Jaypoc

Well there (the subject) is something I never thought I'd be able to say. Yay for being able to shower a bit more normally now.

Always a show dog...I hold my hand in the air and click my mouth a few times...and he's posing like a supermodel!

Tessa looks how I feel right now....tired and with the ability to sleep just about anywhere :P

I took this just for you, Meredith! :)

Nothing to add a lump to your throat like seeing this claim:

$10,328.51: Pending

I'm not even sure if that's for one or both of us.

Honestly? Even if I had to pay that whole thing out of pocket (I'm sure I won't)...it was worth it. The care we got was absolutely amazing, and everyone was absolutely top-notch.

This is Thomas Edward Kelley, Chris' grandfather. This is who we are naming our son after...



This is Elizabeth and James Hyde. Hmmm...wonder who my dad looks like these days...James is my...great great grandfather.


This is my grandfather, Max.


This is my father, Larry.

So who on earth is this little guy going to look like?!?!?

I just noticed that Firefox 3.5, when clicking on a "mailto:" link, no longer has the option to "copy link", only to "copy email address".

You know, Firefox, some of us still don't keep our browser configured to send mail. Personally, alpine -url "mailto:bug-followup@FreeBSD.org,mdh%5Flists@yahoo.com?subject=Re:%20bin/128725:%20%5Bpatch%5D%20whois%28%31%29%20does%20not%20correctly%20send%20queries%20regarding%20IPv%36%20addresses%20to%20the%20RIR%20whois%20servers" does the right thing for me, adding the correct CC, subject, and all.

The focus is on two houses now. Very southern Hempstead, near Molloy College, and eastern Hempstead, near (just West of) Hofstra University.

The Hofstra house is the one I looked at last month. Somebody made an offer, it went into contract, and a few days ago it popped back onto the market. It was a very, very nice place for the money with three bathrooms, a finished basement (one obviously used as an apartment at one point), lots of adjacent field space (that nobody owns), and absolutely atrocious ceiling decoration. Taxes are insanely high. Neighborhood is not bad. Public transportation options are astonishingly good, with a somewhat walkably close LIRR stop, a very close bus stop that goes all the way to Queens (and to both my work and my school with only one transfer!). My father is very, very high on this one. He says it's the best one he's seen so far, inside-wise.

The Molloy house is near to a major parkway and in a very nice looking neighborhood. Unless there's a typo or omission, taxes are half of the above house. It's similar in size and design but with an unfinished basement. Four bedrooms and at least two full bathrooms (the last two houses I've looked inside have had more bathrooms than advertised). It also requires a 203k, which is an annoyance (but a workable thing, as long as the taxes are as advertised). It also may require more work than most houses I've looked at thus far. Originally, it was being sold with the tag "Needs A Lot of Work" -- which you never see actually admitted on real estate listings -- and the photograph of the back was pretty bad looking. It was pulled off the market and put back on, and now it missing both of those (so maybe they fixed everything, hurhurr). Anyway, public transportation options are okay, with a nearby bus that goes to a local LIRR station to the south, though multiple transfers would be required to get anywhere useful up north, like my job. I will be looking at its inside in about two hours.

Both houses are near to institutions of higher learning, so renting is a more workable option. They're also reasonably close to work and school and reasonably far from my parents' home. They have the space I need to stash my stuff. So it should be fun seeing if anything comes out of either. :)

Dr. Stelling and I today, after I stopped by the office to say hello and extend my belly and my thanks to the whole office.

I've been so wrapped up in getting through every day of this pregnancy...that it was a bit of a jolt to walk back into the reproductive endocrinologist's office and sit there in the waiting room.
It instantly reminded me that it took two or three 6:30am visits a week for over a year, a lot of tears, exhaustion, money, and hormones to get me to where I am today.

I saw the other women in there who looked at me with envy, and I remember being one of the women who would stare longingly at pregnant women, wondering why my body wasn't cooperating with my desire to have children and being flat out jealous of them.

I made a point of telling the women in the office that I had been in their position not a year before and that I had gone through what they were going through -- and that, if anything, they should look at me as a happy example of hope. The treatments and procedures can work. It takes strength and the willingness to press on even when you're miserable and want to give up.

I need to remember this whenever I get cranky and want this part of my life over with due to discomfort...I was a hell of a lot more uncomfortable and miserable a year ago when I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to have a child.

At the Coram Home Depot, I got a flat tire. Nine months pregnant, completely slushy parking lot in January, 20 degrees out and seriously windy -- with a flat tire. Blech. NO ONE offered to help me as I got the tools out to change the tire. People walked by me and didn't even pause.

Thank goodness Chris was home and showed up within 10 minutes to do the hard part for me.

Got a pediatrician all picked! Had the hospital tour last night! We'll get the car base installed sometime tomorrow or Wednesday. Overnight bag is packed.

Tonight is a La Leche League meeting in Miller Place that I'll check out.
Tomorrow is our last birthing class.
Wednesday is another pre-natal appointment.

I'm still taking water aerobics, and I expect a decent amount of shit to be given by the little old ladies in the class for me.
"What on earth are you still doing here? You should be home and in bed?"
"OH MY!"

Blah blah blah.

I only slept about five hours total last night -- a far cry from my heavenly 12 hours the night before.

I still have a list of things I need to do...but as every day passes, listening to my body becomes more and more of a priority. So, if I owed you an email response, or a get-together, or a favor...it might just have to be put on hold - depending on the day. So far, so good. However, who knows what tomorrow will bring. :)

I found a configuration of pillows that worked perfectly last night. I was comfortable! Nothing hurt! I couldn't feel the weight on my stomach!

I had to get up to pee, and I was nervous that I was going to lose this magical moment -- and when I got back to bed, I was able to re-create the phenomena! On both sides!

I slept from 7:30pm to around 9pm, then midnight to 11am!!!! Those waking hours I remained in bed, reading a book.

I feel amazing today, compared to the past few days of exhaustion.

I think I'm going to make pancakes and find something productive to do for awhile while I have the energy.

May this magical configuration continue to afford me rest!

I have a general policy in handling Job recommendations for friends. I have no problem with doing it, but I'm incredibly honest in doing so. Many of the communities I move in are small enough that people will remember if I give a good recommendation for someone who turns out bad.

In general, you should do the following things:

• DO tell me in advance that you're looking for a job. I consider myself reasonably well connected in many fields, and if I've worked with you in some manner that applies to the work you're applying for, I'm more than happy to quite honestly tell people that.

• DO ask for my most current information. I've had a couple of cell phone and home numbers over the years, and these are subject to change. I don't in general mind being called at work, however I have a fairly restrictive policy about answering calls to my cell from people I don't recognize. To that end, anyone you give my number to, please explain that I work in data centers that screw up my cell phone, and that voicemails do get returned.

• DO NOT just randomly hand out my number without at least giving me a heads up, although I prefer to be asked rather than informed that I'm being used.

• DO try to give me a heads up as to what you've told people in interviews about me. For example, how long you claim to have known me and how long I claim to have known you could look sloppy if there's disagreement. While I'm not suggesting you rehearse this info too much, it's not a bad idea to do some fact-checking first.

• DO NOT expect me to lie for you. I can enhance the truth in good faith, if we've for example worked in a casual basis (for example, with I-CON or another similar project), or if you've worked with/for me in a sense where it wasn't formal employment.

• DO, If you consider me both a friend and a colleague, list either or both on your resume, but please tell me which you're using me for. (I.e. a character reference versus a work/performance reference).

• DO tell me when you have gotten a job, and when I should no longer expect calls.

• DO ask me to at least spot-check your resume/CV. I've gotten rather good at handling them over the years. I haven't yet charged for the redos I've done for various people, but I have managed to make something workable given very little to go on.

The heat at work is broken. Either that or my boss sabotaged it. It is blowing out freezing cold air which temperature keeps dropping every 1/2 hour and there is no way to turn it off. WTF?!?!? I'm so cold. Freezing cold in fact. I'm wearing my wool coat as a blanket, my fur eskimo hat, my scarf and fingerless gloves. This is totally insane. I also have a splitting headache, a stuff nose and my throat is feeling sore. My job is pure evil. I hate my job and I hate my employers.

In other news....

Waldenbooks is going out of business and they are having a massive clearence sale. Seriously amazing. Everything is 50%-60% off!!
I got some craft books, an issue of the US Goth Lolita Bible, the brand freakin' new Zombie Survival Guide:Recorded Attacks comic novel, some red velvet ribbon to make pretty things with, a blue velvet Virgin Mary and some other little stuff like stickers for under $30.00....LOVE!
Derek bought all of the D&D and Star Wars roleplaying game mini figures they had. At 60% off, who could blame him. He even got some rare figures in the packs that are worth $35-50 each.BONUS.

I was going to buy some pretty notebooks and journals but I changed my mind at the last minute and now regret it. I think I need to go back and get them because I get all of these ideas and I write them all down on legal pads or post its that get lost everywhere.

Tomorrow is work all alone for me. 7:45 until 5pm with no heat and no one to talk to. So lame you have no idea. Plus the customers are all going to bitch at me more than usual because the Spa is fully reserved and there are no reservations for them to get massages for thier fat yuppie asses. JOY.

Ruby is enjoying the last few weeks of her being an only child...

I'm seriously worn out. Reading and naps are the only things that sound good to me. Wait...I want a Five Guys burger -- then I'll be good :)

Me today. *YAWN*

2009 was an interesting year.

I moved a ton closer to work, and have basically been living alone with Kat since then. We live at a hotel (as some of you may know), but it's basically a fully-furnished apartment with a month-to-month lease and no credit hassles to move in. There's a mostly-full kitchen, but no oven. It's a better deal and has better amenities than most of the apartments I've seen around here.

I attempted to buy a car, and after initial credit pre-approval, was turned down. Oddly, the same company that wouldn't trust me to pay $300 a month in financing was more than happy to rent me a car for $600+ a month. A couple months ago, I bought another used car. Those of you that know me, know what kind it is.

My health has been okay. I ran into a minor digestive issue in January, but other than that, clean slate. I'm still fat. The liver problems of a few years ago haven't shown up again. I'm not afraid of drinking, but I believe in moderation and can count on one hand the number of times in this year I've been inebriated.

Work is going well. Kat's started working with the company in a minor fashion, and I've managed to get one other friend's foot in the door, which in turn served to jumpstart the company's interest in interns (because we do, after all, have an educational mission).

Entertainment-wise, Kat and I managed to get caught up in House, Lie to Me, The Big Bang Theory, Glee, and Californication. We also just (as in today) got done watching Boston Legal (the last three seasons I now own on DVD, I may pick up the first two later).

Finances are kinda-sorta behaving. I've closed out and paid off two credit card accounts, as well as being within a couple hundred dollars of paying off the debts from my Jersey Colo. My Big Debt (the IRS) is slowly being paid down (I'll probably know exactly where I stand after I file this year's Tax Return). Once that happens, it's like gaining a free extra couple hundred dollars each paycheck.

I've put together a few articles and howtos on this Journal that I feel most of you don't have the requisite interest in, but that I may in turn cross-post to my company's blog. I also wrote a few minor pieces of software, including a cool shell script to publish your PGP keys in DNS. (Which works better than the default tools).

There was the whole getting-hit-by-a-car thing that kinda closed out the year. Would like not to experience that again. Do not want.

Number of dollars spent supporting Michael Bay: 0

For 2010:

Buy a new phone, finally.

Get the staples out of my head.

I'd like to try to complete a few other software projects: perhaps get the work done on my CMS, perhaps get more work done on my LJ client (those are in opposite directions). Perhaps work on something to deal with all the spam I have to handle on a regular basis.

I might finally attempt to try to get back to school again. I work with some of the most intelligent people I've ever known, and I lack even the most basic of degrees.

I'd like to finally get up and going at Tech Shop.

Perhaps we can get the rest of the credit cards paid down, who knows, maybe, gasp start amassing savings.

How much better a world would this be if we had a Violin Hero?

My favorite dog picture of the year


I became an aunt twice this year...




I worked a very interesting job...


Science and perseverence made me a lucky mommy to be!


I got to spend time in Michigan with my family...




My little brother got married!


We got another floor of living space...

From

And now we are awaiting 2010 and the first year of parenthood!