I know, I know. This poor, neglected blog. But it's been such a crazy awful intense time.
The overriding event was the death of my mother, on May 30th, of breast cancer. She went peacefully, with my dad and my aunt (her sister) by her side. The weeks leading up to that were fraught with emotion (she said fraught!), and there was barely time and energy to deal with the necessities, let alone this poor blog.
Also, the host went through a platform migration, that somehow didn't take, and last week I finally took the time to create a support ticket. So obviously it's fixed now.
On the plus side, first communion went off without a hitch. However, same weekend, was also the youngest's first ever ice skating competition, and she was in two events. Saturday morning and Sunday morning. Luckily, first communion was at the 11 am service, and we were done with the Sunday event in time to come home and change. But still, it was a crazy weekend, and my mother was clearly on the decline and missed out on it all, but she saw the videos.
Then, we had two funeral services to plan and attend: one for northern virginia, and one for southern virginia, where we also set up a new family cemetery. So there was lots of organizing amid the grief. Then, the kids were out of school, and husband's work load increased dramatically due to contract awards, and he's been in denver at least half the time since July 1, so I've been doing some single parenting of the monste-erm, girls. At the same time, work re-orged (new word), so I'm not in charge of people any more, just technology, which actually was a relief.
I have a ton of book write-ups to get back to, some grief related pieces in my head that need to get out, some coding stuff to discuss, a new hobby/interest to talk about, possibly some weightloss and knitting news, and... Well, you get the picture. But hey, it's mid-August in DC, and it's hazy, hot, and humid, so at least some things never change.
I’ve been more on twitter (@kaplooeymom) than here. Sorry. I now lead a staff (I have staff!) of 8 developers migrating a legacy client server application to the web. It’s due at the end of September. So there’s usually not much time at work to think of things to write, let alone write them decently. Although I’d like to. At home, Julia’s in first grade, and Cailin’s in second grade. Julia ice skates, Cailin plays softball and has swimming lessons. Life is very busy. Cailin’s first communion is coming up; the very same weekend Julia will be in her first ice skating competition. Oh goody. We enjoyed the blizzards of 2010, although I still say there wasn’t enough snow. Time to read work email. I hope to have more soon.
Yeah, I know, I’m behind a bit in reading trends. On Sunday, I was able to drop the kids off at my mothers for a coupla hours. Hubby was sick, so this was the first break I had all weekend. Not enough time to see a movie. And we’re not in a place where I could just go shopping. So I hit CVS, and they had Twilight. I had read the first coupla pages, then decided to buy it. Then I went to Jerry’s Subs and had a meal and a book. The writing was good enough, but the characters were what kept me reading. A clutzy high school girl. An unbelievably good looking guy. Enough sarcasm to make the characters seem real. I finished the book on Monday. And of course, read the New Moon teaser, and immediately wanted to get the rest of the books. It was all I could do not to jump on Amazon and order the rest – see above for the shopping avoidance idea. So, now I see what all the fuss is about. If the other books are as well written as this one, Stephanie Meyer will have earned all her money. Book Link: Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1)
Writing this on my new PC, which was my main christmas present. IE 8 won't register for the text editor, so this is being entered in pure HTML.
Windows 7 64 bit is mostly nice. 16 GB of RAM helps (no, that's not a typo). I haven't taxed the system yet, but last nite I had three instances of Visual Studio 2008, a coupla tabs of IE 8, Outlook, Word, and itunes going, and there was no noticeable performance hit. I will be teh codez goddess this year! Also, my new das keyboard is excellent. I wish I could afford one for work, especially the new silent ones they have now, but I barely could justify a hundred dollar keyboard for home, let alone work.
In other, brief news, I'm taking ice skating lessons - yes, at age 42.5, and too many pounds, I'm doing it. Haven't fallen yet. Girls are fine. Dog is fine. Hubby is fine.
I know you've heard this before, but I want to become a regular blogger again, so hopefully this will be one of my successfull new years goals. I have a physical in February, so the weight loss is currently successfull. Knitting, well, I've been distracted by my new toy, but I've done some.
If you keep up with such things, I'm on twitter as kaplooeymom.
Pile of what you may ask? Work, Kids, Knitting, Laundry, Housework (avoidance), etc.; it all piles up somehow. Oh yeah, there’s a marriage in there somewhere, as well. Also, my home PC is dying, and I can’t order a new one until Nov 25. It randomly reboots. I’ve cleaned up the hard drive, and it’s basically an email monitor at this point. Even browsing can be an issue. Good Things right now: - Julia’s skating progress
- Cailin’s reading progress
- Knitting on Kepler, Cailin’s green dress
PITA Things right now: - Home PC obviously
- Laundry
- Lack of ability/will power to maintain good eating habits for more than 24-48 hours.
We’re coming up to NanoWrimo, and yet again, I’ll be biting off more than I can chew and attempting a novel. So one of my fall goals is to write here at least weekly. We shall see.
Yes, I neglected a few details. And I'm only just now getting around to fixing it.
Okay, so while I was happy with my account at Drundo, they did away with the account level I was on, but grandfather’d me in at my original level. All was hunky dory. Last week, I get the message that they’ve ‘upgraded’ all the legacy accounts to the new equivalent. Higher price, without my permission, and while some parts were upgraded, others were downgraded. So after consulting with the House Finance Manager (husband), I went looking for a new hosting company and plan. I settled on webhost4life, and last night, began what I thought was going to be a tortuous session, and loss of email for days. Boy, was I surprised. I grabbed the files from the old server, bought a new domain, then went and ordered the advanced package, with my new domain. Smooth enough. They up sold turbocharged – more disk space for a piddling amount which was fine – and soon I had a brand spanking new website. Time to migrate kaplooey. The only issue there was that I had to ask the helpdesk to fix the email on the kaplooey domain. within 30 minutes of the ticket, I had kaplooey email back up and running on the new server, transparent to outlook. While migrating this blog, I upgraded to dasBlog 2.3. Smooth there as well, since this is not using a database. So, I have a new web host, more space and features, for less than what I was originally paying before, even before my upgrade. Part of the deal with webhost4life was 5 sql databases (It was a time limited offer, so good luck if you go after it. So I’ll be working more on my personal applications. Trying to fit it all into 1 was annoying. Also, just to let you know, I’ve been on Twitter (as @kaplooeymom) more than here lately, cause it’s easier to do one-liners than blog entries.
Did I get it right?
Yes, I did! BTW, on Windows Server 2008, Network Service needs read/write permissions on your asp.net website - at least here on the new host. More about that later.
We had an amazing but exhausting time. We stayed at the Polynesian Resort, ate on the Disney Dining Plan, had three character meals, park hopper passes for 7 days, and arrived home utterly spent. Of course, I got sick, but that seems to be par for the course these days. Here, have a pic. Cell phone snap of the girls with Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother. 
Hey, I like alliteration. Anyhoo, my pc is still not hooked up. I need a different usb cable to hook it up to the wireless receiver thingy. It’s prolly a good thing. The only machine hooked up to the internet right now is MyPrecious, and I can’t really waste time playing games or surfing on it. I’m getting much more done, but I need my main pc up and running soon. Got the 5.5 yr old’s room cleaned out, and the laundry organized. Getting bunches of knitting done. Not finishing much, but working on works in progress. Coupla birthday parties to take girls to today, then somehow force The Husband to celebrate his own birthday. He didn’t come from a big birthday celebrating family like I did, so it’s a bit like pulling teeth. As soon as I get my main PC back up, I’ll start again with the technical posts. I wanna blog about the book app I’m building and do some writing about having a career when you weren’t looking for one.
Blogging using Live Writer, from MyPrecious – I think I’ll change the machine name tonite to reflect that. Essential Software (links will be added later): - Avast home free – with web and p2p only. I don’t use any other stuff.
- Visual Studio 2008 Express editions Web, C#, VB, MSDN Xpress, SQL 2008 Xpress.
- Notepad++
- PageFour
- Firefox
- XMarks set up in both Firefox and IE. I keep different bookmarks in each browser, and each browser is set up with their respective xmarks account.
I will be purchasing a cordless mouse. I’m not the touchpad kind of person. I seem to be typing this okay, so we’ll see how long term use when I have to do documentation or coding on site really works. But right now, this is cool.
It’s gonna be called ‘my precious’ – I just know it. Loading all the essentials I’ll need for a mini/net book. And I’m interested more in the BOOK part, rather than the NET part. At least for now. I may or may not get a wireless plan for it. We shall have to see. But the opportunity to work on docs and code (with VS Express) wherever I am is the important part. And it’s my favorite color. It matches my car, actually.
Not just the Answer. My age, as well. I’ve done the introspection stuff required every year. I’ve reexamined my short term and long term goals. All privately, of course. In other news, we’ll be heading to Disney world the end of June. We’re doing this right and staying 8 nights on premises, at the Polynesian. Still arguing with my husband about needing a rental car. He says no, but I may need to see if I can get one to go check out yarn stores. And Transformers comes out while we’re there, so unless Disney has a movie theatre on site that will carry that, we’ll need transport for that. 7 and a half days of kindergarten left.
Well, nothing like realizing the talk you're giving the next day is based off a completely wrong interpretation of the main article used for inspiration. At 11:45 the night before. No wonder the demos didn't work. It would have helped if I hadn't been so swamped for the last three weeks at work with server STIG-ing. (I'll tell you where to STIG those servers!) Well. Nothing for it. Time to re-invent. I went to bed @ 2:30 AM Friday night/Saturday morning, and got up at 6:15. I checked in, listened to the start up talk, then headed for the nearby starbucks. I hate coffee, but I ordered two venti Tazo ice teas, claimed a table with a plugin, paid for internet access ($3.99 for 2 hours, not bad, in my book), and went back to 'work'. I only missed two talks. At 3, it was my turn. Wouldn't ya know, the laptop wouldn't go into dual screen mode, so I could only use the main projector screen. There were about 8 people there, and one left. The rest were fairly interested. It was a high level ish talk, very niche. And I hadn't done anything like this in at least 11 years. Negative: I could have had better demos. I could have been a little more polished with my words. I used 'um' and 'okay' way too many times. My powerpoint deck sucked (way out of practice). One person left the talk about 10 minutes through. Positive: I stayed engaged for 50 minutes out of the hour. Only one person left the talk. I answered questions without freaking out. I vaguely remembered how to stand up there and make eye contact and present without looking like a nervous idiot. Conclusion: I definitely want to keep this up. I don't want to go back into training as a regular gig, but I do want to reacquire my presentation skills so I lose much of the nervousness I had last week. I'll be working on a set of interesting but unique topics that I can submit for code camps that won't be like everyone else. In other news, the fam damily is coming for the spring birthday/memorial day shindig. I don't know that we'll be swimming, though - depends on the weather. Also, now that code camp's over, I'll definitely be moving my PC from the family room to the yarn room, and finally installing Windows 7 RC. 8.5 days left of kindergarten, and 9 and 2 half days left of first grade.
Disclaimer – this is an opinion piece (and not even a well organized one, at that). There’s a recent discussion around the internets about something specifically offensive, and the discussion has also segued into various talks about women in IT, specifically programmers. Guys, there are females who program. Girls, yes, you too can be a programmer, if you like logic puzzles and can describe clearly how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I’ve been programming since I was 12. Back then, I was one of two females out of about 40 students (5% ) in the summer school computer class (way back in the late 70s). Any computer clubs I went to, I was usually the only girl. Now, 30ish years later, I’m speaking at a code camp. Out of 24 speakers, there are two females (looking at the names). Which my ms calc says is 8.3%. Not much of an increase there. At my current company, the split seems to be about 50/50 company wide, but at the last several places I’ve worked, I’ve been the lone female developer, often the lone female in IT. (It’s a good thing I like action movies and football.) This is my opinion, but for most, programming is a solitary task, and for the most part, women are social creatures (Myself not included – I wouldn’t have a social life if not for my kids). And until “social programming” emerges as a viable methodology, IT and programming will remain populated by those who don’t mind the long silent hours populated by the occasional outburst or the required social interaction when getting a drink from the fridge. But, hey, that’s just me.
This is a test of the Live Writer blogpost editing system. If this were a real blog post, this content would be meaningful. This is a test. This is ONLY a test. Inserting test picture: 
Cool.
<geek alert>
In my quest to learn something well enough to give a talk, I’ve been looking at WPF and Silverlight, and XAML which governs both, and all this whole new paradime (mistake intended) for programming front ends/user interfaces.
I submitted a proposal for code camp, and they accepted. I will be speaking at Nova Code Camp on Saturday, May 23, at 3. (No pizza for me, this time!)
So, I’ve been busy with working on the demo, and I’ll be doing some practice talks here at work. I’ve also decided to do the demo in C#, so I’m in the middle of a re-write. I may make the sample code available in both flavors, but professionally I need to begin programming full time in C#. I’ve been semi-promoted to developer team lead for a major webification effort of an existing ugly winforms system, and the target language is C#. I’ve coasted with VB.net, and now it’s time to get serious.
</geek alert>
Just finished three by Linnea Sinclair. OMG! The first one I had trouble slowing down until I knew I could jump right into the second one. The second one I had trouble starting a bit because I was sick, but once I felt better, it was over just like that. So I started in on the third one. It was read in 2 days. And these aren't small books. They have WORDS. Book LinksGabriel's Ghost
- read this one first Shades of Dark
- sequel to Gabriel's Ghost
Hope's Folly
- the whole saga continues, but focuses on a major Minor Character from the first two.
There was a rumor a coupla weeks ago, when I had difficulty in installing SPD on a standalone, no internet system (gasp!), that MS would make SharePoint Designer 2007 free on April 1. Well, considering the date, I was semi-skeptical, but optimistic to the point in suspending my attempts to check.
On April 1, you still had to buy it. On April 2, it was indeed, free. I have now installed on the disconnected system with no issues.
You can get it here.
Three weekends in a row have been horrendous – stress, illness, weather. Although, my sister’s wedding was pretty good, it was surrounded by stress, illness, weather…
Children, on the other hand, have shown remarkable improvement in behavior - for the most part. Both have received kudos from teachers in the last two weeks about their improved behavior and actions.
It was my turn to be sick this past weekend, so I didn’t get much reading done, other than some blogs I keep up with and the news headlines.
I did watch the second Harry Potter movie with the girls this weekend – in two parts. It’s a little scarier than the first one. We’re going to acquire the books and begin reading them. They were fascinated by the world of magic. Although I constantly remind them that it’s all pretend. We do discuss how the computers have added the special effects, and how special camera shots make it look a certain way.
Hopefully, this will be a better reading week and I’ll be back with booklinks in the next day or two.
I got the annoying throat tickle yesterday, and today, the only thing keeping me going is Dayquil. I’ve had to miss so much work due to kids, that I’m trying not to miss any this week and actually have a real 40 hr work week. Nyquil last night, no TV, straight to bed. I’ve got Bones epis piling up on the TIVO.
So even though I want to look at the new WPF Composite App guidance in VB.net, I only got as far as the download and install. Maybe when the 2nd dose of Dayquil kicks in…
In the meantime, I’m attempting to document this crazy scanning app platform that I’ve inherited. Enterprise Records Management cots, Enterprise Scanning Server, Enterprise PDF Search Engine, and custom client that marries the three together in some very weird ceremonial way. Configuration is a pain, and coding, well, I’ve read the code. I THINK I know what’s doing, with whom, and when.
I entered a proposed presentation for Nova Code Camp. I’ve been attending for years, and I’ve been looking for something I thought I could either know enough about to give an interesting talk, or to find something that I could talk about that wouldn’t be more of the same.
And I’m nervous. If I get picked, I’ll have less than two months to perfect the talk, then speak in front of a bunch of guys (and a few girls – typical code camp ratio is 5–10% female), some of whom may know much more on the topic than I do, without looking like a complete idiot. (And if I don’t get picked, I’ll forever wonder why.)
Early on, I started in this crazy profession as a trainer, so you’d think I’d be okay. But it’s been over a decade since I’ve done any regular stand up and talk in front of people.
But it’s time. Time for me to start publicly declaring my technical knowledge I’ve accumulated. And continue to.
BTW, the book purchase dry spell is pretty much done. On Sunday, I picked up two Linnea Sinclair paperbacks from Barnes and Noble – in the store – and Tuesday I ordered WPF in Action (w/vs 2008). Book links below. However, I’ll still be keeping the actual purchases of new books to a minimum, since we’ve got disney world at the end of June.
Book Links
Linnea Sinclair – Gabriel's Ghost
Linnea Sinclair – Hope's Folly
Arlen Feldman and Maxx Daymon – WPF in Action with Visual Studio 2008
Crazy weekend after crazy week and previously crazy weekend does not a happy Leah make.
However, I waved goodbye to sick hubby, then ditched the girls with Big Sis, and caught a Clive Owen double feature yesterday – First Duplicity then The International. So, when I finally retreived the girls, and then had to feed them @ 7:30, I was no where near as cranky as I had been at noon, when I dropped them off.
Also, I caved and bought a coupla books. I had some time to kill before the first movie (Amazon link to the theatre apparently doesn’t know about EDT) and the bookstore is one level down from the massive theatre complex at the mall.
I’m making progress on my book app, and I’m figuring also how to apply the same methodology to my knitting app. Primarily desktop, but social features enabled upon demand. For the anti-social persons in all of us.
I’ll try to get pics from my sister’s wedding (this past Saturday) up in the next coupla days.
Hi, my name is Leah and I’m a bookaholic. It’s been 65 days since I ordered a book off Amazon dot com.
I’m still reading, though, just plowing through the ones I’d stocked up on, and enjoying the couple of pre-orders that came in. (All links go to amazon page for purchase)
Finished
Patricia Briggs – Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson, Book 4) . (Read in 4 hours in one sitting.) Excellent. Mercedes Thompson is a great heroine, and her adventures and her world are just down the street from my reality. Besides, my father is a mechanic, and grew up in Olympia Washington. Near enough to the Tri Cities area that I pass along the books and he devours them as well.
JD Robb – Promises in Death . Read over the course of two or three days. Mainly because exhaustion crept up on me. I want an Autochef. And Roarke, too, but don’t tell my husband.
Gail Carson Levine – Fairest . Bathroom book to start with, then I had to finish it the other night – stayed up til 1:45 am doing so. Sister book to Ella Enchanted (have, but haven’t cracked yet).
Currently Reading
Ted Bell – Assassin: A Novel . The second Alexander Hawke book. Alex is a spy with a great cast of friends that help him through his adventures. Like the first, the book started slow, and finally the action builds in the latter half of the book.
Elizabeth Moon – The Legacy of Gird (Trade Paperback) (surrender none and liar’s oath trade paperback reprint). Re read. Ms. Moon is finally returning to this world, and while I pretty much read the The Deed of Paksenarrion: A Novel at least every two years, I haven’t read this since I read the original books, so much of this I don’t remember, so it’s like new stuff.
Brian Herbert – Dreamer of Dune: The Biography of Frank Herbert the bio of Frank Herbert. It’s amazing how his ideas and thoughts were shaped by his life in the pacific northwest. Tacoma is another place my father grew up near, and I’ve visited. And the Dune saga is pretty much my favorite body of work.
Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson – House Atreides (Dune: House Trilogy, Book 1) House Atreides. After reading the sequels, I’m going back and reading the prequels. Not quite the same as Dad’s work, but close enough so that the difference is not annoying.
Steven James – The Pawn (The Patrick Bowers Files, Book 1) Interesting. I picked this up a coupla weeks ago off the sale shelf in a Christian Bookstore. Much of the locale is western North Carolina, which I grew up taking trips to, and tried to go to school at Appalachian State before the great Cancer Experience decided to change my life’s course.
(There’s a book for different parts of the house, and always one in the car. Always reading more than one at a time. Computer reference books don’t count, but it’s still been a dry spell for amazon purchases.)
<geek alert>
Hi, I’m Leah and I’m a bookaholic.
In my quest to tame my addiction, I’m working on a little app to keep track of what I have and what I want. Kind of like Library Thing without any of the social stuff. And not necessarily a browser based system.
So, I’ve got a WPF client that will go out and touch four (so far) different web services to get the xml about a particular book – based on isbn or isbn13.
Getting the Data
There are some other choices out there, but I concentrated on the main ones, as far as information is concerned. In alphabetical order: Amazon, ISBNdb, Library Thing, and Library of Congress. Here’s how to get the XML from each service.
(note – blog jet is not the best at formatting the xml, and this is my first time at a serious tech post, so pretend all is properly indented until I get it cleaned up)
Amazon
First, get a key. Then make your url like this: http://webservices.amazon.com/onca/xml?Service=AWSECommerceService&SubscriptionId=YOURKEYHERE&Operation=ItemLookup&ResponseGroup=Medium&ItemId=0441172695
Then, here’s what your xml looks like: <?xml version="1.0" ?> - <ItemLookupResponse xmlns="http://webservices.amazon.com/AWSECommerceService/2005-10-05"> <Header Name="UserAgent" Value="Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1;
InfoPath.1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.0.04506.648; .NET CLR 3.5.21022; .NET CLR 3.0.4506.2152; .NET CLR 3.5.30729)" /> </HTTPHeaders> <RequestId>38eed815-71e3-420b-902f-ade8746fb3ca</RequestId> <Argument Name="Operation" Value="ItemLookup" /> <Argument Name="Service" Value="AWSECommerceService" /> <Argument Name="ItemId" Value="0441172695" /> <Argument Name="ResponseGroup" Value="Medium" /> <Argument Name="SubscriptionId" Value="YOURKEYHERE" /> </Arguments> <RequestProcessingTime>0.0165120000000000</RequestProcessingTime> </OperationRequest> <Condition>New</Condition> <DeliveryMethod>Ship</DeliveryMethod> <MerchantId>Amazon</MerchantId> <ItemId>0441172695</ItemId> <ResponseGroup>Medium</ResponseGroup> <ReviewPage>1</ReviewPage> </ItemLookupRequest> </Request> <DetailPageURL>http://www.amazon.com/Dune-Messiah-Chronicles-Book/dp/0441172695_ %3FSubscriptionId%3YOURKEYHERE%26tag%3Dws%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26_ creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0441172695</DetailPageURL> <SalesRank>8349</SalesRank> <URL>http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/712XDW1BRHL._SL75_.gif</URL> <Height Units="pixels">75</Height> <Width Units="pixels">45</Width> </SmallImage> <URL>http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/712XDW1BRHL._SL160_.gif</URL> <Height Units="pixels">160</Height> <Width Units="pixels">95</Width> </MediumImage> <URL>http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/712XDW1BRHL.gif</URL> <Height Units="pixels">475</Height> <Width Units="pixels">283</Width> </LargeImage> - <ImageSet Category="primary"> <URL>http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/712XDW1BRHL._SL30_.gif</URL> <Height Units="pixels">30</Height> <Width Units="pixels">18</Width> </SwatchImage> <URL>http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/712XDW1BRHL._SL75_.gif</URL> <Height Units="pixels">75</Height> <Width Units="pixels">45</Width> </SmallImage> <URL>http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/712XDW1BRHL._SL160_.gif</URL> <Height Units="pixels">160</Height> <Width Units="pixels">95</Width> </MediumImage> <URL>http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/712XDW1BRHL.gif</URL> <Height Units="pixels">475</Height> <Width Units="pixels">283</Width> </LargeImage> </ImageSet> </ImageSets> <Author>Frank Herbert</Author> <Binding>Paperback</Binding> <DeweyDecimalNumber>813.54</DeweyDecimalNumber> <Type>Original Language</Type> </Language> </Languages> <CurrencyCode>USD</CurrencyCode> <FormattedPrice>$7.99</FormattedPrice> </ListPrice> <Manufacturer>Ace</Manufacturer> <NumberOfItems>1</NumberOfItems> <NumberOfPages>336</NumberOfPages> <Height Units="hundredths-inches">120</Height> <Length Units="hundredths-inches">670</Length> <Weight Units="hundredths-pounds">35</Weight> <Width Units="hundredths-inches">410</Width> </PackageDimensions> <ProductGroup>Book</ProductGroup> <PublicationDate>1987-07-15</PublicationDate> <Publisher>Ace</Publisher> <Title>Dune Messiah (Dune Chronicles, Book 2)</Title> </ItemAttributes> <CurrencyCode>USD</CurrencyCode> <FormattedPrice>$0.01</FormattedPrice> </LowestNewPrice> <CurrencyCode>USD</CurrencyCode> <FormattedPrice>$0.01</FormattedPrice> </LowestUsedPrice> - <LowestCollectiblePrice> <CurrencyCode>USD</CurrencyCode> <FormattedPrice>$10.00</FormattedPrice> </LowestCollectiblePrice> <TotalUsed>441</TotalUsed> <TotalCollectible>10</TotalCollectible> <TotalRefurbished>0</TotalRefurbished> </OfferSummary> <Source>Product Description</Source> <Content>Paul Atreides, genetically bred and trained to become the leader of his planet, is still subject_
to human frailties. The second book of the series.</Content> </EditorialReview> </EditorialReviews> </Item> </Items> </ItemLookupResponse>
ISBNdb
Get a key. Then make your url like this (for isbn): http://isbndb.com/api/books.xml?access_key=YOURKEYHERE&index1=isbn&results=details&value1=9780441172695
Here’s what they give back: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> - <ISBNdb server_time="2009-03-16T19:38:39Z"> - <BookList total_results="1" page_size="10" page_number="1" shown_results="1"> <BookData book_id="dune_messiah" isbn="0441172695" isbn13="9780441172696">
<Title>Dune Messiah</Title> <TitleLong>Dune Messiah (Dune Chronicles, Book 2)</TitleLong> <AuthorsText>Frank Herbert</AuthorsText> <PublisherText publisher_id="ace_charter">ACE Charter</PublisherText> <Details change_time="2004-12-24T01:24:17Z" price_time="2009-03-16T16:59:06Z" _ edition_info="Mass Market Paperback; 1994-11-01" language="" _ physical_description_text="4.2"x6.9"x0.9"; 329 pages; 0.3 lb" lcc_number="" dewey_decimal_normalized="" dewey_decimal="" />
</BookData> </BookList>
</ISBNdb>
Library Thing
Another key needed. Make your URL like this: http://www.librarything.com/services/rest/1.0/?method="librarything.ck.getwork&isbn=0441172695&apikey=YOURKEYHERE
Library Thing’s response: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> - <ltml xmlns="http://www.librarything.com/" version="1.0"> - <item id="8183" type="work"> <author id="54" authorcode="herbertfrank">Frank Herbert</author> <url>http://www.librarything.com/work/8183</url> - <field type="13" name="disambiguation" displayName="Disambiguation notice"> - <version id="848067" archived="0" lang="eng"> <date timestamp="1230621463">Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:17:43 -0500</date> <url>http://www.librarything.com/profile/alexdaw</url> </person> <fact><![CDATA[ A shorter version of this book appeared in Galaxy Magazine for July-September, 1969 ]]></fact> </factList> </version> </versionList> </field> - <field type="26" name="lastwords" displayName="Last words"> - <version id="827623" archived="0" lang="eng"> <date timestamp="1230087264">Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:54:24 -0500</date> <name>Grandeplease</name> <url>http://www.librarything.com/profile/Grandeplease</url> </person> <fact><![CDATA[ She led him back across the qanat into the darkness at the base of the massif and its Place of Safety. ]]></fact> <fact><![CDATA[ Epilogue . . . He strides through the long cavern of time, Scattering the fool-self of his dream -The Ghola's Hymn ]]></fact> </factList> </version> </versionList> </field> - <field type="25" name="firstwords" displayName="First words"> - <version id="827605" archived="0" lang="eng"> <date timestamp="1230087106">Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:51:46 -0500</date> <name>Grandeplease</name> <url>http://www.librarything.com/profile/Grandeplease</url> </person> <fact><![CDATA[ Excerpts from the death cell interview with Bronso of IX- Q: What led you to take _ your particular approach to a history of Muad'dib? A: Why should I answer your questions? ]]></fact> </factList> </version> </versionList> </field> - <field type="2" name="placesmentioned" displayName="Important places"> - <version id="672922" archived="0" lang="eng"> <date timestamp="1224171231">Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:33:51 -0400</date> <url>http://www.librarything.com/profile/amweb</url> </person> <fact>Arrakis (Dune)</fact> </factList> </version> </versionList> </field> - <field type="23" name="series" displayName="Series"> - <version id="581299" archived="0" lang="eng"> <date timestamp="1220475254">Wed, 03 Sep 2008 16:54:14 -0400</date> <name>PhoenixTerran</name> <url>http://www.librarything.com/profile/PhoenixTerran</url> </person> <fact>Dune: complete chronology (9)</fact> </factList> </version> </versionList> </field> - <field type="3" name="characternames" displayName="People/Characters"> - <version id="289511" archived="0" lang="eng"> <date timestamp="1205984261">Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:37:41 -0400</date> <url>http://www.librarything.com/profile/jmjackson</url> </person> <fact>Paul Atreides</fact> <fact>Alia Atreides (St. Alia of the Knife)</fact> <fact>Princess Irulan</fact> <fact>Duncan Idaho</fact> <fact>Gaius Helen Mohiam</fact> </factList> </version> </versionList> </field> - <field type="21" name="canonicaltitle" displayName="Canonical title"> - <version id="278019" archived="0" lang="eng"> <date timestamp="1205206730">Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:38:50 -0400</date> <url>http://www.librarything.com/profile/ATimson</url> </person> <fact>Dune Messiah</fact> </factList> </version> </versionList> </field> - <field type="16" name="originalpublicationdate" displayName="Original publication date"> - <version id="96006" archived="0" lang="eng"> <date timestamp="1194630684">Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:51:24 -0500</date> <name>michaelhehir</name> <url>http://www.librarything.com/profile/michaelhehir</url> </person> </version> </versionList> </field> </fieldList> </commonknowledge> </item> <legal>By using this data you agree to the LibraryThing API terms of service.</legal> </ltml> </response>
Library Of Congress
No key needed (yay!). Your URL like so: http://z3950.loc.gov:7090/voyager?version=1.1&operation=searchRetrieve&query=9780441015610&maximumRecords=100&recordSchema=dc
And they give back: <?xml version="1.0" ?> - <zs:searchRetrieveResponse xmlns:zs="http://www.loc.gov/zing/srw/"> <zs:version>1.1</zs:version> <zs:numberOfRecords>1</zs:numberOfRecords> <zs:recordSchema>info:srw/schema/1/dc-v1.1</zs:recordSchema> <zs:recordPacking>xml</zs:recordPacking> - <srw_dc:dc xmlns:srw_dc="info:srw/schema/1/dc-schema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xsi:schemaLocation="info:srw/schema/1/dc-schema http://www.loc.gov/standards/sru/resources/dc-schema.xsd"> <title>Dune messiah /</title> <creator>Herbert, Frank.</creator> <type>Science fiction. gsafd</type> <publisher>New York : Ace Books,</publisher> <subject>Dune (Imaginary place)--Fiction.</subject> <identifier>URN:ISBN:9780441015610</identifier> </srw_dc:dc> </zs:recordData> <zs:recordPosition>1</zs:recordPosition> </zs:record> </zs:records> </zs:searchRetrieveResponse>
Conclusion
Library Thing’s api is useless to me in this format. LOC is good, but a little terse. For my purposes, I’ll probably search ISBN db first, then if I can’t find it, look at amazon. Amazon’s info is designed, and licensed, for marketing purposes, so you’re supposed to be linking back to the website for purchases. If this becomes a public app, I may reverse the lookup order.
Feel free to let me know if there are other reliable, and sizeable, databases with web service access out there.
Next up, sometime – building an app in WPF, and LINQ to XML.
</geekalert>
I bought Kevin Rudolf’s In The City album – clean version.
Normally, I don’t do this, but this time, I want to be able to share the music with my children (7 and 5.5), and it was nice to be able to purchase the versions that will be played on the radio and not worry about having the cd in the car.
I like that there’s an option if I choose, especially in this instance. So far, I’ve been pretty good at shielding the little gels from cursing. In our house, the “s” words are “stupid” and “shut up.” There’s plenty of time for them to learn profanity and appropriate use thereof.
We finally have some real Snow! And it's still snowing! Of course, the girls are dying to make snow angels. 
Hey, it’s here. Not that I update it much. It’s mainly so I can comment on a coupla blogs I follow over there.
… You walk into the ladies room after it has just been cleaned, and you think “First!”
… By the time the news headline reaches CNN, you’ve seen three different accounts and read the first hand accounts from either the twitterstream or the blogosphere.
… It’s not surfing, it’s User Interface Trend Analysis.
… Google Skillz – U haz dem.
Or Burnout?
Our local county (Fairfax, VA) had a special election on Tuesday to replace the Board of Supervisors Chairman, after he moved up to Congress. I made sure I voted, but my husband didn’t. Just read in the paper that only 16 percent of eligible voters voted in the special election. 16 percent, of one of the wealthiest counties in the nation.
Now, I don’t know if this is a special election thing, or what, but it seems to me that the person in the driving seat of the county would warrant consideration and a vote.
There were four candidates – a Democrat, a Republican, a Green Party candidate, and an Independent. The Democrat won, by a margin of 1 percent (according to the news).
We’ll have the new Chairman of the Board of Supervisors until the end of 2011; there are plenty of local issues that will be impacted by this choice. I have no idea why more people didn’t show up and vote. Signs were all over the place. I don’t watch much live TV, and I flip thru the commercials of what I get to watch, so I don’t know if there were any ads on local stations.
So, were people just not interested in voting again? Or had they had enough and decided to sit this one out? Or was it something else?
Recorded Here until I get a chance to move them to the sidebar:
Blogs
Links
I will be upgrading the site engine and making a few cosmetic changes this week. Hopefully, this effort will spur me on in regularly updating the blog.
5 yr old just finished lesson 3 of 7 of intro to skating for 4-6 yr olds. She moves pretty well on the ice, and seems to be motivated even though she has the occasional spill. We'll be doing skating practice tomorrow. New gym uniforms for both. We have three gym shirts, and I couldn't find any of them Thursday evening without cleaning rooms. I'm not like Dawn where I venture into the room and 30 minutes later it's clean. No, I make them do it, and yell and nag constantly to make sure they do the work. Anyhoo, $43 dollars later, 2 new gym shirts and one new pair of sweats (without scissor holes). If scissor holes appear, they'll have to either give me the replacement money, or work it off. Harsh, yes, but necessary. I'm such a mean mom. They tell me that several times a week.
The Maids are coming for the first time tomorrow, so I'm clearing out the major clutter. They supposedly pick up and straighten, but it's hard to straighten if there's no apparent order in the chaos that was my corner of the family room. Knitting, school work, computer stuff, cds, dvds, trash, books, toys confiscated from children all have found places in my corner. It's looking better, but I still have work to do. They're only cleaning the main level and the girls bathroom.
The Eagles play at one, and I have to work around that. Hubby just took the girls to softball camp (75 minutes for the next six sundays), and I'll pick them up and either pass them off to Grandma or keep them and force a nap. We'll see.
In knitting related news, I got my christmas yarn so I'm pattern browsing. I'll eventually have at least a navy top, if not two, or a sweater.
Trying to stay low carb/low blood sugar impact, and I have to keep caffeine to either none or infinitesimal amount. Graves is on the upswing, and I see the doc on the 26th. Hopefully they'll be able to kill the thyroid once and for all.
Here, have a kitten pic.
Stop acting like children! Seriously. You all remind me of my 5 and 7 yr olds. Grrr.
That is all.
… I will maintain my healthy food choices (not a diet) longer than three days (this is day 3).
… I will find the time to walk on a regular basis.
… I will finally clean the yarn room.
… I will finish Ellen’s pink sweater (begun summer of 2007).
… I will do something with my extra domain names, like putting up good sites and software.
… I will blog a bit more regularly, and possibly add pictures.
But then again, maybe not.
Happy New Year, all.
Dessert last nite was rough – remains of vanilla granola mixed with cool whip lite. Prolly bunch of carbs, and 3–500 calories. I told you that was my weak time.
Today, breakfast wasn’t much better. I managed to avoid drive thru temptation, but I got 2 diet bars with my coke zero, and I’m not drinking as much as I should.
I also may be running a fever – I’ve had this cold since last Thursday and it’s hard to shake.
Dinner: Ground Sirloin - 1/2 of 1.25 lbs, so 3/4 lb pre-cooked weight. I'm guessing between 500 and 600 calories. Flavored with a couple of cheese sticks The husband got instead of the string cheese I had requested. No countable carbs. I will prolly have some sugar free pudding when the girls have theirs for dessert.
beverages - I made a batch of weak ice tea. Yes, it's caffeinated, but it's very weak, so it's okay. However, I'm trying to drink it without sweetener, so it will be a struggle. Me and my sweet tooth.
Homework (very light) is done, and girls are jammied and dinner dishes are done. The Husband isn't home yet, so I'll prolly goof off until he gets home, then do some more chores.
I will be working after bedtime tonite, so that will be the challenge time. I hope to resist the munchies.
Okay, so I pretty much doubled my intake in the afternoon. I had another coffee cup of wheat thins, and a diet bar (balance - 25 carbs, 190 cals), and another string cheese. Afternoon drink was 24 oz of coke zero. I was working through a challenging problem, and I've become accustomed to munchies and computer challenges.
Now we're home. Girls are gonna have the last of the fish sticks, and I've got to cook some lean ground sirloin, and I'll make it a one pot dish and throw in a package of chopped broccoli and other flavorings. This is a good low carb thing. The Husband will prolly only partake if I keep the broccoli separate, so I'll think about that. (He's a broccoli h8r!)
I'll do well until about 8, then I'll want something else. Evening snacking is always a struggle to keep under control.
Asthma was a non issue today, so maybe if I have a wheeze free week I can think about starting a walking program again.
Not healthy at all, but my supply was limited.
2 servings of wheat thins reduced fat. 260 cals, 42 carbs.
Drinking – 24 oz of ice water.
The plan is to low carb mostly, but not obsessively. Calorie levels should be between 1500 and 2000. According to several websites, I need 2500 just to maintain my weight, so coming in less, in combination with the low carb stuff should help.
I still have to feed a kindergartener and a first grader three squares plus snacks (the husband, he’s on his own), so I’m trying to find a solution that helps us all eat healthier, but my way of eating is not theirs. They love mac n cheese (can’t stand it), and can have it in moderation. Weight loss and low blood sugar are both goals, but without the fuss of external diets. I have been successful on medifast, but it takes more obsession, discipline and finances than I currently have available.
Anyhoo, the cycle must end. I’ve got to find a sustainable plan that works. So this is trying to be it.
A Link I found this weekend:
http://www.caloriesperhour.com/
2 polly o string cheeses: 160 cals, 0 carbs.
24 oz of DDP. (Next fluid serving will either be all water, or caffeine free diet soda).
I’ve decided to put my food log here, for accountability purposes. Maybe if I show the world what I’m eating, I won’t eat so much. We’ll see.
Breakfast: Fruitified Zone Perfect Blue berry bar. 190 cals, 25 carbs.
My employer provides a fully stocked kitchen, so it’s hard to control yourself, but I’m trying to stick to the healthy stuff.
Morning beverages: 2 20 oz bottles of Diet Dr Pepper (purchased, not from the kitchen). No, I haven’t consumed them both just yet.
If anyone else downloads this file, it won't mean anything.
I'm alive and well, and the mother of a kindergartener, a first grader, and a 19 year old who has her driver's license and is pretty self-sufficient over at grandmother's house. Where does the time go? And the baby two posts below? He's 8 months old, has several teeth, and is the king of drool. I've switched jobs - I found out I'm not a consultant. Back to DOD contracting. Husband is now also a DOD contractor, so we're weathering the economy okay. Currently, funding for our jobs is not an issue, nor is it likely to be for the next five to ten years. Not knitting so much, but the house is getting a little less cluttered. Slowly. I'm on Twitter as kaplooeymom, and I've been trying to post a bit each day, but it's nothing big. I will be trying NANOWRIMO this year, seriously. I have a story that won't leave me the heck alone, so I'm trying to keep it under control until November 1. Whether it will go anywhere once it's written remains to be seen.
Seriously, I’m wearing gloves right now. I’m having a good diet day, which means I’m freezing. I haven’t cut the tips off the fingers yet, since I seem to be doing okay. Programming is 50 percent point and click click click click click right now, anyway.
We’ll see if knitting in gloves is possbile later on.
Baby Xander (as opposed to Xander from power rangers mystic force) was born on Feb 3. He weighed either 7.5 lbs or 7 lbs, 5 oz, I don’t remember which. My sister is fine – going back to her teaching job next week. Below is Xander at 2 hours old.
I’ll get a new pic this weekend, and you’ll be able to see how much he’s grown.
My sister’s water broke about 1:30 this morning. She’s at the hospital. Her last child took 24 hrs of labor though, so this one won’t be easy. As soon as I get more news, I’ll post it.
Okay, if you didn’t watch cartoons in the eighties, you may not get the reference.
Anyhoo, on my daily read list is the Yarn Harlot. Last Friday, she wrote an entry hysterically funny about editing her latest knitting book. Well, she reminded me of PBW, who’s at the top of my daily read list. So I ran down the list of PBW entries, to where she gave her email, and I sent her the link.
Lo and behold, not only do I get a reply in my email, today’s PBW entry comments on the Harlot, and references my name. I’m famous! I have affected the blogisphere! I have the Power!
To be fair, I haven’t kept up this blog, and I’d get more readership if I did, with links to others, for it is with trackbacks and comments to others that one builds their own blog, but still. For little old me to have such an influence, tiny that it is, on such a highly read and respected blog, it boggles the mind.
And I’m still recovering from the birthday party at Chuck E Cheese’s. Luckily, the charge goes on next month’s bill, and since it was the Husband’s idea, I can say I told you so when he yells. 2 hours of screaming kids, lousy covers of pop songs, keeping track of 12 kids and making sure they and the parents they brought all ate and drank satisfactorily, and got enough tokens, then hauling the presents home, the list as she opened them, the baths, the attempt to calm them down for Sunday night bedtime – oy! It’s a good thing I had a quiet work day today, or I might have come across as the witch my kids think I am sometimes.
Time to enforce 8 pm bedtime. Witch practice. Yes, that’s “Witch” - with a W, not a B. I’ll hear that later, in about five years, I expect.
20 pounds. As advertised. However, it would have been more, but I had some bad days at the beginning of last week, so that slowed my rate down. I kept my cal count down, but the food choices on the bad days weren’t the best.
This week, I’ll be adding in the walking, as recommended by Medifast – 20 minutes 3 times a week. Don’t know when, just yet – possibly at lunch time at work.
On the knitting front – can’t find the camera, so you’ll just have to imagine in your mind – I’ve got the triangle blanket halfway done. I bound off the baby sweater torso, only to determine it’s too short, so either I have to go back and add about 6 rows, or scrap the whole thing. Nephew is due on valentine’s day, so I need to decide soon.
Today is the six yr old’s part at Chuck E Cheese. Ugh. But, this is her first big, non family party, with invitations and thank you notes and everything. So, I’ll be listening to screaming kids for two hours. I’ve warned the husband that if he’s home when we get home, I’m going to take an hour off to recover my sanity. He has to work today (maintenance weekend for the govt computers), so he’s excused from party duty.
I had my first off site client visit last week for the new job. I’m definitely out of practice, but I think I did okay. I was pretty nervous, so I told the 4.25 yr old at drop off that I needed to hurry because I had my first big meeting with the new job. So, at pickup, the first thing out of her mouth was “Mom! How did your meeting go?” That made my afternoon.
After 3 weeks on Medifast, I’ve lost 15 pounds. I seem to have settled on 3 lbs a week after the water loss. So this is the real work. Medifast recommends getting used to the program before starting their exercise for sedentary folks (walking) program. So, next weekend, I will begin that. That should help as well. That may increase the 3 lbs a week, or may just help with inch loss.
The 5.95 turned 6 on Tuesday. I’ll have pics from the big Chuck E Cheese party which is next weekend.
The 4.25 has recovered from her cold and has spent the last 6 nites in her own bed all nite. Yes! Remember, this is the child who’s also called the Klingon. (Cling on, for those not aware of Star Trek).
The knitting – well, not so much. New Nephew is due in 4 weeks. Hat is done. Sweater needs sleeves. Still need to do booties and matching blanket. Other blanket (to match nursery) is almost half done. 18.25’s sweater – supposed to be done for christmas – needs sleeves.
I have my first on-site client visit on Tuesday with the new job. I have to make sure I can present a professional enough appearance. Also gotta remember to take my business cards to hand out.
I’m doing some personal coding, but time is short.
I’ve got a new story idea wandering around in my head, so I’m putting some of the stuff on paper, but I haven’t been really writing in ages. I guess I’m not as serious about it right now as I used to be.
We’ve lost the TV Remote (my fault – I put it somewhere, and now can’t remember where) so now I’m off to clean in hopes of finding it under the clutter.
Update: Found the remote. It was in a box I had thought I’d looked in before.
Excuse the housekeeping, but I need to check this from many PCs.
14 girls invited.
3 Cousins accepted
1 Sister accepted
1 Non class mate accepted
4 Class mates accepted
-2 Class mates declined
We have to pay for 11 kids (Chuck E Cheese), so this helps my math. I may send out a bugging email to others.
Down 11 pounds. Ketosis has begun. Water loss has ended, so now the real work begins. Last time, I was able to maintain a loss average of a pound a day.
Lessons Learned/Relearned
- Drinking is necessary. Water is best, but diet soda/ice tea will work.
- Vegetables are necessary. If neglected, system backup will occur.
- Vitamins are recommended.
Tips and Tricks
Whenever I have a meal, I drink at least 16–20 oz of liquid with it. At work, they provide water bottles in the fridge. For liquid meals, I use two – one to drink part of, then use the other half to make my meal, and one to drink with/after the meal.
While they don’t recommend adding exercise for 3 to 4 weeks, especially for sedentary people like me, I try to add in extra stairs trips at home, and park farther away from places to creep walking in.
Clean the shaker/bowl/container used immediately after your meal. Soy has a weird texture, and this is a necessity unless you want stinky dishes.
Use the forums for support. I’m signed up with mymedifast.com, but there are others out there.
It’s important to have your family or house mates supporting you. My kids help, and Hubby helps. If I have trouble with a specific food, they’re good about letting me leave the room. Extended family support is good too, but the day to day people are essential.
Next Sunday, I’ll have another writeup.
(In our fam damily, we do this on purpose. Mostly to hide the fact that we do this accidently, too.)
Yesterday was Medifast day 3, and I peaked at the scale and had lost 7 lbs. Yes, you read that correctly. Now, most of it was water weight, I know, since I was visiting the facilities on average every 45 minutes, but it drives the confidence up.
The hardest part of doing this is not sneaking bites of little girl food. But, I’m keeping to a 1000–1100 calorie diet, and as long as I follow the program I’m not hungry. The shakes and pudding and oatmeals are enough to keep my sweet tooth satisfied, and every 2.5–3 hours, I’m eating. And I get one real “Healthy” meal a day. As long as I follow the rules for “Healthy”, I’m good.
New Years Eve, Hubby was ill, so I entertained 2 4.2 yr olds and one 5.95 year old. We managed to stay up to watch the ball drop, and we toasted with caffeine free diet soda, and they were excited to see Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers standing next to Dick Clark. Fifteen minutes later, they were fast asleep.
Yesterday was day one. My goal is 30 pounds by Jan 31. If you recall, I did this in sept of 06, and was successful at the drop, but not the keeping off part. Some of it was program cost – Medifast meals are expensive – and some of it was holiday eating, and some of it was job stress eating. But, in the long run, it’s better than the surgeries, which was what the doc suggested. I looked at both bypass and banding, and I’d much rather go this route.
I’m going to weigh weekly, and I’ll keep posting the weight loss numbers.
Public Reasons for Losing Weight:
- Running around with my kids.
- Looking nice for my husband.
- My health.
- Not embarassing my kids – not being the “fat mom.”
Notice this is external motivation, for the most part. I’m better at external motivation than internal stuff. If I’m going to do something, it’s much easier for me to justify actions in terms of responsibility to/for someone else, than it is to do something because I need it.
Anyhoo, I hope you have a good New Year!
Happy Holidays and warm wishes to any readers out there who happen by!
And I thought LOLCODE was different. This would be an excellent geeky exercise – imagine the nerd creditability potential! They wrote an interpreter and everything.
In advance of the new year, I’m making this public. Hopefully, I’ll track my progress. Areas are not listed in any order, other than how they pop into my brain.
Professional: I’m taking one of many baby steps and getting involved in code camp. I’ve volunteered to take on the web site duties, and one of my personal professional goals is to have enough confidence about a subject to give a talk at the next one. I’m picking up sharepoint coding, so that may develop into a presentation, and I’m getting back into web development after six months of vb6/install shield heck, so maybe I’ll be able to feel more knowledgeable about something there. I’ve loved the code camps, so hopefully I’ll be able to give back.
Parenting: I need to stop yelling so much. It’s just easier to be louder than the kids, instead of stopping what I’m doing and walking over to them and making sure they’re listing. I don’t know how to quantify/objective-ize (is that a word) this, but it’s something I’m working on. Also, we all need to be better organized about our mornings – which means I need to do stuff at night to make this happen.
Housekeeping: I am not a housewife, but I need to be better at this. And I need to get the kids involved in chores, now that they’re old enough. I know my husband would prefer not having a slob of a wife, and a house the same.
Knitting: Cables. Completion. I need to complete stuff, and do something with cables. And take more pictures.
Writing: I need to be more diligent about blogging, even if the topic is not related to yesterday’s. There are enough interesting things in my head that I should be able to come up with something each day. And I need to get Cinderfella finished – it’s finished in my mind, but I need to make myself write it.
Reading: I’m on God Emperor of Dune (Dune Chronicles, Book 4) ' target=_blank>God Emperor of Dune (Book 4), and I’d like to finish the original series, then the two add-ons that the son wrote from the outlines. I’m not sure I want to read the prequels, since you already know what happened, but I’ll decide later.
Web Site Management: Now that I’m getting back into web development, I hope I’ll make the time to do some sprucing up around here.
Personal: Okay, weight loss was a non-success this year. I’m not using the f-word, since you kind of have to try in order to fail, and since my tries were very inconsistent, I’m not counting. However, new job has minimal commute (I mean, 1 mile, maybe from daycare to office), with no chances of drive thru, so that’s good. However, if I want to stop and get something, there are options. And since I’m so close… Well, I’m trying not to to that too often. What I really need to do, of course, is spend time on the treadmill. I’ll think about how that can happen, and get back to you when I have a more concrete goal.
Okay, the above are loosely defined, so next week, my plan is to have, for each area above, a well-defined, achieveable objective. Keep your fingers crossed.
Happy Holidays!
I asked for guidelines, and I get exact present specs. This is actually the 4th year I’ve been wish list compiler. Here, names redacted, are what people sent in. You may notice some common themes – we all loved Buck Rogers as kids. Most of us like sc-fi/fantasy. There are no Dallas fans allowed (grounds for disownment). Hubby’s Parents visit, but are not usually included in the recipient list – in other words, I give them a slightly modified version, so that the girls get different presents.
18 yr old Daughter
Converse Hi-tops – size 8 ½ in women, 6 ½ in men
Jewelry
Sony Cybershot W200 Digital Camera
Golden Girls DVDs (any season)
Lucky Never Slevin DVD
Ocean’s Thirteen DVD
Knocked Up DVD
Payless Gift Card
Foot Locker Gift Card
Famous Footwear Gift Card
DSW Gift Card
Target Gift Card
Wal-Mart Gift Card
Torrid Gift Card
5.9 yr old Daughter
Disney/Other Movie Books – Learn to Read level
Barbies
Horses
Favorite Color (this month) is green
Arts/Crafts requiring minimal assistance
4.15 yr old Daughter
Whatever Cailin gets (within reason)
Power Rangers (any kind)
Favorite Color (this month) is purple
Barbies and or Baby Doll things
Arts/Crafts requiring minimal assistance
Me
Redskins Stuff
Die Hard Series on DVD
Buck Rodgers Series on DVD
Young Ones (every stoopid episode) series DVD
Knitting Calendar
Blue/Silver jewelry
Hubby
Eagles Stuff
Seinfeld Season 9 DVD
Book: Semi Homemade 20 minute Meals by Sandra Lee
fFolkes DVD
15 Yr Old Nephew
Nintendo PSP
Ghost Rider (the DVD or anything)
Dukes of Hazzard (DVD or TV series)
Hero clix
marver super hero related anything (except superman)
godzilla collectible figures
anything with a rebel flag
Undertaker 15 and O (DVD)
Hulk hogan anthology
clothes with any of the following. Lynyrd skynyrd, AC/DC, Pink Floyd,
Guns and Roses and Avenged seven fold
spiderman 3 game for PS2 or dvds
civil war game for PS2
Transformers DVD or PS2 game
10 Yr old Nephew
Magic cards Lorwyn edition
Hero Clix
Hero clix booster packs
4.15 yr old Niece
Leapfrog phonics writing desk
Leapster games (she only has disney princess so far)
Baby Alive
Barbie Island princess accesories (i think i'm getting the doll)
any barbie stuff really...
Barbie and Tanner
Barbie cash register
moon sand
playdoh kits
aqua doodle mat
candyland castle game
wacka mole game
Hungry hungry hippos
Sister In Law
subscription to Paula Deen's magazine
Jewelry-gemstones, hoop earrings, bracelets
starbucks stuff. Like a travel mug with no handle...
laptop lap desk
Brother (38, but you wouldn’t know it)
Magic The Gathering TCG 10th Edition Core Set Fat Pack
1000+ Assorted Magic the Gathering Cards
Magic the Gathering What Color T-Shirt, XX-Large
(5) Magic the Gathering MTG 10th Tenth Edition X Core Set Booster Pack
Magic the Gathering Coldsnap Fat Pack
Magic the Gathering Future Sight Fat Pack
Magic The Gathering TCG Planar Chaos Fat Pack
Magic the Gathering: MTG Lorwyn - Sealed Fat Pack
100 BCW 9 Pocket Storage Sheets for Baseball, Football, Basketball, Hockey, Yugioh, Pokemon and Other Collector Cards That Fit in Standard Sized Pages
Ultra Pro The Magic the Gathering (MTG) Ciruelos' Dragon Playmat - Limited Edition (Black)
Player's Choice Gold Sleeves - Standard Size Deck Protectors
Player's Choice Purple Sleeves - Standard Size Deck Protectors
Player's Choice Silver Sleeves - Standard Size Deck Protectors
Player's Choice Red Sleeves - Standard Size Deck Protectors
Player's Choice White Sleeves - Standard Size Deck Protectors
Poker Secrets From Poker Champs DVD
Maverick DVD
Rounders (Collector's Edition) DVD
Tilt - Season One DVD
NFL Washington Redskins Poker Guard with black velvet pouch
Washington Redskins Monopoly
Washington Redskins NFL Polo by Reebok (Adult XX-Large)
YuGiOh GX Card Game 2007 Series 1 Collector Tin Set Elemental Hero Grand Neos
Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Machine Re-Volt Structure Deck
YuGiOh GX Card Game 2007 Series 1 Collector Tin Set Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus
2007 YuGiOh! Collectors Holiday Tin: Destiny Hero Plasma
YuGiOh! Ultimate Edition 2! Dragon Master Knight with 2 Dark Revelations Volume 3 Booster Packs + Ultimate Dueling Guide
Yugioh Jaden Yuki and Syrus Truesdale 2 Starter Decks Sets
Yugioh Blaze of Destruction Structure Deck
Yu-gi-oh! Structure Deck - Fury From the Deep
Yu-Gi-Oh! Lost Millenium Special Edition Box
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Collection Volume 1
2006 Magic The Gathering Time Spiral Fat Pack
Player's Choice Black Sleeves - Standard Size Deck Protectors
Magic the Gathering: Core Set - Tenth - 10th - Edition Sealed Fat Pack
Magic The Gathering - 10th / Tenth Edition Theme Deck Set of 5
Caro's Book of Poker Tells by Mike Caro (Author)
Harrington on Hold 'em: Expert Strategies for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. III--The Workbook (Harrington on Hold'em)
Harrington on Hold 'em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments, Vol. 2: Endgame by Dan Harrington (Author), Bill Robertie (Author)
Doyle Brunson's Super System: A Course in Power Poker by Doyle Brunson (Author)
Doyle Brunson's Super System II by Doyle Brunson (Author)
The Art of Learning: A Journey in the Pursuit of Excellence by Josh Waitzkin
Kindle: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device
Sacred Journey of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman
Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives by Dan Millman
Stein On Writing: A Master Editor of Some of the Most Successful Writers of Our Century Shares His Craft Techniques and Strategies by Sol Stein
Book: Plot & Structure: (Techniques And Exercises For Crafting A Plot That Grips Readers From Start To Finish)by James Scott Bell (Author)
Book: Techniques of the Selling Writer
9 Yr Old Nephew
Wrestling toys- John Cena
Rocky Toy
Steelers stuff
Playstation 2 games: action and sports games ( no T for teen or M for Mature games)
Chris Brown's new CD Edited version
Kanye West's New CD Edited version
Hideki Matsui memorabilia (Yankee player)
Gilbert Arenas jersey (black and Gold One)
Steelers Helmet
Clothes
32 yr old Sister (due in Feb)
Buck Roger's series on DVD
Flip mittens
Carol Burnett Series on DVD
Hair things
gift certificates
Sister’s SO
A Job
Sports Illustrated Red Sox World Series DVD
Best of Eddie Murphy Saturday Night Live
Miami Heat, Boston Redsox, or Pittsburgh Steelers Memorabilia
Gift certificates
Sister’s SO’s Mother
Anything butterflies
36 yr old Sister
Cuddlekins Black Bear 12" Plush by Wild Republic
College Logo Pendant - UC Berkeley Golden Bears Offered by FanTheFire
SHINY STONE BEAR'S CLAW Paw Pewter PENDANT Necklace Offered by Dan's Jewelers Sterling Silver Bear Pendant Offered by Sabrina Silver
Star Wars Darth Vader with Lightsaber Lucite Keychain Offered by Countdown Enterprises
DVD Buck Rogers in the 25th Century - The Complete Epic Series
DVD Battlestar Galactica - The Complete Epic Series (Limited Edition Cylon Head Packaging
DVD Charlotte's Web (Widescreen Edition) New Version
Book Three in Death by J.D. Robb (Author)
Brother In Law
Books are always good (softcover perferred)
Mort by Terry Pratchett (book 1)
Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett (book 2)
Soul Music by Terry Pratchett (book 3)
Hogfather by Terry Pratchett (book 4)
Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett (book 5)
The Harlequin by Laural K. Hamilton
Mistral's Kiss by Laural K. Hamilton
For A Few Demons More by Kim Harrison
Bitten by Kelly Armstrong
Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston
The Wheel of Darkness by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Movies (widescreen):
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (released dec. 11)
Transformers
1776
Ducksoup
Night at the Opera
The Thin Man
After The Thin Man
Another Thin Man
Shadow of the Thin Man
The Thin Man Goes Home
Song of the Thin Man
All That Jazz
Key Largo
Clothes - 3x shirts, 46 jeans
60 Yr Old Man (my dad)
Left & Right Throttle Rockers JC Whitney.com/J & P Cycles.com
Belgian Waffle Iron & Mix GoldenMalted.com
Portable DVD Player
Western Books / Movies
12volt Cook Ware
63 Yr Old Lady (my mom)
Slots disc WMS II (I have I) from casino center.com.
light weight socks (crew)
size 3x tops
help with Gramma
Rascal Flatts newest CD (Still Feels Good)
Newest books from James Patterson, Robert B Parker, Catherine Coulter, Michael Connolly, Janet Ivanovich (Discounted only, or I'll wait for used book store)
90 Year old Matriarch (my grandmother)
warm socks
chocolate candy
flannel night gown
Large print historical fiction without sex
Pictures of grandkids
Are you ready? I begin my online shopping Wednesday. We have the wonderful amazon.com credit card, that we use like cash, and pay off every month, and the rebates are in the form of amazon.com gift certs. So, I take my gift certs, double that at amazon, and try to spend as little as possible else where. We are prime members which saves on shipping, and the purchases on amazon itself are worth triple toward the rebate gift certs.
Knitting Secret Pal has come to a close, and Mandy has received the final package I sent. Her niece is soooo cute. I miss babies. (I’m not going to cry about early menopause, I’m not, I’m not, I’m NOT!)
BTW, I found a cute little site today – I was reading a sharepoint tech blog, and they sent me here. Hysterical! For techies, or any kind of daily computer user, it’s a must read.
I finally made it to the mail store, and got my two packages in the mail on Wednesday. One to my knitting secret pal, and one to my sister and her husband. His birthday was last week, and hers is on December 20. I’ll send them their Christmas package separately.
I finally folded a bunch of clothes and got the 5.9 yr old to put hers away. The 4.2 yr old will do hers tonite. Mine, well, the pile is at least migrating toward my closet.
I finally watched Bones (the one with the kiss) from Tuesday. Very Interesting. Now we have to wait until January for new episodes – it looks like some have already been produced, so hopefully the Writers’ Strike (go writers!) won’t affect that show too much.
I finally did some knitting last nite, but I don’t have pics. I’ll produce some this weekend, I promise.
(Warning, geek content ahead!)
Microsoft SharePoint (tm) is a collaboration platform that enables quick collaboration setup and usage within the MS Windows platform. It is built upon .net, and integrates MS Office, and can often be deployed and customized without any code.
Sample sites built on SharePoint include Viacom, Canon Technology Solutions, Florida’s Orange County Public Schools, and Spinebreakers.
Custom “web parts” – the sections that make up a page – can be created, including many codeless solutions. Searching across diverse sources – including databases, excel files, word docs, pdfs – can be set up.
Collaboration – shared work – is a cornerstone of SharePoint, and its major selling point. If you’re doing a significant amount of collaborative work within MS Office, SharePoint may be a boon to your productivity.
My 3rd and final package from my knitting secret pal arrived today. And, since I found the camera last week, here are some yarn pR0n pictures for your drooling pleasure:
Oooh, blue. And Soft. This will be something for ME, most likely.
Blue cotton. Destined for my kitchen. The ball with green is called Sea Mist, the other three are Faded Denim.
Katia Diana. Very Soft, and made with a hint of Angora.
And the non-knitting goodies?
The 4 yr old and I hit the chocolate already. I’ll share the Neccos with the kids, and the fruit lifesavers. But the butter rum will be stashed for purely selfish moments.
And the secret pal? Why, it was Cassandra! She also has three daughters – hopefully less monstrous than mine.
And my final package will go in the mail tomorrow – between having to purchase a new car, and getting a new job, things were crazy around here.
I went to Code Camp on Saturday, and won a license to JetBrains Resharper, and Dot Trace Profiler. Retail value 6 hunnerd bucks. All cause I had tivo'd and watched Hackers recently, and could identify the soundtrack.
Anyhoo, I started a new job on Friday, and so far, so good. Lots of good stuff to learn and do. I may be posting geeky bits more and more. My goal is to learn enough about something interesting to be able to give a presentation at the next code camp in March.
A new topic here. Questions from a four year old.
“Mommy, why do birds build nests?”
And the monsters got up extremely early. Still working on adjusting the time clock. We’re up, had breakfast, and the kitchen has been cleaned. I cleaned the microwave, and hand washed the glass plate. Hubby is now cleaning off the formal dining room table – the repository for all the stuff we don’t want to put away since pretty much Easter (or even last Christmas).
I finally decided that until I was happy with the knitwhit prototype, I wasn’t going to port it to the web. Also, whatever job I end up having, the web version will be my practice area. Currently, there are four web versions, all using different methods of programming, with pretty much the same database. So, it’s in Access for now, until I get the pattern database stuff finalized, and then I’ll make it multi-user, then I’ll port it to the web and start asking for beta users. It WON’T be another ravelry – purely a project management app, not a social one.
I have two packages to get in the mail between now and Monday – one for my knitting secret pal, and one for my sister.
I’ve made a little progress on my NaNo project, but I’m behind, and I’m actually using it as a reward for my must dos, rather than the other way around. Otherwise no laundry would get accomplished.
I’ve lost ten pounds, also – mostly by not eating or eating one or two of the one-hundred calorie snack packs. And drinking gallons of iced tea.
Well, the clock is chiming the hour, so the girls have to be given their cleaning instructions. We’re all working this morning.
According to the recruiters, nearly everything is a “Hot Opportunity” or a “Perfect Match to your skill set”. And yes, it seems this is a good time for me to be looking, right now. Govt contracts have been awarded or enhanced (thank you, taxpayers). People here in the DC area are in a state of transition. (Which, for this area, is the norm, but it’s a little high right now, since it’s after the school year has started.) My particular skills (and an odd mix of geekiness they are) are not necessarily the norm, so when some recruiter sees my resume on Monster, or Dice, or Washington Post Jobs, they gravitate. I’m even getting identical job descriptions from competing recruiters, which always makes me chuckle, whether I’m interested or not.
So, I’ve been on one real interview, and two meetings with “Recruiter/Staffing firm” people. Not bad for 7 days out of work. And I could have done more, if my personal requirements weren’t so limiting.
My biggest challenge is looking business-like. The phrase “bull in a china shop” is very close to my awareness outside of my home, not the least because I get clumsy when I get nervous.
And I’m definitely not in the market for the constant increase in wages, which causes disbelief in many. So many of the recruiters automatically add 5 to 10 K to what I just made as a starting point, and that’s not the kind of image I want to present.
So, this may take awhile (hey, I’m catching up on the dreaded laundry), or I may get the “Perfect Match” sometime next week. Either way, I’m trying to make the most of it. I’m volunteering for the book fair next week (yummmmm, book fairs), and I’m doing plenty of decluttering and catching up on house work that I would otherwise ignore, and I’ve started NaNoWriMo, and I’m catching up on sleep. I’m knitting a little bit – I’m actually using knitting as a reward for getting the unpleasant housework done.
To finding a job closer to home, doing work I want to do.
To Shenandoah Sheep and Fiber Festival.
To Halloween with Spider Girl and the Vampire Queen (I found my camera, pictures will be procured and posted).
To getting rid of lots of clutter and getting a craft room for me.
To trying to eat right, once again, or just giving in and doing the gastric bypass.
To wrapping up the year on a positive note.
I got a package, but since I still haven’t found the digital camera, there won’t be any pics until I do. Little bit of everything in this package.
Inside, I found:
- 2 rolls of Lifesaver ButterRums – yum. The trick is to make them last.
- 1 ball Patons Bumble Bee in lime green – cotton dk weight, but machine washable
- 1 ball Bernat Miami in sky blue – looks like tube cotton, and it may go well with the stuff from Stitches
- 1 ball Berroco Candy FX in pink/white mix – this is a knit along, so while I like the looks on the ball, I gotta find something to use this with
- 1 ball Berroco Plush in Pink – very, very soft. I almost like this in the ball too much to make something.
- 1 supersize ball Sugar n Creme in Over the Rainbow (mix of fuschia, yellow, lime, orange, white) – Not my usual color mix, but I like the way these go together. I never would have bought this myself, but I think I’ll enjoy making something with this.
- 2 balls Bernat Handicrafter cotton, same color name and scheme – I just finished making a dishcloth with one of the previous Bernat balls she sent me, so all three of these may make a nice set to give to someone. The texture difference between the two brands is slight, but there.
- 2 balls Cascade Pearls (in another bright mix (fuschia, aqua, lavender) – I’ve recently been acquainted with Cascade Yarns, so this is good quality. This is a boucle type yarn.
- 2 balls Schaechenmayr nomotto Rainbow in lavender – this is a worsted cotton yarn, wrapped with a variegated single strand of rainbow cotton. Interesting. This will definitely be an interesting knit.
- 2 balls Wendy Shimmer, in purple – girls loved this one the best. It’s a feathery novelty yarn. It looks good next to the Candy FX, since they’re both metallic. This will prolly become a doll blanket or something for the girls.
My design juices are flowing, and my fingers are itching, but I need to finish Ellen’s sweater, and Cailin’s green sweater first before I tackle any other time intensive project. Now, to add all these into Ravelry, and see what others have done with them – the biggest feature of Ravelry, IMHO.
So, yesterday, I parked the littel monst– girls, and waved at the husband, and took off to Baltimore to Stitches East. Just for one day, to check out the vendors.
Takeaway – knitters need big wallets. Seriously. Yes, it was all nice, and custom dyed, and fantastic quality, and almost nothing machine washable (other than superwash wool, which we all know I can’t touch). So, I saw some knitting gurus – I spotted Lily Chin there, and I bought a book from the Cabin Fever ladies, but other than that, I had to shop real hard to justify any other purchase.
I did buy 10 balls of Lucci tube cotton – 4 bucks a ball. This was a low price booth – the manufacturer/distributor booth. White and mint green, 5 each. Prolly a layette set for the boss, or a spring time thing for a monst– girl.
And I had to pay 9 bucks just for the priviledge of entering the market, and 20 bucks to park. And 5 bucks for a pretzel and a 20 oz bottle of diet soda.
Takeaway – I’d rather spend my money on machine-washable, affordable yarn, than the good stuff. I’d prefer my stuff to get used, not put away. But hey, that’s just me. I’ll just stick to Lion Brand, and whatever’s on sale, thanks (except Vanna’s Choice. Don’t like the feel or the colors).
Michelle’s water broke. My prayers are with her and her hubs and babetko.
4yr old got three shots at yesterday’s checkup - the umbilical cord has retracted somewhat. With this one, it was never quite cut. I have my own personal Clingon.  So, this will be a frustrating weekend.
I still haven’t located the camera, so maybe today.
That was what I asked myself when my favorite blogger went off line for nearly two weeks. I mean, even to post something saying she was taking some time off?
Of course, over the last two weeks, I’ve had the same difficulty posting – not necessarily due to lack of something to say, but finding the time to say it right – with pictures and everything.
So, I’ve decided to stop being the hypocrite, and stop being the perfectionist and just post – even if I don’t have the pretty pictures downloaded from the camera and ready to go.
Here goes:
The in-laws just left after a week’s visit. They’re great. I love them, but it’s nice to have my home back to myself (so to speak). Really, they’re wonderful. They both clean (I’m not quite the world’s worst housekeeper, but they may think so), she cooks, and they both dote on the little monst–, uhm, girls.
Of course, I get a head cold last week, that this week is trying to migrate into my chest. And I don’t have Columbus day off, with this new job, so I’ll be dropping you know who off at my mother’s.
I’ve made progress on Ellen’s Surprise, and Holly’s Custom Sweater (Light blue with up and down white stripes). I’ve started and ripped and started Cara’s Matrix Thing.
I’ve watched all my shows from last week – Bones, NCIS, Bionic Woman, CSI, Numbers, and Cold Case. I started Munich – about 45 minutes. I finished Highlander: the Source. Ugh. I was never a fan of Duncan McCloud.
Next time, I promise to have pictures. Gotta go wake 5.5 yr old, and dress us all, and head out.
Well, I had a vested interest in this update, since I grew up with the originals. In fact, COL Steve Austin was my first intended fiance. So I Tivo’d, then I watched as soon as I could.
The characters have been updated to reflect today’s American culture, and have their own conflicts. Jamie has to take care of a younger teenage sister, obviously not without some conflicts. And there’s this guy, a genius professor.
Then the car accident, and “THE CHANGE”. And yes, I jumped at the car accident. Hollywood’s getting good at these surprise things. It was scary.
The bad guys are a mix of stereotypes and updates. I liked Mark Sheppard as the bad father (and inventor of the technology) of the genius professor. But then, I’ve liked Mark since SOF.
They set up Jamie as a reluctant operative, which is interesting, and similar to the original, either dropping or replacing the memory loss story line all together.
Pilot Pronouncement – it will go on the TIVO list.
What a week it’s been. We had an intense time at the beach, then came back to the week not quite from heck, but from somewhere pretty close. So now I’m finally mentally and physically ready to resume blogging. Unfortunately, I haven’t any pictures for you, yet, but I’ll get back into that soon.
Below is a list of all the stuff I have in the works in various stages more solid than dreaming about.
Knitting Projects Currently On The Needles:
- Green Sweater for 5.5 yr old (needs one sleeve, and body)
- Christmas Sweater (not those colors) for 18 yr old
- Kittyville hat for Youngest Sister (by request)
- Not a Kelly for Me
- Various Dishrag / swatching
Knitting Projects Soon To Be Cast On
- Tank/Tee for Middle Sister
- Sweater for 4 yr old
- Sweater for Cousin 4 yr old (by request)
Knitting Projects Being Planned
-
Layette for BOSS (due Jan 1 – Baby’s Due Jan 15, gender unknown)
-
Layette for Youngest Sister (due Feb 1 – Baby’s Due Feb 14, male)
Website Projects In the Pipeline
- Updates to this site
- Writeaholic resurrection
- Codemom deployment
Writing Projects In my Head
- Divine Right to Rule (exploring a physical manifestation of this belief)
- Magic Tigers
- Warriors
Okay, it’s a Kia Sedona, but still….
We’re headed to Ocean City MD right after work tomorrow, but I’ve packed the knitting and the digital camera. We’ll be back Sunday evening, so I should post either then or first thing Monday.
Have a good weekend!
My second layette – well, at least the sweater and blankie – have been completed.
The frills remind me of Sigmund and the Seamonsters, but my mother gushed, so I guess they’re cute enough.
I personalized the blankie, but this time with duplicate stitch.
It’s more of a throw, or a breastfeeding cover, but this yarn – Bernat Baby Coordinates (mill end equivalent) – got heavy. I used a double strand on the blankie, and it started stretching too much from the weight of the yarn. I have tons of this stuff. I’m real quick doing some booties in white, with frills, then it will be ready to send to my sister’s friend.
Michelle received her package. The blanket says “babetko” which means baby in czech. Poor kid, not even here, and already notorious in the blogosphere.
The sweater looked like this:
There was a hat in white with the purple border, and booties in purple with a white cuff. I’ll try to track down pics. For yarn ppl, this was done in TLC cotton plus. I used 3 balls of white and two of purple – I think it was called lavender, or something like that.
I did the sweater first, then mirrored the design in the rest of the items. If anyone is interested in a pattern, let me know – while this was based off the Tulip Sweater, different yarns and modified instructions I hope I can differentiate it enough so that I won’t violate copyright. I highly recommend the original pattern, but not necessarily the yarn. Even the kits are a bit expensive for me. At 3.75 a ball, x 5 = $20 (Michelle, ignore), Cotton plus is, to me, is a much better choice. It’s machine washable and dryable, and half the cost.
Well, 5.5 and 3.9 are due for bed. No naps – they had Old Country Buffet Breakfast and Chuck E Cheese with Granna, three hours at Cousin 6.3’s house, then a fifteen minute snooze while I drove to 5.5’s class cookout. There were two sandboxes, and I swear 3.9 bathed in both of them. So it was bath time as soon as we walked into the door.
Hot, crowded, but still very exciting.
They loved taking a picture with the Real Power Rangers. Then we went to Burger King with a playground, then dropped cousin off. Now we’re home, they’re in jammies, and watching – you guessed it – Power Rangers Operation Overdrive (Once a Ranger episode) until bedtime.
After bedtime, I’ll do a good knitting post.
When we got up after abbreviated nap, guess what I found? A Secret Pal gift, just for me. Yippee.
I had my girls and cousin help me open, and they were very good at waiting. So, I shared some lifesavers.
From left 2 right: redhead is mine, 5.5 (the kindergartener), blondie is mine, 3.9 (the preschooler), the teenager is mine, 17.9 (the college student), and the 3.9 year old is my niece (the cousin).
Now, we’re off to the surprise. I’ll post specific thanks later, but I love it all!
I swear, she’ll talk you to death. Sheesh.
Got the SP 11 package and Michelle’s package in the mail on Tuesday. When Michelle acknowledges receipt, I’ll post the knitting pics. The other baby due in Sept is actually a preemie, so after I confirm sizing, I’ll prolly send them something this coming week. SP11 Recipient has acknowledged, but I can’t put a link here, just in case.
Blogging and tight coding deadlines don’t mix well. But my code went live today, and I haven’t heard about any issues with it. While I had the logic down pat, I know the code wasn’t well formed, but I’m new to the language, and a lot of the finer points that others fully trained in the language would code automatically I either ignored, didn’t know about, or took awhile to track down the syntax. I’m open to a code review when we can breathe again, and I said so to my direct boss, the integrator. So, hopefully, they still like me as much as I like them.
Here, have a kitteh.
They’re playing with Daddy. So I get a few moments to tell you how I’ve procrastinated regarding laundry.
I’ve finished the second bootie, cleaned off my computer desk, and worked on the teenager’s former bedroom – moving all the stuff she left behind into the closet, and doing some dusting – which will become my knitting room. I don’t know if the computer will move up there, because I’m not counting on her being gone permanently, and so the room has to be able to do double duty if she comes back.
We survived week one of Kindergarten, and the very first ever soccer practice. This coming week will be continuing adjustments as we get into the routine of packing lunch everyday.
As soon as I find my camera, I’ll post some pics.
The Not A Tulip Layette is nearly complete. The blanket – with personalization – is done and finished. Everything is packed in a box, with a note. And I finally found an easy bootie pattern I liked. However, the first bootie took me an hour from start to finish. So, the second one will be completed in the morning. And the Secret Pal box is nearly ready – just have to acquire one more item. Tuesday will be fun at the Fed Ex store.
We went to a cookout and my sister gave me a book – Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook – and requested the kittyville hat, and a matching one for the new one (once gender is determined on the 20th) due in February. I flipped through it, and it’s interesting, so she didn’t waste her money. And the knitting book I ordered – Knitting Around – will be the last actual knitting book purchase, at least until the Harlot visits the area on the 20th.
Well, I promised Hubby I’d be up at midnite. So I better go on upstairs.
Happy September!
Deadline for day job fast approaching, and I’ve been tracking down an issue, which seems to be a stupid programmer issue, for the most part. I forgot I had included a step in a routine, then called that step outside the routine, then the routine itself, so of course it wasn’t working. Duh! Logic 101, time to refresh.
- Unzip
- Untar
- Send email
In that order. Silly Programmer, kicks are for trids.
Sorry, it’s late, and I’m rambling because I have no real knitting progress to update – between kindergarten, and tight coding deadline, knitting has crawled for the last two days. However, since I have to send package on Saturday, once coding furiously is done, knitting furiously will resume.
Here, have some cute kittehs.
Well. What a hullabaloo. I think we remembered everything, and we labeled everything, and she wore the required clothes, and she was there on time. And the 3.9 Yr old was fine, as well, on her second day in the fours class. They’re going to Chuck E Cheese today.
We ended up tightening up the belt, so the shorts fit better. Tomorrow is PE day, so the uniform will be slightly different. And we’ll be taking the 3.9 yr old first, most likely.
I pick her up in 3 hours (8–11:30 this week, 8–1 next week, then finally all day kindergarten with after care starting the tenth). It’s a good thing I have a decent job, and can work from home. Speaking of work, I have enough to keep me occupied until 11ish, then it’s time to collect the kindergartner. House work? Are you kidding? Not bloody likely.
It was Hubby’s Scheduled Work Weekend, so I had the littel gels, and then some. Last nite, I took them, and Cousin H and Cousin L by Marriage (Sister married, then divorced, L’s cousin) to Burger King with a playground. 90 minutes of two 3.9 yr olds, and one 6 .01 yr old, and one 5.5 yr old. Then, we met my mother and the Teenager at BigMart. Then, after buying new shoes for Catholic School, we went to QD for ice cream.
Now, when my mother’s involved, there’s no such thing as doing things quickly. So, we didn’t get home until after nine, and bedtime was around ten.
Today, we met my mother and Cousin H for breakfast at Greasy Mac’s, and then she took the girls (Thank you!) for a coupla hours, while I picked up a few things at AC Moore, then gelled.
She returned the littel gels, plus Paskettios for me to nuke for their lunch, at 1:20. So, nap time didn’t happen until 2.
Tonite, after littel gel bedtime, is worktime for the day job, so I won’t have knitting progress to post until tomorrow.
Have a cute kitteh pic instead: Funny Kitteh
Someone has gone and made some links. I’m not the only one, it seems, who would be interested. I’m not that into HP, but the other stuff looks interesting.
Brian May, of Qeen fame, has done it. He’s a PhD. As someone who couldn’t tolerate college (most likely due to asthma-medicine induced ADD), I’m both congratulatory and jealous. And, it’s in astrophysics, no less. Something I have a passing interest in – I follow the headlines more than most people would (same with quantum physics).
Hats off, to you, Brian, for finishing what you started long ago. Maybe I’ll go back to college in 30 years, and just graduate.
I have installed an interesting application - BlogJet. It's a cool Windows client for my blog tool (as well as for other tools). Get your copy here: http://blogjet.com. This may or may not result in more entries.
The most likely way for the world to be destroyed, most experts agree, is by accident. That's where we come in; we're computer professionals. We cause accidents. (Nathaniel Borenstein)
It seems blogger/blogspot is down this morning. None of the blogs (okay, most - I got one to work) I usually read from there are working. From a technical perspective, it will be an interesting read when it's back up and the explanation is posted. From a blogosphere perspective, it will be interesting to see how the overal web society responds to the outage.
Okay, enough geek musings.
I'm taking the baby sweater to visit my grandmother this evening. While she didn't teach me to knit (I actually took a knitting class in elementary school), it has been another thing we share, and it seems I'm the only one in the family who enjoys it as she does. Since she's ninety, and her body's starting to complain, she doesn't get out much - if at all. So we'll marvel at the techniques, and discuss a few things, and continue our bond, while the little gels run around the back yard of my mother's house. (At least, that's the plan.)
The Not A Tulip Sweater, she has been finished! Finally! Although, it really only took 11 days, and I was sick the last five, so it was a fairly quick project, but WAY too much finishing work for me. The I-cord around the neck - I worked it separately then sewed it on, since I couldn't wrap my head around the applied directions (doing I-cord while attached to the sweater) - is now complete, and and all ends woven, knotted as needed, and snipped. The hat is done. The blanket is about half way done. I found a good set of seamed booties, so the layette will be complete.
Once this set is done, I need to finish the blanket and booties for the other Michelle, and I'm done with baby stuff for a couple of months. (Pics will be forthcoming after Labor Day - both boxes must be in the mail by Sept 1.) My boss and my sister are due in January and February (in that order), so they'll be the next baby layette recipients.
Next up on the priority list is finishing the green sweater for Cailin, and doing one each for the other two daughters. My husband doesn't wear sweaters, and I'll work on mine as I work on the girls'.
In the meantime, have some LOLCat cuteness. And if you're a geek, you might enjoy LOLCode.
[Geeks, be patient. I have some good marriage tips coming up for you - whether you are one, or are married to one, or both.] In Kid News, the the five year old starts kindergarten next week, so that's our big building up to event. We did some homework a bit tonite, to warm up brains. Both the 3.9 yr old and the 5.5 yr old did two pages in the little books I got for them from AC Moore. We're setting up the routine before the school year starts, and easing them into it.
Questionnaire is here. Other Q N A 1. What is the one knitting accessory you could not live
without? Hmmm, Gallon size zip lock bags.
2. If you're heading on vacation, do you take knitting with you? Of Course. If so, how much and what type of project? Lots and everything. I usually take several projects.
3. Where have you travelled to that you'd consider your favorite spot? Natural Bridge, VA
4. What is your favorite knitting book at the moment? Do you own it? Knitting from the top down, Barbara Walker, and yes, I own it.
5. Do you listen to podcasts? I've tried, but when I have time to listen (at the day job, programming) is not when I'm knitting, so it doesn't work out. When I have time to knit, the girls are usually around and about, so I gotta pay attention to them. Knitting group tonite. I made a hat last nite (my first one), and I hope to finish the sweater tonite, and the blanket this weekend. Girls will be traveling with grandma, so I'll be kidfree, but lots of house work to do. And quality time with Hubby.
I have 2 babies to knit for - both due in September. My goal is to have knitting boxed and ready to mail on Sept 1.
Here's the Tulip (scroll down) I started last Thursday at SweetLife Knitters Meetup:
Not quite the pattern, but close. Here's the blanket I'll prolly send with it, unless I do something with the matching yarn in time. Lots of finishing, and I prolly will adjust the next one to decrease the amount of finishing. But it's top down, easy (except for the knitting in the round sleeves), and memorizable. And quick. Most likely it will be completed on Thursday, if I can get the size 6 dpns in time.
The blanket is white mill end cotton, and will most likely have one more diamond before I begin the decreases. I may or may not embellish
The other set will appear tomorrow.
Yes, folks, apparently some of you ARE reading this. Which means I gotta be more disciplined in posting.
Chicken Pox Update: Hubby was down for a week. He eased back into work last week, but until this past weekend, that was it. He'd go to work, pick up the girls from school, then be useless the rest of the evening. Only the essentials - dog feeding, pool maintenance, trash to the curb - got accomplished. Needless to say, I wasn't Happy Harriet Homemaker. I'm an overweight, cranky, menopausal forty-year old. (Yes, it's menopause. Been confirmed.) So, the house is still recovering. Finally, this weekend, he seemed back to normal. And then the five year old started having a nose. Sheesh, it never stops. I started my not quite a tulip baby sweater last thursday, and I've made it to the first sleeve. Knitting in the round on dpns is not my favorite activity, but as a knitter, it's a necessary skill. I tried magic loop, but it stretched the stiches too much. I looked all weekend for the camera, and I found it this morning, so hopefully I'll get some pics up this evening. And I need a set of size 6 dpns. Back to the day job.
Holey Schmoley! I gotta reader! Someone actually commented! My free knitting patterns reference must have come up on a search list or something. In other news, the company outing yesterday turned into laser tag. I actually competed in one game, and didn't come in dead last (it was a beginners' game, so death wasn't permanent). I got my immediate supervisor more than he got me. Not bad for a forty year old fat woman with exercise/allergy induced asthma. The fog machine got me though, and I had to sit out the second game. Luckily, I had my knitting. Kidlies and Hubby are disappearing this afternoon, so I'll take and post some pics then.
Okay, here goes nuttin'...
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I have skin allergies with both wool and nylon, so I've been enjoying cotton and cotton blends lately. Haven't tried other things.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Denise case, loose in my knitting drawer.
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I consider myself an intermediate knitter. I've been doing this off and on since I learned in 4th grade, 30 years ago.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Yes, at amazon (geek alert).
5. What's your favorite scent? I like strawberry and rose, but due to allergies, the only scents I can really tolerate are vanilla and cinnamon.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Sweet Teeth, definitely. The only candy I don't like is gummy anything. Butterscotch and butter rum lifesavers are a rare treat, when I can find them.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I don't spin, being allergic to wool. I'm a geek, so in my non-knitting spare time, I futz on the computer with programs.
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD). I like any kind of music EXCEPT COUNTRY. And of course I can do MP3s.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I'm a blue freak, and I don't like orange all by itself, or brown/tan with pretty much anything. Or Teal. (the old windows 95 default background made me want to puke practically every time I saw it.)
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? 3 girls (17.9, 5.5, 3.9), 1 husband (43), 1 dog (6.8). Various parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, fabulous in-laws.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I've got long hair, so I don't do the hat thing, but I'll snip the fingertips off cheap mittens, if needed.
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I'm having fun with my first top down raglan sweater per Barbara Walker's book, and the tulip baby sweater.
13. What are you knitting right now? See above, plus... cuff to cuff for the youngest, Kelly sweater (from Daily Knitter) for me, something surprising for Demented M, besides the baby's blanket.... (must not cast on, must. not. cast. on.)
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Of course, who doesn't?
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Circs, definitely. I'm a clutz, so they're easier. I use Denise, supplemented by whatever.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Nope.
17. How old is your oldest UFO? There's something upstairs that I started before my nephew was born - he's nine now.
18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas!
19. Is there anything that you collect? Besides yarn? Crayons, probably. I love the smell. My kids never run out.
20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I haven't read the harlot in print, just yet, only online. If I subscribed to a magazine, it would probably be to knit n style. Vogue, possibly. I'm getting into design, since I don't usually like the designs that are in the glossies.
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Cables are next. I've done one swatch, but I want to get good at it.
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Never done that. Wanna learn. My shoe size is 8 wide. (short fat feet)
23. When is your birthday? May 26.
24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? Yes, I'm on ravelry. Kaplooeymom, of course.
There you have it.
Pics coming tonite, I think.
That's what the husband has. The doc said he might get it when the 5 yr old got her shot, so we postponed her shot, and his doc told him to get vaccinated, and he did, then two weeks later, she did, and now he has chicken pox. So it's either from his shot or hers, no one knows. He's pretty miserable, and pretty disgusted with the medical advice, and I'm exhausted from sole care of girls, and they miss their dad. (New Paragraph, finally.) I have knitting pics, but I haven't taken the time to sit at the computer in the evenings and upload them from the camera. Today is Thursday, which means Grandmother gets them from daycare, and keeps them until about 8-ish (ish can be anywhere from 15 to 50 minutes, BTW), so I can work late or relax. So maybe I'll get stuff done then. Don't count it. At the day job, I have to rassle with InstallShield script - who knew how complicated a progress bar could be?
I saw this on a blog, somwhere, and had to try it...
Your Score: Older Futhark
You scored
Language of the Norse, Older Futhark! Thirty symbols, all told. And no hardier, more warrior-like tongue has ever graced the longships of the Viki or left the Celts and Saxons in such quivering fear. There's only one drawback, that being you died 800 years ago.
Barely. Husband is sick - started sunday afternoon when he came home from weekend work. He's pretty sick, fever/chills, dizzyness, soreness everywhere. Since he hates me to fuss over him, I just concentrate on the girls. So I get pretty cranky sometimes.
The party was a success, for the most part. I tried to take pictures, but of course the batteries were low, and the moment was lost.
AC Moore has/had a one day sale today, and I found some fuschia Microspun for 1.87 a ball - I got all 7 balls left. I'm trying to schedule in a trip to the other store to see if they have some. I'm working on a microspun baby blanket for one of the michelles, and while it's not gonna be pink, the yarn is pleasant to work with, and at that price, I can stock up and work double if I want something thicker.
I'm gonna try to take/post more pics tonite. Either of knitting, little gels, or both.
(Beware, I'm into alliterations.)
I'm hosting a cousins' Christmas in July party tomorrow night. I need to plan dinner and crafty thing for 2 almost 4 yr olds, and 5 to 6 yr olds (We invited the neighborhood boys, but they won't sleep over). If the weather holds, I'll wear them out in the pool, then plop them in front of a project while I fix the food.
I'm trying to figure out what exactly to feed them. The craft is set - I got cheap t-shirts and fabric markers, and I need to pick up some stencils, and we're set.
I'm getting a tiny bit exhausted just thinking about this, but the kids just love it when I do this, so I try to do one every other month, when the husband is scheduled to work all weekend.
Brain break is over, back to coding at the day job.
I finally had an hour to kill, without kids or husband, on the way home from work, so I went by the LYS. I'm a cheapo, but I found something new at a price I could justify for my expectant sister (due valentine's day). (excuse the crumbs).
Cotton/Acrylic at $5 a ball. This will make either a nice blanket-bootie set, or the tulip sweater and a hat. Or something like that. Plenty of time.
All my yarn is now getting ID'd per skein/ball - yes, these have been duly marked and entered into my current knitting organizer. I'm back to doing my organizer in MS Access to save time on tweaking. Once I'm happy with the final output, I'll port it to either a fancy desktop app - in Mono, I hope - or I'll webify it. If I webify it, it won't be social, like ravelry, but datacentric, like basecamp.
Last night I watched Eraser for the umpteenth time. I hadn't seen it in awhile, and I needed to burn off some caffeine, so I knitted (real simple knit every stitch - 45 stitch rows), and watched.
Arnold did some acting, and James Caan was James Caan as a fed. The plot was interesting enough, and the action scenes were well-executed and believable within context. Vanessa Williams did a good job pretending to be an executive, but they didn't put too much opportunity for real emotion for her character in the script. And Robert Pastorelli - well, you just gotta watch. The only thing I didn't like is the lack of romantic storyline. But hey, that's just me.
Trivia alert - can you spot the president's son? He was also in Transformers.
Bottom Line - if you like action flicks, this is one of the better ones. Arnold, a believable and cohesive plot, good rest of cast, well executed. I own this on tape, but I expect I'll purchase it on DVD when I get around to it.
I'm such a geek. While I like ravelry.com, it's a little too social for my taste, so in my spare time, I'm working on my own. I was going to make it a plain desktop app, but what with Vista, and Mac and Linux ppl, for now it's browser based, in vb.net 2005 and sql server. When I'm happy with the overall usage, I may make it multi-user, and do more with it. The big thing I want it to do is price my projects and keep track of my yarn inventory based on yarn usage.
In other news, the teenager is moving out today. I'm trying not to be too mushy ("oh, mom!"), but she's been my life for the last 18 and a half years (including gestation). She turns 18 in September, and she'll only be six miles away, but still.
On the diet front, over the winter and chaotic spring I had gained back all my weight loss, so now I'm back on medifast. I'm gonna use up my existing supply, then order more. The girls and I took a walk to the playground this weekend and the next morning I could barely get out of bed. And, since the 5 yr old was signed up for fall soccer, I gotta be able to teach her some basics in the next 30 days.
So far, no actual writing has occured, but now that I'm no longer at the overtime-crazy job, maybe I'll be able to better utilise my free time for more than just making sure the kids have clean clothes and snacks for tomorrow. I'm slowly but surely recovering.
BTW, I haven't read HP 7. I stopped after 2.
I signed up for SP11. It's a secret pal type thing for knitters and crocheters. So, expect some knitting type posts around here. In other news, I'm adjusting slowly to the fact that my oldest graduated high school, and expects to move a couple miles away to go to community college part time, while living with her grandparents. She's been with me for the last 18 and a half years, and it will be different to not have her around, or returning in a few days. Yes, I'm proud of her. Yes, I want her to be successful in her own life, but I'll still miss her. The five year old taught herself to swim in the last six weeks - seriously. I bit the bullet and signed her up for fall soccer. It's mainly for health and social reasons. I hate the game, but it's what kids play now, and it's important for her social development.
The almost four year old is definitely eligible for speech therapy from the county. So, a therapist will be working with her on her enunciation - she's smart, but can't pronounce half the words correctly.
Work is good - no stress. Inlaws were up for two weeks and are leaving tomorrow.
More when I get my knitting thoughts organized.
| You Are Royal Blue |
 People find you difficult to understand. In fact, you often find it hard to understand yourself.
You think so much that sometimes you get lost in your own thoughts! |
It IS my favorite color after all.
I didn't realize it had been that long. We made it back from the trip, I started the new job the next day, and I've never looked back.
New Job: No timesheets, no client support, learning Install Shield's script (kind of like Javascript, but not), C#, Dot Net 2.0, the new portal, SFTP (Secure FTP, which is implemented completely differently than FTP), packets, and buffers and streams, oh my! The 5 yr old graduated from Pre-K (January kid, poor thing, can't wait for kindergarten, reading already). The 17 yr old graduated from High School (not looking back, either), and turns 18 in Sept. The 3 yr old turns 4 in Sept and got her own room. All three are enjoying the new pool.
I turned 40. My Dad turned 60. My surviving grandmother is still kicking at 90.
I've gotten back into knitting in a big way. It's amazing the free info now found online. And the yarn. Beautiful lovely yarn. Aha, aha.... Sorry, you prolly don't get the reference (Disney's Robin Hood).
Anyhoo, I'll be trying once again to get the site(s) regularly updated. Keep your fingers crossed.
Some tips:
- Don't sit them next to each other.
- Make sure you pick the right sized headphones.
- Make sure you choose your DVD selections correctly.
Other than that, it took us 13 and a half hours. We reverse the process on Monday.
There's a new place called Monkey Joes that has opened up in middle Georgia. We're there now. Free high speed internet, and free computer stations! Kids are going to wear themselves unconscious. Some one needs to open up one of these in northern VA.
The kids - 3.5 and 5 years old (20 months apart).
The plan: Buy a Portable DVD Player with dual screens/headphones. Put the kids in the way back of the minivan, with mom in the middle, and dad driving.
Have plenty of books/toys. Stop every three to four hours and let them run. We start first thing Friday Morning. I'll let you know how it goes when we get back Monday night.
I start my new job on Tuesday. I'm looking forward to learning new things, and doing something the public (well, more than just classified Navy Users) can see and use. Hubby will be changing his job schedule with the new month - he'll be working evenings, for most likely the month of May. He's not looking forward to it, but I am. He can take the girls to school when they're nice and cooperative, and I'll pick up the cranky monsters and feed them, and put them to bed.
I've started Intermittent Fasting. Eat 24 hours, Fast 24 hours, from 6pm to 6 pm (In my case it's more like 7 - 7). Today is my first fast day. I will most likely be fasting Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I didn't weigh today, and we have the road trip to the inlaws this weekend, but I'll get a baseline tomorrow morning if I can, and I'll try to repeat every week.
On the writing front, not much is happening. Current job ends tomorrow, which has basically been all consuming of any free time (hence the job change). I have several stories in the various mental stages, that I'd like to start putting down on either paper or electrons. By the way, does anyone know if reflected light is different than direct light? How does the reflection alter the light wave/particle makeup? Anyone? Anyone? ... I guess I'll have to look it up, then.
Recommended To Do Site: ToodleDo. Easy Peasy(tm) set up, integration. No Hierarchies, but who cares? Inline editing is GREAT. They have an API which the geek me will check out soon. I like this much better than any of the other online list management apps.
But I'm going to try anyway. Today's events at Virginia Tech will cause a lot of damage. Most likely more damage than the shooter originally intended. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and any other persons affected by this tragedy, including the family of the shooter.
I was going to tell you all about Code Camp on Saturday, but that will have to wait.
While many people love spring, I'm fairly ambivalent. I suffer from seasonal allergies that have only recently been controllable (thank you OTC Claritin-generic) and usually start suffering in February. However, with young kids, I'm making the effort to get them out of the house more, which means I have to get out of the house more, as well. So, since I'm not into running around with them (yet), I've been either reading or knitting.
Yes, knitting. I've gotten back into that. I was knitting before the 5 yr old was born, but had such terrible carpal tunnel with that pregnancy that I couldn't continue. Then, 20 months later, the 3 year old came along. Finally, though, they're old enough so that I can sit for 10-20 minutes at a time, and not have to wait on them, so I need something to do with my hands that isn't in front of a computer. It's amazing how popular knitting is online. Who needs knitting books anymore? Just google free knitting patters, or knitting blogs, or yarn and see what is out there. I confess, I did purchase one book. Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Without Tears , and I wish I'd read this years ago, when she was alive. Anyhoo, I've done two doll blankets at the request of the kids, and I've now got a sweater for the 3 year old in progress, and one semi started for the five year old. I'll see if I can get the digital camera fired up and post pics, like other knitting bloggers.
This is the way we waste the day,
waste the day,
waste the day.
This is the day we waste the day
stuck in a meeting
This is the way we stay awake,
stay awake,
stay awake.
This is the way we stay awake
making silly songs.
I was futzing around, and bought StarDock's Object Desktop. So, of course I'm playing with skins, customizing the look of my pc. Here's' what I have at the moment. It's kind of mac like, and the window title is in a weird font, so I may be changing it.
My mother took the littel gels for the morning, lunch and nap. So what am I doing? I'm putting xubuntu on an ancient winbook laptop, then I'll be wiping and re-installing windows on my sister's PC. All this is definitely laundry avoidance. The little laptop will bring the number of running PCs in the house to 5. Teenager's, my old one which is for the littel gels, mine, hubby's, little laptop. Also, I have the work laptop in a docking station at the moment. But right now it's off, so it doesn't count. If this install goes well, I have another old machine I may tackle, and see if I can put together a little linux network to play with. I want to get some experience with the LAMP stack - Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP. And the software cost is perfect - zilch.
Teenager will be home by 5, and I may ask her to post something as a test. Be warned.
The Daily Question at our place is "what's for dinner?" With two little ones, a teenager, a diabetic dad, and a mom who tries to accomodate them all, it gets to be a challenge. Tonite, the littel gels are going to be eating beans and hotdogs. I'll prolly nuke a can of green beans, just to get something green in there. Hubby will prolly do his own thing for dinner. The teenager, well, who knows? So, I'll prolly eat whatever is left of the beans and dogs to minimize leftovers, and fill in with something healthy if I can. I'm borderline type 2 diabetic, so I try to keep it healthy, but I don't sweat the small dgressions.
Yes, I know we need to get organized. But right now, there are two diverse meal requirements, and three finicky eaters, two of which aren't even consistently finicky. Something they liked one time, when served again the next week, they'll pick at. And versy vicy. So, what's for dinner at your house?
Certain phrases have crept into usage in the last twenty five years or so that annoy the heck out of me. Here's a list. That said / That being said / Having said all that - whatever happened to However, or So? Not! / Psych! - these are just plain annoying.
My bad - okay, maybe I'm culturally biased, but the bad grammar here just really p***es me off. Where it's at / Where are you at - Thou shalt not end a sentence with a preposition. Either leave off the at, or change the word to Located / Standing / sitting? I'm sure I'm not politically correct in accepting all of today's speech patterns, but I was taught to always strive for perfect grammar, both at home and at school, so when I hear these phrases in a business meeting, sheesh.
NoNags for members regularly hosts user submitted funny pics on its site. I'm using one of these to test the pic capability.
This sentence should be below the pic.
This is will be yet another referrence post and links will be updated as progress allows. Happy Browsing!
My Domainskaplooey (this one) codemom writeaholic thesapphirestar
I know it's supposed to be calm, but I've got the two five year olds and the two three year olds here, with just me and the dog. What fun. Breakfast is over, and they've finally had enough TV, so they're coloring. I'll start contacting parents at 10. We're having some weather, so I'll let them have a bit of kidless morning, then call them to come get their kidlies. Bedtime was interesting. 3 yr old cousin was the most difficult. She tossed and turned and turned and tossed, and finally fell asleep between 10:45 and 11 pm. 5 yr olds fell asleep on the family room sleeper sofa after I turned the TV off at 11, but that was to be expected. Everyone was up by 7. I expect good naps today.
I was able to put dasBlog up today (since you're reading this), so they haven't been too bad. They've now migrated to the other room where they're playing with the kitchen toys.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs ground meat
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 2 cans tomato soup
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 1 tablespoon salt
- half can water
- quarter cup bread crumbs
Instructions
Mix 1 can soup, half can water to remainder of ingredients. Shape into balls and place in casserole dish. Pour remaining can of soup over meatballs, cover, and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. We served with broccoli and carrots.
I'm nuts. Or so I've been told. We're hosting cousins - one three, one 5 and a half, so tonite I'm going to have two three year olds and two five year olds. We're going to make Porcupine Meatballs and Home made Banana Milkshakes. Hubby's working tonite, so he'll miss most of the fun. And Teenager's going out two, so it will be me, the kidlies, and the Five Point Five's mom until she tries to leave. And, oh yes, the dog.
I'm still working on getting pics working, but I'll update with them as soon as I can. And I'll post the recipe once we know it works.
This will be a constantly updated list of books that I recommend. Generally, sci-fi/fantasy, but other genres will be added as I find ones I think are worth buying new. All links point to amazon, with me as associate. Whether you purchase from amazon or not, I hope you will enjoy these books as I have. Happy Reading!
Dune
Valdemar
Imagine, if you will, - oh wait. You probably won't get the reference. It's linked if you want to check it out. From my wild youth.
Anyhoo, I had to entertain my littel gels and cousin holly yesterday, so we made a cake. Chocolate. Now, a five year old and two three year olds make for interesting cook's helpers. But it fended off boredom, and they loved helping, and licking the bowl. There were a few disagreements about who was hogging the remains, but they are girls, after all. Then after lunch and after teenager frosted the cake, they put sprinkles on it. LOTS of sprinkles.
UPDATE: Pics will be included as soon as I get the teenager to send them to me, and then I figure out how all this stuff works.
Test with dasBlog. I like the portal theme, with the left menu. And look ma, no database. Which makes it easy to move around. And, it uses FreeTextBox, not FCKeditor, which always looks profane to me. I will be converting all old entries from both blogger and my half-arsed attempt at writing my own system to dasBlog xml format as time permits. And I'll play with images, too.
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Copyright © 2010 Leah Hurst 2009. All rights reserved.
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