Random Access

Tuesday – 13 September 2011
Day 6 and all is well. After the girls’ midnight-ish feeding, all four of us settled in for some sleep. It lasted for an hour-and-a-half and it was great. After that, the girls were up every couple of hours, but went pretty much right back to sleep. I think that we – SaraRules! and I – got around five hours of sleep out of the deal, between midnight and 8AM.

Last night, Dave and Angy stopped by, to give us a bit adult hang-out time. And, you know… to see the girls.

It was good. There may have even been a little Monday Night Football-watching involved, too.  Just sayin’.

And today, my mother’s flying in to meet the girls. In fact, I should probably stop writing and get ready to head to the airport.

Namaste.

Monday – 12 September 2011
The last five days have been something of a rollercoaster… but it’s been a great ride. “Schedule” is not a word in the girls’ vocabulary. (Okay, I’ll be honest: They don’t really have a vocabulary yet, but you get the gist.) We came home on Friday… which was funny because for a while I wasn’t sure what day it was. Time took on its own shape and form. Saturday and Sunday were a bit blurry/hazy, in getting adjusted to having the girls around. Between naps and diaper changes and feedings (we’re supplementing with formula for a bit), I was able to catch a little bit of the Steelers-Ravens game yesterday.

I’d like to give a hearty “Thank you” to everyone who has sent well-wishes and congratulations to the new additions to the family. Your support has been great and very welcome — we are very blessed and fortunate to have such good family and friends.

And, an extra special tip of the hat and wave of the cane to SaraRules!’ parents for coming over a couple of times this weekend to give us a little boost.

Twins. Wow.

Stray Toasters
Just a couple of amusing things I’ve seen in the past few days, when I’ve had a moment to peruse the interwebs…

• Falling Space Junk: The Facts About NASA’s Doomed UARS Satellite
• Simon Spurr’s Rules for Men to Live By
• China Plans Comic Book Museum Shaped Like Speech Bubbles
• I don’t recall who posted this originally, but I liked it…

  

  …now, all that’s needed is a team-up with Rocket Mouse!

• ‘X-Men: First Class’ Animated Infographic Points Out Film Franchise Continuity Woes

Okay, that’s it for now.

Namaste.

Sunday – 11 September 2011
It has been ten years since the attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

For my thoughts on the matter, I again refer to these posts.

Remeber the past.
Cherish the present
Look with hope to the Future.

Namaste.

Thursday – 08 September 2011
It’s official: We are parents.

After nearly 18 hours of not being in active labor and only six (6) hours of active labor, Sara gave birth to the twins. We are the proud parents of baby girls: Diana Kelly and Vanessa Tamar:

• Diana was born at 11:42 PM on Wednesday, 07 September 2011

  

• Vanessa was born at 12:12 AM on Thursday, 08 September 2011

  

That’s right: We have twins… with different birthdays. Beat that. 🙂

Sara and the girls are all doing well… if just a little tired.

Once again, we would like to thank everyone for your thoughts, prayers and support.

Rob, Sara, Diana and Vanessa

Wednesday – 07 September 2011
We’re at the hospital. Yeah, I know… big surprise there. We arrived later than we had originally anticipated, as there were a limited number of labor and delivery rooms available and the women in them ahead of us hadn’t gone into labor and/or given birth. So, rather than getting here around 8 PM, we were told to wait until 10:30 PM.

We got to the hospital and checked in with no problems. Our nurses – Traci and Polly – have been fantastic. We’ve also had a chance to meet with the anesthesiologist and discuss our options. Our doctor came in this morning, around 8 AM and gave Sara a once-over to see how things were progressing.

At this point, Sara’s been given pitocin and her bag of waters has been broken… but her contractions haven’t been strong, so we’re still waiting. And, that’s where the title from this post came from. Around 9:00 AM, we realized that while we brought movies and books, we neglected to bring Trivial Pursuit. Or Scrabble. Or even Chutes and Ladders. Oh, well. Otherwise, there’s no other real news on the “arrival of babies” front.

We would like to thank everyone for their well-wishes. We would also like to note that we will NOT be taking visitors at the hospital. Once we and the kids are settled, we will be receiving visitors at home. Details of when we will start seeing visitors to follow. Thank you for your understanding and support.

Namaste.

Tuesday – 06 September 2011
Today’s the day: SaraRules! is getting induced this evening. Sometime within the next… let’s say 24-36 hours, for the sake of argument… we’ll be parents. To twins. Wow. I’ve been getting lots of “Are you nervous” inquiries from family, friends and coworkers. The simple answer has been “Not yet,” with the expectation that I most likely will be nervous/anxious when we get to the hospital.

This past weekend was good. Nothing like a solid four-day weekend to help you get ready for – or at least (somewhat) relaxed before – having kids. As much as anything can get you “ready” for having kids. But…

• …bags have been packed
• …bassinets have been moved
• …car seats have been installed

…among other details. So, we’re about as ready as we’re going to get.

Stray Toasters

• 7 Scientific Ways Coffee Gives You Super Powers
• Troubled Schools Try Mimicking the Charters
• Badass of the Week: Paddy Mayne
• Fear the helmet: Maryland’s new uniforms draw attention
  I’m actually okay with the jersey. The helmet isn’t too bad… but the cleats!?
• 
• No pointing fingers: Defense in the cloud is everyone’s responsibility
• Google Doodle: Happy 65th, Freddie Mercury
  If, for some reason, you haven’t seen this already, it’s yet another cool ‘Doodle. Check it out.
• Postal Service Is Nearing Default as Losses Mount
• Postal Service may default on a $5.5 billion trust fund payment
• ‘We the Animals’ Delivers a Fiery Ode to Boyhood
• 
• 5 tactics for dumping digital trash
• A Debate Arises on Job Creation and Environment
• I should turn the last panel of this strip into an icon…
• Family Guy = The Office
• What’s in Store: 3 Tales of a Terrifying Future

Namaste.

Thursday – 01 September 2011
A new month kicks off on a No Bad News Technical Friday. Not only that, but it’s a four-day weekend. (Of course, it could turn into a up to a 17-day weekend, if SaraRules! goes into labor today or tonight…)

Last night, SaraRules! and I were visited by Utah Opera Resident Artist John Buffett, whom we haven’t seen since last season. He told us about his summer season and some of the things that he’s looking forward to for the upcoming season.

Then, I got to go back to work for an after-hours network change. YAY! We’d figured on a roughly hour-long job. It took just over two. But, the bottom line is: We got it done.

I got back home and treated myself to an ice cream sandwich. John and I were going to play HALO: Reach with UO’s Artistic Director, Christopher McBeth, but there were… technical difficulties… that prevented us from doing so. Instead, we – along with SaraRules! – hung out and watched last week’s Burn Notice.  All-in-all, not a bad way to wind up an evening.

Stray Toasters

• Facebook has already paid $40,000 for bug finds
• Blues From the Desert, Recorded On-Site
• Apple loses another unreleased iPhone
• 
• Duchess Catherine, Michelle Obama wield style power for good
• My train left Illinois around 0500 yesterday morning. It will be here tomorrow, which means that I will have to come to the office to pick it up… on my day off.
• Fond of Fonts? Check Out ‘Just My Type’
• 
• Solutions sought for growing space junk problem
• Make China our new partner in space
• U.S. Moves to Block Merger Between AT&T and T-Mobile
• Football season starts in one week.

Namaste.

Wednesday – 31 August 2011
Back in the north office again. Yesterday’s excursion to the south office wasn’t too bad. Yes, there were a couple of “Things that make you go ‘Hmm,'” but on the whole, it was fairly painless.

Last night was Guys’ Night Out. And, it will most likely be the last one I get to attend for a while. That’s okay, because the company and the food and the beer were good.

This morning started slowly, by choice. I woke up and decided that I wasn’t going to necessarily rush to get into the office. It made for a nice, leisurely start to the morning. On the flip side, this morning’s cup of coffee wasn’t  enough to stave off my attempts at conducting an inner eyelid study. So, I was on Coffee: Round 2 a little early.

And today was also New Comics & Sushi Wednesday! Sushi was good; the comics haul was VERY light: Two books. I wound up with three books, as I bought two copies of one title.

Stray Toasters

• T-minus six…
• This was emailed to me by my friend, Lianna:

  

  I’m pretty sure that this sums up SaraRules!’ feelings, as well.

• America’s Muslims, fact vs. fiction
• Arguing liquor laws: A failure to communicate
  I listened to part of this on the way to work this morning. It was… something to behold.
• Eight Miami players suspended by NCAA for improper benefits
• Hurricane Cost Seen as Ranking Among Top Ten
• Federal Austerity Changes Disaster Relief
• The Art of the Title
• TopGear + HALO = Amusingly Awesome
• The New Resentment of the Poor
• Parenthood Got You Down? You’re Not Alone, courtesy of
• In Latest Breach, Hackers Impersonate Google to Snoop on Users in Iran
• there there: City Pride T-shirts

Namaste.

Tuesday – 30 August 2011
Day Two of the work week finds me, once again, in Utah County. I actually volunteered to come down here a week early — it works better with the timing of kids on the way. And, so far, it hasn’t been bad.

Last night, there was football. The Jets vs. the Giants. (Even though both teams are based out of the New Meadowlands, the Giants were the home team.) There was A LOT of bickering between the teams – so much so that two players had themselves disqualified from play.  It was also a fast game; I think that it was only a little more than two hours, in all.  After the game, SaraRules! and I took care of more of the last stages of baby prep: I assembled Bassinet #2, while she figured out how to install the kids’ car seats in her car. (I took a cursory look at how they’d install in my car, as well, but I’ll put more effort into that tonight.) And then, there was new Top Gear to watch, as well as ice cream sandwiches to eat. It was a good Monday night.

Stray Toasters

• David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” Recreated as Children’s Book
• Federal Court: recording cops an unambiguous first amendment right
• Twenty Iconic Male Movie Roles in Which Helen Mirren Would Have Ruled
• DC Comics’ reboot/DCnU/whatever they’re calling it kicks off tomorrow.  Here’s my take on DC’s view of what they’re doing:

  

• At 35,000 Feet, a Russian Image Problem
• Single tickets for Utah Symphony’s 2011-12 season are now on sale.
• 12 Things You Should Stop Buying Now, by way of
• The ANGRY BIRDS put on superhero costumes
• “Awe” != “aww…”
• Astronauts May Have to Abandon Space Station

Okay… back to the post-lunch grind.

And tonight: Guys’ Night Out.

Namaste.

Monday – 29 August 2011
It’s Monday. So far, it hasn’t been bad,  although my morning commute was somewhat eventful. I had just left home, made it to the first traffic light – which was green when I got to it – and proceeded across the intersection. I was about 2/3 of the way across the intersection when I happened to look to my right. And then I saw it: A sedan, barreling down the street. Coming right at me.

Well, damn…

Fortunately, I was far enough across the intersection – and just far enough ahead of that car – that it wasn’t a problem. (Well, aside from the obligatory Intestinal Fortitude Test.) I don’t know what they were/weren’t thinking, but it made for an interesting start to the day. The rest of the commute was pretty mundane, by comparison.

Yesterday, SaraRules!, and I went to breakfast at Ruth’s Diner. After breakfast, the three of us went to Utah’s Hogle Zoo to experience “Zoorassic Park.” (Pictures here) I wasn’t expecting SaraRules! to make the trip through the entire zoo — 9 months pregnant and late-August heat — but she did.

Yesterday was also Read Comics in Public Day. I went to Wheeler Farms and (briefly) read comics. I even have pictures to prove it. Thanks to SaraRules! for indulging me.

Stray Toasters

• Eight days… or less.
• Down Atlantic, a Refrain: It Could Have Been Worse
• Airports Resume Service in Northeast, but Backups Could Persist for Days
• For SaraRules!: Driving While Dead
• For Meliko: Women Fighters in Reasonable Armor
• A Man’s Guide to Taking Care of Himself
• 
• Interested in tickets to the upcoming Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony performance? You should head over to Utah Symphony’s blog for a chance to win a pair.
• The Ultimate Cross Over Star Hero
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: Flying While Black and Reading Antique Aviation Books Lands Folk Musician in Security Theatre Hell
• Sharpton’s New MSNBC Gig Part of a Bigger Story
• This is going on The Covet List.
• 
• Unemployed? Go to North Dakota
• Science, Ruining Everything Since 1543

Namaste.

Friday – 26 August 2011
It’s my “on” 9/80 pre-season “Purple Friday.”

Last night, and his kids came over to watch the “Battle of the Beltway.” (More on the game, below). The kids played with LEGO and stuffed animals and action figures – and occasionally watched the game – so, I’m taking that to mean that they were sufficiently entertained.

This morning, I got into the office a little early. The fringe benefit of that: Being able to play this – fairly loudly – before anyone else showed up.

It was a good way to kick off the morning.

I left for a while to head to the hospital: SaraRules! had what should be the next-to-last NST of the pregnancy. And, once again, the kids were showing off. In a BIG way. So much so that Cathy, today’s nurse, said that she was done about ten minutes in… but was required to take at least 20 minutes of readings. (Not only were they showing off, but they are doing fine.)

And, on the way back to the office, I managed to get this picture:

So, all-in-all, not a bad Friday, so far.

Instant Replay: Football

Washington Redskins at Baltimore Ravens
31 – 34
The Battle of the Beltway 2011 For a game that started off slowly, this one gained steam and just kept right on rolling. Both teams’ first strings looked pretty good. The Skins’ defense was fast and moved with purpose. Fortunately, the Ravens seemed to have learned a few things in the past two weeks and patched a lot of the holes in the offensive line. QB Joe Flacco’s first “reception” was an interception. Fortunately, his aim and timing got better. Tyrod Taylor got into the game in the 3rd Quarter and looked good – he showed some serious poise in the pocket, even under pressure, but he also showed that he wasn’t afraid of running the ball himself. I think that he’d make a fine backup to Flacco. And, WR Brandon Jones…?! (click for larger image) Welcome to Baltimore! Way to make your presence known! Next, the Ravens hit the road to take on the Falcons – who handed them an ugly loss last year – for the last preseason game of 2011.

Stray Toasters

• For SaraRules!, three words: Chuck. Finley. T-shirt.
• Buffett to Invest $5 Billion in Shaky Bank of America
• Five Takeaways from Skins Game
• Comic Book Resources had this picture in their D23 coverage, with the caption: “They call him… Bruce”

  

  He doesn’t look a thing like Batman OR Bruce Campbell!

• Buy “Made in China” goods? Benefits to U.S. may surprise you
• Smart Versus Realism — Greg Rucka takes Hollywood to task
• 
• In Britain, a Meeting on Limiting Social Media
• Like No Other View on Earth
• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file: The Holy Bible: Stock Car Racing Edition

  

• Han Solo in Carbonite ice molds
• Quake a wake-up call for Eastern U.S.

Namaste.

Thursday – 25 August 2011
It’s another fine NBN Thursday in the valley.

It’s been busy… in a good way. Hectic, but good. Meetings. Stuff. Things. And whatnot.

For those who may have missed it elsewhere: We have a date for the arrival of the twins: Assuming that she doesn’t deliver before, SaraRules! will be induced on the 06 September. Which means that in twelve (possibly thirteen) days, we’ll be parents. Holy cow.

Stray Toasters

• I just got a message from my mother: The new piano has been delivered.
• …and I just ordered this. It ships tomorrow.
• Former Orioles pitcher Flanagan dead in apparent suicide
• Former Oriole Flanagan Found Dead
• 
• In case you’ve been under a rock for the past 24 hours: Steve Jobs Resigns as CEO of Apple
• Jobs Steps Down at Apple, Saying He Can’t Meet Duties
• Steve Wozniak Comments on Jobs Resignation Announcement
• While You Were Out: Apple’s Years With and Without Steve Jobs
• Tim Cook emails Apple employees: “Apple is not going to change”
• Alternate Histories Does the Monster Mash-Up
• 
• Baby’s Got Bass
• Atheist Billboard Goes Up in Salt Lake City, Utah!
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers give each player an iPad as a playbook

And tonight: The Ravens take on the Redskins on Thursday Night Football.

Namaste.

Wednesday – 24 August 2011
Two down, one in the chamber and two to go.  Must be Wednesday. I’m not sure if I’ll partake in “Sushi Wednesday,” but I do have a doctor’s appointment – check up for SaraRules! and the kids – and new comics to look forward to.

Today is the birthday of Utah Symphony‘s Principal Pops Conductor, Jerry Steichen.

Last night, after far too long, I mowed and edged the lawn. I’m not saying that it was a jungle, but I’m pretty sure that I saw a guy in a loincloth riding an elephant through the middle section of the yard. I had considered hitting the gym afterwards, but it was a good enough workout for the day.

Stray Toasters

• Yesterday’s Earthquake Caused More Twitter Traffic Than Bin Laden’s Death
  I called family on both sides of the epicenter; everyone – and everything – is fine.
• After many years of “longing from afar,” my mother is taking something off her Covet List and putting into the living room: A white baby grand piano.

• I think that these are going on The Covet List.
• Above All Else, Eastern Quake Rattles Nerves
• 
• The Geek Zodiac
• NYPD Intelligence Unit Seen Pushing Rights Limits
• 15 Dangerous Cities for Driving
• By way of my friend, Josh: The History of ‘Mahna Mahna’: From a Swedish Sex Film Soundtrack to the Muppets and Beyond
• 
• Skeleton aprons
• Rocket failure dooms space station cargo freighter launch
• By now, many/most people know that there’s a remake of Footloose in the offing. What I didn’t realize, until today, is that it’s being directed by Craig Brewer, the same man who directed Hustle & Flow and Black Snake Moan.

UPDATE: Just got back from SaraRules!’ appointment a little while ago. Looks as though two weeks from today, we will have kids.

Two weeks.  Wow.

Namaste.

Tuesday – 23 August 2011
Day Two. I apparently have far too much blood in my caffeinestream. This may require a supplemental infusion of bean squeezin’s.

Yesterday was a pretty good day, even for a Monday. The zoo office wasn’t chock full of monkeydom, which makes for a good day. I made dinner last night. Despite the appeal of this…

…I cooked Spaghetti (with my sauce recipe), salad and garlic bread. We ate while we watched Monday Night Football. At halftime, we got to talk with Grace and Sophia (as well as Rana, John and my father) on Skype. And after the game, there was the season premiere of Top Gear. Win-Win-Win.

We’re roughly two weeks (plus or minus) from the advent of The Next Generation. Is it a bad sign that I can envision something like this conversation taking place:

Stray Toasters

• Visitors moved by first look at MLK Jr. memorial
• The 80th Anniversary of Babar
• Engagement Proposal as an Elaborate Portal 2 Level
• Motown songwriter Nick Ashford dies
• 
• Raiders pick Terrelle Pryor in supplemental draft
• Weighing Race and Hate in a Mississippi Killing
• 15 days exploring Muslim America
• 
• We have Columbus to thank for lager beer
• A 15-Year-Old Girl’s Bionic Hand Lets Her Live a Normal Life
• For those who haven’t seen it yet: OK Go performing The Muppet Show Theme

• From the “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…?!” file:
• In Peoples’ Minds, Being a Zombie Is Better Than Being a Vegetable
• A Chinese version of Batman’s origins
• Tron Guy and Duct Tape Go Perfectly Together

Quote of the Day
Near the end of our video chat with Grace and Sophia, Leila (the newborn) started crying, to which John said:

“Sound of angels, Rob… Sound of angels. Just remember: Lucifer was an angel, too.”

The best part was the total deadpan delivery. It made SaraRules! and me laugh.

Namaste.

Monday – 22 August 2011
It’s an odd kind of feeling to be “glad” that it’s Monday, but that’s about where I am right now. It was a long weekend. This is not to say that it was a “bad” weekend. Far from it. It was a great weekend, but it was also a very busy weekend. It was the kind of weekend from which I need downtime to recover.

Long story, short version: My brother-in-law (well, one of them) got married this past Saturday:

It was a very nice ceremony, held at Millcreek Inn. The weather was lovely… at least for the ceremony. Just after it finished, we were treated to a rain shower.  (Ah, Thor looked down upon us and showered his blessings on us…) Fortunately, it was relatively brief and cleared the air for the reception — complete with a rainbow!

Good luck and best wishes for a happy and prosperous marriage to the happy couple!

The weekend was a bit of a whirlwind, as lots of family – on both sides of the wedding party – came to town. There was a lot of catching up to do. And much eating. And storytelling. And… and…. *whew* Yeah, it was like that.

Sunday, SaraRules!, Melissa, Jesse and I went to see Rage Monkeys of Doom… um, I mean Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Andy Serkis, once again, did an amazing motion-capture job as Caesar. I had a hard time buying James Franco as the Dorian Grey-like  (he never aged over the course of ten years, even/especially while dealing with a father with Alzheimer’s Disease!) research scientist… much in the same way that had a hard time buying Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist in The World Is Not Enough. That’s not to say that he wasn’t likeable it was just a little far to stretch. John Lithgow, on the other hand, portrayed his role as a man with (and without) Alzheimer’s incredibly well. All-in-all, it was a nice afternoon escape.

Before taking Melissa and Jesse back to the airport, we had dinner at MacCool’s. That’s right, Finn Skins and Guinness! And it wasn’t even my idea! That just proves, once again, that I chose well in asking SaraRules! to marry me.

And, so, here we are: Monday. At least it hasn’t been a bad day. Let’s see if it can keep up the good work.

Namaste.