Thursday, April 30, 2009

Low Tide this Month

Someone said to me, "I can't believe it's almost May."
I replied, "Good riddance!"
While, yes, there were high points in my life in April 2009, such as seeing Bayside and what I was able to accomplish at work on my list of projects and being able to throw my wife a surprise party, it is also the month where the routine became a bit stressful at times. I'm not speaking of Karen's foot - I'm speaking of the daily routine that all families have to go through. Day in, day out, there's all these demands on time. This needs to be done. That is due then. You need to fulfill this or that obligation. What about what you said two weeks ago, are we still doing that? There's all these things and, frankly, April will be remembered as the month of doing a lot but not accomplishing much. I still don't have my Excel file of CDs, tapes, and other media updated. I didn't write even half of the reviews I expected myself to write - not to mention what publicists must have expected me to do. The time just went by too damn fast. And it's not going to slow down anytime soon with First Communion in Chicagoland this weekend, a trip to Adventureland with Megan on their band trip the following, going up to get the camper the weekend after that and then it's Memorial Day weekend and Local H is playing in Waterloo on that Friday night. The following weekend is right before we leave for vacation. Then we get back from vacation and start camping season in Elkader from 6/11-7/11, which means none of those five Saturdays will be spent in front of the PC. I guess I'm taking a vacation from writing around that time...

On to other things. I'd really like to write about the .JS file that I am using in my online Help topics to automatically create a "Quick Links" section. It is soooo cooollll!

I don't have time to dwell on it now, though.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

New Era

It's a new era in my life. I haven't had any major revelation this week as far as work or my life outside of work. I do have a better sense of who I am and what I am trying to accomplish in my life. I think I have finally become serious about my health.

With the help of my Wellness Coach, I am eating less when I eat out or at home, remain focused on taking two 15 minute walks each day, and reducing the number of Pepsi's I have. I have worked myself into 3 a day - two in the AM, one at lunch. Yesterday, I broke with that because I helped Fred move his couch and while I could have had the beer Fred offered me, I took a Mountain Dew instead as my "reward."

In my last meeting with my Wellness Coach, I talked about how I need to remain focused on what I want to do. I want to look good without a shirt on. I want to be able to mow without a shirt and not be embarassed. I want to go to the pool or to be sitting around the campfire and not have a gut. Period. I had a goal of losing 30 pounds and, well, that is proving to be unrealistic.

I have dropped a few pounds but I still hover where I was a couple of months ago when this all started. So, baby steps. It is crunch time and if I am going to accomplish my goal - to look good without a shirt - I need to really focus. The weekends are going to be hard as we are out of town this weekend and the following 2 weekends are probable that we will not be home. That opens the door for unhealthy eating - read: snacking - and unhealthy choices as far as beverages. I drink too many Pepsis on the weekend, I think, so I need to curb that. If I was a die-hard, I wouldn't drink any. A Pepsi in the AM, though, is like a cup of coffee for others. It helps me focus. Thus, I am not really interested in giving it up. I do not drink a Pepsi on the way to work. I have been eating more breakfast in the AM than I used to. Someone said you should eat the most in the AM, less @ noon, and even less @ night if you want to lose weight.

Anyways, I haven't written about work lately. It's been pretty good. I chopped my way through a few big projects on my list and am working on things that I should not be really working on until next week, per my "grand plan." I have a big deadline coming on Friday, 5/15, so I have just about 2 weeks to slam through as many projects and changes to the doc that I can.

After 5/15, there is going to be another 2 weeks where I will probably be making UI changes. There are a lot of exciting and extensive changes that are on their way to our clients. I am still overwhelmed with work - still have 40 or more weeks of work on my desk, though it seems like I'm not getting new projects added to it. There is just so much going on that it seems really crazy, yet somewhat calming to know that, as long as clients continue to fund the projects they want us to complete, we will be fine. That's why it is important to work effectively and to not spend a lot of time gossiping or in any other way unfocused on what I am being paid to do. That is why I am there - to do work. It is not to waste time talking about bird crap - remember that post from a while back?

So... I'm listening to Bayside now. That was just a tremendously great show. It is hard to believe it was a week ago already. I submitted my review to DV so that should, hopefully, be posted fairly soon. One tidbit I did not include in my review is that there was a little girl - like 4 or 5 - at that show with earplugs - not in her ear lobes, but in her ear to block the noise. While I can kind of see it, I also think that that little girl probably got nothing out of the show. It was kind of sad and seemed like a selfish gesture by the mom, who was holding the girl's hand. Not what I would choose, but that's what makes the world go round.

In Manchester, IA, there was a 36 year-old who cut the pacemaker out of his dad's chest. Good gravy! That's just crazy.

Meanwhile, there are protests by the Jews for calling the "swine flu" the "swine flu" because they don't eat pork and it's offensive. They want to call it the Mexican flu. Yeah, like that's not going to offend someone. "Offend whoever you want as long as it's not my group!" seems to be the mentality.

Tomorrow is practice for both kids but the forecast is for rain so I wonder if that will cancel practice.

Finally, Phil talked about some great pizza in Chicagoland. I looked at this website and, without getting too detailed, there is at least one location near the city I will be sleeping in this weekend: http://www.loumalnatis.com/ so maybe, possibly, I will be able to experience some tasty Chicago pizza!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Why do windows always display in my documentation?

According to several Technical Writers (TWers) on various e-mail lists, "display" is a transitive verb that requires an object. Not having an object is technically ungrammatical.
Well, this is one TWer that does not shy away from breaking a rule.
The following format is used in the documentation I write and maintain:
"Click Add. The [whatever] displays."
Grammatically, the above should be "The displays on your screen."
However, I object. There are two issues with this wording. First of all, in the context of documentation that describes PC-based software, "on your screen" is implied. Where else is it going to display? I think it invites the user to say "Where else is it going to display you moron." Secondly, I personally object to the word "screen." This is a tidbit I gleaned from my first Technical Writing "gig." My mentor at the time told me that your "screen" is a piece of hardware. What you see on your screen is a window. Therefore, in that light, I'd have to say "The "name of window" displays on your window" which is stupid. I admit I was very impressionable when I started Technical Writing and now consider myself very stubborn in the idiosyncrasies I've adopted.
I could take the easy way out and write "The XYZ window *appears*. That's as equally gross as using "on your screen." Using the word "appears" betrays the spirit of software, which is not magic. While I have no programming training, I have been a TWer since 2/10/95. I have learned "events" happen because the user inputs information or performs some action, which causes another action. In my macro coding, it is known as an "If-Then" macro. If the user press F9=Add, then the program will toggle to Add mode." It's very cause/effect. The word "appears"has a connotation of magic as in "I will make a rabbit appear in this hat. "Software is the anti-magician vocation. There is no magic. Nothing happens automagically.
Other ways to say this include "The ABC system displays the XYZ window." That one is so gross, I won't touch it.
So yes, while"display" is a transitive verb and yes, it does require an object, I don't see it as being an evil. Rather, it's a necessary evil.
When documenting PC-based software, I view "the "name of window" displays" as acceptable.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

What a week... and it only gets funner...

My brain is fried. The last 7 days were long, tiring, rewarding, and, now, over.

  1. On Tuesday, Alex had baseball practice.


  2. On Wednesday, I drove to and from Des Moines (by myself) for the Bayside show. That was phenomenal. I met up with Travis and Dave and had a good time. I got on the road around 11 and was in bed by 1.

  3. On Thursday, I got up at 6 - so it was a short short night - worked, came home, went to Alex's baseball practice and Megan's softball practice, came home, loaded the truck for spring cleanup day, and went to bed.

  4. On Friday, I got up and helped Karen get ready for work - her foot is still in a cast 8 weeks later. After she left, I put two cases of beer and two cases of miscellaneous soft drinks into our garage fridge. I took our two card tables and chairs from the furnace room and had them ready. I did a quick clean up throughout the house. Then I got the kids up and helped them make their beds. Then I went to work. I donated blood. I asked if I could drink alcohol and she told me to make sure to drink a lot of water before I do.

    This is where it gets good.

    While I was at work, Dave came over on his Harley and gave the kids rides. Then he told Karen that they had had a good time last week and we should go out for happy hour. So, when I got home, we went to pick up Dave and Cindy. We went to Gus' and had good conversation. We went home and were getting ready to play cards when all of a sudden, there was a long line of cars honking their horns coming down our street.

    That was how we started Karen's surprise 40th birthday party. Bill had the keg in his vehicle so we got that set up. I backed out the van and truck. Keith and Len grabbed the card tables and chairs from the basement. My mother-in-law, her sister (Aunt Pat), my sister-in-law Chris, Debbie, and others went into the house and got the food set up. Mike and Steve went across the street to Mark and Jenny's and got Dave's tables and chairs. Paul from WI and I got the kids' toys moved from the back service door because the keg was to be set up on the cement block out that door.

    And within about 10 minutes, there were card tables and chairs set up in our garage, the keg was tapped, Aunt Pat had a rum and Pepsi in her hand, Karen had a beer, and the party was on! There were about 70 people, not counting kids, that came to her party. We did not run out of beverages or food, which is good.

    By 1:30 or so, everyone was gone and the kids were in bed. My son had 6 pops "because it was a party!" Megan was a bit distraught because I had not told her what I was planning. I think she thinks I should have trusted her to not tell Karen. By 2, I was in bed.

  5. On Saturday, I woke up @ 6:30 and, finally, @ 7, armed with a list for the grocery store, I got up and went to Spring Clean Up day. There was a huge line. Because I didn't have batteries or yard waste, I didn't have to go through the huge line and got to go to a garbage truck that was by the entrance to the landfill. I made it to Fareway by 7:40. They don't open until 8. I saw another customer go in so I went in. I was checked out by 8.

    I had a haircut @ 1:30 and was home by 2:15, which is when we left for Jonathan's 1st Communion in Cedar Falls. We had to turn around because there was a fear we had left a candle burning. It was out and put us behind schedule about 15 minutes.

    It didn't really matter. We were still there early.

    During Mass, it felt like it was 90 degrees. Karen says I slept during the homily and, I admit, when I woke up, I felt better. We went to Mark and Susie's for supper and left around 9:45.

    We got home and I started watching "Rudy" to unwind. The next thing I know, it's 1 AM and I'm still on the couch.
Now, today, Sunday, it is 11:30. I got up @ 9:30 and read the paper. Then I kicked Megan off the PC so I can write my New Found Glory/Bayside/Set Your Goals review for http://www.dailyvault.com/. I actually haven't sat @ this PC since last Monday night. How odd is that.

This coming week is going to be very busy.

Mon: Megan has softball practice. Karen has a doctor appointment for her foot to see how much longer she will be in her cast. It's been 8 weeks.
Tue: Alex has baseball practice
Wed: Pack for the weekend
Thur: Both kids have practice
Fri: It is Grandparent's Day @ Regina. I am leaving @ noon to go to it as is Karen. Both sets of Grandparents have commitments. At night, Mark and Susie and Jonathan and Tyler are staying at our house because...
Sat: We need to leave for Chicagoland no later than 7 for Danny's first communion Mass that is @ 12:30. Then we are staying overnight in Chicagoland.
Sun: Drive home

Mon: the grind starts all over again ....

Monday, April 20, 2009

Green - Not in Iowa - Day

Green Day's upcoming North American tour dates are as follows:

July
10th Fargo, ND - WHO the hell schedules ND over Iowa?!?
11th Minneapolis, MN
[HELLO?!? Drive south on I-35 through Iowa, and stop on 7/12 in either Des Moines or Iowa City?!?]
13th Chicago, IL
14th Detroit, MI
August
11th St. Louis, MO
12th Kansas City, MO
13th Omaha, NE
15th Denver, CO

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Shaft

Shafted again by the band "Hopewell" who skip Iowa on their upcoming tour:
  • May 26 2009 The Lager House Detroit, Michigan
  • May 27 2009 Schuba's Chicago, Illinois
  • May 28 2009 The Highdive Champaign, Illinois
  • May 29 2009 Turf Club St. Paul, Minnesota
  • May 30 2009 Replay Lounge Lawrence, Kansas
  • Jun 2 2009 Larimer Lounge Denver, Colorado

Let Me Run is a band I have in my stack of CDs to review. I like this song:

This is pretty cool. Good music.

Bayside

Bayside is now only a few days away! I have two press passes secured! And... I called Travis, who lives in Des Moines, and asked if he wanted to go. I also asked Dave D if he wanted to go because he said, last night, he was going to be in Des Moines on Wednesday night. This is going to rock!


Good to be Me...

Have you ever felt awesome about the work you accomplished? I did on Thursday. With help from a support rep, I created a batch file that compiles all of my UI projects in 3 minutes. I used to allow a 1/2 hour for this! Now, 3 minutes is all I need. Read this:

-----Original Message-----
From: [My Manager]
Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 9:25 AM
To: [Me]
Cc: [CEO]
Subject: RE: 93716

[Me]
This is wonderful! As we talked, this is exactly the type of thing we all need to question and explore to make our jobs more efficient. It is also reassuring to know we are receiving valued support through our [support] maintenance in providing us with additional tools that we need. Thank you again for your efforts to streamline the process.

[My Manager]

-----Original Message-----
From: [Me]
Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 9:02 AM
To: '[Product Manager]'
Cc: '[support_rep_that_helped_me]'; [My Manager]
Subject: 93716

[Product Manager],

I wanted you to know that [support_rep_that_helped_me] assisted me with incident 93716, which I just closed. I wanted to have a batch file that would compile each of my 18 collections. Previously, I had to open each collection, set the version field, compile, exit the collection, and continue. As a rule of thumb, I allowed a 1/2 hour for me to manually complete this process.

I am writing to you today to tell you that, under [support_rep_that_helped_me]'s patient guidance, I now have a batch file that compiles all of my collections in 3 minutes. Built in to the batch file is the ability to modify version,for example, when we go from [version 1] to [version 2], so there is no reason I cannot double-click my file and go for a walk while the files compile.

[support_rep_that_helped_me]'s excellent customer support was key in making this incident successfully resolved. I know that if I have an issue, your support staff will be able to solve it.

So now, our CEO knows I just saved 27 minutes! That is good for me.

I need to shower and leave for Waterloo so that's all. Maybe I'll write more tomorrow AM before the cymbal sale.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Odd

I had an odd day @ work. For one thing, I left @ 2 and did not take a lunch. I left early because my wife, who has a broken foot in two places, went to the doctor. As she was getting out of our truck last night, she landed wrong on her broken foot and the pain went searing through her foot and her body. There were a lot of emotions flowing through the air. On Mondays, typically, she picks the kids up from school and takes them to Alex's tutor. His tutor starts @ 3:15 and she picks them up ~2:45. So, being ~45 minutes away from the kids' school, I left @ 2 to go get the kids and take them to Alex's tutor. While @ tutor, I thought about all the work I have to do. I started to really internalize that you (meaning me) have a lot on your plate. That point hit home Friday night. There was some sappy Hallmark movie with the word "love" in the title that I didn't have a lot of interest in watching. It was too early to go to bed so I sat @ my in-laws' table in their sun room and figured out what I was going to work on this week. Yes, Good Friday night was spent on work!

Back to today. The second odd thing that happened today is that when I got home, I cooked supper. The doctor told my wife today that if she does not do "only what must be done," she will have to wear her cast longer. Already, the last seven weeks are too long, in her eyes, so I think, finally, she is going to get serious about doing less around the house and allowing the kids and I to pick up more. I hope. I don't really want her to have to go through this cast on her foot any longer than she has to in order to heal her foot.

Finally, the third odd thing is I made contact with a publicist who has the power to put me on a guest list for the Bayside show in Des Moines, IA, so, for a change, I have something planned more than a week in advance.

This week is the first of several crazy weeks in a row.

Monday - We thought Megan had softball practice but no one was @ the field.
Tuesday - Alex has baseball practice
Wednesday - the kids have piano lessons from 5-6
Thursday - Survivor and we think Megan has softball
Friday - Here's something I'm going to talk about a lot - a 2 hour Prison Break episode!
Saturday - I have a CEW meeting in Waterloo and need to leave my house by 7:00-ish. The meeting is to be done by noon and I have a haircut @ 3. We are playing 5:15 Mass.
Sunday - there is a cymbal warehouse sale less than 5 miles from my house. I'd like to pick up a cheap cymbal or two for Alex. Maybe a cymbal stand.

Then it starts back up again on Monday.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Fine. Schedule a concert in Iowa on a date I am unavailable

If Sunday, 05/31/09, were not two days prior to leaving on a family vacation, I would be @ this show.
Saliva
Korn
Buckcherry
Saving Abel
Rev Theory
Duff McKagan's Loaded

Actually, I would be content to stay until Buckcherry finished their set, then leave. Neither Korn nor Saliva really trip my musical trigger.

I have no idea what Duff McKagan's Loaded sounds like but if it's anything remotely close to Velvet Revolver or G-n-R, I would probably tolerate it for an opening gig. Neither of those two bands are in my top 10 or even top 20 of favorite bands but they're okay.
I liked Rev Theory's Truth is Currency release but I haven't heard any of their follow-up material.
I liked Saving Abel when they were on the bill with Buck Cherry & Shine Down.
I liked Buckcherry more than I thought I would.

So really, if Buckcherry finished @ 9, I'd be home by 11 and in bed by 12. I guess it depends upon what time the show starts.


So, I expand the search of concerts in the Des Moines area and who do I find? Every Avenue! They are a band I reviewed - you can read the review here - and I will miss both of their gigs:
Sat 04/25/09 Ames, IA Iowa State University
Appearing at "The Bamboozle Festival" <== this is the day of my nephew's first communion in Cedar Falls.
==> Fri 05/15/09 Des Moines, IA People's <== We are probably getting our camper out of storage


Which led me to ask, "What is the Bamboozle Festival?" That led me to http://www.thebamboozle.com/ where I learned it is a multi-day concert - $116 gets you in the door for each of the days - on May 2nd and May 3rd in New Jersey. Not happening.

More goodies @ work to keep me busy. Some UI work found its way to my desk and quickly took on a life of its own as I discovered two fields on the screen that have never been in our documentation. So I worked on adding them in, which led me to task A, which led to B, to C, and before I knew it, I was leaving for the day.

One big piece of good news is that when I went to the dentist this AM, I had no cavities. Considering the amount of Pepsi & Mountain Dew I consume on a daily basis, I am happy.

It is 11 PM. I am getting up @ 4 to help Karen get ready for work. We are leaving for Balltown tomorrow after work and will be there until Sunday. My in-laws have dial-up and it is an exercise in frustration to use their PC. So I won't. I'll be back on Sunday or Monday, depending upon if I have anything to say on Easter Sunday.

Now Spinning

I've fallen into a bit of a rut lately. I've been spinning a lot of Five Finger Death Punch, a lot of Lamb of God, and even more Death Magnetic. If I were to make a life CD, these would be my current favorite songs.

1. Demons - Bayside
2. No One Understands - Bayside
3. Your New Twin Sized Bed - Death Cab for Cutie
4. You Can Do Better Than Me - Death Cab for Cutie
5. All Summer Long - Kid Rock
6. So Hott - Kid Rock
7. Indestructible - Disturbed
8. Inside the Fire - Disturbed
9. The Bleeding - Five Finger Death Punch
10. It's Never Enough - Five Finger Death Punch
11. Stranger than Fiction - Five Finger Death Punch
12. The Bleeding (acoustic) - Five Finger Death Punch
13. Wasted Years - Iron Maiden
14. Run to the Hills - Iron Maiden
15. The Judas Kiss - Metallica
16. My Apocalypse - Metallica
17. Grace - Lamb of God
18. Set to Fail - Lamb of God

Monday, April 6, 2009

MSU STINKS!

In early 2009, the men's MSU basketball team played Iowa @ Carver Hawkeye Arena. I took Alex to see that game. The game started and, in the blink of an eye, MSU was ahead something crazy like 22-8. It was a disgraceful display by my beloved Iowa Hawkeyes. MSU played possessed basketball. They nailed 3s, they drove the lane, they passed, they took care of the ball and, frankly, outplayed, outhustled, and outgunned Iowa.

Tonight, then, in the national championship game, I couldn't help but smile a bit. No, I certainly did not wish them to lose by 17 points on the national stage. But... I also wanted them to be humbled a bit. Coach Tom Izzo irked me the other day when he talked about how the Big Ten conference was a strong conference. Specifically, he mentioned Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois, and Penn State as being tough teams to play in the Big Ten Conference.

Coach Izzo, you forgot Iowa. Maybe they might as well have laid down for you and taken it on the chin to start the game because they ultimately took a few in the gut, but really... I was put off by his comments. I think he needs to remember that Iowa's Jake Kelly lit up the last few games of the year.

If only he were not transferring to Indiana State. I guess I didn't write about that when that news broke. Iowa's bright spots for next year were going to be the return of Matt Gatens and Jake Kelly. Jeff Peterson would be another bright spot and Jermaine Davis. Jarryd Cole may actually have a good season as well as he fights back from his knee injury. But then Kelly announced he was leaving. Davis is leaving as well and *I think* Peterson is going too. That's all sad. I wish they were all staying.

Back to tonight's game. The closest MSU could get tonight was 13 in the second half. They couldn't hit wide open 3s and they committed way too many turnovers. I honestly think that the national title game should be decided by 2 or 3 points. A 17 point margin is a blowout. The two teams in the national championship should be able to play close to each other.

My hat is off to North Carolina tonight. Tremendous job. I knew when they beat Duke that they were going to win the national championship.

Really.

Seriously.

Okay, fine. I had no idea NC was that good but they proved it tonight.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

In a Different Lifetime

In a different lifetime, this would be my ideal world...


World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. develops and produces the last of the great variety shows on television, combining all the elements of entertainment: sitcom, talk show, soap opera, action-adventure, and drama. With 52 weeks of original programming, without an off-season or re-runs, it is quite a creative challenge to keep characters and story lines interesting and compelling. That's where you come in!

Requirements
Qualified candidates should possess:
•BA/BS in Film, TV, Drama, Media Studies, Communications or equivalent
•Minimum of three to five years writing and production experience in network television
•Professional TV staff experience in drama and comedy a plus
•Experience in all aspects of live TV production a plus
•Highly creative (a prolific idea generator)
•Plugged into pop culture and trends
•Able to work closely and effectively with talent, writers, and producers throughout the creative process
•Strong understanding of WWE's audience (demographic and psychographic) a plus
•Must live in Stamford, CT area or be willing to relocate there
•Knowledge of WWE shows, talent, and storylines
•Excellent communication skills and the ability to work in a team environment
•Flexible travel schedule (extensive travel required)
Office Location WWE Corporate Office - Stamford

In a Different Lifetime

In a different lifetime, this would be my ideal world...

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. develops and produces the last of the great variety shows on television, combining all the elements of entertainment: sitcom, talk show, soap opera, action-adventure, and drama. With 52 weeks of original programming, without an off-season or re-runs, it is quite a creative challenge to keep characters and story lines interesting and compelling. That's where you come in!

Requirements
Qualified candidates should possess:
•BA/BS in Film, TV, Drama, Media Studies, Communications or equivalent
•Minimum of three to five years writing and production experience in network television
•Professional TV staff experience in drama and comedy a plus
•Experience in all aspects of live TV production a plus
•Highly creative (a prolific idea generator)
•Plugged into pop culture and trends
•Able to work closely and effectively with talent, writers, and producers throughout the creative process
•Strong understanding of WWE's audience (demographic and psychographic) a plus
•Must live in Stamford, CT area or be willing to relocate there
•Knowledge of WWE shows, talent, and storylines
•Excellent communication skills and the ability to work in a team environment
•Flexible travel schedule (extensive travel required)
Office Location WWE Corporate Office - Stamford

Guilty - WM XXV

These are Wrestlemania XXV results...
•Dark Match – Tag Team Unification Lumberjack Match: WWE Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo Colon beat World Tag Team Champions The Miz & John Morrison
•Money in the Bank Ladder Match: CM Punk beat Christian, Kofi Kingston, Kane, Mark Henry, Finlay, Shelton Benjamin, and MVP
•Santina Marella won the 25-Diva Battle Royal
•3-on-1 Handicap Elimination Match: Chris Jericho beat Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka, and Ricky Steamboat
•Extreme Rules: Matt Hardy beat Jeff Hardy
•Intercontinental Championship: Rey Mysterio beat JBL to win the title
•Undertaker beat Shawn Michaels
•World Heavyweight Championship: John Cena beat Champion Edge and The Big Show to win the title
•WWE Championship Match: Champion Triple H beat Randy Orton

43, not 52

Definition 1: Project Plum is a project that is converting our existing systems to a new programming language. There will be massive changes to the UI and I will have to document it all.

Definition 2: Project Peach is a project that is converting HTML files from using tables to control layout to using CSS to control layout. I have 595 files left to convert.

I thought I had surpassed the magic number 52. That number would represent the number of weeks of work that is either already on my desk or soon to be coming. My project list (or Bucket List, if you will) was @ 49 weeks. I was all excited because when you add the following four projects:
  • project Plum
  • project Pear
  • project Orange
  • project Peach

to 49, you get 53 weeks of work - so I would have a year of work on my plate.

Now, here's the bad news. My count of 49 weeks was not entirely accurate because last week and the week in front of that, I managed to chop off some projects as being done. I actually had no idea how much work was sitting on my desk.

Until now.

I just figured out that I actually only (LOL) have 43 weeks of work as a current count of weeks of work ahead of me. That takes me to the last week of January 2010. I know, for a fact, that I will not be able to work on that work for the next 43 weeks stragight.

I will have multiple GUI changes to develop, update CDs to create, and many other projects that haven't even been conceived as of right now. There will be constant doc changes due to the Plum, Pear, Peach, and Orange projects.

So, it's a mixed bag. On one hand, I have less work than I thought I did. On the other hand, though, the work I have would take me into 2010 only if I were actually doing only doc work between now and January 2010, which is not the case.

Here's something else. I played drums @ Mass last night. We sounded good. I will not play again until 4/18 and then, after that, not until Memorial Day weekend. How crazy is that because I am not planning to play Mother's Day weekend.

Snubbed again....

So far the following JUDAS PRIEST dates have been announced (all featuring WHITESNAKE except where otherwise noted):

Jul. 01 - The Family Arena - St. Charles, MO
Jul. 02 - Summerfest, Harley Davidson Stage - Milwaukee, WI (No WHITESNAKE)
Jul. 03 - Taste Of Minnesota at Harriet Island - St. Paul, MN

Okay, to get from MO to WI, no, you don't have to drive through Iowa. You'd probably want to go through IL, but still... they're not even stopping in Chicagoland for a gig. Who books these stupid tours?

Sleeping In...

Today was my opportunity to sleep in. We have nothing going until 4:30 today, which is when we're hosting a pizza party for members of the CEW team @ our house. I expect around 20 people. We've cleaned the house and borrowed card tables and chairs and except for vaccuuming - my job - we have things in order.

The next few weeks, though, are very busy.

Monday: Alex piano @ 5:30 / Megan softball @ 6:00
Tuesday: Nothing
Wednesday: Megan piano @ 5:30
Thursday: Holy Thursday Mass @ 7:30 (I think I'm playing drums)
Friday: Leave for Balltown when I get off work @ 5. The kids are out @ noon.
Saturday: Holy Saturday Mass @ 8:00 in Sherrill
Sunday: Easter Sunday / Drive home

And then it starts all over again. As of now, we don't know when Alex's baseball practice will be so that is not scheduled below.

4/18, CEW meeting in Waterloo in the AM so I have to leave ~7:30.

4/22, Bayside concert in Des Moines, IA, with my friend Chris.

4/25, my nephew's 1st Communion in Cedar Falls.

5/2, my nephew's 1st Communion in Chicagoland.

5/9, Mother's Day weekend. Megan may be going on a band trip to Adventureland and, rumor has it, I am going to be one of the Dad chaperones.

5/16, I think we will get the camper from storage in Zhwingle and (probably) spend the weekend in Balltown. (Not sure about that.)

5/23, Memorial Day weekend.

5/30, packing for June 3, 2009.

6/3, we are leaving for my cousin's son's wedding in South Dakota.

6/12, Sigwarth campout in Elkader. I am off work 6/3-6/12 so I'd like to get up to Elkader 6/11 and play golf on 6/12. Depends upon when we get back from vacation.

6/19 - 6/27 - nothing scheduled. We haven't decided if we are going to spend them in Elkader or not. 6/26 is the outdoor Heart concert @ the Riverside casino (all ages) and tickets are $35.

7/2-7/5 4th of July weekend. I am on vacation 7/2 & 7/3 and the 4th is on Saturday.

I actually have nothing scheduled on any day in July. Baseball/softball will be over but to say we'll be bored is not based in reality.

August 1st is a wedding in Des Moines.

August 7-9 is the college campout.

August 10th-August 12th is client conference

Megan turns 13 on 8/14.

School starts 8/20, the same day as Algona Rock Fest in Algona.

Regina Fall Fun Festival is 9/4 and, probably, the Sunday after that, Dudes basketball practice will start up again.

And then... and then....

So, today was my last morning to sleep in for several mornings and I chose to hop on the PC and blog. I am sick.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

ST

There is a new release by the immortal Suicidal Tendencies. "We'll take your mama's dentures if they have gold in them." HILARIOUSLY classic...





And this is their new song "Come Alive." Sounds very good.