Monkey infinitum

this is [—] here, im in londen right now i moved here on june 18 2004. ii went to school just a few weeks ago. My favorite friends are shantel and corrina (they are so cool to me). I am going to corrinas house on saterday. im going to see my cousins that are from germany this sunday but i also have a swimming party for one of my friends the same day so.. bye!!!

Quick update says it all — major software release has been hovering over our collective heads for 4 weeks now. Off-again, on-again approach. Weekend work. Home stuff going on as well. Will post soon but man it’s a whirlwind here.

Wrote one in a script
found a funny one online
thought you would like it

Online:
http://www.rswheeldon.com/haikucv.html

What I wrote in script:
/*haiku alert*/
//new, improved columns
//embedded spaces they have
//alas, pain it brings

FYI, VOL_OutputTableForVol changes output format from the migration of v5 to v6.

One would think that a weekend starting off on a Friday the 13th would be one to be wary of.

As it turns out, the weekend was very nice. The 2004 Athens Olympics started off with a bang and we were able to watch it in real-time (Athens is 1 hour ahead of us).

I worked about 12 hours on Saturday and another 4 hours on Sunday. However, we made a family outing on Sunday afternoon to London Bridge area and did sightseeing roughly between the Tube stops of ‘London Bridge’, ‘Monument’, ‘Tower Gateway’ and ‘Bermoundsey’ in about 2.5 hours. Not bad. The family is getting stronger. I’ll ask the kids to write up a report on what they saw.

Then we topped off the evening with a visit to a local Chili’s restaurant in Canary Wharf. I guess the waiter knew by our accents we are American because he put ice in the soda glasses without us asking him to do so. It was a nice affordable meal for 5 and I gave a standard American tip. The waiter came back to thank me on my way out, so that was very nice.

I pray that we are being good ambassadors for our country and family. On a person-to-person interaction, I see no ill-will towards us from the USA. However, in printed material there is definitely a strong sneering slant against the American way of life. That’s too bad, because the American way of life is more than paper-wrapped burgers and gunlust. It’s like the equivalent of saying that life in the UK is a cross between Mary Poppins and the Austin Powers movies. Not fair and certainly not accurate.

One would think that a weekend starting off on a Friday the 13th would be one to be wary of.

As it turns out, the weekend was very nice. The 2004 Athens Olympics started off with a bang and we were able to watch it in real-time (Athens is 1 hour ahead of us).

I worked about 12 hours on Saturday and another 4 hours on Sunday. However, we made a family outing on Sunday afternoon to London Bridge area and did sightseeing roughly between the Tube stops of ‘London Bridge’, ‘Monument’, ‘Tower Gateway’ and ‘Bermoundsey’ in about 2.5 hours. Not bad. The family is getting stronger. I’ll ask the kids to write up a report on what they saw.

Then we topped off the evening with a visit to a local Chili’s restaurant in Canary Wharf. I guess the waiter knew by our accents we are American because he put ice in the soda glasses without us asking him to do so. It was a nice affordable meal for 5 and I gave a standard American tip. The waiter came back to thank me on my way out, so that was very nice.

I pray that we are being good ambassadors for our country and family. On a person-to-person interaction, I see no ill-will towards us from the USA. However, in printed material there is definitely a strong sneering slant against the American way of life. That’s too bad, because the American way of life is more than paper-wrapped burgers and gunlust. It’s like the equivalent of saying that life in the UK is a cross between Mary Poppins and the Austin Powers movies. Not fair and certainly not accurate.

I still can’t get over the fact that we’re actually in London, England.

A day never goes by without me waking up, saying to myself, “I’m waking up in London this morning”.

Today this got my special attention because it’s the time of the month where I have to fill out my expense report for the month. As I account for all my purchases I’m specifically reminded of where these bills and purchases come from…

Being in London has never been a “lifelong dream” for me, but understanding my cultural past has been. And knowing that this country, England, has deep roots in America’s cultural history is really a cool thing for me.

Awhile back, we Americans have chosen to rule ourselves instead of remaining a colony of an indifferent King. However, we did not abandon our cultural history. We took our collective parents’ teachings and applied them to the New World environment as best as we could. Some things changed naturally over time and distance but others have remained the same.

And our country had roots other than England to draw upon. While we’re over this way we’d like to some time in other countries as well, if only for short visits.

When things calm down every once in awhile, I look at my kids and am amazed at the comparison and contrast of their lives and mine at their ages.

In some ways, they live a more rewarding childhood than did I at their age. Then again, in other ways, mine was more rewarding. It’s a funny mix and I can see how environment (i.e., “nurture”) plays such an important part in our individual upbringings.

When you have a moment, think about some of the experiences you had as a kid… some of the things the kids today can’t experience. Not in a “The world has gone to hell” kind of a way, but just in the fact that the special places and attitudes that made
those memories just aren’t available to the kids nowadays.

…as it was with my parents and their memories and how they differed from mine.

My kids are experiencing life as strangers in a strange land…

Communicating with friends and family sometimes in real-time thousands of miles away across the ocean…

Living with toys that were just dreams in my childhood mind…

I, in contrast, experienced life in the heartland of my home country…

Spent my childhood hours wandering the woods and hills, playing Batman and “army man” with my siblings and friends…

Grew up on reruns of 1950’s B&W horror movies (no cable TV), groaning and laughing with my brother at the goofy-looking monsters that only appeared at the final 15 minutes of the film (budgets didn’t allow for much hi-tech wizardry back then)…

Makes me wonder (with excitement) what my children’s children will think when they stand in the same emotional place I am now, pondering the same thoughts.

When things calm down every once in awhile, I look at my kids and am amazed at the comparison and contrast of their lives and mine at their ages.

In some ways, they live a more rewarding childhood than did I at their age. Then again, in other ways, mine was more rewarding. It’s a funny mix and I can see how environment (i.e., “nurture”) plays such an important part in our individual upbringings.

When you have a moment, think about some of the experiences you had as a kid… some of the things the kids today can’t experience. Not in a “The world has gone to hell” kind of a way, but just in the fact that the special places and attitudes that made
those memories just aren’t available to the kids nowadays.

…as it was with my parents and their memories and how they differed from mine.

My kids are experiencing life as strangers in a strange land…

Communicating with friends and family sometimes in real-time thousands of miles away across the ocean…

Living with toys that were just dreams in my childhood mind…

I, in contrast, experienced life in the heartland of my home country…

Spent my childhood hours wandering the woods and hills, playing Batman and “army man” with my siblings and friends…

Grew up on reruns of 1950’s B&W horror movies (no cable TV), groaning and laughing with my brother at the goofy-looking monsters that only appeared at the final 15 minutes of the film (budgets didn’t allow for much hi-tech wizardry back then)…

Makes me wonder (with excitement) what my children’s children will think when they stand in the same emotional place I am now, pondering the same thoughts.

Whew! Talk about busy. We moved to our new flat and have spent some time getting settled in.

Yay now we can turn around in one spot without knocking something over. As said in popular prose, there was “not enough room to swing a cat” in the old place…

Momma and the kids have been frequenting the local library, and we’ll make a visit to the local church. Thank God both are within a pleasant walk from home.

Of course, our Internet connection is down during the moving process. Should be back online by end-of-month. Nice thing is that I know where the wireless hotspots are…

Whew! Talk about busy. We moved to our new flat and have spent some time getting settled in.

Yay now we can turn around in one spot without knocking something over. As said in popular prose, there was “not enough room to swing a cat” in the old place…

Momma and the kids have been frequenting the local library, and we’ll make a visit to the local church. Thank God both are within a pleasant walk from home.

Of course, our Internet connection is down during the moving process. Should be back online by end-of-month. Nice thing is that I know where the wireless hotspots are…

On Saturday, we all walked to Greenwich from Canary Wharf and spent some time poking around the observatory.

On the way there we walked through Millwall Park and saw some cows and lots of blackberries ready for picking.

Also on the way there we stopped by the library to get information about library cards.

Also on the way there we had ice cream cones while we walked under the Thames river using the footpath. It was very busy on the High Street when we got there.

We walked through the park and there were lots of people playing on the grass. The hill going up to the Observatory was very steep and [Child 3] rode on Dad’s shoulders.

We stood on the Prime Meridian which was pretty cool, knowing that we were on the logical start of the world clock. Funny thing is that there’s a statue/monument that has a little plaque on it, which everyone was crowding around for photo opps… even though the actual longitude measurement line runs around the entire world. We simply took our photos on the line itself a few yards away from the monument and avoided the crunch.

On the way back [Child 3] and [Child 1] got big gumballs (pokyballs) from a tree and we stopped by the floating Chinese restaurant on the way back. Yum!

On Sunday we went picking blackberries in Millwall Park which was very nice, as we made jam from the berries to put on our vanilla ice cream while we all watched the Magnificent Seven on TV and cuddled on the bed.

On the way home from picking berries we stopped by the Quaystone church and heard music inside. We didn’t go in because we had bags of berries and dirty clothes but we’ll visit next weekend.

Also on the way home we got some ice cream at the cafe near by the flats. [Child 3]’s ice cream fell on the ground and the owner of the shop gave him a new ice cream cone.

Before bedtime all the kids played marble games and everyone had fun.

Wonderful weekend!

On Saturday, we all walked to Greenwich from Canary Wharf and spent some time poking around the observatory.

We stood on the Prime Meridian which was pretty cool, knowing that we were on the logical start of the world clock. Funny thing is that there’s a statue/monument that has a little plaque on it, which everyone was crowding around for photo opps… even though the actual longitude measurement line runs around the entire world. We simply took our photos on the line itself a few yards away from the monument and avoided the crunch.

On Sunday we went picking blackberries in Millwall Park which was very nice, as we made jam from the berries to put on our vanilla ice cream while we all watched the Magnificent Seven on TV and cuddled on the bed.

Other stuff happened but these were the highlights. Wonderful weekend!

…this time it’s the customer, not the employee who’s preparing to lose a gasket.

My laptop power supply died this month. It’s not actually the supply that plugs into the wall (I found out after £100 and weeks later) but the part inside the laptop itself.

Called Compaq to ger service. “Not a problem,” they said, “just give us your address and we’ll dispatch a courier tomorrow to come pick it up.”

This was on the 13th of July. Today is the 23rd of July. My laptop is still sitting here sad and neglected. Thank God for internet access from work!

The problem is not with Compaq’s support staff; they’ve done a right bang-up job taking care of me.

The problem is with the “Unidentified Postal Service” (whom shall remain nameless for now) who can’t seem to find the flat. That is kind of silly but what really steams me is that the courier who can’t find the flat isn’t fessing up to that; he or she is simply dropping off the mailing box at some random location and saying that they’ve left the ball in my court.

After three unsuccessful attempts to help the courier company find me, I decided to ask Compaq to change my mailing address to my work location instead. Today is the big test to see if the courier company can find one of the largest companies in this part of London.

And I can’t simply use my own courier company even though I prefer to use a Federally-known company known for its Express service and superior mailing capablities. If I do that my warranty is void. So I’m stuck entrusting my lappy to the Unidentified Postal Service instead. Grrr…

Daily phone calls. Definitely. Without question the best way to ensure that you will have things ‘sorted out’ after the initial email or phone call.

Speaking of emails, don’t email for service, call. Follow up the phone call with an email to yourself and the other party. If email is the only way to get ahold of your service person, ask them to provide a telephone number.

Then call daily, and sometimes twice a day. Take names. The person on the other end of the phone will probably not document the fact that you called.

I called in a service repair on my laptop on the 13th of this month. A mail courier (company to remain nameless for the time being) was supposed to be dispatched the same day to pick up my ailing machine. It’s now 6 days later and still the company hasn’t seen fit to find my address. I lost 2 days because the hardware vendor “didn’t get the order” in the system until I called back to see why the mail courier hadn’t shown up.

Then I emailed my apartment mgmt company to let them know I was planning to leave at month’s end. this was on Tuesday of last week. A rep was going to call me back on Thursday to let me know what the landlord’s response was regarding the request. Today is Monday. I called back to see what’s up and found that the person I spoke with had left the company and had failed to pass on the info.

I know these issues aren’t unique to the UK, but it seems like this is the norm here instead of the exception. A good friend of mine here is battling a utility company and debt collection agency over mistaken identity and we don’t know yet who is winning. So far he seems to have the upper hand but the other side may come back with another collection notice at month’s end.

was shocked at first to see notices at grocery stores and gov’t service counters warning customers that physical abuse of employees was not tolerated by the establishment. Now I understand the reason for the notices… 🙂

I’m not getting violent but I am getting very temperamental and I have a long fuse….!

One thing I noticed being away from Texas is the smell of English Dirt. Yes, the stuff on the ground under the grass.

Now this may seem like a strange thing to notice but I did notice it the other morning as I passed a gardener tending a flowerbed by the flat. As I walked by the flowerbed, the unique smell of turned-over earth caught my attention.

Now it’s a smell not unique to England. As a child, I spent some time in the Northern part of the States (Wisconsin) and as normal kids do, I spent a considerable amount of time digging in the dirt, playing with toy trucks, burying Mom’s silverware, etc.

Now in Texas, especially in the Southeastern part of the State, the dirt there is not so much dirt as it is sandy clay. Some dirt-like qualities are introduced by bits of trees and vegetation that dies and eventually crumbles into the mix but for the most part it is a generally sticky mess. Anyone who doubts this can try running through the “mud” next to any riverbank in Livingston, TX. I can guarantee you that it’s sticky enough to pull your boots off in the process.

The other very striking aspect of the dirt in SE Texas is the gassy, oily scent that comes with clay sand with dead vegetation mixed in. It’s not a horrible thing but anyone who lived through house reconstruction after Houston’s recent flooding can attest to the unique smell of Texas dirt in the house.

Now this Northern stuff, by conrast, is almost aromatic. Certainly took me by surprise and back a few years to my childhood.

I can see why the English enjoy gardening so much. I may take it up as well while I’m here.

At least it would give me an excuse to play in the dirt with my toys.

It’s a sad thing when lawmakers feel the need to fix a mistake that “mistakenly revived a colonial-era law giving Virginia workers Sundays off if they request it and subjecting employers to criminal penalties for forcing someone to toil on the Sabbath.”

Seems to me that the colonial-era dudes knew something we’re starting to forget…

Also makes me wonder if the same line of thinking that makes our lawmakers provide a “revision that was greeted by loud groans, rolled eyes and nervous snickers in the restive Senate” will make our coloniel-era Consitution of the United States outdated as well.

And in Virginia as well! These guys should be ashamed of themselves. Founding fathers are banging on their coffins now for sure.

—————————–
Virginia Corrects Law Giving Sundays Off
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20040713/ap_on_re_us/sundays_off

Tue Jul 13, 5:37 PM ET

By LARRY O’DELL, Associated Press Writer

RICHMOND, Va. – With just one dissenting vote, Virginia lawmakers Tuesday corrected an embarrassing legislative mistake that gave all workers the right to take Sundays off as a day of rest.

The bill was approved 36-0 in the Senate and 79-1 in the House of Delegates. Gov. Mark R. Warner then signed it into law; it took effect immediately because of an emergency clause.

“There was a real feeling of, ‘Oops!’ It is in many ways remarkable that it doesn’t happen more often,” Warner said.

The action came at a rare special session convened by the governor to correct the blunder.

Earlier this year, lawmakers mistakenly revived a colonial-era law giving Virginia workers Sundays off if they request it and subjecting employers to criminal penalties for forcing someone to toil on the Sabbath.

The mistake alarmed a wide range of businesses with weekend or round-the-clock shifts to cover, such as hotels, factories, stores, utilities and restaurants. It was supposed to go into effect with the first weekend in July, but was blocked by judge who issued a 90-day emergency order.

“I regret the fact that we had to come back here and do this,” said Sen. Frederick Quayle, sponsor of the original legislation. “I think that perhaps a lot of us have learned lessons from this.”

The mistake occurred when legislators repealed the outdated “blue laws” that restricted trade on Sundays. The legislation inadvertently repealed a list of businesses exempt from Virginia’s “day of rest” law.

The mistake slipped past legislative staff members who draft bills, legislators, the attorney general’s office and Warner, who signed the bill.

Over the past several days, employees around the state soon began notifying their bosses they intended to take their day of worship off.

Delegate Mitchell Van Yahres questioned why lawmakers were so quick to fix a bill at the bidding of businesses.

“I still haven’t heard anyone speak up for the employees. All I hear is conjecture about how the day-of-rest provisions might be abused, how employers will suffer and how the sky is certainly falling,” said Van Yahres, who cast the lone dissenting vote.

The cure was not without confusion as overly cautious lawmakers parsed the meaning of every word and phrase. A Senate committee fretted for more than an hour in a sweltering room before sending an amendment to a House committee. Delegates then made a minor revision that was greeted by loud groans, rolled eyes and nervous snickers in the restive Senate.

Ok kids here is a lesson.

I had a limit of how much money we were going to spend on rent. It was a lot higher than Mom thought it was going to be.

When we went out for coffee around the corner, she and I saw a notice for the flat we liked. It was exactly the amount for my budget. It was not cheap, but exactly what I said I would pay for the rent.

I was not worried or stressed about how much the rent would be. I didn’t know why. I cared about how much the rent was going to be, but just wasn’t worried about it. Mom and I put down the hold deposit today.

Also today I got a telephone call from my recruiting agency. They were verifying that my contract had been extended through March of next year, which was very good news. Then came the best bit of all…

In addition to my contract extension I also got a pay raise. A 15% increase! Most U.S. companies grant from 3% to 5% in a good year. Getting a 15% increase is unbelievable. This takes effect in September of this year. I wasn’t expecting an increase. I was just happy to stay on an extra six months.

I thank God that He is taking care of our family. He loves all of us and wants to give us nice surprises.

We put down a holding deposit for the nice penthouse today! Yay everyone’s excited. The place is beautiful. I pray we can find something to do with our large furniture that won’t fit in the lift.

Visited the Natural History Museum with the family. Wow this place is big!

We also survived a fairly claustrophobic rail ride with all the kids and us parents intact… Central & District lines were down, and the S. Kensington stop was closed. Made a slight detour en-route to the Victoria Line and walked from Knightsbridge instead. Being about lunchtime on a Saturday, the rails were quite packed and somehow we all made it! And best of all no one cried mutiny on my watch.

There was a huge open-air concert at Hyde’s Park this weekend which probably contributed to the crunch.

Also there’s a huge Greenpeace ship from Amsterdam docked outside the flat. I wonder whom they plan to run over or ram…? Hee hee…