I recently attended BarCampRDU for the first time. I’m not going to go into detail explaining the concept behind this event but in a few words it’s a tech-heavy un-conference that takes place annually in the Raleigh area. It was a great event. Circumstances being what they were I was only there for half of the day but it was well organized, the sessions I went to were great and there were some really cool people there – kudos to the planners and participants! As the day began to wind down I noticed some dissent in the #barcampRDU twitter stream that I thought was very interesting. tesmith #BarCampRDU feels like…
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It’s about time
There are a few of you, I would even say “several”, who will read my next sentence, look up to the heavens and exclaim with frevrent joy “It’s about time!”. I got a speeding ticket yesterday. If you know me then you know I drive pretty fast. I like to be in control (which is why I have a stick shift) and I get very impatient when stuck behind slow drivers or sloppy drivers or drivers overly cautious of rain or snow or, oh hell, anyone not going 55+. I like to get where I’m going and I love getting there on a nice windy road at high speeds. Which…
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The [adjective] Old Days
In the process of moving my blog over from Blogger I had to shift some “categories” and “tags” and I’m still updating old posts that had nothing. So it’s been in turns, funny, pathetic and nostalgic to review my earlier posts. A couple of posts in particular stood out: some comments on politics, old family trips, my yearly devotion to autumn. But there were two things I really enjoyed, and I think they’re a good reason to actually wallow in my nostalgia for a moment. Mac vs. PC I stumbled across a couple of pro-Windows posts from years past. I found it hilarious to read about Windows Vista since I…
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Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (Monty Python)
My crazy cousin has a great blog where she spends lots of time talking about her sweet little baby (http://jellybeanmama.blogspot.com/). Her post yesterday (“It Could Always Be Worse”) resonated because I, and I suspect many of you, have been feeling the chill of recession and tension of questionable job security lately. So here is my contribution to positive thinking. The 5 things I am grateful for today: Friends who have you over for a fantastic (and free) home-cooked meal. Comes with great conversation. A home that has a mortgage I can afford. Having a skill and a job (with awesome perks like health insurance and coworkers I like) where I…
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Thanksgiving: The Horror
Yes, all right, it’s been a month since I’ve posted. I am going to add a “Post to blog” task on my “Remember the Milk” list and monitor it via my iPhone. I know, it’s hard to believe I don’t have time to post since I obviously don’t have a life. So I am one of those people that, when asked by friends and neighbors “how was your Thanksgiving?”, feel compelled to really answer. A simple “fine” is not in my vocabulary. And when I stopped to recall this Thanksgiving, it was really quite chilling. First there was the conversation at Thanksgiving dinner. Somehow I ended up sitting between my…
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The Brain Bone is connected to the Mouth Bone
I have lost the ability to communicate recently. It may have been going for sometime now but it’s reached epically bad proportions recently. Have you ever been thinking one thing but your mouth says something else? Today, while walking to get coffee with the new web guy (who will hopefully make my work life much easier) we were talking about my new TV and the possibility of TiVo etc. I was thinking: “I got DVR the second it came out, back when it was the dirty little secret of cable. I love my DVR!”. … but what I said was (oh god. So mortifying)… “I love you”. Naturally I just…
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I’ll be the one talking to myself in the corner…
My boss made a joke the other day – a “joke” – that I can’t have a boyfriend because I don’t have time. Well, it’s 11:30pm on a Saturday night, date night, and I am at work. I really hope this is as low as it’s going to get but I just don’t know. Last two weeks in 30 seconds or less:Saw shop-happy aunt and uncle for a day which was great but depressingly short; won an award for working so much; trying to find a wii so I can can wail on some Banjo Hero (Legends of Bluegrass); cuzin moved to cute new house; schoolwork is really cramping any…
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The mean reds
It’s 11:45pm. Not that late really but since I’ve been trying to fall asleep for almost an hour the time has gone by agonizingly slowly. I’ve read, had the TV on, TV off, played mind-numbing games on my cell phone, and lain in the dark thinking of soft sandy beaches. I’ve tried thinking of nothing. It’s all been spectacularly unsuccessful. I’m thinking about work, and all the stuff I haven’t done. Thinking about school, and all the stuff I haven’t done. Thinking about my pregnant cousin and all her crazy stress, thinking about my office NCAA tournament pool that I’ve done nothing to prepare for, thinking about my weight and…
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Frank said “somethings gotta give”…
I think it’s been fairly well documented that I’m busy. It may also have come up that I can’t say “no” to things – I get overbooked. Part of the ‘year of Jen’ was to work on this problem, but I’m not doing very well. Work is – busy. People keep leaving and we can’t hire replacements fast enough (plus hiring takes time we don’t have, which is an irritating catch-22). It’s a busy time of year anyway and add to that a few poorly-timed projects (transition to PHP5 servers- still love ya, Jason) and I’m in the middle of a stress test. Of course what do I do? I…
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Random Updates
Progress EnergyApparently I wasn’t the only one with power problems in my area. Progress Energy came out and tore up the cables for everyone in my row of townhouses and then kindly put down grass seed in the area where I’d just finished killing the grass. On the plus side, my power hasn’t flickered in the slightest since then so (knock on wood) I think things might be fixed! Bedroom SetIt’s GORGEOUS! The biggest problem now is that I don’t want to get up in the morning because it’s so pretty and comfy! Yeah! Valentine’s Day & Weight WatchersIt took me a couple days to get over it this year.…
