Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Another one bites the dust

Project that is. Out of money. Spent. Kaput. Nada. And this project is a prime example of mismanagement, nothing to show for this year’s effort. The project manager role was offered to me earlier in the year and I declined mostly because 50% of the project was completely mind-boggling to me. I was tempted, but since I have never quite been able to figure out what they were trying to do I just couldn’t accept it. And I don’t think I am *that* stupid. Apparently neither could the external review committee as they instructed that if there was to be funding for FY07, then this “task” needed to go by the wayside.

We had a nice, quiet weekend. Ordered Thai food on Friday. Saturday we ran a number of errands, including buying Leif a tricycle at Toys R Us from AB and I for his birthday this coming Saturday. Of course at TRU he showed absolutely no interest in a tricycle, but oogled at the big kids “cycles”. While there I also let him spend his $30 gift cards from grandpa. My intention was to let him spend “some” of it. The other portion I was insisting on using for a bicycle helmet, something practical. Might as well get him in the habit early. We found the perfect bike helmet and knee pads with Sesame Street characters on it. Then Leif decided he was going shopping with the remaining.

My determination is that independence does not always need to be fostered. Because we really did NOT need a 3 foot long plastic dump truck that cost $9.99. He has two (albeit much smaller ones) already that he doesn’t use. He was pointed gently instead to GeoTrax expansions and Play-Doh.

Of course we headed off to Target afterwards only to find a tricycle that we liked far better and for $10 cheaper. (AB said he would return the other this week.) Apparently, despite the fact that it was 107-110F this weekend and yesterday, it isn’t the proper season for buying lawn sprinklers for kids to play in. Target had either a slip and slide (too old for Leif), or an infant/toddler Elmo sprinkler. I was tempted to go with the Elmo sprinkler, but I know my boy well enough to know that he will treat it exactly as he does the spray nozzle on the hose… pick it up and run with it. I want something stationary, that he will run through. Not something that he can chase me around the yard with.

A quick trip to Costco and home to vege in our air conditioned house. That afternoon we ran to get groceries then came home and made salmon fish tacos that were quite spectacular.

Sunday morning was C’s birthday party. We had a really nice time at their house. The kids played in the pools and ate watermelon. Then when the heat became intolerable we headed inside to visit, munch, eat cake, sing and watch C open her presents. A good time was had by all.

Sunday afternoon we lazed around the house, it was too hot to even clean. Thai chicken pizza for dinner and we ventured to the yard at about 7pm. No relief from the heat, but at least it was a change of scenery.

This week is progressing as usual. I am working on a white paper proposal that has to go out tomorrow, 1-2 pages. Easy right? Not when you are starting with a 13 page proposal and cutting to get to that 1-2 page limit. A bunch of data analysis work to do whereby I am struggling with the question of baseline correction… do I baseline correct this data or not and how does that affect “the answer”. The graphs are so much prettier corrected, but how many counts do I lose doing this and does that drop my efficiency too far.

TV, for the summer, is amazingly not boring this year. We finished watching all the Desperate Housewives we had recorded on the computer and are working on clearing the Grey’s Anatomy cue. I can hereby admit my obsession with Big Brother that I have had since season one. I know, pitiful. AB watches it as well and claims to be able to stop anytime… I don’t kid myself with such delusions. AB has some sci-fi shows that have resumed seasons that he is into. The best thing on right now is Entourage, which we watch faithfully. Take Sex and the City, sex changes all around and move them to the west coast, wa la Entourage. The best thing on network TV? Anyone see “How I Met Your Mother”? AB and I are really into that and have been catching all the reruns. I always liked Friends but couldn’t ever relate *that* well. I relate here. Recent college grads starting out life as professionals. Doogie Howser plays a lawyer and appears to be a most excellent young future Denny Crane. Who knew Doogie would play such a great scumball. AB and I are frightened by how much Lilly and Marshall remind us of ourselves 7-8 years ago, except I don’t think I was ever *that* skinny outside of high school.

I know, it isn’t cool to enjoy watching TV. Your brain turns to mush in front of the TV. Yadda yadda yadda. It’s a form of entertainment. We never forego actual interactions with friends in favor of TV (that’s what Tivo is for). (Oh hey, I used the word Tivo! That means I am going to get put on that weird Tivo list that logs every blog that mentions Tivo. Tivo! Tivo! Tivo! Thank you Site Meter for pointing this out to me.) I like veging in front of the TV with a book or magazine. I like the comedy. I like the drama. I like the local evening news. And yes, I like Big Brother too, damn it! There it is, shun me if you please.

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