We are extra busy at work with the earthquake in Haiti , and I field calls on "what can we send you". Best answer (that few want to hear): Cash.
Click on the image above for MSNBC's article with the headline "Disaster do-gooders can actually hinder help".
I worked in these two buildings (Applied and Blairex Labs) in Columbus, Indiana for 3 1/2 years (back in 2000). They had the worst flooding in over 100 years last weekend. One of our board members helps the Red Cross with crisis counseling and was down there all night Saturday helping people check into shelters.
Did I mention that the brown stuff is water, and that it isn't supposed to be there?
The whole town is surrounded by rivers, and was completely cut off...FEMA has been called in...it made national news.
I have a board of director's meeting tomorrow at work (today we had a finance committee meeting). It's at 9:30a on a Saturday. I've put a note on my alarm to remind myself not to turn it off. Little notes to myself...reminds me of the movie "Memento" - wicked good movie, BTW.
I've finished my introductory Tai-Chi class down in Bloomy. Now I think I'm going to start one here in Indy (since half my students are from Indy (that is, one guy)). Adding his link reminds me...
Recently I've noticed TV pundits, hard-up for information on some suspect in a late-breaking news story, are prone to go to the perp's myspace page. They then say stupid stuff like "Johnny liked fast cars, and preferred blonds. His favorite food was soup.". I guess it's better than nothing, which is what they had before.
In chess news, I'm now an official tournament director, sanctioned by the United States Chess Federation. Oh yeah. Bring it. What does it take to be a TD for the USCF, you ask? Fill out some forms, pay some money, buy a book and promise that you'll "try and follow the rules". I predict some sort of fallout from the lax standards related to TDs by the USCF. [Edit 4/17/08 In reading the 5th edition rules, I'm no longer worried...I am only a "club" level TD...there are multiple levels and I am only qualified to run tournaments of under 50 people.]
But now that I think of it, there are a lot of things that people THINK are tougher to become than they are. I mean, to be a minister or a notary public, you don't even have to buy a *book*.
Well, it's no longer Friday, so I'd better motor.
Happy Easter season!
I came in this morning to find my office flooded. The guy in charge of the building said, "is there anything on the floor of the computer closet?" (which is next door to my office).
Oh, just ALL THE SERVERS! The computer closet is flooded too.
I hesitated posting this (since it puts my work in a bit of a bad light - never a good idea to do in public), until I read my pal's blog entry from yesterday:
Monkey thoughts - Hmmmmm: "'Ignorance is the Curse of God, Knowledge the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.' Particularly apropos considering I'm at work and am continually frustrated by the lack of leadership, wisdom, and sometimes complete stupidity of the people I work with."If he has the guts to post that, then I can make my innocuous-in-comparison post.
Sitting at the Discount Tire Co, hoping beyond hope that the $65 I'm spending on a single car tire is a good price. I'm used to buying used tires. [Edit 2/24: The new tire fixed the fact that my car was pulling to the left]
So you might ask, why am I here on a work day? Well, I'm not feeling too hot, so I figured this would be a good day to sit and wait for things. I tried to apply for a sign permit for work, but apparently there was a chance I'd have to wait a couple hours and still not get the permit. So I gave up on that.
Then I got my oil changed (for $40). It'd been about six months, and ten thousand miles...and even I have my standards.
My tire's ready - tschow.
The girls had a good Christmas (not that it's over, being the twelve days of Christmas and all). Molly is literally drowning in Webkinz, while Maddie got a (hold onto your hats, folks) CELLPHONE.
Please pray for the soul of Mary Teresa Schwering, who died Christmas Eve. I talked to her husband that evening at Church, and told him how sorry I was. He said, "She's spending Christmas with Christopher."
Next year I get an additional five days of vacation (for a total of 15)...five more years and I'll be up to the 20 I had five years ago. Heh. Nice that I don't care too much.
As you can see, I've been fiddling a bit with my sidebar (that's not a euphemism). I've added "My Bookshelf", and permalinks to my wishlists (since I got tired of reposting them).
"My Bookshelf" is a widget from facebook. If you don't know what that means, don't worry about it. Suffice it to say that I'm big into widgets now. Eventually, this one will mirror my actual bookshelf...if you want to see what I'm reading, click on "reading now" next to "all books".
This is my year-end summary post, so if you are a regular blog reader, feel free to skip it.
But, for those who hit me once a year - this bud's for you! To get more info (pictures of our August Disney trip, for example), find the "Archive" drop-down at the bottom of this page, on the left-hand side, and select the month you are interested in.
Maddie, at 12, had a few major "firsts" this year - growing into adulthood. Hanging at the mall w/ friends, junior-high dance, bombfire, and just in general being by herself or just with friends more and more. She went on a bus trip to D.C. in June with a million girl scouts.
Molly, at 9, is sweet as ever - sleepovers on the weekending being the rule. She enjoyed basketball and kickball this year (4th grade being the first time organized sports begin at OLL)
Chess club entered it's second year, and we joined the CYO competition against other schools, coming in 2nd city-wide.
At work, we started adding on in August (big time...doubling our warehouse space, and finishing a second story). When I say "we", I mean "others at work". Although, I do help when forced. We should be done by this time next year.
I continue to take Tai-Chi (having graduated to the intermediate class in September), but I don't practice daily like I used to. However, I do tend to stand a bit differently when I'm waiting in line.
Our Neighborhood continues to be interesting (crime-wise).
Working backwards through the year - here are the highlights:
In August, our family went to Disney in Florida (first time for me). When I was growing up, I always told myself that I'd like to take my girls to Disney when they are 12 and 9 (so they can appreciate it). It was miserably hot, but nice to spend it with family (my whole family was there at one point or another). Since it was at the same time as Gen Con, I went to Origins this year instead.
In July, the family (sans moi) took their annual trek to Michigan. It was sans moi, since I haven't enough vacation days (to be remedied this next year, since it'll be MY FIFTH at FAME, and I'll get 15 days instead of 10!).
In May, we had a block party - with a Keg no less (another first for me).
In February, Courtney bought $150 in chicken out of the back of a truck.
In January, we were invited to THREE superbowl parties, and I became a second cousin (I think).
Well, that about wraps it up! Please let me know if you start blogging, so I can keep up with your life and thoughts, and pop a comment on now and then to let me know you are reading my drivel.
Both our cars were "broken into" last night. I put it in quotes, since I think Court forgot to lock either car.
The most painful loss so far noticed: my work credit card...and that since I've been on hold a total of 45 minutes trying to cancel it. Amazing.
The second most painful loss is that I think they may have taken a couple pictures of the girls I had next to the credit card. I'm not sure they are gone yet, since I have yet to do an inventory. One picture was Maddie in her first communion dress, the other was of Molly grimacing at the camera. [edit: 11/29 - They didn't steal the pictures...just threw them on the floor.]
They missed my $50 sunglasses.
Oh yeah, the school was in lockdown for about 5 minutes today while the police looked for some guy (or gal, AFAIK).
Today I did some minor deck repair, and worked in the garage. Yes, this is Kieron writing this. Pick yourself back up off the floor.
Yesterday (Saturday) I was at work from 7:30a to 1:45p (for a Board Meeting), then I was off to the the Irvington Halloween Festival for awhile. It's a good chance to talk to people from the community, and the kids seem to have a lot of fun.
In the evening the P's and the M's came over for games. We played Time's Up, Perudo (Liar's Dice), Snorta, and Smarty Party. Each couple won a game. Ed won Snorta since he grew up on a farm.
I'm in the middle of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship. It's based on the beatitudes, and I'm currently thinking through loving my enemy.
Well, tonight we are hosting a dinner with the C's and the P's (again), so I've got to wrap it up.
The girls went to a girl scout camp this weekend - Shakamak. They had a blast, and so did I (back on the homestead).
On Friday I played games with some friends, on Saturday I went to work in the morning (we organized a "Run" to raise money) and went to a Marian conference in the afternoon and then in the evening visited my 'rents.
On Sunday (today) I celebrated Mass, and right when the girls got back Molly had a basketball game (which she won by one point!). I then took a nap and then folded laundry until this moment.
Whew.
I'm winning my DoA tournament game...
[11/14/07 - Added this photo, to prove I was at work on Saturday]
This is upstairs, and will be our main conference room. This day I was helping run electrical conduit. As you can see, all this work isn't making me any thinner. Click here for 75 more fascinating photos.
Hot. I have no A/C in my car...but neither do most of the people in Haiti, so who am I to complain?
Had lunch with DanD today. Maddie is babysitting tonight. At work, my preparation for the auditors (they will be in on Thurs and Fri) continues. I actually finished today (phase I, phase II will be in September).
Most of the internal walls at work are gone. Literally. They've been torn down, and all 8 of us are sharing three rooms (the conference room has three of us, and two of us are in the office supply room). Our newest hire will be sharing the bosses' office.
I need to check out www.peteranswers.com (it's down right now).
My friend at work, Cameron, was ordained today as a minister. I went to his church (Common Ground). It was a really nice ceremony.
There was a request for the FAME banquet photos, so click here to see a bunch.
Or click here to see mine (from Kelley).
I was just putting a flower on a jackhammer at work (this is not a euphemism).
We did something a little different with our groundbreaking for work (we are adding a $500K addition/remodel)...
Court has bookclub tonight (she's reading about a child solider - one of her favorite topics...NOT), and I'm trying to get some gamage together.
My PBEM DoA tournament game #2 (I lost the first one) is just starting up - a bit slowly.
At work, I spent some time trying to figure out why our donor management and our accounting systems showed different numbers for the fiscal year. Ah, the life of a bookkeeper (which Molly keeps insisting I'm not, thinking it's some sort of librarian).
Wednesday I played “Crime Lords” and “Citadels” with DaveK and Robert from about 7p to 10:30p. Afterwards, Robert went back to work (shaming me) until about 5am, working on setting up a server.
