The Time Sink

"...and it just started working.", Brian Bilbrey, 2002. Heh. I had a Brian Event this weekend of my own. I was playing around with the Win2k box, and headed off into LaLaLand for a bit trying to use the ICS service to feed one of the pen-based computers. ...and that didn't quite work out as planned, but that was okay because I Learned Some New Things. ...like how to hose the entire wireless network's access to the net <g>. ...again!

...and that was the strange part: I got side tracked working on why the machines left in the library could see the net but the wireless couldn't. ...and both the router and the access point were happy and talking to each other. ...and I could hit the router's config (HTML) from the wireless.

So I ignored it all for a bit and went back and played with the connectivity from the webpad to the Win2k box. ...and had the usual Win95 things happen. ...and got them solved (+/-; I still can't see the main network). ...and then noticed that I was getting mail again on the Win2k box. Hmmm...

Hey! It was a good morning getting the kids off to school! Yeah, I'm sticking that here so I can have it logged in case it every happens again <g>... One instance of physical contact, two chore reminders, one case of offensively loud off key Christmas singing and that was it. Wow. ...an all time record. The usual count is much, much higher.

...and I made it out blading yesterday for the first time since I started that cold/whatever. ...and it went okay. No, I didn't even try the full route, but a slightly truncated version went okay. My legs weren't all that happy toward the end, but they're not bothering me today at all! ...and yeah, I'm still coughing, but it's under control enough to try to get back into the swing of things.

Last night's soccer pizza party included one of those 'life lessons' we parents strive to find to pass along to the next generation... Remember when Daniel broke his leg a few months back? It happened during a practice drill before the first game of the season's seeding tournament. ...and the question of what to do about the rest of the season came up.

One option was to take the season off and just kick back instead of kicking the ball, but Daniel had some hopes of being able to play in a game or two toward the end of the season. ...so we gave him the 'team talk' and said the way to handle things was to attend practices and dress out for games, and we'd all see what happened when his cast came off. So he did and Shelley drove him hither and I drove Brad yon when their games conflicted.

...and when the cast came off, the ortho guy said no soccer or PE for another two months. ...and that killed that. ...or not: Daniel didn't attend practice as much, but did make the games. ...and last night the coach gave him his own first place ribbon with the rest of the team. ...and then named him "Most Inspirational Player". Yeah...

Early to post and early to rise... Or not. It's late for a "Dave's Time Machine" post, but still early for my 'day', but I have two projects to work on and I need to put this to bed...

Memo to self: Gloves when blading when the temp's in the forties. Yeah, it's not even the direct air so much as it's the cooling effect on the inserts in the wrist protectors I wear. Those got darned cold this evening. ...and it's sweatshirt weather once again, although I think I'll still be able to wear shorts for another few weeks.

I simply have to figure out how this one happened... I'm sitting here with three kids rather than the usual two while Shelley is getting a perm (to the uninitiated, this takes approximately forever <g>).

Somehow I ended up with picking my two guys after they got their haircuts. ...and one of their friends came along as a bonus. ...and Shelley stayed there. Hmmm... No peace on earth for me this night! Can you say high energy ...but my dastardly plan is working: they are starting to be overcome by a carbohydrate coma. Heh. Pizza and garlic cheesebread, a father's secret weapon.

...but I'll have to come up with a fresh plan for the morning: I have them again while Shelley heads off to the gym. ...and shopping. ...and visiting. ...and I suspect any other reason she can find to find her own version of All is quiet <g>.

Did I ask for All is calm??? Yes, I did. ...so what happened with that? Up half the night, that's what. ...and for both of us.

Things went well enough, but it was like having three Energizer Bunnies: they just wouldn't stop. At midnight I found myself laughing along with them at the Christmas morning video from 1995. ...but I eventually packed it in, or at least tried to. By 0100 or so, the noise level woke Shelley up and she tried settling them down again.

All I remember was fitful sleep as the cats kept waking me up; and when that happened, I'd listen and still hear the TV going. ...at least until sometime after sunup, when someone closed the bedroom door.

...and right now, Brad and his friend are at the friend's house and Daniel has a bud over. That friend brought his GameCube, so I think they're settled for the duration. ...and Shelley's off to shop. ...and it's time for more coffee and then there's a room to finish packing.

Sheesh. In the middle of the continuation of the teardown in the library, I had a hub go south just for the heck of it. One moment up, the next just rapidly blinking lights. Well, I already had a well worn path from the library to the garage to the attic and back, so it didn't take long to get a spare up; but man, what timing: if I hadn't been working right there, I'm not sure I'd have found that for hours...

That's it for the moment; we in the midst of a late start to the day here. ...and the rain has actually hung around for more than a day! There hasn't really been much dropped here yet, but if continues this will be only the second rainfall this autumn. Which is cool; our last real storm was in April...