Done, um... right (20121021 Su - 1104 Su)

[mdlbear]

So that would be... two weeks and a day. OK, I've been busy. Starting a new job will do that. This is going to be totally disjointed.

It was also a pretty eventful couple of weeks. I didn't do nearly as much practicing as I'd wanted to, nor advertise my concert at Orycon, which was last Saturday. But it came off fairly well, considering. As of Saturday morning all I had was a stack of lyrics in no particular order, but I manage to string them together into a sequence that, I think, made a certain amount of sense. You can see the results here, though I haven't uploaded the audio yet.

I performed at Westercon, too, and I haven't uploaded that either. Yeah, I've been busy. But that busy? Especially before I got a job...

A lot of things got done that had been waiting too long. Colleen started getting back into cooking, which was (and is) a Good Thing. Not so much because it takes some of the burden off me and the YD, but because it makes her feel good.

Saturday before last, we (me, Colleen, and the YD) went down to the Wayward Coffeehouse for Leannan Sidhe's concert. Sunday before last we (me, Colleen, and Naomi) went to our new-job-celebration dinner at the Herb Farm. This time it was the "Mycologist's Dream" -- fabulous, as usual. I spent much of the time in between reading about Maven, which is the build system we're using at work.

This weekend we went down to Orycon. Drove down Friday night after work, and headed back a little after 2pm on Sunday. So a rather hectic and very tiring weekend, but we enjoyed it.

VOTE TOMORROW!

... and, well, more details below in the notes. Sorry about that.

1021 Su
  * up 6am; W=196; d, n, t, h; laundry, dishes, light
  * tried the new happy light.  Works.  Also discovered that the outlet under
    the piggie cage is controlled by the hallway wall switch, so that's a big
    win -- it means that Colleen can turn off the living room light herself.
  & somehow managed to knock over the ground-coffee bin, giving a whole new
    meaning to "spill the beans"
  @ Jonathan Coulton re-recorded Code Monkey for Slashdot's 15th Birthday - YouTube
    @shermandorn - fascinating to watch; basically just JC, some MIDI stuff, and
    an electric guitar.
  @ Missouri Pastor's Fiery Speech Against Equal Rights for Homosexuals Has
    Stunning Twist Ending f(Nora Rivkis)
  @ Adjustment disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    % Stressors include changing or losing a job...  Normally resolves in six
      months.  So just as I'm getting over getting laid off -- and I was, pretty
      much -- I start a new and very demanding job.  Right.  Way to go, Bear.
  * brunch - lamb bacon; toast for Colleen, "English" muffin for me
  * shopping.  As usual, there is too much stuff for the fridge/freezer.  I
    tried...  Last Farmers' Market of the season.  Back at 1:25
  * buy:  Walgreens:  pantsu, loperamide (on the way back from groceries)
  * 2ish walk:  d=2.9, t=:58, s=3.0; B-G trail to Sheridan Beach
  * 3:15ish:  to Lowes and Home Despot for shelving.  Found lovely 1x8 hemlock;
    HD was a bit more expensive, but higher quality.  Went there second, after
    depleting the good stuff at L's.  L's #2 pine isn't worth looking at.
  : Gorgeous, vivid rainbow on the way back, driving East on 145th.
  @ Hemlock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  ! (17:42:24) ***mdlbear is actually in a pretty good mood right now.  Probably
    a combination of gin and tiredness. 
  * dinner:  leftovers
  * 7:15 first shelf up, over the piggies.  It's a start.  There are two more
    standards that need to be put up -- they'll go behind the wall of books.
    Chicken, meet egg.
  : have Orycon panel schedule:
    Guitar Workshop		Oregon               Sat Nov 3 12:00pm-1:00pm
      (*)Vixy & Tony, Vixy & Tony, Steve Savitzky
    Concert:  Steve Savitsky    Oregon               Sat Nov 3 3:00pm-4:00pm
    Computers and Song with Steve Savitsky.  (Coffee not provided.)
    Home Recording    		Oregon               Sun Nov 4 12:00pm-1:00pm
      Vixy & Tony, (*)Vixy & Tony, Steve Savitzky, Steve Dixon
  * 9:31pm post s4s - Code Monkey
  * (22:01:35) ***mdlbear starts thinking about bed.  It takes annoyingly long
    to get through the entire ritual. 
  @ Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention in Women
    Aspirin for Women: Yes or No? The answers aren't all in, but this study
    suggests that one/day is good for you.  Over 14 adult-dose aspirin per week
    increases the risk of stroke due to bleeding.
  * bedtime ritual -- ~0:30  First time using the new "sonic" toothbrush.  Not
    too pleasant.  Will take some getting used to.  Gets the teeth very clean,
    though, so that's good.

1022 Mo
  % dreams, this time about a work environment, though food and feeling lost
    were still dominant themes.
  * up 6:20; W=195.2; d, n, t, h; shower, laundry.  0:45, so pretty good.
    If I can keep getting up before 6:30, this may actually work.
  @ ysabetwordsmith | Poem: "Alter Ids" cuddling.  Oh, fscking yes!
    -> The Cuddle Sutra COOL!
  @ Romney Family Investment Ties To Voting Machine Company That Could Decide
    The Election Causing Concern - Forbes signal boost, f(Nora Rivkis)
  * 3 complete rows of shelves up.  The boards I bought at Lowes are,
    unfortunately, crap.  That's 54' of shelf, which isn't going to be enough,
    but it's a start.
  @ 3Desk - Hire local freelancers
    in(Deborah Wunder) Maybe after I retire...
  * $K benefits enrollment package arrived.  Have to go through it twice, once
    for my one month of coverage in 2012, and once for 2013.  And the booklet
    says it only takes IE.  :P
  * started Bedtime Ritual ~10:30 IIRC

1023 Tu
  * up 6:15; W=194.2; d, n, t, h, e; laundry; dishes, breakfast: 50m
  * got a goddamned parking ticket.  I sometimes forget to hang the handicap
    placard; this time it looks like it simply fell off the mirror.  Have to do
    something about that.
  * cancelled old Encompass insurance policy
  * Lunch: lamb curry from Cafe Zum Zum - catty-corner at 3rd and Marion
  * work:  excellent progress on current assignment, even though I often felt as
    though I was spinning my wheels.  This might work.
  @ 5 Reasons You Shouldn't Buy An iPad Mini - Forbes 
  * track down insurance, unemployment paperwork.  Found a couple more bills as
    well -- too many stacks.
  * Ricoh's (COBRA) drug benefit is CVS Caremark.  Mail-order *only* in WA,
    since there are no CVS stores in the state.  None.  Why does this not
    surprise me?  Fortunately, I don't have to care, either.
  * load drugs

1024 We
  * up 6:25; W=194.2; d, n, t; laundry, dishes, light
  & bagged up the kitchen trash because the YD hasn't taken it out for days
  * humira
  * call dentist to see which plans they're on
    choices are -> Guardian PPO or Aetna DMO
  * went across the street to Bartell's Drugs to get nuts, craisins, chocolate,
    and jerky for lunch-at-the-desk.
  ~ N not coming over - too busy studying
  @ What Americans don't know about H-1B visas could hurt us all ~ I, Cringely 
  @ 21 Things to Stop Saying Unless You Hate Fat People (firecat)
  * helped Colleen with a shower.  Went *very* smoothly, after I extended the
    legs of the bath chair.  YAY!
  
1025 Th
  % woke up briefly 4ish; dreams involved panoramic cameras, computers, and
    telling $d to stop chattering and offering me suggestions so that I could
    concentrate on fixing the (computer) problem
  * up 6:25; W=194.0; d, n, t, e; dishes, laundry, light
  * not as productive a day as I wanted, but ok.
  * food on 12th fl - release.  Thai.  Tasty.  Met grandboss.
  @ How a Google Headhunter's E-Mail Unraveled a Massive Net Security Hole |
    Threat Level | Wired.com Domain keys.  (linkedin)
  * PAY BILLS - it's the 24th already.  Medicare is late, but it'll be ok.
  @ Disney, Struggling to Assert an Online Presence, Overhauls Disney.com -
    NYTimes.com (from both Mom and Grandboss)
  @ osewalrus- Cassandrefreude on Fiscal Cliff
  @ jordan179 - On Reading "Paradise Lost" Bible fanfic
    " I've almost finished reading John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost (a
      fanfic based on the first parts of Genesis) and have been utterly blown
      away by its excellence.  The basic plot, of course, comes directly from
      the Bible.  What Milton does is to describe in detail what is merely
      hinted at in Genesis, and combine it with myths from Classical through his
      own time to fill many gaps in the (literal) canon. 

1026 Fr
  * up 6am; W=195.6; d, n, t; laundry, dishes, light
  * gleep.  work.
  @ Maven: The Complete Reference: Table of Contents The weekend's light reading
  [ $ LPF: $236.74 for car, on amex ]
  * Colleen made excellent chicken with apples and onions, and mild curried
    grains out of a box.  Very tasty.
  % started getting very sleepy 10ish
  * practice.  About half an hour.  Worried about my throat.

1027 Sa
  * up 9ish; W=196.2; d, n, t; shower, laundry, dishes
  @ EmacsWiki: Java Development Environment apt-get install jde
    integration with eclipse, maven, etc.
  @ .:: skybert.net :: emacs :: java ::
    detailed instructions on how to set up emacs integration for java
    development with eclipse, maven, etc.
  @ The parrots of the Atures « Beachcombing's Bizarre History Blog 
  * Helped N fetch her car from the mechanic's
  [ $ LPF: $500 to N ] 
  : apparently there are "scooter ponchos" -- unfortunately the best ones seem
    to be available in the UK and China.
  * Finished Maven book (and the m2e book as well)
  * 9pm Leannan Sidhe at Wayward.  There's an elevator from the parking lot -- wish
    we'd known that last time.  We arrived hours early; had dinner in the Indian
    restaurant next door.
    Performing with Jeri-Lynn and Bards of a Feather (Mickey and Wednesday
    Phoenix).  No stage; L. was amped but the others weren't.  Worked ok.
  * make polaris a CNAME for nova-w inside the firewall.  That way connecting to
    polaris will always work.  ... required adding a hostname to the DNS proxy
    in the DSL router, but it worked.

1028 Su
  * up 6:45; W=196.2; d, n, t, h, shower; dishes
  * fix billing address on AT+T Wireless account.  Again.
  * verify that printing works via nova-w.
  * track down- _reprint_ valet parking coupon, print directions
    14590 NE 145th Street, Woodinville, Washington 98072 USA
    According to Google maps, the route via 522 is faster.  We'll try not to get
    lost this time.    	  Valet parking available at the Willows Lodge entrance.
  @ Janis Ian - My digital era rant
  @ Irregular Webcomic! #3251 Cosmology and Theism
  * 15min:  got the rest of the 1x8 shelves up, and all 7" brackets used
    There will be room for more rows as soon as some more boxes are emptied
  * sushi run:  QFC - the kids' dinner
  @ Steve Ballmer's Dilemma ~ I, Cringely
  @ siliconshaman | ALERT !! mathematical proof of Republican vote-stealing
    PROOF: GOP Party Bosses Rigging Elections For Romney | Addicting Info 
  * ordered Waterproof Wheelchair & Scooter Poncho by Care Apparel for Colleen
  * adjusted some of the shelves for paperbacks
  * 2:45 leave to pick up Naomi; plan to arrive at herbfarm 3:45ish
  * 4:30 Herb Farm Thirty minutes before dinner you are invited to join us for a
    twenty minute introduction to The Herbfarm and a Garden Tour
  * back home at 9:30, after stoppimg at QFC because I'd gotten _spicy_
    California rolls by mistake.

1029 Mo
  * up 06:20; W=196.8; d, n; laundry, dishes, exercise
  @ xkcd: Congress fascinating chart
  * send Medicare payment (via UBOC - 5-day delivery)
  * received my first paycheck.  No deductions for insurance -- that doesn't
    kick in until December.  When all's said and done I think my take-home will
    end up about 3/4 what it was from Ricoh, with my pension bringing the total
    up to right about where it was.  Which is kind of amazing.  It's also worth
    noting that the address was correct, despite my worries.
  * alphebetize (some) names in Private/contacts
  @ Stranded by Sandy? Here’s What to Do and What Not to Do 
  * trackpad started behaving very badly.  Fixed by a *windows* update, which
    included a BIOS upgrade.  oooooookay then.
  : Gnome apparently doesn't have any way to disable a particular pointing
    device.  Neither does windows.  Didn't they both, once upon a time?  Stupid.

1030 Tu
  * up 6:15; W=198; d, n, t, h; laundry, dishes
  * trackpad back to flaky.  Sometimes.  Thermal?  I'm going to have to get this
    thing fixed, which will hurt.  Growf!
  = well, maybe not:  trackpad can be disabled by either:
    xinput set-prop 16 "Device Enabled" 0
    synclient TouchpadOff=1
    fn-F8 (toggle  *very* good to know)
  * acquired a Raspberry Pi from Don - $45.
  * lunch at the food court in Columbia Tower - chili.  Not all that great, but ok.
    There's an ATT hotspot but it won't connect.
  * buy:  dental floss for work
  * look at Great Lakes student loan bill for YD -- it's due Nov. 3 mygreatlakes.org
    currently $35K, 429/month for 10 years.  Gaak.
  * update gig list at steve.savitzky.net

1031 We
  * up 6:25; W=198; d, n, t, h; laundry, dishes
  @ janice_lester | meta: Give Sexy Actors Sexy Wheelchairs! (ysabetwordsmith) 
  @ How Meteorologists talked about Sandy beforehand ... 
  [ $ LPF: 736.74 transferred from LPF to checking ]
  * walk:  to 2nd and Pine, back on 3rd.  d~=1mi
    = 3rd has a Radio Shack, a supermarket, Walgreens and Bartell's
  @ The Mad Filkentist - LJ archiving for non-Windows?
  * swap cars.  Don't forget to bring N the spare key!
    stop at bank and make deposits on the way 
  * bring N. a pill box. (in side pocket of sling bag)
  @ Crowdfunded Creativity - New Art! "Tears, Blood, Diamonds"
  * pay Great Lakes
  * practice:  full set.  timing dead on, few mistakes (even after not
    practicing most of that stuff for *months* -- C was impressed too)
    % voice kinda shot, but it cheered me up a lot -- I was depressed after a
      fight with Colleen.  Have to remember that.
  * last-minute insurance paperwork, track down cards.

1101 Th
  * up 6:45; W=195.2; d, n, t, h; laundry, exercise
  @ vixy | In which I get mad rant against the "not voting" idiots
  * game night at work, featuring "taste tripping" with miracle fruit 
    or, actually, the tablets made from it.  Makes acids taste sweet; the effect
    lasts for about an hour.  No big deal.  But I was curious.
  " insta, from a couple of days ago and just remembered:
    Where have all the shuttles gone? / Long time passing
    Where have all the shuttles gone? / Long time ago
    Where have all the shuttles gone?
    Gone to museums, all but two...
  * printed new family cards - "the Savitzkys @ North Starport"
  * pay other bills.  (only one:  amex)
  * pay Rent.  
  * pack, print directions

1102-4 Convolution,  Orycon
  x Convolution 2012 www.con-volution.com Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport

1102 Fr
  * up 6:45; W=195; d, n, t; laundry, dishes, packing, 
  &  running late; had breakfast from Market Fresh, downstairs at work
  * signed up for 2012 benefits.  2013 available next week.  Tedious.
  * paycheck auto-deposit is working.  Was wondering why my balance was so
    high...  Not complaining, either.
  * book hotel for Orycon        ->Confirmation Number: 81125041
    Check-in: 	Fri 02 Nov 2012    Check-out: 		Sun 04 Nov 2012 	
    Rooms: 	1      	   	   Guests per Room: 	4 Adults
    Room Type Preferences: 	Accessible; Non-Smoking; Two beds
  : went about 5mph through Seattle.  Finally got in 10ish.
  * From the North (on I-5): Take Exit 302A (“Rose Quarter/City Center”). Follow
    the signs to Lloyd Center, turning left at the second traffic signal on to
    Weidler. Drive east approximately ½ mile and turn right to 9th Ave (the
    corner with Bank of the West). The hotel will be on your left, just past the
    second traffic light. 
  : we should probably have taken Chaos.  But we never made the correction to
    arrange it.  She probably didn't realize she was invited; we didn't make it
    clear enough.  Several  people asked after her.  Foo.
  ? apparently don't have actual memberships -- will be annoying.  Colleen says
    we do, though, despite my unsuccessful search.  Weird.
  : Finally figured out, I think, what is causing the contact dermatitis on my
    right hand (thumb, mostly, and some on the first two fingers).  My cell
    phone case!  :P When I took it off, I saw that it said "antibacterial" on
    the inside.  Hmmm.
  * open filk:  token bardic.  Cicero (Callie on flute, and borrowing Steve
    Dixon's Rainsong) and Mushrooms (at Dix's request)
  : I appear to have left my jacket in the car.  :P  I was harried, but still...

1003 Sa
  * up 8:45ish; d; nose after lunch.
  * noon:  guitar workshop with Tony.  Only one guitar between us until Dix
    showed up, but since there were only two people workshopping, it worked out.
  * Orycon set: QV, Banks of Marble, Boom Gone to Bust, As You See, October
    Country (would hit C between the eyes, but good way to ask for people who'd
    like to perform with us...), Ship of Stone (esp. if Roy is there.  Or Debbie
    Ohi.), WItC, Inherit the Earth, Millennium's Dawn, Toolmakers, Riverheart, Fox
    . swap keep the dream alive for fox, stuff for maybe banks of marble
    ->Fox, WItC, Keep the Dream Alive, Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of,
      Millennium's Dawn, The October Country, As You See, Riverheart, Inherit
      the Earth, Boom Gone to Bust, QV
    Went pretty well, modulo the usual flubs where I lost my concentration.
  
1004 Su
  * up 9am; d, n, t
  * noon:  home recording panel
  * late checkout (2pm)
  * left shortly after 2pm; had dinner at the Oyster House in Olympia (of
    course)  Home, what, 7ish?
  * Colleen's lugage and mine came to only two loads, though I was damned tired
    at that point.  Vegged for an hour or so.  Headed for bed 10ish
  * finally dealt with the traffic ticket.  (requested mitigation hearing, since
    it can apparently be done via mail or web)  Happened 10/23, which was a
    Tuesday.  15 days brings it to this Wednesday, so I'm well within limits.

Comments

[jcfiala.livejournal.com]

I hope the job's going well for you?

Glad to hear things are moving along more or less positively. Sometime I'll have to make my way to the left coast so I can listen to you play at one of these cons.

[mdlbear]

Going pretty well so far. Just finished up my first coding task, which took a lot longer than I expected it to, but there was a lot of learning involved.