Weekend recap

Well, it was one heck of a weekend. I made the committment, I took the plunge, I popped the question, I asked her to marry me. And thank God she said Yes. Of course, one of the keys to asking is knowing, at least 75% of the way, that she will say yes. I have known for some time that this is the woman that I want to spend the rest of my life with. That was the easy part. She makes loving her very easy. I do, however, wonder about those guys out there who ask without knowing what the answer will be. Are they that clueless or is this like the second date and they are just really desperate? I see stories on the news sometimes, guy sets up airplane ride and carves Will You Marry Me in the wheat fields. She cries and says yes, like most stories. What about those guys who ask and get the blank look, or even worse, the get up and run away. That happened recently at a basketball game. I forget the teams, etc., but she got up and ran out of the building!!!! That is a rejection that is monumental. Didn't he have a clue as to what she might say? Or maybe it was just the setting. Some guys want to show the world how much they love thier partner. I know I do. But is she willing for the whole world to look into her life, one of the most cherished parts of her life? Maybe asking in a crowded public place is not for everyone. Which again, begs the question. Do you not know this woman at all?

Let me shed some light on how I did it. I knew for some time that she was going to be out of town for a few days. I set it up so that I could borrow a digital cam corder from someone and had it arranged so that I had quick access right after she left. After I dropped her off to head out, I went back, got the cam corder and filmed a short 10 minute movie about how much I, and my kids, loved her and wanted her to be part of our lives forever. As an aside, the kids were great. They loved the idea and participated in the whole process. It was icing on the preverbial cake. After I filmed the movie, directly onto my laptop of course (I am a computer geek after all). I downloaded a video editing program and went to work. I was able to edit together a decent, but not too polished looking, 8 minute film that said everything I wanted to say except a question that I saved until it was all over. I was even able to put in a title screen and some credits. After she sat and watched it, she turned to me and I asked her to marry me. It went exactly as I planned and hoped it would. We, of course, showed off the ring all weekend. And I am guessing that this week will be more of the same at her work and wherever she may be. And that is just OK, I like it. Now she has her "Permit". (Inside joke).

Back to my original point. I knew she would say yes, or at least I was 99% sure she would. I would never take that chance if it was a 50/50 shot. That is a deal breaker as far as I am concerned. If she says no, then why keep up the relationship? A good relationship is hard work. Why put in the work if the end isn't what you BOTH want?

3 whole days!

Wow, three whole days without an update. I am slipping but then I told you in the title that I am getting old. You get what you get. ;-)

It IS Friday, though, and that counts for something even if that is all that I mention. A quiet weekend ahead, hopefully. Waking up on Sunday, making a nice breakfast and some coffee, and reading the paper. I really enjoy those Sundays. Breakfast is usually a bigger one, no cereal necessary when you have all day. Eating in bed or in front of the TV. Reading the paper, every section. Coupons, of course, I can't forget those. There is someone who won't let me forget the coupons.

And if breakfast is done right and big enough then lunch can be skipped. Leave the dishes in the sink for later, too. Just one of those days I look forward to.

Responsibility

Ok, first off let me state this for the record. I am all for taking responsibility for your actions. Owning up. In fact, in my humble opinion, that is what is wrong with a lot of people. No one can take responisibility for thier own actions. That is the reason for the lawsuits, the stupid warnings everywhere, the overly concious Political Correctness that permeates every syllable of almost every conversation. Anyway, to my point. My oldest child, age 12, wanted to goto a friend's house to play some basketball after school. I said ok, after asking all of the important questions about homework, the ride home, what time, etc. Ok, now he is on the school bus and he and a couple of other friends, depart the bus at his friend's house. Here is where it gets a bit muddied between stories but the gist of it is this....he gets off and is told by the bus driver that he is suspended from riding the bus for 5 days for getting off at the wrong stop. Ok, there are a couple of problems with this. First of all, I was unaware that you had to have a note to get off at a different stop. Another bus or maybe a ride home with someone else I can handle, but a note to get off at a different stop on the same bus? So why did the bus driver let any of them get off the bus if they are not supposed to? I understand that she cannot police every student's every move while they are there but surely after knowing my son, and she does because I coached her son at baseball several years ago, she would stop him and say something instead of waiting for him to get off then yelling out to him that he is in trouble. Ok, I own up to the fact that this is my fault. I don't fault Justin for not knowing the "note" policy. I didn't know it either. I did know that picking a student up early or them riding a different bus requires a note but not the same bus and a different stop. So ok, this is my fault. So then I call the head of the transportation and ask to have the punishment set aside since I was the errant party. Then I get an argument! Why? If I own up to it and apologize then why it is necessary to keep up the punishment. I did try the "why did the bus driver let him off" angle but to no avail. It is the bus driver's job to drive the bus and see students acting up or doing wrong, they can even hand out the punishment but God forbid they do something simple like stop him and say, Hey you can't get off here without a note, sit back down. It would have taken 10 seconds and avoided several parents having to get off work a half day for a whole week. There is something wrong with that policy.

Another sappy entry

Ah yes, much like the Valentine's day post this one is gonna be sappy. You see, I am without my better half today. She is out of town. Left yesterday afternoon for a business trip and is gone till tonight. I know it's only a day and a half. Blah blah blah to all of that stuff, I still miss her even if it is only one day. There is a certain comfort to having your partner there with you during even the most repetitive of days. Sunday evenings are usually just that. We are shifting into work mode for Monday morning. Usually watching the same shows in the evening. Maybe doing some extra work before the week actually starts. Ironing clothes. Whatever it may be, it is still not the same when something, someONE is missing.

This is sort of the same feeling I get right before and for a while after I drop my kids off on Sunday evenings. That bit of lonliness. That little bit of sadness the comes with knowing that a constant is not there, at least for now. Unless you have planned something to do, you kind of wander around, wanting someone to talk with, someone to sit next to. I was able to do a few things that I wouldn't normally do but in the end I put a movie in to help pass the time until I was tired. But then, even tired and falling asleep, I felt it. I didn't have to reach over to feel the empty spot. I didn't have to turn over and look, I just knew. I felt myself missing her even after just an afternoon. I felt myself missing her this morning when I woke up. My normal routines in the morning were off just a bit, but enough that it made it feel wierd. The day is gonna be like that too, I can just feel it. Until I see her or hear her voice my day is gonna be off.

Just when we thought it was safe.....

All winter we were fine. No interruptions. Sure the kids got it but they are supposed to. They are with hundreds of other kids. And washing thier hands is something you can do at home but germs are everywhere and kids are gonna get em. But it finally got to us. Well, not me, her. The sore throat, head full of snot, tired, achey, the works. Friday is meant to be a springboard for the weekend not a springboard for a doctor's appointment. Illness and I have a love hate relationship. I hate to see the people I care for get sick but I do like taking care of them. I am funny that way. I am the world's worst patient but I will nag someone to death to make sure they drink lots of liquids. Dress warm. Rest and stay in bed. I can have walking pnuemonia and go grocery shopping. I know because I went from Urgent Care to Meijer to get my prescription and ended up there for an hour shopping. And the next day I went to work. Like I said, world's WORST patient. I know it ticks people off but I can't help it. I hate being helpless with the flu or some stupid virus.

Rant

I guess this would technically count as my first rant on the blog. Being a computer geek I need to vent a bit on this topic. Those people out there who think that the knowledge they hold is so valuable that it cannot be shared. If I teach someone how to do my job then I am less valuable. However it is said, it still means the same thing. Selfish geeks who are so insecure that they hold up progress on a project or even possibly the development of a whole department. What possible gain can come of being so protective over what you know? None. First of all, what happens when you step off the curb and get hit by a bus? That knowledge is lost and has to be learned, again. If it has taken you years to get to this point then that puts whatever you are working on back that far. And with the workload of most IT staff that means lots of projects will be hurt. Sharing that knowledge doesn't lessen your value or worth to a department or company, it actually strengthens it. You become a mentor, a teacher, someone that can be sought out for advice and guideance. In our industry, the only constant is the rate of change. Sharing the knowledge that you gain helps everyone. Think about it, why is the internet so popular? Besides the porn, I mean. The sharing of knowledge. Think of all of the most popular and influential sites out there. Search sites. Technical Support sites. News sites. All sharing information so that technology can grow along with the people who use it.

Hump Day

Wednesday...hump day. The mid point for the week. The day where we all look at and say if I can just make it past THAT day then it's all down hill from there. I like Wednesdays. Not better then Fridays, and I still loathe Mondays, but I do like them. My weekend plans are starting to get made. I know that, usually anyway, today and tomorrow I get to see my kids. My honey is off today too so I know she is relaxing. It's sort of a stress free day. Sort of. It does mean that there are still two days left and the end is in site but it's not here yet. Casual day is still far away too. One more day of, *gasp*, wearing dockers! Thats the worst thing I can think of for a Wednesday.