A Wonderful Day.

I don't have time for the full update yet, but I will just say that the wedding was perfect.

Finally: an Update!

Yikes!  So much to say in not enough time!

I'll do this in chronological order.  I guess the first big development was my bout with H1N1.  That's right: SWINE FLU.  

Now that I am completely in the clear, I am able to blog about it.  So, remember when I was sick a little while back?  Well...I had a "probable" case of the virus.  In all honesty, I don't really think that I had it, but I guess when you work in a school, and you're dealing with a "pandemic" you don't monkey around.  

I called my doctor who told me not to go to the emergency room, but rather had me list all of my symptoms and their progression.  After listening to me he said:  "Yup.  Sounds like Swine Flu."  Couple that with the fact that I was in close quarters with someone with a confirmed case of

 Swine Flu right around the time I started getting sick and it was enough.  The Powers that Be at work called CDC and I spoke to a CDC person who listed me as a probable case, but me on a map and told me I had to stay in the house for the next three to seven days.  Three!  To SEVEN???  

Since I did not know I would be home, I did not bring my computer home.  Nor was I allowed to go to work to pick up my computer or bring home work to do.  So, I was on a forced vacation.  Except I couldn't leave the house.  (I slept.  A lot.)

Next up: Jamie and I ventured to Ann Arbor, MI!  For Robin and Joe's wedding!

The Carleton Crew.

It was an absolutely beautiful wedding -- the bride was gorgeous, the weather was perfect (no rain), the people were high-spirited, and there was lots and lots of dancing.

Which brings us to this weekend, when Abby and Samir are getting hitched!!!  I cannot wait for Lovefest 2009!  I am nervous about the toast...but I generally find that I am not a mess when it comes to speaking about things (or in this case, people) that I love.  And I love Abby and Samir.  You can count on me posting weddingful updates on this blog when I get back.  I might even be twittering throughout the day...that is, if I remember.

Fixation Update.

Okay.  So I'm sick at home -- not deathly ill, mind you, but enough so that I have been advised that it was my "patriotic duty" to stay home by the boss.  As a result, I have had a chance to catch up on much-needed sleep, work, and obsess over The Phone some more.

I realized that it is just silly for me not to share The Phone with you all......most of you don't even live in places where you could steal my potential Phone away from me.  Besides, rumor (in the geek underworld of those obsessed with this Phone) has it that the official release date -- and with that, the marketing push -- will be published tomorrow in the Wall Street Journal, so everyone will be privvy to the awesomeness of my future phone.

The Palm Pre!

Let me geek out some more: isn't it pretty??  And, on top of that it supposedly does all these things that the current iPhone is unable to do (yet.)  For example:

• Want to check your mail, have a GChat with someone, and read the latest news on washingtonpost.com at the same time without closing one of those programs?  No problem!  
• Want to sync all of the contacts in your Facebook, Gmail account, and Microsoft Exchange?  It's automatic! 

• How about take out the battery and put in a new one?  You can!

I'm such a nerd.  I'm just hoping this phone is not a million dollars.  

Okay, I'm done with the geeking out for a little bit...

Fixation.

Anybody who has known me over the years, will know that I have tendencies to get absolutely fixated on something and then never stop obsessing until I get it.  

On a trip to Reno, NV when I was no older than 8, I was fixating on a mini slot machine piggy bank.  I proceeded to needle my dad for the remainder of the trip until he finally caved and got me the friggin' slot machine.  (I still have it.)

When I was older than 8 it was a puppy.  But, really, what little kid doesn't go through a puppy stage.  And I obsessed for a good many years before I actually got the puppy.

In my teenage years, it was me goading my poor, defenseless brother into allowing us to cut our ski trip one day short so that I could go on a second date with this guy who I really liked and to whom he had to send a wedding invitation even though we had only been on one date.  (What can I say?  With Jamie, I just knew immediately.)

There are many other instances of fixations that I am too embarrassed to admit here...I will be the first to say that I am spoiled by the people who love me.  Really spoiled.  

So, my latest fixation has been simmering away for the past two years and recently went into a rolling boil.  I wanted an iPhone.  

Man, did I ever want an iPhone.  Poor Jamie, has been subjected to me asking for an iPhone ever since before the iPhone came out, but, bless his heart, he has kept me at bay.  

Homeboy thinks he has experienced the full force of my fixations...homeboy has not.  In reality, I think my poor father is the only one who has...

In the bottom of my heart, I have known that getting an iPhone was not something I should do.  It would mean changing our phone service to one that doesn't work on the Metro.  It would mean paying a lot more.  Lots of things.  So I figured I would wait patiently to buy an iPhone and if it ever became available to Verizon, I would make the switch.

Then I learned about this other phone and I could care less about the iPhone.  

I don't know how I learned about it, or where I saw it first, but I am now completely fixated on this phone.  I don't even use the phone that much.  But, I have daydreams about having such a device to keep me uber-organized and connected to the internet all the time (well, except for on the Metro.)

I am so fixated on this phone, that I won't even say what phone it is for fear that someone else may become obsessed with it as well and thereby lessen my chances of getting one of these phones by one.  They have not announced when it will be released.  They have not said how much it will cost.  These are things that only make me fixate more.  

How bad do I have this fixation?  (Some examples)

1. Yesterday, I was watching 30 Rock on Tivo and I actually went back to watch a commercial because they flashed this phone on the screen for a split second.  They did not even say the name of the phone...it was literally on the screen for a split second.
2. Jamie is already sick of hearing about it, and I haven't even gone into gear three yet.
   
3. Despite being on my deathbed over the weekend (I exagerrate), I strongly considered (and am still considering) going over to the store where said phone will be available eventually and begging to be put on a waitlist for when it is available.

I would like it noted, that for someone who depends upon the internet as much as I do, it is amazing that I do not already have a Smartphone.  Jamie can mock me for being spoiled (like I said, I know I am), but he has had his little Blackberry for years already while I had my piddly little lame phone.  My time has come.  At least, it will once they RELEASE this phone!

Fancy Neighbor!

To take advantage of the nice weather today, Jamie and I decided to venture out into our neighborhood and play frisbee in the park.  I really do love this city.  On our way back, we started playing the "Which House Would You Choose?" game...basically, picking out our favorite houses on each street.

When we got to the one I would have chosen, we noticed a fancy pants Suburban waiting outside as a man was locking up the front door.  IT WAS RAHM EMANUEL!  He was all decked out in his tux for the Correspondent's Dinner tonight.  Jamie stared while I tried to avert my eyes as he climbed into his crazy Obama-mobile.  Officially, our second "run-in" with Rahm Emanuel in less than a week.  

So, today I learned that Rahm Emanuel lives in my house of choice if I were a millionaire a few blocks away from my actual house (which coincidentally is my house of choice, period.)  Again, let me reiterate: I love this city.  (Most of the time.)

Sleepy.

I am TIRED. 

Thankfully, it's the weekend.

Lunch Break.

Took a little break from a work and used it to peruse Cute Overload.  They had this up and I had to "borrow" it...again, is it a sign that I'm going a little stir-crazy that I found this hilarious?

So, many of you have probably seen that part in Matrix 2 when Keanu Reeves is attacked by a bunch of Hugo Weavings...

It's a long scene, so it's best to probably skip to the end.  Anyway, this popped up today and it made me happy.

I love how the puppies just walk off dejectedly after the kitty gets away.  It's exactly what the Hugo Weavings do at the end of the fight scene...too bad the YouTube clip cuts it short.  You get the idea though...

Okay, back to work!

Home Office.

For the past couple days, I have been doing that thing that many people long to do: I have been working from home.  Considering my profession, I never thought this day would come.  While it is wonderful to have the option of doing your work sans pants, I have found that it does not meet my wildest expectations.  And for the record, I have been wearing pants.

First, there is the pressure to do a great job with the task at hand.  After all, if I were to do a poor job than I will never again have the option of working from home.  This is problematic since the task at hand is somewhat impossible to do well in the time frame given (3 days).  So instead, I have downgraded my original intent and am now going to do a damn-fine job building a solid foundation for the rest of the work to be done later.  

Second, (and this relates to the first) is the fact that there is a fuzziness regarding hours.  When you go to work, there is a definite ending point for the work when you go home.  Granted, most nights I bring work home with me anyways, but there is a logical place to stop.  At home, you can keep going on and on -- evidenced by the fact that it's way past midnight and I'm considering the time that I am writing this post as a "break" from work.

Third, I miss my colleagues and seeing the kids.  I didn't realize how much seeing the students and seeing the people who would benefit from my work actually motivates me throughout the day.

On the flip side, I am way more productive.  I have made more progress in the last 48 hours than I could have if I was holed up in my office.  Unpredictability is King at a school.

Another flipside?  When I am home I get to see what sort of messes my cats get themselves into while we would normally be away.  Their interactions with the Roomba provided a little entertainment on Monday.  I also got to watch Junior get herself into (and out of) a little predicament today...

Sadly, I did not get the camera in time to allow you to witness the peak of the squirming.  Is it cruel that I thought this was a little funny?  Or have I been working from home for too long?

Weekend Update!

Last weekend was fun!  Lots of fun!

As you may or may not know, my dear friends Abby and Samir are engaged.  So engaged that it is actually now under a month before my dear friends Abby and Samir will be MARRIED.

Hee!

So, this weekend Abby and the bridal party made the trip to DC to celebrate the fact that Abby and Samir are getting MARRIED!  We chatted, laughed, ate good food, talked and laughed some more, watched My So-Called Life (such a good show) on a really big screen, and baked!  So fun!

We were also able to take a tour of the White House.  Again.  This time was infinitely cooler, though, because someone infinitely cooler is President.  Our friend Jon has an awesome job, and he was kind enough to take us around.   I got to see a lot of those important people I hear about on NPR.

Thanks, Jon!

All in all, a very good weekend filled with good people and good memories.  Not so much sleep, but so worth it!