i'm still not so sure

We're in the middle of a product delivery at work. Anyone in IT knows what that means: crunch time. Anyone working with the gubmint also knows: documentation. We do IT for the gubmint, so we've got the worst of both worlds. Too much to do, and too much to doc, and nowhere near enough time for either.

The first part of the delivery is a whole test cycle. A bunch of (mostly) non-technical people review and evaluate the software. I've been working at a remote site all week, coordinating the test environment, doing docs, and working with the test team.

I've been getting in before sunrise, working in the dark dingy dreary blah government facility all day, and getting out late in the evening. I'm starting to feel like a vampire. My normal too-pale complexion has faded to almost clear. I snuck out a bit early this afternoon, and my arm started smoldering when the sunlight hit it thru the truck window.

Anyway, enough whining. I wasn't sure if I was going to survive the week, but I made it. Everything is in place now, and things should be calmed a lot next week during the actual test process. The biggest worry is that some of the test team really don't fully understand what we do, so we're not so sure they can provide legitimate review. It'll be a pain if we're jammed up over some imaginary issue.

Outside of the office things have been rather uneventful this week. I'm really happy that the heavy workload at the office happened to fall between semesters at school. I've got one more week off before classes start up again. Things should be back to normal by that time.

We did get a chance to hit up the VA State Fair last weekend, and it was a really good time. We met up with my sis and a couple family friends, too. Mother Nature tried her best to send us home early, but she didn't know who she was dealing with. That little bit of a rainstorm didn't do anything but get our socks wet. By around 9pm, we had most of the fairground to ourselves.

There was all sorts of rides, attractions, freakshow stuff, sales shills, and a whole slew of 4H farmland stuff. The most entertaining part of the day was the pig races.... for real. They loaded up a few gates of pigs, then released them to run around the track to the food dishes at the finish line. A few sets were fast & loud, then they brought out these HUGE potbelly pigs that barely fit into the starting pen. The race started, and they barely moved. Two minutes into the race,they were rounding the first corner, and 4 of the 5 had to stop to relieve themselves on the track. A pavilion full of rednecks, moms, kids, and babies got to see pig poo. That's quality entertainment!

We also attended BackToSchool night for Kid4. It's cool to see the teachers face-to-face, and the kids are happy to know they were represented, but the whole evening is rather bleh. The teachers meet 250 parents in two hours, which is completely overwhelming, especially after they've already spent the whole day dealing with 250 students. Each class visit is approx 8 minutes of auctioneering speech about the syllabus and homework and grading structure and overall class direction.

Kid4 is in 8th grade now, high school freshman next year. All the HS BtS nights in the county are held on the same day, so for the rest of their times Kid3 & Kid4 will overlap. This translates to only having to attend FOUR MORE BtS NIGHTS EVER! Ever ever ever!

A science project comic for ya: (click to enlarge)


This weekend I'm looking forward to a bit of grown up time. We're taking my father-in-law & his wife to dinner at the Occidental in DC. Whoooohoooo for dinner in a suit! I'm totally stoked about it; never been before, but it looks awesome. After dinner, we've got tickets to see Jersey Boys at the National Theatre. Not the Jerky Boys, JerZEE Boys. Stage show about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

BTW, since Frankie Valli was one of the four members of the group, shouldn't it have been FV and the Three Other Seasons? I know that sounds 'tarded, but it's bothered me for a long long time.

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Trippy wobbly line drawing stuff.

Max Connect laser puzzles.

Name that Band Logo. I thought I had skillz, but daaaaamn was I wrong. I suck.

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Thanks, Jacob, I really don't like Bono either. Not since he started wearing the buggy glasses. Ugh.


WIN (almost) then FAIL:


More fail!


This may be the most intellectual analysis of why marijuana should remain illegal.

In case you hadn't realized, there are at least 15 basic variances between men & women.

The whole entire internet in 4 minutes:


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my give-an-effometer is kinna low this week

The meter is barely moving:


Again, with the crazy week at the office. The IT guys are still on a witch hunt, trying to prove that there are bad employees lurking in the office, wasting the interwebs connection. They're spying on everyone, and sending out nasty-grams to anybody who connects to facebook, pandora, or even BLOGGER! (maybe I'm using that as an excuse for my tardiness today, maybe not.)

(Shut up, Mikey, I said tard-i-ness not 'tard-ness.)

We've been trying and trying and trying to explain that the connection just can't handle the job. The office has a 7Mb pipe, shared between all 100+ people. As a comparison, I have a 20Mb connection in my basement. C'mon, my kids can do that math.

My entire day was spent spinning in circles at 100mph, and getting nothing done. I tried to leave early, and still couldn't do it. Working late without an accomplishment really blows chunks.

Outside the office, though, things have been cruising pretty well. A couple of the Fam have been visiting from out of town, and we got to hang out a bit to laugh and break bread, and then laugh at the broken bread.

Kid1 is back to school this week. Not down at the University, but here at the community college. It would have been cool if he figured out a way to go back to campus, but we all know that didn't work. Registering for, and getting his tail into class at the CommColl is the best decision he could have made given the parameters of his situation. Plus he's been holding two jobs all summer long. That boy just might dig himself out of the hole after all.

Kid3 attended his Freshman Orientation at the high school yesterday. He switched school zones over the summer when he moved into his dad's house, so the orientation was both to the new school and to a a whole rack of new kids.

The girls have both been working full time all week, rehearsing for the ColorGuard routines. They've got all day practice with the band, with a couple evening practices thrown in just to make sure they don't get too much rest before summer is over.

All the kids are back to school just after Labor Day, so you know they're just thrilled.

My school has been whipping my tail this semester. Heavy work load, combined with an actual degree of difficulty, I've been having to put legitimate effort into it recently. No worries, I can shoulder the load for another couple weeks to finish the summer semester, it's just a temporary PITA.

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It sounds simple, there's Just One Level, but grrrrrrrrrr ....

This one is a real winner. Scrabble, typing, speed, and pressure, all in a simple little game. Try it. You think it'll suck, but it's real sneaky.

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Hahahahahaha! From start to finish, they've got it mapped!

Toothbrushin' was never so much fun.
Um, yeah.... Jules, this makes me kinna UNcomfortable.


mmmmmm.....children in their tummy!


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