Today thus far, the dedicated circuit for the microwave has been connected to the breaker box. We now have two functioning microwaves! (One too many) Some relatives hit a deer with their car. Noah generously drove the Leaf to Starbucks to bring Cathy a Mocha and returned with an iced beverage. The twelve year old declared how much she loves Spencers in the mall. Oh how they grow up. The dad in me wretched. And I retreated to wearing headphones to accomplish some much needed programming for a client. Must program faster! Welcome 2015.
Category: Daily Life
Ramblings, often stream of conscious, journaling the events of my life.
Welcome 2015!
Ah, a year evenly divisible by 5. And if you divide 20 and 15 by 5 you end up with 43, the smallest prime number expressible as the sum of 2, 3, 4, or 5 different primes: 43 = 41 + 2. 43 = 11 + 13 + 19. 43 = 2 + 11 + 13 + 17. That must mean something. 2015 feels like a year of potential.
2014 I will review later. The photo archives are filled with fun. I mostly remember the year as ad hoc and stressful. I will not make resolutions for 2015 but I will make plans. To survive 2014 I reduced myself to living almost day by day; playing one move at a time and always feeling slightly behind the game. 2015 is to be the year of thinking a few moves ahead and returning to the needs Steven R Covey writes about in First Things First, "To live, to learn, to love, to leave a legacy." I think it is time to move up a rung in Maslow’s pyramid.
I’ve returned from the dead
Yesterday I succumb to a bad cold or a virus and found myself in bed for 24 hours. That was a day of vacation I burned which should have been a sick day. Today I am much better although the specter of yesterday’s illness lingers over me. I am also a day behind on my client’s project and personal goals. A fitting end to 2014.
Christmas
This holiday is physically, mentally, and financially exhausting.
Vacation means sleeping in
I went on Christmas vacation at 1pm this past Friday. Since it is my vacation, I’ve slept in each day until 6am!
Vacation accomplishments/activities? Shopping, programming, cleaning, some crafting, finally gained some competency on Sketchup, daughter (who just graduated from college) came home for the week, and had a chemical spill in the house (Mineral spirits).
Protected: Early Mornings
Guess what I did on the way to work!
I knew things were about to get messy so I put on some rubber gloves. I worked it by myself but was getting nowhere then a female sales associate joined me. The two of us grunted, writhed, and struggled but could not get it in despite having used excessive lubricant on the rubber. The tip got messy and we had to stop to clean it. Then it occurred to me to put some lubricant on my finger, insert it in the opening, and rub it around the inside edges. After that it slipped in with ease and I explained, "It just wasn’t enough lube. You had to use more lube." I gave it three screws and was finished. Btw, the headlight on the van is working now.
And the ring is still gone
It’s been 4 weeks now since I lost my wedding ring and my thumb refuses to except that it is gone (thumb keeps running ring finger).
Geek humor
Geek humor: this morning I awoke (the 2nd time) with the clock reading 555. That amused me to no end.
Good morning
Nothing kickstarts your day quite like a heathy panic attack.
Voices in my head want music
Every now and then I have this short conversation in my head which basically goes, “need more Dire Straits!”
Things I shouldn’t have to say
“Act like you want something for Christmas!”
From the mouths of babes
Cathy: "Evan, do you have any self control?!"
Evan, 9: "No but…"
Today I exercised!
Years ago, I would awaken at 4am and be at the gym by 5am. I would hit the dry sauna then stretch then run some laps, lift some weights, play racket ball, swim a few laps, and finish with some time in the steam room and a shower. It was a great way to start the day. I would finish each day meditating on the day’s events and the day to come and have 20 minutes of stretching. I never felt strong and more mentally fit in my life.
Now, my days start off with bemoaning the lights that automatically turn on at 5:30am and if the dogs and cats are on my legs using them as an excuse to stay under the warm covers another 30 minutes (let’s call that meditation). Then, maybe, I walk to the bus stop with the 9 year old but usually I negotiate with him to drive. I stand at my desk all day..er, most of the day. I do sit occasionally and in meetings. The aerobics come in the evening during the half a dozen or so trips I take up the stairs on errands for the wife or to investigate a bump in the night.
But today that changed! While getting the children’s morning routines started, I dropped to the floor for a set of 8 push ups. This confused Westley, the cat, who decided every time I went down to the floor, that he should head butt me. After 8 situps, I rolled over for 8 crunches to which the cat decided was acceptable but only if he rubbed his face against my cheek. When I turned over for another set of 8 pushups, the headbutting returned. Same with the crunches, more face rubbing and purring. Last, third, set of pushups included 8 more head butts; And the last set of crunches ended with face rubbing and purring. I suspect 20 minutes of stretching would produce a very confused cat. I slipped on some spandex just to make my buttocks sexy for the neighbors then ran around the block. Since I’m typing this, you know I didn’t die…but I gave it my all! Let’s do this again in another 15 years.
Fantastic week
I took a vacation. One week to pull my life back together. In that week, I worked on a client project. I worked on my house. I visited relatives I literally have not seen in decades. There was laughter galore. My body aches. I am weary and now wish I had another week to continue this momentum (and possibly rest a little). But alas, my job duties call. I should spend a few more hours tonight working on a client’s project and doing personal finance etc etc. I think I’ll watch a little tv with the wife and try to calm my mind.
