owen

I’ve got a bunch of really good topics to cover for blog posts, and it seems that I’ve not got enough time to sit down at the PC and do them justice. Instead, you get this. Sorry in advance.

Last week, Pat (my brother) flew home from working in Ireland to visit for a friend’s wedding. We spent some time together, and played some Guitar Hero II on the 360. This was fun. I have since played more Guitar Hero (which I specifically bought so that we could play) and am actually getting reasonably good at it. At least, I am much better at Guitar Hero than playing the actual guitar, which I should probably get out and practice some more.

On Saturday, Mom took the kids, so Berta and I had a night out. We spent it at the King of Prussia Mall, shopping for new phones. We did get new phones. When we got home, I realized that everything that I really wanted in a new phone was not forthcoming with the phones we got. It was more of a lateral move from my Treo. Still, Berta is very satisfied with her upgrade from the Kyocera 7135, and I’ve just come to terms with the idea that in two years, there will hopefully be a better PDA phone on the market than what is currently available (yes, the iPhone is included in that statement).

Saturday night, I stayed up so late trying to make the phone do what I wanted it for that on Sunday when we went over to Mom’s to have dinner and send Pat off home, I fell asleep on the couch.

The next two weeks have become this strange tangible schedule in my mind. Tonight, the neighbors are having some kind of event for the 4th (yes, on the 3rd) that starts at 3pm and lasts until we’re all passed out on our lawns. So I shouldn’t have any trouble arriving late.

One of the neighbors is a bit too cavalier with the fireworks for my tastes, and I hope that he keeps the kids’ safety in mind when he’s setting them off. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.

Tomorrow is Independence Day. I don’t know what else may be planned, but I have a work lunch to meet a new member of our team. It’s a tad disconcerting to me that we don’t have planned company holidays. I don’t mind being “on-call” over a holiday, but I am not really sure if it’s ok not to work on traditional holidays, like Labor Day or Christmas.

Thursday and Friday, I got nothing. Not really true, because what little time I have between now and the 14th should be jam-packed with work. There’s a ton to do, and no time at all for it. And apparently, nearly everyone else at work is off on these days, so I will be “on-call”.

This weekend is somehow completely open. If you’re reading this and want to do something, please call or email to schedule time because I need to get out of the house more, or at least to entertain more friends in my house. Seriously. Don’t hesitate. I beg you.

Next week is the whirlwind of development. At least from Monday through Wednesday. I’ve got a couple of things to complete within that timeframe, and I’m hoping it’s as easy as I hope it is. These things somehow work out. Not sure why, but they do.

Thursday and Friday is Blogphiladelphia. Berta suggested that I stay in the city over night since there is an all-day session on Thursday, followed by a party that I hope to attend. Then on Friday there are more talks. A couple of people I know are session leaders for those. I am hoping to catch them both, but I think I will miss at least one of them because…

Friday is our company BBQ. It starts at 3:30 and lasts until everyone has to leave. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone with their families in a social setting. It seems like we have too many “work lunches” where we go with the intent (at least I do) of hanging out with work folks, and end up having long discussions about specific work projects. I guess you can’t help it, but it’ll be nice to be social on purpose.

But then, Saturday is the family reunion that Berta has been planning. So we’ll likely be leaving the company BBQ early-ish to get on the road for Johnstown. Thank goodness I have not been volunteered into service for the reunion. Of course, I shouldn’t speak too soon.

And then I suppose we’ll blow Sunday traveling home from Johnstown. Strange how that works out. Remind me to grab a new audio book for the trip. I’ll have to arrange that soon or I’ll forget. Hopefully the FM transmitters I just ordered from Woot will arrive before then. The current one is such a pain to operate.