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A newly-made good friend of mine attended his Oxford graduation ceremony this past weekend.

As he described the ceremony I could imagine how nice it was for him and his parents to celebrate this accomplishment.

It inspires me to do as well for my family and my parents.

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good morning lovely

less than a week now!

it’s too long to wait

i love you my heart

come quickly but safely

i will kiss you all over

kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss
KISS kiss KISS KISS
kiss kiss KISS kiss KISS
KISS kiss KISS kiss kiss

kiss

your heart

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well i was takin the garbage outside the door and my finger got caught in the door and it half way cut off my finger. 

I was outside the door sceamin and cryin then my mom came out the door and saw my finger then went inside the door with me and gave me a towel to wrap my finger off then started to call the hospital. 

[—]+ [—]went to the batherroom so they didn’t see the blood. Me and mom drove very fast to the hospital then when we got there they told us to wait in the waiting room so we did but it took us a long time to get to the room in the hospital.

Then i we were waitin for the people to come in and then the nurse came in and took my tempter then how much i weigh. Then they went out the room and they the came back in with a guy that told me about whats gonna happen.

Then a person came in and took me to get a x-ray and guess what? My finger is broken!!! i cant believe it. Anyway then i went back to the room and sat down on the bed thing and the Doctor came in and looked at my finger and then he turned on the TV for me and started to stitch up my finger with blue stitches and then when he was finished.

he let me go home and i was all better and thats my story so…well.. gotta go

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hello lovely

it was fun playing on im with you yesterday

i want to always be here for you when you need me

i stay online when you are awake

because it seems like i’m right there with you

soon you will be here

i can’t wait…!

love
your heart

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A point of sadness — a newly-made good friend has gone off to another floor of the building.

Seems like a trivial thing but he is a really fun guy to sit next to and has provided some very good advice.

I’ve promised to bring the family round to introduce to him when they get in.

Cool thing is that the day the family arrives is also his birthday.

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From online chat between [child 1]and Dad, after the girls headed out to the hospital:
————–
Times are in London time. [—] time is -6 hours (i.e. first post is at 1:31 pm. [—]got hurt at 1:11 pm)

7:31:11 PM [Child 1]: hello dad
7:31:17 PM [Dad]: hello?
7:31:23 PM [Child 1]: yes
7:31:43 PM [Dad]: did mom leave right away?
7:31:53 PM [Child 1]: yes she did
7:32:36 PM [Dad]: hold on she’s calling
7:32:40 PM [Child 1]: one bad thing that happend when i called the doctors they said they were closed for lunch
7:51:50 PM [Dad]: hello
7:57:01 PM [Dad]: hello
8:11:23 PM [Dad]: hello
8:11:56 PM [Dad]: hello
8:12:03 PM [Dad]: hello
8:12:05 PM [Dad]: hello
8:12:05 PM [Dad]: hello
8:12:06 PM [Dad]: hello
8:12:06 PM [Dad]: hello
8:15:30 PM [Child 1]: yes
8:15:53 PM [Dad]: tell me where her finger was cut
8:16:18 PM [Dad]: first knuckle, second,
8:16:53 PM [Child 1]: above the seconnd close to the nail
8:17:08 PM [Dad]: ok
8:17:18 PM [Child 1]: yep
8:17:32 PM [Child 1]: :'(
8:17:47 PM [Dad]: i sent email to [—] amd [—] and grandma and grandpa with your telephone number there
8:17:57 PM [Dad]: i asked ten to call you boys to check in
8:18:04 PM [Dad]: them
8:18:19 PM [Child 1]: ok ya i just called [—] because mo said to
8:18:27 PM [Child 1]: mom
8:18:35 PM [Dad]: mom and [Child 2] will probably be at the emergency room for many hours
8:18:44 PM [Child 1]: yes
8:18:51 PM [Dad]: do you boys have food?
8:19:05 PM [Child 1]: ya enough for dinner
8:19:09 PM [Dad]: ok good
8:19:19 PM [Dad]: pray if you haven’t already prayed
8:19:30 PM [Child 1]: (A)
8:19:34 PM [Dad]: i sent prayer request to the church
8:19:38 PM [Dad]: and to friends
8:20:21 PM [Child 1]: 🙂
8:20:36 PM [Child 1]: okay
8:21:09 PM [Dad]: i tried calling mom but can’t get through
8:21:24 PM [Dad]: that’s actually good — it means she’s inside the hospital
8:21:35 PM [Child 1]: ya her call phone is acting up because of the hospital
8:21:43 PM [Child 1]: hey
8:21:49 PM [Dad]: did she call you after she left?
8:22:16 PM [Child 1]: yes with the hospital phone
8:22:21 PM [Dad]: what did she say?
8:22:55 PM [Child 1]: that it might take a while so just sit there and talk to you
8:23:11 PM [Dad]: ok
8:23:25 PM [Dad]: i will pray for both of them
8:23:29 PM [Dad]: how did mom sound?
8:23:34 PM [Child 1]: us 2
8:23:44 PM [Child 1]: plz do
8:24:03 PM [Child 1]: r u going to bed soon
8:24:05 PM [Dad]: how did mom sound?
8:24:19 PM [Child 1]: normal and worried
8:24:34 PM [Dad]: ok i was scard for her when she called from the car
8:24:38 PM [Dad]: scared
8:24:52 PM [Dad]: i’m glad she found her way to the hospital
8:24:56 PM [Child 1]: thats oka
8:25:00 PM [Child 1]: okay
8:25:05 PM [Dad]: boys please be very careful
8:25:13 PM [Child 1]: we will
8:25:14 PM [Dad]: no horsing around please
8:25:18 PM [Child 1]: (A)
8:25:28 PM [Dad]: thank you
8:25:34 PM [Dad]: what are you guys doing?
8:25:53 PM [Child 1]: playing on our g-boys
8:25:59 PM [Dad]: ok good
8:26:15 PM [Dad]: do you remember the stories of robin hood?
8:26:21 PM [Child 1]: ya
8:26:43 PM [Dad]: do you remember hearing about hello forest?
8:26:50 PM [Child 1]: oh ya
8:26:58 PM [Child 1]: im cul
8:27:06 PM [Dad]: it’s here in england
8:27:12 PM [Child 1]: no way
8:27:12 PM [Dad]: the actual hello forest
8:27:17 PM [Child 1]: ur kiddin
8:27:28 PM [Dad]: we can take a train to go see the forest
8:27:34 PM [Child 1]: cul;
8:27:45 PM [Child 1]: :-#
8:27:50 PM [Child 1]: shhhhhh
8:27:58 PM [Dad]: why?
8:28:27 PM [Child 1]: dont tell everyone already nos im cul
8:28:37 PM [Dad]: take a look at this tree living in the forest: http://www.eyemead.com/majoroak.htm
8:28:47 PM [Child 1]: okay
8:29:03 PM [Dad]: only look at that page though — don’t go to other sites ok?
8:29:16 PM [Child 1]: okay
8:31:05 PM [Child 1]: its not working
8:32:03 PM [Child 1]: it worked
8:32:07 PM [Dad]: ok
8:32:12 PM [Dad]: i’m going to finish my ironing and then i’m coming back to the computer. please send me a message if mom calls you or if you want to talk to me ok? the chat program makes a noise when you send a message.
8:33:13 PM [Child 1]: okay i will
8:33:19 PM [Dad]: thank you
8:36:10 PM [Child 1]: its really cool when you get back you can answer my question
8:36:18 PM [Child 1]: ill wait
8:36:28 PM [Dad]: yes?
8:38:50 PM [Child 1]: hav u gon to c it
8:39:06 PM [Child 1]: oic
8:39:07 PM [Dad]: no i just go to work and back to the flat
8:39:33 PM [Dad]: i’m sending another link of places here in london and in england: http://www.piccadillytravel.com.au/britain.htm#eng
8:39:44 PM [Child 1]: wats this
8:39:56 PM [Dad]: it’s places to see here in london
8:40:57 PM [Child 1]: okay
8:41:41 PM [Dad]: here is more cool stuff about the forest: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/sense_of_place/facts/hello_forest.shtml
8:42:10 PM [Child 1]: okay
8:42:38 PM [Child 1]: the last one didnt work
8:43:19 PM [Dad]: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/sense_of_place/facts/hello_forest.shtml
8:43:48 PM [Child 1]: okay ill try this one
8:47:26 PM [Child 1]: what now
8:47:34 PM [Child 1]: :S
8:47:54 PM [Dad]: did the page open?
8:48:29 PM [Child 1]: it wants my name email adress and error address
8:48:33 PM [Child 1]: :S
8:48:58 PM [Dad]: ok never mind — just close the page
8:49:10 PM [Child 1]: okay
8:49:46 PM [Dad]: you can go ahead and play on the g-boy for awhile. but let me know as soon as you hear from mom, ok?
8:49:55 PM [Child 1]: it said its not availible or was moved
8:49:59 PM [Dad]: it’s ok
8:50:09 PM [Child 1]: okay
8:50:18 PM [Child 1]: 😉
8:50:32 PM [Dad]: 🙂
8:51:04 PM [Child 1]: oh [Child 2] called and says they think her finger is broken
8:51:24 PM [Child 1]: if it is they will have to take of the nail
8:51:25 PM [Dad]: ok broken not cut off right?
8:51:31 PM [Child 1]: yas
8:51:36 PM [Dad]: nails grow back
8:51:37 PM [Child 1]: but cut
8:52:03 PM [Child 1]: itturned a little purple and there was blood
8:52:08 PM [Dad]: broken is better than cut in half
8:52:13 PM [Child 1]: the whole nail
8:52:34 PM [Dad]: she was probably bleeding a lot
8:52:41 PM [Child 1]: yes
8:52:50 PM [Dad]: is there blood there at the hotel?
8:52:59 PM [Child 1]: no noe
8:53:09 PM [Child 1]: none
8:53:17 PM [Dad]: ok
8:53:22 PM [Child 1]: mom got her a towel fast
8:53:38 PM [Dad]: i would ask you to clean up before it dried and stained the floor or something
8:53:49 PM [Dad]: mom is a wonderful mom
8:53:53 PM [Dad]: i love her
8:53:59 PM [Dad]: your mom
8:54:23 PM [Dad]: ok thank you for telling me what she said
8:55:05 PM [Child 1]: ur welcome
9:24:25 PM [Dad]: grandpa is on his way to get you boys
9:26:55 PM [Child 1]: [Child 2] is okay
9:27:01 PM [Child 1]: mom says
9:27:02 PM [Dad]: tell me more
9:27:10 PM [Dad]: no broken?
9:27:39 PM [Child 1]: they thinkthe tip is broken but nothing more
9:27:57 PM [Child 1]: and [Child 2] got an autograph from a boxxer
9:28:06 PM [Dad]: cool
9:28:14 PM [Child 1]: i know
9:28:29 PM [Dad]: did mom say when she will be able to leave?
9:28:46 PM [Child 1]: no they are still working with her
9:29:03 PM [Dad]: ok it may be awhile yet. grandpa is heading out to get you boys
9:29:13 PM [Dad]: just in case it takes a long time
9:29:59 PM [Child 1]: ya i just got off the phone with him 10 seconds ago
9:30:15 PM [Dad]: ok get your shoes on and be ready for when he gets there
9:30:15 PM [Child 1]: it will take about 30 min
9:50:23 PM [Child 1]: bye dad we love you
9:50:39 PM [Dad]: bye be good for grandla tell him thank you from me
9:50:46 PM [Dad]: i love you boys
9:50:51 PM [Child 1]: we will
9:50:53 PM [Child 1]: byew
9:50:57 PM [Child 1]: bye
9:50:59 PM [Dad]: bye
9:51:17 PM [Child 1]: ill leave it on for mom
9:51:23 PM [Child 1]: okay
9:51:24 PM [Dad]: ok thank you

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We’re recovering now but it was a bit of a scare today.

[Child 2]’s finger got caught in a door and was nearly severed at about 1:30 pm CST. It was hanging on by the fleshy part of the inside of her first knuckle.

Many prayers later (by many many people in prayer chain) the damage was “downgraded” to a broken fingertip. That was truly a miracle.

I stayed on IM with [Child 1] until Grandpa came to the hotel to pick up the boys.

More later as I wait until [Wife]’ cell phone is out of the hospital zone.

[Wife] did a handsome job of keeping everyone including herself calm as she sped out to get [Child 2] to the hospital.

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http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/londonnews/articles/PA_LONREGIONALNEWSCARLTON332tue?source=

Robber returns cash to bank
8 June 2004

An east London bank robber stole more than £100,000 from a cash machine – then returned most of it a week later.

The cash was removed from a machine inside Barclays Bank in Barkingside on May 21. But on May 28 a bin bag full of notes was found inside the premises.

According to reports, £104,000 of the £115,000 taken was returned in the bag – placed behind the bank’s front door.

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Man these people are funny. I mean really humorous.

I’ll need to expand a side comment made by a colleague into a full-blown web page. He’s got a classic sense of dry English humor where his comments are more funny the more you think about them.

Paraphrased Quote:

“We need a function in this cursed programming language called ‘ChangeUserExpectations’. You feed it an array of reasons why you can’t do what they asked for and the function changes their expectations, returning a value of ‘COMPLACENCY’, ‘DISBELIEF’, ‘ANGER’, ‘KILL-THE-PROGRAMMER’, etc.”

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An Epiphany:

(Not quite off-topic since you, dear reader, are receiving this message from some random guy sitting in a desk in London.)

I had an IM chat with my daughter last night. She had asked me if she could install new IM software on the machine there so she could chat with her cousin. I responded, “No” for various support-related reasons, and told her to send an email to her cousin instead.

Her response, which was normal for someone “talking” in real-time with another person half-way across the world, was “but that’s too slow”. I laughed and told her that’s what perople had to do in the “old days”. I joked with her, telling her it someteimes would even take up to 10 minutes to receive an email from someone.

You see, she was born in 1995, a year after the Internet was available to the public. All of her life we’ve had Internet access, and things that seem magical to us are normal for her.

Someday I will sit down with the kids and tell the tale of the way mail messages were delivered before motorised vehicles existed.

Think about it: Sending a letter from central USA to central England:

If you live out-of-town, you’d ride the letter into town on your own horse or walk it in. It would sit in the local post office until the mail carrier came to town to pick up the mail. That could take a week or more, depending upon weather, location, etc.

Then the mail carrier would ride the letter into the main post office, sometimes dodging hostile natives and certainly weathering bad weather most times of the year. The letter would be routed from one post office to another as needed. This process would repeat until the letter made it to the shipyard.

The letter would then be put on a boat and travel to England. This could take months, depending on the time of year and weather. Once landing on shore, and upon leaving the shipyard, the letter would again be relayed via horse or foot to its intended recipient in England, where the person reads the latest news from his friend or family member in America.

Then they would write back a response and the process would begin anew.

This is all assuming that the letter is not lost, destroyed, stolen, etc. in transit.

Wow.

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hello darling i’m still alive…

i love you my heart

my heart and body are waiting for you

it will be wonderful to kiss you again

kiss kiss

KISS kiss KISS kiss
kiss

kiss

KISS KISS KISS

and a HUG (full body hug)

your heart

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Howdy all, finally sat down to see what this rss/atom/newsfeed thing is and it’s pretty nice.

With blogger – the company that brings to you and me this online weblog experience — a blogger like myself can set up site feeds like the big boys of news publishing do (i.e. bbcnews, reuters, wired, etc.).

This means you, gentle reader, can “subscribe” to this web log with any feed reader, and can get updates automatically without having to come back to this web page (sad sniff). A list of feed readers follows at the end of this message. This means that you can receive these messages as I post them just like they are email.

(Grrr this also means I have to grow up and use Mixed Case in my posts from now on. It’s hard to convince someone that you’re serious about something when you can’t use proper punctuation and grammar skills…)

On this website are orange ‘XML’ buttons. Clicking on the buttons will show you some strange-looking stuff. The web address that shows up in your web browser’s “address bar” is the link you’ll need to put into your feed reader.

Feed readers are a very nice way to keep up with news items and items of interest. The feeds are normally very small (unlike this growing note) and download very quickly. This way you don’t have to log into a web page (and load the graphics, wade through the advertisements, etc.) to get your news. Like espresso vs. fluffy coffee drink.

P.S. I tried to come up with a list of feed readers but it is a very LONG list. Do a web search for the phrase “free feedreaders” and pick one that sounds like fun.

Here are links to some search results:

http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&safe=on&q=free+feedreaders&btnG=Search

http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&safe=on&q=free+feedreader&btnG=Search