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November 28, 2005
.... this would have seemed really strange to me.
Thanksgiving was great. The turkey turned out well, everyone ate and ate. There were minimal left overs (except pie) and all is well with the world. We watched GT lose twice -- once in basketball and once in football. Did some shopping early Friday morning, but managed to stay away from the piledging hordes. Saturday we even decorated for Christmas (which is no easy task because it involves going into the dredded closet under the stairs).
One of the more mundane things that I did was watch a movie called Mummy Returns or something like that. It is your classic not-so-great science fiction film where hordes of semi-invincible hordes spring forth from the sand and when killed again disolve instantly into sand again. I bring this up because near the beginning of the film there is a great line where the main character turns to his trusted warrior friend and says, "You know, a couple of years ago, this would have seemed really strange to me."
Today as I headed to the library to pickup (yet more) books on statistical analysis that line popped into my head. If someone had told me a couple of years ago that I would regularly read math text books, I don't think I would have believed them. Life is strange that way.
Posted by kfeigh at 03:34 PM | Comments (2)
November 22, 2005
Present Excitement
So, Brian's Birthday is tomorrow. I'm so excited about giving him his gifts. In general I think I look forward to Christmas and Birthdays more to give gifts to others than for the gifts I might receive. It is just so much fun to watch their faces, especially if they have to think hard about how you knew what they wanted.
Needless to say I've been having a hard time not giving him his gifts outright. I am so impatient, I've almost given them twice now.
In weather news, the rain has stopped and the sun is out!!!
Posted by kfeigh at 08:55 AM | Comments (0)
November 21, 2005
Apt Settled
Well after a rather harried meeting with someone who is capable of making decisions over at the rental place I managed to get the $100 increase down to a $35 increase. This is much more inline with inflation and I'm quite happy witht he deal.
I just got back from guest lecturing this morning -- I have such a good time when lecturing. Of course this is direcly related to how prepared I am and how well I know the topic. Today was fun, I brought candy :) Grading however, is another story all together.
It is however dreary outside today; our first cold rainy day of the season.
Posted by kfeigh at 10:55 AM | Comments (2)
November 17, 2005
No Millions for Us
So, of course, as I do not live anywhere near CA nor have I visited there lately, I did not win the lottery on Tuesday night. Sigh.
In other news I have been trying to track down someone at our leasing office lately to determine why we haven't yet received our lease renewal offer. I got someone on the phone yesterday whose name I believe starts with an S. She informed me in a very southern drawl that she infact typed up those letters herself on the 3rd and that they were delivered by a courtesy officer. Well no letter showed up at my door. She later said that I was the 2nd person to call about not receiving a letter -- imagine that! She seemed a bit flustered and told me that she would call right back. No call.
So this morning I put in another call. No answer -- so I left a message. At around 1pm this afternoon I called again. This time I reached a front office person with a bit of ambition, who without prompting too much was actually able to read me a copy of the letter that was "sent" to me. The offer was for $100 more a month! $100 more. Of course as she was a front office person there was really nothing more she could do about the situation as she did not have the authority to change the letter in any way.
Stupid Katrina. Seems like all of the evacuees have forced prices in the rental market substantially higher -- at least this is what my lab mates inform me. Still $100 a month seems steep to me. Last year our rent went up by $22 a month, but we got December free. Guess they finally hired people who can multiply. I liked the mathematically challenged people much better.
Posted by kfeigh at 02:31 PM | Comments (1)
November 15, 2005
Mega Millions
So as the jackpot has reached over 300 million, has everyone bought a lottery ticket yet?
Posted by kfeigh at 09:51 AM | Comments (1)
November 11, 2005
Veteran's Day
In Flanders Fields
by Colonel John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, the First World War ended. Civilians wanted to remember the people who had given their lives for peace and freedom. An American War Secretary, Moina Michael, inspired by John McCrae's poem, began selling Poppies to friends to raise money for the ex-Service community. And so the tradition began.
Happy Birthday Steve!!!
Posted by kfeigh at 05:55 PM | Comments (0)
November 10, 2005
No evil robots for me :(
| Your Birthdate: December 13 |
 While others respect your competence, you can be a bit of a dictator. Hard working and serious, you never let yourself down. You are exact and accurate - and you expect others to be the same way. Your strength: You always get the job done Your weakness: You're a perfectionist to a fault Your power color: Gray Your power symbol: Checkmark Your power month: April |
Posted by kfeigh at 09:02 AM | Comments (3)
November 08, 2005
You be the doctor
So I've been running a low level fever for about 5 days now. My sinuses hurt, but I'm not stopped up and my nose is not running. I'm tired, but not achy. I don't have any chills. Oh, and I've had my flu shot. What is wrong with me?
I simply don't know. Unfortunately today I had a series of meetings all of which needed to be attended, so I will have to put of "taking care of myself" until tonight at around 5pm when I figure I will fall into bed not to awake for over 15 hours.
Posted by kfeigh at 01:20 PM | Comments (2)
November 07, 2005
Crazy Weekend
Where to begin.
Last Thursday I flew up to Virginia to help out with a college fair and to eek out the last few hundred skymiles that I needed to get to a level where I will actually receive perks :) While I was there I was thoroughly caught up on the kitchen remodelling plans complete with the selection of granite counter tops which are described by the name Uba Tuba -- I kid you not.
Friday night my mother, father and I went out for a celebratory dinner to celebrate me passing comps/quals and my father landing a job which pays half of what he used to make, but which should make him happy.
Saturday I was up early again as Dad and I drove down to Fayetteville, NC site of my early education and Brian's cousin's wedding. We got there in time to have lunch and get ready for the wedding. It was very nice. It was catholic and for a change the reception included alcohol, music and dancing. All very much fun. The Bride's father (who presumably paid for most of the reception) was a party animal and would not let the band (or the guests) get a moment's rest. We went from one fast song to another. At some point I managed to tweek my ankle -- poor me. Funnily enough it only really hurts when I don't have shoes on. Stupid flat feet. While there I got to meet 6 of the 17 German siblings, their significant others and children. I think meeting them in small groups like this is the way to go.
Sunday we got up and drove home with Brian's parents. 7 hours in a minivan. Fun, fun, fun. Then that evening it was off to the British Consolate General's house for a reception and buffet dinner. Yum. And now the realities of school have hit again. Sigh.
Posted by kfeigh at 02:25 PM | Comments (0)