One reason I blog is for the memories. Some trackback spam caused me to re-read my post Such an inappropriate dad and that started my day off with a smile because that picture and Tommy’s statement show he far exceeded what The They ever thought he would do. Without the blog (and the trackback spam) that memory might have faded.
Category: Daily Life
Ramblings, often stream of conscious, journaling the events of my life.
Day for Productivity
I had one of those necessary days to be able to be stronger and more able in my work. Today I found my desk! Got my workstation fully functioning again, sent off invoices, and did some coding (much more to come in the next several hours). It feels good to have my familiar tools back in my hands but this absence from my personal machine has only strengthened my resolve to make my work environment totally machine independent. All of my tools will soon be either cloud based or on a usb portable hard drive. There is no reason I shouldn’t be able to plug into any machine and be working in a comfortable set of tools within 15 minutes.
From the mouths of babes
Evan, 3.5 years old, standing in footie jammies but with only the arms in, every piece of skin except arms and backside are exposed, he looks down at himself: "Look, I gots stamps on me."
Dad, observes a green Santa clause the size of a dime stamped on knees, thighs, ankles, stomach and chest: "Stamps go on paper."
Evan, holding arms akimbo but with index finger pointing rather than hands on hips: "No. Stamps go on me. Like this!"
I have transitioned back to the dungeon!
Man it’s cold down here! I am in the process of returning Tommy’s laptop which has allowed me to work upstairs. That has been a pleasure. I like being able to interact with the children and being near Cathy, except that she doesn’t like my breathing. I also like the temperature. But my computer is working downstairs again (minus sound..driver issue) and it is time for me to become a hermit once again. Now, if only I could find my desk under this pile of receipts and mess that somehow accumulate down here when I was upstairs…
Update: Desk is clean! Computer is working! I feel renewed!
Bulging eyes, puffed cheeks, head thrown back…3..2.1
A sight no parent wants to see is your child poised to regurgitate the evening meal. The only thing worse is realizing that this is round two and round one is on the bed, the child, the floor, and the fringe blanket. Vomit has magical powers of stupidity. For one, the smell makes you instantly want to join in the fun. "Oh look! Your spaghetti looks like stringy glue! Let’s see if mine’s the same…blarp" Secondly, as your child’s gag reflex audibly kicks in, you run to comfort her without a trashcan, a towel or any thought of what to do with the vile muck that is working its way up the child’s throat, so placing one hand on the child’s back, you stupidly cup your other hand just under her mouth as if you could miraculously keep round two from somehow not adding to round one. Blarp! Then you lie, "It’s going be okay."
That was last night. Let’s hope this is an isolated event and doesn’t rip through the family.
Afternoon Chaos
I spent most of the morning bringing my dead machine back to life. As it shifted priorities to downloading drivers and installing updates, I switched priorities back to programming (after taking a break for a mild panic attack). Programming went swimmingly well despite some persnickety layout issues. As the afternoon progressed, Cathy began preparing for her meeting. She’s meeting with, coincidentally, my major client (unrelated to my work), and the local paper. Before she leaves, Granddaddy comes over to help with the transportation. He arrives early to have a heart to heart with Tommy about his college education which turned out to be a fantastic discussion but one that Tommy did not necessarily enjoy. I kept programming but against my best efforts had to throw in some of my own commentary. Cathy rushed out to get Amy from Girl Scouts. Bill (Granddaddy) rushed out to get Sarah and friend from school to take them to flag practice at Hardin Valley High School. After they left, a friend of Tommy’s came by unexpectedly. Then Noah arrived home. Then Tommy emerged from the basement where he was hibernating. Then Cathy returned with Amy who I helped into the house. Then Tommy and friend decided they wanted to play board games in the mess downstairs which prompted a little cleaning that Tommy and I quickly tackled. The dogs go crazy so I run upstairs to find out Granddaddy has returned with the girls because Sarah forgot something. They leave again. Amy and Evan fight. Noah wants to go to a friend’s house. Tommy and I finish preparing the downstairs so they can play Axis and Allies without Evan destroying the game. The dogs want out. Evan wants a video on the television. And finally I return to trying to get a deliverable out by 5pm (in 15 minutes).
Back in business! sorta
My new motherboard is working and after a telephone call to Microsoft, Windows is activated and appears to be functioning. I have to confirm that Windows thinks it is the E drive and not the C drive (a peculiarity about my configuration) and may have a few more drivers to install but I am very close to being able to return to my frigid dungeon of programming. That process absorbed much of my morning and sent me into a mild panic attack as I have accomplished little programming today. I’ve calmed, returned to working on the laptop, and plan to knock out a couple of milestones before trying to transition downstairs.
Jasper, You Jiggy?
This is for Dean and Jeni‘s cats Jasper and crew. Originally seen at nonewbs.com.
Today’s Technical Challenge – New MB for Existing XP
My motherboard died on my computer with all the software required for my consulting efforts. Why did it die? Because the capacitors on the motherboard were manufactured with an incomplete and flawed electrolyte formula that was acquired through some bad industrial espionage. I have since been given a new (old, I mean newly manufactured but we are talking Socket 462) motherboard. After installing it last night, Windows gets to mup.drv in the bootup process and restarts the machine. So today’s challenge (and one necessary to access my invoicing software) is to get Windows repaired so that it, and all the installed software on that hard drive, work with this new motherboard. Of course, I do this in conjunction with pumping out code. Days like this make me wish I had an IT department. I miss Nate.
Error messages you don’t want to see
When booting your computer for the first time after installing a new motherboard, one should not expect to see 1) CMOS battery low nor 2) CMOS memory wrong size
Update: The CMOS simply needed to be reset. The battery was fine. The computer boots without problem now but Windows gets to mup.drv and the computer restarts without ever reaching the Windows splash screen.
From the mouths of babes
Dad: "Noah, do you know that the school board passed a new rule allowing random searches at the school?"
Noah, 12 years old: "No."
Dad: "It means that teachers can just pull you aside and have you show them everything in your bag and pockets. How do you feel about that?"
Noah: "I’m not doing anything wrong so I guess I’m okay with it."
My heart sank. He gave the scripted answer! The system has him. I think Noah is old enough to read 1984, Brave New World, and Fahrenheit 451. Time to knock the dust of my copies.
Do you know where you are?
Update the wardrobe man!
Mobile post sent by djuggler using Utterli. Replies. mp3
Bball
From the mouths of babes
Evan and Amy were told to clean.
Evan. 3.5 years old, stomps up to Mom in a huff: "Amy not letting me have fun! Hrrumph." Stomps away.
From the mouths of babes
Evan, shouting: "Max Ruby on!"
Evan: "Dad, come watch it!"
