Right, Then

I think I've mentioned this before, but the way it works is that I have about an hour a day, some days, during which I could theoretically record the day's events and/or thoughts in this blog.  What I like to do instead is sit in the basement and play video games.  My brain gets its one chance per day to relax the otherwise-required laser focus.  Then the Slammer* and I go to bed.

I'm at my mom's.  We're down for the weekend so that she and my stepdad can soak up the toddler time and so that I can install the wireless router I got them for Xmas to replace the steam-operated, cast iron wireless router they've been using for the last five years or so.  Despite the stupid, just-long-enough-to-suck drive between Portland and Eugene, it's very nice to be here.

The best thing: Plan C has been in a really, really good mood for the last week or so.  She's gotten over a developmental hurdle with language...there's still lots of undecipherable babbling, but every day there's more decipherable babbling along with real actual words.  It's fall-off-your-chair-and-hurt-yourself adorable learning what's actually going on in her head.  Statements like "two berries!" and "bear goes here!" and "more O's!" - that kind of thing.  I'm finding that the whole Stockholm Syndrome adoration of one's child gets a huge charge from actual communication.

We had our annual coast trip w/ the gang two weeks ago, which was great as usual, but it also brought home to me in no uncertain terms that babysitters are in C's future.

Here's a summary of the rest:

• Work: SAN with dedicated stacked catalyst 3750s, IPsec tunnel to the offsite facility, wireframes and project management.
• Band: Ransom and I realized that we were way better 11 years ago.  But then, 11 years ago we had time to practice once a week.  Still fun and sounding better as time goes on.
• Game: 4th level rogue, 2nd level fighter, bitches!  All of the essential archery feats along with two-weapon fighting.
• House: so comfy, so awesome.  Dinner parties coming up.  Trying to find good big storage racks for the basement so that we can start cleaning it up.
• Friends: as attractive and debonair as ever.

* This is B's new nickname.  I'm encouraging everyone to use it as much as possible.  Say it with me: "The SLAMMER."

Sartorial in the New Year

There are an awful lot of things that have gone down Chez Moi of late.  I survived the flights and got to see family back east before during and after my grandmother's funeral.  Plan C's babbling is rapidly turning into Plan C's actual talking.  I have an elaborate plan to be less stressed out in ought-12 as opposed to ought-11.  I keep getting sick - I'm on my third cold in about a month (could have something to do with the mold in the basement, I guess...gonna go after that shit with some serious bleach in the near future.)

But!  None of this matters to you, dear half-dozen readers.  You want to know what I'm wearing these days!  The answer: classy...stuff, dude:

Yep!  A fancy new pea coat that even came with a fancy scarf!  And yes, that's totally me in the picture.

Yes indeed!  New Dr. Martens wingtips!  They cost as much as my mortgage (roughly), but damn are they slick.  And comfy.  And slick.

In other words, I'm trying to start 2012 off in a dapper kind of manner.  I'm doing my part.  Ask yourself: are you doing yours?