The Big Monkey

Friday: Woke around 9. Shower. Opened the windows letting some air through, taking advantage of the warm weather. Put the garbage cans around. Down basement for morning practices. Lay down, and almost napped. Set up the 'mushroom kit' that K gave us for Christmas. Decided to eat my lunch for a sort of breakfast, since it was getting on to be that time anyway.

In at the office, mostly chased other folks bugs around. Did swat a few of my own as well. Talked to Al for awhile about how to best resolve a bug of his I was encountering. Talked to MB about evening plans. Left work at 8:15.

Back home, picked up MB. We went out and saw The Big Monkey. Such a tragic film. MB and I looked quite a pair, tear streaked faces and mussed up hair, as the credits rolled, and people tried to get past.

The weather turned colder. Back home, we were going to have a snack but then decided against it. A package I sent to a friend bounced back. Too bad. Lots of emailing. Soon bed, he said hopefully.

Aerial

Thursday: Up around 9:15, after the alarm, but not too bad. Shower, breakfast with MB, cereal and coffee. Down basement for morning practices. A warm (for late December) and rainy day.

In at work, and a long day at the office, getting the system to juggle the stream manipulators between two operating modes based on various factors. Ran into many bugs, not of my creation. The issue I'd had yesterday seemed to be caused by the version of the thirD-party hardwArE driver that was installed.

Of the new Kate Bush album I said: "Ebullient expressions of enthusiasm are in order!"

Left work around 11:30 PM. Back home just about the same time as MB. The recycling was picked up today, but not the garbage. We sat around eating Boursin and crackers, and sipping Miso soup. Leo in particular seemed attracted to the herbed cheese. Soon bed.

crash in the feeder

Wednesday: Slept in again. Need to break the late night cycle. Brief email. Shower, breakfast. Down basement. Swapped the mouse on the iMac for one from work. Headed out. Mailed off a package to MB's parents.

At the office, completed my update to the trunk. Spent the rest of the day working with some specialized hardware. The code that Dv had written before he left was crashing on my machine. When I returned the hardware to his machine, it seemed like it failed.

Back home at 8:10, watched "Beautiful Mind" with MB. Great film. Quickly back to the video store, arriving 1 minute before they closed. Found a file on the iMac for MB. It would be good of me to go to sleep soon.

no one on the line

Tuesday: Slept late again. Dim memory of MB leaving. Brief web, then shower. Wrote a note to MB's parents thanking them for a gift. Breakfast. Down basement for morning practices. Spent a little time after completion doing some computer stuff.

In to work. A rather frustrating day, completing the build I began last night. Most of the problems were caused by files that used to be auto generated, that are now checked in. Also, bugs in the SCC software. And bugs in the development environment. Did get a bit annoyed at one point. Between consulting with Chrs, Alx and Dnl, by the end of the day, things were building and running again. So good. B and Dnl were talking about cars by the water cooler. Headed home around 9:30.

No one showed up for the conference call. Spent some time with my feedback game. MB returned home and I went up to the first floor. She'd been down to Franklin to teach a BD course. We packed lunches for tomorrow and heated pizza. Watched episode 8 of Twin Peaks. Clean up, MB to bed. Soon to follow. First a little guitar.

last guest leaves

Monday: Slept longer than I had planned, but much needed. Woke around 10:30. Said good morning to mom. Web. Shower. A little cleaning in the basement, putting away the borrowed crib, and so on. Over to KKC. Said hello to Hln and Geshela, who were eating lunch in the living room. Geshela asked me to get some Christmas lights, and I agreed. Had to empty the bowls before filling them. Was in a bit of a hurry today, and spilled a little.

Back home, and my mom was just getting ready to leave. Her friend L was over sitting in the kitchen with MB. I ate some leftover quiche and chatted. Mom left with L to go tour the MFA. Down basement for a brief sitting. Some computering.

Drove out to the mall to buy Christmas lights for KKC. Found ones that would server our purposes at the third store. Fifty percent off... I bought many boxes. Over to the center to drop them off. Hln was driving a car, which surprised me. Said hello to Hln, Geshela and another monk in Geshela's room. He said "Yesterday full price, today half-off... maybe tomorrow free?"

Back home, hello to MB. Put away clothes. The cats didn't help. Then down basement for the rest of my day's practices. By the time I emerged it was a bit after 6 PM. Ate some leftovers, hanging with MB. Off for a brief trip to the office.

Stopped at the video store, and picked up a few titles. At the office, I was the only one there. Confirmed that my fix of Saturday, had actually fixed things. Yee Ha. Updated my branch to the trunk. This took about an hour and a half. Left the branch building and headed home.

Some time online. MB came down and we made a 'nest' (of pillows, not of wood shavings) and watched an episode of Twin Peaks. The cats are little heat seeking loaves. Some guitar and soon bed.

If you too strictly adhere to a schedule, you let the past dominate the present. Why should something you set down yesterday, prevent you from doing what is necessary in the moment?
If you allow too much freedom in your day, you allow the present to dominate the future. A life lived without structure is directionless.

a cranky chef

Sunday: Up around 9, hearing my mom's voice calling, and then MB telling her not to wake me. Very brief sitting. Shower. Downstairs, and helped MB with the breakfast. The whole gang was there (except for Ad), but only half of us wanted eggs. Some gifting. Cleaning up. Mom heading right into lunch preparations. Bb and Mrc gave Kr Br and Baby Z a ride to the bus. More gifting. Good restraint this year. Clean up. I decided it would be best for me to work my practices in at this point in the day, so, off to Arlington.

I completed around 2:20. Picked up my cell, and I could tell that I had just missed MB's call. They were going for a walk on Boston Common. Good show. I walked up the street in search of coffee, but everything was closed. Called Wnd, who was at KKC. I drove over there, and we found an open donut shop. Drove to a slightly more picturesque location to consume our goodies, and had a nice conversation. Dropped her back at KKC, then headed home.

I arrived just as everyone else got back from the walk. Headed into dinner preparations. MB helped by making stuffed zucchini and an apple pie. Mom helped by making a salad. I made vegetarian Shepherd's Pie, mushroom-miso sauce, and baked butternut squash. At one point I tossed everyone out of the kitchen. My mom thought I could have been nicer about it, and she was probably right. I brought up some corny jokes about mushrooms. We ate about 6:30 PM. A lovely meal.

A last bit of gifting. Then pie and ice cream. Hugs, handshakes and goodbyes. The party, now down to just MB, myself and my mom, sat in the living room. We decided it was best not to do anything ambitious like go out to a movie. Conversation. Some email. Posted MIDI versions of Invention 1. Soon bed.

quite a full eve

Saturday: MB woke me around 7:30. Sleepy, but up. Shower. Packed my car with guitar and other stuff. Left a note and headed out around 8:30. Found a bank in Medford. Picked up some breakfast at a fast food place. Gas, tipping the guy at the pump. Then to Arlington, taking an odd route. Got keys at Shawn's house, then to the practice space. Morning practices. Took a walk out and bought a few things at the CVS. A bit of guitar practice. Headed back home, finding a trash barrel for the fast food debris en route.

At the ranch, some socializing, then offered to give some folks a ride to Harvard Sq. Br, Kr and baby Z arrived there about 1 PM. They went to the Harvard Book Store. I headed off to do some shopping. Quite a lovely day for it. Lots of people, but not mobbed. Eventually wound up back at the office, and deposited my loot in the car. About 45 minutes of work, working out a very good hypotheses as to why a certain operation hasn't been functioning. Ran out of time before I could test my theory. Picked up Br, Kr, baby Z and Ad at the book store. Gave them a quick tour of the office. It turns out that Ad will be working in the same building as I do. This is a really quite an unlikely happenstance.

Back home, and lunch: Ziti with a delicious store-bought sauce my mom has found. Gave my mom some grief for telling me where to take noodles from out of the serving dish, but kept it playful. Then, some cookies that all who stayed home had spent the day frosting (MB had baked them in the morning). Clean up, Bb pitching.

Around 5, MB, my mom and I headed to OCBC for the Christmas service. MB did a long reading. Quite a lot of music, most of it very good. A funny little moment for me was watching the percussionist play "Little Drummer Boy." He was looking at sheet music for where to put little cymbal accents in (two quarter note hits between vocal phrases). I can't imagine this guy didn't know how the tune "Little Drummer Boy" goes. In his page turning (putting a drum-stick between his teeth in order to free up a hand) he managed to get out of sync by a measure, and put his little cymbal hits in the middle of a vocal phrase. Wouldn't he have been better off just listening? Irv's talk was heartfelt and on target.

Back home briefly, then out again, Bb following me to the Japanese restaurant in Porter Square. An enjoyable meal, MB and I skipping a main course, but having plenty of Edamame and vegetarian sushi. Mom tried Saki for the first time. Baby Z woke up at the end, and cooing ensued.

Back home, hanging out with Br, Kr, baby Z, mom and MB. Everyone but me and MB went to bed. Some milk and cookies. She went to sleep. Now Santa has a little work to do.

a day of going here and there with family

Friday: MB wanted to get up at 5:30, but the alarm didn't go off. I woke up at 6:38, from strange dreams involving cats, and let her know she had over slept. It wound up not being a problem. I got up as well. Shower. MB left around 7:15. Morning practices right as Kr and Br rang the doorbell, around 9:05.

I made breakfast: eggs with mushrooms and cheese, toast, soy sausages, coffee tea, and ate with them. Hanging out talking. Bb and Mrc arrived around 10:20. We sat and talked in the living room until 11:15. They headed off to the Museum of Science. Some last minute things. Cut finger and toe nails. Mom called and a brief conversation. Headed to the office at 12 noon.

Worked for a few hours, trying to track down the same bug that had been eluding me for the last couple days. No luck, but puzzled a couple of other things out. Problems in the aspect that Dv is working on, with no clear resolution. Friendly conversation with Dnl. Left at 3:05 for South Station.

The train my mom was on was posted as 40 minutes late. I wandered around looking at people, and the large miniature train diorama in the middle of the waiting area. Did some shopping. Mom arrived at 3:55. She rang my cell phone just as we spotted each other. Gave her a ride back to the house, and got her situated. She was going to make a salad. Headed back to work. Not much change from where I left it before. Returned home, leaving at 5:20 and arriving at 5:45.

MB was there. We got ready to go over to Ad's apt. Packed a card table and some folding chairs into MB's car. Eventually everyone was set, and we left. Mom keeps talking about getting a cat, but 'not letting it on the counter.' People that do not understand cats should not have them as living companions. A pleasant dinner party. Ad made salmon. MB and I had tempeh 'ribs.' Salad, orzo, asparagus. Then quite a dessert spread with pumpkin pie, cheese cake. Cultural referents were flying like bats. Headed home about 10:30. Br and Kr stopped in and picked up the boom-box and a bunch of CDs. Z likes heavy metal and polka music. Strikes me as the opposite of the 'Mozart effect'... but what do I know.

two cats on the chest

Thursday: The alarm went off around 9, but I ignored it. I remember two cats lying on my chest, and thinking I didn't want to disturb them. Then without warning, it was 1 PM. Up out of bed, shower, and down basement for "morning" practices. Made the bed for K and B. Set up the mini-crib thing we're borrowing from David. Headed off to work.

... But first, went to the barber (long overdue) and some shopping. The barber's hands smelled like salami. We made small talk. Another barber in the shop had a red eye, and the fellow cutting my hair said "You're going to be dead soon," which isn't exactly the sort of thing I like to have said when someone is working about my head with sharp implements.

A very brief day in the office. Discussion with Dv. Trying to track down a bug, but fixing other things along the way. Calls from MB.

Back home by 6:35. A family gathering (MB's uncle, aunt, and cousins, plus her cousin's hubby and baby). Walked out to the pizza shop with uncle and male cousin. Trivia about the neighborhood. An enjoyable meal together, after putting another leaf in the table. Clean up. Spoke with Bb about how the top decision makers in business often don't see how workplace safety, though requiring some up-front expenditures, can save a lot of money in the long run. I pointed out that this has a direct parallel in the attitudes towards preventative medicine. Bb Mrc and Ad left, and MB, Kn and Br (with baby Z) sat around talking a bit more, then they retreated to the basement. MB and I set up my mom's bed for tomorrow. Some guitaring. Soon bed.

physiology of mushrooms

Wednesday: Another late night, doing some musicing. Slept in to around 10. Then shower. Looked at menus for the weekend with MB, and down basement just as M arrived for housecleaning. She was sick, and I was perhaps not as friendly as I might have been, not wanting to get sick myself. Put some new strings the my little traveling guitar for David K. Headed off to work.

Coffee, a bagel and a muffin. Another Holiday Basket was waiting for my nibbling pleasure in the reception area. I have no decision making authority when it comes to who we do business with, but I still get to enjoy the baskets. Fixing features broken by my rearchitecting. Talked with B and D about some work I need from D. More coffee late in the day. Stayed until 6:40 or so.

KKC, and the first in a new series. A fast paced and information packed class, despite the translation back and forth. I gave up taking notes past a certain point. After, a little socializing. Hln is in her new robes. Drove out with Wnd looking for an open Starbucks. Passed two, but they were both closing. So, a donut shop for decaf. Enjoyable conversation about the physiology of mushrooms. Drove to a grocery store and picked up some wrapping paper and tape. Couldn't remember the other item I was to get, and MB couldn't be reached by phone. Dropped Wnd off at KKC. Called mom on the phone about Christmas plans. Back home, no sign of MB. Hanging out with the cats. Soon bed.

Workshop buddies

Tuesday: Typical morning after a late night. Victor said recently "I don't drink, but I do stay up late." After breakfast and morning practices, tidied up the basement a bit. Played some guitar.

In at work, forgot to take my lunch. Looking into some mysterious bugs. Not clear if they are my fault or not. One major problem with software is things often "happen to work" through unintended side-effect. Then if the order of operations changes in a way that the side-effects no longer occur when they need to, entire systems can be rendered non-function, even though nothing changed that would obviously have such a far reaching impact. This sort of issue is inherent whenever an interface hides the complexities of the underlying implementation. Which is a goal of all good software design. Got some pizza and a coffee around 9 PM. Left at about 9:40.

Back home, and my support call with my workshop buddies. Better attended than the previous week. MB had gone to bed when I emerged.

Headstock

Monday: Up late, and then, MB got up around 5 AM. She left for work around 6. Didn't get back to sleep for a while. Finally woke up around 11. Fed cats and put on some water to boil. Shower. Breakfast. Headed over to KKC to fill water bowls. The place was silent when I arrived. Hm showed up a little later to make Geshela his lunch. Tsunmala was there as well, talking about the wheel that I helped put together. Headed back home. Email, and being a bit lazy. Down basement for morning practice. Loaded guitars into car. Headed to work. Talked to MB on the drive, deciding we'd take two cars to Victor's. Let someone know yoga has been canceled.

Parked, walked to the bank and tried the wire transfer again. Picked up our little cards from the printer. Coffee. A short day at work. Found and fixed a bug that was causing a spike in CPU use just as the streaming process was beginning. Started looking at some features that I managed to break with all my code changes. Printed out directions to Victor's. Left at about 7:50.

It took longer to get to Victor's than I thought it would. I got a little lost and had to look at a map. Arrived about 8:30, but it turned out we weren't actually meeting until 9. Got a phone message saying something about the bank routing number was wrong for the wire transfer. Good thing I'm not applying the "3 strikes and your out" rule here. In getting the room set up my guitar took a spill, resulting in edge of the headstock being dinged. This left a residual feeling of "something bad happened" for the rest of the night, even though I wasn't really upset about it. Showed Victor some of my recent compositions. MB and David arrived a bit later. Some talk about The Endurance. Eye of the Needle. Askesis. Improvisation. Recap of last meeting. Playing staccato. Invention 1. Within you. Left around 10:30.

Back home, made some quick soup. Tea. Then, MB and I put together our annual Christmas letters. She headed to bed. Email/web.

Bearings

Sunday: The alarm went off at 9, but I ignored it. MB woke me again at 9:39. She left for OCBC as I was hurriedly getting ready to go. A very brief sitting. To KKC about 5 minutes late, just as the opening part of the teaching was underway. Sat next to Wnd today for what seems like the first time in forever. Got up for some tea at one point when there was a lengthy discussion in Tibetan underway between Geshela and Damchoe. After teaching, socialized a little. Drove off with Wnd to get some lunch. Stopped at Home Depot to try to find a bearing for the wheel. They don't carry them. To Union Sq, and Mexican food. The owner said he was expanding into the place next door. Took a walk around looking for some dessert. Didn't find any, but it was a nice day for a walk. Gave Wnd a ride back to KKC.

Back home, MB was still out. I puttered around a little, then went down basement. Played some with the feedback game. I heard MB return upstairs. A little later, I went up and said hello. We talked about our evenings, and she got a call from the BD organizer at the Middle East asking her to give a mini-lesson, and dance tonight. She took the gig. We carried her tires back around to the shed. She had something to put down basement. Then, transplanted morning practices for me. When I came up for air, MB was getting ready to leave. I watched the rest of my gory movie. Then played some guitar. MB headed out. Email. Walked the DVD back up the street to the video store. More guitar, working on some composition.

MB returned around 11. I warmed up various leftovers from the weekend, and fried some eggs as well. A hodgepodge of a supper, but tasty. After cleanup, organized mail. Email. Soon bed, though MB says she is going to stay up late working.

Land of the Grey Feedback

Saturday: Difficult getting up. Showed MB my efforts with the Christmas letter from last night. She set to editing it down a bit. Shower. Made a PDF of the result and mailed it to the printer. Took a walk out and picked up some milk. Quite pretty out today. Email. MB went out to mail some gifts off at the PO. Played around with a bio-feedback game that I picked up. The game is a bit dippy, but the concept intrigues me. Down basement (dry today) for morning/afternoon practices.

Spent some time working on the recordings from the Athenian Corner, eventually producing a CD image, and burning three copies. Some tea with MB. Cleaned up the little table next to the couch in the living-room, sending out thank-you notes from my b-day.

Some guitar. MB headed off to the Kasbah. Eventually, I walked up the street, dropping a note to KK in the mailbox, picking up a DVD (Land o Dead), and a few slices of pizza. Back home, watching and eating. Then, decided to go in to the office for a bit. Drover over to H Sq. My code from yesterday seemed to be working well, the system trace showing fewer context switches. Now, I need to figure out why I'm spiking at the start of the process.

Back home, doo-wop groups on PBS. Quite annoying, actually. MB had bought jelly sticks, which Gus franticly tried to get at. Tea. Talking about Glint.

A friend sent me some links, which I started exploring today.
Here's one I particularly enjoyed.