Category: Daily Life

Ramblings, often stream of conscious, journaling the events of my life.

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Taxes filed!

My taxes have electronically drifted off to the IRS. This is an incredible relief! See, the last time I filed taxes as April 15, 1999. Most people don’t know how to respond to a statement like that. Typically the jaw drops and the subject changes quickly. I also had an IRS agent come a hair short of calling me a moron.

Obviously there is a backstory but I have to consider the movie rights before revealing the whole plot. I can say it has some classic themes that the Coen brothers would really enjoy.

I just feel a little more human being a good citizen again. Now that 2005 is filed I can go back and start fixing the other years.

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AC Very Cold

Outside: 23.8° C Inside: 25.5° C

Outside AC unit
This is the outside unit.
Inside the outside ac unit
This is inside the outside ac unit. Note that the white stuff is ice and should be copper.

This is inside the inside unit. Note that the white is ice and should be copper.

So, today’s research challenge is to figure out why an air conditioning unit ices over.

Update: Anwer – I knew this. It’s either 1) low coolant – ie. leak or 2) the cold air return is blocked

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WWASD

My favorite television show is Lost. My 2nd favorite is Boston Legal. One of my favorite characters on Boston Legal is Alan Shore portrayed by James Spader (starred in Stargate the movie).

So I have this new anger management plan. Whenever a situation arises with the children, or a phone call (call), or anything else, particularly if I feel myself starting to boil, I pause and ask myself, "What would Alan Shore do?" I did this for several weeks with much success before confiding my plan with my wife. Now she is aware and periodically calls out, "you’re doing it now!" with a grin. I tilt my chin up slightly, give a Mona Lisaesque smile, and reply, "of course I am."

This morning I forgot to ask, "What would Alan Shore do?" It really does make a difference! So, next time the tension hits, just ask, "What would Alan Shore do?"

See also http://boston-legal.org and http://jamesspader.org/.

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Nintendo DS Download Station is very cool

So, I read about the DS Download Station and thought it to be a good idea. It is "try before you buy" for DS games. I walk into Best Buy and the employees are confused. Finally we get one in the know and we stand in front of an endcap of games. There is a tiny sign with instructions. Apparently the wireless equipment is buried inside the endcap (they should make this a little more obvious). So, you turn on your DS and wirelessly connect to, um, the endcap and get a selection of games. You choose one and it begins downloading. As long as you don’t walk more than 15 feet from the endcap you get the game. Once it is 100% downloaded you can walk away and play the game until you power off the DS or twelve hours elapses.

The only downside is that right now they only offer 7 games for trial. I love the concept! Noah has been playing the game we downloaded last night all day long. No more spending $50 to find out that they don’t like the game.

Update:The XBox 360 also allows for downloading demos at the store.

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From the mouths of babes

This goes hand in hand with my earlier post.

Dad, asking nicely: "Why are you crying?"
Sarah: sits silently with chin on fist
Dad, asking nicely: "Why are you crying?"
Sarah: sits silently with chin on fist
Dad, becoming frustrated and gruff: "Why are you crying?"
Sarah: "Because you won’t let me tell you why I am crying!"
Dad: blink. blink.

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Juggling for health

Last night I made it to the Knoxville Jugglers Club! It has literally been years. What a pleasure! The group has very talented jugglers so we were able to feed clubs (multple jugglers all passing clubs to a single person), 3 person run-a-round (a crazy aerobic club passing routine), passing of 6 7 and 8 clubs, and other assorted fun.

The club meets 2 Tuesdays a month at the downtown YMCA. Resisting the urge to sing was hard. Man what a building! I must go back with a camera. I felt like I’d jumped back in time with the dark, hardwood basketball courts, polished block design building with inlaid marble, stairs that look like they belong in ancient government buildings, and narrow staircases that make you think you are going to a maintenance area but really lead to a track that looks like the set of Roller Derby. The track honestly doesn’t look like people should run on it, instead something motorized should be speeding around it.

The hour and a half of juggling did wonders for stress relief and my body, albeit slightly sore, is thankful for the exercise.

Remember to mark your calenders, I will be juggling at Children’s Mental Health Week Day at the Zoo, April 29 from noon to 1:00pm.

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Failing Dad

Cathy and I bill ourselves as "approachable parents." We want our children to feel comfortable approaching us on any topic including sex, drugs, and so forth. Apparently there is something at a genetic level that keeps children from talking to parents.

Sarah is currently in honors math. I am proud that she excels. Sarah yesterday brought home a note explaining that she will not be invited into Algebra I because she has failed her last 6 tests and told the teacher she "doesn’t want to be in Algebra I." Throughout the past grading period I’ve constantly asked, "how are you doing?" only to be told "fine." My trust has been betrayed. I neglected to talk to the teachers and get regular reports on Sarah. I let her down but the onus is not completely upon me. I cannot help those that do not seek help. I all but begged her to ask for help and she hid her test results from us.

Repercussions? 1) Severely limited extracurricular activities in the 8th grade until she shows responsibility and caring about her studies. 2) Much more parent/teacher communication next year. 3) Calendar planning skills to be enforced.