Tired of the Weekend

Had to do some overnight support last night - and now its going to be a tired weekend.

The boys are doing their best to play "nicely" - but Jenny has to sing at church so I'm in charge of the menagerie. That means corn dogs and veggies for dinner with the promise of ice-cream sandwiches for dessert. Not even sure what it's going to be for me.

Incentivising works pretty well with the boys, they both finished all their veggies. It may have been the novelty of using the stick from the corn dog to push veggies onto their forks - I'll take credit either way.

No just to keep them busy till Jenny gets back, and I can go to bed early. I've got a finance and investing book that should put me down for the count pretty well.

And Monday is just around the corner.

Home Sick Day

Youngest has a slight fever, so doing the babysitting/workfrom home thing today. If Daycare gets a temp of 101 - he stays home and misses the field trip to the Science Museum. That is something that shall be avoided if at all possible. So we’re at home watching Star Wars and taking it easy on the couch.

(ep V - the good one of course - he loves the Wampa)

Another Weekend

Weekends are becoming the same. Cleaning, activities for the boys, more cleaning, and some time to myself in the evenings. Even with the "better" weather, it still is coming down to the same sets of activities.

So what was fun.

Taking the boys to the park.
Taking Rowan to see a movie - He loved Monsters vs Aliens
Working on the laptop and getting a program going
Giving blood
Seeing all the scrapbookers working, and all the kids playing nicely - even Dominic

So some of the same, and some that was better. Maybe even better next weekend.

Incentivising

No, I'm not sure it's a word, but it did help Rowan get out of bed, get dressed and be ready to get in the car and go to kindergarten when I asked him - with no yelling!

All it cost me was a kids ice cream at DQ.

As the ad says - priceless.

Many Meetings

Too meetings in the last week for Dominic. The first was his IEP meeting where we met with his More for 4s teacher, and a few other folks. Dominic and Rowan came along - nowhere else to put them.

The second meeting was in the afternoon, so no kids - just Jenny and me. This was to prep for kindergarten next year, and what kind of help or accommodations he might need.

One son that has autism - one son that has ADHD. Two so very different and similar...

Sometimes I'm not sure how I keep the tears in. These are my children, and I do everything...

I'm not really sure what everything is. Was there something I could have done earlier. Is there something I could do now. Is it better to stand back and do nothing.

How do I know when my choice is correct. Will I even find out if I was wrong.

Two sons.

Two different people.

Two different things that are trying to define them.

Two different people.

Two sets of initials that are trying to overpower them.

Is it my job to defy or accept, or is that too easy.

Right now, I've determined that I need help. Anyone who seems to sincerely be trying to help - gets to help.

My job is to find the help - I think.

No. My job is to love. My job is to use love my sons.

It is the easiest thing to love your sons, so I guess my job is not that hard.

IEP

We went to Dominic's IEP meeting tonight. It was his teacher, an Occupational Therapist, a Speech therapist, and us (everyone including Dominic and Rowan). It was nice to see that they had really been looking and evaluating him.

Really the only area to work on is social skills. He still is not respecting other kids (and adults) boundaries, both physically and socially. He will touch and hug, and of course has trouble listening. He is starting again to have some aggression issues with other kids, but it has seemed to narrow down to a few that for some reason give him trouble.

I think he is in good hands, but there is still a lot we need to do at home. I'm very grateful that he will get to continue at Weaver Lake, and not just because his brother is going there too.

Movie Night

Just got back from dinner after going to see Watchmen. I enjoyed the movie - thought the acting was very good. I didn't enjoy the music, felt like it was over done. I'm not sure about the ending and what was different. The reviews mention something about a squid, but I honestly don't remeber.

Anyway - don't take the kids. To much violence and sex - sometimes both. Comment from the group was that it was the ultimate geek movie!

It did take me right back to the eighties.

I can't wait to see the directors cut from the video. It was obvious that much had been cut.

Different Strategies for ADHD

SO Rowan had a pretty bad day at Taekwando. He had trouble paying attention, and after acting out had to sit down for part of the class. Of course I did the wrong thing and yelled at him in the car. So a new plan is needed.

First thing is to concentrate on, well, concentrating. We are going to practice sitting and being still - while things are going on around us.

Next, get more information. I've started reading a book, "Driven to Distraction". It was highly recommended on Amazon, and I think it will be OK even though I've just read one chapter.

Next is to look around for some help. Perhaps the Alexander Institute or if I'm lucky something closer.

MoreTravel - More Homecomings

Airports. Airports are not my favorite place to go. I've spent a fair amount of time in them the last week. All three airports - Baltimore, Detroit, & Minneapolis are the same and different. I think that the more modern they are, and all three are fairly new, the more the same they feel.

Anyway - airports - bad.

Hotels on the other hand are still not that great, but at least the one I was in had an old fashioned bar and restaurant. A good restaurant and bar - they knew how to poor a Guinness.

The work I was doing just went OK. The client really didn't bring the correct people to class (one guy "got it", but I think he was totally overworked). Oh well, they will probably be expending a large amount of time and resources on consultants.

Anyway, it's good to be home.

Trying to have a nice weekend

So it was Dominic's birthday last Wed. He's five and very proud.

What does he really want for his birthday - a trip to the Waterpark of America.

So I reserve a nice (really nice - bunkbeds, jacuzzi, fireplace!) and get everyone set to go. But check-in isn't till 4 PM, so we go to the Mall of America first and do some shopping and have lunch at Bubba Gumps.

So far so good.

We ride some rides, and Dominic even goes on the log flume again and seems to enjoy it.

Still good.

However, Rowan starts complaining that his stomach hurts.

Not good - you see where I'm going here.

Rowan makes it through the mall OK, but after a few rides at the waterpark vomits on one of the walkways - great.

So, I tell a lifeguard, and get mom to take him to the room. I play with Dominic for a while - it is his birthday party afterall, and then go back to the room. Just in time to see Rowan vomiting into a trashcan. Now I'm starting to think it's me.

But that's not all.

So we don't have to worry about Roswell - we made a reservation at the local Petsmart hotel, but in checking shot records found that she was due for a couple. We got those done on the Friday before, but then were told that we had to wait 24 hours before she could stay in the kennel. This was after being told it would be just fine to have her stay after getting her shots.

Still bad.

So, now we have had to make three trips back and forth from the hotel to take her out. About a 90 minute trip.

So we get up on Sunday morning, Rowan comes into the room saying he is doing better. and then procedes to vomit again while I'm in the shower and Jenny is travelling home to walk Roswell.

All in all not the best weekend ever.

Now I'm traveling for work this week, and I'll either spend the time waiting to get the stomach flue, or having the stomach flu - sweet.

Griffey Comes "Home"

Just read the news that Ken Griffey Jr signed with the Mariners for this season. man, that's good news.

After the disaster that was last season - it is good to see some news like this. I was just starting to follow baseball when Griffey started with the Mariners. I had graduated from college that year and moved to LA for my first real job (a bad idea - that led t a good thing - that led to a bad thing - that eventually turned out great) and baseball kept me attached to the Northwest. Then the year after the strike, the Mariners had their greatest season (even greater than the 116 wins) - and beat the Yankees in five games - five awesome games. I've been a fan ever since. In fact I just got my new hat for this year in the mail today, and I'm wearing to work!

Feels like spring to me. Bring on summer.

Baseball Season

Summer starts today - Teams are reporting to camp for Spring Training.

I'm a Seattle Mariners fan (really - no it isn't easy) so pitchers and catchers reported on Friday, and workouts are moving slowly. It is great to see baseball make it to the front page, even as the temperature drops below freezing.

If only the A-rod saga would drop out of sight it would be much better. If only he'd stayed in Seattle I'm sure this never would have happened.

Now to go look for cheap tickets.

Stimulus

I don't know what to think of the Stimulus package. The tax cut is nice, and I don't think I can help but spend it - it's pretty much too small to save.

And all the different elements on their own seem good - keep teachers, fix roads, more police, modernize the power grid. But all at once - everything all at once?

I think that perhaps they could have taken a lesson from Google or 37 Signals. Release small and quick, and refine as you go. I know, I know - the problem is too large, the stakes are too high. I think that the country is too large and too diverse to depend on one big plan.

We have fifty states - fifty different test cases (at least) - fifty different sets of problems.

I can't see a one size fits all.

Yellow Belt

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about Rowan testing for his belt in Taekwando. Well, today he got his yellow belt - hooray. He seems very proud, and I am too.

It's great to see your kids accomplishing something. Especially something that they want, and they choose.

Watching the President

I watched a few minutes of President Obama's press conference. It was nice to not be angry at the President, and just listen. I think he did OK, but it was interesting to hear the hesitancy in his voice, and perhaps a little nervousness. I wish he'd done something like this right away. But I also wish he could have started with a more bi-partisan plan, and worked from that.

I think it's awesome to have a President that is still learning, and at least seems capable of learning, and admitting mistakes. Refreshing compared to our last President.

Oh yeah, and he has autism research as a priority. Won me over.

Looking for good Apps

So I have this spanking new and awesome MacBook Pro - I love it.

But know I'm looking for more reasons to use it. I currently do your general web stuff on it - email, browsing, social apps (mostly twitter) - but any laptop would do. I'm starting to write a little, but again any laptop would do.

Ideas so far:
Programming. Work is starting to use a new language - Ruby on Rails - and it is suited for development on the Mac

Some type of design - don't have a clue on this one yet

More writing. Using this computer is so easy, that it makes me want to use it.

I hope to add to this list, but we shall see.

Agent to the Stars and other cool things

I just finished Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi. Man that was fun. Even when you can see it coming the ride was worth it.

If you haven't yet, read Old Man's War - classic.

Oh yeah - Burn Notice on USA - The new A-Team.

Survival

Jenny came home mid-afternoon Tuesday, so my few days with the boys was over. No trips to the hospital, no broken bones or furniture, so I'm calling it a success.

On Sunday, while watching Toy Story 1 & 2, I cooked a monstrosity containing 2 pounds of bacon and 2 pounds of sausage called the bacon explosion. It took four days and the help of most of my colleagues at work to finish it off - but the house still smells good.

Me and The Boys

So the boys and I are home alone while Jenny goes to a conference for school (vacation).

We've been doing pretty well so far. They've been good - for boys. Spent a lot of time wrestling on Sunday night. We watched both Toy Story 1 & 2, and it was probably a bit much for them.

Dominic had a great day at daycare - so we went out to Applebees for dinner. I've never seen Mac & Cheese hoovered off a plate like that. They liked it better than the ice cream.

Dominc's OT is tomorow, and I'm going to work from home after that - no sense driving in to work to just come back in a few hours. Lovely documentation - sigh.

Belt Test Night

So I endured Rowans Belt Test. I'm not sure that he passed, but I think he gained some confidence after breaking his board. It took a few tries, but he did it, and was very proud.

The only issue was an unscheduled bathroom break - I don't know what affect it will have. I haven't really done this before. I know he could have done better. He fidgeted too much, and had trouble paying attention. But he also didn't get his medication after school. I hate using that as an excuse, but I know he does better with it. He wasn't goofy - no meds for that - so that was a good thing. Hardest part now is the waiting - perhaps I'll need the meds for that.

Even if he didn't pass, I think that breaking that board gave him a lot of confidence. I'm very proud of him no matter what.

Belt Test

Rowan has been gradually getting better at his form for Taekwondo (TanGun Form). He got his third stripe to night, and now he gets to go for his next belt Friday.

Don't know what to think. I hope he does well. I hope he learns the value of practicing.

Blue Sun Goodness

So once again network TV is sucking like a blackhole - I want something on in the background while I wash dishes. So I'm staring at the TV, and I see it in the black screen "Blue Sun". The shirt that Jenny got me for Christmas - a geeky logo shirt from Firefly. You know the best show ever on TV that got canceled by some waste of good skin mascarading as a TV executive for Fox. That shirt was on top of the stack this morning so I had it on today. I figured it would give me courage when I gave a couple hours ago (didn't work). So I wore inspiration today, it just took a while to show itself.

Serenity - I need to watch Serenity.

Done (and not just the dishes).

Pathetic

So we all have something that we do too much. For my wife it's scrapbooking (scrapping to those in the know). For me it's Gaming (old fashioned pen and paper dice based stuff - you know Dungeons & Dragons).

Its the thing that if you have two free seconds to rub together. For me, as long as no one is looking I grab my laptop and start writing stuff down or looking at the message boards. It's a little different for my wife, her hobby includes making things - real things - not just stories like I do.

The pathetic part comes in when you just cant stop yourself from doing what it is you do. You can tell yourself that it makes no sense - but you still do it.

Is it pathetic - maybe - but it matters to me (or my wife). So shut up. I'm pathetic.

Saturdat Stories

OK, we'll try this once and see what happens.

The banana peel sat there, knowing. Everything has a role, and the banana peel knew that its time was coming.

Footsteps......

Number One for the New President

The number one disability concern for the new administration - Autism screening and services.

Whitehouse Agenda

A Slight Interuption

Anyone who reads this blog (OK that's no one) knows that I'm a gamer. And coming up in the next few weeks, I'm going to be running my Star Wars campaign. So here for a couple blog posts I'm going to set out what comes next for the campaign.

Where we are right now:
The party has left the planet after arraigning a bargain with the huts to return Darga, and to keep an eye out for other Jedi.

Besides that, they were able to investigate and destroy an imperial base that was testing a cloaking coating for imperial vehicles. The coating proved to be very explosive and unstable.

Next post - what things are coming in the adventure - the published adventures.

Back at Work for Real

So today was really the first day back at work for me after my latest training outing. Man I am tired. After tying one on last night - lovely Scotch Whisky - at the company holiday party, and a night without much sleep - lovely Scotch Whisky - it was a long day.

Many many support calls. My favorite being the "I think I know the answer but jut want to check" - sigh. How about you check by actually trying it out on the application. You are wasting your own time. Also, with the holiday arty all the sales guys and work from home folks are here so the office is extra busy.

I have a list for first thing in the office - right after the dentist gets my tooth ready for a cap by drilling it to make it smaller. Maybe the shot will help - sucks.

The good news is I'm off to gaming. Save the Dragon, Kill the Princess!

Dominicisms

I know that part of Autism - especially high functioning autism - is the ability to remember things and repeat them back. Dominic lately has been throwing little sayings into his everyday speech. For example, he knocked over the offering cards in the pew and immediately responded "I meant to do that". He was just finishing up going number 2 in the bathroom and I reminded him to wipe his butt - he responds "wait for it". I can't tell if this is just repetition, or if he is developing comedic timing.

I'm hoping for the later - we shall see.

Jenny's Birthday

Happy Birthday Sweetie.

I couldn't imagine my life without you. We've been married for almost eleven years, and I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Love you.

Happy Sledding

  I just downloaded Picasa, and wanted to tryout the blogging feature. So I found a cute picture of Dominic (they're all cute) and I'm trying out the blog feature.

Oh Frak

Battlestar Galactica starts again tonight - W00T.

More importantly - I got to stay home and watch cartoons with the boys - Secret Saturdays, and Clone Wars. Good times.

Now I get to type on my laptop. It's good to be home.

Aint What it Used to Be

Travel this week has sucked.

It's not the client, they've been very cool and prepared. Most of them are knowledgeable about Remedy - so that is helpful.

I think it's the feeling that no matter what I do here - no matter how good a teacher I am - it wont stop the calls.

I guess it also doesn't help that I was sick as a dog last night. Tink I came down with whatever Dominic had over the weekend.

Had my first real meal tonight, now need to go back to sleep.

Sick Boys and Travel

Last night Dominic stumbled out of his room about 10 PM, and threw-up on the carpet. Luckily for him he missed Jenny's scrapbooking stuff.

Anyway, he looked awful, and was very very unhappy about it (throwing up that is). He had already made a mess in his bed, so Jenny and I tag teamed the mess, and got him settled on the couch with the vomit bucket. Jenny went back to bed, and I took up monitoring duty. He threw-up a few more times, and finally seemed to settle down, about midnight. Of course, he woke up about three and wanted some water and to watch cartoons - sigh.

I got up most of the time - including a trip for the dog - until Jenny took pity on me and got up and showered and took Roswell for her walk. She has to go to church and read today. So she and Rowan went to church while I stayed home with Dominic. He seems to be better, but did have one incident with diarrhea.

This week I'm traveling for work, so I always feel guilty and try and help out when I can - guilt is a great motivator.

A Long Week

So two weeks in a row of just three "work" days, and now this last real week seemed to take forever. Even the owner John was asking if I was OK. sheesh.

Probably all the documentation to revue - that will sap the strength of anyone. A few support issues, but nothing really out there, or more realistically - no "out there" customers.

Jenny has been sick all week with a cough, a bad cough. But it seems to be getting better now that she went to the doctor.

Lucky me, I chipped a tooth on Monday night and will need a crown. Two trips to the dentist and approximately $450 - not in the plan.

I'm traveling next week for work, so Jenny is home alone with the boys. Hope she makes it through taekwando with Rowan OK - he really loves it, but it will be a hassle with Dominic.

Speaking of Dominic, he seems to be doing really well in both pre-school and More for Fours. I'm very hopeful for this fall and kindergarten.

Rowan seems to be much better at kindergarten himself, although I worry, because he seems pretty tired at night. Not sure this is any change - just worried about him. He is a very sensitive boy.

If anyone is reading this besides me, pray for Jenny's Granny Henri. She went to the hospital this week for trouble breathing. I hope she's OK. She's tough, but she's also not as young as she once was (so true for us all).

Another New Mac

The power supply on the old iBook just bought the farm. I think that some unnamed small boy stepped on the power cord, and loosened something on the motherboard of the iBook. Continued use finally caused it to kick the bucket.

So what now? Jenny says she is OK with using the desktop downstairs, and saving up for a new laptop - funny sounds familiar.

My personal theory is that it obsoleted itself the first time it saw my new macbook pro - hah!

Sing a Song

So today at kindergarten Rowan asks the teacher if he can sing a song to the class, based on twinkle twinkle little star (a song his brother is learning on the violin). His teacher, who plays guitar and normally has one in class, picks out the tune and he sings strong and well to the whole class about welcoming them back for the new year.

Didn't see that one coming - couldn't be prouder.

He was also very good at taekwando last night. Didn't fidget too bad, and tried real hard to pay attention.

A good 24 hours for Rowan - yea!

What Makes Me Happy

Baseball. Major League Baseball has a TV channel. Its early January, the Seahawks have been done for four months. The Vikings just tanked it the entire second half of the game against the Eagles.

But - I can turn on the TV and warm up to the Hot Stove - I can watch Don Larsen's perfect game - I can watch Gibson limp around the bases - Ken Griffey's sweet sweet swing - Jackie Robinson taking the field - A no hitter - a home run - Tori Hunters glove stealing a run - Ichiro gunning down the runner - The set - The wind-up - the pitch - the steal - and it's summer again.

Baseball moves me. Baseball gives me hope. Baseball is a calm influence on a hectic life. Baseball is be passed on. Baseball is enjoyed slowly, digested over an afternoon. Baseball stays the same. Baseball is always different.

Baseball is something to be enjoyed. Baseball brings me happiness.

MarCon

Yesterday (Saturday) was the latest edition of Marcon - my gaming groups version of a local "Con". Two games and an evening of Rockband. It was about as much as my old guy body could take.

The games were OK. Kent was playtesting his 3.5 game for Con of the North (a real local con). I wasn't that keen on playing 3.5 D&D again - took too long to remember the rules. The encounters were OK, seemed a bit overpowered for the monsters, and too many NPCs playing too big a part.

Marc ran the latest installment of his Roots campaign. It was 4th ed - whoch I like, but was limited to pretty much one encounter that I thought was too hard, and left us with limited choices, and then we stumbled around looking for all the parts to a puzzle.

Honestly, I had the best experience at breakfast. Biscuit and gravy omelet - sweet. I also had a great time playing Rockband. Stayed up way too late - ate bad food - it was great.

Brains

So tomorrow at work is a potluck and white elephant gift exchange. I think I found the perfect thing. It's a game called "Mmmm Brains" - perfect. I'm also bringing some Jenny cookies - game, set and match.

So...

The port side jets stuttered on intermittently for a few seconds as we moved closer to the shuttle.

No help from that side, no power, no comm signal, and no life signs.

I'm depending on the onboard compsys to get me close without crashing. I cant even count the number of oddities this old pig has - better to trust silicon to maneuvor, not carbon.

I hear a gentle ring as the two hulls touch, followed by the hiss of the docking collar as it seals itself to the dead ship.

Snapping the seals on my own helmet into place, I walk the short distance across the bridge/galley/science station/sleeping quarters to the airlock. Time to pay some bills.