Pass Go, Net $200

I moseyed out of the bank this morning quite pleased. After hunkering down with a limited bank account due to closing costs on our home sale/purchase, all of the checks due from various agencies came in over the following weeks, and today I deposited them in one sweep. Two thousand five hundred dollars in a single, fat deposit! Before I even reached the car, though, I recalled that last night I had paid bills, to include our new mortgage and vehicle taxes. How much did I dispense from the very same checking account? Oh, I remember now, two thousand three hundred dollars.

Running as fast as I can, just to stay in one place, just like the Red Queen. At least I have good employment to be thankful for.

Receiving to Ourselves Samnation

Samuel Stewart
Sarah Joy greeting in the way of her people

The lesson, as always: Don't leave you sunglasses behind when visiting the hospital, because sick people will find them

More syrupy sweetness

We have met our newest family member, all 7#, 7 ozs. of him. Samuel Stewart arrived at 11:07 P.M. Thursday night, after Wifey labored for 15 hours. She managed to hammer out the delivery in only 2 pushes once the time came, which was most impressive. That all the more so, since there were no pain meds whatsoever in Wifey's body when the active labor began. An impressive performance, and she and our new son are both flourishing. The staff and facilities at the hospital were great. Best of all, Sweetness and Sarah Joy both really took a liking to their baby brother. We kind of expected Sweetness to enjoy him, because she was very excited during the pregnancy, but we were completely blown away that Sarah Joy was so enthusiastic to hold the newest member of the family. I'll save the syrupy details, but it's been great. The icing on the cake is that Samnation slept great the first night here. That is likely to change as time goes on (like tonight, maybe), but it made for a nice first night home.

We were fortunate enough to receive a dinner provided by another young family from the church, which is part of a ritual I like to call Fellowship By Carbohydrates or The Great Casserole Siege. It's awesome, especially if you like to eat, as I do.

Something Has Changed

In the six months Barack Obama has been president, nothing of significance has changed. The good news is that in our family, big change has been brewing. We're going to the hospital tomorrow morning for the birth of I Tell You What scion #3, our first son. Hopefully I'll get some pictures up soon!

Nothing New Under The Sun

I kept everything inside and even though I tried
it all fell apart
What it meant to me
will eventually
be a memory
of a time when I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
-Linkin Park

17 So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.

18 Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under he sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me.

19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is vanity.

-Ecclesiastes 2: 17-19

All I'm saying is that I heard one on the radio on the drive home from work, and read the other last night, and that things simply don't change very much.

Coming Up For Air

Wow, talk about some craziness. Spent June 8-12 in Boston, taking in a course on submarine combat systems. Had just over one week to complete preparations to move out of our house and into a different one (only about 8 miles away, fortunately). Wifey really put in a yeoman's effort packing, and then unpacking later. Rented and drove a 22' Penske moving truck (diesel, as if you have to ask) with a sweet hydraulic lift gate in the back. Had help at all steps from friends young and hale. Closed on both houses on the same day. Still unpacking, but mostly done. Looks like we squeaked in under the deadline of the arrival of our son. The growth of the baby beard (like a playoff beard, but not best-of-seven) is in full swing. I could write a full entry about any of these things, but doubt I'll get around to it.

Is Their Crew Team Violent?

I'm going to be away on travel this week. I'm heading to Boston to attend a seminar on submarine combat systems. It's hosted by MIT, and run by the Naval War College (Motto: "Go forth and sinketh"). The whole thought of a war college is mind-boggling to me. Do they have a fight song, or is that unnecessary since they actually fight? Instead of peace rallies, do they have war rallies? Because of the sensitive nature of some of the topics, I cannot bring so much as a notepad into class. How much will I possibly remember out of 30+ hours of lectures? We'll see

This link is the perfect confluence of some of my favorite pop culture. I leave it to provide a smile while I am away.

It Depends On Who You Talk To

My boss is sharp. Really, he knows what he's doing. For the first time in some years, I have felt for the past 24 months like I had a bit of a safety net if I made a mistake. He's an unashamed ladder-climber, but I can live with that. He's enrolled in some developmental program for potential directors or even executive officers, very prestigious. The program includes all sorts of personality profiling to determine an individual's strengths and weakness, as well as an awareness of the personality types of others they work with. The benefits of this sort of training for a reasonably young but skilled worker can be enormous.

There's one thing the program never does: talk to any of the people who work for the corporate shooting star. All the input that could be gained, valuable feedback over the real difficulties and frailties of the someday executive... nobody knows those warts better than the grunts who have to do the front line tasks. Sure, you have to watch out for disgruntled types who have an axe to grind, but isn't it possible that if you go back far enough you'd find that there is a reason for the axe grinding?