Lament for the Sun

If I didn't know better, I'd think Ra's chariot had lost a wheel and the dealership didn't have a loaner...

I don't know about where you are, but, where I am, it has been grey and overcast for almost two weeks now. At first I was pleased by the cooler weather and the rain to help green things up a bit. Now, though, I feel like I'm in Seattle. I suppose that just goes to show how fickle I am. I had a dream last night that I saw the sun. Even in my dream, though I knew I would wake up to more low ceilings and wet weather.

<Sigh>

Truthfully, it's not that I don't enjoy sitting on the sofa with hot chocolate and a good book. There are, however, other things I want to do. I'd like to get back up in the air. I would like to go rollerblading and not have to dodge the mud puddles. And, at the risk of sounding domestic, I would love to let our dogs out in the back yard and not have to wash the mud off their feet before they come back inside!

However, I have a secret. Just between you and me, if our skies don't clear up soon, it won't matter, because Amy and I will be heading west. More details to follow...

Weekend in the Windy City

Just back from a fun weekend in Chicago with dear friends, Amy and I are already looking forward to going back! Here are some photos we took of our trip, but they hardly do it justice. Our friends, Scott and Diana Karafin, moved to Chicago recently for school (a Master's and a Ph.D.!!!), and we had the chance to spend a weekend with them. In addition, our friend Betsy drove down (or around) from Michigan.

It was such a full and fun weekend, it is hard to sum it all up, but here are a few keywords:

• The "L"
• Cranium
• Blueberry Muffins
• The Miracle Mile
• Ghirardelli's Chocolate
• Geja's
• Trivial Pursuit
• a new church
• Giordano's Pizza
• farewell

That only hits the main events, and leaves out all of the fun conversation, not to mention finding ourselves surrounded by the Chicago marathon when we were trying to get to church!

Amy and I are thankful that we are at a point in life (read "no children yet") that we can take off for weekends and see friends and family. And while it's always good to return home, we look forward to the next time.

Scott and Diana, thank you so much for your hospitality! Betsy, thanks for driving all that way to see us! Kirby, Hoover, and Yoshi, thanks for sharing your apartment with us humans.

Happy Anniversary!

Cue the orchestra, set off the fireworks, and uncork the champagne...

Today marks the fourth anniversary of the day Amy and I were wed. While four years may not seem much to some, we're still thrilled she's not in Buffalo, NY, with our contact limited to telephone calls! Each and every day of the last four years (with the exception of those three months when Amy had to go back to Buffalo to finish Medical School) has been wonderful and I wouldn't trade them for anything. Each day brings new discoveries, challenges, and triumphs, and each day I fall more deeply in love with my wife.

Happy Anniversary, my beloved. And here's to four (and forty) more years!

More fun with style sheets

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. It's also easy and doesn't require as much creativity as being original...

In this vein, I've added yet another fun (and I predict wildly popular...) style. For any of you who have visited Todd Stadler's site, you'll immediately recognize the color scheme, as well as the fact that his site is much more tightly put together and thought out.

I'm not going to pilfer his graphics or pretend that I came up with this, but I do like the color scheme, so I've made it an alternative for your viewing pleasure. That is until it gets replaced by further experimentation or Todd sues for unauthorized use of his intellectual propery...

Stylin’

I discovered something new and exciting today at a friend's site, and immediately decided to take advantage of it! If you look to the left (or right, if you've already switched), you'll see a "Choose your Style" area of the menu. This allows you to change the style sheet used to view this site. I knew my first order of business had to be compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, so I have provided a style sheet tailored to left-handed people. :-)

The Java Script used to provide this capability will place a cookie on your computer, so as you move from page to page, your choice will stay with you until you opt for a different style. If you have Java Scripts or cookies turned off in your browser (or blocked by a utility such as Naviscope), you may run into problems...

For more information on this capability, you can go to A List Apart, or this Tip of the Day site, for lack of a better title.

Look for more Stylin' experiments soon!

Calm after the Storm

As referenced in my entry earlier today, Fidelity has now completed a round of layoffs. It has been very strange seeing whole groups walk out of conference rooms with downcast expressions and seeing people hugging as long-time friends pack up their offices. Having said that, I am very thankful that I am still gainfully employed, and the layoffs seem to be at an end.

My thanks to everyone who voiced their concerns and prayers for us.

Dumb and Dumber

Here's a rather amusing story from my alma mater. Apparently this guy put together a valid ID and pretended to be a Rice student for a number of weeks. He even went out for the track team! Only when he applied for an email account was he discovered.

Now, I remember being a college student, and I especially remember the appeal of free meals. Most of the attraction of the free meals, though, was the chance to eat somewhere other than the cafeterias at Rice. This guy, however, is now wanted for the theft of all the cafeteria meals for which he didn't pay. If they catch him, they should not only charge him with theft, but reckless endangerment (of himslef) for eating CK (Central Kitchen). I'm sure anyone who was subjected to the emanations of Rice's CK will agree that he deserves a Darwin award!

An end to the nail-biting?

For those who don't know, it has been a nervous summer here at Fidelity, as rumors flew about possible layoffs. Things are finally coming to a head, however, and it should be clear in the next few days whether or not there is immediate impact for those around me. The actual cuts they're talking about are a lot less than the numbers thrown around in the press lately, but there are still quite a few frayed nerves and furtive glances around here whenever a manager walks by.

I have been relatively peaceful about whatever is coming, but even I have to admit a few less than restfull nights. If you read this, and have a minute, pray that I would trust in God's sovereignty and his perfect will.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called accordng to his purpose.
-Romans 8:28