2.24.2012

Adventures in texting

It was really a bad combination. I stayed up far too late one Thursday night. Then I forgot to set my alarm. Luckily I woke up before I was supposed to be at work. Unfortunately - it was only ten minutes prior to the start of my shift. In the rush to get out the door, I skipped breakfast, forgot to pack a lunch, and didn't have time to get coffee. My Friday was busy and productive, but it was also the kind of day where everything keeps breaking. And while I was not to blame for the broken stuff, I was responsible for the fixing of said stuff. My to-do list was growing faster than I could check stuff off.

Don't get me wrong - that sort of craziness is good for me. It keeps me moving and prevents the boredom that comes with repetitive tasks. The challenges keep me learning and growing and stretching my capabilities.

But that Friday was just a bad day. Due to my own negligence, I was tired. With a lunch still in the freezer at home, I was hungry. I was uncaffeinated. Tired. Hungry. And in dire need of caffeine.

I have a problem when I'm that exhausted. I hallucinate. I see things. I don't need to take drugs to have a wild trip, I just deprive myself of sleep. Spending my work day looking at databases, spreadsheets, charts, graphs, and various metrics updating in real time doesn't help ease my dilemma.

There is a coping strategy. I text my wife. These texts help me to keep awake because it forces my brain to function and serves to distract me from the artificial colors and images dancing across my field of vision.

It also gives my wife great entertainment as these texts are not always coherent. In one friday, the following is what I sent her.

First was an update on a person that Bekah and I have been trying to contact.

I also explained my current welfare in hopes that she could take pity on me and bring me lunch. Or coffee. And as evidence of our spending a decade of our lives together, she was able to successfully translate that first sentence without any help from me.
(Adding insult to injury, the air conditioner in our building was blowing chilled air at full capacity. In the middle of winter.)

Then came an update about some changes at my office and a feeble attempt to see how her day was going.

I didn't have my car that day so I needed Bekah to come pick me up. My phone's autocorrect had a different idea.

And right at the moment that Bekah pulled into the parking lot, I had a last minute issue come up. I know what happened that delayed me, but I don't how I was trying to explain it in this concluding set of texts.

2.21.2012

The Dance

Sometimes you get one of those perfect moments. Fleeting minutes where your steps fall into place with flawless grace.

We had one of those moments last night.

Bekah and Christian were out running errands so I was home with Zu and JJ. I started cooking dinner. Boiling water for pasta, browning ground beef for the sauce, getting peas into the microwave.

After a stop at the grocery store, Bekah and Christian arrived at the house. Without any exchange of instructions, Bekah entered the kitchen and picked up what I had yet to finish - preparing the asparagus and getting the Texas toast into the oven.

We talked small talk and sang along with the music playing in the background. Everything Will Be Alright by All Star United. Let It Be by The Beatles.

We effortlessly moved around the kitchen without bumping into each other. It was like a dance.

I moved from the stove to the sink as she moved from the sink to the counter. She moved to the microwave as I wiped off the counters. I moved back to the stove as she opened the fridge. She set the table as I pulled the dishes out of the cabinets. I drained the pasta as she checked the microwave.

It should be known that we have a small kitchen. It's nearly impossible to navigate a full meal with more than one lone chef handling the cooking responsibilities. On most nights it's either all Bekah or all me. When we do share the cooking duties, our time in the kitchen is more like a mosh pit than a fine waltz.

But there are moments that are just right. Glimmers of perfection.

These are the moments that remind me why we fell in love.

2.20.2012

One Day


Matisyahu is a Jewish reggae singer. Luke is battling cancer. They're singing a song about hope.
Stuff like this makes me feel better about the future of humanity.

2.18.2012

Blogfest 2012

There are two good reasons to attend a blogfest.

The people:













And the food:

2.17.2012

Five important questions

On any given day...

How many times do you say thanks?
How frequently do you smile?
How often do you laugh?
How many kind words do you utter to those you love?
How far do you deviate from routine to lend a helping hand to strangers?

I don't know how you would answer these questions. But my answer is the same for each: not enough.

2.11.2012

Valentine's Day for Math Nerds

Guess what tomorrow is...



So - are you giving a romantic getaway? Or a rash?