out to the Klink family.
Also, a shout out to Kate and her blog, a hard know to think. Kate and her husband, whose name is Marc, were recently married, and had a frustrating time trying to move to Singapore. Sound familiar? Even more scary, I just realized that her husband's blog is named "shmegegie", which is a login name I've used on various sites before (it's a Yiddish word for crazy). Curiouser and curiouser. They say that if you're one in a million, there's seven of you in New York. I think we just found one of the seven...
Fertile no more
Had my little medical procedure done yesterday. It really was relatively quick and easy -- there were some uncomfortable moments but nothing I could really describe as "pain". Took about twenty-five minutes. I am a little tender today, but not bad.
With regards to not having children, a lot of people asked us "Are you sure?" We're old enough to know what we want. And should we change our mind, we have no aversion to adopting.
The human population of this planet doubles every forty years. That means that by the time I'm 76, you'd have to essentially take every city on the planet and build a like-size copy of it, say, right next to it. Every New York, every Paris, every Kathmandu, every Podunk, Illinois. With the doubling of population also goes a doubling of pollution, a doubling of natural resource use, and a massively increased risk of the spread of disease.
Are we sure? Yes, we're sure.
Had my little medical procedure done yesterday. It really was relatively quick and easy -- there were some uncomfortable moments but nothing I could really describe as "pain". Took about twenty-five minutes. I am a little tender today, but not bad.
With regards to not having children, a lot of people asked us "Are you sure?" We're old enough to know what we want. And should we change our mind, we have no aversion to adopting.
The human population of this planet doubles every forty years. That means that by the time I'm 76, you'd have to essentially take every city on the planet and build a like-size copy of it, say, right next to it. Every New York, every Paris, every Kathmandu, every Podunk, Illinois. With the doubling of population also goes a doubling of pollution, a doubling of natural resource use, and a massively increased risk of the spread of disease.
Are we sure? Yes, we're sure.
Saturday, August 24, 2002
Regroup
Received word last night that, while we won't know for sure until Monday, the feeling is that the contract they're vying for is "not going to go our way".
We knew this possibility was there. We may even have known it was likely. But that didn't keep us from getting our hopes up, despite our best efforts. This is a bitter pill, especially for Marjorie who has already quit her job.
It will all work out. We knew there would be stumbles along the way. We really aren't in a bad position. This weekend we will regroup and figure out a new plan of action. Still, it stinks when your fate is up in the air like this.
Received word last night that, while we won't know for sure until Monday, the feeling is that the contract they're vying for is "not going to go our way".
We knew this possibility was there. We may even have known it was likely. But that didn't keep us from getting our hopes up, despite our best efforts. This is a bitter pill, especially for Marjorie who has already quit her job.
It will all work out. We knew there would be stumbles along the way. We really aren't in a bad position. This weekend we will regroup and figure out a new plan of action. Still, it stinks when your fate is up in the air like this.
Friday, August 23, 2002
Some new pictures to differentiate us. Marjorie went with the blue-footed booby. She is also questioning my manhood, picking such a cute little creature as a red panda for my image, but they're cool creatures...
Speaking of manhood, I'm going to the doctor to lose mine tomorrow. Seriously. Hey, blogs are supposed to have saucy personal details, right? Zing!
Speaking of manhood, I'm going to the doctor to lose mine tomorrow. Seriously. Hey, blogs are supposed to have saucy personal details, right? Zing!
AND IN RELATED NEWS
The front page of today's NYTimes they cite Bush claiming he is a "patient man" with regards to Iraq. Really now, what the hell is he talking about? The man is so trigger happy towards Iraq it's almost unbelievable. Why do we have a moron as our president? I blame Florida!!!!!!
WEST NILE! WEST NILE!
There are 6 confirmed cases of West Nile virus in Georgia this summer. Everytime I get a mosquito bite, I get more paranoid about it. Still, it's fun to run screaming "west nile! west nile!" from the car to the door. I suppose when we get to S'pore we can change our screams to "dengue fever! dengue fever!". Ah, the vector-bourne diseases. On a not unrelated note, I'm going to start taking the typhoid vacination pills (with live virus!) tomorrow. Yum.
The front page of today's NYTimes they cite Bush claiming he is a "patient man" with regards to Iraq. Really now, what the hell is he talking about? The man is so trigger happy towards Iraq it's almost unbelievable. Why do we have a moron as our president? I blame Florida!!!!!!
WEST NILE! WEST NILE!
There are 6 confirmed cases of West Nile virus in Georgia this summer. Everytime I get a mosquito bite, I get more paranoid about it. Still, it's fun to run screaming "west nile! west nile!" from the car to the door. I suppose when we get to S'pore we can change our screams to "dengue fever! dengue fever!". Ah, the vector-bourne diseases. On a not unrelated note, I'm going to start taking the typhoid vacination pills (with live virus!) tomorrow. Yum.
Unbelievable
From today's news:
I'm speechless. Could he be any more in the pocket of big business? It's difficult to believe we kind of elected this guy.
From today's news:
Touring areas in Oregon devastated by wildfire, President Bush on Thursday will propose easing regulations and environmental reviews to speed the removal of timber from fire-prone U.S. forests.
Though his proposals, first outlined Wednesday, prompted howls from environmentalists, the Bush administration said changes are necessary to clear forests of a decades-long buildup of highly flammable materials.
I'm speechless. Could he be any more in the pocket of big business? It's difficult to believe we kind of elected this guy.
Thursday, August 22, 2002
The voice of reason has spoken
Politics in the state of Georgia became decidedly less kooky just yesterday. Two goofs from opposite ends of the spectrum -- Cynthia McKinney and Bob Barr were both rejected by Georgia voters. Sanity prevails.
Mr. Barr made the news recently by accidentally firing a handgun during a reception. If only he had managed to shoot himself in the foot, it would have been the most poetic thing that has ever happened since the dawn of time.
Politics in the state of Georgia became decidedly less kooky just yesterday. Two goofs from opposite ends of the spectrum -- Cynthia McKinney and Bob Barr were both rejected by Georgia voters. Sanity prevails.
Mr. Barr made the news recently by accidentally firing a handgun during a reception. If only he had managed to shoot himself in the foot, it would have been the most poetic thing that has ever happened since the dawn of time.
Awww yeah, my goodness
Beck last night was hot and cold, I thought. He's utterly charming and confident on stage, and was chatty all night. The off-the-cuff moments were great, including a song he made up on the spot about Atlanta. But I found his new stuff boring. Still, the man deserves credit for refusing to just rehash past successes. And I never realized before last night what an amazing voice the man has!
Beck last night was hot and cold, I thought. He's utterly charming and confident on stage, and was chatty all night. The off-the-cuff moments were great, including a song he made up on the spot about Atlanta. But I found his new stuff boring. Still, the man deserves credit for refusing to just rehash past successes. And I never realized before last night what an amazing voice the man has!
Wednesday, August 21, 2002
Pictures
We'll try these pictures for now to differentiate who's typing what. I think I can figure out a way to have them included automatically, but it'll take some digging. Also, we'll need to find a picture of me where you can tell that I have a chin.
Woo hoo, four hours to solo-acoustic Beck! This could be our last real concert for years to come -- Singapore is pretty out-of-the-way for major artist concert tours. I heard the Cranberries (who I don't even like) were there a year or two ago, but not much else...
RANT
I believe this posting is logged on as Mark, but this is Marjorie.
Two days of unemployment and it's starting to sink in that I don't have any more paychecks coming. I have to ask my husband for money. Yuck. When/if we find out we have a job in Singapore, or elsewhere, I think it will be easier for me to handle being jobless, but for now it's a difficult pill to swallow.
Ideally, I'm not working so I'll have time to do all those time consuming tasks to get us ready for the move, like getting copies of our medical records, refilling prescriptions, etc. but, as always in life, this doesn't go as planned. Inspite of all permissions I'm apparently not able to pick up Mark's records-he has to be there in person. This truly pisses me off, because I know doctors can access your records with a signed release-I should have the same access to my husband's records (with written permission, I believe in privacy) as a random doctor!!! But no, Mark has to take time off from work to do it himself, which makes me wonder how my not working is really helping. Oh well...
On a brighter note, we're going to see Beck tonight.That's cool.
We'll try these pictures for now to differentiate who's typing what. I think I can figure out a way to have them included automatically, but it'll take some digging. Also, we'll need to find a picture of me where you can tell that I have a chin.
Woo hoo, four hours to solo-acoustic Beck! This could be our last real concert for years to come -- Singapore is pretty out-of-the-way for major artist concert tours. I heard the Cranberries (who I don't even like) were there a year or two ago, but not much else...
RANT
I believe this posting is logged on as Mark, but this is Marjorie.
Two days of unemployment and it's starting to sink in that I don't have any more paychecks coming. I have to ask my husband for money. Yuck. When/if we find out we have a job in Singapore, or elsewhere, I think it will be easier for me to handle being jobless, but for now it's a difficult pill to swallow.
Ideally, I'm not working so I'll have time to do all those time consuming tasks to get us ready for the move, like getting copies of our medical records, refilling prescriptions, etc. but, as always in life, this doesn't go as planned. Inspite of all permissions I'm apparently not able to pick up Mark's records-he has to be there in person. This truly pisses me off, because I know doctors can access your records with a signed release-I should have the same access to my husband's records (with written permission, I believe in privacy) as a random doctor!!! But no, Mark has to take time off from work to do it himself, which makes me wonder how my not working is really helping. Oh well...
On a brighter note, we're going to see Beck tonight.That's cool.
Tuesday, August 20, 2002
Bats and crabs and lizards, oh my!
Some reasons to get excited about moving to Singapore -- we realized this weekend that we'll be weekend-outing-close to Gunung Mulu National Park in Malaysia and Christmas Island. Not to mention Tioman Island where we visited last year.
Some reasons to get excited about moving to Singapore -- we realized this weekend that we'll be weekend-outing-close to Gunung Mulu National Park in Malaysia and Christmas Island. Not to mention Tioman Island where we visited last year.
Ouch
Marjorie and I just got our shots, and boy are our arms tired. Hepatitis A and tetanus. We also picked up the typhoid vaccine -- it comes in pill form. It's weird -- it's a live virus, so we have to keep it refrigerated until we take it. Really creepy that we have to swallow this stuff.
Somebody got into my car last night. I'm not sure how, because the doors were locked when I came out this morning, and there was no sign of break in. But my glove box was open with a few things scattered out of it. Plus, some CDs were swiped from the passenger side door pocket, and Marjorie's sunglasses I think. The stereo was untouched -- it was probably kids. They got the cases for two Tom Waits CDs, which happened to have some other CDs inside them (my CD changer is in the trunk). I still haven't figured out which CDs might have been in the cases -- I think one was a Weezer bootleg and the other may have been empty. So at least the little punks won't be able to resell them.
Marjorie and I just got our shots, and boy are our arms tired. Hepatitis A and tetanus. We also picked up the typhoid vaccine -- it comes in pill form. It's weird -- it's a live virus, so we have to keep it refrigerated until we take it. Really creepy that we have to swallow this stuff.
Somebody got into my car last night. I'm not sure how, because the doors were locked when I came out this morning, and there was no sign of break in. But my glove box was open with a few things scattered out of it. Plus, some CDs were swiped from the passenger side door pocket, and Marjorie's sunglasses I think. The stereo was untouched -- it was probably kids. They got the cases for two Tom Waits CDs, which happened to have some other CDs inside them (my CD changer is in the trunk). I still haven't figured out which CDs might have been in the cases -- I think one was a Weezer bootleg and the other may have been empty. So at least the little punks won't be able to resell them.
Monday, August 19, 2002
Marjorie here: We need to adjust the fonts so that my entries look different than Mark's. The preview sale went relatively well. Less interest than I expected but we sold a lot of the bigger items, which is great. We've decided that all future sales will be to the first buyer with the money. "Saving" things doesn't work well, and can potentially cause strain on your friendships....long, uninteresting, story.
I'm so anxious about the 24th. If we don't know anything, one way or the other, by then, I'm going to totally lose it. I don't do well with uncertainty. I'm sure this move will give provide us with lots of uncertain situations, this is probably just the first challenge, so I should just let go a little and embrace the chaos.
I'm so anxious about the 24th. If we don't know anything, one way or the other, by then, I'm going to totally lose it. I don't do well with uncertainty. I'm sure this move will give provide us with lots of uncertain situations, this is probably just the first challenge, so I should just let go a little and embrace the chaos.
This is the first blog entered through my new notebook computer. It came, despite Dell informing me by email that they couldn't ship it until the 28th. Strange. Maybe they'll send me another one then.
The preview sale went pretty well. Got rid of a lot of stuff, and whipped up some tasty margaritas (we have a bottle of Cointreau to use up before we move). Our friend Rob and Ally came by in their new dark blue 1963 Cadillac, replete with tailfins. It's totally rad.
The preview sale went pretty well. Got rid of a lot of stuff, and whipped up some tasty margaritas (we have a bottle of Cointreau to use up before we move). Our friend Rob and Ally came by in their new dark blue 1963 Cadillac, replete with tailfins. It's totally rad.
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