Date: 2009-07-02 10:24 Subject: Destruction! Security: Public

Most mornings while I eat breakfast I sit in the cafeteria on the Galleria level of the US Bank building and look east over the street and at the lake in the distance. For the last few days I've sat on the south wall and watched the destruction of the parking garage there.

This morning they pulled out a new attachment for their excavators - a pulverizer. The one they're using looks more like the head of a dinosaur than the one in the picture, due to the placement of the bolts and flanges. And it moves like one, too. I watched it chew - literally - through seven or eight parking places and the girders (including the rebar and steel beams) supporting them. It would chomp, release, move a few feet, and chomp again, then bang against a pillar (gently, like a cat bumping someone's leg) hard enough to shake some chunks of concrete loose. And chomp a little more, and pick up a wrecking ball in its teeth. Which it then swung back and forth to get momentum, and pounded into the pillar to shatter it to dust.

But what really caught my attention was the fluid movement of the thing. It moved like a snake - or like a dinosaur in Jurassic Park, or like a dragon in various movies. It would study its prey, dance its head to the side, and lunge in for a tearing bite which left its target missing a big chunk. And it was just cool.

Man. I want one.

Date: 2009-07-02 09:03 Subject: Trudge Security: Public Music: Phyfe: O Che Diletto

Last night we went home and had pizza. (We'll eat healthy again someday, I'm sure.) And watched a couple episodes of Time Warp, and went to bed. We are so cool that we're allowed to have boring evenings from time to time.

Tonight is fighting. Tomorrow we have the day off and I expect to relax around the house. And maybe, if I'm feeling inspired, I might paint the trim in the bathroom. Or clean out the file cabinet. Or something equally inspiring. Pretty much that's the plan for the rest of the weekend too, though there's a party in Kenosha we might attend and it might be a good idea to drop in at Faire. Zoom!

This morning, after conversing with the people with whom I climb the stairs almost every day, I started interval training thereon. Basically, stretch really well, walk a flight or half-flight, and run flat out for a few flights. Then walk up to the next rest point (18th floor, 28th floor, 36th floor), rest, and repeat. This morning, 'cause it was an experiment, I ran five half-flights (7->7.5->8->8.5->9->9.5). We'll see how this goes.

And now, worktime.

Date: 2009-07-01 08:38 Subject: Stretch limo! Security: Public Music: The Cure: Fascination Street

Last night I stopped on the way home for new pants, then picked up dinner. We ate while watching Top Gear, then retired to our computers for awhile. I had some spectacular deaths while killing zombies, and then went to bed.

Tonight we have a similar lack of plans. And I don't mean to imply that we don't have planning to do. 'Cause we do. And we will. (We have to figure out WW. We have to figure out Faire. We have to figure out transporting Ben and his stuff to Halifax. We have to figure out how to get the house sided. We have to figure out how to dig a trench for pipe to prevent basement flooding. We have *lots* to plan.) Tomorrow night ought to be fighting. My calendar says that I have Friday off, and Saturday is a day of explosions. Sunday might involve some work at the shop at the Faire.

We sure do have fun around here...

Date: 2009-06-30 09:06 Subject: Into the Darkness Security: Public Music: Tom Waits: Little Trip To Heaven

Last night we went home, ate, and gamed.
( Kord! )


Tonight and tomorrow night we have no plans - though I might have to buy pants. We've got Stargate to watch and at least three episodes of Burn Notice, plus enough BBC tv to choke a horse. Or, um. Something like that.

Date: 2009-06-29 11:01 Subject: ...a storybook story... Security: Public Music: Princess Bride: Storybook Love

The party began where they left off, standing over the fallen body of Cap (the leader of the mercenaries) and Burne (the traitor mage/cleric who had caused the paladin to be corrupted). They treated Cap's wounds and trussed up Burne, then summoned Cap's second in command. He took charge of the situation. The party decided that the day was growing too long to assault the Temple, so they would instead inspect the stairs in the tower. (They had assaulted the tower last session and, after the siege engineers knocked a portion of it down, had slaughtered some enemy combatants therein.) Jillian returned to the group before they ventured forth, telling a tale of a strange web which had ensnared her while she was climbing around the roof of the Temple. She had ended up suspended over a huge golden pot, eight feet in diameter, and had then been tossed back onto the roof.

The group entered the tower and climbed the stairs. They found a room containing some furniture and treasure, and trekked through it to a second room which contained a bedroom. Here they also found a trapdoor leading to a store room, and from there to a tunnel. The tunnel took them a great distance north and west, and they found a secret door which led to a second passage. The new passage descended towards the Temple, and the party left it alone for the moment. Continuing with the main tunnel, they eventually emerged into a dry well on a small farmstead; they began to explore this farmstead and called it a night.

Date: 2009-06-26 13:44 Subject: Knowing one's limits... Security: Public Music: Romeo + Juliet Soundtrack: Young Hearts Run Free

Last night I drove home in the 90 degree weather and decided that I wasn't going to be able to fight in it (at least, I wouldn't be able to fight for very long) and, while it would be a good chance to build up some endurance, I had barely had any water all day anyway. And I've had heat exhaustion and didn't want to have it again. So I went home and watched the end of Charlie Bartlett, then returned it to Blockbuster. And spent most of the night staring at the computer, mostly Facebooking. No zombies or nuthin'.

Tonight I have no plans, though I might take a shot at my other Sekrit Project. And generally relax. Tomorrow Zig and Liz's wedding is at 5 in Madison, so I'll have the morning to run around and have fun before heading out for that. And Laura and Ben get home on Sunday.

Whee!

Date: 2009-06-25 08:32 Subject: Summerfest again. Security: Public Music: Pink Floyd: What Do You Want From Me?

Summerfest starts today.

Parking rates have tripled across the city. The traffic has increased. The pedestrian traffic makes getting around quite difficult. The annoyance factor is way, way up.

I sure dislike Summerfest.

Last night I worked till about 8, then drove to Todd's to pick up the money from the Safe House job a few weeks ago. Home, where I finished cleaning up the bathroom and set it all to rights, then had dinner and called Todd to help him test a remote network thing. At 10:30 I told him my brain was fried and called my wife, and went to bed.

Tonight is fighter's practice, which ought to be a treat in the current heat and humidity. Tomorrow night I intend to sit around the house and do nothing useful, except possibly kill zombies. Which I assume will be useful for someone.

Date: 2009-06-24 09:22 Subject: Sekrit Project Complete! Security: Public Music: Pink Floyd: One Of My Turns

Last night I went home, changed, and broke out the power tools.

First, some history. Once upon a time the previous owners painted our bathroom with a stucco-like paint. It's very nubbly and bumpy, which can be annoying - if someone takes a long hot shower, the resulting steam condenses all over the nubbly bits and sometimes grows mold and mildew. Which is gross.

So. I pried the molding from around the doors and window, then used a hand-held sander (aka a palm sander) to grind the nubbly bumpy stuff off the walls. I wiped everything down and vacuumed, then filled some weird holes in the walls with caulk/wood filler. And slapped up a coat of Kilz (anti-mold/anti-mildew)primer. I gave it a couple hours to dry (during which I did some work on some servers), then painted it with anti-mildew paint with various chemical additives to prevent mildew even more. And threw a fan in the bathroom, and let it dry. This morning I put the molding back up and cleaned up a little, and tonight I'll clean up everything else. And then the bathroom will be back in business.

Tonight I have tentative plans to get together with Todd and get the money from the Safehouse job. I've got a secondary plan underway as well, which may or may not come to fruition. Tomorrow night is fighter's practice, and I have no plans for Friday night. Saturday is Zig and Liz's wedding. And Ben and Laura return on Sunday.

And now, look at all that work.

Date: 2009-06-23 08:30 Subject: What a ride. Security: Public Music: Devo: Go Monkey Go

Last night I went home, then back out again to the post office (to pick up a registered letter for Ben) and the hardware store (to pick up sandpaper for a project at home). And then sat in the movie theater parking lot for twenty minutes or so before heading in to watch Star Trek.

I know, I'm a horrible geek. Take away my card and revoke my cred, because I didn't rush out to see it until eight weeks after release. Eight weeks! But I did finally get there, and now I understand why Kit saw it three times. I'm ready to go see it again, though I expect that I'll wait for it to come out on DVD and then watch it with Laura. 'Cause wow, what a ride.

Tonight, secret projects. And every night this week, I expect.

Date: 2009-06-22 09:10 Subject: What, again? Security: Public Music: Jackie Brown: Detroit 9000

Friday night we settled down to watch a nice night of Stargate, planning to go to bed nice and early so that Ben and Laura could start their drive before noon. And Laura wanted to color her hair. We watched the first episode, then sat down to read the instructions on the box of hair color at about 8:30 - and the power went out.

It affected the whole neighborhood. We watched the crocks as the battery-powered sump strained to keep up, and the water rose and rose. Around 9:30 the water actually started coming in through the overflow drain in the floor of the laundry room, and Ben and I started hustling. We raised everything up about three feet and I removed the wall to access the emergency drain pipe. The only things we didn't raise or remove was the two large area rugs - everything else which could be affected by water was elevated. I also turned off the gas to the house. The whole time the water alarm screamed and screamed, finally turning itself off around 10.

Ben and Laura went to bed, and I stayed up to wait in case a) the water rose to the level of the emergency drain pipe (14 inches), b) the power came back on and I could turn off the emergency stuff and turn the gas back on, or c) I could be ready in case of some new emergency. The power flickered on a few times for a few seconds, but nothing came of it. Around 3 AM the water alarm kicked back on and wouldn't shut up. At 4 or so the power came back on for about 5 minutes, which was long enough for me to go downstairs and yank all the wires out of the battery sump to silence it ... which didn't work, and left me standing in the dark a few moments later when the power died again. (And *that* was fun, I can tell you.) On top of everything else, the local cell towers' power was also out so our phones didn't work; I had to drive around the neighborhood in the Prius (which has a booster antenna) to get a strong enough signal to call the power company to ask for an estimate. Which they blew over and over again.

Overall we had about 1.5 inches - that's inches, not feet - of water in the basement. Which is much more on par with what most people think of when they say 'the basement flooded'. So, good for us. I sprayed the standing water around 5 AM with the handy bleach/water combination, just in case. The power came back on at 6, and I turned on all the things that needed to be turned back on. It took the sumps about twenty minutes to empty the basement, and I set up fans and brushed/swept the biggest puddles towards the drain and sprayed the floor with bleach again. And went to bed for a few hours.

Around 11 I got up and repeated the process. I rolled up the area rugs that we hadn't removed before and took them outside to drain, and spent the rest of the day cleaning and drying the floor. Laura and Ben finished the laundry and packed and mostly stayed out of my way. That night we watched the rest of the Stargate disc and ate leftovers for dinner.

Sunday they left for Winnipeg around noon and I drove down to Faire to help Ed set up a post in front of the shop. He had already dug the hole by the time I arrived, and I helped him with the actual post and setting it in place. It looks very nice, really. We chatted a bit and walked up to the office to get our passes renewed - but I had left mine at home, so oops. Home and out to Blockbuster, where I rented Blades of Glory and Juno. (The video clerk suggested Charlie Bartlett, which I'll try to remember.) I finished with the basement and opened it up again, and spent the rest of the night watching videos and relaxing. Laura and Ben made it to Superior around 7 and turned in for the night, and should finish their trip today.

Tonight I've got some errands to run and then I'll do some chores. And, for the rest of the week I expect the same schedule.

And now, on to work...

Date: 2009-06-19 09:35 Subject: Huffy Security: Public Music: Delerium: Gateway

Last night we went home, then I went back out to fight. We had me, Murdoch, Magnus, Gilchrist, Akira, Valerius, Adeliz, Randall, and Geoffrey in armor. (And six rapier fighters, and some archers, and some noncombatants.) The weather was oppressive (I thought), and I ran out of gas pretty quickly. But that's a good learning experience too, right? Ben and Chris went to see Star Trek (which I *still* haven't seen), and Laura went to bed early, so I watched some Top Gear and went to bed. And the thunderstorms only woke me up a couple times in the night.

I decided, while I was puffing away last night, that I need to incorporate windsprints into my workouts. Which means more workouts. But I can run full-out down our street a few times, and even turn the corner and run down the next street, as long as my heart doesn't explode.

Tonight we have no plans. Laura was planning to drive to Winnipeg tomorrow or the next day. I have things in mind for while she's absent, and we'll see what comes of them.

And now, I want some food. And I have work to do.

Date: 2009-06-18 08:19 Subject: Outback again! Security: Public Music: Sweeney Todd: A Little Priest

Last night we had a last-minute change of plans. Our friends John and Amy are preparing to move to Bellingham, WA and the move kind of snuck up on us - that is, we've known they were moving for months. The fact that they're leaving town next Thursday kind of caught us by surprise. So, we went home, changed, and drove out to Outback to have dinner with them. It was a good meal, and I returned John's router. And we'll still see them online, and once a year Amy will return to drive from Milwaukee to Kalamazoo. So it's not like they're leaving our lives forever.

Ben is going to a robotics thing today and tomorrow, and a friend of his (Chris) is staying with us for a couple of nights so that he has transportation to and from the event. Tonight is also fighter's practice, and tomorrow night we might enjoy a quiet evening at home.

And now I have some servers to rebuild.

Date: 2009-06-17 08:16 Subject: Normal... Security: Public Music: The Saw Doctors: Out For A Smoke

Last night we went home and sat around for a few minutes, then I ran off to Curia. (Gwyneth brought some amazingly tasty cupcakes, 'cause she's practicing for Iron Cupcake.) On the way home I ran some errands.

Our life is sometimes full of normal. :)

Tonight we have no plans. I think we're going to sit home and watch tv .. though we might end up working on projects or something. Maybe I'll get to kill zombies. Tomorrow night, fighting.

Laura and Ben are going to (hypothetically - I'm not sure that they've talked to anyone at the other end yet) visit Pinawa and Winnipeg next week. Depending on what days Laura can take off of work (summer break starts next week, you know), they might leave this weekend or might leave on Tuesday of next week. We're also looking at when to take Ben to Halifax for school, which will probably be a trip the last two weeks of July. Yes, this promises to wreak havoc on the tights shop. We still need to talk to Ginger about it. (Hi, Dollface! We'll call soon!)

And now, more Microsoft.

Date: 2009-06-16 11:29 Subject: Faster, Barbarian! Kill! Kill! Security: Public

Last night we played D&D.
( Game! )

Date: 2009-06-15 08:55 Subject: Closure Security: Public Music: Yoko Kanno: Farewell Blues

Friday night, while the Pens won the Stanley Cup, I drove down to Border Skirmish (at Simmons Island Park) and helped set up for the torchlight tournament. As usual, we had a small turnout of fighters - five people (three Northshield, two Midrealm) were there, and as many marshals. But it went well. Afterwards I went home, where I was as quiet as possible so as not to disturb Jeff on the couch.

Saturday morning, up early and back to site. I was there by 9 in the rain and drizzle, and Uthyr arrived about the same time I did. We answered questions from people waiting to fight and people waiting to authorize, and I provided paperwork. The skies cleared a little after 10, and people in armor turned up. I ran an authorization, and left just after 11. I turned royalty-wrangling over to Shava and drove home.

We packed Ben off to the school and got ready ourselves, then drove out to the Sports Complex. Which was packed with people. Graduation was the typically loud and disorganized event that I've come to expect for a High School event, complete with garbled and not-terribly-inspired-or-original messages from the chosen speakers. (The class president and student council president delivered an address in which they used popular movies to encourage students to do their best - for instance, "Napoleon Dynamite taught us to be innovative. Blades of Glory taught us that if you want something enough, you should do whatever it takes to get it. Stepbrothers taught us that you should make the best of every situation. Dodgeball taught us that if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball." Complete with full summaries of each movie. And I can't for the life of me decide if they were serious or not.) The point, though, is that Ben has graduated from High School. Yay Ben!

After the graduation we went out for dinner at Outback, where I learned that the Sydney's Sinful Sundae is back on the menu. We gave Ben a card and his gift - once he knows what his requirements are, we'll be buying him a laptop. Then home for a few episode of Red Dwarf, and to bed.

On Sunday Ben and Jeff had lunch with Mr. Rivest (Ben's computer teacher). Then we drove around Milwaukee and Oak Creek, stopping for a walk along the lakefront and a trip up to the 40th floor of my office building. And on to Walker Brothers for apple pancakes. When we got home we played Fluxx and turned in relatively early.

Tonight is D&D. Tomorrow night is Curia. Thursday night is fighting. And that's as far forward as I've looked.

Except for my meetings, which start in five minutes. Happy Monday!

Date: 2009-06-12 08:52 Subject: Another graduation? Already? Security: Public Music: Tori Amos: Taxi Ride

Last night we had a small incident in the kitchen. Someone turned on the oven to pre-heat without checking it first (since we have cats which will steal any food on the counters, we use the microwave and the oven to store food and sometimes dirty dishes until it can be stored properly). Now my favorite spatula - whose handle was plastic - is handle-less. The resulting black puddle of plastic came off the inside of the non-stick oven, and we ran the self-clean thing to make sure we had it really clean. But it made me late for fighter's practice.

It was a good one, too. Murdoch, Magnus, Jean, Randall, Albrecht, Valerius, Adeliz, Akira, Geoffrey, and I all wore armor, and there were five rapier fighters and at least four archers. We even had observers - the usual stream of cars slowing down to look at us as well as a few people standing around and paying attention. Cad and the Nordskoden archery captain came down from the Cities (they're here for this weekend's event) too. All in all it was good - I even pulled out my melee gear to get in some practice with that.

Tonight we'll go home and I'll zoom down to Simmons Island Park for Border Skirmish. I'll help with the torchlight tournament and see what else needs to be done, then head home. Jeff's plane is supposed to land at 6:02, and Ben should be picking him up; Laura suggested that we pick up Thai on the way home and I've dropped email to Jeff to find out if he would be amenable and what he'd like. (Since tonight is Game 7 of the Stanley Cup, she'd rather stay home than go out.)

Tomorrow morning I'll be at the event for a few hours to help with authorizations and inspections, and will be home in time to get Ben out the door for graduation. (He has to be there at 1. The ceremony is at 2 and is expected to last a couple hours. Hurrah, we get to hear Pomp And Circumstance again.) And then we'll go out for dinner.

On Sunday Ben's going to take Jeff to a few local places. (The one he seems most excited about is Walker Brothers, which isn't exactly local. But, whatever. Jeff then flies out on Monday. We also have D&D that day. 'Cause there's no rest for the wicked, and the good don't need any.

Date: 2009-06-11 11:25 Subject: And more work! Security: Public Music: Fish: He Knows You Know

Last night Laura and I worked late, then went home and watched some of Any Dream Will Do. I also did a bunch of work (remotely). Laura went to bed and I stayed up to do more work, finally hitting the pillow at 1.

Tonight is fighter's practice. I hope to not be stuck with more work, 'cause I need the exercise. Tomorrow night I'll be at the event for a little, and Jeff arrives around 6 PM. Saturday is graduation, Sunday is a day of rest, and Monday Jeff flies home again.

And now, back to work.

Date: 2009-06-10 09:38 Subject: Go Pens! Security: Public Music: Depeche Mode: Love In Itself

Last night I made a quick dinner for Laura (Ben made his own) and shooed them out the door to go to the doctor. I then made my own dinner and watched Game 6 of the Cup. Go Pens! Game 7 is Friday at 8 PM, and I'll be at Border Skirmish ... but we can record it. Laura and Ben got back in time for the third period, and then we went to bed.

Tonight we have no plans. We've got some chamberlaining stuff to get done and packing and cleaning and whatnot. Today is Ben's one and only final exam, and then he's done with High School. I'm sure if I stopped to think about that, I would be shocked. Or horrified. Or something. But I've got work to do.

Tomorrow night is fighting, Friday night is Border Skirmish and Jeff will be in town. Grad is on Saturday. Zoom!

Date: 2009-06-09 09:11 Subject: Monday Security: Public Music: Grateful Dead: Doin' That Rag

Last night we got home, we cleaned up and I did some work for a few minutes. Our guests started arriving at 6, and we gamed. After that I did some more work, and finally to bed.

( Treachery! )

Tonight Laura and Ben have doctor's appointments, and I plan to watch hockey. Tomorrow night nothing is planned. Thursday night is fighter's practice, and Friday night is Border Skirmish (and Jeff will be here). And Ben graduates on Saturday.

And now, on to work!

Date: 2009-06-08 09:28 Subject: Fwing! Security: Public Music: Monoko Hime soundtrack

I told myself this morning as I walked into the building that I'd do the stairs, having not done them now for a week (while waiting to get well). And as I walked into the building I had a coughing fit that left me with a headache and a sore throat. So, no stairs again today.

Friday night we watched some Stargate and some recorded tv and had a lovely dinner. Ben hung out with a friend for a little while, and eventually turned up and went to bed.

On Saturday I took Ben to Todd's house to drop him off. (Todd called on Friday and asked if I could help him out - he was going out to Eagle, WI with a U-Haul truck to pick up some books for the Safehouse, and needed someone to follow him in a car with a few passengers. I declined. He asked if Ben could do it. Ben agreed, if he could use Todd's car. Todd said sure, and that Ben should be at his place at 9 AM.) Todd wasn't there - his girlfriend (who we woke up) called him and he told us that we should go to the Safehouse instead. So we did. We arrived and he greeted us and shoved three passengers into the car ... and we were stuck. *His* car was at the truck rental place, the other guys didn't have cars, and I wasn't going to let Ben drive the Prius and leave me downtown. So I drove. In Eagle (which is just south of Wales, a place I'd like to visit again) we packed 946 books (mostly hardcover) into banker's boxes and packed them into the truck. Then back to the Safehouse, where we unloaded them into the basement. And then they fed us lunch, and told us that they'd pay us with checks. So now we need to get the checks from Todd.

While we were out driving around, the weather changed from okay to not-so-good. I dropped Ben off at his friend's house to work on a project for school (which turned into playing cards, and then into spending the night, and then him turning up at home at 1:30 in the morning...), and went home to do things around the house and run errands. We watched hockey and had grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner, and finally went to bed.

Sunday I did the things I had planned to do on Saturday - fixed the weed whacker and used it around the lawn, fixed some things on the porch which had been bugging me, and spent a chunk of the day playing Left 4 Dead - Survival Mode. (This was my first L4D online experience, and it wasn't as chilling as the solo mode ... but was still zombie-killing goodness.) We had dinner at Red Robin with Glenn and Rachel, then returned home for more zombies.

Tonight is D&D. Tomorrow is hockey. Wednesday is our day of rest. Thursday is fighter's practice, Friday Jeff arrives and I'll be at Border Skirmish for the torchlight tourney. Saturday is Ben's graduation and more Border Skirmish, and Sunday we put Jeff on a plane.

So much work to do!